Restaurant Review: Taco Riendo

Taco Riendo (or "laughing taco") is a small (but mighty) taqueria in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philly (1301 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122). A few years ago, Brad and I were craving authentic Mexican and found a listing for this little place. Now it's one of our favorite places for a quick, cheap bite!

Now that we've been going for a few years, we each have our "standard" orders. My staples include: elote asado, grilled corn on the cob with Mexican mayo, lime, chile powder, and Oaxaca cheese; a fish taco, which has Mexican rice, grilled fish, and lime wedges; and a choriqueso taco — their homemade, spicy chorizo and Oaxaca cheese grilled in corn tortillas.

Their food isn't complex...just fresh and delicious! Some of our other favorites include the shrimp quesadilla, campechano taco, shrimp tacos, and enchiladas verdes. I could go on, but I won't. Try it for yourself!

Pros:

• It's BYO, which means you can bring along some Mexican beer to enjoy with your meal.
• You order at the counter, which means you're not tipping on your whole check (there is a tip jar instead).
• Most of the menu is ordering a la carte, so not only are they cheap eats, but you can also try a few new things each time.
• Very colorful inside with Mexican music. Outside they have some smaller tables by the street and then "garden seating" behind the restaurant.

Cons:

• It's cash only.
• It's a pretty small space, so it's not really cut out for larger groups.