I've been to a lot of Mexican places but I always seem to find myself wanting to go back to Don Memos. Â Its a small place in Upper Darby with its occasional quirks... sometimes, wait is super long. Â sometimes, no avocados so no guacamole. Â But when they have guacamole, its SO SO good. Â My favorite is Enchiladas Verdes. Â I always think that I'll go and try something different but I just love it too much. Â My friends rave about their cubano, tostados, burritos, etc. Â In the end, I don't think you could really go wrong.
Review Source:This is a Penn BYOB staple. Yes, the neighborhood is shady and the food isn't anything to right home about, but honestly, you're there to get your drink on. Bring your own tequila and Don Memo has the margarita mix. Guacamole is pretty good. They make it table side in a mortar and pestle device.
If you have a big party, make sure to make reservations. On weekends near the beginning and end of the semester, Penn kids swarm this place like the bees from Wicker Man on Nicholas Cage's face. I'm biased and think this is awesome (yeah I've drunkenly broken out in song with fellow Quakers, complete strangers at the other tables...HURRAH HURRAH PENNSYLVAN-I-A!), but to anyone else, this is probably really obnoxious. The staff at Don Memo are saints for dealing with all of us.
Fantastic guacamole and margaritas! Don't forget to BYO tequila for the margaritas.
The food however is just so-so. In an ideal world, I would go and just have a whole bowl of guacamole and margaritas rather than order dinner.
Also, just know that it's in a bad neighborhood so go with a group! I wouldn't be caught dead walking around there alone at night.
Don Memo is probably the best Mexican restaurant in the western Philly suburbs. Â Authentic Mexican cuisine (I particularly like the Mole Poblano... the tableside-made Guacamole is also a hit). Â Service is sometimes a bit slow, and they can be crowded depending on events in the local area, so it pays to call ahead.
Review Source:Good food in a bad spot.
The location definitely stinks and the place itself isn't the nicest, but they crank out some good food. The chips, salsas and guacamole were all awesome. Carnitas were also fantastic. Very tender and flavorful. Chicken mole was better than I've had at most places. If this place was in university city or somewhere similar, it would be incredible. Just a shame that it's in a below average area.
I decided to try this place at the recommendation of a friend, and trusted her enough to take my friends there who were visiting from out of town. Â We were not disappointed, and I'm happy to say my foodie friends were quite impressed. Â The portions were large, the flavors were delicious (we got the stuffed peppers, burritos, and a sandwich that was meaty and massive in size) and the service was excellent. Â One draw back--I don't know if it was because it was a Monday afternoon, Â but a number of menu items were not available to order.
The second time I went on a Saturday night and it was packed with the college crowd so obviously the service was a bit slower. Â Luckily we were there first and had received our food before they piled in. Â The steak and pork tacos were a bit bland but everything else was great. Â I thought the guac which they make in front of you tasted very fresh and had just the right mix of flavors.
I love love looooooooove going to the Tacos Don Memos truck in University City, so I was excited to try this place. Â I picked up take out from here, and got the same thing I always get from the truck, pork quesadillas. Â Completely different, and not in a good way. Â We got 1 seasoned pork and 1 marinated pork, and they were both bland. Â Also I requested no added cilantro on mine (it tastes like soap to me), and it still came topped with it. Â It wasn't a tortilla either, it was something different, that I didn't like at all. Â I ended up just eating the filling out with it. Â And to boot, it was more expensive than the taco truck. Â I guess I'll just have to get my husband down to University City so he can try it for himself, the better way.
Review Source:Don Memo's is a small clean place right by 69th street station that my friend tj kept telling me about. Â we went in one day for lunch and were the only ones there we endured a long wait for average food that was inexpensive. Â ho hum, nothing special. Â returned with the wife and she liked it far better than me. Â My wife is obsessed with the tortilla soup. Â It is very good but I personally don't enjoy that dish. Â upon a second and third try the chips and salsa are also, exceptional. Â Other than that the food is solid with nothing really standing out to me.
Review Source:The ultimate Penn BYO...I wish I could say I love it as much as everyone else I know does. In the past few years, I've come here with groups and, while the food wasn't great, it was cheap and generally acceptable.
