Few topics spark stronger opinions in Houston than Mexican food. Everyone has a favorite neighborhood spot, a go-to order, and a restaurant they’ll defend to the very end. When DiningOut Houston posed the question on Facebook, more than 250 comments poured in, naming 55 restaurants across the city and its suburbs.
From legendary Tex-Mex institutions to family-owned neighborhood favorites, the responses proved one thing: in a city as passionate about Mexican food as Houston, everyone has a favorite—and they’re more than happy to defend it.
The biggest surprise? After all the votes were counted, it wasn’t one of Houston’s flashiest restaurants that came out on top. Los Tios Mexican Restaurant and Lopez Mexican Restaurant tied for first place with 14 mentions each, edging out longtime heavyweights El Tiempo Cantina and Original Ninfa’s on Navigation.
For many, Los Tios isn’t just a restaurant—it’s part of growing up in Houston. Nostalgia flowed through the comments, with longtime patrons reminiscing about generations of family dinners and signature dishes that have barely changed over the years…