I'm down from San Antonio for a short visit. Found Solo…read moreEmpanadas. 100%DELICIOUS. I prefer savory over sweet and the beef and cheese empanadas I could eat all day. Worth my 3.5 hour drive for this alone. We had questions after we ate about taking a dozen home with us, and the young lady was very help with advice on cooking them at home.

After visiting Argentina and enjoying their empanadas, I was happy to discover an Argentine style…read moreempanadas restaurant in McAllen. Solo Empanadas is located in the North cross Shopping Center a couple of doors down from the Barnes & Noble bookstore on 10th and Nolana Ave. When I walked in, I was greeted by the young ladies at the counter. They have a cozy and classy dining room which, at 4 PM, had people at two of their tables. O thought the interior was well designed and provides a pleasant atmosohere. It's small for large groups, but would be a great place for a business lunch, a small group, a family meal, and nice enough for a date night. Everything was very clean. The menu offers 14 different fillings for their empanadas, ranging from beef, chicken, cheese, ham, Caprese, bacon, mushrooms, shrimp, or a variety of combinations of those ingredients. They even have one that says "carne dulce" (sweet meat).. You can order them a la carte, in a combo, or by the dozen. To accompany the empanadas they have either a green (delicious) hot salsa or chimichurri. They also offer salads and drinks. Prices are reasonable... For three empanadas, I paid about the same as a burger combo at a fast food place, and this was much better and more filling. I found their empanadas to be authentic, with the same style and flavors I experienced in Argentina. That made my day! I will certainly be back! My empanadas were freshly baked after I ordered them, hut it only took between 10 and 15 minutes. That's not as fast as most "fast food" joints, but still quite fast. Each was literally branded with the name of the filling so I could tell them apart without opening it up, and they were presented in a nice box for take-out. I thoroughly enjoyed my order and look forward to trying the other flavors.

Che. WINECOW has to be the best date night spot in the entire valley…read more With the best meat, food, drinks. If you're on the fence to try this place, reserve now and go enjoy the night there Went on a Saturday evening. Had a dinner birthday reservation for 4. Got sat right away. Water was served right away. They Brought out the bread and tomatoes right away. Had some really good Argentinian red wine. They even let us do some wine tasting . Our daughter's food came out before ours ! Perfect! They fell in love with the Empanadas! As for my wife and I, we ordered Bife con Hueso. Words can't describe how delicious it was, with the chimi churi ! Cooked to perfection, with the right amount of flavor. Mad props to the chef. And presentation 10/10. The whole evening was just at peace. The food. The drinks. The service. The atmosphere. We'll be coming back again! Happy holidays

How rude and disrespectful. If ALL your tables are reserved from 5:00 pm to closing then put a dam…read moresign up. There is NO reception area and everyone ignores you until you ask for help.

This is more like 4.75 stars but that's splitting hairs…read more First...the charro beans are great. They're not watered down at all...have authentic flavor to it. Nice presentation as well in the small pewter cups and spoons....good detail. I ordered the fajita plate, my wife the fajita tacos, and also some fries for our 2 yr old son. Overall...the food was delicious! I couldn't find anything wrong with any of it, flavor-wise. The fajita was tasty, cooked and seasoned just right. The flour tortillas tasted home made. The rice and beans had great texture and were the perfect sides. Honestly some of the best fries I've eaten....spot-on crispy but not oily at all. The best fries! Only knock down was I wish they had put just a little more fajita on the plate...just s little more meat and bam! No complaints...but other than that, great food overall. BUT...the winner here for us was the service. We had great waiters who were very friendly and always checked on us. We also went on a Sat night so there was a guy singing some music which made de good ambience. Loved it... definitely going back.

I wish u can put a 0 they are not very good staff and they say 20-30 minute wait and it's…read morecompletely empty bad service don't recommend.

I have been eating their bread since I was a little girl. I remember them always being stocked up…read morewith variety. Lately, when I go, it's either they've run out or are low. Conchas are perfectly soft when warm, if you're lucky to arrive when they just came out! The young servers do need to improve their customer service. Don't expect any coffee or sit down. It's a grab and go type of establishment.

La Especial Bakery es de esos lugares que se sienten desde que entras. Este pan está delicioso como…read moreno se dan una idea. Súper suavecitos y con un sabor que me recuerda al pan de telera que uno compra en México. Cada mordida sabe a casa y a tradición bien hecha. Siempre que vengo al valle paso por aquí. Vale la pena llegar tempranito porque el pan sale calientito y se acaba rápido. Eso ya dice todo. La familia que atiende es muy linda y se nota que le ponen corazón a su negocio y a la comunidad. Es una panadería que realmente es parte del alma del barrio. Me encanta llegar y comprar pan para llevar. Las conchas son lo mejor sin duda. Pero mi consejo es probar poquito de todo. Las empanadas están bien ricas y las galletitas también. Todo tiene ese sabor auténtico que no se imita. Este lugar sabe a puro México. Es tradición es cariño y es comunidad en cada bolsa de pan. Si pasan por el valle no se lo pierdan.