Unfortunately, I came here this past Friday (granted it was summer) and the food was as tasteless as possible. We started with guacamole, which wasn't bad but I wouldn't get it again. Multiple people at the table had terrible-tasting tortillas, peeling them off their enchiladas. I had fajitas, and the chicken tasted bad (how?! why?! it's a fajita!), so I only ended up eating the veggies. Somehow the meal was about $18 pp which was way overpriced. This would have been bad enough, and then I got violently sick almost immediately after getting home.
P.S. They also have a TV now-another reviewer mentioned liking the fact they didn't, so just wanted to mention that.
It wasn't clear when we walked in whether we sat or selves or if we had to wait for a host. Turns out a single person, seated tables, took orders, ran food, bussed tables, worked the register, and prepped food for delivery/takeout. Luckily this is a 30 person restaurant. But when full, it will take a while to get the servers attention for a refill on water or to get the check. I wonder of its usually like this.
When we were finally sat, the server brought out chips and salsas while we looked over the menu. The definitely looked handmade. One was just very hot and relatively flavorless, the other was very good though. The menu was kind of standard for a mexican place, but there were some diverse options. The carnitas burrito I had was medium sized and filled with quality ingredients. The rice and beans were both flavorful. The tamale with verde sauce was a little dry though, both the masa and the pork filling. The fajitas my dining partner ordered came out sizzling and the veggies perfectly cooked. The two of ate quite happily for less than $25.
I'd definitely come back and try some of their other dishes.
The crowd on a summer Saturday night was definitely rowdy with young kids (looked to be college aged) yelling and screaming profanities. I'm not a prude, but it definitely did not seem appropriate and the single server seemed to have too much to do to rein those kids in.
Don Memos is the best place ever... but actually. Â
I'm not alone in my affinity of the place. Â Don Memos is know across University City which is pretty ironic considering it's located way in Upper Darby and a relatively small Mexican place. That said, Don Memos is incredibly authentic, cheap, and to be perfectly honest- good. Â The guacamole is like nothing i've ever tasted (made table side) and the cilantro is always fresh. Â I love their tacos (again more cilantro, fresh onions and a slice of lime for each). Â I love getting 3 or 4 tacos (they have 5 different types of meat to chose from) and using the green salsa that comes beforehand as an appetizer with the chips. Â If you go make sure you ask if they have fish tacos. Â It's not on the menu but they have it as a special sometimes.
If you're going on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday during the school be sure to make a reservation (yes, a reservation at a Mexican restaurant where the average dish price is about $8- it's that popular with us Penn kids). Â Also, if you're looking to avoid large, rowdy crowds this may not be the best place. Â
It's BYO tequila (awesome) and they provide the glasses / salt when you order a pitcher. Â The el is right there (about a 3 block walk) so it is incredibly accessible for anyone in the city. Â I may not remember all of the subway trips home but I do remember that Don Memos provides a great adventure for anyone looking to head out west. Â The walls are painted bright green and the Mexican music is always playing- what more could you ask for out of a restaurant by 69th street! Â
Thank you, Don Memos... Thank you.
Oh Don Memo! Where have you been all my life? The first time I tried their food was from their foodtruck on Penn campus at 38th b/w Walnut and Sansom. The one thing they do different at the restaurant is they make the guacamole FRESH, as in ... they bring out all the ingredients and make it in front of you! Such a fun experience. I LOVE everything there. The Tortilla soup, the enchilada, the mole sauce, and the TACOS!! They are amazing. The only thing I don't love (but still like) is their burrito - but then really, who goes to an authentic Mexican restaurant to order a tex-mex burrito?
