My family (6 in total) have ordered takeout and/or dine in for the past several years. We even overlooked a Mother's Day Brunch, during the lockdown, that was a disaster. I think ownership has changed and the quality of service and food has dropped off significantly. Tonight, our group of 5 ordered a fairly standard "take-out" meal. The $25 order of Beef Fajita's had mostly chicken and only 4 tiny strips of a protein, but way too many grilled veggies (mostly jalapeños). It was either not what we ordered or was completely different from what we had ever gotten when ordering their Fajitas. The Fish tacos didn't include the ordered refried beans and subbed lettuce (?) for the slaw. Seriously? The empanadas were basically flavorless. All in, the bill was well over $100 and the meal was simply very underwhelming. Check that, it was just plain bad. I miss the old management. read more

They only serve breakfast in the morning. Can't even get chips and salsa. Wasted trip.

Stayed overnight in the City Centre/Memorial City area and there tons of options for Saturday morning breakfast. When we pulled up, we weren't sure they were open but once inside, the bright modern decor made us feel very welcome. We ordered the omelette and Migas and both were perfectly fluffy with great flavor with the nod going to Migas for overall desirability. Both came with rustic big chunk breakfast potatoes with seasoning and salt. We were both completely satisfied. We weren't able to get drink (mimosa) service, maybe because the server wasn't TABC certified. We also were turned down for queso and chips because it is served at lunch, but these are first world problems for sure. Small place, but nice bar and service was very friendly. read more

Caliente - Migas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Ever sat at a bar for 15 minutes, told a waiter you wanted to order, then be made to wait again? You'll do that here. I know what you're thinking... "they must have been slammed!" One would think, but not the case. 3 tables had folks at them. Edit to reply to owner: I've eaten at tons of places in my years. There was 0 backlog of customers and 0 urgency on the part of your staff. The 1 star isn't to slam you or hurt feelings. I want to see you succeed in a world of chains. The staff just didn't care. read more

The food was delicious and fabulous. I appreciated the great customer service and atmosphere. The salsa and chips were so good that I wanted to drink the salsa with a straw. read more

See all

Came here one afternoon for lunch and was hesitate at first since this was the second option of the choices for lunch. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the waitress that would be serving us for the meal. The waitress was welcoming and the reason that the review was a 3 star instead of two stars. For appetizers, we ordered the smoke ribs and for main for lunch I order their pork tacos. The food was not definitely not up to par. The smoke rib was fork tender however it was cold. I am not sure if that was how it was suppose to be served or if it was suppose to be served hot. It got to the point where I did not want to eat my half of the ribs. The pork tacos that I believe on the menu said was award winning? Not too sure if that was what it said from my memory. However the pork meat was very salty and that was the main flavor that I could taste. Overall, I would not recommend or come back to the restaurant. The best part of the meal was the service where she would check in on the table throughout the meal. read more

Food was excellent. I am a native Houstonian that lives inside the loop and I just happen to be out that way and wanted Mexican food. Found Caliente . Because of the location it is a lunch place but I want for dinner and it was some of the best Mexican food in town. You can always tell a good Mexican restaurant by the refried beans and they are one of the best. I had the pork enchiladas, superb ! Go. If you find yourself wandering outside the loop or in for a drive it is with the trip! read more

We came for brunch around 11 on a Sunday and this place is absolutely delicious! Casual atmosphere, we had a waiter although for some reason I thought this was normally counter service. Complimentary chips and salsa were off to a yummy start, next ordered their queso which was delicious and a little spicy. Daughters waffle from kids menu was so good (quality control bite ) tasted almost like dessert or a funnel cake batter and was thick and fluffy. Chilaquiles were delish - I got the spicy pork on top and so yummy although I might've preferred the pork on the side next time bc it was so much! Husband enjoyed his quesadilla burger and son enjoyed kids enchilada (looked really good too). Everything tasted so authentic. We'll 100% be back! read more

This is a generous 3 because the chicken flautas are fantastic. $31 for 4 pork tacos. The pork was cooked very nicely, but the sauce tasted like something out of an MRE. Got the rumblies before we even left. I couldn't bring myself to take my remaining $8 taco to-go. The rice was a non-starter and the beans were only slightly less bad. The service staff was kind and attentive despite it being very busy on 5 de Mayo. I'm not a cocktail connoisseur, but the mojito we had was pretty bad. We didn't get to sample much but I would guess there are a few homeruns on this menu drowning in a sea of misses. Also got charged an extra drink (probably unintentionally). read more

Great good and drinks! Our server Roberto was great he was timely and attentive! He also made great Guacamole! read more

Incredible street tacos and the hot sauce was on point! Highly recommend the food and drinks.

