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    Tacos La Bala

    3.4 (69 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 7:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Tacos La Bala Photos

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    TACOS LA BALA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Very loud
    Good for kids

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    Horrible experience. El menudo has no taste at all. Taco d tripa is so old and bad I left it all. I only ate the breakfast taco I ordered.

    The food is horribe. I ordered a menudo, un taco de tripa y uno de huevo con jamón. The menudo has no flavor taste like water. The taco the tripa is looks terrible. The ambiance overall looks sad and not clean. Really bad experience.

    Better looking than Bala Swann.
    Fox E.

    I wish I was a Mexican Scholar, Studying La Bala, I wish my favourite waitress was working, I would call her I'd spend my rent money on tacos and gorditas And live in Squalor. I wish I had a couple more dollars, I'd spend them at La Bala, I wish I dated girls that eat here, I would holler, I wish I had a fight every night with a guy from La Bala (I'm a brawler) I wish I owned a sea-bound trawler I'd catch fish for La Bala I wish I had a fisherman's wife back home, I would call her Cause then I'd be bluecollar Like a window installer Or a graffiti scrawler (The guys who paint on the wall... er...) Anyway, I'm not trying to be a troller Or a Yelp-review mauler I just think that all-er Y'all should stroll-er Down to La Bala Eat a bunch of tortas and gorditas and remember when your tummy was smaller. WHAT. Houston's best Mexican food. Right here. Right now. Real f**king cheap. If the waitresses had night jobs as dominatrices then it'd be Tacos La Ballbuster. If Lebron James bought this place, it'd be Tacos La Baller. If it was the setting for an offbeat Australian 90s movie, it'd be Tacos La Strictly Ballroom. And if I go into the place to rob it, but instead of taking money, I just take all their food... then I'll probably wear a Tacos La Balaclava. If you only eat one item from one Mexican restaurant in your life, eat the Cochinita Pibil Torta from this location of Tacos La Bala. It really is that good. Not only the best Torta I've ever had, but also quite possibly the best sandwich of any kind I've ever had. You must also try the tacos here, try a Gordita with Deshebrada, and you must order the heavenly Charro Beans too. What to get: Torta de Cochinita Pibil - anything de Cochinita Pibil - anything de Deshebrada - other good meats: Fajita is delicious - what else to get: any Gordita or Torta or Taco, especially with Coch P or Desh (desh desh desh says MC Mirella) - and always get Charro Beans, theirs are some of the best Avoid: we don't love their barbacoa as much, and I'm not into the legendary Torta De La Barda, authentic Tampico style but just not my thing. I'm a Mexican food fanatic (not Tex Mex, but Mex Mex) and my porn star wife is full blood Mexicana. We eat this lard-filled barrel-tummy-inducing cuisine far too regularly for our own good. So we know. This is the #1. This is real Mexican food, right out of coastal Tampico and steaming hot onto your plate, and not only the best Houston has to offer, but also the best I've ever had. So, whenever I'm in *any* Mexican place that *isn't* this place, I start rapping: I wish I was a little bit taller I wish this was La Bala I wish I knew a girl who worked there, I would call her I wish I had Pibil in a Taco with Salsa Cuz I'm a taco-truck crawler One of the best Gorditas I've ever had, and easily the best Torta I've ever had (the Cochinita Pibil). Cheap and deceptively stuffed despite it's small size, served on a Bolillo instead of a "Telera". As in an oval Mexican roll (absolute heaven). The Cochinita Pibil here is one of the tastiest meats I've ever had. The salsas (light green and red) combine to perfection. Both are very spice, the green is the queen, and the one to apply liberally. As I said, the star item and the reason I keep coming back is the utterly incredible Torta de Cochinita Pibil. It's only five or six dollars which is ridiculous considering it's the best one you'll ever eat. They use a little bolillos. Some of their other tortas come on Telera Bread, which is wonderful too, but not like that little luscious bolillo. Service is lovely and prices are insanely cheap. Every other restaurant is doubling or tripling in price, understandably so. Bala remains a dirt-cheap bargain and the best Mex food in Texas! Barbi Barbieri says: "Anything with pibil is delicious! The torta is super good! The charro beans are so tasty! I love this place so much, I could write them a Balad!" In conclusion: La Bala is simply the very best that there is. I've never had a better Mexican meal in my life. So if you really miss King Of Pop Michael JACKO And if you think that Trump was shady and WACKO And why is weed illegal but not TOBACCO? And why is everyone stoned in COLORADO? And why was Connery hot to Lorraine BRACCO? And why did the Ravens bench Joe FLACCO? And why dya need a shovel when I gave you a BACK HOE? And why live in a Maison when you could live in a CHATEAU? And why get Herbal Jelly when you can get ALOE? And why move to Belfast when you can live in GLASGOW? And why does Trinidad cling on to TOBAGO? And why does Buffalo Sauce taste better than TABASCO? And why the hell is Asda cheaper than TESCO? And why does foreskin not cast a FORESHADOW? And why'd you visit Warsaw but ignore KRAKOW? And why'd you call my porn goddess a CRACK HO? If you ever got with her, I'm sure she'd have a CRAP O Your gf has a lot of those, it's IPSO FACTO This rap has worn me out, I refuse to take a NAP DOE But if you're in Houston, get a LA BALA TACO WHAT

    Barbacoa taco

    Great barbacoa and trompo tacos! I like my tacos in flour so they were great, the corn tortillas were good too. Definitely recommend if you want some quick affordable tacos on the go, especially after shopping at HEB next door

    Don't let the other reviews fool you. I thought it was weird that it got 3.5 stars from yelp, but 4.4 from Google. Something must be off because this place is great! The staff was kind in taking my order, and the food came out hot and delicious. The prices ($1.40 per taco?!) are amazing to boot. The seating area is bare bones but it adds to the authenticity of the place. The only thing that could make it even better is if they had a self serve condiments bar. But even without it, it was great.

