If you don't want any of the other nearby foods give it a try. But mainly for the chips and salsa…read more I heard margaritas are good but I was on a lunch break so couldn't indulge. My coworker and I both got a lunch special. They were about $12 each. Her sprite was 3.25 and my cucumber lemonade was $6.25 which I personally find overpriced. With restaurant experience I know how cheap fountain drinks are. The food wasn't bad but it wasn't special. Didn't send anything back but didn't have much flavor. Not sure if this is a case of we didn't order the right thing or we went on a bad day. The restaurant is visually appealing but it kind of stops there.

I had an excellent meal with friends there on a weekday evening. The food was excellent and the…read morepresentation superb (see photos). The service was very good. By the way, I love their chips. Surprising how few people were eating there.

The parking lot for the restaurant is very tiny. When we went we had to park on the side of the…read moreroad since it was very busy and full of people. The food is great! The tacos are a good size and not expensive. The lengua and barbacoa was very soft and fell apart easily. The tripa was fried and super crunchy and I enjoyed it a lot. I also really enjoyed the chips and salsa! The sauces were a bit spicy but they were so good and paired super well with the tacos. I would have loved to eat more if I was more hungry or didn't have big dinner plans later.

Exceptional service. One of the most attentive breakfast experiences I've had…read more I stopped by El Panchito on a Friday morning around 8:30. My waitress Yessi greeted me right away and was incredibly attentive. After just a couple sips of coffee she was already asking if I needed a refill -- my cup never even made it halfway empty the entire time I was there. What really stood out was the teamwork. Even though Yessi was my waitress, the other waitresses were also checking on me as they passed by. There were about 5-6 waitresses working and everyone was constantly moving around making sure customers were taken care of. As a business owner myself, I pay attention to how places operate. If you own a restaurant, you may want to stop by and see how this team runs their floor -- the level of service and awareness of their customers is impressive. Friendly staff, great atmosphere, and service you don't see very often anymore.

Fajita tacos were so good and their sauces are good with a good spice level. Price was good and the…read morefood was done quickly. Definitely would recommend and go again.

a great hole in the wall place with friendly service for authentic and cheap tacos. we looove how…read morespicy their salsa is. however, both the meat and the tortillas in the chicken and beef fajita tacos were pretty dry and underwhelmingly bland. generous portions of meat though!

Maximo looks like someone invited the desert inside and poured it a drink. The room is colorful,…read morewarm, and genuinely inviting--pots of cactus, cowboy paintings, and Mexican art. At brunch, the papas bravas come as small cubes of fried potato with an airy crunch that gives way to a soft, pillowy center - the kind of deeply satisfying bite that makes conversation briefly irrelevant. Crisp prosciutto adds salt, aioli brings richness, and smoky chile sauce keeps it lively. They're served with cactus-handled toothpicks, which are almost offensively adorable. The chilaquiles divorciados are another hit. The chips are dressed with salsa rather than drowned beneath it, so each one arrives ready for the perfect bite. It's a small distinction, but an important one. Then there are the enfrijoladas: rolled quesadillas in fluffy tortillas, covered in creamy black bean sauce and plated with more care than bean and cheese might seem to warrant. The dish is fundamentally simple, but that's the point. Soft tortilla, savory beans, melted cheese, bright salsa. Familiar ingredients transformed into something deeply comforting--the culinary equivalent of curling up beneath a warm blanket on a cold morning, even if Houston rarely provides one. Dinner shifts into another gear. The crudos are sensational, especially the tuna tiradito - a rolling wave of flavor and texture. The tacos are excellent across the board, but the crispy maitake mushrooms are unmatched. The short ribs arrive juicy and tender on a mole negro that doesn't sit politely in the background. It lands dark, complex, and full of flavor. And then there's the masa cornbread, a masterpiece of unapologetic indulgence. Humble cornbread meets savory-sweet mole, smoky, earthy butter, and caviar. It sounds like too much. It isn't. Every element earns its place. The cocktails deserve their own warning. They're the kind that convince you to keep ordering the same drink all night. By the end, you may have forgotten what was in it. What you'll remember is that it was refreshing, perfectly balanced, and exactly what you needed. Maximo makes ambitious food feel generous rather than fussy. Come hungry.

