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    Chai Shai

    3.9 (60 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Chai Shai Photos

    CHAI SHAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Chai Shai

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    Club Sandwich
    Madiha A.

    We came here with friends because they recommended this place and I'm happy to report that this is a really nice change from all the Hillcroft halal cafes. They have a nice selection of street food like chaats and paratha rolls mixed in with sandwiches/burgers and a few entrees. I had the club sandwich which was actually pretty good. Was not impressed with the Nihari because it was just too spicy. The parathas and hunter beef sandwiches were good. With a name like chai shai, you have to nail the chai which they did!

    Richard W.

    Amazing eastern fast food cafe!! The man behind the counter was super friendly and acted like He was genuinely pleased that I was there. As a "typical 40yr old white man" I sometimes get odd looks when I venture of the beaten path to enjoy something new, either by the partitioner or other patrons. I immediately felt welcome, by the staff and everyone there. I ordered 2 veg samosas, one beef pastry and one chicken pastry, an order of mixed chat, and some type of Indian quesadilla. The man smiled kindly and told me I was ordering to much food, and when I told him I wasn't scared and that "I might not look like it but I can eat" he laughed. EVERYTHING WAS WONDERFUL!!! My favorite was the beef and chicken pastries!! Flaky and amazing!!! Can't wait to bring my wife so she can give them another 5 stars! Awesome place!! PS - it is INSIDE THE "WORLD FOOD WEARHOUSE" - I almost missed it and drove away. Great place... You must go!!!

    Karachi Hunter Beef Burger
    Ralphia L.

    My friend and I were excited to try out this new place that had a promising menu, but we were left a little disappointed. Unfortunately this place is not a standout in the vast and varied world of Desi (South Asian) food in Houston. The restaurant is more a quick cafe, located inside a grocery store, with decent snack items. We ordered the Karachi hunter beef burger and the bun kabab. The hunter beef burger isn't really a burger, but a sandwich made with shredded beef and jalapeños. It was tasty but not great, though it is touted as their menu favorite. The bun kabab was really disappointing-- a small, dry patty of meat (looked like chicken) on a bun. There was not much chutney or onions on top. The meat itself did not taste seasoned, and it seemed they had just sprinkled some chaat masala on top of the cooked patty. Big thumbs down. We also ordered french fries which were okay. The special pathani dood patti (a type of tea with milk) lacked flavor and depth-- also disappointing. The service was extremely slow. We placed our order at the counter, but the woman taking down our order took literally about ten minutes to put it into the system. She blamed it on their computer system. Then, when I tried to pay by credit card, the transaction wouldn't go through and it became a long ordeal. The manager came by and apologized and blamed the Internet connection. While the employees were very nice, the service was slow and inefficient. We were lucky that there was no one in line ahead of us, otherwise it would have taken much longer. There are so many wonderful desi restaurants in Houston, that based on my experience at this restaurant, I cannot recommend trying it over the others in the area. FYI-- There are only about eight tables, so might be hard to find a place to eat in if the restaurant is busy.

    Hunter beef burger
    Syed Zain Z.

    A one stop Karachi style snacks fast food restaurant. Reason to give 5 is staff, cleanliness, quality of food, innovation, service and after sale service. I am one their forest customer when they open and both the owners still remember us and invited us in their one year anniversary. Food is delicious and healthy, they know how to use ingredients. The only thing is they close at 9 pm or they have to because inside a supermarket that closes at 9. But a must visit Houston eating place.

    Uncooked burger has now caused person who ate it to vomit profusely.
    Nina C.

    Sadly the quality of food has gone downhill since this location opened. We were regulars but have felt the service and now food is not up to par. Attached some photos of cheeseburgers which were clearly requested to be "well done". Obviously none were cooked thoroughly and my house guest is vomiting due to this. Will take it up with the owner as the manager on duty explained that meat like this is still safe to eat because it is cooked to an internal temperature. He was missing the point that burgers are uncooked and I had asked specifically that it be well done. Disappointed as the quality of food had been much better when the owner and his wife were running things in person. Attached are photos of all three cheese burgers that I had ordered.

    Mix chaat and chicken papdi chaat
    Mahvesh S.

    This place has great Pakistani snacks. I tried their hunter beef burger Karachi style, chicken papdi chaat and mix chaat. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend the hunter beef burger. The sitting area leaves a lot to be desired because it's in the middle of a grocery store. I hope they drum up enough business to open up their own store front.

    Hunter Beef Burger
    Hija F.

    From Kashmiri Chai to Hunter Beef Burger and various chaats, everything is just amazing! To top it off their customer service is the best so far. Everything I've tried so far has been beyond good!

