My favorite Mexican restaurant hands down!!! They have the best cheese enchiladas and I love their salsa!! We've been going here for around 25 years read more

Love this place!!! So delicious & the staff wonderful. Fajitas nachos love them. The place is small and very clean.

Great service!:)) Welcoming and encouraging to try their food out and no regrets here:)) read more

Food was exactly what I needed! Very authentic. Restaurant is small and can be considered a whole in the wall but they provide flavor. I knew I was going to Like it when I tasted the salsa! It has a kick. The tortilla chips are definitely homemade! My quesadillas are delicious. Service was fast. The only thing was my margarita was nit strong at all but it was still delicious They also have happy hour on margaritas m-f read more

See all

Excellent food! Service was very fast and friendly and they treated me and my coworkers well when we visited for lunch. We all loved our food. I had the chicken enchiladas al carbon and they were fantastic. read more

Tucked in the corner of a nondescript shopping center, El Vauero is where you dine when your craving fantastic old school Tex Mex with outstanding service. No frills here, just the staples prepared with high quality and a nostalgic taste, set in a mom and pop "kitchenesque" atmosphere. Don't expect new and interesting dishes here, but do expect to recount some memories for your favorite dishes from your youth. I had the chicken enchaladas with ranchero sauce. Heaped on an oversized plate straight from the salamander, my overflowing 3 enchiladas was accompanied by a very well prepared ranchero sauce scattered with melted cheddar cheese. Sides are the standard rice and refried beans. Delicious. It was a solid 2nd best of this particular dish that I've ever enjoyed and as I seek out this dish everywhere, I am thrilled to have this restaurant so close to my home. Chips were plentiful and the salsa was a standard thin red that just barelly coats the warm and tasty tortilla chips. Order pitchers of margaritas for a great value. They're tasty, yet, also a no-frills standard fare. Service was outstanding, as you'd expect from an owner run restaurant. I will visit regularly and you should as well. read more

Cute restaurant. We went in on a Friday for margaritas and chips and salsa. Nice customer service and decent prices but I was not satisfied with their drinks. It came with a lot of syrup and it was not tasty to me at all. read more

My family has been eating here for 25 years. It is a family owned and operated restaurant with incredible food. The salsa is the best I ever had. The tacos have awesome flavor, and the big burritos are the best I have found. We always get the casa flameado with the beef fajita and caramelized onions. The best part is that the prices are good. read more

Bast enchiladas in Katy, Texas. I highly recommend this restaurant. Great salsa, queso and food.

I met a few folks here for dinner and was pretty impressed with the quality of food and the service that we received. It is a small sized taqueria, and I had never heard of it. After being seated and our menus presented, I decided to go with the shrimp and beef fajitas. They came sizzling hot on a platter sautéed with onions and bell peppers. They were also accompanied by rice and beans, pico de gallo, And guacamole. I asked for flour tortillas with my order. The beef was very good, it was tender juicy and the shrimp were also very good. Nicely grilled and presented well. The sidekicks That accompanied were also very good. I liked their guaca and hoped that should have ordered a side order as an appetizer. The retried beans were also good. They were seasoned well and could have been an entree of their own with some rice. I do plan to visit them soon as try out other items on the menu. read more

El Vaquero - Rice beans guaca pico - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

This place is delicious! Great queso and fajitas. Daughter said their cheese enchiladas were the best she's had! Everything was fresh and staff were friendly. The traffic was a mess in the area, but definitely recommend giving it a try! Wish they were open for breakfast. read more

Our first time here and it didn't disappoint. Small restaurant, and pretty chill vibe. Everything came out fresh and hot in a short amount of time. The SALSA was DELECTABLE!!! Slightly spicy and very tasty. Definitely would come back. read more

See all

The Restaurant itself looks old and dirty. The service was on point and friendly. The food overall is good does not taste frozen but fresh made. Still bummed about not having queso fresco! read more

