My husband & I were on the way home and was craving Salvadoran tamales & pupusas. There is no way…read morethis is an authentic Salvadoran restaurant. The pupusas give Mexican Gordita basically just two corn tortillas with filling put together. We ordered revuelta and you would think we would have ordered frijol con queso. The tamales look and taste like wet mush. Overpriced for mid food.

Was craving pupusas and stopped by this place. The people at the counter were super friendly…read more I ordered a bunch of pupusas to go. I also ordered a platter with different items on it. All the food was delicious. I ordered a chicken tamale that they forgot to put in the bag and was in my car to leave when the lady at the counter ran out to give it to me. I really appreciated that as it was a super cold day. The fried corn tamale was delicious. The cream it came with was soooo good. I loved how soft chicken tamale was. My favorite pupusa was actually the loroco which is a flower. The only thing I wished was that there was a little more filling in the pupusas for the pork beans and cheese one. Would return.

Omg.. so my boyfriend and I have been wanting PR food for a minute and found this place on Google…read moredecided to drive the 35min to try it... The atmosphere was on point. Music had me and my bf chair dancing from the moment we sat down. The food was everything we hoped for. Will definitely be back..

Puertorican restaurant with good food and good prices. A…read moregroup of friends and I went and it was an ok experience. Normally you order at the front desk, but they helped us in our table since we were a group of 10. It's a small place with about 4 tables and only one restroom. The girl that helped us was attentive. One complaint is that they have Pepsi and not Coke but that's a personal preference. Food is ok, someone ordered Queso Frito, for my taste was too salty. But the Tostones with pork meat were really good. I got mofongo with camarones, the shrimp were good size, the mofongo was too dry but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be like that, I noticed they serve the mofongo not in the traditional way, which is like in a cup shape the protein in the middle, here they serve the mofongo in the shape of a small cake and the protein on the side. The arroz con gandujes was good and the pork was good. I feel they have potential. The restroom situation (only one) is not ideal though.

Size isn't everything (#1), but the enormity of the tortas cannot be understated enough. Even the…read morename, Tortas Gigantes El Enmascarado, is a mouthful and is literal in the sense of how massive each of these sandwiches truly are. When it comes to these delicious tortas, every bite truly counts. The name "El Mascarado" might literally be "the masked one" but references the lucha libre (#2) culture and is a huge culture symbol in Mexico. As a result, the decor is plastered with luchadores on the walls, tables, and throughout the interior of the place. There are only a handful of seats and folks coming in are often getting takeout instead. The tortas are priced at nearly $17 each but are the equivalent of 2.5-3x the size of a regular torta. The prices have risen nearly a $1 a year in the last 3 years, so foodflation is in full effect. Each come loaded with a myriad of meats, cheeses, sauces, and are overwhelmingly stacked. I have a soft spot for the la floja, which is scrambled eggs with sausage, ham, onion, queso fresco, and avocado. The campechana is their version of meat lovers, which has longaniza, grilled meats, sausage, with melted cheese and avocado. Big appetites can shoot for their mega torta, which is known as la quebradora, which has milanesa, chorizo, sausage, ham, melted cheese, roasted onions, pork marinade, topped with chipotle sauce and avocado. At $23, it will put anyone into an immediate (but satisfying) food coma. Non-torta items include tacos, quesabirria, gorditas, alambres, carne asada / pastor fries, chilaquiles, flautas, and even birrita ramen. They also have feature a cheetelote ($9), which is basically an elote (#3) but with cheetos as a base. There are also hot dogs, salchipapas, cheeto pies, and hamburgers with similar gigante toppings as the tortas. The staff is constantly hustling and bustling and don't have time to waste for people holding up the line. Spanish is preferred but English is doable. Highly recommend calling ahead of time or ordering online (#4) and having the food ready for pickup. ___________ (#1) Can you fit this entire torta in your mouth? Didn't think so. (#2) Mexican wrestling. (#3) Or quite literally, esquite. (#4) Start here: https://tortasgiganteselenmascaradotx.com/tortas-gigantes-el-enmascarado/

