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    El Refu

    3.4 (98 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:30 pm

    Order El Refu Takeout or Delivery

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    EL REFU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - El Refu

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    Sangria.
    Rick F.

    I absolutely hate writing reviews like this. Let's start with the key word here. "Contradiction". The restaurant is a complete "contradiction" to a typical good restaurant experience. Let me explain. The food here is absolutely superb. I had the very best quail from any Mexican I've ever had in my life. That meal was an easy 5 star experiences. But I cannot give this restaurant 5 stars. The enchiladas where delicious. As well as the fajitas tacos. Not the best but clearly better than most tex mex spots. It's worth 4 stars but I cannot give this place even 4 stars. The tamales are not tradition but are covered with chili sauce which even taste good, so a good 3 stars for those. I can't give this restaurant even 3 stars. The drinks are nicely made. Excellent for hanging out with friends and their extremely beautiful patio. But even for that I cannot give them the stars they deserve for that. The "contradiction" here is all about service and the restaurant experience. It was 3 of us in my party. We got 3 different menus that seemed to match a certain demographic. My wife who's Spanish recieved a menu with more Mexican named drinks and original type meals and my friend who is black American recieved one that seemed to advertise mostly tex mex and drinks infused with Hennessy. Mine with a little of both which advertised a different gratuity amount at 18% with a party of 5 or more and a service change for using credit cards at like $7.95. Let me be clear ... I tip standard at about 25% but I do not like to get jacked on my ticket beforehand. We were a party of 3 and they told me they charged us 18% simply because my party ordered a lot of drinks. What the heck!? We all had like 3 drinks each. Why does how many drink I order have to come with an auto gratuity penalty? And not only that, you're going to charge me for patronizing your restaurant using a debit or credit card?! No matter how good your food is, bad service here isn't worth the visit. Inconsistency in menu charges and items depending on the customer. One menu says 15% and another says 18% and regardless of how many is in your party management decides what table is charged more vs another. Different charges on the same item from one menu vs another. This place is a business nightmare. It's perfectly setup to get a serious lawsuit filed against it soon when the right person walks in and gets offended. Again I don't like writing reviews like this one. We didn't cause a scene we just accepted the ticket and paid it. Pointed some things out quietly and burped and left for the evening. But to repeat a visit there is an absolute "no" without some major major, oh wait.... Major changes. Ban Contradictions and Prosper!

    Abigail R.

    My dad has been trying to get me to come To this place for a while now . I was always hesitant because the outside looks very hoarder Ish if that's a word and kind of trashy. I feel like this restaurant may be related to a couple other restaurants on my side of town, but I'm unsure. I'm basing it off of the decor. The food was surprisingly very good. I have to give it that we did have a good time drinking and eating outside on the deck where there's a DJ until 1 AM. I will say this is more of a party restaurant not really family maybe but it's up to you. I will say it's just loud inside outside because inside there's mariachis outside there's a DJ. The outside it's fun and great. They just need more fans. It's hot. It's Texas for crying out loud. But based on the food and the drinks, I still have to give it a great rating. I wish I would've got my waiters name, even though there was a slight language barrier. He was amazing very attentive and super fast.

    Combo nachos.
    Nikiba J.

    Here today! It's my 2nd time at El Refu's, same restaurant different location and today it's Mother's Day! My friend girl was having a Mother's Day get together at her house and it's 11 a.m. and she doesn't have anything on the stove yet. Lucky for me on my way to her place I saw El Refu, so I stopped in for a light snack, the worst thing a person can do is go to someone's house hungry. As before, the service was good and this beautiful day I enjoyed eating outside. Nice ambience and great combo nachos. I deducted 1 star from them due to nachos looking like a poor man's plate of nachos, no lettuce, no nothing but oh well. I read their reviews and saw a post where they charge to use your debt card/credit card, so as the others patrons I too deducted .50 cents from the tip. Here today! There tomorrow!

    Jeff N.

