Food was great, worth the wait, staff was great and great atmosphere. Parking was the hardest.

For Arizonans: I would best describe the food similar to Macayo's. The restaurant is deceptively big. It is like a maze inside. While there, there were a couple families celebrating their birthday mornings, so I got the vibe that this place is a fan favourite among families and locals. It was around lunch time, and the restaurant was PACKED. I think we waited for a table for ~10-15min. Ordering and getting the food after being seated were relatively quick. I got the Mexican Combination plate, and it came loaded basically with a ton of favourites on the menu. However, I didn't feel like any of the food was something to write home about except that the rice and the chili verde con carne (soup) were both good. If I ever come back, I would just get the chili verde con carne, honestly. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the food here, and was a bit disappointed when it was recommended to me by locals. read more

So good! Was reading the articles on the wall and tried things they are known for. Green chicken enchiladas, lime margarita, and the lemonade. The green chicken enchiladas are like nothing I have ever had, Chile piled on top of cheese and chicken and corn tortillas. Margarita was the best one I've had in a while. Lemonade was perfectly refreshing. Husband got the combination plate and he had no complaints. Service was excellent. read more

L & J Cafe - Green chicken enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Tex-Mex not a fan. Not a real Mexican Restaurant. This place is for tourism purposes, food is not spicy and flavorless.

Food was amazing and the staff was amazing and the plates was full of food the waitress made sure that our drinks and everything was good for us. It did not take long to be seated or serve served the ambience. Everything was completely perfect. They stayed busy, but it did not cause any holdup for our food. read more

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If you ever needed a single reason to visit L&J Café, this one should do it: back in the day, they had bootlegging and slot machines hidden behind false walls. Honestly, if that doesn't make you curious, you might need to check your pulse. Sure, the slots are long gone--but the flavor jackpot's still paying out. We kicked things off with chips, salsa, and guacamole that could probably broker peace treaties. Then came green chile chicken enchiladas, Caldillo Soup with hot flour tortillas, and Deshebrada Tacos that practically whispered "don't share me." I've been eating here since the 80s, and not once has L&J let me down. Even if you're just there for margaritas, beer, and a good laugh, you'll leave wondering if maybe those old slot machines aren't still hiding somewhere--just to see who's lucky enough to find them. read more

First time in El Paso and my first stop was at L and J Cafe. It was completely delicious, including the free chips and salsa's. The roasted salsa was my favorite. The steak was cooked perfectly and the chili con queso topping was tasty. Service was good, he kept my water full. The outside is almost in a residential area but inside it's a lively restaurant. read more

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Our first time here. We had a great experience with our waitress. Food was delicious. read more

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Wow!!!!! Our favorite food is Mexican and we go to a lot of places to eat so when I say this place has amazing food!! We mean it!! My husband and I both got the Mexican plate but replaced the red sauce enchilada with a chicken verde enchilada. My husband commented that it was the best enchilada he has ever had. The chips and salsa were top notch! The portions were large, we could have split a plate. We sat at the bar which sometime service can be ify but not here. We were well taken care of. We will be back our next trip to El Paso!! read more

Always top notch service, the staff is always amazing in verification of ingredients in the menu due to food allergies. They have even suggested a few different menu options to accommodate my food allergies. read more

L & J Cafe - Steak Burrito and chili con queso, absolutely delicious - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

A must visit for anyone in the El Paso area. Can be very crowded do to quality so try to choose a time not near dinner or lunch rush.

Came here for lunch, waited about 15 minutes for a table when we got here around 1130. The restaurant was busy, but the service was great. The variety of salsas they give the table at the beginning were amazing! I chose the Mexican combination for lunch and it didn't disappoint. The chile rellenos were incredible! read more

L & J Cafe - Mexican combination - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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We love L&J Cafe. Not sure why it's called a cafe though. Just seems to me like a very nice old very authentic Mexican restaurant. read more

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Food was great! Service was slow but it was lunch time, and the place was busy. Food was tasty!

Food is very good and reasonably priced. Our server was friendly and did a great job. I try to eat there every time I'm in town.

It was our first time here. We had heard about the place from friends before, but did not go until now. It is always busy, so be prepared to wait. The food was good, the cinnamon coffee was definitely different. We did not try the dessert, as the food was a lot. Great atmosphere. the staff is friendly and accommodating. Will definitely be going back. Parking situation is...difficult, as there are not many spaces available if they are busy. You can walk a bit if you park further. read more

The food and service were excellent. It is always packed to the max, however you ususally don't have to wait for long.

