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    L & J Cafe

    4.4 (2.4k reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Cafes
    Open 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

    L & J Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    L & J CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - L & J Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Chicken Enchiladas
    Stoney I.

    If you're looking for authentic Mexican food in El Paso, this is the place to go. It's a family-owned restaurant with a cozy, welcoming atmosphere that reminds me of eating at my grandmother's house. The food is delicious, the portions are generous, and the prices are very reasonable--so be sure to come hungry. The restaurant is popular with both locals and visitors, so expect a short wait during busy hours, but the service is efficient and keeps things moving. The beer is always ice-cold, and they also have a full bar that's clearly a favorite among the locals. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely come back. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, generous portions, and great value, I highly recommend giving this place a try.

    Nikita S.

    Casual ambience. The restaurant was very large and had a wait of about 20 minutes, which was not too bad for our group of six. The complimentary nachos were good and the salsa was enjoyable as well. The pico de gallo was very fresh and refreshing. The server was very friendly. I ordered steak ranchero and lemonade. The lemonade was refreshing and not too sweet, with a nice balance between lemon and sugar. The steak was a bit dry for my taste, but the beans were good. Overall, it was a decent experience, and the server created a friendly atmosphere. The service was slow but still good.

    Cyrus A.

    Glad I checked Yelp for good food in El Paso! L&J Cafe was a nice spot for some no frills Mexican food in a lively atmosphere. It definitely felt like the center of town with the buzz of energy and the clientele. I sat at the bar and was greeted with some chips and salsas (yes, plural), it was a nice touch to get a free bowl to snack on. For my dinner I ordered the mole chicken enchiladas, and it was great. The mole wasn't as aromatic as I expected, it was mostly sweet with a little herbaceous taste in there. But not very smoky or complex. Still, the dish overall was great, the beans were delicious and the enchiladas themselves came out really nice. I can see why this place comes highly rated!

    The middle and green salas were our favorites
    Sharyll H.

    Good food, fast service and a relaxing bar area. Looks like a small dive on the outside, however it is pretty big inside.

    Steak dish
    Charlene P.

    Delicious food, lively atmosphere, great prices, cool history, and amazing service. What more can one ask for?!? Our late lunchtime wait was only 12 minutes. I was surprised that they had a whole section on their menu dedicated to vegetarian dishes! We also bought some salsa jars to take home with us.

    Ground beef tacos
    Kelly T.

    This was our first stop in El Paso. If you're not looking for this place you might not find it! Very unassuming, and in a largely residential area across from a cemetery. Lots of street parking around. We were seated immediately and enjoyed looking at the history of the restaurant while we perused the menu. Lots of entrees, all fairly priced. Service was efficient and the food was absolutely delicious. So many delicious flavors, especially on the combination plate. Recommend!

    Chicken tortilla soup with toppings on the side - size large - enough for two people
    Miley D.

    Wow! Wow! We had an incredible time. We are so happy we came here! We were driving through El Paso on a road trip and stayed an Airbnb down the street. So we were able to walk up this restaurant - which was great bc the parking lot and adjacent street parking was packed! This restaurant came highly recommended by both the airbnb host and my friend who is from EP. We came on a Thursday evening around 630pm - there was a wait out the door and we ended up waiting for about 15-20 min. Based on reviews we ordered the following: 1. Queso dip as an appetizer 2. Mexican combo plate - but we substituted the red chili enchilada with their famous, legendary green chili chicken enchilada (which the waiter confirmed was what they are famous for) 3. Chicken tortilla soup 4. Tres leches dessert Everything was amazing!! INCLUDING THEIR included and unlimited chips and 3 salsas! Their red salsa was very good. Their green salsa was even better!! And my favorite was their mocaheta salsa - which I ended up getting three refills of!! The chips were fresh and made in house! So good!! The ambiance was exciting and joyful! The waiter Alex was wonderful. He created an amazing experience! He was friendly, helpful, attentive. He did his best to pay attention to us and serve us in an efficient way even though we could tell the restaurant was super busy - he worked very hard to never rush us! We are so happy with our food choices! On the Mexican combo plate - I loved everything: beef stew, steak flauta, green chili chicken enchilada and chili relleno! The chicken tortilla soup came out with the toppings on the side so we could put as little or as much avocado, cheese, or lime as we wanted - i loved that feature. We first tried the chicken and broth by itself and it was amazing - so when we added the toppings it was next l level! The tres leches dessert had peach in it, the whipped cream frosting and the soft spongy cake was SO GOOD! We kept raving about our experience for the remainder of the night. We will definitely come back to El Paso - even if it's just for this restaurant! PS. The waiter packed me extra chips and salsa to take home bc I loved it so much. I ate them for breakfast the next day!