    Another great dinner and good times...had the fire going and the games than DJ. Staff and servers were busy as they had 5-6 birthdays going on and singing happy birthday. The only thing I need to mention is tables of 5 or more (considered a group) they automatically add 15% tip to check....so as you are having fun, eating and drinking look over check and if you had a great service you can always add another 5% additional tip... I messed up last night since first time sitting in a group and added 20% to bill than had to correct as I realized 15% was already added...

    Ida A.

    We went on a Tuesday afternoon before 5pm, it was slow. There was one other table outside on patio when we sat down, no wait. Even with that the service was slow and we had two waiters coming back and forth! They definitely pay more attention to regulars. The food was okay nothing to rave about. Margaritas are good, happy hour is only the house margs for $8.99 jumbo, M-F 2-6pm. The best thing about the entire night was them singing Happy Birthday to my soon to be 3yr old niece!

    The walk-in.
    Jason D.

    I've been twice now, and the place is consistent. Parking is easy, lots of space. Easily accessible when on the north side. The place itself is lively, with a good layout. It can be a little loud on nights when live music or karaoke are happening. The decor is quite festive. The food has always been solid. And yes folks, the salsa is good. That's the base rating. If the salsa is good, I can usually find good food to follow. Service has been quick, and frequent. Price is average for Tex Mex, you won't find any bargains. But you won't leave with any issues or gripes. I'll be back.

    Enchiladas de camaron
    Lauren E.

    Came here to have a few drinks and grab dinner with some friends. It's a huge space with outdoor patio and live music on some nights. The ambiance is amazing. Lots of cool Mexican decor inside and out. The band playing was lively and very good. The salsa was REALLY good! I ordered the shrimp enchiladas. It was pretty good I'd say 6/10. Prices were fair I thought! I ordered a vampiro but it was so strong that it almost made it hard to finish. Overall a great vibe I think a birthday party would be fun here and I'm sure if I tried other food and drink it would be awesome! Gonna come back here for sure. Parking is plentiful and so many places to sit no long waits.

    The bill she thought i should pay

    I usually enjoy the service and food. Saturday for lunch my bill included gratuities that the server picked and almost $5 service fee for using a card. It was one adult and two children.

    Street tacos  and  large guacamole platter with a platter call No Name
    J C.

    The food was good and the waitress and stafff was on point.... Worth the trip and time ....

    Lilly A.

    Anna Maria and Alex need a raise lol. My boyfriend truly felt welcomed and part of the TexMex family at El Refu. We had La Mamalona Mango Chamoy and the sampler plate with Mango Habanero wings. The food was great the drinks were good and the music was fantastic. We will be back for sure.

    Enchiladas
    Karen H.

    The service is slow. The ambiance is nice, but it smells like a flea market in there. The food is good I guess. The cleanliness definitely isn't the best, but I've seen worse. They put that they have mango aquas frescas but they don't. That made me and my daughter very upset. It's not that they ran out, but they just don't serve it! Why put something on the menu that isn't available?

    Lets try!!!!!!
    Rafael S.

    A lo cabimero Que molleja e bueno esta esto!!!!! Patio AMAIZING huge and confortable patio. How many guest are you planing for your event??? Margaritas with natural flavors A large menu.!!!! My favorite fajitas Good seasoning with the real natural flavors!!!

    El refu special

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    1 month ago

    Food was good, service well it depends on time of day, nice ambiance. They have a nice p

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    2 years ago

    Great place for a good time and the food and drinks are great. The karaoke on Thursday is the best.

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    1 year ago

    large, filling portions that are delicious. this is tex-mex done right! their alcoholic beverages such as their margaritas are great.

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    Page 1 of 3

    El Refu Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Refu

    Did anyone get hit by surprise by a "Credit or Debit Service Fee"?

    Yes it happened to me and I just politely included that fee from the tip. Therefore in the end, they are hurting their own employees. I'm not going to tip, in some cases pay gratuity, and then a credit/debit fee also. Don't think so.