Some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. The staff was amazing and super kind. The restaurant was very busy, but they took the time to make sure we had everything we needed and that our cups never went empty. They also have really affordable beer and the best queso I've ever had. People say that there's more authentic Mexican food, but I haven't found it. Also, this place has been around for over 90 years, so you can't argue how good it is and how they've been able to stick around for that long. read more

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I loved reading about the origin of this place, very meaningful. The chips + dips were great, ask for a refill and they'll bring warm chips, SO good! Got the steak burrito, amazing. Queso was delicious. Shrimp tacos were just okay. Portion wise was fantastic, they came in 3s and that's the best portion. However didn't feel like it tasted any different from other tacos I've had. Overall, food was decent. I didn't like the service where he charged me for soda water and refilled with regular water. He also charged for the queso to burrito without letting us know it's an extra charge. It'd be nice to know upfront what will be extra charges. We'd still come back again when in the area! Btw there is a wait at 4:30pm... waited about 25 mins. read more

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Food and service was top tier. Everyone was very kind and the restaurant was very clean. I was traveling out of town from Florida and had this location recommended by several people. Now I will be the one recommending for anyone visiting or living in El Paso. read more

L & J Cafe - Steak Ranchero - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Really good food!! Outstanding service!! There is a wait on the weekends but worth it! Parking is plentiful on the street but it can be far though! read more

L & J Cafe - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This place has been in a lot of magazines. Southern living twice. I guess the south west is southern but it has a lot more in common with Santa Fe over Charlotte. You'd never know it was there other than the small sign tucked on a residential street. The server was quick and attentive. The food came out quickly. It was good. The drinks were $3.50 and the plate I got was $17. I got to try more than one thing so it was worth it for a first time. The chicken and chilies were out standing. The pampas soup was wonderful. I can't say I liked it all but that's personal taste. I recommend for lunch read more

L & J Cafe - Mexican combination - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I had a craving for Menudo since I've haven't had it in numerous years once my mom passed. This place was off the charts! Menudo was not greasy full of meat and delicious. Just like mom used to make! The place is fantastic. People are amazing. Definitely coming back to this place. Just like being in mom's kitchen again. Fresh, delicious and very inviting. read more

My mom dropped by for an event this week. We started off with am EP classic. She stuck with her chicken mole, but Liz and I had their green chile chicken enchilada. I wish there rice was a bit fresher, it seemed overdone. The refried beans were good, and the chicken enchiladas were very good. The amount of chile and cheese atop the enchiladas were healthy. I also ordered a small menudo cup for a starter. It was full of hominy and chitlins...it's just today that they put a lot into their menudo. The broth was warm, and could have been piping hot. Alyssa was a very nice server. If we needed something we got it. She and her team got our food out to us quickly. The manager came out to check that everything was okay...it wasn't needed, but was very much appreciated. Staple in EP, it's consistent, and the food is pretty good too. They have so papillas, so it'll be good to come back for those next time. read more

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very quaint atmosphere /setting. delicious meal 3 types of salsa with warm fresh chips and a really delicious watermelon margarita. that i followed up with the most delicious chicken mole ive had in a very long time will definitely return on a future v isit read more

This is a little hole in the wall that's very surprising when you walk in. Parking is not good so be prepared to walk. Chips and salsa were good, but the guacamole was great! They don't offer liquor so the margs are wine based. Not bad, but not margs. The food was good, but not anything I would go out of my way for. read more

This place was great! My wife had a chile relleno plate and I had the combination. We are from El Paso but currently live in San Antonio. This was the Mexican food fix we despise needed. We sat at the bar and the service was amazing! read more

L & J Cafe - Combination Plate - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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what great food, service, ambience right next to the old cemetery. We could not have had better service, as always. This is ourago-To place for El Paso Mexican food. read more

Heard great things so when we visited for the Sun Bowl we had to go! Did not disappoint so delicious and authentic read more

L & J Cafe - Chill con carne, red beef enchiladas with a fried egg and steak nachos w mango margaritas so so delicious most authentic Mexican food! - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant had good reviews so we decided to come here for dinner while in the area. They provide complimentary chips and salsas which is always nice; but the salsas weren't that good. I got the chicken mole enchiladas which came with rice and beans. Usually mole is more sweet than spicy, but this one was very spicy for me which ruined it for me. The service was a bit slow and it took a while to even get waters. The price was very reasonable though. read more

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I highly recommend getting the crispy Deshebrada Tacos filled with shredded brisket. service is always fast

They have good food, good service and a good atmosphere. The food is not TexMex. Authentic Mexican food from Mexico.