Great food. Welcoming service. Good prices. No wait time for dine in. Food came out quickread more

I really enjoyed this place. The prices were fair and the portions were plentiful. The latin music…read morewas a great add to the vibe. You can seat yourself and be waited on or order at the front table to-go. There were only 5 tables, but the place wasn't too busy. Service was welcoming and prompt. I ordered the knockout pizza and the ropa vieja with rice and beans. The knockout pizza (10'') was served hot and had a crispy crust which was both soft and doughy. It was served as a whole piece, and cutting it up was a bit of a chore. Overall the pizza was good, but nothing outstanding. The Ropa Vieja is what really got me. It's a tangy and hearty shredded beef stew with onions and bell peppers. It was absolutely delicious. Well balanced between sweet from the peppers, meaty from the beef, and tangy from the tomatoes in the sauce. Amazing! Overall I was more than pleased with my experience. Happy to return in the future.

I have learned that the places that look a little suspicious from the outside often end up being…read morethe biggest surprises when it comes to food. This place is definitely not located in a fancy area, and I have to admit, I had second thoughts the moment I pulled into the crowded and chaotic parking lot. Located in the heart of Latino Town in Spring Branch, the atmosphere immediately reminded me of back home (Venezuela). The vibe is different, authentic, and familiar in the best way. I trusted the process because this spot had been on my list for a while, and I'm so glad I gave it a chance. Once you make it through the parking adventure and walk inside, you are pleasantly surprised by a small, quaint, clean, and charming restaurant. The aroma coming from the kitchen was enough to convince me I had made the right choice. We were seated right away during a busy lunch hour. The staff works together as a team, and the service was efficient and attentive. But, of course, the star of the show was the food. I had a steak cooked to perfection with sweet plantains, and it was absolutely delicious. They offer an extensive menu featuring flavors from Argentina to Venezuela, with plenty of options to choose from. Everything came out fresh, flavorful, and in a timely manner. If you are in the Spring Branch area and craving grilled, savory, authentic food, this is definitely a place to check out. I will absolutely be coming back. A true hidden gem!

And we're off! Today we kicked off our "A to Z International Dining Adventure"! We're planning to…read moreeat our way around the world, choosing a different country for each letter of the alphabet at restaurants around town. Houston has an amazing international dining scene and we won't have any problem finding food to match all 26 countries. Today we started with "A is for Argentina" at Pampa Grill & Market in Houston on Hammerly. We were thrilled to start our journey with newlyweds our son and daughter‑in‑law. We all shared freshly baked bread with chimichura sauce and marinated vegetables salsa criolla, delicious empanadas of all sorts, the Argentina Grill parrillada platter, and flan and Nutella crepes for dessert. Pampa Grill & Market is a beloved family-owned neighborhood gem run by Argentine owners. Definitely a fabulous experience all around. Pampa serves wine, but they also allow BYOB, so we brought a delicious 2022 Decero Remelinos Malbec and John and Katherine brought a lovely white blend, also from Argentina. Weare going to have so much fun taking this food journey together! "B" takes us to Brazil in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned!

Don't judge a book by its cover, that definitely applies to this restaurant. These were by far the…read morebest pupusas I've tried in Houston, freshly made and delicious I definitely recommend! --The food was so good I forgot to take a before picture!

