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Candente - Museum District

4.1 (648 reviews)
ModerateTex-Mex
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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CANDENTE - MUSEUM DISTRICT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Loud
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Candente - Museum District

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Queso
Hannah L.

Ambiance: The restaurant is huge and there is tons of seating. The service was also decent. There is a wide selection of food on the menu as well. Queso: The queso was pretty good! I saw the social media videos of them using real blocked cheese. It was good if you like white cheese queso. There was some tomatoes in there and you can add any meat. The chips were also good they weren't too greasy. Chicken/beef fajitas: This is such a classic dish! The onions on there were really good and had a slight smoky flavor. The beef was good as well and it was cooked to like a medium rare. The chicken was okay it lacked depth.

AmyLiccet N.

Overall good! The service was really fast the and food was great and pretty big servings! I will say they told us that we could get seated and eat if we showed up by a certain time which we did but the service was really pushy and so we didn't get to enjoy it as much as we wanted to. Should have just told us to come another time if they close 30 min before their noted closing time instead of rushing us. But the food is good.

Chicken fajitas
Kim H.

Ordered through DoorDash and had delivered to our hotel. Everything was packed well. I ordered chicken fajitas and they were so good! The homemade flour tortillas were delicious and I really appreciate that they make them bc I HATE store bought tortillas. I would definitely order from here again.

Michelin
Frank F.

Visited Candente while in Houston. The atmosphere was lively and bustling, making it easy to see why this place is so popular. The service was good throughout the meal. We did have to ask for a bit of cleanup around our table from the previous guests, but considering how busy the restaurant was, it wasn't a major issue and was taken care of promptly. The food was very good and lived up to expectations. My only disappointment was the Bloody Maria, which wasn't seasoned properly and lacked the balance and depth of flavour I was hoping for. Overall, a fun, energetic spot serving very good food, with just a few minor details keeping it from being an exceptional experience. Saluti.

Daisy P.

Great Tex Mex spot, been around for more than 10 years and they now have a Michelin star. Candente has a wonderful manager Nancy who is such a people person, great personality, and is always hosting events to make candente fun. There is Loteria nights and they announce this on their social media. All the staff are super friendly and attentive. If you need help anyone will help you. Restaurant is spacious indoor and also has a huge outdoor covered patio with fans and also an open patio. For their events I have been to Loteria nights and they give out prizes, it's fun while you grab a bite or a drink. They also have events where they bring in tequila brands and you can do free tastings of tequila! You meet the tequila brands ambassadors and learn about their brand. A great fun time during the week. A perfect spot for weekend drinks and Tex Mex food. My family and I love this spot and if you haven't been definitely stop by.

Nice cold beer
Angela Q.

We made reservations for Father's Day and got seated right on time. They were even able to accommodate 4 more people at our table. Service was good especially with us being a big party. We were seated in the party room with several other large parties. I ordered the shrimp tacos. They were good and I actually finished them all, which is unusual. The chips were not hot, so I didn't eat as many as I normally would. I had a glass of cold beer and had a good time with my family. My husband got the Copa tropical margarita and it was delicious.

Tortillas soooooooo delicious
Lance S.

The good is always amazing! I was in town with a friend and I told him we had to go here. We were there after 7 and had to park on the street across the street. We were sat immediately by it had to be outside. It was fine even with the humidity. I ordered the queso which is a must. My friend got a margarita on the rocks. He ordered the tampequeña and I ordered the mixed fajitas. It was so good. Still highly recommended!

Johnny N.

What better way to kick off a Texas trip than getting some highly-regarded tex-mex! Some coworkers recommended this spot to me so I had to try! It's in the Museum District/Montrose area, so pretty accessible and with plenty of parking. We got seated immediately, and there was a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating, the latter of which was great even on a humid day. The menu was pretty extensive with your Tex-Mex classics like fajitas and enchiladas, with a special for every day of the week. This time was a free upgrade to a large fajita, so I went with the chicken fajitas! It came out after about 20 minutes with all of the fixings and this very yummy buttery sauce. I haven't had too many fajitas, but I'm pretty confident this is a top spot!

Steak fajitas
Matthew L.

