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    Molina's Cantina

    3.4 (246 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex
    Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    MOLINA'S CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Molina's Cantina

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    Shveta A.

    A great location. This is a go-to spot for taking family and friends for a nice dinner out! This restaurant is spacious and well-equipped for large dining parties. I enjoyed the private table we were given and the service is always great. The interior is well-decorated and with a bit of a darker lighting, which adds to the comfy mood. There are so many wonderful items to choose from, all flavorful and delicious! For seafood lovers, the Raulitos's shrimp special or the shrimp diablo are excellent options. MOLINA'S GRILLED QUAIL & SHRIMP COMBO, was a pleasant surprise. The quail meat was very tasty with a unique texture and flavor profile. I also love the enchiladas! The fillings, tortillas, sauce and cheese are well balanced. Whether you're feeling more adventurous or wanting something more known, Molina's has a great selection.

    Chips
    Brandon D.

    Went to Molina's Cantina for my friend's birthday lunch after class. I went to their second location in West U. They give complimentary chips and dip, including 3 different kinds of salsa and pickled carrots. My end of the table went through like 5 rounds of chips I got a grilled fish taco which included lettuce and grilled corn pico de gallo. I really liked the corn and the sauce it came with. The taco was also really big. It came in aluminum foil to keep it warm. The fish was grilled really well, but I felt like it was bland and lacking in flavor. The complimentary chips and dip make it worth it though

    Nancy Ames Special Nachos
    Kyla F.

    Okay actually loved this place! It's a no frills Mexican place, but the food is fresh and good, loved the salsa, good happy hour prices, and there was no wait! We had a great time here with some friends. I got 'Nancy's nachos' and they were really unique with the salsa, guac, and meat on each Individual chip, almost like mini tostadas. Really good! And the happy hour margs were 9.50, which I thought was good too! Great spot for casual Mexican food!

    Kacy M.

    It was my first time coming here and my cousin recommended the crispy tacos. The shell was very crispy and thick so it wouldn't break when eating, so that impressed me. The meat and veggies inside the taco were just ok (ground beef and an insane amount of shredded lettuce). The booth still had chip crumbs in it that I brushed aside. The chips were hard and not salty enough but the three salsa sections were good. The parking lot here is big but very cramped and busy. Houston has great Tex-Mex and Molina's was lackluster compared to others.

    Jose's dip
    Harry B.

    From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with not only a friendly staff and a great atmosphere but an aroma that will make you twice as hungry as you thought you were. I have been eating with this family restaurant for at least 55 years, it is the first restaurant I ever remember going to for the exception of their beans because I don't eat them, so I just don't know and can't judge them, everything else I've ever had was amazing but my go to is the William special which is a piece of Carne Asada on top of cheese enchiladas and of course Jose's dip which is their chili con queso with meat is always exceptional. I love coming here because I'm never disappointed, and even if there's a hiccup, it's always taken care of quickly. Houston has a lot of text mix and this happens to be one of my top three, keep an eye out for my reviews of other favorite Tex Mex

    Dinner with friends
    Helene S.

    Nice place to meet friends for an early Saturday night Tex-Mex dinner. Easy to get a booth without a reservation at 6 PM. The tortilla soup was full of chicken in a warm broth with tortilla chips. Add rice, pico and fresh avocado on the side. The chips are crisp and light. Both the green and red salsas were good. The chicken enchiladas covered with a spicy salsa verde sauce and a side of black beans were okay. The chicken fajitas were a hit. No room for dessert, but nice to end the meal with a pralines. Parking is so easy in the strip center parking lot. Dinner was $60 for 4.

    Nexican Hot Plate (one cheese enchilada, one tamale with chili con carne, rice, and beans)
    Cassandra M.

    I cannot wait to go back here! I am so glad a friend suggested it! They start you off with 2 or 3 kinds of salsa and some pickled carrots. I had the 'Mexican Hot Plate' (one cheese enchilada, one tamale with chili con carne, rice, and beans). Oh my gosh, so good! Everything was really good!

    Grilled Fish Tacos Lunch

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    20 days ago

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    17 days ago

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    16 days ago

    Molina's has so great Mexican food at a reasonable price. Also can eat outside plus free parking.