    Veggie Fajitas
    Jenna K.

    Great food! We were disappointed to find out they do not have liquor only agave. Many tables did get Agave Margaritas though. We started with guacamole and chile con queso. The Queso was amazing loaded with chiles and you could tell homemade with the real stuff. The guacamole was really just avocado with some diced tomatoes on top but very fresh. I got the Chicken Enchiladas with both red and green sauce as the server highly recommended the green sauce. She was not wrong, the green sauce was very creamy loaded with chiles and had lots of flavor. I typically get red sauce but would recommend the green sauce! The enchiladas themselves were very good the chicken was on top and not a ton of meat. The place was very busy yet big on the inside. Parking can be a bit challenging as street parking. Server was awesome with the recommendations and attentive to our table.

    Menu
    Lin S.

    Hands down the best Tex-mex I've had! If you are ever in town you have to check this place out. We visited this restaurant after we landed in El Paso and before our road trip in NM/TX. I'm so glad we picked this restaurant. The food was so good that we kept on looking for its replacements throughout our trip. Nowhere got even close. We missed it so much that we were excited to visit again after our road trip and before we flew out of El Paso. I'm not an expert in Mexican food, but everything we had there just tasted exceptional. Started from the free tortillas chips. They were so crispy and made fresh. There was just enough grease and salt to taste good, even after the chips got cold. The chile con queso dip was addicting. All of us ordered fajitas as we were really impressed by our first visit. The food not only had good flavoring, and cooking was done right that it has that "wok fragrance " if you know what I mean. Even the sour cream was extra creamy and a bit sweet. I'll 100% come back again when I'm in town. The service was quick and attentive. The place was popular, but we didn't have to wait long because there are lots of tables.

    Julie V.

    Amazing!! As another reviewer suggested, I relied the Mexican combination plate but subbed the red cheese enchilada for the green chicken enchilada. It did not disappoint! The portion was huge! My favorite was by far the Chile Relleno. It was so good I would up snacking on my leftovers as soon as I got back to my hotel room. 10/10

    Churros
    Syd G.

    I've been wanting to try this place for months. We come out here a couple times a month for work and have tried many Mexican places in the city. Nothing worth writing home yet. Stopped by here once but it had a line out the door. So this time we got here early. Loved the decor inside and it has some old school charm. Rumor has it this place has been around a long time. So we started with margaritas and queso. The chips were spot on and fresh. The margaritas were very good! I got the combo plate enchiladas with a chili relleno too. Wow! Amazing taste and very fresh. Loved every bite. My buddy got the fajita nachos and said it was superb! Definitely come back and try a different dish again.

    Indoors & Mango marg
    Maddie B.

    L&J CAFE is so special. The food is absolutely spectacular and i almost ascended upon taking my first bite. The flavor of the chicken mole is excellent and the tortillas and delicious and soft. The flan was the best i've ever had! Our server Tony was absolutely fantastic.

    Mia S.

    I was driving by El Paso on a roadtrip and wanted a quality meal, so we stopped here because of the reviews. And it did not disappoint!! There was a little bit of a wait, but it was worth it. I don't usually love Tex-Mex but this was more Mex and truly tasted authentic and was so fresh. Our server was so kind and the service was great. I will say the guacamole was pretty bland and underwhelming, but their sauces and meals made up for that. Cool homey environment too. 100% will be stopping here when I pass by!

