Are you looking for a place to eat Mexican food? Then this guide to the best Mexican food in Houston, TX, is for you.
Houston is well-known for having some of the best Mexican food in the US, which means narrowing down the best places to go is a bit of a challenge! Luckily, we’ve compiled this list so that you can find your next favorite Mexican place quickly and easily.
Top 6 Best Mexican Food in Houston, TX
We’ve considered dietary requirements, pricing, and the atmosphere of our top 6 places to go for Mexican food. Each is slightly different. Some are lively and bustling with plenty of margaritas to share with friends, and others are better for family outings. After all, there’s a wide variety of restaurants in Houston, so there should be something for everyone.
We’ll also give you our food recommendations if you’re looking at their menu and struggling to choose a dish.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at our top picks in no particular order.
Related: The 5 Best Steakhouses in Houston, TX
1. The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
| Address: | 2704 Navigation Blvd Houston, TX 77003 |
| Website: | ninfas.com |
| Food: | Salads, tamales, tacos, fajitas |
| Our Recommendation: | Ninfa's 'Award Winning' Fajitas |
Want some authentic Mexican food? You need to head to Ninfa’s. With takeout and delivery available, Ninfa’s is a busy, welcoming place to go, and it’s good for kids too.
The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation is the place to go for fajitas. Mama Ninfa Laurenzo invented fajitas in 1973, and the legacy has continued over the years. It’s been almost 50 years, and they’re still making incredible fajitas.
The original award-winning fajitas (grilled onions, poblanos, avocado, cheese, chipotle aioli) are definitely worth a try at least once. You could also go for build-your-own tacos, choosing from salmon, octopus, pork, shrimp, or veggies.
The pricing is pretty standard for Mexican food, with the classic fajitas coming in at $22 and enchiladas ranging from $15-24.
It’s an excellent place to head for happy hour, with some incredible cocktails available.
There are some vegan and vegetarian options available, including the mushroom quesadillas and the grilled veggie fajitas.
2. Aguirre’s Tex-Mex
| Address: | 6166 Hwy 6 N Unit 22 Houston, TX 77084 |
| Website: | https://aguirrestexmex.com/ |
| Food: | Enchiladas, soups and salads, seafood, burritos, tacos |
| Our Recommendation: | Plato Guzman |
Aguirre’s Tex-Mex is a bustling, family-friendly destination that works well for groups of friends, too – it’s a good all-rounder that will please most people. You can get takeout or delivery if you prefer, and there is outdoor seating available.
They offer some excellent combination plates, including the Plato Guzman (a ground beef enchilada covered in chili gravy and a crispy ground beef taco) or the Plato Vaquero (beef fajita al carbon, cheese enchilada, ground beef enchilada with gravy, pork tamale, cup of queso with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole).
The seafood is well worth a look, too, like the Fish El Rey tilapia filet with rich shrimp and crawfish seafood sauce, queso fresco, and served with pico mango and pickled onions. You can expect bold flavors here.
It’s pretty good in terms of pricing. You can grab some pork enchiladas for under $10 or a combination plate for between $10-15, making it one of the cheaper options on this list.
They have a busy bar, offering beer and margaritas and soft drinks and sweet tea.
Some excellent vegetarian options are available, including the Veggie Bowl, with sauteed vegetables, black beans, rice, queso blanco, grated cheese, and flour tortillas.
3. Caliente
| Address: | 790 W Sam Houston Pkwy Ste 112 Houston, TX 77024 |
| Website: | https://calientetexmex.com/ |
| Food: | Enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, seafood |
| Our Recommendation: | Caliente Bowl |
Caliente is a busy, bustling place that works well for a family get-together as well as an evening out with friends. It offers delivery and takeout, and there is covered outdoor seating too.
We’d recommend the Caliente Bowl for picadillo, chicken, beef fajita, spicy pork, or veggies for flavor without the tortilla. Or you could go for the vegetarian taco with grilled veggies and sauteed spinach with habanero salsa.
The Diablo Chicken is worth a try too (chicken breast topped with chipotle cream sauce, pico de gallo and rice, black beans, and habanero sauce).
