La Union Restaurant

Came here for lunch and got their Monday lunch menu special. While waiting for my soup, I was…read moreserved half of a warm baguette. Yummy! The lunch menu came with a choice of either soup or salad, which I got the lentil soup. The soup was thick and hearty. It was very good. My steak was cooked perfectly and well-seasoned. The sides were well-seasoned too. The size of the steak, to me, was sufficient and considered big for a lunch menu. I had a triple chocolate tres leches after my steak. It was the perfect ending. I received warm and excellent service throughout my lunch. The restaurant is big and suitable for all party sizes. There is plenty of free parking in front of the restaurant, so that is a plus point.

Having lived in Argentina for 10 + years I can say having a Uruguayan chivito here in Houston that…read moretastes exactly like the ones you eat in Colonia or Montevideo is like a warm hug from a place you miss so dearly. The bread is fabulous, meat perfection and fries amazing. Staff is lovely and service is tops! The milanesa and spinach ravioli were also hits with my kids! The chorizo is very good and not greasy at all. Will for sure be back!

3.4 mi•Chinatown, Sharpstown

Inside

Entrana, medium rare

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Decor/Ambiance

El Quetzal Bakery & Restaurant

4.5(27 reviews)

El Quetzal is a family-owned Guatemalan bakery and restaurant. The building is separated into the…read morerestaurant side and then there's the bakery side. Parking is one way, but plenty of parking available. The restaurant side has plenty of spacious seating. You place your order at the register and they give you a number to place at your table. They deliver your food to you. They have a good variety of their aguas frescas. I do recommend the melon and horchata. Recommend trying their tamale - the chuchito con salsa y queso. I also enjoyed their beef garnachos and the camarones. Their chaomein is not exactly the chaomein you'd expect from a Chinese restaurant, but I guess you could say it's their take on it. The bakery side is definitely like a little convenience store - carrying bottled sodas, clothes, and other snacks. Their breads and pastries are baked fresh daily at 5am. If you visit during the holidays, there are special treats specific for that holiday. (I was told there will be a special bread for Easter.) Highly recommend taking home a slice of their tres leches or tres leches in a cup. Not extremely sweet as other places make them, and I like it that way. Unfortunately, if you don't know Spanish or if you're not familiar with the Guatemalan culture, you'll most likely feel lost. I wished there were descriptions of what all the breads and pastries were. The employees are really nice and friendly, however there might be a language barrier if you can't speak Spanish.

Pedi 12 garnachas, 6 de pollo, 6 de carne. Me dieron 3 de pollo y el resto de carne. Aparte de eso,…read morepedi extra salsa y me dijo la señora que usualmente las garnachas no vienen con salsa, y que cobraban 50 centavos por salsa. Siempre pido lo mismo y siempre me dan salsa y extra salsa sin problema. Es asunto mio si le pongo salsa o no a mi comida

Desserts

Garnachas

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Menu 3/25

Mi Pueblito

3.9(401 reviews)

4.4 mi

Really good food and unique dining experience. Love that Houston is so diverse with International…read morecuisine options. Dining in felt like I had transported to a restaurant in Colombia, so the ambiance really felt authentic. I sometimes crave yucca frita and plantains, and I believe I found the place for my quick cravings. The portion sizes of the meals will not leave you hungry! I was also able to ask for no sugar in my fresh fruit drink. The restaurant also has a bakery, which includes a variety of individual desserts or cakes for purchase. Outstanding server with quick service as well.

I have been coming to Mi Pueblito since the 90s when it was basically the only Colombian restaurant…read morein Houston. It's wonderful that this establishment is still around and thriving. The food is still so good. And just take a look at some of the pastries He estado veniendo a Mi Pueblito desde los años 90, cuando era básicamente el único restaurante Colombiano en Houston. Es maravilloso que este establecimiento todavía existe y esta prosperando. La comida sigue siendo tan buena. Y solo eche un vistazo a algunos de los pasteles

2.8 mi•Chinatown, Sharpstown

Churrasco con dos acompañamientos

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Live Music Friday Nights

Bananas Restaurante

3.1(15 reviews)

This is the sh**, and as Gwen said, this sh** is bananas, B A N A N A S…read more So this is a cute little Latin restaurant that can get pretty popular and pretty crowded. It's definitely underrated I would say. They definitely know what they're doing around here and make some good products - including a good seafood menu. Only in here once as of yet, but I'm looking forward to the second time for sure. And it's close to Chinatown if you're looking for a change from Asian food.

