Cozy place in the east end, where the owners will welcome you in with a smile. Cool decor very colorful and artistic. Don't let the outside distract you from what home cooking is in the inside. Came in for a late breakfast: chilaquiles and bacon & egg platters. Both with homemade flour and corn tortillas. Nice, big & yummy tortillas. They keep your drink full all the time and check up on you. A lot of history here and it's run by locals. read more

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Small restaurant, the wait staff is awesome. They were on it and made sure we were well taken care of. Not a long wait, and the food is delicious! I didn't take more pictures of our plates but everything we ordered was from the breakfast menu and it was so yummy! The barbacoa taco and menudo was the special of the day (Sunday) displayed in the entrance. read more

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We love Juan & Anna so much that we drive from near Klein Forest High School to Navigation Blvd at least once wveey two or three months since we left East End in Jan 2020. The hand made corn tortillas, mole enchiladas, carne guisada, & breakfast pork chops are amazing. We get great service because we've been customers since 2006. And I love the authenticity of the decor & the salutes to Juan's service with HFD read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Love the kitsch! - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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First time coming here. They were packed and two lovely regulars gave up their table for our party of 6. Staff was amazing and the owners were so welcoming. I got chorizo con huevo and the frijoles tasted just like what my abuelita used to make from scratch. Jamaica Agua Fesca was good too. Al Pastor Torta was great too! Yall should try this and worth the trip! read more

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Very disappointing. We walked in and stood at the entrance waiting to be greeted or seated. No one acknowledged us or even let us know if there was a wait or if they were full. A simple 'We'll be with you shortly' would have gone a long way. Instead, we were completely ignored, so we decided to leave and eat somewhere else. Customer service starts with acknowledging your guests, and unfortunately that didn't happen here read more

This is my favorite Mexican spot in Houston. I have yet to be disappointed here. I could honestly live off the carne guisdo. Everyone who I let try it has loved it including my Mexican mother in law who ordered a plate to go. The service is fairly quick. The portions perfect along with decent prices. The feel is like a true hole in the wall with so much to take in and notice each time. Great spot to come over and over again. read more

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This Houston institution slipped by me. I'd never been. I knew that it was historically significant to the max. On previous attempts, it was always too crowded. "Next time", I would say. But recently, having seen a photo of their puffy taco, I knew that it was a "must". Damn, that puffy taco plate was good. The rice and beans that accompanied it were great. As were the tacos. Crunchy. Not those softer, chewier, thick masa ones that SA is known for. A tad thicker than the ones at the (now closed) beloved Fiesta Loma Linda. And, I saw that caldo de menudo is a daily feature. Not just on weekends. This is a breakfast and lunch place. It closes at 2:00 pm. read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Pretty OG and non gentrified spot on the East side of town on Navigation. Parking is available in an adjacent lot or on one of the side streets. The interior is very old school and eclectic; nothing fancy. Service is friendly and very family style. Their menudo was decent, and while the tacos aren't the best ever, everything I got was solid and pretty tasty. Their puffy taco was surprisingly big. Barbacoa and chicharron were good, al pastor, not so much. read more

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Having eaten here several times over many years, this is a classic Tex-Mex spot on Navigation that has retained its original charm compared to its froufrou neighbours. If you go during the week, you would see the place packed with people from the community and would definitely need to wait for a table. Counterintuitively, it is less packed on a Saturday while people are still trying to sleep in. Both breakfast and lunch items are good. I recommend the huevos rancheros, cheese enchiladas, and chile rellenos. This is traditional Tex-Mex where the beans are made with lard and the rice made with chicken stock so strict vegetarians are out of luck. read more

The food and service and ambiance good just don't like the parking and that it closes early

we dine out frequently in Houston. Dona Maria is exceptional, especially breakfast and puffy tacos (which you don't see on many menus). The staff is excellent, prices reasonable, and food tasty. for us, dona maria is the best mexican food in Houston. do yourself a favor and dine there on Navigation. read more