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

    Family owned, good service and tasty Tex-Mex selections. Best seating is in the back room where all the locals sit.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    I absolutely love this restaurant. Excellent food and fantastic margaritas and the wait staff is the absolute best

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    1 year ago

    Obsessed with their salsa variations and pickled veggies! Their tortilla soup and micheladas is my go to order everytime

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    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Barbacoa and Carnita Taco

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina

    4.2(296 reviews)
    4.3 mi•Midtown, Fourth Ward, Montrose
    •$$

    Food was great, drinks were so good, vibes were so chill and service was great, definitely…read morereturning for brunch!!

    Not my first time at Maderas. That's why I came back because it was excellent and my friends heard…read moreme rave about it and they suggested we come here. Arrived on Sunday evening around 7:30. Was sat immediately. Not my first time here so I knew the menu, my friends did not. So they needed time to see what drinks they wanted because they like cocktails and the menu is not small and they had to choose which ones they wanted because the options are good. When they decided, the cocktails straggled out. Two came out but the other two did not, They just sat at the bar as my friends sat with there with their drinks in front of them waiting on ours so we can toast to a wonderful day with a new member of the group. You would have thought the other staff would step in or at least the bartender would see that the waiter was in the weeds and needed help. That's when I knew we should have not come. The food was all lukw warm. The appetizer of queso was like warm with chunks of cheese floating around and some of the chips were fresh and others stale. A mixed bag you can say. My Flautas where luke warm, so was the side of beans and rice. My friends said their tacos were okay. My friend who got the Caesar Salad, there was no dressing on the salad not was there a side of dressing that came with it. We had to ask for it. I did not have the energy to try to keep wrangling the waiter. If you want to shut the kitchen down early because the day was long I get it. Let the customer know, I get it. I used to wait tables to but I would never give people luke warm food or luke service. The staff seems not to have one anothers back. I did not eat my food, I took my food home to reheat it so I could eat it at the proper temperature. My friend took his salad home because he had more Caesar dressing at home. Left a bad taste in my mouth and very disappointed. The service and food from the last time compared to this visit was night and day. Total miss. $200.00 thrown away. I paid because I could not let my friends waiste there money on someplace I raved about. Maderas is really a small cute spot. It's rare I have bad service when I go out to eat because I am not a difficult customer and I know I am not the only one they are serving. I will wait for good food and sit back and enjoy the atmosphere and my friends until it arrives. I would not put pressure on the staff or the kitchen. Also I will not arrive just before closing and make a resteraunt and it's staff stay open late because I am hungry. I rather come when the staff and the restaurant wants to recieve customers.

    Photos
    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Right side entry

    Right side entry

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Rice & Beans

    Rice & Beans

    Maderas - Kitchen & Cantina - Chicken Enchiladas

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    Chicken Enchiladas

    Maximo - Tostada

    Maximo

    4.6(174 reviews)
    0.8 mi•West University
    •$$$

    Maximo looks like someone invited the desert inside and poured it a drink. The room is colorful,…read morewarm, and genuinely inviting--pots of cactus, cowboy paintings, and Mexican art. At brunch, the papas bravas come as small cubes of fried potato with an airy crunch that gives way to a soft, pillowy center - the kind of deeply satisfying bite that makes conversation briefly irrelevant. Crisp prosciutto adds salt, aioli brings richness, and smoky chile sauce keeps it lively. They're served with cactus-handled toothpicks, which are almost offensively adorable. The chilaquiles divorciados are another hit. The chips are dressed with salsa rather than drowned beneath it, so each one arrives ready for the perfect bite. It's a small distinction, but an important one. Then there are the enfrijoladas: rolled quesadillas in fluffy tortillas, covered in creamy black bean sauce and plated with more care than bean and cheese might seem to warrant. The dish is fundamentally simple, but that's the point. Soft tortilla, savory beans, melted cheese, bright salsa. Familiar ingredients transformed into something deeply comforting--the culinary equivalent of curling up beneath a warm blanket on a cold morning, even if Houston rarely provides one. Dinner shifts into another gear. The crudos are sensational, especially the tuna tiradito - a rolling wave of flavor and texture. The tacos are excellent across the board, but the crispy maitake mushrooms are unmatched. The short ribs arrive juicy and tender on a mole negro that doesn't sit politely in the background. It lands dark, complex, and full of flavor. And then there's the masa cornbread, a masterpiece of unapologetic indulgence. Humble cornbread meets savory-sweet mole, smoky, earthy butter, and caviar. It sounds like too much. It isn't. Every element earns its place. The cocktails deserve their own warning. They're the kind that convince you to keep ordering the same drink all night. By the end, you may have forgotten what was in it. What you'll remember is that it was refreshing, perfectly balanced, and exactly what you needed. Maximo makes ambitious food feel generous rather than fussy. Come hungry.

