New York does a lot of things beyond right (Uh, HULLO, Sabrett hot dog cart outside the Museum of Natural History, where had you BEEN all my life, ammiright??) However, there is one thing New York just seriously does not get. Mexican food. And believe me, ever the optimist, I tried about 857,456 different Mexican restaurants while living there, and they just. weren't. good. Sure, every now and then you'd get a great guac (Caliente Cab Company), or a snazzy marg (Cilantro), but the overall package? Niente. But here? Amazing. And LOVE El Gallo. EL. GALL. O. I fah-hreaking love this place. If you go (and you really should), you have to get the "El Gallo Dip" to start. It's so good that when you try it you won't remember anything that happened in your life before that moment. The menu describes it as a "blend of spicy taco meat, onions, Tex-Mex gravy, and cheese." Your guess is as good as mine as to what "Tex-Mex gravy" entails, but throw caution to the wind because it's amazing! And it has guacamole on top, which is just the tip of the iceberg. As I'm not crazy about their salsa (but the bf is, so good, more El Gallo dip for me), I definitely recommend this as a starter. Dip your fingers -- uhh, chips! I meant chips! -- in and enjoy! On this particular visit, I ordered for my entree the "El Gallo Combination B," substituting a beef taco for the chili con queso. What this meal consisted of was one cheese enchilada, one tamale, one beef crunchy taco, rice, and beans. I also asked for chopped onions on top of the enchilada (an old trick I learned from the bf). So much food, and SO MUCH AWESOMENESS. I LOVED the tamale and the enchilada. The rice and beans were also very good. If there was one thing I wasn't absolutely crazy about, it was the taco. Compared to the rich, flavorful other items, the taco didn't really stack up. In the taco's defense though, it would have probably received rave reviews from me had I eaten it in NYC. I'm also a firm believer that the best taco is a homemade taco. Regardless, all I had to do was pour on some of the Magical El Gallo Dip, and all was right once again in the world. Oh, and who could forget! The margarita, AAAHV course! It's funny, because I always say I'm not a "margarita person" (what does that even mean.), and yet I always get them and enjoy them. I think it's that I'm not a plain margarita person. They are a little too tart for my taste. So bring on the flavahs! Tonight's featured Kim-friendly flavor was a strawberry marg. It was pretty darn good. Sweet, not too tart, and I think it may have been fresh because I saw some strawberry seeds in there. Brava. And one other thing of note. One of the guys who works there is a HOOT. I've seen him every time I've been there, and he has the driest, most amazing sense of humor this side of the Pecos. He makes the whole experience all the more delightful, and hilarious. Like, if Saturday Night Live really wants to save itself right now, they need to put some serious consideration into hiring that guy. I don't know his name, but it is my mission to find out and report back to you. It's probably something like Sylvester. He seems like a Sylvester. Another added bonus? It's a total hole-in-the-wall, as a Mexican restaurant should be. That's how you know it's good Mexican food. (It's the law). I would take a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place over Pappasito's or Cyclone Anaya's any day. Sacrilege? Probably. El Gallo is located on Gessner and Hammerly across the street from the high school. If you go, you'll find me in the corner having an intimate rendezvous with the El Gallo dip. read more

Been here before. It was ok. Just walked in and out. Arrived at 4:30 pm with my laptop and work to do. Planned to get a little booth and eat and be productive. Nothing too crazy. Was informed I was not allowed to sit in a booth, although an entire row was available. Tried to reason with the owner (?). Her response was "ok". When I told her I'd really rather not go to another place just because you won't seat me, her response was ..... Ok. Well, ok, Gallo. Adios read more

I am shocked that there is anything less than 5 star reviews for El Gallo's. My grandmother lives in Spring Branch and my family and I have been proud patrons of El Gallo's for at least 30 years. Antonio and Jorge have watched me grow up and never fail to give me a hug upon entering. Antonio is really a hoot and will not hesitate to try to make you smile. When I get ready to leave and say bye, the entire kitchen waves back. These servers are consistently the most happy servers of anywhere I have ever been. If you don't like the food, the people, in the very least, give this place 5 stars! I have gone from being a little girl eating ONLY the cheese puff, then graduating to chicken tacos al carbon, then to cheese enchiladas (no onions), and now to the Burrito A (I might be wrong on that, but it is two beef fajita burritos with guacamole on the inside and covered with their epic queso) - which I claim HAS to be good for you ;) I don't like beans so I can't comment on the beans, but my family loves them. They have the best enchilada sauce ever, and unlike a previous reviewer, I think the rice is the best in the world and is flavored wonderfully, and I encourage you to go back and try the food again. My secret is to mix the queso and the salsa together for a perfect flavor that I would kill to have right now. And I'm not just saying that because I moved to Denver and haven't seen good Tex-Mex in 4 months...it is absolutely delicious and I have to make it a point to stop myself from eating 7 baskets of chips (they always refill faster than you can even think about finishing just one!). Okay, so I'm a lotta bit biased...but if this place was ever gone, I would feel like I lost a family member....and a place to indulge in good queso. :-/ read more

