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Address and Contact Information
Address: 2104 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (267) 457-5952
Website: https://www.elmerkury.com/
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Order and Reservations
Reservations: restaurent.com
Order: Order online
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Reviews
Kristina Hansen
El Merkury has the best churros, and get this — they can serve them out of their churro bike at your event!! Having churros at our wedding was one of the highlights of the night. They were delicious and our guests loved them. Thank you Sofia and El Merkury for making my churro dreams a reality 🙂
… moreCaleb Kellicutt
The tostadas and pupusas were lacking flavor, the hot sauce we paid extra for was bad, the guacamole was more of a salsa than a guacamole (not what we were looking for), and most of the sides besides the rice were lacking. On top of this it was expensive given everything it lacked.
We had a good experience here because the setting and atmosphere is amazing and the food looked amazing (half the taste comes from the eyes), but everything else was just okay.
I think the first frustration I had was when the combo meal started at $13.5 but then once you add the things you want (I’m talking choosing a protein, not adding any extras) it immediately goes up by $.75 and then by $3.5. I’d rather it start higher so you know what you’re getting into.
Anyway that didn’t really scare us away, and the food looked like it would be great so we continued on. When we got the food likewise it looked amazing, and it was a lot of food (we later agreed we would have much preferred smaller serving and smaller prices). After this the experience dropped off, it was cool having a tostada and a pupusa, but they didn’t taste that incredible. I compared this to chipotle with my partner after and we agreed that each ingredient at chipotle tastes better than here, and chipotle is less expensive.
Overall it was a lovely lunch, but I don’t think I’d come back, I’d rather try somewhere else.
… moreWe had a good experience here because the setting and atmosphere is amazing and the food looked amazing (half the taste comes from the eyes), but everything else was just okay.
I think the first frustration I had was when the combo meal started at $13.5 but then once you add the things you want (I’m talking choosing a protein, not adding any extras) it immediately goes up by $.75 and then by $3.5. I’d rather it start higher so you know what you’re getting into.
Anyway that didn’t really scare us away, and the food looked like it would be great so we continued on. When we got the food likewise it looked amazing, and it was a lot of food (we later agreed we would have much preferred smaller serving and smaller prices). After this the experience dropped off, it was cool having a tostada and a pupusa, but they didn’t taste that incredible. I compared this to chipotle with my partner after and we agreed that each ingredient at chipotle tastes better than here, and chipotle is less expensive.
Overall it was a lovely lunch, but I don’t think I’d come back, I’d rather try somewhere else.
Robin Irwin
Basically run by a chef, you can only order by ordering with the touchscreen. The food will be brought to your table by the chef.
I am not familiar with Guatemalan food but the way it is served, gives it a streetfood or foodtruck vibe.
The papusa is great and what you can get is full of flavour. You see quite a few locals and Latin American people enter during lunch.
The ambiance is great with colourful walls and Central American Music. It is a great pitstop place if you are exploring the city.
… moreI am not familiar with Guatemalan food but the way it is served, gives it a streetfood or foodtruck vibe.
The papusa is great and what you can get is full of flavour. You see quite a few locals and Latin American people enter during lunch.
The ambiance is great with colourful walls and Central American Music. It is a great pitstop place if you are exploring the city.
Pavel D.
Colorful and vibrant restaurant serving authentic central American food!
I enjoyed my time here a lot as I wanted to remind myself of the flavors of the food from my recent trip to Guatemala! And I was not disappointed! I have ordered the combo meal – papusa with chicharron pork and tostada with chicken hilachas, extra guacamole and corn/jalapeno rice. All of it was flavorful (except the rice which was rather sweet and unsalted), tasty, well seasoned and with a lot of side dishes. Despite my meal not being a large portion it was very filling. I appreciated the looks of it as well – very photogenic and eye-pleasing!
The restaurant itself is nicely designed, it’s cozy and colorful, however the vibe was not where I expected it to be. It was rather gloomy, but that was mainly because there were absolutely no people, so it felt a little sad and that is something I didn’t expect. Nevertheless it does not change the fact this is a wonderful place with great music and amazing food for you to try!