The food has a very homemade taste. I stopped by to try their baleadas. The customer service is…read moregreat, the girls look mean and snobby but are very friendly and helpful. My baleada was the sencilla* option, which was with beans, egg, cheese, and crema. I added a coffee to my order when I arrived to the restaurant because it smelled like fresh brewed coffee. The coffee was fresh and not watered down like most places. The price was very reasonable. I paid not more than $4 for my baleada and coffee.

Storefront

Camarones caribeños

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Pollo frito

La Cazuela De Marina

4.3(27 reviews)

4.3 mi

Excellent service and food! I had a coupon and decided to use it. The location has a simple…read moreinterior, but very welcoming. The bathroom was clean. They had 2 hand sanitizer bottles out, but no soap. It is a small issue, but an easy fix. I ordered the Small Bandeja Paisa. It turned out to be a very popular item, because I saw 3 other people order it after I arrived. It is a great, simple meal, with quality ingredients. The only thing I regret is not telling them how to prepare the egg. My egg came out well done, but I prefer over-easy. I especially enjoyed the unexpected complimentary appetizer of a cup of stewed lentils. I will be back! :-)

nos dejaron encantados!!…read more the food was amazing - came here after being told another restaurant had an hour and a half wait. staff and service were perfect. ended up ordering lots of sides because they were DELICIOUS. the amazing prices were just the cherry on top to a great time!

Fried whole tilapia with rice, salad and French fries.

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La Fogata

4.2(236 reviews)

1.5 mi•Fondren Southwest

Delicious blackberry smoothie type drink. Chicharrones is amazing!!!…read more I enjoyed thoroughly. Definitely recommend.

2025 I went back with my colleagues. The food is better for…read moreme this time around. I ordered the same dishes. There is no cheese on the plantains this time. At least 5 years ago The food was okay. It was my friend's and my first time. We ordered the empanada (the outside is hard, not soft like the other ones I'm used to), plantains (never had it with cheese before), bandera montañera, fajitas de pollo, and mango drink with milk. The staff was friendly and accommodating.

Bandeja Montanera Lunch ($14.95)

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The Original Marini's Empanada House

4.5(1k reviews)

4.4 mi•Westchase

Marini's Empanadas is a Houston institution for a reason. They've been around forever, and the…read moreconsistency and quality still hit every single time. The selection is expansive. There's truly something for everyone...and honestly, I've never had anything here that wasn't good. That said, I always come back to my staples: Las Adelitas, The Oinker, and Italian Marcelo. Each one is packed with flavor, perfectly seasoned, and made with love. Whether you're a first-timer or a longtime Houstonian, Marini's never disappoints. A must-visit...and revisit.

This place has been on my radar for a long time and finally stopped today. That was best decision I…read moremade all day. The place was tucked off in plaza I had to get up in there and was so pleasantly surprised. So cozy and cute. They have a great selection of empanadas and all the ones I had were sooooooo good. The spinach was a little juicier than I anticipated but everything was made so fresh. The Tia Maria and eggplant were my favorites and the sauces were a great addition in flavor. The dessert empanada sweet potatoes was top tier. The filling was just sweet enough, definitely want to taste the others, especially since they make their own fruit fillings. I can see how they've been around for so long. New customer alert !

