El Vez PA

What El Vez PA does

El Vez PA is a single-location full-service Mexican restaurant and tequila bar located at 121 S. 13th Street in Center City Philadelphia, operated by STARR Restaurant Organization LLC, a privately held Philadelphia-based hospitality group. The concept is positioned as "Mex-Eclectic," blending traditional Mexican dishes (tacos, burritos, enchiladas, ceviche) with modern interpretations inspired by Tijuana street food and Las Vegas energy. The venue offers dine-in across lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and a Mon-Fri happy hour, plus group dining capacity for up to 75 in the Main Dining Room and exclusive reservations for up to 250 guests.

The business generates revenue through multiple streams: dine-in food and beverage sales (with à la carte pricing ranging from $4.50 sides to $54 shared plates), a tequila-focused bar program including premium spirits, third-party delivery via DoorDash and Order Online for takeout, private event bookings, and the STARR Restaurants cross-property gift card program. Pricing includes a $19.99 "poquito dinero" lunch prix fixe and time-bound happy hour discounts. The restaurant operates with 11-50 employees and integrates with standard restaurant technology platforms (OpenTable for reservations, Tripleseat for event management, e2ma for email marketing).

Distribution is omnichannel but physical-first: walk-in and OpenTable reservations are the primary demand capture, supplemented by digital marketing across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Spotify, and email. No proprietary technology, AI, or data products are evident. The restaurant is part of a multi-concept hospitality group, benefiting from shared corporate infrastructure (legal, accessibility/WCAG compliance, digital administration) but is not separately capitalized or operationally independent from STARR Restaurants.

Name

El Vez PA

Legal name

STARR Restaurant Organization LLC

Website

https://elvezrestaurant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

El Vez PA is a single-location Mexican restaurant and tequila bar in Center City Philadelphia, operated by STARR Restaurants. It serves general public diners, families, and private event groups with dine-in, delivery, and group dining services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Full-Service Mexican Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ), Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK)

Keywords

• Mexican restaurant
• Tequila bar
• Group dining
• Weekend brunch
• Happy hour specials

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia, PA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Food Service: Full-service restaurant offering Mexican cuisine with lunch, dinner, and brunch menus. Revenue generated from food sales at stated menu prices.
2. Beverage and Alcohol Sales: Tequila-focused bar program featuring margaritas, cocktails, wine, and beer. Includes specialty cocktails and premium tequila selections.
3. Delivery and Takeout: Food delivery orders placed through third-party platforms (order.online, DoorDash) and direct takeout service.
4. Private Events: Group dining reservations and private event bookings for up to 250 guests, with customizable menu options.
5. Gift Cards: STARR Restaurants gift cards sold through company website for use at El Vez and other Starr properties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

El Vez PA is a full-service Mexican restaurant in Center City Philadelphia operating under the STARR Restaurants group, offering a "Mex-Eclectic" menu of traditional Mexican dishes with modern twists across lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and weekday happy hour, paired with a tequila-focused bar program. The restaurant also provides group dining and private event services for up to 250 guests, takeout via order.online, delivery via DoorDash, and participates in the STARR Restaurants gift card program.