Waiter took awhile to get to us.. stayed gossiping with the guy behind the counter..Fajitas were ok.. but definitely not $42 worth. Shoulda went to Guadalajara or Papasitos, the rice wasn't even cooked all the way.. won't visit here again.. read more

Caliente - Uncooked and not so good tasting rice - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

We just moved to city center and tried Cyclones. It was absolutely amazing. The food, atmosphere, drinks, and Jose our server was fantastic. I highly recommend this restaurant for good Mexican cuisine. read more

Been here a couple times and so far it's just an average restaurant and experience . I do love their margaritas , nice and big and they get the job done . The tortilla soup was a bit of a disappointment. Did not taste like tortilla soup at all nor did it look like it . Definitely looked like a chicken noodle or vegetable soup. No spice , honestly don't know why it's called a tortilla soup at all . The empanadas were "okay" I got the ground beef one and the avocado sauce was very good . Again , did not taste like true empanadas. Overall the food took not too long to come out , I also got chips and queso which I do absolutely love from here . One thing tho is that they serve their salsa ... hot. Taste very weird and I'm not a fan. read more

See all

Excellent food. Very well seasoned. Didn't care much for the salsa and chips(May be blessing in disguise)

Located in Town & Country/City Center, this is a great place for a good meal with reasonable prices. I am not sure if it was due to COVID but they seemed to be understaffed. The atmosphere here is really lacking. Although the inside was nice, they had dishes stacked around and not music playing. Adding some music would really help liven it up. The food was really great! They offer traditional Mexican food with an unexpected twist such as crawfish enchiladas or cilantro lime rice. Everything we had was fantastic. I would highly recommend the food but this is not a place you would go if you are looking for atmosphere. read more

The food is good and the prices are reasonable! A favorite place for take out! The ambiance for dine in is casual and kid friendly!

This place is a hidden gem! It is beautiful and clean, and every dish I've had has been delicious, made with great quality ingredients. Last night I indulged in the delicious white queso and then had the chicken salad with the mango vinagrette. OMG! It was so refreshing, unique and delicious. Of course, the tacos and enchiladas are delicious as well. Can't wait to continue trying more of their quality and tasty dishes! read more

We are a frequent customer of Caliente, ordering catering from them regularly. The food is simply outstanding! Adjusting our catering orders is a breeze. Justin, the owner, and his employee Pedro are incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring our satisfaction with every order. They even go the extra mile to set up the food beautifully and ensure it is always presented well. Whether your event is large or small, don't hesitate to contact Caliente for your catering needs--you won't regret it! read more

Major disappointment on Sunday, June 13th. We have eaten at this location for 3 years & this was the first time we were served leftover junk. The chicken was so old it was yellow & brown, tasteless The steak Fajitas were like eating the bottom of your shoe. The portions were small, pathetic & not edible. After eating here for the last 3 years this was like where am I .....what happened? The server was a lady and she apologized profusely offered to make it right. I had 8 people for lunch and they were equally as disappointed being here and getting delivery many times over a few years from Calient's. She had the kitchen remake the portions, fresh, and we added shrimp to the order of chicken & steak fajitas along with a chicken enchilada dinner. The dinner was salvaged but the first order should never have been brought out like that. The tab was 150.00 and she did not tag the check, so we took care of her for redeeming herself. We will give it another try; based on their ability to do better when they want. Let this be a lesson Caliente's ...."Take care of your customers" You never know who is sitting at those tables. read more

Wow amazing food salsa 10/10 prices great, amazing service highly recommend!!! Thank you Pedro for amazing service. read more

Caliente - Street Taco - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was really exited about this place, and it's not authentic Mexican at all. They don't have the basics.. Barbacua is missing here as well. And server looks like she's lost or she's high ...I'm not a mean person but Jesus don't come here if your from Mexican roots .. oh and check my picture out... lol read more

Caliente - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

Caliente has some solid Mexican food! The meal here begins with their delicious chips and salsa! I can literally eat an entire bowl of that salsa by myself. It's that good! Some stand outs here are the quesadillas, tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Oh that's basically the entire menu. They also have make your own bowls similar to chipotle but the taste is way better and they DONT charge extra for guacamole! Service is always friendly and they are attentive. They also have outdoor seating if you have a pet. The price point here is very reasonable. The price coupled with the solid food make this place a standout. I've eaten at plenty of Mexican places that charge way more and their food doesn't even compare to the freshness and quality that you get at caliente. If you are in the memorial area and craving solid Mexican food this is the place to go! read more

Service is a little slow giving preference to take out orders. Food is good but not great. Prices are fair.

