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.

Came to Tacos Tierra Caliente tonight for a quick late-night taco run and it absolutely hit the…read morespot. We ordered two steak tacos with cilantro, onions, and avocado, one chicken taco with cilantro and onions, and two small beef quesadillas -- and it was the perfect amount of food. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what you want from a taco truck. The steak was tender and well-seasoned, and the quesadillas were simple but so satisfying. Service was quick, and the guy working in the truck was super friendly. Honestly, some of the best tacos I've had in the city. Definitely will be back again.

If you like the quesadillas at Taconazo, you'll like them here. My buddy took me here after a…read moreRockets game. We wanted Taconazo, but we didn't have any cash on us. Luckily, this spot takes both card and cash! I got the small beef quesadilla, and it was loaded with cheese. The small quesadilla was $5.50, and it was pretty decently sized for a small. They have salsa set out at the counter, so you can pack as much as you like. The red salsa was smoky and SPICY. Very tasty if you like spice I see a lot of great reviews about this place. I would like to try their other tacos and give a more detailed review. I will be back! but for sure the quesadilla was a hit for me

Enjoyed to go dinner from this location in the HEB Hwy 6 shopping strip for the first time. The…read morebusiness is always busy. Family indulged in delicious large portioned and filled to the brim chicken burritos and chicken quesadilla with small condiment sauces with reasonable prices. I waited in the car while my party placed the order and shared the friendly staff was offered pork skin samples during the wait.

Great hole in the wall for tacos. The staff is hospitable and the space is very clean.read more

We had a taco lunch from Tacos Dona Lena, and it was delicious! We shared a variety of tacos, and…read moremy favorites were the birria street tacos and the barbacoa tacos. The birria street tacos were so tender and flavorful, and the salsas provided (red and green--I liked both!) added a nice kick. I also liked the al pastor tacos, which were very tasty. The only tacos I didn't like were the lingua tacos--someone had recommended the lingua tacos, but it was a bit to fatty for me. One thing--it may be an anomaly, but our tacos took a long time (30+ minutes) to be ready. It's probably a little on me because I totally forgot it was Cinco de Mayo, but just FYI. But still 5 star tacos!

Came to Tacos Dona Lena for Cinco de Mayo + taco Tuesday! I've been wanting to try the spot for a…read moreminute and it definitely hit. Got two steak tacos, a grande steak, quesadilla, a side of chips that came with a variety of house sauces, and ended with the churros. To start, the tacos were simple being topped with onions and cilantro, and coming on corn tortillas. The quesadilla was made with a generous filling of steak and cheese. Lastly, one of my favorite parts of the meal was getting to try all the different house salsas that they had. As expected, the restaurant was packed as it was Cinco de Mayo and taco Tuesday. It was a fun, busy environment, every table was filled inside and outside seating. Definitely a great spot to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the heart of the city!

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.

Came here on Cinco De Mayo and Taco Tuesday and the tacos were KILLER!! My only problem is I only…read moregot 5! Be warned the Asada is a little on the salty side but I loved that!

the service is slowwwwwww…read more this is not a street taco place. the bar is nice but the food side is slow no urgency and got on person working 4 different stations. the ambiance is okay , but it's not giving the right energy with the slow service. m

Best freaking mini tacos in Houston! They are authentic and delicious. The hamburgers and frijoles…read morea la charra are really good too.

Food was great. The smoky flavor of the trompo is top tier! We also ordered bistek quesadilla and…read moreit was really cheesy and delicious. There was a line but it moved really fast. We ate in the seating area and they had some salsa which was good.

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

i absolutely love this location!!…read more their portions are generous and there is a chill vibe about this location. i've been to a few locations and this one is my absolute favourite ! on fridays they have karaoke, which was an unexpected treat! the vibe is fun and casual, the food is always fresh and reasonable! bonné appétit

I ordered takeout so can't speak on the dine-in experience…read more I tried the lamb taco, fish taco, chips and medium salsa w/ a side of habanero queso, and a horchata. The flavor of the horchata was good; it tasted a bit watered down but that's on me for not picking up my food immediately. The tacos were filled generously with meat and toppings, and both were super yummy with the accompanying salsas. The chips were thin which is my preference with tortilla chips. The salsa was smooth and the queso was good with a little kick of spice. Everything was pretty good and filling and everything was packed very well. There is a nearby parking garage if you don't want to find street parking

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!!