Great steak fajitas. The fajitas have a very smokey taste as they are wood fired. While not the most tender I've had, the wood-fired taste really makes up for it. The salsas are also pretty good & the fajitas come with a nice butter sauce.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Leena C.

Glowing red. Burning. Candente. Let me start by saying that I'm not into Mexican food unless it's an auntie or grandma making it at their house. I prefer traditional homemade Mexican food but here we are. (Oh I googled and suggested this place lol) Went in for a team lunch on a Friday. Coworker's birthday lunch and she wanted Mexican. Party of 9 and we were seated promptly. They have a lunch menu and a happy hour as well as a full menu and full bar. The interior was nicely decorated. And open. There is bar seating and patio seating as well. Our waitress was Aisha and she was amazing. Friendly, helpful and patient. And able handle our large group and a few more tables with a smile. There were a variety of options. Salads, fajitas, nachos, enchiladas, etc. Also complimentary chips and salsa. My Order: chicken tortilla soup, lunch fajitas combo - chicken and beef. Chicken tortilla soup (3.5/5) - it was a bit salty for me but I am not a salt person so most things are salty to me; everyone else said it was tasty, there were tons of shredded chicken, avocado pieces, tortilla strips Fajitas - combo (4/5) - chicken was seasoned well and the beef (medium rare) was perfection and so tender and juicy, mexican rice was fluffy, and normally I would pass on the beans and get extra rice but my coworker suggested the charro beans and wow, that was a win - the seasoning was great, there were chunks of meat and the texture was nice, the only thing that could have been done better is the flour tortillas - they over-charred them making them too crispy and left them with a burnt taste. A couple of people got the elote salad and raved about it. So that will be a next time try. Def will be back. Everyone enjoyed their meals and some even ordered food to go. Would recommend.

Fajitas
Lizz M.

The fajitas were cooked to perfection and to make it even better the tortillas tasted like they were homemade. Were they? No idea but they were so good. We got two de harina and two de maíz. I liked that they offered that option, I don't see that in many places. Everything was great and the margarita was huge. They have outdoor seating which is spacious and has fans throughout so you don't feel the heat as much. We sat inside as we watched the World Cup games. Decor was beautiful and our server was nice. They have parking, which is always a plus!

Alex W.

I'm a Tex-Mex hater so it means a lot when I say I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. We went on Tuesday where you can get a large fajita for the price of a medium. The skirt steak was extremely tender, smoky, and went well with the butter sauce; just a tiny bit more salt would have been perfect for me. The other one we got half beef half chicken - the chicken was surprisingly very juicy whilst being charred perfectly. That on top of the free unlimited chips (the white sauce was great) finally made me realize how people could enjoy Tex-Mex!

Ceviche Trio
Cami M.

Great food, good ambiance. We came right at the end of the night so service was rushed but it was so good and we appreciated the late seating.

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Candente - Museum District Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Candente - Museum District

How is the parking? Do they have their own parking lot?

They have a parking garage connected to the restaurant.

Do they serve their regular menu during lunchtime, or is only the lunch menu available?

Are the beans vegetarian ? (Or are they made with lard) thanks

They are made with lard. That's why they taste so good!!!😉

Does Candente accept reservations or have an online waitlist?

No reservations - first come, first served. 6 pm was good for no wait on a Saturday night.

Is the business open now?

They weren't last Wednesday at 5:30p when we tried to go, no lights were on inside. Just tried calling them too and nobody answered 😢

Is there a children's menu? Is it kid friendly?

Yes and yes!

Are dogs allowed on the patio?

"Service dogs" only.

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The Original Ninfa's on Navigation - Steak

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

3.9(2.3k reviews)
3.4 mi•Warehouse District, Second Ward
•$$
Private events
Catering service

First time in Houston, and I kept seeing people online say Ninfa's is overrated. But every local I…read moreasked told me to go, so I went. Glad I did. Service was great. Our server was super friendly and kept things moving. Free chips and salsa to start. The chips came out warm and crunchy, with a red and a green salsa. Easy way to kick off the meal. I got the enchiladas suizas. Packed with chicken and cheese, and the salsa verde on top gave it a nice bit of tang that kept it from feeling heavy. Solid Tex-Mex. Didn't disappoint.