Review Source:Have been twice and will definitely return. Â There are some high points and some ways that the food falls short. Â The high points are the freshness of the homemade tortilla chips, delicious salsa, homemade tortillas, the margharita pitchers that they make when you provide the tequila. Â All were delicious. Â
I had a taco w. chorizo, the taco had lots of fresh cliantro, which along w. the tortilla made it sing, however the meat was dry but tasted ok.  Tamales had a fresh Masa, w. moist, well-prepared  chicken, probably a bit too much Masa, and overall, not much flavor, the mole wasn't available so it came w. a green sauce but the overall effect was bland.  The papusa was fresh, tasted good, but still needed something more to make it delicious.  A chicken/mole dish on my first visit was very good. Â
The waitresses are super nice, sweet, sometimes you have to work to get their attention, usually because of a table or two of 10-20 people. Â Yes, this place is mega popular w. Penn students, they get a bit loud, nothing beyond normal exuberance, but the energy definitely fills the small space. Â This was true on both visits, I could still hear and talk to the friend I was with, so I was fine. Â
Prices are very reasonable-whether ordering ala carte or  ordering entrees, Our bill with appetizers, entrees, and a small pitcher of margharitas (remember it's byob) was $40 plus tip.  The small pitcher provided 7-8 margharitas which was plenty!! Â
Regarding a comparison w. California/Arizona Mexican restaurants, I''ve most definitely had better food than Don Memo. Â East Tucson stands out as an amazing place for Mom and Pop style Mexican, and some places in LA too. Â I think the difference is the availability of the freshest produce and ingredients on the West Coast and a restaurant culture that supports and demands quality Mexican food. Â There's crap Mexican on the west coast too, but always somewhere w. amazing food. Â In San Diego's old city, they gave us a complimentary quesadilla made w. a fresh spinach tortilla as soon as we sat down, it was so good, it nearly made me cry. Once in a awhile I'll eat a dish that has so much love, I get emotional--but only once a year or so--LOL!!
If I compare Don Memo to other places in Philly, it's definitely worth going back. Â El Azteca on Chestnut in CC is "glop on a plate"--this place is a couple of notches above that approach. Â I'd describe it as elevated Food Truck fare that needs a chefs touch to make it gourmet. Â I recommend trying different dishes and apps at Don Memo and finding what works for you.
Bring gobs of tequila (everyone else there will have done the same), and prepare to be pleased. They make the guac tableside, which is a nice touch. I don't even like guac, but I eat it here. The food is quite authentic as far as Mexican food in Philly goes, and the staff won't judge when you start singing/shouting La Cucaracha at the top of your lungs. I'm sure they've seen it ALL by this point.
It's also quite easy to get to by taking the Market-Frankford. From the station, it's a couple blocks walk. Cabs for the ride back can be tough to find, though the restaurant will call one for you if you ask.
This place is really authentic. Food is great and the service is great! A lot of selections to choose from, with details of whats in the dish if you are not familiar with the food. With that being said, its difficult to figure out what you want, so many great choices! A must go!
FYI : We went on a Saturday around 4pm, we were the only ones in the restaurant!
Coming from AZ to Philly was an exciting move, but one thing I miss above all else is good Mexican food - I've been on a 6 year search with pretty dismal results, so it was with great excitement that I heard of Don Memo's when we moved to the Upper Darby area. Gotta say it was a little bit of a disappointment, but only because I let my expectations be so lofty - Hey, it's no Mi Nidito's (The BEST Mexican food in Tucson, maybe AZ) and it's a little pricey for what you get, buthey, I need ot be happy a place as good as this exists around here at all.
I had the Huaraches with Chorizo - I wanted the Lengua, but they were out - Not quite as tasty as I expected Masa with Chorizo to be - Chorizo was a bit bland, but they have their Masa down good. We had Tamales as an appetizer, and they're so big a couple would make a nice meal, and at $2.50 each, they're the best bargain in the place. My wife had the Chile Rellenos, which were good, but not spectacular - everyone seems to drown them in Tomato Sauce around here, which is weird to me - Might be the style in Central/Southern Mex, but Northern Mex / Southwestern US we don't do that. Kills all the crispiness of a just fried relleno - and these seemed a little too soggy to have been just fried.
If I could rate JUST the Tamales, they'd get a 4.5 - 5 - they're some of the best I've had outside of my family's homemade ones - the Masa was just right and they were a good size and relatively inexpensive, and I'll just have that next time I go. Maybe the truck is better.
I was brought to Don Memo when visiting my friend in Philly. He was celebrating the last day of his internship with his fellow interns, so I felt a wee bit out of place with the group, but had an overall positive experience here. (Despite the fact that I do NOT eat Mexican food, authentic or Tex-Mex. It's just not something I really find appetizing, I'm sorry, Yelpers!)
