If you blink, you will miss this Gem of a Mexican restaurant. Today, the SECRET is out! If you want to take your friends, family to an original and non commercial Mexican restaurant and have that feeling of a true family restaurant, you gotta go to El Potosinos in Galena Park. Food: Ever just eat and just feel happy on having something that is homemade. Everything I have had here is soul calming. I get disappointed when I go to The commercial restaurant like El Tempo, or Pappasito's. Service: Olga started off as a waitress and now she is the owner. She is caring for her customers and you can tell immediately. Don't mind pictures of her regulars on the wall. Ambiance: this is not a commercial restaurant, it's looks like a house. You're able to see family cooking in the back and really feel like you are eating at someone's house. If you want to show out of towners what true non commercial TexMex is, El Potosinos is your place. Tell Olga Jay sent you lol. You will thank me later. read more

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I drive 527 miles with 10yr old twins to Houston to see family BUT before I see family and again while I am there, I head for El Potosino for the Deluxe dinner w/onions! I have been eating therevfor over 40 years. I remember riding my bike there and eating the most delicious food. The family and now Olga are dedicated to their customers. It is a blessing to see people serving the Lord through their work. God Bless the establishment of this restaurant and the many people whobhave served there and serve today read more

People who grew up in Galena Park always come back to this restaurant! The food is delicious and their salsa is very unique and tasty! We always have to ask for more to put on our food. I highly recommend El Potosino! read more

Absolutely great authentic Mexican food. El Potosino has been one of our families' favorite restaurants for years. I remember going there since I was a little girl. My grandpa was a local in Galena Park and would always take us there for lunch. It is one of my favorite go-to places when we want to eat out, and we love the at-home feeling there. We have friends that drive from Conroe and Huntsville weekly to eat this great food. After the pandemic hit in 2020, El Potosino decided to open for business by allowing customers to order food, and they would bring it out to their car. This was very convenient after many restaurants closed and we had few options to eat. There is a saying, "do not judge a book by its cover," the small orange building on Clinton Drive in Galena Park is that book you do not want to judge. It is not a large, fancy building, but it has fantastic authentic Mexican food that is so delicious. El Potosino is a relatively small restaurant that has proudly served Galena Park since 1970 for 52 years. This place is so good that it continues to be in business even though the original owners no longer run it. Momma Connie was the original owner. After her death, Hope, her daughter, who has worked at the restaurant most of her life, took over the business. She ran the restaurant for 30-plus years and just sold it in December when she decided to retire. The new owner, Olga, is not a stranger to the business. She was actually a waitress for many years and did not want to see it close, so she purchased the business in January of 2023. She cares deeply about the restaurant and its customers. She has even dedicated one wall to photos of her customers with whom she personally takes a picture. This place is fantastic! If I could give ten stars, I would. The food and the service are impeccable. It all feels like a big family. It is hard to decide what to eat when you look at the menu and all the great options they offer. There are a few favorites that I choose from every time I go. The Summer #1 plate has cheese enchiladas, guacamole, a beef crispy taco, and a tostada. They have the crispiest and best-tasting tacos I have ever tasted. What is best is that they are not greasy like other places. Also, I can always count on my food to be hot and fresh. My second favorite is the Plate Lunch platter. This one is served with Guisado de res, guacamole, rice and beans, and tortillas. These are only two of the many plates on the menu. Every item on the menu is authentic and great tasting. The food is always fantastic; it will be great no matter what you order. You can always count on your food to be served fast and fresh. Before I forget, a Mexican restaurant will not be a Mexican restaurant without a good hot sauce. Their hot sauce is Awesome! It is hot but delicious. Finally, the staff is one of a kind. Their hospitality makes you feel like you never left home. read more

I grew up in this area and never visited them . I finally decided to try it . People were very sweet but the food was just not good . We tried a couple of kinds of enchiladas because we figured you can't mess enchiladas up but they were pretty bad . Perhaps it was a bad menu choice , not sure but definitely will not return . read more