    Nice food

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Order hear everything is good from there sandwiches to there chats n patty's and reasonable prices!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Very friendly service and delicious food with variety, will definitely come back !!!!!!!

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great food a little off the main view of 99. A little pricey though $23 at that time last December. Overall I left full

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    6 years ago

    Went to the one in the world food. It was fresh and tasty with good service. I highly recommend it!

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    Chai S.

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    Page 1 of 2

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    Tacos Doña Lena - Las Chismosas

    Tacos Doña Lena

    4.6(1.1k reviews)
    6.5 miSpring Branch
    $$

    Allow me to be Review No. 1,100 following my visit to this wonderful culinary gem yesterday…read more By default, Spring Branch is Houston's Koreatown, but it's not unusual to find establishments with Spanish-language branding on them throughout the neighborhood. And Tacos Doña Lena, on which I'll heap tons of praise on, is among them. A group of friends and I had supper here before a live show down the street at Eighteen Ten Ojeman. Upon seeing the storefront when we pulled into the parking lot, my first thought was, "Okay, this is legit Mexican, not Tex-Mex." The interior is quite small with some tables and an ample late Saturday afternoon crowd. What caught my eye is how the environment is what you might expect to find at a family-run taqueria off the beaten path. Rock en Español blaring from the sound system. Colorful papel picado draped from the ceiling. A framed Mexican flag and several references to the central Mexican municipality of Guanajuato. The intoxicating smell of spice-laced grilled beef wafting through the air. Simply put, we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. I glanced at the menu. There are numerous, delicious-sounding items that happen to be wallet-friendly, a bit cheaper than if you were to go to Gringos or Jimmy Changas. According to a mutual, the tacos here are the main draw, but what really caught my attention and appetite was the ramen birria. Mujeres y caballeros (ladies and gentlemen), let me proclaim that Tacos Doña Lena turns a noodle dish with origins in Japan and is a known staple in college dorm rooms into a must-try on this part of America's fourth-largest city. Two amazing food cultures unite for a fiery meeting of the minds. Anchored by a rich, tasty consomé that's spicy but not enough to where you need to drink multiple glasses of water, there's a prime mix of ramen noodle, beef birria, cheese, fried egg, rabanos, garbazo, and corn accompanied by cilantro, onions, and a pair of fried tostadas. I was so impressed with how the contents of the ramen blended together. Since it was ramen after all despite the south of the border touchup, I still ate it the traditional way: pick up the noodles and sip the soup. There was so much that I had no choice but to put it in a takeout container. Sure, Spring Branch may be home to some great traditional Korean restaurants, but don't sleep on Tacos Doña Lena.

    There used to be a place, actually a chain of restaurants, and their slogan was the place to come…read morefor ribs. Well, in the same vein this is the place to come for birria. Although I opted for enchiladas rojas. Intense garlic. Rice is too salty for my personal preference. Beans good. Enchiladas also more salty than my preference. But still enjoyable. TDL is a Houston treasure. Highly recommended. Two locations now. Festive. Great ambiance. Good food. Nice people.

    Photos
    Tacos Doña Lena - The colors make you happy

    The colors make you happy

    Tacos Doña Lena - Quesa Birra

    Quesa Birra

    Tacos Doña Lena - Pastor and Beef Tacos, Beef Gordita with all their delicious salsas

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    Pastor and Beef Tacos, Beef Gordita with all their delicious salsas

    El Taconazo - Barbacoa Especial

    El Taconazo

    4.5(375 reviews)
    9.7 miNorthside Village
    $

    Heads up they are CASH ONLY!! Houston native friend brought me here and definitely the best taco…read moretruck I've had in Houston by far. Food comes out immediately but there is no seating so be ready to eat outside/in your car. Definitely recommend the plato especial for best value. This plate is definitely enough for 2-3 to share. Meat is super nicely cooked, good flavor and smokiness. Cheese also goes insane when it's piping hot. Horchata was also very nice. Not overwhelmingly strong but very refreshing with the meat and by itself too. There may be a line at night but it goes by super quick. Definitely coming back after I finish my leftovers tomorrow.

    This food truck is a true staple in North Houston. I've been here easily over 30 times, and they…read moreconsistently serve some of the most authentic, fresh tacos in the city. It's also a huge plus that they're open late, perfect for those late-night cravings. The green sauce is incredible, and I always go for the fajita quesadillas, they never miss. Pricing is fair for the quality you get, so no complaints there. Just keep in mind it's cash only, no cards or online payments. The lines are almost always long no matter the time of day, but they move quickly, so the wait isn't bad. I usually grab a pink lemonade as well, which hits every time. Out of all the locations, El Taconazo is definitely the one to go to, hands down some of the best tacos you'll find on Fulton St.

