Cheap Date: Loco Pez in Fishtown
A trip to the taco truck can be a delightful cheap date. But as winter sets in, the prospect of waiting outside and then hunching over to eat before it all gets cold seems markedly less pleasant. Enter new Fishtown pub Loco Pez.
Having lucked into two comfy bar spots, my date and I surveyed the menu from our perches. Drafts are a selection of mostly local brews like PBC Broadcaster Ale, Victory Hop Devil and Troegs Dead Reckoning. The bottle and can list features the usual suspects, including Tecate, Yeungling and Modelo for $4 each.
Tequila drinks are well worth the $6–8 price tag, as they are (a) huge and (b) delicious. In addition to the standard margarita, you can try creative offerings like the Fairlane (pineapple-infused tequila, guahabana, guava and lime) and the Bel Air (tequila, Rhuby liquer, fresh orange & orange soda). I tried the Monte Carlo, which was a complex, smoky, and spicy combination of chipolte-infused tequila, hibiscus water, sugar and lime. Margaritas are served in frosty, wide-mouthed glassed, with or without a thick rim of chunky sea salt.
Then there are the tacos. You start by selecting one of nine different fillings, including chorizo and potato, pollo (chicken), camarones (shrimp) and mushroom. Most of the tacos are only $1.75, although the namesake fish taco, which I tried, was $2.50. Flaky, fresh, fried, and drizzled with crema, it was worth the bump. My date tried the soy chorizo, which was tasty but intensely spicy.
Service was fast and friendly, and the atmosphere was bustling, not harried: even at its busiest, the space was never too loud for conversation. If you are looking for more of a restaurant experience, head towards the back, where there are tables with wait service.
How cheap we talkin’: You can get two tacos and a drink for less than $15 per person, on average. Or share chips and salsa and get two drinks for under $15!
The Inside Game: It’s cash only, so bring your dinero (ATM inside).
Score Extra Points: During happy hour, when nachos are half off (5–7 PM, Monday–Friday)
Next date: Anytime!