That being said, when I found on Don Memo was a Mexican restaurant, I was a little let down because I was kind of counting on stuffing my face that evening. BUT I was determined to have good food and a good time.
We had a really large group of 20 people, and we were all seated at a loooong table, 10 on each side. It was a little bit cramped, but we made it and I guess we had to bond over it. Margaritas are BYOB, so the group brought a lot of alcohol with them. (There was vodka. I am not a drinker, but I believe you don't make margaritas with vodka. XD) They supplied the glasses, the salt, the lime, and the mix, and the patrons are responsible for supplying the alcohol. (I was a good girl and I abstained from drinking.) (Like I do all the time.)
We ordered a large guacamole as an appetizer to start us off. The description in the menu was something like, we prepare the guacamole fresh at your table and it's AWESOME (maybe not quite like that, but you know). They then brought us tortilla chips and guacamole. ... And then after a little delay, brought us two kinds of salsa - a tomato-based one and a green lime-y one. My table was a bit bewildered because this was definitely not what we were expecting. We asked the other tables if they ordered guacamole or if this was just standard for all customers. It turns out our entire party ordered guacamole at all our tables, so... it seems that was it. Pretty disappointing, if you ask me, considering chips and guacamole+salsa is one of the few items of Mexican cuisine I do eat.
Oh well, we moved on. I ordered flan to play it safe for my palate (and also because I've never had flan but really wanted to try it). The dudes at my table ordered things steak fajitas and tacos. The food kind of took a while to come out, but when it did it was a joyous moment! The first person to get his steak fajita has his platter of steak still sizzling. It smelled so good, I was extremely tempted to ditch the flan and to get some meat myself.
Everyone seemed to really enjoy their food, and my flan was fantastic. Very delicious, with 2 maraschino cherries and a chocolate whipped cream? Was that it? It was yummy. So yummy. I tore that thing up while a Spanish song tickled my ears above all the craziness of our table and a birthday table behind us.
All in all, good experience despite the fact that I'm not big on Mexican food. Who knows, maybe next time I'll push outside of my comfort zone and try to order an actual entree? Maybe. Because despite my objections to it, Don Memo does seem to serve authentic Mexican fare and not Tex-Mex.
Good, authentic Mexican. Â I do, however, prefer Hidalgo in Clifton Heights (as far as Delco Mexican goes). Â
I had the guacamole, which was wonderful and plentiful! Â Also tried the queso fundido; tasty, but it conjeals so quickly so don't bother if you're getting take out. Â Also tasty is the cactus.
For my entree, I had chille rellenos. Â I really liked their sauce, but the pepper itself was just ok. Â
Hubby had a burrito...said it was "good.". Nothing more, nothing less.
If I get a Mexican food craving on a Tuesday (when Hidalgo is closed), I will go back.
Me and my hubby feel that Don Memo's is merely an extension of our living room.
I've never been to a restaurant that was as low-frills as this one, but for some reason, I really really really like it. The wait-staff don't talk much, but they still give off a warmth that is unusual to find. Once we were here when a family was celebrating a birthday, and the family so unexpectedly & so kindly passed us pieces of their delicious strawberry shortcake! That still makes me warm and fuzzy.
You will always be served munchies with delicious dips while waiting for your food. You will always ask for 2nds and you will always be tempted to ask for 3rds -- ok, maybe that's just us, but that stuff is so good. Esp when you're starving. Try to save room for your actual meal.
There are no televisions, which I *LOVE*. Hate how tvs are randomly everywhere in bars, eateries, malls, banks, doctor's offices, elevators, and the freaking gas pump.
We always grab tacos. One of each plus several chicken ones ~ my fave.
The first couple of times we went here, I was disturbed by how the waitress would appear for a minute and then disappear... for 20 minutes. Or 30. The Don Memo experience is full of long gaps where you are on your own (after coming inside, after ordering, after you are finished eating, after you request the check, etc). I was pretty pissed at first, but now I don't notice it anymore, & for some strange reason find it almost charming. Like... maybe we really ARE in our living room in another dimension & that's why there's no waitstaff! Tee hee these tacos are so good I luuuuuuv Don Memo chomp chomp chomp. But seriously, if you are a first-timer, don't expect to be checked on often or to receive your order very quickly. At this point, we order right when we sit down to cut a half hour off of the visit.