Came to El Gallo for the second time last night. I ordered El Patron, which is a huge combination plate (just ate the second half of my meal for lunch) that comes with a taco al carbon, a chicken flauta, a chalupa, and a cheese enchliada all served with rice and beans. The beef in my taco al carbon was very tender & flavorful. The Tex-Mex gravy on the cheese enchilada and the chalupa was amazing - maybe even to die for... The flauta was delicious and tasted very fresh. Classic, authentic cheese enchilada. The only thing I would change about this place is the salsa - or at least add a green salsa. Will always come back to this hole in the wall. Great food, good service. 5 stars for El Gallo. read more

In Spring Branch. Annoying they close Mondays. Not a chain. I have gone here for 30 years and they are consistent quality and good service. Margaritas ok. Tacos al Carbon always tender although a bit weak in flavor. CCQ with or without meat good flavor. Homey feel ambiance. Parking can be a challenge during dinner times. read more

Ehhhh! Their lunch menu is pretty cheap & decent, but there's def other restaurants out there that is so much better! Their salsa is all puree (which I will not approve), chips were baked and thin (a plus), quesadillas were little on the greasy side, no sour cream served and no horchata. gazillion boooos!! i give it a two, because the waitstaff is super friendly and very welcoming! they were very consistent with their rooster decor, i mean.. rooster galore everywhere on their walls and their sign. hehhe! kinda cute if you ask me. :) read more

I'm not impressed. The wait staff was rude, kept walking off, and got our order completely wrong. The salsa tastes like someone opened a can of tomato paste and put it in a salsa bowl. Tex Mex is all about the seasoning, and there isn't much flavor to be found here. read more

Seems like prices got higher and portions got smaller. Might as well go to Pappasitos for what i paid for a lunch plate and drink. Food is not even that great. read more

Got to love this place, I have been eating at El Gallo since the summer of 1973. Your not going to find a fancy place with lots of flair. You will find pretty good "What feels like to me Home Made Mexican food" I do wish they would improve their salsa. Their service really stands out as above average. Many of the staff have been there for years. The food is always fresh, the place is clean and at the end of it all the food is pretty damn good. I read some of the negative post on here and I wish people would realize how unreasonable some of their expectations are. for over 40 years El Gallo has remained a great place to stop off for a good meal. Nothing fancy. Just Good Food. read more

Three stars for high nostalgia! I'm Houston born and bred, but now I live in the Northeast (where there just ain't any good Tex-Mex). Every time I come back to Houston my father brings me to El Gallo. I salivate now just thinking about it. Excellent cheese enchiladas. Tacos al carbon are very tasty too! This used to be the cheap sibling of Guadalajara on Katy Freeway. Don't know if that's still true. read more

Fantastic Mexican/Tex-Mex comfort food. Sometimes comfort food is just what the doctor ordered! The restaurant has been at this location since the early 70s and the decor hasn't changed since then. And that's a good thing, it's clean, well maintained and oozes character. The food is far from gourmet, it's just mouth watering in all it's meaty, cheesy, and saucy goodness. I've been here 3 times and have yet to have a bad meal: enchaladas, fajitas, queso, you name it. It also seems like a family operation, it feels like everyone's been working there for years...they got service down to an art. Large portions and decent prices! This might be one of the best Tex-Mex joints in town! read more

Veronica was super helpful and attentive. Thanks to her I had a wonderful experience!