The food was great but the atmosphere wasn't that great. I'm not sure if it is due to Covid but I felt like this place can do a lot more to have an enjoyable dinner. read more

Caliente - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

Lovely ambiance, delicious food, and acceptable service. I got the pork enchiladas and they were pretty tasty. Only one waitress so service was slower than anticipated. Would come back! read more

We had the BEST experience with a private event for a milestone birthday! The owner Justin was extremely accommodating with the set up and details that went into planning the party, even taking pictures for us throughout the evening. The waitstaff provided exceptional service and the food was incredibly delicious! Our guests never had an empty glass throughout the night. We were also able to play our choice of music and a video throughout the night. If you're looking for the perfect venue to host a private event, I wholeheartedly recommend Caliente! read more

I'm not normally a fan of Tex-Mex, but this place is AMAZING. The flautas were literally the best I have ever had in my life (pro tip: dip them in the queso), and the service was excellent. The restaurant and bathrooms were also very clean which was comforting. If you find yourself in the area definitely stop by, you'll be glad you did. read more

See all

Margaritas and Street tacos were amazing. Homemade corn tortillas are a huge plus! Service was great. Good option between games at Baseball USA. read more

We stopped in for the first time tonight and were pleasantly surprised!! Pedro gave us great recommendations for what to order and even gave us a complimentary quest! Glad we stopped in and tried a new place!! read more

This place was AMAZING!!! First of all. The queso is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Like. Get It. My boyfriend and I both ordered the lunch quesadillas and beef taco. Holy crap. First of all the flavor was amazing. Large portions. Came with guacamole and sour cream which is awesome! The taco was huge and so much tender meat. Our server Gene was so great and attentive and even the cook was really friendly. Literally in the beginning of me eating I was like "I have got to leave a review!" Anyway, if I'm ever in the area I will most certainly be back! The only thing I would add is a drink menu! So many options and I like to know prices and didn't want to ask about a bunch of different things so I just got tea. Which was also delicious. read more

Caliente - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

Top notch Yelpers. This was the first time I ever had the best lunch taco. Wow, amazing. Please be warned, its alot of food for lunch. So cone hunger. The price is about right for the area. Ask for the cheese and the meat special. Once again, amazing. read more

Caliente - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

I went on a Wednesday morning and it was empty. I ordered the quesadilla burger and it was delicious! The crispy potato spirals were great and the service was great. I plan on returning with friends since I would be comfortable inviting others to dine with me here. read more

I had never been here and it was delicious. We started with a 3 dip tray (guacamole, queso, 7layer) and we nearly filled up off appetizers alone. We pushed forward and both enjoyed the combination fajitas. Spot on, wonderful meal. No pictures sorry I was hungry. read more

Nice upscale area, good music but average food. The enchiladas were pretty good, thanks to the sauce and went well with the cilantro rice on the side. On the down side, the complimentary chips and salsa were a let down. Also after reading so much about their sauces online and on their menu, it was disappointing to see bland tacos. They even forgot to serve them on side, until we asked for it. Plus a *small* serving of Gaucamole for $8 is too high! read more

See all

Cute spot for a lunch break or meeting up with friends. A friend & I came here after reading the awesome reviews & had to try it out after seeing they offer queso blanco. We were a little confused with the layout, but the workers informed us it was a sit down & order type of place. We were handed chips & salsa immediately after sitting down. I wasn't a fan of the salsa they had. The queso blanco was bomb. I ordered their quesadillas in the appetizers section. They came in 6 slices and I got half crawfish & the other half shrimp. SO GOOD! I definitely couldn't finish them in one seating, so had a bunch of yummy leftovers the next day. read more

See all

I really enjoyed my experience at Caliente! Jean (who waited us) couldn't be anymore friendlier, welcoming, and helpful. He made the recommendation to order the chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce. Oh my goodness, the portion was huge, and it was very delicious. I regret not taking pictures and posting it here. Haha. Later on in the meal, Jean offered us to try the Tres Leches (which apparently placed #2 in a Tres Leches competition in Houston). That was excellent as well. Will definitely be coming back! read more

If Chipoltle and Pappasitos had a love child, this would be it. We sat down and quickly were brought warm salsa and chips and the waitress took our drink order. I went with the crawfish enchiladas which had a nice cheesy sauce on them. They were delicious! It came with rice and a choice of beans. I went with the black beans which had a nice seasoning but were nothing amazing. The rice on the other hand was really nice with like a cilantro lime flavor that you could actually taste (not just a slightly green hue). I left quite satisfied and most dishes are $15 or less. I look forward to coming back. read more

Caliente is great place to visit!! I had the beef fajitas with charro beans and there amazing cilantro chimichurri rice there flour tortillas are freshly home made. Service went above and beyond the server Pedro was amazing. You have to have a margarita with the meal great prices and portions compare to other places around thumbs up no doubt! read more

Caliente - Beef fajitas with charro beans and cilantro rice !!! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

My mom and I came here to celebrate her birthday and Nino was super friendly. He recommended the lobster enchiladas and gave us a surprise flavored margarita! He and the manager Daniel were very nice and welcoming. The food being delicious was a bonus. We will definitely be back. Highly recommend. read more

Caliente - Lobster enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas