Mmmmm... Pappasitos. I'll have to check out El Tiempo next time I'm in Houston. I used to work at Pancho's when I was going to school and they have horrible Tex-Mex, but it was a unique place. They did have great sopapillas though.
It's certainly not the best, but I never visit Texas without stopping at Taco Cabana. There's just something about it that I can't get enough of.
Houston is one of the best places to eat in the USA. It's one of the big advantages of moving here 20+ years ago. But I don't get the hype on Tex-Mex. People come in from out of town and they just have to go to a Tex-Mex or Mexican restaurant. My wife, who is from here, and most of my friends can't get enough Tex-Mex. I'm a seafood guy (oysters, crawfish, catfish, snapper, etc) myself. On the topic, Pappasitos is the only Tex-Mex I eat because their beef fajitas are incredible. Just had 'em again this week at work (paid for by an out of town business guest). I'm gonna try El Tiempo since so many here recommend it. Other than Pappasitos, my limited Tex-Mex experiences have not been good. The Ninfas downtown on Smith served us garbage a few years ago and I'll never go back.
i dont live in houston anymore, but i always like la mexicana off montrose and westheimer. great place to get the night started. la tapatia on richmond is a good place to finish the night. they are open late and if your spanish is good enough, they will serve beer after hours in styrofoam cups! plus they have those pickled carrots and peppers. in austin guerros is always good. best fish tacos in town, imo. but for authentic mexican (not tex-mex) curra's is the best. best mole sauce ive had outside oaxaca.
best fish taco i've ever had was from taco deli on barton skyway right near the greenbelt... the mojo fish taco :drool taco deli in general is fantastic.
incredible. i love Felix's. like family tradition. my parents used to eat their on dates. i think they ate there the night they first kissed at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance.
I've never eaten at Pancho's so I can only guess what it is like. While Ninfa's/El Tiempo/Pappasito's are all very good (along with Chuy's and Lupe Tortilla), I don't think that is the kind of food/place you are looking for. I think the place you are looking for is Spanish Village. It has been in the same location on Almeda for 50 years. A bit of a hole in the wall, and not the best neighborhood, but not dangerous. The food is excellent "old-fashioned" Tex-Mex, and the margaritas (made with a generous pour of cheap tequila) get the job done. Check out the reviews on B4-U-EAT.com.
cheese enchiladas with beef gravy = tex mex. i love fajitas, don't get me wrong, but i can make them myself as well as any restaurant. besides, they are johnny come lately compared to a plate of cheese enchiladas with creamy refried beans and starchy fluffy rice. i ate at lopez on wilcrest over the holidays and had a plate of the aformentioned with a hard shell taco and it was heavenly.
Maybe because I was raised on Casa Ole mexican food as a child, but I really like Gringos for cheap Tex-Mex. Surprised nobody else feels that way. Haven't had El Tiempo, but Ninfa's on Navigation is pretty good but a bit out of the way. I have to say I like the taquerias in Austin much better than the ones I've tried in the Montrose area here in Houston. And I still haven't found a replacement in Houston for the Don Juan breakfast taco from Juan in a Million in East Austin.
i'm soo waiting for a 10 page argument to erupt over what is texmex and what is not.. paging dr. fatty.. dr. fatty to the BBS, please.
Teotihuacan on Airline is my favorite. Great fajitas and very good magaritas. If you havn't been there, I highly recommend it. Look it up on b4-u-eat.com
I always love me some Pappasito's..but it is expensive for Tex Mex. Quickly rising to the top of my list is Bravos on Hwy 6..pretty cheap and really good. Eduardos on 90 is pretty dang good as well. El Vaqueuro is good for the price (very good value there); so is Casa Ole (they always have coupons). I love the quesadillas at Taco C. Tortuga was pretty good but the food was starting to taste bland to me. Los Tios is good as well. Gringos sucks and is overrated. Service is terrible. Really, the best places are usually the family-type owned hole in the walls. Also, stay away from Pico De Gallo...not worth the price.
my gf is mexican and she told me to say you are a crazy pig for saying curras is good. I have never ate there but she says it's gross. I like getting a medio pollo at el regio. she likes pappasitos, casa maria, bodega san miguel, and anywhere that serves good orchata (sp?).
You guys should check out Gringos. I really like it, the food is really good, and it's pretty cheap. www.gringosmexicankitchen.com And, I'm not just saying that because I'm their accountant.