FAJITAS 7. As a native Houstonian, I was 10 when Ninfa's opened (1973). Growing up, we ate there…read moreseveral times each month. We'd rotate with Los Tios or Chinese every Friday or Saturday. As there is not a location near me any longer, we traveled to the original location. It was bustling with an attentive waitstaff and lots of people watching. Complementary valet (of course we tip) is a great benefit as parking is slim. Our waitress was Kady. She's been there for 50 years! Talk about an original. She was attentive to our needs but all business. We started with guacamole and queso. Guac was a huge portion with all the add ins. Queso was delish and served with fried flour tortillas (my fav). The gratis green dip, red sauce, and thick, crisp chips were on par. The fajitas. Just so so. Honestly, it reminded me of Taco Cabana. Very disappointing. Very little flavor and tough. The rice was yucky, the refried beans were the worst! Reminded us of the frito lay bean dip in a can. Even the Borracho beans were bad. HEB's in the can are far better. We received 2 corn and 2 flour tortillas. Fajitas served with pico, guac, sour-sour cream (I didn't even like that). Iced tea was fair. All in all, Fajitas very disappointing. If we had not been on the best fajita quest, I most likely would have ordered the chicken caldo soup. That never disappoints.

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The Original Ninfa's on Navigation - Decor

Decor

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El Tiempo Cantina - Strawberry margarita

El Tiempo Cantina

3.8(969 reviews)
1.9 mi•Upper Kirby
•$$

A friend was visiting Houston and wanted to try some local TexMex, so, we decided on El Tiempo…read more El Tiempo is definitely a vibe. There's so many interesting decorations and the atmosphere is always pretty lively. You can sit on the patio (covered), or at the bar inside, or at any of the other interior seating options I will say that the parking isn't necessarily ideal. There is valet parking, but the self parking lot is in the back and there's not much space (both to drive and spots available). Also, if you enter from the parking lot and go through the patio you will have to wind yourself throughout the busy restaurant to the front to get seated. Also, the lighting is a little interesting in that there's a colorful glow around the restaurant while still being somewhat intimate lighting The menu offers all your main TexMex staples like fajitas, chips and queso, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, margarita's etc etc etc etc. the portions are always hearty and everything is played relatively nice. Ordered a couple dishes to share and catch up. Everything tasted great Our service was pretty good. The food came out in a timely manner and our drinks were refilled. We had our plates cleared and they even wiped down the table for us so we were sitting in any mess. The strange thing (to me), was while clearing plates they never asked is we were interested in dessert, anything else, or the check. Then we were awkwardly waiting and trying to get the attention of our server for a while thereafter Some tips: If you live in the area you might want to either uber or valet to avoid the hassle of parking there. Definitely if you want to enjoy their wonderful cocktails and other libations I would consider a ride share Definitely order a starter like the queso. Also, you will get complementary bottomless chips and salsa. The struggle is always trying to not fill up on those prior to the meal coming out, but don't worry, they're fairly quick in terms of brining your order out so you won't be sitting idly too long The menu offers so many wonderful dishes, but it can be a little overwhelming. I would probably consider taking a peak online prior to heading that way Cheers!!

Fajitas: 4.3/5. Amazing beef fajitas. Incredibly juicy and…read moretender. Service: 3.5/5. Nice attentive wait staff.

Photos
El Tiempo Cantina
El Tiempo Cantina - Chicken Fajita Enchiladas Ground Beef Enchiladas

Chicken Fajita Enchiladas Ground Beef Enchiladas

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Mango margaritas

Maria Rita's Tex-Mex - Inside of the "fajita enchiladas"