The quality of the food is high, so is the cost when you add up all the extras (approx. $18), but it’s well worth it (although I could not shake off the feeling I paid a lot, especially knowing this kind of street food costs a few cents in Guatemala). I loved the fact I could order on the screen and customize my food order. The staff was nice and friendly.
I will definitely come back to try churros! Paid by card. Visited in March 2023.
… moreI enjoyed my time here a lot as I wanted to remind myself of the flavors of the food from my recent trip to Guatemala! And I was not disappointed! I have ordered the combo meal – papusa with chicharron pork and tostada with chicken hilachas, extra guacamole and corn/jalapeno rice. All of it was flavorful (except the rice which was rather sweet and unsalted), tasty, well seasoned and with a lot of side dishes. Despite my meal not being a large portion it was very filling. I appreciated the looks of it as well – very photogenic and eye-pleasing!
The restaurant itself is nicely designed, it’s cozy and colorful, however the vibe was not where I expected it to be. It was rather gloomy, but that was mainly because there were absolutely no people, so it felt a little sad and that is something I didn’t expect. Nevertheless it does not change the fact this is a wonderful place with great music and amazing food for you to try!
The quality of the food is high, so is the cost when you add up all the extras (approx. $18), but it’s well worth it (although I could not shake off the feeling I paid a lot, especially knowing this kind of street food costs a few cents in Guatemala). I loved the fact I could order on the screen and customize my food order. The staff was nice and friendly.
I will definitely come back to try churros! Paid by card. Visited in March 2023.
Abby Armstrong
I’ve been an El Merkury fan for years. It’s great for lunch or a quick dinner. I love that the menu allows you to mix and match.
I came to write about a recent experience I had ordering El Merkury catering for my son’s 2nd birthday party. The El Merkury team did a terrific job with our drop-off catering order, and the mini black bean pupusas and taquitos were a huge hit among toddlers and grown-ups alike! Thank you so much for making it easy to feed a crowd!
… moreI came to write about a recent experience I had ordering El Merkury catering for my son’s 2nd birthday party. The El Merkury team did a terrific job with our drop-off catering order, and the mini black bean pupusas and taquitos were a huge hit among toddlers and grown-ups alike! Thank you so much for making it easy to feed a crowd!
J B
We loved El Merkury! I would rate the churros as the best item. In fact, we purchased two for our group of six, but they were consumed so quickly that I didn’t even get a picture. LOL! The freshly made churros went perfectly with the ice cream and cute toppings. The street corn was also good, as were the pupusas. My friend had never had pupusas and loved them. Yum!
… morePress Iyamu
Five stars for service.
Not to be rude but the pupusas are not good. I am not the authenticity authority by any means but, if this was a persons first ever Pupusa. You would fail to see why they are so often praised. Also apart of the experience are the cabbages and pickled onions. The cabbage I kid you not…, have a sweet twang reminiscent of raisins???The onions remind me of Sauerkraut (in flavor) but very thick. The price point was good but most Pupusa spots I happen to pass give you 3 for a similar price. If you’re used to small Pupusa spots or Salvadorian Pupusas you won’t enjoy these. Also the pupusas were very dry and the miaz is very thick. Also there’s no option to put queso in the Pupusa. So I guess you just get it without it, which is very much unlike a Pupusa. The salsa isn’t even worth it.
The atmosphere is open and chill.
… moreNot to be rude but the pupusas are not good. I am not the authenticity authority by any means but, if this was a persons first ever Pupusa. You would fail to see why they are so often praised. Also apart of the experience are the cabbages and pickled onions. The cabbage I kid you not…, have a sweet twang reminiscent of raisins???The onions remind me of Sauerkraut (in flavor) but very thick. The price point was good but most Pupusa spots I happen to pass give you 3 for a similar price. If you’re used to small Pupusa spots or Salvadorian Pupusas you won’t enjoy these. Also the pupusas were very dry and the miaz is very thick. Also there’s no option to put queso in the Pupusa. So I guess you just get it without it, which is very much unlike a Pupusa. The salsa isn’t even worth it.
The atmosphere is open and chill.
Malisa Downing
I wasn’t too impressed with what I ate. I did love my salad. I totally recommend their Salads. They are lovely and the restaurant is really cute.