We got an order to go tonight. Why did they forgot to put the chips and salsa in the bag with the order? That's what Mexican food is all about! It made for some really dry fajitas with no salsa. The corn tortillas tasted and looked raw so I had to cook them at home. read more

I was so pleasantly surprised by el gallo! Queso, chips and salsa were all great. Fajitas were very good too. Also splurged for sopapillas at the end which were awesome :) My only complaint was that the margaritas were very VERY sweet and I couldn't really taste any tequila, so next time I will stick with beer. Overall good experience - we will be heading back! read more

My experience with El Gallo went something like this. Browse yelp to find a near-by Mexican restaurant that isn't Lupe's or Pappasito's. Score! Insert El Gallo here. Me to my Husband "Lets go to El Gallo, its authentic, is nearby in Spring Branch and has great reviews" "Alright, sounds good." We get to El Gallo. Servers are nice and friendly. Definitely feeling the neighborhood vibe. All is good. Then the salsa comes out...This is pretty much the beginning of the end.. The Salsa is a watered down tomato paste. It's absolutely terrible, and would not even qualify as tasty marinara. Then the queso comes out. Oh boy. First thing out of my husband's mouth "this is easy cheese from the ball park. Gross." At this point, I'm hoping for some ballin' fajitas to save this meal... and yea well that never came. Tortillas were good, no complaints there, but the meat was just eh. The beef was definitely better than the chicken, I will give them that. And then we rushed out of there. My only thought is El Gallos is an insider's thing? I noticed all Spring Branch residents love it so maybe I missed a secret menu, or the bomb dish you gotta try. IMHO, which is just one opinion, I think this is one of the most overrated Mexican restaurants in Houston. And by overrated I do not mean it its good, but not as good as people say. I mean it is just bad. read more

I'm giving it 4 out of 5 star's because I only had the delicious crispy chicken tacos. The shell that the taco comes in is shaped like a star. The flavor and portion size was very satisfactory. I will be back. The prices are really fair. read more

El Gallo - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

Really good Mexican food . Really good prices and with top of the line excellent service . I've come here ever a kid . Great staff . A well deserved 4 stars for me . I which they would just have a bar area to sit and drink and watch sports to gain that extra star ! : ) read more

El Gallo - Ole! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

I have driven past this place for years. I don't know exactly why? At an annual event at the range I got to speak to an older gentleman from Spring Branch who recommended this restaurant highly and said he and his wife had eaten here regularly for over 30 years so the next time by we stopped. I was pleasantly surprised and we have returned often. The Carne Asada is some of the best I've tasted and their stuffed jalapenos are a perfect appetizer. I'm glad I finally tried El Gallo and didn't miss out on the good food. read more

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about because this place is mediocre- at best. It's also way overpriced. read more

El Gallo - Some sort of combo, which all had way too much chili powder. The guacamole dish came out a good 10 minutes before the entrée. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

So, what began as a "let's just pull in here and see what I can pick up" has turned into a multiple trip event...weekly. If that's at all a sentence. I decided to grab some queso and chips for the girls at the office (I like to keep them fat) and ended up getting some guacamole, mexican rice and beans, and a little more all for under $20. It was enough to keep 8 of us satisfied after a long and taxing day at the office. El Gallo's is, by name, a request and EXPECTATION that we enjoy at least once a week. I literally budget for it... Thank God for them. Oh... and the service rocks! Everyone is hospitable, smiles, and does a great job of anticipating needs. I love their business! read more

I've only come here for lunch and they have a good selection of lunch specials. First, the stuff that didn't work. The cheese puff that comes with the tortilla soup combo was pretty weak; the cheese sauce was very runny. The complimentary salsas are also not the best I've had. Their chicken tortilla soup is quite good, as well as the enchiladas with red sauce. El Gallo is perfectly acceptable Mexican food close to my office. They have a nice casual environment with friendly service. The food always comes out pretty fast and as mentioned in another review they're very prompt with water/soda/chips & salsa refills. read more

My job is close so I used to frequent this spot. The customer service is amazing however the reason for one star is because my co-workers and I kept finding hair in our food. Different days, different plates and different people finding the hairs. Once, twice tops but more than 3 times I'm certain. I'd say go, try out the food but ask them to hold the random loose hairs!!! read more

After hearing good things about this place and being down the street came in to check it out. The food was very good and authentic mexican , however my date got a huge piece of sharp plastic in her food... After telling the waiter and manager the both exclaimed "again??!!" Got a partial refund from manager. read more

We found this place in between baseball games for our son. Great service and the food was so good! We will definitely be back!