    Photos
    El Taconazo
    El Taconazo - Al Pastor Especial (con queso)

    Al Pastor Especial (con queso)

    El Taconazo

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    Carniceria Y Taqueria Aguascalientes

    Carniceria Y Taqueria Aguascalientes

    4.6(214 reviews)
    13.4 miPark Place
    $

    Loved this place! It's inside a market and it's super tight and crowded. FYI they only speak…read moreSpanish, no English at all. One of my friends took me here and we all got to try a lot of stuff. We ordered: Horchata (small for $3.49), Quesadillas with beef, Quesadillas with chicharron, Gorditas with beef, and Gorditas with chicharron. I don't like cinnamon but the horchata was addicting and it paired so well with the food. My friend got their Melon Agua Fresca and he said it was really refreshing as well. The gorditas were stuffed and they were so delicious, the cheese was melting and the bread was warm and not dry. The Quesadillas were my favorite. You put both the red sauce and the green sauce on it, a lot of lime juice, and it's perfect. I forgot to order cilantro on mine but they do give you it at no extra cost. The prices are so cheap and you get so much food. Everything is around $3 and it will fill you up. Each of us totaled out to be about $10-15 per person and we were stuffed. I would definitely come back here over and over again! My friend said the only bad thing about this place is when you order to go, they won't give you a lot (no lime, no hot sauces, less meat, etc.) so definitely get dine-in.

    Fui a buscar azúcar, q pa mi café! Resultado terminó gastando $150.00 pero el servicio al cliente…read morees a toda mayúscula! La gente sonríe, y casi puedo decir q tienen sentido del humor! Ojo, no estoy segura! Luego de cargar mis cosas, pasé a la taqueria... pregunté si las tortas estaban ricas, me dijo tan honesta q si, pero q las gorditas estaban buenísimas!! Y muy cierto, las gorditas estaban espectacular. Ese tipo de lugares merece nuestro apoyo mi gente... yo al 100 % riquísimo! Gracias

    Photos
    Carniceria Y Taqueria Aguascalientes
    Carniceria Y Taqueria Aguascalientes - Salsa

    Salsa

    Carniceria Y Taqueria Aguascalientes - Agua piña

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    Agua piña

    The Taco Stand - Barbacoa Supreme burrito $9.99 - HUGE and delicious

    The Taco Stand

    3.6(424 reviews)
    8.1 miThe Heights
    $$

    Fantastic flavors all around. The chicken was well seasoned, and the fish was grilled nicely. It's…read moreimpressive how much flavor they get from simple ingredients -- the cilantro added a really nice freshness. The chips and queso are a must every time -- fresh chips with that cheesy queso, what a hit! The churros were also great and paired perfectly with the chocolate sauce. Overall, this is definitely becoming a regular spot.

    I have seen these spots popping up, and I was eager to finally give them a try. I'm a big Burger…read moreJoint fan, and knowing that the Taco Stand has the same owner I was optimistic This spot located in the Greater Heights is relatively new. There's a parking lot, but we went on the weekend, and while the interior didn't look overly full, it was somewhat difficult to find a parking spot. The restaurant itself is clean. Everything is pretty much green and white. There's covered patio seating. You order from a window and there's a large menu printed nearby The menu offers all sorts of tacos, meats, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, quesabirras, sides, and even kids meals. You can get beer, margaritas, and non-alcoholic drinks. There's also a breakfast menu The food was good, and it didn't take too long to come out. My main issue was the service. The individual taking orders seemed to have a bit of an attitude and just seemed "over it." Furthermore, we mentioned having a queso coupon and when we were given the total I placed my card on the reader and I was told that I did it too fast and the queso wasn't taken off. The odd thing was, we walked away and realized that they didn't add the queso and the coupon was for free queso so they could have just rung up an additional queso. This individual had the vibe of eye rolling everything, and it honestly left a bad taste in my mouth Some tips: You can order online to avoid any wait. Just go up to the pick-up window when it's supposed to be ready for a painless interaction There's a little bar area where you can get pre-packaged (to-go) salsas, pickled onions, limes, etc etc etc. the salsas are tomatillo, habanero, and jalapeño (I believe) You can order margaritas to go, which we did! Cheers!!

    Photos
    The Taco Stand
    The Taco Stand - Churros and chocolate sauce

    Churros and chocolate sauce

    The Taco Stand - Indoor seating

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    Indoor seating

    Chai Shai - coffee - Updated May 2026

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