Inspired by the amazing cuisines of Puebla and Veracruz, El Rey captures the essence of Mexican home cooking, bringing a unique south-of-the-border experience to the big city. Boisterous and broken-in like a laidback roadside cantina, the dining room hums from midday to late-night, with booths and a roomy counter nodding to the space’s former life as a hopping all-night diner. Eclectic bric-a-brac, like folk art and Spanish movie posters, dress the dizzying walls, providing plenty of visual stimuli for eaters digging into authentic tacos, ceviches, tortas, enchiladas, sopes and more. Add a bar stocked with the best tequilas, mezcals and cervezas and you’ve got a cantina fit for a king.