See all

When we can't decide what to eat, we always end up here! The service is good, they all seem like they are happy to see everyone, and the place is not pretentious at all. I wouldn't say it's the nicest place but I think it's mainly because the shopping center itself is older. Besides the building/shopping center being older, the place is always clean so that's all that matters to me, personally. Salsa is always good and the lemonade is freaking amazing! There are days I just go in and take out a lemonade and horchata. I try to order something different every single time and have never been disappointed. If you live around here but never been here yet, this is your sign to stop by and feast!! read more

Amazing food and service. The cheese enchiladas are the best I've had in the Houston area. The salsa is fresh and has a kick. Don't miss this place! We drive from Fulshear. read more

Only thing about this restaurant it is hidden behind a pawn shop so can easily miss it. I went on a weekday right before closing time, and the service was so impressive. I had their chile con queso (appetizer), Vaquero Specialties- Beef (main entree), and their agua fresca de limón. I enjoyed the appetizer to much because I had trouble finishing up my entree. The agua de limón wasn't to acidic nor to sweet. Main entree included with rice, beans, guac, and pico de gallo. The meat came in a hot skillet with mixed bell peppers & onions. Your choice of flour or corn tortillas. The corn tortillas were not homemade but did the job. What was super impressive about this place how quick everything was served. Great service & most definitely will he returning! read more

Some of the most traditional texmex food. Always fresh and piping hot with an excelente flavor profile and exelent portion, low price compared to other restaurants.the owner is always there and takes a good care of customers.the restaurant looks old but very clean and traditional. I love the special they run on weekends like beef soup,menudo and more. read more

First time there. Looks like a hole in the wall but the food was great. We had mixed fajitas (beef & chicken) and it was delicious. And very reasonably priced. It will be our Sunday fajita day from now on. We suggest you try it. read more

Food taste 8.5, Value 9, Ambiance 4, Service 7 Salsa had a little kick to it, which I love! Btw had beef fajitas 8.3 (appreciated that it wasn't super oily/greasy) & a mini queso 8.5. Loved both their red and green salsas 8.9 read more

Great Food and friendly staff! haven't been disappointed with any dish. the salsa and queso are delicious as well.

Food and service were ok. Prices were very reasonable. We anticipated a little more authentic flavor in this area. We were here from northern Idaho which isn't known for great ethnic food and were hoping for more. read more

I've been eating here since 1999. A local treasure. By far my favorite Tex-Mex spot in the Houston area.

Great customer service doesn't always yield for great quality food. However, I was completely disappointed with my food. It lack flavor and overpriced. Melted cheese is not the samething as Queso and Chips. Saggy tortillas dipped in cheese is not the samething as enchiladas. And Fajitas are supposed to be Fresh, juicy and above all hot. I apologize if the review is too harsh, but the food got me and my partner sick. I went to this place based on some of the reviews, but in my opinion. This food was not worth the trip nor the price. read more

It's my favorite place to eat. Great food! It's a hidden gem that everyone should try

First time here but won't be the last!! The food is good, the margaritas even better. I ordered the fried tilapia and it came with fried and rice ( a little dry since it doesn't come with beans, guac, or anything). My sister got fajitas (I think, see pic). Over all good food, good drinks, good customer service, fast service, and more importantly the price is right! read more

See all

El Vaquero is a small hidden gem in Katy. Food is great and not very expensive. The service is great and friendly. It is a local family owned and ran restaurant that we have been going to for the past decade and a half. Try it and you will see what we mean. read more

The food is mediocre, especially if you're used to real Mexican food. My coworker and I went during our lunch break and ordered the Vaquero plate. The chile relleno was soggy and filled with taco meat. Very greasy. My taco was falling apart. The enchiladas were bland and just submerged in sauce. Overall, I was not satisfied. The food gave me heartburn because of all the grease. Would not recommend to anyone. read more

Their steak bee tacos are the best and the green sauce is creamy and spicy super good

My review of this restaurant has changed completely... Their salsa has gone from handmade back to canned generic extra hot rotel blended a bit. The service ranges from apathetic to just pathetic and rude. I asked the server for a beer, he told me that they didn't have that brand, and he told me that he would tell me what they had. He never returned. Not to mention that after all of the business that I send them, they greet me with a sneer almost always. I don't know what their problem is. I always tipped well. Now they just suck. Good riddance. read more

The food is delicious and portions are plentiful. The staff is wonderful and very helpful.