I have visited El Salvador in Central America and loved the pupusas, so I was happy to discover…read morePupusas To Go right here in the RGV. The building, located on "I" Road (Veterans Blvd), in between Eldora Rd and Sioux Rd in Pharr is not large, but hard to miss with the bright yellow color. There is private parking in front. Once inside you find a clean, pristine dining room in the colors of the Salvadoran flag, white and blue. You can order at the counter if ordering take out, or sit at a table for dine in and the lady will take your order there. Their menu offers more than pupusas. They also have tamales, empanadas, plantains, breakfasts with eggs, and more. But I wanted to try their pupusas, and two were big enough to make a meal for me. If you are really hungry you may be able to eat three. The pupusas came hot to order (you choose the filling you want), and were delicious. They are freshly made from scratch, so it may take a few minutes, but is worth the wait. The pupusas come with a side bowl of "curtido" (slightly pickled cabbage slaw) which you put on top. They also brought out a very mild tomato salsa and some green hot salsa. I loved all of it. The prices are very reasonable. The staff was very friendly, courteous and efficient. This restaurant is family friendly. There was a TV playing a telenovela, but not too loud. Because seating is limited, I would not recommend dining in for large groups, but their take out would certainly be a unique and delicious option for large groups. I would like to return to try some other fillings and entrees. I enjoyed it and think you will too!

Malísima atención , Señora amargada que ni atender podía .. no se los recomiendo que vayan .. si…read morequieren ir a que les den malas caras y comer a la hora vayan ahí

A Hidden Gem for Great Mexican Food!…read more I was visiting a florist nearby and was highly recommended to try Ana Liz Taqueria for dinner. I'm so glad we decided to come! Honestly, if we had just been driving by, we probably wouldn't have stopped--and that would have been a mistake. The restaurant is tucked into a small plaza with limited parking, but don't let that discourage you. Once you walk inside, you'll find a small, very clean restaurant, and I was even impressed that they have a hand-washing station. The ordering process is simple: find a table, they bring you a menu, and then you order and pay at the window. The service was friendly and incredibly fast. My drinks were already at the table before I had even finished paying! Our food came out quickly, along with a nice assortment of salsas. Everything was presented nicely on simple metal trays, and the portions were generous. Most importantly, the food was absolutely delicious! The flavors were fantastic, and I really enjoyed trying different combinations of salsa and lime to bring out the flavors even more. Ana Liz Taqueria is definitely a place I'll be coming back to. If you're looking for some really great Mexican food and tacos, give this place a try. The limited parking is worth dealing with--you won't regret it!

The RGV has many taquerías, most offering the same items on the menu. Few stand out as exceptional…read more When I saw that Ana Liz Taquería won the James Beard Award, my expectations were high, and with this visit they won my admiration. Ana Liz Taquería is located a few blocks north of Expressway 83 in Mission on the west side of Conway. Parking in the front is quite limited, but there is additional parking in the back. I found the taquería small but bright, clean, and pleasant inside. I was welcomed as I entered by one of the several friendly employees who handed me a menu (English on one side, Spanish on the other). She informed me of the protocol: order and pay at the window, then I'd be given a number to place at my table, and my order would be brought to me. The menu has many entrees that sounded wonderful: various kinds of tacos, tostadas, flautas, quesadillas, botanas, and other antojitos. I ordered the chile relleno taco, the alambre taco, and vampiro, all with fajita meat. I thought the chile relleno taco would be my favorite because I love any kind of chile relleno. While I did absolutely love it, I was captivated by the deliciousness of the fajita vampiro which includes melted cheese, guacamole, juicy fajita chunks, and pico de gallo... oh my! It was heavenly! One of the things that stood out to me was that the beef was not over-cooked as most taquerías do... This was cooked to perfection, still juicy, and well seasoned. To accompany the food, the server brought out an assortment of salsas, some fresh Mexican style cream, and some lime. I tried all the salsas except for one ( salsa macha). They were all excellent and ranged from mild to medium spiciness. Something else worth noting is the import their corn, and make their own tortillas. The vampiro was made with blue Mexican corn. For drinks, I ordered the limonada which they provide freshly bottled with a glass of ice. It was a perfect blend. Some reviewers mentioned the price... yes. The prices are higher here than at most taquerías. However, considering the exceptional quality, flavor, and service, AND that they are a James Beard Award winning establishment... it is well worth it. Ana Liz Taquería is 20 miles away from where I live, but I will definitely be back when I want some extra special Mexican tacos!

This off the beaten track roadside Mexican bakery looks inauspicious in a mauve-colored building,…read morebut the baked delights found inside are well worth a stop. The owner and baker, Erik, is friendly and helpful for a visiting birder like me who is unfamiliar with the unique south of the border pastries. The shelves are filled with everything from your standard raised donuts to cream cheese empanadas and conchas to marranitos and other pastries I can't remember the names of. But the names don't matter when they're as delicious as these are. Custards and jellies added gloriously decadent highlights to the treats. If you're visiting the area, particularly if you're on an early morning birding trek visiting the refuges and parks along the border, this is a must visit.

Very small bakery near the not much except the border. We were happy they were open Sunday late…read moreevening on Easter. There was a nice selection and the man working was nice. He spoke Spanish and English. The prices here were good, kinda low for the wedding cake cookies but not complaining. Some of the bread was a little dry but the piggy cookies were sweet and moist. This location may be small but it carries all the traditional pan dulces. Also accepts Lonestar, which other locations such as on Monte Cristo do not.