Alien Invasion at Taqueria Amor (Taq Area 51)

Taqueria Amor is leaning into its love for a theme this October with Alien Invasion, a Halloween pop-up they've affectionately dubbed Taq Area 51. It's the Manayunk spot's take on the season, and it goes pretty deep on the extraterrestrial side of things.

The decor pulls from a few different eras of sci-fi: the mid-century vibe of The Day the Earth Stood Still, the suburban wonder of E.T., and the paranormal investigations of The X-Files. They've got sparkling green string lights running through the space, a 'Manayunk Martian' figure to greet you, and projector shows that kick in at sundown. It's the kind of setup that works just as well for a quick drink as it does for a full dinner.

The drinks menu follows the theme, too. There's the Violet Invader, the Agent Scully, and the Red Roswell—cocktails that lean into the alien aesthetic and sit alongside the restaurant's regular food, like their birria tacos and crab-and-shrimp tamales. If you're in the neighborhood, you might as well make a night of it: Thrillerdelphia, a bookstore devoted to horror, thriller, and true-crime stories, is just around the corner.

Taqueria Amor is at 4410 Main St. in Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA 19127. The pop-up runs through the Halloween season, so you've got a few weeks to catch it.