Houston-Area Taquerias

[RocketMan Tex]

RM95s Baja Fresh thread got me hungry...and thinking:

Any of you posters want to share your favorite taquerias in the Houston area?

I love taquerias because I love cheap Mexican food. When a taqueria is good, it can be fantastic. When a taqueria is bad, it can kill you!

There are two taquerias in Houston that I like:

Taqueria La Tapatia on Richmond near Hazard is excellent. I've eaten there many times and it is always good.

Taqueria Arandas is really good as well. There are many locations...I always go to the one on Gessner just below Hwy 59.

Let me hear you, cheap Mexican food lovers!

[kidrock8]

Ruchi's isn't really cheap, but it's good.

[Buck Turgidson]

Other than Tapatia, I hit La Jaliscience on Montrose every so often; but by far the best one in Houston that I've found is Teotehuacan on Irvington & Cavalcade.

http://houston.citysearch.com/profile/9848613/

[subtomic]

Originally posted by kidrock8
Ruchi's isn't really cheap, but it's good.

Define cheap - I can eat there for under $5 and that works for me.

[RocketBurrito]

Ruchi's - uggghh. If by cheap you mean crap quality food, you're right. Their "Seafood Taqueria" at Sheperd & W. Alabama failed miserably. Ruchi's & seafood was a gastrointestinal holocaust waiting to happen.

[Sonny]

Does Taco Cabana count?

[moomoo]

I remember seeing Taqueria Arandas on one of those slime-in-the-ice-machine segments on the news. Can't remember which one ("Not on the Menu," maybe? or Marvin Zindler?) or which location, so I just avoid them all.

No thanks.

[rockHEAD]

El Rey on Washington at Shepherd
I second Teotihuacan... damn, the secret is out, this place is good!

[glynch]

Damn you guys, give me a break. I'm still at the office. Sadists.

[MR. MEOWGI]

La Tapatia! You can get REAL gorditas there. But the shrimp tacos with onion and cilantro is my favorite. You can also get a torta smothered in queso but it's a real gut buster.

There is a "new" La Tapatia downtown also. Have not been there though.

Has anyone heard of the ex-band Junior Varisty? I think they did a song about La Tapatia.

[Pole]

If you ever find yourself in Texas City, TAQUERIA EL JALICIENSE has them all beat.

[JayZ750]

My favorite is Taco Milagro on Westheimer and Kirby. Quality food at a decent price, with a decent bar, and excellent salsa. Plus, it's not the same old throw a lot of melted cheese on a tortilla Mexican food. The only problem is that it gets really really crowded these days.

[Buck Turgidson]

Originally posted by JayZ750
My favorite is Taco Milagro on Westheimer and Kirby. Quality food at a decent price, with a decent bar, and excellent salsa. Plus, it's not the same old throw a lot of melted cheese on a tortilla Mexican food. The only problem is that it gets really really crowded these days.
Another problem is that it isn't a taqueria, per se.

[JayZ750]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
Another problem is that it isn't a taqueria, per se.

I thought of that, but then I realized:

(A) I don't really know what a taqueria is and
(B) It's cheap, its quick, its got liquor and its damn good, imo. So it beats any "real" taqueria in my book :D

Also, as per the net, the definition of a taqueria is

A place where tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes are made and sold.

[Creepy Crawl]

Originally posted by Pole
If you ever find yourself in Texas City, TAQUERIA EL JALICIENSE has them all beat.

Yes it does ...... there is also one on Edgebrook ...... the best and cheapest food I have ever had in my life .

[Drewdog]

Just hit Washington Ave, and you will see a taqueria every block.....

[Rip Van Rocket]

I moved from Houston about ten years ago. A few years ago I was back in town and I noticed there were taquerias everywhere. What I want to know is what makes a taqueria different than a regular mexican restaurent. Do taquerias have a different type of mexican food, or is it just cheap mexican food. For some reason I thought that the taquerias were probably where all the hispanic people ate mexican food.

[FlyWilliams]

In Mexico, a taqueria is a restaurant (or kiosk) that sells primarily tacos, as opposed to a panaderia which sells primarily bread and pastries.

Here, a taqueria can be a kiosk at an intersection or a full-blown restaurant.

For some serious taco action, look for a place that sells Tacos Nortenos, or Tacos al Pastor. Those are the baby tacos with fajita, onion, cilantro, and sometimes crumbled cheese. Seriously frickin' good.

[rockHEAD]

oh, not really a taqueria in the 'dive' sense of the word, but a true 'Mexico City' taco place is 100% Taquito. They do have some damn good taco's. They are located in one of those strip centers directly across the street from the Compaq Center... they rock!
Caution: If you order tacos, 3 come to an order...

alas, Taco Milagro (http://www.cafe-express.com/www/html/tm/tm_menu.htm) is not a taqueria. It's just a mexican style Cafe Express (it is owned by the Cafe Ex people) - to me, it's just a hoity-toity nuevo mexican food place. Don't take offense anyone, I've eaten there and it's not bad, you just have drown everything in one of the many salsa's they offer.

[A-Train]

Originally posted by Pole
If you ever find yourself in Texas City, TAQUERIA EL JALICIENSE has them all beat.

Dude, we gotta hook up for lunch one day and wolf down a couple of jalisco burritos...

