Oct 7, 2021 - Food and Drink

LMNO, Stephen Starr's new Fishtown hotspot, is worth a stop

Photo: Shane Savitsky/Axios

I may not be cool enough to have been invited to last weekend's influencer-only opener at LMNO, Stephen Starr's new Baja Mexican spot in Fishtown —  but I am on Instagram often enough to score a first-day reservation on Wednesday night.

The take: The latest addition to a bustling stretch of Front Street under the El, LMNO is well worth a stop.

The indoor-outdoor bar. Photo: Shane Savitsky/Axios

First things first, the space cost $5 million to build out, according to the Inquirer — and it shows. The highlight is the indoor-outdoor bar, which is going to get a lot of use before the chill sets in.

  • It's also all about the vibes. Its press kit calls it a "dynamic space" highlighting art exhibits and DJ sets. Music is very important. (I liked the three-song stretch from LCD Soundsystem to Solange to Daniel Bedingfield.)
  • There's also a decked-out secret listening room somewhere in there, but I didn't get a peek. Maybe next time.
The chorizo con calamar tostada. (The aguachile verde looked so good that the phone couldn't eat first. Sorry.) Photo: Mary Claire Sullivan for Axios

And the food? So good. Replacing nachos with waffle fries sounds heavy and gross, but ended up far lighter than you'd think.

  • The aguachile verde was the star — light and bright, with the right amount of acid.
  • The drink list was great, too. Build-your-own cocktails and micheladas, Mexican wines by the glass, and a house beer from Neshaminy Creek called El Emeno (say it out loud, you'll get it).
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