Best Mexican food in Houston? (West, Carbon: roaches, fish, road)

[huma281]

Went to Pappasitos once and was shocked at how poor the beef quality was in the fajitas. Never went back again. Anytime I crave fajitas/enchiladas, I go to Lopez. I also liked the food at Red Onion, but a google search tells me they're closed.

Also been to Hugo's once and had a horrible experience. Cold food, dirty waiter (clothes were dirty), a lot of flies in dining area (probably in kitchen too), over priced, small portions and food didn't even taste good.

[TexasTony]

Try Torchy's instead of taco bell.. much better

[txdemo]

Originally Posted by huma281

Went to Pappasitos once and was shocked at how poor the beef quality was in the fajitas. Never went back again. Anytime I crave fajitas/enchiladas, I go to Lopez. I also liked the food at Red Onion, but a google search tells me they're closed.

Also been to Hugo's once and had a horrible experience. Cold food, dirty waiter (clothes were dirty), a lot of flies in dining area (probably in kitchen too), over priced, small portions and food didn't even taste good.

Try Pappasito's again. Lopez is nowhere near the quality of food at Pappasito's.

[Mandres]

I think the food is really good at Pappasitos, but I hate going to the restaurant. It gets so loud in there that it's impossible to have a conversation, and ends up giving me a headache. The other Pappa's restaurants more or less all have the same issue. They just pack hundreds of people into the dining hall and it just ends up way too noisy to be enjoyable.

[curbur]

Originally Posted by Mandres

I think the food is really good at Pappasitos, but I hate going to the restaurant. It gets so loud in there that it's impossible to have a conversation, and ends up giving me a headache. The other Pappa's restaurants more or less all have the same issue. They just pack hundreds of people into the dining hall and it just ends up way too noisy to be enjoyable.

Well that and the fact I know damn well it hasn't been inflation that's caused their fajitas for two to go up by $20 in 10 years. I'd have to agree on the usual though, tacos tierra caliente or hwy 6 tacos for street tacos, tacos agogo, torchy's or fuzzy's for overpriced fusion tacos, irma's, Hugo's, el tiempo, pappasito's, or ninfa's on navigation for nicer sit down fare. If white people midwest Ortega taco night pack is your kinda thing, then Macayo's south of the woodlands on kuykendahl is awesome, and I mean that as no disrespect, sometimes I am more in the mood for that and it's better to get a restaurant quality version then make the pack myself.

[jaycich]

Papasitos and Lopez fajitas are pretty close.

[LocalPlanner]

We go to the Los Cucos "palacio" on Clay Rd and think it's fine, even pretty good if you order the right stuff, why the hate? Is that location better than the others? I realize that it grew out of their original location down Clay a little ways, which we also patronized.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, I've never gone wrong at El Tiempo. I do feel like the higher prices are justified given the higher quality of product and service.

I thought Pappasito's and Chuy's are OK but nothing special, certainly not worth the higher prices and longer waits.

We don't eat at Lupe Tortilla's because of the whole kids-run-amok thing, but the couple of times I've had their food catered it seemed OK.

My partner rages agains Sylvia's for being expensive and mediocre. I've still never eaten there though it's in my current neighborhood.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by huma281

Went to Pappasitos once and was shocked at how poor the beef quality was in the fajitas. Never went back again. Anytime I crave fajitas/enchiladas, I go to Lopez. I also liked the food at Red Onion, but a google search tells me they're closed.

Also been to Hugo's once and had a horrible experience. Cold food, dirty waiter (clothes were dirty), a lot of flies in dining area (probably in kitchen too), over priced, small portions and food didn't even taste good.

Remind me never to have dinner with you either! You have bad luck!!!!

Hugo's has always been extremely clean with good quality food. Its Mexican, not Tex-Mex, so the taste is a little different. And the prices are a little higher.

Pappasitos have really stringent quality controls. Usually the only critique of them is that it is a little bland for Tex-Mex.

[madrone2k]

Way back, I took a friend to Hugo's and he vowed never to return after seeing roaches in the dining room. I've also seen them crawling up the walls at Chuy's on Westheimer near Kirby.

I'm inclined to be philosophical about it, since it seems difficult to completely eradicate roaches in a climate like Houston's. Despite that, I think it is possible to eliminate them from being part of the customer experience.

However, I do take my friend's comments seriously. Does anyone here remember Ruby Red's, which served really good hamburgers at several locations in Houston and also in New Orlean's French Quarter? Well, my friend once worked as a cook at the one on Westheimer (now Sullivan's) and routinely saw rats and roaches. Sometimes the latter turned up cooked in the hamburger patties. How's that for gross?

[vwgto]

Originally Posted by Mandres

I think the food is really good at Pappasitos, but I hate going to the restaurant. It gets so loud in there that it's impossible to have a conversation, and ends up giving me a headache. The other Pappa's restaurants more or less all have the same issue. They just pack hundreds of people into the dining hall and it just ends up way too noisy to be enjoyable.

Never go with a group if you hope to have multiple conversations around the table.