Taqueria El Jalapeno

so excited to find a hole in the wall mexican restaurant. having lived in mexico and being well versed in all mexican recipes from so many regions, i couldnt wait to eat here.
1. prices were great.
2. dining room was super clean and tidy.
3. had some parking
4. you get salsa and chips when you sit.
FOOD.
1. very tasty. well seasoned and mostly satisfying.
2. we ordered many things on the menu and was still a total of under $ 39
salsas are really good both the green and the red — which they give you with the free chips. and those chips btw are fresh and best you are going to eat in Allentown and maybe even the county.
PROBLEM.
1.we sat down at 6:40pm and ordered right away. first dish came out at 7:25 pm. super slow for Mexican which can be cooked super easily. Not to mention, it was tostadas that basically take 4 minutes to heat the tortilla and build. so the time delay was un-​explainable.
2.we ordered fajitas and they didn’t put the tortillas on the side so we asked for tortillas –. took 20 minutes to get them. then the food was cold.
3. sweet young girl was our waitress and clearly no one has trained her. I felt bad for her and she was trying but it was impossible for her to organize. she has all 6 tables sat and it was just her and she also was doing the register. Which she was not familiar with and needed the kitchen to come help her.
4. The waitress despite being Mexican didn’t know anything about what comes with the food or how the dish is built. or even if it has rice or if they sell a bowl of beans a la cart. Thank god there are pictures on the menu!!!
We saw in the glass case the most coveted Mexican cake ever! TRES LECHES –. what a sad disappointment! it was cake mix yellow cake and then a bad rendition of tres leches. it was pre-​cut and in its own clam shell case but when i got it, they had added Hershey’s syrup to it. DISGUSTING. I’m almost tempted to make one and let them see and taste the possibilities.
RECOMMENDATIONS for your meal…
1. try the Sopes. add lots of their salsa and enjoy!!!
2. try the Tostadas! a little messy but delicious!!!
3. Enchiladas poblanas were tasty but cold. would be a fabulous dish if it would have come out hot.
over all … I would give this another try. I might call ahead to make sure what I want is not «out» (they didn’t have tamales) and I might even start ordering when I get off the freeway so its not such a long wait.
In Pennsylvania you can BYOB it is up to the discretion of the restaurant owner if they will allow you to drink alcoholic beverage there.
I cant help but wonder if they speed things up and organize, if the place would be packed day in and day out???
i posted a photo of the dining room last night while we were there… and one of the dishes and the menu so you can see prices. The menu says open 7 days and they had some breakfast on the menu. they open at 10 until 8pm

I’ve been to all the Mexican food joints south of Hamilton in Allentown, and while I have not found a dud this place is by far the best. The service, quality and menu are consistent, service is friendly and prompt and the price is quite reasonable. The only ding is the parking, which can be a challenge. Watch out for potholes, and the one-​way exit is circuitous depending on your destination. Well worth that minor hassle.

I’ve been here a few times now, and have yet to be disappointed. For less than ten dollars you have a feast reminiscent of California taco stands (I’ve been there, and it’s true). There’s also a small grocery section containing traditional Mexican non-​perishables, but the star here is the food and the price. Perhaps the best thing is the homemade salsa… fantastic!