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    The Original Ninfa's on Navigation - Steak

    The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

    3.9(2.3k reviews)
    17.9 miWarehouse District, Second Ward
    $$
    Private events
    Catering service

    Happy Cinco De Mayo! Met the ladies here to celebrate, & break bread…read more Thank you Jamila for selecting this original location of the Original Ninfas, to host, (our last supper, before your relocation from Houston to Florida.). A place I grew up in as a little girl in Beaumont but never have I've visit this "original" location. Stepping in to this spot felt like a restaurant in the country of Mexico. I ordered the El Henry. I absolutely loved my dish, only thing I would've chance was the cheese enchilada definitely would've swap for a chicken or beef one, or maybe even a flaunta. I really like the Mexican rice, it had little potatoes and carrots in it. Some of the best Mexican yellow rice I've had. They offer a cinco de mayo drink special. The only thing that seem to make it special was the drinks apparently were limited edition menu items. Nothing was special about the prices. The regular menu drinks were a dollar(s) less. The margarita I ordered first was peach coconut. I didn't taste the coconut at all. I swap for the peach strawberry ($14 or 15) which was great, sweet& strong. One did me just right. You get to select up to two flavors for additional $2 (for both verse each, that's a plus. Not worded on menu). If you select a third flavor an additional $2 would be added ($4 in total) I appreciate separate tickets provided after confirmation and no additional gratuity automatically added, which he got tip equally the same or more. When asked about the "empty" patio that was available, he informed us that the entire deck was reserved. Upon departing I noticed from the parking lot individual tables, of separate parties were occupying only 3 tables. It was 8 of us sitting at 2 tables. Which the table was pushed up against the wall, and one side was inaccessible, which took away spacing. Service was lovely space was really tight. Good thing some of the ladies didn't order full meals. Definitely wouldn't have been able to fit every plate.

    Amazing fajitas, the steak and shrimp fajitas were fantastic, better than I remembered them. When…read morewe arrived at Ninfa's on a busy Friday night, we were greeted in the serving team did their best to get a seated within a few minutes. While waiting for a table to open, we've watched the two women team making and grilling fresh tortillas. With expert precision, they made hundreds of tortillas as we watched. Our server was efficient took our our order and in a few minutes, we had sizzling fajitas at the table....With all of the anticipated queso, chips, salsa, and condiments for our fajitas. The flavor of our steak fajitas was excellent, after dinner Ninfa's offers a free shuttle bus to the baseball park. They drop you off and pick you up after the game. Unfortunately, Houston did not win, but we thoroughly enjoyed the meal before the game. If you're looking for traditional Mexican dinner, do not miss Ninfa's.

    Photos
    The Original Ninfa's on Navigation - Inside

    Inside

    The Original Ninfa's on Navigation - Cochinita Pibil

    Cochinita Pibil

    The Original Ninfa's on Navigation - Margarita

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    Margarita

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Barbacoa and Carnita Taco

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina

    4.2(288 reviews)
    17.2 miMidtown, Fourth Ward, Montrose
    $$

    We visited Madera's for the first time recently and overall had a great first impression. The…read moreserver was attentive when needed but didn't hover or rush us. For drinks, my husband and our friends tried some of the margaritas from their large and unique margaritas menu, as well as their hibiscus agua fresca. All of the drinks were very pretty and it seemed like everyone enjoyed them, too! We started with their chips and salsa trio, which we all really liked. The chips were on the thicker side, but were crispy and not stale or chewy at all. Each of the salsas were quite different, and two were served warm, which we really liked! For the price, I'd consider getting the chips and salsa as a non-negotiable, honestly. For entrees, we tried the enchilada rojas, chilaquiles verde w/ chicken and beef, birria barbacoa ramen, and huaraches. My husband felt like his ramen could have included more meat, but aside from that everyone really enjoyed what they ordered. The highlight was probably the desserts, though! We got a quatro leches and two ordered of their giant and amazing churros. Both were incredibly tasty and reason enough to return for another visit in the future!

    This place was AWESOME!! I was in Houston visiting...and just found this place on Yelp…read more The service was great, the place beautiful, the flautas great, rice and beans were on point. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, this is the place.