[Buck Turgidson]

Good call on 100% Taquito, rH, I forgot about that place, their tortas are pretty good too (not as good at Tapatia, though). Not really on subject, but there's a real good Viet/Thai place in that same center - Mekong River. Their lettuce wraps & dumplings are great, pad thai is pretty good too.

[MadMax]

Goode Co. has a pretty good taqueria on Kirby near 59.

[heypartner]

must admit that I go to La Tapatia a lot. Those pickled carrots/garlic just call your name sometimes, although we make fun of the food calling it "Taqueria in a can." La Jaliscience was a long time fav. At Rice, we called that "Burrito Heaven," and heyschweetie's HSPVA crowd dubbed it "Jelly Science" hehe.

There's one in the Heights on Dunbar, too, I believe. Is that one and the Texas City one all the same business??

The order-counter style taquerias I place in another class, like El Rey. Those usually have the better tacos, imo. There's another west of El Rey on Washington that I can't remember the name of. You could spend a lifetime trying all of them in Houston.

What I want to find is the Mexico City street-vendor-style enchiladas place!!! The only restaurant I've seen make those is El Paraiso, the "Enchiladas Mexicanas." It used to not be on the menu. But in Mexico City, you are supposed to be able to buy those on the street, like taquerias. They have a special grill with a concave depression in the center for heating red enchiladas paste in oil, and flash frying the tortillas to give them that red color/and impart the Ancho flavor. Pretty greasy, but hmmmm!

Next up, I guess, is Teotihuacan, thx to this thread. I've seen it, but alas, haven't gone in.

[rockHEAD]

Originally posted by heypartner
Next up, I guess, is Teotihuacan, thx to this thread. I've seen it, but alas, haven't gone in.

can I recommend the enchiladas with beef fajita or the enchiladas with shredded chicken, also the crispy tacos with chicken. beef fajitas rock, i've never had the chicken ones. they have really good beef, it's spiced just right. they also have this HUGE teotihuacan burrito, it's as big as YO face (chuy's reference) and they can stuff it with beef fajita then topped with cheese and a red sauce... holy moly! happy hour margaritas (5pm-7pm i think) are 2.75!!! and they are good! I've never done any of their quail, ribs or seafood. When I go to a Mexican place, it's enchiladas, tacos, tortas for me...

FYI: I call Teotihuacan, Teoti-rockin'!!

[heypartner]

so, rH. Do to circumstances beyond my control, I have moved back to the Heights. 2 blocks behind Spanish Flower.

Found a cute, little panadaria in a gray building at N. Main and 14th. They sell breakfast tacos, too. hmmmmm.

And, what is that Flamingo colored walk-up place near 14th on N. Main. It is packed on Weekend evenings. Is that a dessert place?

[JayZ750]

Originally posted by rockHEAD
alas, Taco Milagro (http://www.cafe-express.com/www/html/tm/tm_menu.htm) is not a taqueria. It's just a mexican style Cafe Express (it is owned by the Cafe Ex people) - to me, it's just a hoity-toity nuevo mexican food place. Don't take offense anyone, I've eaten there and it's not bad, you just have drown everything in one of the many salsa's they offer.

Couldn't disagree anymore. The thing that makes Taco Milagro good is that they actually have different flavors in their dishes, instead of the standard "green" flavor, "red" flavor, "cheese" flavor. Their food is creative, and that is exactly what makes it good.

As far as the hoity-toity Cafe Express feel, I couldn't agree anymore. The place used to have a much more authentic feel than it currently does, especially now that Wendy's has ownership interest in that group.

[JayZ750]

Don't know the exact name of the place, but there is a taqueria on Shepard just north of the Allen Parkway / Memorial overpass that has good stuff. From what I hear, they also have real good breakfast tacos.

[Falcons Talon]

Well, you guys forced me to go down to a little taqueria called La Placita and pick up some tacos de bistec and a cup of frijoles rancheros...LUNCH TIME!!!

[rockHEAD]

Originally posted by heypartner
Found a cute, little panadaria in a gray building at N. Main and 14th. They sell breakfast tacos, too. hmmmmm.

And, what is that Flamingo colored walk-up place near 14th on N. Main. It is packed on Weekend evenings. Is that a dessert place?

Panaderia, I'm not sure about. I have heard good things about Cafe Maria (off of N. Main)

The little Flamingo walk up place sells agua frescas and refrescos, mostly fresh squeezed juices, etc... I've never been, but from the looks of it, they rock.

[RocketMan Tex]

Here is a Houston-area Taqueria NOT to go to!!

It's called Arandinos, at the intersection of Stella Link and West Bellfort, next door to a Citgo, and across the street from the Emery/Weiner School.

Arandinos serves some of the most disgusting taqueria Mexican food I've ever tasted. Everything swims in grease. The last (and final) time I ate there, I was sick for three days. I won't be back.

[bottlerocket]

Taqueria Del Sol on I-45s and Park Place/Broadway (same exit for Hobby airport).

The Best!

Senior BottleRocket

[rrj_gamz]

Originally posted by Sonny
Does Taco Cabana count?

NO....

The best place is on Navigation in a House right across the street from the Original Ninfa's...

I'm sorry but I can't think of the name...

The best, I mean THE BEST breakfast tacos in the world...and cheap too...