A must try! This is my favorite small business in the area. It was the first place I visited when moving to the area and I have been hooked ever since! Dona Maria is a breakfast/lunch spot, they close at 2pm each day. I always get the barbacoa plate, everything else is good too but that's my absolute favorite. I've introduced the restaurant to several friend and family members over the last couple of years and they make dedicated trips to the East side of town to eat here. The employees are so nice and the restaurant is family owned and operated, after you visit a few times they remember you and you become part of their extended family. The interior is small but the restaurant cycles tables pretty quickly. On Saturdays there may be a small wait but there is plenty of space to wait outside, and many times there will be a festival or other event taking place on the same street. When you walk in the employees will help you find a table if it is crowded or put you on the wait list. You order at your table but pay for your food at the counter when you are ready to leave. The entire restaurant is decorated with props and posters with messages that range from heartfelt to comedic, my favorite one is the limited edition box of "Dallas Cowboys crying towels". On a street that is filled with options for good eats, Dona Maria is a must visit. Swing by for a puffy taco, barbacoa plate, or whatever you might be in the mood for and thank me later. read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Barbacoa Plate - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was authentic and DELICIOUS! Doña Maria greeted us and spent some time chatting with us which made us feel very welcome. If you're looking for a small, family-run, authentic Mexican restaurant, look no further. Will be going back. read more

Sometimes location is everything for me and the feel of the place and Dona Maria was a great example of that. Front street parking or side parking lot for convenience. They have a sign in system if it's busy on a pad of paper otherwise sit where you like for the most part. I was lucky to try the tortillas, papas, beans, rice and salsa today. The food is a little on the plain side for me needed more spices and salt. However, the salsa was really flavorful and adding onions and cilantro helped major! Happy Yelping! read more

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Went back and tried the Carne guisada plate. It tasted and felt like i was eating at my tia's house. Everyone is super friendly. Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations. Thanks to everyone here for the hospitality. I love places that treat customers like family/friends. If I'm in the area , this is where I'm coming. read more

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Good food, good service. Reason for low rating is owner charged me over $18 for mole enchiladas which were priced at $12.99 on the menu. Guess I got the gringa price. read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Incredible service, everyone was smiling and welcoming. The place was half full of what appeared to be locals/regulars and I can understand why. The food was simply fantastic. I had three tacos (way too big to have ordered three) Carne Guisado, Puerco Asado, Huevos y Chicharrón. Greatest compliment I can give is that I felt like I was back and my grandmother's kitchen table again. read more

I loved it it was incredible the best breakfast you could ever go to you should try the puffy it was crunchy and delicious

It's a decent tex-mex spot in Houston's upcoming east downtown area. The service was excellent and prompt we had a great experience in that regard. The food was ok, portions were really good as you can see by the pictures. Its fairly small inside but pretty open area once inside ample seating space tables and booths. Perfect stop if your area for one of the local pop up markets. read more

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If you're looking for a good breakfast...look elsewhere. I have lived in the community for 7 years and supported Juan but he always has been indifferent towards my support of his business. I recently went for breakfast where they were serving a group outside and waiting their table. We had our dogs so we were going to to sit outside as we well, I was told by Juan that I had to order to go to sit outside. I asked the waitress and she said "oh this other group has been coming for years, they're regulars." When I asked Juan about the other group being served he tried to make it about "to-go plates and cups", but that was not the issue, he didn't want to serve me outside. I told him I have had unfriendly service there before and he said "you should have told me about it", I said, "it was you". If you are in town for a visit or looking for some hospitality, try Villa Arcos a bit further east down Navigation, they are very glad to have your business. read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Terrible service from Juan the owner. - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

We were looking for a different place, but discovered Dona Maria as we were driving by it. What a great find. This little place is clean, pleasant, and authentically local. A true treasure we'd like to take back home to Michigan with us. read more