    I came here to celebrate my friend's birthday, and I'm so happy I finally got to try this…read moreestablishment! I would definitely recommend making a reservation, as it can get pretty busy, especially during Saturday lunch. There is also plenty of parking available across the street. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful and felt so authentic to Mexican culture. Our server, Kylah, was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and so kind throughout our entire dining experience. Now onto the food; everything was absolutely delicious. The Avocado Mollete and Chilaquiles Divorciados were both packed with so much flavor. Every bite was amazing. I had heard that the pancakes were the star of the show, and they definitely lived up to the hype. I have never had pancakes this crispy before, and they were so good! Our server also brought out a birthday surprise, the Chocolate Cremoso, and it was delicious! It was such a sweet touch to the celebration. Honestly, everything my party ordered was so flavorful and delicious. We had such a great experience, and I genuinely cannot wait to come back!

    Photos
    Maximo
    Maximo - Tres Leches

    Tres Leches

    Maximo - Paloma Coconut Punch & a classic Margarita.

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    Paloma Coconut Punch & a classic Margarita.

    Dona Leti's - Mini fajita steak street tacos

    Dona Leti's

    4.0(679 reviews)
    5.1 mi•The Heights
    •$$

    Dona Leti's is truly one of Houston's absolute gems, and it will ALWAYS be my go-to! From the owner…read moreto every single member of the staff, the hospitality is unmatched. You are not simply served here--you are welcomed, appreciated, and treated like family. Three weeks ago, I was actually headed here wanting to celebrate, but life changed in an instant with the passing of my dad. Today, I finally made it back, and what a beautiful full-circle moment it was. One of the greatest gifts was being able to see Julio, the owner, celebrating his own special day. That made the experience even more meaningful. The food is consistently AMAZING, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the service goes above and beyond every single time. You can feel the love, pride, and genuine care that has been poured into this establishment. I love EVERYTHING about Dona Leti's--the food, the people, the energy, the hospitality, and the way they make every visit feel special. Five stars simply aren't enough. If you're looking for incredible food and an experience that feels like home, Dona Leti's is the place. Forever a customer and forever recommending this Houston favorite!

    I had an extremely disappointing experience here yesterday--unfortunately, we never even made it to…read moredinner. The experience started poorly with the valet attendants, whom we found to be rude, dismissive, and very unprofessional. It was such an unpleasant first impression that my wife and I mentioned it to the hostess when we went inside. Unfortunately, things did not improve. The hostess seemed completely unconcerned about our experience and simply informed us that the wait for a table was approximately two hours. While deciding whether our party should wait or go elsewhere, I went to the bar to order a drink. After ordering, the bartender told me that if I was only having a drink, I needed to move. Apparently, sitting at the bar required ordering a meal. At that point, we had experienced enough. Between the unpleasant valet experience, the indifferent response at the hostess stand, the two-hour wait, and then being told I couldn't sit at the bar simply to have a drink while we decided what to do, the overall message was clear: we did not feel welcome here. My wife, the rest of our party, and I decided to leave and have dinner elsewhere. A busy restaurant is understandable. A long wait is understandable. What is much harder to understand is making prospective customers feel unwelcome at nearly every point of contact. Needless to say, this was an exceptionally disappointing experience, and we will not be returning.

    Photos
    Dona Leti's - Bar

    Bar

    Dona Leti's - Street Taco

    Street Taco

    Dona Leti's - Passion fruit margarita with a shot of Grand Marnier.

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    Passion fruit margarita with a shot of Grand Marnier.

    Molina's Cantina - mexican - Updated September 2026

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