    Photos
    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Right side entry

    Right side entry

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Rice & Beans

    Rice & Beans

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Chicken Enchiladas

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    Chicken Enchiladas

    Maximo - Tostada

    Maximo

    4.6(151 reviews)
    17.5 miWest University
    $$$

    (NOTE: ONLINE MENU ISNT COMPLETELY UP TO DATE)…read more First time here and had a great brunch experience! My husband's cousin raved about having dinner here the week prior so we decided to try out the Sunday brunch. My husband and I were somewhat skeptical at first based off of the photos. This is not our typical Mexican food. The plates looked a lot smaller online, but I am so glad we tried it because it was delicious!! To start we had a few drinks: 1. Flor de Fuego - it tasted like agua de jamaica with a splash of citrus, in my opinion it was very refreshing 9/10 2. Frozen Margarita - my husband's cousin ordered this in a yeti tumbler, he said the margarita was really good except it was a bit hard to drink since it was frozen the whole time lol 8.5/10 ***tumbler was an additional cost. It is a 16oz yeti. They do offer $10 refills anytime you bring the cup back 3. My husband drank a pacifico. Classic beer. They offered it in both bottle and in glass. 9/10. 4. Carafe mango mimosa - this served about 4 drinks total. It was very champagne forward with the tiniest amount of juice 7.5/10 APPETIZERS: 1. Housemade Bacon w/ Salsa Ranchera - in my opinion this was DELICIOUS. The salsa on this was amazinggg. This dish also comes with a side of authentic flour tortillas. 10/10 2. Tiradito de Hamachi - meh, it was good but wouldn't order again. It literally just tasted like strawberries with a salty aftertaste. We really wanted the aguachiles but they were no longer on the brunch menu. 6.5/10 3. Enfrijoladas - surprisingly this had a lot of flavor, it was paired with the same salsa at the bacon 10/10 ENTREES: 1. Ensalada de cesar - pretty solid, very lemony 8/10 2. Steak and eggs - this was really good, i would say that the steak looked a lot bigger online but it was still overall a delicious filling dish 9.5/10 3. Chilaquiles Divorciados - Probably my favorite thing on the menu. YOU NEED TO TRY THIS WITH THE BARBACOA! It had so much flavor to it and the barbacoa just melts in your mouth 10/10 4. Bacon Burrito - the other couple ordered this and said they enjoyed it, we all expected it to be a lot bigger though 8/10 DESSERT: 1. Tres Leches - the jam on this wasnt my favorite. It was very overpowering. The cake itself was really good. Would order again with fresh strawberries, no jam 7.5/10 2. Banana Pudding Bunelo - its your typical bunelo with a small amount of banana cream filling, topped with homemade banana ice cream 7.5/10 3. Masa Pancake - I am not the biggest fan of pancakes so I didn't try it but the other couple enjoyed it OVERALL: 9/10 experience!!! Total for our portion (Hamachi, 2 drinks, salad, steak, chilaquiles, and tres leches) came out to a total of about $120. We Will definitely be coming back to try out their dinner menu. Unfortunately, we were told that the green spaghetti is no longer on the menu !!!!

    Believe it. It's true. This tasting menu is seriously the best value in town, and the wine/cocktail…read morepairing is an absolute must. Our culinary journey started with tuna two ways, and this first bite was actually my favorite of the entire meal. The flavors were impossibly punchy with well-balanced savory notes that were perfectly highlighted by the accompanying bubbly pairing. 5 courses in all, and all of it was delicious. Another highlight was the steak course and the heavenly chocolate dessert course, which was expertly paired with their take on an espresso martini. Chef's kiss! The restaurant is actually quite tiny, and I found it to be on the warm/muggy side, and it wasn't even that hot outside. Also, from a decor perspective, they could certainly use a "freshening up" though perhaps a newer larger location would be a better idea. Still, based solely on the food, my foodie friends and I agreed we would absolutely be back. Their Bibendum nod is well-deserved!

    Photos
    Maximo
    Maximo - Fish taco

    Fish taco

    Maximo - Paloma Coconut Punch & a classic Margarita.

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    Paloma Coconut Punch & a classic Margarita.

    Dona Leti's - Mini fajita steak street tacos

    Dona Leti's

    4.0(634 reviews)
    13.7 miThe Heights
    $$

    My husband and I ate here Saturday with 2 other couples. The food was incredible and so much of…read moreit! Our waiter DAMIEN was an EXCELLENT waiter, so friendly and knowledgeable about the food and restaurant. We will definitely be going back soon. Great atmosphere and experience !!