Honestly I am fairly disappointed in this place as I had been anticipating it for the longest time…read more I was able to snag reservations about 1 month in advance for a Saturday dinner. The restaurant is located in a quiet area in West University with a good amount of street parking. The restaurant itself is decorated with a lot of character and personality and they have seating inside and outside on their covered patio. Don't get me wrong, the service here is amazing. The servers are very attentive, and I appreciate the chefs coming out to explain their dish. However, the dishes themselves were basic and lacked specialty. My boyfriend and I got the Chef's Tasting Menu. I got the drink pairing. As a Chef's tasting menu, I would expect the restaurants' most precious meals. The short rib was dry and the rest of the other dishes were unmemorable. The only dish that truly caught my eye was their Tres Leches, but this was given on the house as it was our anniversary. The drink pairing I got was well worth and all of the drinks were flavorful and paired well. Overall, I'd hope that their chef's tasting menu would improve as they rotate their dishes. I would try to come back to give it another chance.

Great convenient location right off the freeway. Lots of seating even a back room for a private…read moreparty. Nice staff Israel was exceptional very attentive and personable. Enjoyed the new raspberry margarita and fajitas

I've had better tex-mex outside of texas. we got our usual tex-mex order, a skirt steak and shrimp…read morefajitas, and it was a bit disappointing. The steak was too thick cut and a bit hard to eat and chew. I didn't like the tortillas either. the second they left the warmth of the foil, they were chewy and hard.

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.

It was our first time trying this restaurant and we loved it! The fajitas were delicious and full…read moreof flavor. Belinda was super sweet and attentive, and you can clearly tell she cares about her customers and making sure they have a great experience. We'll definitely be back!

We were greeted and welcomed warmly and received excellent service. Our glasses were never empty. I…read morehad the amazing Mixed Green Salad with Cilantro Lime dressing and Grilled Salmon - the salmon was seasoned and grilled to perfection, easily one of the best grilled salmon fillets that I have ever tasted. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed the Beef Enchilada and Chicken Taco Al Carbon with rice and charro beans. I had to photograph our friend's Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes with Shrimp and Lump Crab because it was so beautiful. She assured me that it tasted as good as it looked.

I've been coming to this location for years! I'm surprised I'm barely doing the review…read more Food: great food. You cannot beat the deal on wed. Fajitas for two with queso for 50.00. I think it's the best deal for fajitas in houston. Excellent flavor and made to perfection. The customer service is great. I'll definitely keep coming here for many years to come.

Talk about the best Mexican food in Houston!! If you're wanting Pappasito's this is the location to…read moreeat at!! Ava truly is a breath of fresh air and needs to be recognized for her professionalism and kindness!! We'll be back for Ava! -Mother & daughter duo from NOLA

I had a great lunch experience at Los Tios! They have a really good selection of lunch menu…read moreoptions, which made it easy to find something without feeling overwhelmed. The food came out fresh, hot, and flavorful, and the portions were perfect for lunch. The drinks were good and paired nicely with the meal. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive throughout our visit. Overall, Los Tios is a solid lunch spot with plenty of options to choose from. I'd definitely come back and try something different from the lunch menu next time!