    Extremely rude disgusting human being!
    Manuel R.

    HORRIBLE SERVICE!!! My tortillas fell onto the floor and I requested fresh tortillas and the obese cashier was extremely RUDE and arrogant! Never coming here again!!

    Barbacoa tacos
    Gin Y.

    I've tried this spot twice for takeout. During this pandemic, they didn't allow dine in. They have plexiglass to protect employees and customers. The staff wore masks as well. My favorite here was their barbacoa tacos with onions, cilantro, and lime. I always opt for corn tortillas because I find them more fragrant. The barbacoa meat was moist and delicious as well. They have two different sauces that can go with their tacos: green or red. But, I always choose the green avocado sauce because it's creamy and spicy. The heat keeps building as you keep eating it. My family got their fajita tacos with flour tortillas. But, I found their meat more dry and tortillas not as fragrant. They enjoyed the spicy red sauce with their tacos. In addition, we did try their huge burrito. But, it had more fillers in them, like refried beans, veggies, and rice. In my opinion, I'd rather taste more meat. So, I'll just stick with their tacos. Overall, this is a great spot to get affordable and delicious tacos to go. Come and check them out.

    No in door dining, take away only.
    Thomas S.

    Probably the cheapest and tastiest Tex-Mex foods the Mrs and I had in Houston in several years. We had street tacos ( trompo & conchinita pibil ) at $1.45 each, trompo burrito at $4.25, and large shrimp soup at $7.99. Everything were seasoned well and all tasted great. Those prices were ridiculous low for Houston. This shack did not short changed us in proteins to cover the low prices. The interior had seen better days, but it was relatively clean in the dining room. No dine in, just take away for now. Employees were friendly and properly masked. We will return for sure.

    Beef fajita tostada
    Candice R.

    We kept seeing this place when going to HEB, and after checking reviews and posted pics, we decided to give it a try. It was pretty darn good and tastes authentic, no Tex-Mex. We're both full for the cheap!

    Tacos

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    6 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Great place, excellent food. Fresh like homemade. Ema was great helping me with the food order and amazing customer service

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    5 years ago

    Excellent service. The waters are natural and the food is made in a timely manner with great taste.

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    3 years ago

    la atención muy mala de parte quien te entraga la comida le pregunte que si era un taco o medio taco me contesto que así lo servian

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    Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe - Queso + Beef

    Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe

    3.9(895 reviews)
    13.0 miThe Heights
    $$

    When they say "everything is bigger in Texas," they weren't kidding. The size of the margarita was…read morebigger than my hand. If you want leftovers, this is your place to go. It was my first time trying out Tex mex style. It was so busy on a Saturday evening. The chips that were given to each table was incredibly warm and the sauces paired so well. I ordered the el manarco which is this giant piece of steak that was well charred, included this avacado and seafood grit sauce, rice + soup + gauconole/salsa. They gave me 4 giant house made tortillas which was also fresh and warm. This meal can be finished by two people. Definitely come here on an empty stomach and the portions are absolutely massive.

    Guys, you know I dont post a review unless a dish is a straight 10/10…read more The breakfast I just had warrants a 10/10 review at the Airline blvd location. I just had the Machacado con Huevo breakfast dish here and it was so incredibly good-So good! it was one of the best breakfasts Ive ever had. seriously.I will definitely be back for this breakfast. I recommend getting it with red and green sauce on the side and a side of tortillas ro make your own tacos with the eggs, salsa and refried beans. just wow! And that tamale needs its own menu. That tamale was amazing. I would get several orders of that soft white tamale by itself to go. And the service was a 10/10. They kept refilling my red and green sauce and kept checking up on me throughout. Ambience was great as always. Its a life changing dish. Thanks Teotihuacan for the great breakfast and great service! Yall deserve a well-earned review!

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    Maximo - Tostada

    Maximo

    4.6(173 reviews)
    7.8 miWest 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!

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    Maximo
    Maximo - Tres Leches

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    Dona Leti's - Mini fajita steak street tacos

    Dona Leti's

    4.0(674 reviews)
    9.9 miThe 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.

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    Bar

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    Candente - Museum District - Beans and rice

    Candente - Museum District

    4.1(641 reviews)
    10.5 miMuseum District, Montrose
    $$

    What better way to kick off a Texas trip than getting some highly-regarded tex-mex! Some coworkers…read morerecommended this spot to me so I had to try! It's in the Museum District/Montrose area, so pretty accessible and with plenty of parking. We got seated immediately, and there was a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating, the latter of which was great even on a humid day. The menu was pretty extensive with your Tex-Mex classics like fajitas and enchiladas, with a special for every day of the week. This time was a free upgrade to a large fajita, so I went with the chicken fajitas! It came out after about 20 minutes with all of the fixings and this very yummy buttery sauce. I haven't had too many fajitas, but I'm pretty confident this is a top spot!

    Ambiance: The restaurant is huge and there is tons of seating. The service was also decent. There…read moreis a wide selection of food on the menu as well. Queso: The queso was pretty good! I saw the social media videos of them using real blocked cheese. It was good if you like white cheese queso. There was some tomatoes in there and you can add any meat. The chips were also good they weren't too greasy. Chicken/beef fajitas: This is such a classic dish! The onions on there were really good and had a slight smoky flavor. The beef was good as well and it was cooked to like a medium rare. The chicken was okay it lacked depth.

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    Candente - Museum District
    Candente - Museum District - When in Rome

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    Tacos La Bala - mexican - Updated September 2026

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