    Doña Leti's is considered one of the top places in the area for quality, authentic Mexican food…read more Many customers report that when they go there, it appears extremely popular, which is evident by the crowds entering. In addition to this, there can be a significant 2-4 hour wait to get seated during peak hours. However, all of the customers I spoke with stated that once you were able to sit down, the overall experience was worth waiting for. The main feature that makes Doña Leti's stand out from other restaurants is its focus on tradition in terms of how the food is made. Each dish has very unique flavors. The dishes are also very large portions and offer a great amount of comfort while still being high end. Additionally, the drink offerings are an excellent choice. They are made with the same attention to detail as the meals, and add to the flavor and enjoyment of your meal. The staff provides exceptional service even though the establishment is full. The staff keeps up with the large number of people coming in and out with a sense of professionalism and friendliness. One thing that Doña Leti's does exceptionally well is provide a lot of food for the price. As long as you don't mind waiting for your table, you will have a wonderful dining experience. The fact that Doña Leti's is so busy is proof that the service, food and drinks are all good, and well worth the wait

    Photos
    Dona Leti's - Bar

    Bar

    Dona Leti's - Street Taco

    Street Taco

    Dona Leti's - Passion fruit margarita with a shot of Grand Marnier.

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    Passion fruit margarita with a shot of Grand Marnier.

    Ambriza - Street corn.

    Ambriza

    4.5(1.7k reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Veteran-owned & operated

    Get the pork belly bites and their cocktails are delicious…read more If you're here on a Sunday for brunch and have a sweet tooth the French toast is unforgettable. No other French toast will come close. Their homemade sauces make more tantalizing. If you like salty spicy, get the jojo sauce. I don't think it's on the menu And to finish, personally I like cocktails but their fresh filled churros are super fun. And can't beat the fresh factor! Brandon is an excellent attentive server. He knows the menu in and out. He'll steer you right. It's a neighborhood gem

    We had a 70th & 60th birthday celebration at Ambriza's Vintage, and we were very impressed and…read moresatisfied with how beautiful and perfect everything turned out. Rodrigo & Araceli were amazing, ensuring everything was going smoothly and according to plan. Our servers Augusto and Christian, were very attentive, kind, and on point with our food and drinks. Food was exquisite and portions were generous, cooked to perfection. The churros with chocolate and the complimentary photos for the birthday girls was the cherry on top. Ambriza's management & staff truly know how to make their guests feel special. They went above and beyond, exceeding all of our expectations. Definitely having more celebrations here in the future! On behalf of me & my family, THANK YOU again for the excellent service and making this a memorable night!! Barbie Artiga

    Photos
    Ambriza
    Ambriza - TEQUILA Wall

    TEQUILA Wall

    Ambriza - Street Corn

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    Street Corn

    Candente - Museum District - Beans and rice

    Candente - Museum District

    4.1(623 reviews)
    17.4 miMuseum District, Montrose
    $$

    A Cali girl-lala enjoying some Tex Mex…read more While in HTX I was able to meet up with a friend from college. He mentioned margaritas (not pictured) and food! So we met at Candente. Upon walking in the restaurant was clean it was pretty packed for a Wednesday night but the aroma of the food! OMG! Our server was really nice and patient because my friend and I talked for about 30 minutes before we finally ordered our food. He has the beef enchiladas with rice and black beans. He cleaned his plate...literally not a grain of rice in sight! I had the smoked chicken verde enchiladas and WOW! What an amazing dish. I consider myself a Mexican food connoisseur especially being from California. I have always said Tex Mex?.....eeeeyuck! But Candente has changed my tune! I will definitely be back to visit when I return!

    Glowing red. Burning. Candente…read more 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.

    Photos
    Candente - Museum District - Open Kitchen cooking on wood.

    Open Kitchen cooking on wood.

    Candente - Museum District - When in Rome

    When in Rome

    Candente - Museum District - Skinny margarita (large)

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    Skinny margarita (large)

    El Refu - mexican - Updated May 2026

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