Been going there for 50 years. Best salsa anywhere. Can't wait to go back and I live 50 miles away now. You might not go there when you see the location and first impression, but it is the best Little restaurant ( greasy spoon) you will every find. Not your 5 star evening restaurant. read more

I haven't dined here in well over 20 years.... it's good to see some things don't change. Food was excellent , service was spot on and best of all there was no wait to be seated. While we were there I learned I'm 1 month older than the restaurant itself. 48 years and still serving great food. read more

El Potosino - Mexican Near Me - Galena Park, Texas

How I Found It: As a native Texan, I have been eating at Mexican (i.e. "Tex-Mex") restaurants my whole life. Since as far back as I can remember, my family has gone to this restaurant almost religiously. Texas has its variety of Tex-Mex, but nothing I have found so far has compared to this little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. I used to live on the northeast side of Houston, and Galena Park is a good thirty minutes or more away, and there are PLENTY of Mexican restaurants in between here and there! Yet, I still always find an excuse to make my way over there for it! (I now reside in San Diego, California, and here has it's own variety of Mexican ("Baja-Mex".... yeah, that's what they call it!), but there's no place I have found yet, here or back in Houston, that is like El Potosino. Whenever i get a chance to go home, I always visit this little restaurant. And as you yourself probably know from experience, it's the little hole-in-the-wall places that are the best. This little restaurant has been around for over thirty years, and still serves hundreds of customers a day, and for good reason! Could a restaurant survive that long and have such a dedicated customer base if it didn't have highly satisfied customers? Now, if you're into the quote-unquote "Mexican food" like... *cough* Taco Cabana or Casa Ole, then this isn't the place for you. Why? Because this is the real deal. Grandma's in the back cooking it up like you were at home. This is family owned and operated and clean. I also must point out that the service is fast too. We've never had to wait more than ten minutes from the time we order till we get our food. Experience: From the time you first walk in, find a spot to sit. (The restaurant has about twenty tables and booths) The waitress will come ask you what you'd like to drink, (and sometimes even politely ask what you'd like to order - yes, maybe before you get to look at a menu. That's because most are regular customers and know what they love). Their one-page front-and-back menus are on the table, and after you order simply place them next to the table's condiment stand. Sodas are usually brought out in the can and with a glass with ice. The iced tea is great and comes in a huge glass, very good for the price. Hot crispy chips and salsa are brought out immediately, and your food should soon follow. The check will be brought to your table, and you pay at the register near the front. You won't pay more than $10 a person. Recommendations: -For years my favorite entree has been the cheese enchiladas, I have never found another restaurant in 26 years that makes them like El Potosino. Try them and see what i mean. The Summer #1 entree comes with everything you need to get started. -They have hot crispy tortilla chips and *hot* salsa (I emphasize HOT), because this isn't your average "hot sauce" like at other Mexican restaurants (i.e., that weak watery salsa-like taste...you know what I'm talking about!) This is the real deal, and if you're sensitive to spicy foods, I would recommend the tiniest amount.... as more may be too much for you. But for the Texan in you, you should be able to handle it. -The queso is simply amazing. Some entrees come with a queso chip, a flat crispy tortilla-size chip with queso drizzled all over the top. -The guacamole is amazing too, if you have the chance to get this as a side, don't pass it up. Something that has always amazed me is how the waitresses bring out the piping hot plates with their bare hands. They always say, "Careful, the plate is very hot", yet they carry them like it's nothing. You'll see what i mean. Ask a waitress, they'll explain they've just been doing it for so long it doesn't even affect them anymore. I highly highly recommend El Potosino to everyone. Please come back and rate if you try it! read more

