Where To Experience America’s Best Tex-Mex in El Paso
Many popular “Mexican” foods are actually Tex-Mex. Burritos, nachos, fajitas, enchiladas, chimichangas, and hard-shell tacos are some of the most common Tex-Mex foods. You can find this mouth-watering culinary hybrid all over the U.S. However, it is most popular in Texas, especially in the state’s westernmost city, El Paso. There are more than twenty restaurants that serve Tex-Mex in El Paso alone.
Tex-Mex cuisine is a unique blend of Mexican and Southwestern American food. The key difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine is the ingredient list. Mexican dishes often feature queso blanco and mole, a rich sauce. On the other hand, Tex-Mex food uses ingredients like beef instead of pork or chicken and wheat flour instead of corn. Other quintessential Tex-Mex ingredients include cheddar cheese, black beans, and canned vegetables.
Authentic Tex-Mex in El Paso Texas
El Chihuahuita’s Tacos Al Pastor
If you’re looking for welcoming Tex-Mex restaurants in El Paso with both a homey feel and out-of-this-world Tex-Mex food, then dine at El Chihuahuita’s Tacos. Open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., this Tex-Mex joint serves delicious tacos, awesome menudo, and a plethora of other scrumptious Tex-Mex goodies.
Address:
6200 Montana Avenue
El Paso, Texas 79925
L&J Café
L&J Café, a fourth-generation, family-owned restaurant continues its family tradition by serving some of El Paso’s best Tex-Mex dishes. This restaurant is so popular amongst locals and visitors that it was voted “El Paso’s Best Mexican Restaurant”.
Despite this accolade, L&J Café “has set the standard for home-cooked comfort food since the 1920s…[and]…always satisfies popular demand for delicious borderlands food.”
L&J Café is near many centrally located hotels in El Paso, including Holiday Inn Express El Paso-Central and Hotel Indigo: El Paso Downtown, two stylish hotels in downtown El Paso that blend Mexican and American cultures. Hotel Indigo’s contemporary design and architecture are perfect for relaxing or taking part in the lively downtown scene. Also, the Indigo’s fifth-floor outdoor pool rivals other popular scenic viewpoints in town.
Address:
3622 E Missouri Avenue
El Paso, Texas 79903
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Jalisco Café
With over 30 years of experience serving quality Tex-Mex in El Paso, Jalisco Café has “built up a customer loyalty that is matched by a few other restaurants in El Paso.”
Located in one of the city’s most historic areas, Jalisco Café gives off a nostalgic early 20th-century vibe. But don’t let the antiquated décor and ambiance fool you! Jalisco Café offers daily specials that keep loyal patrons coming back for more.
One of these dishes is the “Caldo de Res”. This Mexican beef soup, like most dishes served at Jalisco Café, is cooked according to the “El Paso style of Mexican food”. This means flavorful salsa with less garlic.
Address:
1029 E 7th Avenue
El Paso, Texas 79901
Forti’s Mexican Elder
For over 40 years, Forti’s Mexican Elder has served some of the most satisfying Tex-Mex in El Paso. Over the years, this long-established restaurant has expanded to three times its original size and staff. The original restaurant only had a sizeable dining room, kitchen, office, and restroom.
Owners David and Consuelo Forti have done more than a fabulous job at serving specialty dishes like huevos divorciados, rib-eye steak served with two eggs any style, and many other traditional Tex-Mex favorites.
Address:
321 Chelsea Street
El Paso, Texas 79905
So in short, if you’re visiting the westernmost city in Texas, dine at any of these restaurants for some of the most memorable Tex-Mex cuisine in the nation.
What’s YOUR favorite Tex-Mex dish?
Danielle Desir Corbett paid off $63,000 of student loan debt in 4 years, bought a house at 27, and has traveled to 27 countries, including her favorites, Iceland, China, and Bermuda. Go here to learn Danielle’s incredible story, from struggling financially and in debt to finding creative ways to earn more and live on her terms. Listen to The Thought Card Podcast, where Danielle shares how you can creatively travel more and build wealth regardless of your current financial situation. Reach out to Danielle by contacting: thethoughtcard (at) gmail (dot) com.
Visited all of them, and my favorite is undoubtedly L&J cafe. Their padded menu covers offers the best food.
Awesome to hear Stella!
From El Paso here. These places are actually pretty decent my personal favorite is L&J’s, it is noticeably Tex-Mex but leans more on the Mexican side. There’s a plethora of restaurants serving Mexican food in El Paso with each arguably having it’s own twist of authenticity. From my experiences you won’t find our versions of Tex-Mex/Mexican anywhere else. If you want to try more authentic Tex-Mex I suggest trying Chuy’s right off of I-10 (it’s a chain). But the 3 restaurants listed on here are testaments to El Paso’s versions
I’ll definitely have to check out Chuy’s and add it to the list. Thanks for the recommendation Aaron!
The food looks delish.. would love to try Mexican Tacos :) It’s lunch time here and I am super hungry reading your post.
Looks like El Paso is one of the top places for Tex-Mex in the US! Love the Insta images you’ve chosen. I had Tex-Mex recently in Woodstock, NY, mmm chimichanga :-)
Reading this post at 2.30 am is not fun! I’m starving now just looking at that photo of chili con carne, haha! How I wish there’s a Tex-Mex or Mexican restaurant nearby now! Which one is your most favourite, by the way?
I’ve never tried TexMex food before and super curious about how they taste. Loving the vibrant colours from the various ingredients they put. Your pictures are deliciously good!
I’m not familiar with TexMex kitchen but I love Mexican food as it’s served in Mexico and would definitively give it a try with one of the restaurants you mentioned should I ever make it to El Paso. On the photos, everything looks very delicious and makes me feel hungry.