A Houston treasure for classic Houston style Tex-Mex. At one time the Houston style of puffy and…read morecrispy queso "balloons" and tacos was most common. Places closed, lamentably Loma Linda, resulting in only three places that still do the classic Houston style. This historically significant restaurant is a "must" for any aficionado of classic Tex-Mex. For those who don't know me, I had the pleasure of researching and recipe testing for The Tex-Mex Cookbook by Robb Walsh. I maintain a collection of vintage Tex-Mex at Tex-Mex Vintage and Retro Menus and Memorabilia (f**eb**k) that included early menus from Los Tios. Several years ago I wrote this Houston Press review. A Tale of Two Taco Plates Avatar photo HOUSTON PRESS OCTOBER 12, 2008 I recently entertained an out-of-town food writer who had been contracted to write on Tex-Mex in San Antonio and Houston. Although he was very personable and fun to hang out with, I knew of his notoriety of writing really negative reviews about things that others held dear. When we met up he had already sampled Irma's spinach enchiladas, which he liked. I took him to a favorite place for enchiladas, and he wasn't impressed. Over the next day or so he hit 5 different places, none of which he liked, all of which I do. Our last meal was at the original Ninfa's on Navigation for some excellent fajitas and a flan that was so delicious, I had to seek out the recipe on the Web and make it two days later. I really didn't want to be an apologist for Houston Tex-Mex. But his disenchantment got me to thinking how much my appreciation of Houston Tex-Mex is equal parts food, history and restaurant ambiance. And being a non-native, this didn't have much cachet with him (different cultural map I guess). That night at Ninfa's I decided to direct him to check out two upscale Tex-Mex places, places that I know of but never go to, Armando's and Escalante's. Well, he never made it to them so we'll never know. Time to try Escalante's for myself then. I thought it might be fun to compare the crispy tacos at Escalante's and Los Tios, which are basically across the street from each other on Beechnut at Meyerland. Escalante's Taco Plate Escalante's gets a big thumbs-up for atmosphere, friendly service and food presentation. It's a well illuminated (from the ambient light and the interior lighting) restaurant with attractive paintings and memorabilia everywhere. The kind of place one might take an out-of-town food writer. The tacos come in their own cute little stand and the rice and beans are tasty enough. The tacos themselves have a thin shell and are reminiscent of a Taco Bell taco or those grocery store El Paso shells. On the plus side, the taco meat is not overly salty. On the minus side, it's pretty bland and I had to touch them up with some black pepper and hot sauce. With tax and tip my meal came in at $12.50. A similar order of three tacos with rice and beans would be under $5.00 at Taco Bell. Los Tios Taco Plate Los Tios has its own charm. It's a little dark and the interior is very woody. The waitstaff is great there too. Los Tios is one of only two places left in Houston that still make the crispy style tacos that I remember from my youth. To the best of my knowledge they're unique to Houston (please correct me if you've seen them anywhere else) and if I had my way, every Houston restaurant would make these. The trick to making these is that you have to use freshly ground yellow corn masa for your tortilla. When it goes into the hot oil, there's enough moisture to allow for the tortilla to separate and puff up. The taco meat was perfectly seasoned. I ordered two but could have easily downed a dozen of the wonderful little crunch machines. With tax and tip my meal came in under $7.00 for two tacos. I'll be the first to agree that it's not altogether fair to judge Escalante's solely on its tacos. And I would gladly eat there again. But let's face it, Los Tios kicks ass -- Jay Francis

Ever since Don Pepe moved to Stella Link Rd, It feels like a completely different experience than…read moreits former digs. (#1) The good news is that the venue is updated, it's far more spacious with outdoor seating, service is prompt and courteous, and more importantly, the food is still excellent. In the space that was the ultra divey, former burger spot (Lee's Burger & Mo), they've transformed the space brilliantly. There was a pathway at one point for a drive-thru, but I don't think this was retained. Instead there's more parking space, which in a place like Houston is already a luxury in itself. In the past they were known primarily for their tamales, breakfast tacos, and enchiladas, but the menu has since expanded to include more platter-based items such as carne asada and grilled fish. Naturally the prices have also increased, but has remained fairly affordable and the accept credit cards. Ordering in Spanish is always preferred, but much of the staff also speaks English. I still dream of their breakfast plates and despite the change I've still never seen it so busy that I couldn't find a place to sit. This still remains one of the most slept on places in this part of town. __________ (#1) Should probably be under a different Yelp listing as well.

This was our first time to eat here. We've driven by since it opened but never had time to stop…read more My SO and I came for Sunday lunch/brunch and both had the migas. The food was terrific!! I can't say enough good things! Everything on the plate was delicious, and the homemade tortillas put it over the top. The only reason I'm not giving five stars is because the dining area was a bit dirty. Some of the tables needed to be wiped down, and the floor needed a good mopping.