… moreRenee
The food was so good! I got a pupusa and taquito combo, and it came with a choice of sides (I got cheese baked rice with jalapeños and corn & plantain chips). It might not look like that much food, but it’s very very filling and flavorful, and great value for the food.
We also got the rittenhouse and salted cajeta crunch churros, and those were also great. My friend said the churros were on the level of Disneyland churros, the ice cream was rich and creamy, and the toppings (like gold flakes) were unique.
Overall, the vibes were casual, the music being played was chill, and the waiters were really friendly. Service was also quick, especially since it didn’t seem like there were many people working there. Will definitely be back!
… moreWe also got the rittenhouse and salted cajeta crunch churros, and those were also great. My friend said the churros were on the level of Disneyland churros, the ice cream was rich and creamy, and the toppings (like gold flakes) were unique.
Overall, the vibes were casual, the music being played was chill, and the waiters were really friendly. Service was also quick, especially since it didn’t seem like there were many people working there. Will definitely be back!
Matthew Davis
We had a great experience at ElMerkury when we swung by for a snack. The staff was very friendly and helpful as we explored their menu. They were able to give great advice about food allergies and had great suggestions.
They specialize in Street Food which ended up packed with flavor and had very generous portions.
We ordered the Pupusa & Taquito Combo for $10, which comes with a Taquito, a Pupusa, and two sides. We chose the Plantain Chips and the Elote Loco (seasoned corn on the cob). The Chips had an amazing mix of salty and sweet while the seasoned corn as lightly coated in cotija cheese and spices. Both were delicious and I think cost $2 on their own.
The Carnitas Chicharron Pupusa is basically a corn pancake stuffed with meat, topped with salsa and pickled onions. While it was flavorful it was a little soggy from the salsa, which would’ve been a little better in a separate container. It also didn’t come with any sauce as part of the combo. I switched to eating with a fork and it made the experience much better.
The Chorizo Panela Taquito was crispy and packed with spices. The taquito was larger than expected and when only $6 for 2 when bought separately it is a great deal. It held together well and had a nice kick to it with some of the salsa. It might have been a little better with a small sauce on the side but overall I would definitely eat it again!
The last thing we got was an order of 2 tostadas for $5.56. This was probably the best tasting thing we got and the most food for the money. Tostadas are basically flat hard-shell tacos and they came packed with meat and flavor. We were blown away by the amount of food that came with this deal and you got to pick up to 4 toppings to add. While they could’ve been a little hotter, we did order a bunch of food and that likely delayed them in getting to our table.
Overall this was an excellent experience and I will definitely be back again. The Tostadas are probably the best deal and I’ll definitely be getting the Pork w/ Guac again! Two for $6 is an amazing deal.
… moreThey specialize in Street Food which ended up packed with flavor and had very generous portions.
We ordered the Pupusa & Taquito Combo for $10, which comes with a Taquito, a Pupusa, and two sides. We chose the Plantain Chips and the Elote Loco (seasoned corn on the cob). The Chips had an amazing mix of salty and sweet while the seasoned corn as lightly coated in cotija cheese and spices. Both were delicious and I think cost $2 on their own.
The Carnitas Chicharron Pupusa is basically a corn pancake stuffed with meat, topped with salsa and pickled onions. While it was flavorful it was a little soggy from the salsa, which would’ve been a little better in a separate container. It also didn’t come with any sauce as part of the combo. I switched to eating with a fork and it made the experience much better.
The Chorizo Panela Taquito was crispy and packed with spices. The taquito was larger than expected and when only $6 for 2 when bought separately it is a great deal. It held together well and had a nice kick to it with some of the salsa. It might have been a little better with a small sauce on the side but overall I would definitely eat it again!
The last thing we got was an order of 2 tostadas for $5.56. This was probably the best tasting thing we got and the most food for the money. Tostadas are basically flat hard-shell tacos and they came packed with meat and flavor. We were blown away by the amount of food that came with this deal and you got to pick up to 4 toppings to add. While they could’ve been a little hotter, we did order a bunch of food and that likely delayed them in getting to our table.
Overall this was an excellent experience and I will definitely be back again. The Tostadas are probably the best deal and I’ll definitely be getting the Pork w/ Guac again! Two for $6 is an amazing deal.