After seriously craving a good burrito I decided to hit up Tacos Don Memo truck, my go to burrito place. However I was disappointed when I Â found out they weren't there on Sunday, at least not at 2pm when we went. Undeterred I remember Don Memo having a Mexican restaurant not too far away in Upper Darby, we decided to take our business to the headquarters.
There were plenty of street parking available when we arrived, just make sure to pay the meter even on Sunday to avoid tickets since it says enforced 7 days a week. Luckily for me I scored a broken meter WOOT.
The place was quaint with a few tables and solid decor complete with a guy singing in Spanish to give the shop an extra dose of authenticity. The waitress brought out glasses of ice water with authentic tortilla chips with a green salsa dip and a chili dip  right after we sat down and then there was the burrito.
It tasted as expected, my al pastor burrito had similar flavors to the taco truck with its crunchy bits but it lacked size and customizability of the truck, the burrito came out with the avocado on the side instead of inside and had sour cream on top in a squiggly design. Probably trying to give it a fancy edge since its a "restaurant" when compared to the truck  I'm guessing.
All in all a solid experience if you are in the area, but if you want barebones burrito munching goodness then I would stick to the truck. Â
4 stars!
Don Memo is solid. Probably the best Mexican food I've had in Philly thus far. We came for lunch and split ceviche, empanadas, and three tacos. The shrimp ceviche was avocado-licious, and really fresh tasting. The empanadas were a little overly deep-fried and the chicken-and-cheese filling was a bit bland, but probably good if you're craving something heavy and greasy. For the tacos we got al pastor (marinated pork), lengua (tongue), and chorizo. All were fresh and tasty, especially the tongue, but may have benefitted from a bit more flavor or spice. Still good though.
Unfortunately, they didn't have tres leches. I will definitely return for that and some dinner entrees, as well as for the musical stylings of Don Memo himself.
Being from CA, I know good Mexican food when I taste it. Don Memo is pretty good! Â The guac was probably the best I've had in Philly, though it could have used more lime and salt. I got the green enchiladas which were very good but not life-changing. Â
I love the bring your own tequila idea, but I did not love the margaritas here. I am more of a blended margaritas kind of girl, but that did not stop me from drinking (a lot). Â All in all, its always a good time at don memo! Beware, it gets pretty crowded on Friday nights (all college kids) so make a reservation!
Excellent! Â Went at 6 on a Saturday, not busy, about 4 or 5 empty tables. Â Husband had tamales and a torta, I had a pupusas as an starter and a huaraches as my main course. Â It was way to much food for two people, but we are professionals... Everything was great, especially the tamales, which I normally dont care for, these had hunks of meat and vegetables in them, delicious! Â I think we left with a $20 bill....will be going back soon!
Update....Went again and they were out of tortas...empinadas were gross, boiled chicken and cheese....super bland...overall not the same experiance as our first trip...I can see why they get mixed reviews! Â Still when it was good, it was good! Â I would risk it again and hope for the best!
After reading all the great reviews stopped by for a late dinner (8:15) on Monday. Â The place was slow with just two other tables occupied.
We were greeted by a very pleasant waitress and she continued to be efficient and competent throughout our meal.
Everyone raves about the margaritas but it was a week night so we passed. Â I regret my decision and on my next visit I'll definitely bring my tequila.
Now for the food. Â The dips and chips are really good. Â These are some of the best tortilla chips around. Â I ordered the three enchilada platter with red sauce. Â The wife ordered a chicken breast dish with a long name I don't remember. Â Both were large portions, fresh ingredients, and delicious. Â
There are a lot of four and even five star reviews for this place. Â For me it takes more than "delicious" food and fine service to earn four stars. Â Maybe it's because I wasn't on my third margarita! Â For now I'm going with three stars. Â I'll revisit (with tequila) and update this review.