El Vaquero is a gem hidden among the Tex-Mex jungle of Katy, TX. Hidden behind a pawn shop and easy to miss if you blink, you would be hard-pressed to find a restaurant this obscure so darn good. The cheese is probably what makes this place one of my favorite Tex-Mex places to eat at. I must recommend their queso dip and their cheese enchiladas for first-timers and those that don't like to try the more risque dishes. Their hot sauce is very, very hot so eat with caution. This place has been receiving my business for years and will continue to do so for years to come. My only complaint is the hospitality of the wait staff - it seems like I am always inconveniencing them when I arrive during non-peak hours but their food is quick to come to the table and more than makes up for this minor detail. read more

For the price we paid it was not worth the trip. The fajita tacos had a weird smell and looked bland (I tasted the beef and it was way too salty). We ordered two caldo de res and the broth was too greasy. The cut of meat was not the best, I am used to less fat on the cut of meat or oxtails. Not enough veggies! It was just a greasy mess! The rice has a particular seasoning and it's not Mexican. It's more of a "tex-mex" spanish rice. The flautas in our order were okay. The beans that came with them had a weird seasoning. The only thing I was okay with was the beverages which were limonadas. If you're looking for Authentic Mexican Food that's not over priced you'll have a hard time finding that on this side of town. If you're up for the trip try any restaurant inside the beltway. read more

This place was good. The salsa and cheese dip are delish! I had the tamale dinner. It was good but nothing super special. read more

El Vaquero - Strawberry margarita was pretty good! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

The chips and salsa here are some of my absolute faves. Some days the salsa is spicier than usual but you can never quite tell what you're gonna get. The nachos here are a must try. They also have a great chicken breast they stuff with bell peppers and onions. The place isn't fancy inside but the food is great. read more

El Vaquero - Literally the best nachos ever!!! And the hot sauce with the chips.... seriously the greatest. They're a must try. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

First time coming here and it was ok. Nothing special with that small mom and pop feel. They don't have a bar but do serve beer. Ordered chicken tacos el carbon. Tacos were good but the rice was not. Beans were average refried beans. Price wasn't that cheap for such a small place. read more

El Vaquero - Chicken tacos el carbon - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great food and I visit all the time! This place works for me everytime, I have been going here for over 10 years. I love the beef enchiladas al cabon! read more

One of those hole-in-the-wall spots that has great food. The salsa was good but super spicy, the chicken and shrimp enchiladas were both delicious! read more

El Vaquero - Shrimp enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Houston, Texas

We went to this place after reading the review from Jason H, and I have to say, he was right on target. The hot sauce is quite good, and the queso is smooth and creamy. We had enchiladas, that were among the best we'd ever had. The one low point I would say is the service, but like Jason, is not a big deal when you get your food. We'll most likely be back, very soon! read more

This place has a small old school Mexican diner feel to it. Nothing fancy this is just a simple basic restaurant. Chips and salsa were awesome! Reminded me of the valley (RGV). Queso flamado was good and loaded with chorizo. Fajita nachos were also good and made with REAL beans not canned. I've been here for 10years and never noticed this restaurant. It's right behind the pawn shop on Fry Rd. Waiters were very nice! read more

See all

This restaurant was great!! Great food and great customer service! Great home cooked enchiladas with great rice as well! And the margaritas were the icing on the cake! We spilt the pitcher and they filled the whole thing up for free! We would definitely come back and would recommend to anyone! read more