    My Cheese Mole Enchiladas with beans and rice, so delicious

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    22 days ago

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    1 month ago

    The food and service were excellent. It is always packed to the max, however you ususally don't have to wait for long.

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    3 days ago

    This legendary place still has delicious plates. The service is friendly and attentive. I have always liked the atmosphere at L&J.

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    3 months ago

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    4 days ago

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    8 days ago

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    6 days ago

    Good food, good service, good atmosphere. Old building with a lot of personality. What more could you ask for?

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    8 months ago

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    2 days ago

    A must visit for anyone in the El Paso area. Can be very crowded do to quality so try to choose a time not near dinner or lunch rush.

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    7 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    10 days ago

    Food was great, worth the wait, staff was great and great atmosphere. Parking was the hardest.

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    5 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Tex-Mex not a fan. Not a real Mexican Restaurant. This place is for tourism purposes, food is not spicy and flavorless.

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    1 year ago

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    L & J Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - L & J Cafe

    Is there fast service?

    It isn't fast food, but the food comes reasonably quick. Good things come to those who wait! Enjoy the margaritas and the food will soon follow!

    What kind of green chiles are used in the dishes?

    They use a mix of green chile, jalapenos, serrano and poblanos

    Is there live mariachi here on weekends?

    Not usually.

    View All 5 Questions

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    The Junction Brunch House

    The Junction Brunch House

    4.5
    (191 reviews)
    0.7 mi
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    If you're looking for a brunch spot in El Paso that brings together great food, genuine…read morehospitality, and live music--The Junction Brunch House is a standout. I kept it classic with waffles, bacon, and eggs--and it absolutely hit the mark. The waffles were light, fluffy, and perfectly golden, the bacon was cooked just right, and everything came out fresh and satisfying. Simple comfort food done right. But what really elevated the experience was the atmosphere. They had live musical entertainment by Louie, who was incredible. He played a mix of hits from yesterday and today, moving effortlessly between country & western, contemporary favorites, and traditional Spanish songs. His versatility created a warm, lively environment that both staff and customers clearly enjoyed--it added something special you don't find everywhere. Service was just as impressive. Our server, XAY, had a bright, welcoming smile and provided outstanding service from start to finish. They offered great suggestions on local favorites and specials, which made the experience feel personal rather than routine. The vibe overall is relaxed, inviting, and very "El Paso"--a place where you can sit, enjoy your meal, and stay a while. Overall: Delicious, well-executed brunch classics Live music that enhances the experience (not overwhelms it) Exceptional, friendly service Comfortable, welcoming atmosphere Would I go back? Without a doubt. This is more than just brunch--it's an experience.

    We've always wanted to try this place, and after I dropped Noah off at practice, I took the plunge…read more We always look to arrive at after 10pm, there's no way you're not waiting in line at that time. I arrived just after 8:30 am, but there was plenty of room. I got seated at the bar, and got to see everything. I asked for coffee, and it came quick and hot. Then i took a look at the menu, but the nice thing about the bar is that you can see everything that was ordered get prepped. I ordered a pozole rojo. It was a good choice, according to me... it was a lot of food. It came with a slice of toasted and buttered bolillo bread. It was loaded with more pork, than hominy - a lot. The server came by to ask if I needed a box. The Junction is a diner, with a railroad ambiance. Plenty of train station themes, I think there were a lot of clocks on the wall - but I don't think that they were working... or that they were on time. I noticed a couple of plates that I would want to try... the chicken fried steak, the biscuits and gravy with fried eggs on top, peach cobber side, the fresh biscuit with chipotle butter. It all looked good. The breakfast tacos seemed basic, but a lot of folks ordered them - they must know. There is seating inside, table and bar, and outside under the shade. I saw enough that I would return with Liz (...and the kids). I recommend, but I do recommend getting there early. It's a popular locale.

    Photos
    The Junction Brunch House
    Fried Green Tomatoes (side)
    Fried Green Tomatoes (side)
    Outside view

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    Outside view

    L & J Cafe - mexican - Updated August 2026

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