Went here based on previous reviews. Theres probably a hundred or more taquerias in a 5 mile radius from this restaurant, and honestly, you can do a lot better. The salsa is made with pickled jalapeños, which tastes as cheap and bad as it sounds. This is the first salsa I've ever had in my entire life that was actually very easy to stop eating. I got the "special dinner", with cheese enchiladas, because I saw them mentioned in a previous review, and love cheese enchiladas. They were pretty bad. Served with onions on top (and I'm a huge onion fan), the enchiladas themselves were flavorless. The iced tea was good, but I challenge you to find a place like this with bad iced tea. The place was packed, so I'm sure some people will like it, but there's just so many options in this area for small cheap and fast Mexican food this place is just not worth it. read more

I used to go here as a kid, and the waitress always remembered my family's usual order. The food is amazing. Not joking; one of the best Mexican restaurants in Houston. It is fresh, good quality and inexpensive. If you want authentic Mexican food, they have it, and if you want something with covered in cheese, they have it too. Everything is great: crispy tacos, cheese enchilada, nachos, salsa. read more

I remember this place from when I lived in Galena Park in 1982! It was great. Glad it lives on!!!!!!

We have been eating here since I was little! It's a true treasure here in Galena Park! My children are growing up enjoying the food here as well! In fact, those times I just don't feel like cooking, believe it or not, food from this restaurant has beat out pizza several times when I asked the kids, "What do you want for supper tonight?" Keep up the great work! Thanks! read more

Our family has been going here since I was a kid. The food is great and they always ask about our family. I love going to get the deluxe with a few healthy spoon fulls of that east side fire (the salsa). read more

Ok. So I've been passing this place up for 9 years. (that's when I moved to the area) My neighbor told me she always frequent here, I was ok, whatever. I stopped in the two waitresses who are sisters are as sweet and helpful as you can get. I was recommended the enchiladas since that what I kind of wanted anyway. I love their enchiladas. Hands down I go at least twice a month. read more

More Tex-Mex then authentic Mexican. Food is average, chips were good and salsa had a little bite to it. I had the enchilada special, it was a little on the bland side. I also had one Tamale on the side, it was good, not dried out. All in all, I'd rather find a Taco truck. read more

Visited this place with a friend... my 1st visit was 20 yrs ago... I really like this place, its different from other mexican or tex mex places... small location,.. good food.. give it a try if your in the area... read more

Been around forever. I LOVE this place. They have the best crispy tacos and everything else is really good as well. I grew up in GP and have since moved to Humble, 35 minutes away and still go as often as I can. read more

I love this place.. My family drives for Deer Park to join me.. Two times a week sometimes three.. Family ran and owned.. The fajitas are on point and so was that salsa read more

I recently moved to Galena Park and was trying out (the very limited selection of) restaurants. I went to El Potosino one time (which is now a blue building) near the corner of Holland and Clinton and have not gone back since. I was pretty much dissapointed by everything. The restaurant I thought was smaller than my kitchen (probably an exaggeration but i did feel a bit claustrophobic), The springs on the booths were old and worn out that when you sat down you just sank, and the food was just OK. Eventhough I haven't gone back every time I pass by I see that they have a lot of business. So I figure maybe the day I went they had a bad cook or something, but after my experinece there I won't be going back. read more

First timer the food was good got the fajita diner but my waitress was kind of snobby looked at my table 2 times walked by 10 didnt ask if everything was all right. Only got a refill case I raised my glass. But the food was good. Will come back. read more

The wife grew up in Galena Park and we decided to tour the old neighborhood today and spied this restaurant. Wow, what a surprise. With out a doubt the best Mexican we have ever eaten. I recommend the Summer Special #2 but everything looked great. No alcohol but no problem. Would recommend going after lunch and before dinner because there are not many tables and they are VERY BUSY. Will probaby return next week.......it's that good! read more

I have had the pleasure of eating here for 14 years and I find it to have the best mexican food. Atmosphere isn't too impressive but the food and the service makes up for it. Salsa is awesome, if you like HOT! read more