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Empanadas

Pollo Campero

2.7(33 reviews)

1.3 mi•Westwood

Pollo Campero is a chain fast-food restaurant serving Mexican style chicken that was located near…read moremy hotel when I was visiting Houston. I ordered online for pickup and used their website, which has very good eye appeal and is straightforward to use. After placing my order, I went to the restaurant for curbside pickup. However, after following the directions in the curbside pickup area, I was told to go inside to pick up my order--what's the point of having a curbside pickup area when the service was not offered? I entered the restaurant and it is clean, with tables closed off in consideration of social distancing measures. There is a large bottle of hand sanitizer on the counter and the lady told me to wait a few more minutes, as they are still preparing my order. Overall, the staff were professional, but not too friendly. They serve Pepsi products at Pollo Campero, as well as some Mexican drinks such as Horchata and Mango juice. In time, my order did come out and it was well packaged. I brought it back to the room, and there was certainly value in the amount of food! I ordered the four piece meal with drink and empanedas, which is more than ample for one person! The roasted chicken was juicy, while the fried chicken was very tender, but not as crispy as I expected. The empanedas came with a good sauce and has a good filling inside, while the yucca fries were okay. The coleslaw and rolls were on the bland side. Overall, the meal was acceptable in taste, and generous in quantity. As this is a chain fast-food establishment, variations in service is something to be expected, and this place certainly met mine.

I miss eating at this chain. I spent a lot of time in Guatemala and loved eating at these fast…read morefood places. There are now several in the U.S. and try to eat here when I am in a city that has them. It isn't the greatest food but really good for fast food. If you are not a fan from before they were in the US, you may not understand the great following it has in Central America. You should give it a try.

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Sabor Venezolano

3.4(168 reviews)

5.1 mi

While it's possible I'm among the minority, I'm incredibly happy with the offerings here. In the…read morelast couple of years since moving from NYI, I haven't found many legit Venezuelan options until recently here at Sabor Venezolano. I'm pleased to report that the food lives up to the name and most everything was quite sabroso and very Venezuelan. The place is bigger than it looks from the outside, but seating is really limited to solo diners and small groups. There are counter seats toward the back and small cafe tables in the front. There are some refrigerated items for grab and go while ordering is done at the counter. I'd recommend calling ahead of time for faster pickup. If you're able to order in Spanish, do it. The food gets a thumbs up. Much of the menu is Venezuelan specific which includes cachapas, arepas, tumbarachos, patacondes, and tequeños. While they have a "menú Mexicano" that features quesadillas, tacos, burritos, and tortas, I'd avoid it if at all possible. The arepas might appear to be smaller, but they're packed. I personally loved their jamón y queso guayanés, in which the latter is a thick slab of gooey cheese. A similar arepa is their mechada y queso guayanés, which is equally tasty and I appreciate that they have cazón (#1) as an option. The pelua (beef + cheese) and reina (shredded chicken with avocado) will be my perpetual favorites and the cachapas with tequeños are also particularly hearty. The food is a bit pricier than most Venezuelan fare I've had previously, foodflation never surprises me anymore. Given how often I'm in the neighborhood, I already know that I'll be here more often than not. __________ (#1) Nothing like a little shark to get your day started.

Solid Venezuelan food…read more If you are craving tequeños, an arepa, empanada, or such victuals, this is a solid spot. Counter service, order and they bring your food to your table. Ambiance is an ethnic strip mall restaurant, with Latin flavor. Salsa music playing, people coming and going is it what is. I'm a fan.

Inside

Carne Guisada (Platillo)

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Outside

Parrilla Colombiana

4.1(55 reviews)

5.2 mi•Gulfton, Braeburn

The food here was insanely delicious, unique and authentic. The decor is bare bones and the sign…read moreoutside was hard to see but those things are minute. We are here for the food and the food is bomb. Great prices too. It's giving economical luxury. The wait staff were super friendly and played peekaboo with my daughter which was too cute. Great little spot!

We had a great experience at Parilla Colombiana. Food is delicious and generous with a reasonable…read moreprice. We ordered the Bandeja Paisa, the beef soup and Empanada. Service is extraordinary. Valeri was so friendly. Her professionalism adds an extra layer of satisfaction to our meal. :) Highly recommend this place!