Best Tex-Mex/Mexican Food in Texas (Houston, Dallas: live in, restaurants, company)

[GayleTX]

We have always loved everything we've ever tried at Abuleo's.....and we've eaten at several different locations. Our favorite, of course, is the original one located in Amarillo TX, but they are all good........lots of variety on the menu.

[Grammy Linna]

We like Los Amigos in Grapevine. business 114 right off main st. looks like a hole in the wall and we finally found the courage to walk in the door. they are like family now after 4 years. we will miss the staff and food when we move to florida.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by GayleTX

We have always loved everything we've ever tried at Abuleo's.....and we've eaten at several different locations. Our favorite, of course, is the original one located in Amarillo TX, but they are all good........lots of variety on the menu.

Abuelos has obscenly large plates of food! It's good, but the typical dinner plate is appropriate for a family of 4...

For Tex-Mex, by my interpretation (beefy, starchy, no fish, cheesy) my favs are:

1) El Arroyo (various locations in Austin)

and

2) Taco Cabana (yikes!) I know it's a fast food chain but it's pretty darn good Tex Mex. It's the TX equivalent to In-n-Out burger to me; you can find chains with the same dishes all over the country, but it's just not the same.

[NOTAM]

i have found that my favorite mexican places are the "Jalisco Taquerias"..they had tons of them in South Texas. and now here in the Ft Hood area, my coworkers always order from some restaurant called "Jalisco...something or another" and they say that there are a bunch of them (numbered)...well it is very good.
so something about the word "Jalisco"...i guess?

[JamesAbilene]

Here is another vote for Abuelo's. It is my favorite in Abilene. I believe they are also in Lubbock and Amarillo. Other favorites in Abilene include:

Dos Amigos
El Fenix (Not the DFW chain--but a local one)

Both Dos Amigos and El Fenix are older buildings and old long-term local resaurants. But they are good. There is another older place at the corner of Treadaway and East Highway 80 that is quite good, but I can't remember the name of it right now (senility). Outside of Abuelos, I prefer the local Mom and Pops rather than the chains, and we have several hidden all over town. I suspect that is true in most Texas cities.

[desertsun41]

Im sure there are millions. Texas is pretty big and few of us have been everywhere.

But I will add the only one I know in my area.

Texas Pepper on 59 in Livingston. The crowds on any given day speak for itself. I had to wait to be seated on a Wed. night.

[case44]

Originally Posted by bellestaroftexas

i have found that my favorite mexican places are the "Jalisco Taquerias"..they had tons of them in South Texas. and now here in the Ft Hood area, my coworkers always order from some restaurant called "Jalisco...something or another" and they say that there are a bunch of them (numbered)...well it is very good.
so something about the word "Jalisco"...i guess?

I think the Jalisco name is pretty much everywhere, Belle. I've seen a few in D/FW and Houston. I'll have to do some research to be sure, but they are out there.

[Cowboybootnut]

Can't find just one!

Uncle Julio's in Dallas and Ft Worth, is great.

Carmen's on Singleton Blvd in Dallas is great and reasonable.

El Norte in Plano is a well-kept secret.

[NOTAM]

Joe T Garcia in Ft Worth is my favorite, followed by Uncle Julios.
There is a really good very authentic old mom and pop type mexican place somewhere downtown near JPS Hospital that us nurses used to go to, that was very good too, but forget the name

[Spree]

There's a place called Grandpa Tony's that's almost on the corner of Mockingbird and Cedar Springs in Dallas where the entrance to Love Field is. It's good -it sort of shares a parking lot with a hotel.

I've always liked Alamo Cafe in San Antonio and Rosarios in the south town area of San Antonio is outstanding.