The pricing is on the higher end of ‘standard,’ with fajitas at around $18 and the Caliente bowl at $14.50. Not super expensive, but not as cheap as some of the others on this list.
The bar is well-stocked with wine and beer, and you can try some cocktails, including beer mimosas and mimosa pitchers.
There are plenty of veggie and vegan options here, including the vegetarian fajitas.
4. El Tiempo Cantina
| Address: | 3130 Richmond Ave Houston, TX 77098 |
| Website: | http://www.eltiempocantina.com/richmond/ |
| Food: | Nachos, quesadillas, salads, combination plates |
| Our Recommendation: | Filet Mignon Asada |
El Tiempo Cantina is a bustling spot. With a wide drinks menu, it’s a good place to go with friends to start a night out, and they’re particularly well known for their margaritas. They offer takeout and delivery. It can work for family grounds, but it’s loud and lively. Quieter kids may prefer a calmer spot to eat.
It has some incredible food. From the Filet Mignon Asada with chimichurri to the Pechuga Monte Mar (chicken stuffed with diablo shrimp and cheese, topped with mushroom sauce, cheese, and cilantro), you can expect big, bold flavors and large portions.
The pricing is slightly higher than some other places on this list. You’re looking at spending around $20-25 for quesadillas, for example.
The bar is bustling. The margarita menu is huge (there are many different types to choose from), and there is an extensive wine and beer menu too.
There are a few options for veggies, including the Veggie Fajitas and the Veggie & Black Bean Chalupa with veggies, cheese, black beans, lettuce, and tomato guacamole.
5. Polanquito
| Address: | 3130 Richmond Ave Houston, TX 77098 |
| Website: | https://www.polanquitohtx.com/ |
| Food: | Tacos, tostadas, pescadillas |
| Our Recommendation: | Tacos al Pastor |
Polanquito is the place to go for beautiful food with intense flavors. It’s busy, bustling, and trendy, making it a great place for dates and get-togethers with friends. There is takeout and delivery available too.
If you want beautifully presented and delicious food, you need to visit Polanquito. We’d recommend the Tacos al Pastor (marinated pork taco with cilantro, onion, and pineapple on a corn tortilla with a side of lime and salsa) and Sopes de Cochinita (crispy corn patties topped with black refried beans, conchinita pibil, pickled red onions, and avocado).
The pricing is really good given the quality of the food. You can pick up a generous portion of chili and rice for just under $14. They do have some ‘fancier’ options, like the Sauteed Lobster Meat (with garlic, onion, white wine, chipotle mayo, and avocado with whole black beans), which comes in at $27.
There are plenty of juices and coffees to choose from, and you can order a Michelada mix if you bring your own beer.
Some veggie options here include the Mextlapique (nopales, onions, whole beans, panela cheese, and cilantro served in a corn husk wrapper).
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6. Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe
| Address: | 1511 Airline Dr. Houston, TX 77009 |
| Website: | https://teomexicancafe.com/locations/airline/ |
| Food: | Enchiladas, mixed plates, fajitas, seafood |
| Our Recommendation: | Queso Flameado |
Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe is considered to have some of the best Mexican food in Texas. It’s lively and friendly and perfect for families getting together for food. It has some outdoor seating and offers takeout and delivery too.
We’d recommend the Queso Flameado (melted Montery Jack cheese with Mexican chorizo sausage and handmade tortillas) if you want something spicy. The Fajita Nachos (with beans, cheese, beef or chicken or mixed veg, with plenty of extras on the side) are worth a try too.
The pricing is average for Mexican food in Houston, with generous portions for under $20.
There is a fully stocked bar serving alcohol and soft drinks, and they serve excellent margaritas if you want to go out for cocktails with friends.
There are many choices for vegetarians, like the Chile Relleno De Champinones (a Poblano pepper stuffed with cheese and mushrooms, with refried beans, rice, guacamole, and handmade tortillas).
Summary
Hopefully, this has helped you to find the best Mexican food in Houston. It’s hard to pick with so much delicious food out there, so it’s worth trying them all at least once if you can!
If you’re not into Mexican food but you want to eat out tonight, you could check out our guide to the Best Pizza Restaurants in Houston instead.