Go early, before they run out of lengua. And before the nearest liquor store closes and you can't buy tequila. Those points aside, the food is delicious, the margarita mix (our kind neighbors shared their leftovers with our tequila-less table) is spot on, and the service is really nice (even when you show up with a party of 7 an hour before closing).
I can attest to the joy of ordering several different types of tacos and having an amazing taco platter in front of you. That is an experience i would like to repeat here. And maybe next time, my whole dining party won't rush off to see Conan O'Brien (and Tina Fey!) and the Tower theater without me. Or if they do, I'll take comfort in all those tacos.
Mom's in town this weekend and we were looking for a BYOB spot that was close by to grab some dinner tonight. Something that WOULDN'T break the bank. Thanks to Yelp, we found Don Memo's!
Contrary to some of the other reviews, I thought this place was pretty easy to find - but, I DO live right around the corner in Lansdowne, so I had the advantage of knowing the area slightly. My mom had called ahead (the staff speaks some English, but it's definitely a plus if you speak Spanish....which my mom does) and we arrived about 10 minutes early for our 8:30 reservation. Our table was waiting for us! There was only one other open table in the restaurant - the rest were taken up by larger parties, so I would definitely recommend calling ahead (we called at 7:45 for 8:30).
Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable and was able to help Mom with some special requests when it comes to things she can't eat. We brought a bottle of Cuervo and it was whisked away to be turned into a yummy pitcher of margaritas!
While we were deciding, the waitress brought out a basket of fresh tortilla chips and two dipping sauces (see picture). The red sauce was DEFINITELY spicier than the green, but they both had a kick to them. I was a fan of the green - not only is it my favorite color, but it also had a pico de gallo sort of taste that I was hooked on! We ordered the guacamole to start with (and another app that they were out of), thanks to the Yelp reviews that I read beforehand. The reviews did not lie - it was ADDICTIVE! Not only was it made at tableside, but the server made sure to take special care to leave out an ingredient that my mom can't eat (green peppers). Even after I was done with my dinner, I kept going back to the guacamole! YUM!
I ordered the tostadas with marinated chicken and my mom ordered the chicken flautas. My only complaint with the service was that as soon as our server was done making the guac, our dinners hit the table. My dinner, however, was DELICIOUS! The chicken was moist and all of the toppings complimented the overall meal. My mom wasn't as thrilled with her dinner, unfortunately. I tasted it and her observations were correct - the flauta itself was over-fried (burnt) and the chicken inside was dry and bland.
Because Don Memo's is on the smaller side, the larger, rowdier party on the other side of the restaurant seemed much louder than I think they realized. After a couple of margaritas, I barely noticed. My vote is "sÃ" for Don Memo's!
A bit hard to find as its placed on a random street off of the main busy street that is Market. Went here on a date with my bf. When we walked in we saw most of the tables had glasses of water on them already. We put two and two together and realized a big group was coming in soon. Damn! But luckily we were able to still be seated, off in the corner by the door.
Took us awhile to review the menu and decide what we wanted ( we're not used to authentic Mexican and we wanted something different from the usual burrito/taco)
I ordered something starting with an F. Sorry don't recall the Spanish name, all I knew is it said deep fried chicken and cheese and I was sold. He ordered something with chicken on soft tortillas. Mine was ok. I liked his better. He cleaned his plate.
Service was very friendly and prices were very inexpensive. Each of our plates were $9 each.
Ambiance was nice..before the loud Upenn students came in a large group. (You guys weren't lying bout this place becoming there stomping ground)
This place would be four stars if it provided booze. When I think Mexican I automatically think Coronas and margaritas if I'm looking to get smashed. Â Sorry not a fan of the whole BYOB thing. I would be if Philly made it a lil more easier to grab a bottle instead of always having to hunt down the nearest liquor store, but that's another story.
Having lived in California and Florida, I was surprised when I had the best Mexican food of my life in West Philadelphia! The tortilla soup is served beautifully, and the guacamole is served fresh and to your taste at your table.
They also have authentic Mexican dishes that you can't find in most other restaurants. Try their sopas, or give their tamales a try, you won't be disappointed. And if you're feeling extra-adventurous, get one of the above with tongue instead of chicken or beef; it's a rare treat not to be missed.