Best Beef Fajitas in town, authentic Mexican food. The queso is creamy no velveeta, my husband and his parents came here since he was born he's 39 we have kids now we bring them here. Their customer service is on point! Chips are always fresh. Recommend the Nachos George, Fajitas, tacos are huge and enchiladas are awesome. Even their chicken tortilla soup is bomb. Great lunch specials too. read more

This place is AWESOME !!!! The service is great, the dishes are so tasty and good proportions vs cost. The restaurant is always clean and the staff are always friendly and treat you like family. If you are wanting real Mexican food and in a family environment, then El Gallo is the place to go!! read more

This is one of our favorite neighborhood establishments, in business since 1973. The owner, Jorge, consistently has a smile on his face, a kind word, a shake of the hand or a pat on the back for his patrons as he greets people at each table. The enchilada verdes, queso and beef fajitas are great, as are the charro beans. When we have our annual cinco de mayo parties, folks look forward to the fajitas and charro beans from El Gallo. (Must admit, we're such regulars that they bring out the diet cokes as soon as we sit down). read more

Looks like clientele are people who have probably been coming here for years. The salsa is strange and almost like a tomato soup consistency. El Gallo dip looked like a bowl of chili gravy that you would put on enchiladas. Sent it back in exchange for queso which wasn't hot. Waiter had to ask the manager if he could take it back.... I had the cheese enchiladas. They were pretty good, so was the rice. Didn't like the beans and they don't make homemade tortillas. Queso puff was ice cold. Not impressed, but maybe the people in the neighborhood like it. read more

This is not authentic Mexican food! The salsa is watered down tomato sauce. The rice is bland and beans are definitely canned, not homemade. I was so disappointed! If you are Hispanic and looking for authentic Tex-Mex, this is not the place. read more

Excellent service excellent chicken tortilla soup! The soup had a lot of chicken in it and lots of rice. Broth was perfection. They don't have any spicy salsa but that was okay! read more

Super attentive staff, excellent food every time and good drinks make this a family favorite! From the queso to the tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and soups I've yet to find anything that wasn't delicious! read more

This place is great and consistent. It's not your super nice fancy Mexican restaurant. It has more of a cozy, home cooking feel. It draws a large crowd during lunch time. Unfortunate that they're closed on Mondays, but is always a treat whenever I'm in Spring Branch for some comfort Tex-mex. Margaritas are great as well!! The Tex-mex lunch special is my go-to. No complaints here, food is great. read more

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A spring branch treasure. I love the fact that it is a well known neighborhood restaurant. Staff is very courteous. The chicken tortilla soup and fajitas are immaculate! read more

I have been going here for over ten years to get my fill of chicken quesadillas (sin pico!). It is the first stop when I come in to Houston from Austin, or most recently, from a six-month stint in Guadalajara, Mexico. Their food is actually what I craved the most while I was there, believe it or not...Their quesadillas dipped into their queso (a MUST ORDER!!!) with the included sides of guacamole and sour cream is my version of heaven. Even if it is not "authentic" Mexican food, it is WAY better Tex-Mex than you will find at the inaptly named Guadalajara or the giant Pappasitos. Plus, the higher-up staff has been there for years and are the friendliest people around. They recognize you and seem to have an endless memory for the ongoings in your life. Cannot say enough about them! Also, their strawberry margaritas are great! Perhaps too great... read more

Came here for dinner, post HH Cinco de Mayo drinks, by recommendation of a friend who works nearby. We wanted to avoid the big Mexican / Tex-Mex restaurants assuming it was going to be a cluster. I liked this place because they refilled drinks / chips / salsa incredibly fast. I don't think I had to ask for anything the whole time. I will say the salsa looked more like it was part of the marinara sauce familia, but it didn't stop me from non stop chip eating. Because of the constant flow of chips, I decided to go for a salad. After I had a few bites someone brought over some of that cilantro sauce and all I said was "YEEEES". I was done drinking, so I just had the billions of chips, soda, and a salad (which I took half home) for $10, including tip. Happy, drunk, chip filled c.kim on cinco de mayo! read more

This is our favorite local Mexican food restaurant. Family owned for decades. Great staff, Fun environment and always supports the community

Cheese enchiladas ( I added onion on top) are wonderful! Service friendly! A local favorite

I eat lunch at El Gallo at least once a week. Always good food and great service.

This is such a great spot - took vegetarian neighbor there today and she really enjoyed the dinner. Tony and Arturo are a great team and really serve great food. The meatless nachos were great - cheesy and clean. The other orders were fresh and hot too and the service got better throughout the meal. Well done El Gallo. read more

A long time local hangout, El Gallo has some of the best Mexican food I have ever had. The enchiladas are great, margaritas tasty and service is consistently good. Plus, if you are from Spring Branch you are guaranteed to see someone you know. read more