I love this place! Breakfast is really awesome. Service is great. Tortillas are homemade! read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Huevos Rancheros plate with Bacon! Excellent! - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Only posting a review because of the attitude that we received. We were passing by and noticed this restaurant, it was two in the afternoon, would have never in 1 million years thought a restaurant would be closed at 2 PM and the door was unlocked. When we walked in, we were immediately shushed away with someone with an attitude saying "we're closed" Maybe lock the door then? read more

The restaurant is clean. The food is very good and the service was excellent. I will definitely come back to this location. The owners were so nice. read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Sign inside the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great authentic Mexican food! Love this place. The homemade salsa is on point, just like momma used to make! The waitresses are super friendly and welcoming. I've taken several friends to Dona Maria and they've absolutely loved it! read more

Feels like home ! Family owned, cute, quaint little restaurant. Great chips & homemade salsa! Good food, fast& friendly service. read more

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It was a nice family owed restaurant with good food. The server was nice and helpful to what we wanted.

Good food and the service were amazing! The barbacoa was so tasty, especially with the homemade corn tortillas and fresh salsa! They play oldies music and it's a whole vibe! I will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Houston! read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Puffy tacos? I have eaten them at a few other places, but Doña Maria takes and deserves the medal as winner. PUFFY TACO: YES I thought it would break apart and collapse into a mountain of mess, but no--it stayed together until the last bite. A slight gloss of oil made it shine, but it was not greasy. I can't explain the texture. Not crunchy like a taco. Chewy, yet not. It kind of reminded me of a twice-fried sopapilla. Every bite was taken in with a "mmm." AVENA (oatmeal): AUTHENTIC, the way my grandmother and mom made it (brought me back to my childhood) Chips: average Red salsa: warm and spicy, great on entree items Green salsa: get your water ready Rice: average Beans: average The entire staff was very welcoming and hospitable. I look forward to coming back. Go and try the puffy tacos! No dessert options on the menu, so get the Avena as a dessert. read more

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Conveniently located across the street from a weekend farmer's market. There's a dirt parking lot adjacent so there's very little cause for issue with parking. Have only been here on weekends but the line is always out the door. There are a few patio tables outside where you can wait. Once you enter, to your right on a counter is a sign-in sheet. Something to note is that this place is definitely not solo diner friendly - I once waited an hour, was passed up several times by other larger parties (by larger I'm just talking 2 people) and finally asked what the issue was and the host told me that 'it was too difficult' for a solo diner to be seated. Honestly the host's attitude is a bit condescending at times from multiple visits. The lady who handles the cashier, and the waiters are all excellent in demeanor. They're always smiling. Another issue though is that the service is not very quick - for one taco it takes at least 30 minutes for the food to come out. This joint is very busy so it's sort of understandable. But another issue is that it is near impossible to flag down a waiter - if you are in need of something or want to order more you're not going to have much luck. The ambiance itself is a little out there. The walls are covered with silly saying like 'he might wear the pants, but I pick which ones he wears,' several political endorsements, and various trinkets. The family who owns the restaurant is clearly very politically aligned which I can possibly see alienating some diners. In terms of cleanliness, it's relatively clean. The tables are a little sticky but not overly so. Taco Gordo - this is the shining jewel that I keep coming back for. For $3.50 you get a very, very large breakfast taco. It's filled with whatever meat you want (I always choose bacon), egg, potato, beans and cheese. It will definitely fill you up for a very low price. And since it's a sit down restaurant they serve you warm red salsa and chips while you wait. The warm salsa is just the right amount of spicy and is quite lovely. Guacamole - not good. Not good at all. Tastes like there are a lot of preservatives, doesn't taste fresh. Is very watery as if it's been sitting out for a while. All-in-all I don't know what the solution is. Perhaps take out, but then you wouldn't get the chips and salsa. Perhaps just deal with the mediocre service and long wait times for the sake of that sweet taco gordo? read more