Only downside is that, as other reviewers have mentioned, it has a tendency to attract large groups of Penn undergrads looking to get drunk and rowdy. Try going at lunch if you're looking for a quieter meal, but the food's delicious at any time of day.
So, so good. Amazing, in fact. The only thing I don't like about this place is how popular it's getting, especially with Penn kids. But I guess if it wasn't, I wouldn't know about it either.
First, the guacamole. I've never, ever had better. Granted, most I've had has been prepared by my mom in the Magic Bullet, but still. Even the New Mexican native in our group was impressed. The waitress prepared it right at the table for us, erasing any doubts about its freshness.
Same goes for the margaritas. We brought two handles of Jose Cuervo, although one would've been enough for our group of 7. Each 1/2 handle equals 1 pitcher. Perfectly blended, fresh lime and all.
Everyone's dish was aesthetically pleasing, well priced, and delicious. Being a pescatarian, I sometimes have problems finding something to eat at Mexican places, but the veggie burrito definitely satisfied. And yes, it had even more of that amazing guacamole. I only wish we'd been a bit more sober and remembered to take home our leftovers.
The only downside to the experience was the location. We were 20 minutes late for our reservation because of getting lost in Upper Darby once we got off the subway. Thankfully, the staff was pleasant and still gave us a table after a short wait.
Muy, muy bueno!
Went there last night for a friend's birthday. Don Memo's kind of out of the way, but really fun to go with a bunch of friends to get shwasty and a little rowdy. The guacamole they make tableside is delicious, with unlimited chips and salsa. Everyone loved their tacos and burritos and ceviche.
The only complaint I heard was from the Panamanian about their tamale.. he said it was pretty bad but I enjoyed it, it was probably the first I've had though. There wasn't a whole lot of meat in it though. Also, Â some of the staff is really bad at English so we had difficulty there -- my friend got his entrees maybe 15 minutes before everyone elses' came out (tsk tsk) so he asked them to take it back to keep warm and they ended up wrapping it up in a to-go box for him. Our Spanish-speaking friend saved the day though.. just be VERY clear about what you want, I guess.
We brought a handle of tequila, which they split between 2 large pitchers of margarita! That meant about 1.5-2 drinks a person... so BYO accordingly. We ended up having to buy another bottle off of the staff to make another pitcher.. they were really nice about it though!
Everyone in the restaurant was there for a birthday, so we engaged in a bit of a battle of the loud happy birthday songs.. our table won. They bring out a cake and candle and it was adorable :) I would definitely go again.
Take a bottle of tequila, they will mix a pitcher of margaritas for you, a delicious, perfectly mixed pitcher. a large pitcher was $7-8 I believe, completely worth it- that definitely tastes like real lime juice in there, not some gross, syrupy, pre-fab mix.
Fajitas are also delicious as are the Chiles Rellenos and guacamole. My only grip is that over the summer I had the fish and shrimp ceviche- which was delicious and generously portioned, however I recently ordered it again, and now it is just shrimp ceviche. It's lacking in a contrast of textures and flavors without the fish, and was too heavy on veggies, and too skimpy on shrimp. I was a bit disappointed. But alas, I still love this place. And despite living in West Philly now, I will remain a regular because I can't get my chorizo taco fix at their food truck- only pastor and carnitas :( Â (well, and pollo, and i think bisteca, but i so love the chorizo).
(vegetarian / vegan review)
Thank You, Yelp(ers)! Â We went to this place knowing little than the address and the reviews on Yelp. This was an ace, right from the start.
* Tasty, tasty food.
* Friendly, friendly staff.
* Cheap, cheap prices.
* Repeating, repeating good reviews.
Awesome. We are both vegetarians, and they were able (and willing!) to accommodate us very nicely. Dos thumbs arriba. :-)
Dude, so impressed. Twas delicious. Â Free chips and salsa - red and green that were hot and flavorful. Â I had chicken enchiladas and they were amazing with a side of beans and rice. Â Perfect amount of food. Cheap. I"m a happy camper.
On a side note I came in from NYC where good and cheap mexican food is really hard to find. Â That probably added to the 5star affection.