Maria Rita's Tex-Mex

4.4(200 reviews)
8.8 mi
•$$

I was in a facility getting a minor procedure and I had to be lightly sedated which did not allow…read moreme to drive myself to and from my appointment, so my wife drove me there and hung out while I was getting the procedure done. Neither one of us had eaten and we were both starving. We had decided that when I was released we would just go to the restaurant that was in the same parking lot as the facility. I had been to the restaurant before, had fajitas and they were served bloody raw and was just disgusting so I Never went back. We mentioned where we were planning to go to some of the staff members and they said do not go there and that it was too expensive for the type of Mexican food that they serve you. Then they all suggested Maria Rita's. My wife and I had never heard of it before so we asked where it was and it was located 2min down the street. When we got there it was packed, but we decided to thug it out and wait for a table, this also gave us time to troll the parking lot and land a killer parking spot as people left. We finally got the notice that our table was ready. The inside was clean, awesome and had a savory aroma mixed with a Smokey grill Oder that just made us even more hungry than we already were. We both ordered this dish that came with fajitas and bacon wrapped shrimp with a cheese sauce that was Truly Amazing! When I finally was able to take a bite of one of the four gigantic shrimp after I completely destroyed my fajitas, I thought that I was going to pass out from the ecstasy that the flavor profile from that shrimp that overwhelmed my senses! We both enjoyed our meal,(obviously) and I can't end this review without mentioning how attentive, nice and unexpected table side manor that the staff had displayed despite being overwhelmed with a full house crowd. A truly epic experience. Please dig deep for a tip, they deserve it. Enjoy!!

For the area, a decent Tex-Mex restaurant. Service is fast and friendly. I would have preferred a…read morebit more authentic seasoning on my fajitas.

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Maria Rita's Tex-Mex
Maria Rita's Tex-Mex
Maria Rita's Tex-Mex - Hibiscus margarita

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Hibiscus margarita

Superica - Delicious flautas!

Superica

4.1(562 reviews)
4.8 mi•The Heights
•$$

Incredible spot in Houston - the queso fundido is excellent, and the combination lunch plates knock…read moreit out of the park. I could drink the green salsa they have enjoyed the outdoor seating on an unseasonably warm winter day. One note: the waiter told us they're transitioning to a steak house soon. If so, super disappointed!!

Superica didn't impress me on a first dinner visit, but since then I've been back multiple times…read morefor weekend brunch, and each time has been consistently good. Parking can be challenging on weekends, but there is complimentary valet and a few extra spots in a lot across the street. There's interior and exterior seating, with cozy booths and tables. Service is friendly. Chips and salsa: Superica has some of my favorite chips, crispy and thin and perfectly fried. The avocado crema salsa and warm serrano pepper salsas are delicious with a mild kick. The bottled red salsa is fresh and green salsa packs a nice punch. Migas: Scrambled eggs with tortilla chips and cheese, choice of chicken versus chorizo on top, finished with fresh avocado. I really enjoyed this combination and the generous portion for the price. The eggs are well scrambled without being dry, and the pairing with cheese is proportional. The chicken was a touch dry, but some salsa solved that well. I enjoyed stuffing each component into a fresh tortilla and devouring it as a breakfast taco. Refried beans and rice: Really delicious. The refried beans are of the smoother variety without as much chunkiness, which I prefer, and topped with creamy cheese. I could have used a touch more tomato in the rice, but overall enjoyed the texture and flavor. Patatas with salsa roja, topped with egg: I enjoyed the flavors in this dish, but there was sooo much salsa. The potatoes were thus a little soggy, though still cooked well. The over medium egg was cooked nicely and complemented the potatoes with creamy yolk. Bacon: Really generous portion for $7 as a side, and cooked well. Crispy potatoes: I enjoy that these are fingerling potatoes smashed and roasted, but they could be crispier. They seem to be on the blander side on purpose to allow seasoning to taste, and I really like pairing them with the red bottled salsa provided at each table (probably due to their association with ketchup). Hotcakes: The literal star of every brunch, these hotcakes are consistently delicious. They're massive yet somehow cooked perfectly through so that they're fluffy and soft on the inside and just with a slight crunch on the outside. The pairing of the creamy warm (!!!) maple syrup is heavenly. Because of how huge these are, usually one is enough to share between two people, although they also come in stacks of two and three. For reference, we finished 3/4 of three between four healthy and hungry people and it wasn't for lack of trying. Whenever I crave weekend brunch, Superica is always a top option.

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Superica
Superica
Superica - Amazing Sauces! The salsa was my favorite! Flavorful with a nice kick!

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Amazing Sauces! The salsa was my favorite! Flavorful with a nice kick!

Candente - Museum District - tex-mex - Updated October 2026

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