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Fantastic, authentic Mexican breakfast. Tacos Gordos are huge and the Chilaquiles were perfect after a late night of drinking. The tortillas are made with love and is the best part! Friendly service that frequently checked up on us. Unfortunately as Rangers/Cowboys fans, we could not stand the decor though. read more

Dona Maria Mexican Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

I hate using the term "hole in the wall" because this little place is a hidden gem. My friend and I stopped by Thursday for lunch. She's a regular, it was my first time. The place was packed, no place to sit. The owner asked us if we would like to share a table with existing patrons and we said sure. On our way to the table, a booth became available so we just sat there. There are a few tables and booths. The decor is friendly, colorful with quirky signs. The music is playing softly. The conversations and banter between the wait staff and customers reminds me of eating amongst family, My friend raved about the food, so I was excited to try their dishes. We had chips and salsa and I was not impressed. The chips had absolutely no salt and the same thing goes for the salsa. I understand restaurants cater to different demographics, but a little salt goes a long way. It was no biggie, we just added salt to our liking. I ordered the carne guisada plate, served with beans, rice and two tortillas (3 would be better) and she had the asado de puerco, also served with beans and rice. We did not wait much and our dishes were brought to the table. The beans were great, the rice was great but the star of the show was indeed the carne guisada. The meat was so tender, moist with a rich and flavorful rue. I ordered mixed tortillas with my order and was disappointed to know it was only two. The corn tortilla was not the best, and the flour tortilla was ok. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and need to come back to try the barbacoa and menudo which I hear are delicious. read more

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I'm not from the area, but when I visit Houston, this is a staple for me. The food is excellent and the staff really makes you feel like family. The owner or manager is always there making sure everything is perfect. If you're looking for great food and a home cooking feeling, come on down. read more

A little gem of an establishment with some of the best tasting authentic food. Very friendly staff, and owners are hands on. Ambience is very casual with nice music playing and truthful quotes all over the restaurant. Nice Houston decor all over. Seems everyone knows everyone here and you might meet important people. Many locals visit this restaurant even though it doesn't have much space but people don't mind sharing their tables with others. I ordered the guisado de puerco and it was really tender and delicious. Very rare to find a restaurant serving this dish tasting so authentic. It came with rice, beans, and two tortillas which were homemade. Your choice of corn or flour tortillas but you only get two. Chips were just ok, no salt, sauce was good but could be spicier. I really liked this place and truly recommend coming. Others in our party ordered the guisado de res, chile relleno and barbacoa tacos which also looked very good. Servings are plentiful. I will be back to try other options soon. I just loved it and am glad to have eaten here thanks to Pct. 2. read more

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all the food tasted the same, they were out of daily specials, only good thing was the salsa. They need to work on the quality, just because it's a dive, doesn't have to taste bad. read more

Met group of friends (10+) for lunch. Service was great- friendly, attentive, & polite. They accommodated us paying separately WITHOUT adding a tip. So I gave extra! The food was very delicious and the portions were ample! You will not leave hungry. I had the "puffy" tacos. The hamburger meat was very lean and not in the least bit greasy. My friends had enchiladas, carne guisada, crispy & soft tacos. Everyone raved About the food. The chips and salsa were exceptionally delicious. Met the friendly and jovial owners. I WILL BE BACK! read more

What a treasure!! This darling spot will make you feel like you're family. The food is outstanding and made with heart! The staff will welcome you in to this tiny spot warmly and were so kind to us. My retired firefighter husband and the owner bonded quickly as he's a retired firefighter also. Super special spot- can't wait to visit again. read more

Gas traditional Mexican food place is small so I'd say order takeout but definitely worth it

Houston's best Puffy Taco has been found! The beef fajita Puffy taco melts in your mouth. It's been fried to perfection & the meat has been insanely seasoned. This local establishment is right across from the OG Ninfas and deserves a visit. read more

Best Venezuelan food I've had since Caracas My wife and I had breakfast there today. We will be back. read more