Do yourself a favor and track down this great Mexican restaurant for the delicious table-side prepared Guac, if nothing else. I've eaten at Don Memo twice now and the original food cart more times than I'm proud of, and each time it gets a little bit better. Â The restaurant can be kind of hard to find, but once you're there, it's well worth it. Â Call ahead on weekends, as it's becoming a popular place for big group dinners and the restaurant itself is pretty small.
The food here is kind of what you would expect; really good, straightforward Mexican food. Â I've gotten the Mole entree and Burrito here and each time was surprised by both the quality of ingredients used and size of the portions. Â You will not leave hungry, trust me. Â Also, you get everything for a more than reasonable price of around $12 for an entree or $9 for a Burrito/Sopes/Huarrache etc. Â It's BYO so bring some Tequila for Margaritas (pitchers available) or some Dos XX if you're feeling fratty. Â Great little place, I highly recommend it.
Muy bueno! As a Texas native, this place satisfied my tastebuds--almost. The margaritas were good, the fresh guacamole and chips are AWESOME (actually, just come for this alone), but the actual food was bland, although the meat was tender and flavorful.
Perhaps, I'm still a sucker for overly cheesy Tex-Mex (blasphemy, so shoot me). Still, it's the best Mexican I've had in Philly so far.
The location is a bit hard to find, but no probs if you've studied your Google Maps beforehand... Or are a yuppie with an iPhone. Either works, really.
I decided to try this place with a friend who loves Mexican since it got such rave reviews about its food truck origins. We actually had some trouble finding it because my friend's GPS had the street numbers wrong, so I called the restaurant and they let us know we were within a block, after which we finally spotted the tiny sign amid a bunch of other places. It was practically flanked by 2 other Mexican places, which we noticed first.
Anyway, I was going to whip out my phone and snap a shot of the front of the restaurant to post on here as a guide. However, the considerate dude in the restaurant whom I'd spoken to for directions was standing out in front of the place, waiting for us. I thought it might be awkward if I suddenly held up my phone and took a photo ("say cheese!"), so I skipped that. He was very nice, asked if we were the ones that just called, and then showed us inside to our table.
As soon as we arrived they brought us chips with 2 dips: one green and tangy, spicy and delicious, and one brown and hmmm...what could this be? *Naively tastes* oh...tastes like... smoked bacon. Bleh! I'll call it Pig Dip! We laugh about it and even my friend who kind of likes it finds the pig flavor slightly overpowering.
Just about everything there except the guacamole has meat in it. There weren't even vegetarian options on the menu. I kinda had this feeling going into it, and was just going to get a quick casual meal of guacamole and some salad and let my friend try some good local authentic Mexican food - which it seemed like everything was, not that I'm an expert. (OK, I guess I could have tried to order a vegan burrito but I'm guessing they use pork as a base in the beans and I wasn't in the right state of mind to mime out a rice-guacamole-and-veggie-burrito or ask weird questions about beans to either waitress who was serving us, neither of whom seemed to speak too much English).
We ordered the grande guacamole which they make at your table with 2 avocados. It was pretty good. I got a cactus salad (it was listed as coming with something which I believe was called serrano chile and when I asked, I found out that yeah, that has meat in it. I asked for it with no meat). They still put cheese on top of the salad. Duh to me for not covering that base. Oh well, scrape scrape. Hindsight says I shoulda just stuck with the guacamole. The salad, though pretty and served with a few slices of avocado, was too intense for me - the shredded cactus was too salty for me, and I felt the dressing was overly vinegary.
My friend got a marinated pork burrito which was huge and fancy looking and he really liked it. It was so big he took half of it home and I could see at a neighboring table they had split a burrito between two people.
There were several large groups there, some frat-looking guys, and two groups of random looking friends. It seems like a great place for a fun and fairly cheap casual group dinner, as long as everyone eats meat. (I know, I know, meat this, meat that, I didn't go here for myself and I feel a duty to warn the vegans. So shoot me. Just don't serve me on a plate). :p
So in conclusion, don memos sucks ballo-s, but only if you're a vegan, and possibly only if you're me. So I give it 3 stars since it is good but I'm just trusting hearsay. So, according to my friend, If you have a meat-eating friend you want to take for a cheap and delicious Mexican meal, this is definitely the place! :)
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