I was here once before, maybe 10-12 years ago, and I remembered it being very good. That may sound like a long time, but this place has been here for 90+ years, so it's really not that long at all. Well, my recollection served me well, the food, service, and ambience were all great. We had a variety of items, all were good. I actually ordered the Mexican Combination plate. The standout item for me was the chile verde. The taco and the enchilada were also very tasty, but that pork was the bomb! I love the memorabilia, old photos, and general decor that just adds to the charm of this old place. Prices are on point and portions are good sized. I plan to return, I would highly recommend a visit if you've never been there! read more

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To be honest, I have been nervous about leaving a review for this place, even almost two months after my April 2024 visit. It is the number one place for Mexican food in El Paso - and that alone says everything. The service, the food, the atmosphere - pure El Chuco (if you know, you know). The chips and salsa before the meal even begins? Perfection. Legendary Green Chile Con Queso - appropriately named. It is glorious. If you get enchiladas here - get them Christmas-style. Half red salsa and half green chile sauce - incredible. The flautas were also on point. All of it. Even sopapillas, which I normally don't order - stupendous. We have rarely had service or food this good in such a casual, unique setting. Thank you, L&J Cafe, for your many years of service to El Paso. read more

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Wow what a gem! Came to this place while passing though El Paso and it was so delicious. Starting from the super authentic chips and dip the meal only went up. I got the fajita salad and it was so delicious. The tortilla bowl was too oily in my opinion but the veggies were well made and seasoned. It was super filling too. read more

L & J Cafe - caldillo - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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The food is so delicious starting with the green, red, and green chili (that makes you sweat in the best way) salsas and home cooked tortilla chips. My Mexican combination plate is the reason I keep returning here. It never disappoints and I look forward to it whenever I travel to El Paso. The service is great and everyone is so nice. The atmosphere is relaxing and the music is entertaining. read more

L & J Cafe - Mexican Combination plate! A plate of Happiness is what it really is! - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Friday late lunch, the place was humming. We were promptly seated. We ordered 2 orders of red chicken enchiladas. Shredded chicken on top of cheese stuffed enchiladas covered with red sauce. It's nectar of the gods. The rice was good and refried beans was as expected. The service was friendly and efficient. I know understand why it is one of ElPaso's legendary restaurants. read more

My cousin and I were searching for quality local eats at an affordable price point and he came across L & J Cafe. At any Mexican restaurant my go-to is a wet burrito, but the specialty was so clearly the chile verde here that it was not hard to stray from the usual plan. I needed to get to the airport after the meal so we planned on placing a takeout order. We were about to submit an order on their website but received an error message upon checkout. We then gave them a call, found out the online ordering was down, but managed to place our order easily enough over the phone. We were quoted a wait time of half an hour but I'm certain that we arrived closer to the 20 minute mark. Checked in at the front desk, paid, and were handed our order neatly bagged up immediately. We decided to drive a bit closer to the airport just to be safe before opening the bag and chowing down. I've been a fan of potato taquitos since having them for the first time during happy hour at a Mexican restaurant in San Diego, so I was very excited to see them on the menu here. I'm not a vegetarian whatsoever but I'd quickly order these again. The shells were perfectly crispy, not greasy at all, and the potato filling was soft and warm. I love the balance that comes with consuming them covered in lettuce and tomato, plus the cheese, sour cream, and guacamole just took it to the next level. Normally you wouldn't think of taquitos as healthy, but after eating two of these I certainly didn't feel heavy. My cousin got the chile verde con carne plate. The rice, beans, and chile verde soup came neatly packed in separate containers. I had a taste of the chile verde and thought it was delicious, he'd eaten the whole container in the short time that we had so I have no qualms recommending this menu item. I had to leave two taquitos behind to catch my flight, but they definitely didn't go to waste since my cousin reported enjoying them later. I'm glad we decided to order from this spot instead of eating at Cracker Barrel! read more

Chicken tacos were amazing, so good I had to take the last taco home! 10/10. Amazing customer service and so many dishes to come back and try read more

We always look forward to eating here when we visit El Paso. Always amazing food and friendly staff. Usually a wait to get in but worth it. read more

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