Product overview

El Vez Philadelphia is a Mexican restaurant operated by STARR Restaurants, offering a single unified dining experience centered on Mexican cuisine and tequila. The core product is its food and beverage menu, featuring traditional Mexican dishes with modern 'Mex-Eclectic' twists inspired by Tijuana and Las Vegas. The restaurant's offerings are organized by meal periods (lunch, dinner, brunch, happy hour) and specialized services (group dining, gift cards). Key menu items include various tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and a full tequila bar. The restaurant also provides group dining capabilities accommodating up to 250 guests for private events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• poquito dinero lunch Prix fixe lunch menu offered Monday–Friday 11:30am–3pm at $19.99 (dine-in only), including a side of refried beans and choice of appetizer, two entrees, and churros for dessert.
• Dinner Menu Full dinner service Sunday–Thursday 3–10pm and Friday–Saturday 3–11pm, featuring complete entree selections including Carne Asada, Red Snapper a la Veracruzana, El Vez Burger, and Tacos Al Carbon for two.
• Weekend Brunch Menu Brunch offerings available Saturday and Sunday 11am–3pm, featuring items such as Huevos Rancheros, Avocado Toast, Breakfast Burrito, and The El Vez Burger.
• Happy Hour Discounted food and beverage offerings Monday–Friday 3–5pm, featuring discounted margaritas (e.g., Classic El Vez, Frozen Blood Orange, Pink Cadillac at $9 glass / $36 pitcher), draft beer ($5), Michelada ($6), and food items such as Birria Asada Fries and Cheese Crisp.
• Kid's Menu Children's menu offerings including Cheese Quesadilla ($12), Crunchy Beef Tacos ($12), and Hot Dog ($9).
• Group Dining and Private Events Private event and group dining services accommodating up to 75 guests in the Main Dining Room with exclusive reservations for up to 250 guests, served family-style with customizable brunch, lunch, and dinner menu options; bookings handled via the events team using Tripleseat.
• Tequila and Cocktail Bar Program Full bar program featuring margaritas, signature cocktails, draft beer, wine, coffee, and after-dinner cocktails; includes premium tequila selections such as Don Julio '1942' and Casa Noble Reposado, plus specialty cocktails like Cafe Tijuana, Milagro Shooter, and hand-squeezed lime juice margaritas. Beverage menu available as PDF.
• Food Delivery and Takeout Off-premise dining orders placed through DoorDash for delivery and order.online for direct customer pickup of the full El Vez menu.
• STARR Restaurants Gift Cards Stored-value gift cards sold through the STARR Restaurants gift card program, redeemable at El Vez and other Starr Restaurant properties.

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• STARR RestaurantscoreOthersParent company and restaurant group operating El Vez as part of their portfolio of restaurants. Provides corporate infrastructure, digital platforms, gift card program, accessibility policies, and operational support.
• OpenTablecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party reservation platform integration allowing diners to book tables at El Vez Philadelphia through OpenTable website and app.
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood delivery platform enabling customers to order El Vez menu items for delivery to their location. Deliveries handled by DoorDash contractors.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Morimoto Philadelphia: Sibling concept under STARR Restaurants in Philadelphia. Shares parent infrastructure, marketing channels, and gift card program, providing useful operational comparison.
• Stephen Starr Events: Parent STARR Restaurants' catering and events arm. Provides a useful benchmark for El Vez's group dining economics and represents the parent operator's strategic direction.

Direct peers

• Rosa Mexicano: Upscale Mexican restaurant group with full-service dining, premium tequila/margarita programs, and group/private event offerings in major US markets. Directly comparable positioning, daypart structure, and price point to El Vez.
• Nacional 27: Upscale Latin/Mexican restaurant with tequila bar and group/private event offerings. Comparable elevated-casual positioning, beverage mix, and group event revenue model.
• Lolita Restaurant: Philadelphia-based upscale Mexican restaurant with full bar program and group dining. Closest local market peer competing for the same Center City diners and group event dollars.
• La Esquina: NYC-based upscale Mexican restaurant and bar with vibrant atmosphere and craft cocktail/tequila program. Comparable concept positioning to El Vez's Mex-Eclectic identity.
• Mission Cantina: Modern upscale Mexican restaurant in NYC with tequila-focused bar and full-service dining. Comparable elevated Mexican concept with similar beverage-led margin profile.

Regional players

• Blue Agave Restaurant: Philadelphia-area Mexican restaurant with full bar and group dining capabilities. Regional competitor for similar price tier and event clientele.
• Cactus Restaurant: Philadelphia-area Mexican restaurant offering full-service dining with a tequila and margarita focus. Operates in the same regional market but competes across a broader footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Mercado by José Andrés: Casual upscale Mexican concept from a broader celebrity-chef restaurant group. Comparable price tier and beverage program within a larger multi-concept operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ElVezRestaurant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elvez-pa
• Instagraminstagram.com/elvezphilly

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about El Vez PA