Mama mia! You don't know how many times I glanced at this place whenever I go to next door for…read morelunch. El Cuco Restaurant sits at the corner of this quiet strip mall. It has faded signs, window bars and handwritten posters to disguise the treasures inside. I trampling into a nearly empty restaurant but filled with loud Latin music from a jukebox. There was just a couple of guys sitting at the bar looking intensely on their phones. It must be a popular restaurant bar on weekend nights. Because its operating hours matched with a local bar club few doors down and a country western dance hall behind here. As I walked in, I was greeted by a señorita didn't speak English. She asked a señora in the kitchen for help. She couldn't get the first word out. So, I spoke Spanish to them to break the embarrassing moment. Then, she handed me a menu in English and Spanish. I didn't think I had enough time to dine in, so I only looked at the pictures to order a takeout. As I sat there waiting for my food, I saw more families with kids arrived. They seemed to know their way around here. My combinado plato was perfecto. The pupusas with fresh curtidos were scrumptious. I can't wait to get more pupusa on Tuesdays when it's only a buck each. Sitting at a chair looking out thinking, why haven't I had courage to come here? It's not that bad as i thought. In fact, I'll be coming here more often than going to La Guerrero Meat Market for tacos. **14th review of 2017**

I finally had the pleasure of checking out Tex-Chick Eatery, a family-owned Puerto Rican restaurant…read morethat's been serving the community since 1982 and is now lovingly run by Titi Marilu and Grace. From the moment I stepped into this cozy spot, I instantly felt like I was back home in Puerto Rico. Just like our island, it's small, but filled with a huge heart. We spent time chatting with them about our families, childhood memories, and how happy we are that they've kept our culture alive right here in the Montrose area of Houston. We enjoyed a true Puerto Rican feast: arroz con gandules, pernil, mofongo con camarones al ajillo, pollo frito, empanadas de yuca y masa, flan de coco, limber de guanábana, and of course, more food to take home because we couldn't have it all at once! My personal favorite were the limbers with traditional flavors I don't recall ever having a limber outside of PR. This is a counter-service eatery, where you can see all the freshly prepared dishes right in front of you. You truly can't ask for better service; if there's something you're craving that's not in the menu for that day and they have time, they'll gladly make it for you! That's the kind of love and care you only find in places that cook from the heart. Prices are very reasonable although parking can be a bit tricky but that's mostly all of Montrose. Let's keep our culture thriving. s Support our local Puerto Rican businesses. WEEPA!

This small dive is one of our favorite Puerto Rican spots in Houston! Tiny but mighty with flavor…read more Authentic Puerto Rican food that will make you want to come back for more. They change the menu daily so check their Facebook page to know what they are serving. We had Mofongo with Pernil and Mofongo with bacalao (cod fish) which were delicious. Their empanadas (beef and corn beef) were light, flaky and very tasty. We had some platanos maduros (sweet plantain) and some tostones (fried green plantains). Topped the delicious meal with Malta & Flan. The parking is very sparse and the dining room only has 3 small tables and some seats along the wall. They sell till they run out so you want to go early.

Instead of chips and salsa they give you bread and this very good strawberry jam. I did ask for…read morechips and salsa though and the salsa was pretty spicy & chunky! The summer steak with the pineapple was absolutely delicious. So tender and this was the first time we've had pineapple on a steak and it was 10/10. The combo plate was also a great little taster plate when you want a bit of everything. The chicken enchiladas were delicious, tamale was very flavorful and the portion or rice and beans was great. The soft taco was your typical soft taco you would make at home but it was still pretty good. Way too much cheese imo though. Our server was great, very knowledgeable and attentive. They do have an outdoor patio for when the weather is nicer and a full bar set up!

The location was a cute Mexican place. When in Texas always try the Mexican food! There's always a…read moregreat place locally that you check out. Located in around the Jersey City area, this Mexican place was homemade with colorful decorations, and very traditional feel. They have all the classics when it comes to Mexican food. I don't think that you can go wrong with an enchilada al carbon. It was very delicious with the beans, cheese, Mexican rice and tortillas. It was super flavorful and, I think it's a very easy choice for most Mexican restaurants. Service was fast and easy. They were very sweet also because we were one of the last parties in the restaurant before they closed, and they were very respectful and accommodating. Parking was easy, and there's a lot right outside with around 20 parking spaces. It is connected to different shops in a strip of stores. The area round is kind of a little bit less populated, so also keep that in mind with the location of everything especially at night.