This might be a shocker to some of you, but apparently Houston does not have the most authentic Mexican restaurants.
According to a report by Datafiniti, the Windy City has the most non-chain Mexican restaurants in America.
The report lists Chicago at No. 1 with 225 and Houston at No. 3 with 177.
Many of us were a little shocked with the numbers, questioning how Datafiniti came up with the statistic.
The site also reported Chicago having the most Mexican restaurants at 235. New York and Los Angeles followed with Houston at No. 4.
“This list is a bit disingenuous though, and I’ll explain why. As we said at the beginning, we are looking for the cities with the most Mexican food – when I hear that, I think of independently owned restaurants or smaller chains. This list above includes many fast food and fast casual chains that many taco/burrito enthusiasts would not consider authentic, for example, Taco Bell,” according to Dafiniti.
When you break it down to per capita though, there are a few Texas cities that make the list. That includes Humble at No. 1, Spring at No. 3 and McAllen at No. 17.
With all of this to take into consideration, we must brag about not only the variety of restaurants in and around the city, but the Mexican restaurants that are a must-visit:
Gringos
There are 10 Gringo’s locations in the Houston-area, so from Spring to Texas City, there’s a spot for everyone. The original is in Pearland and it opened in 1993. In addition to serving up delicious Tex-Mex, Gringo’s plays a huge role in the community by hosting fundraiser nights and making generous donations to our schools and organizations.
Lopez Mexican Restaurant
The Lopez family opened the restaurant in 1978, and the family has been serving up Tex-Mex favorites ever since.
Jimmy Changa’s
Jimmy Changa’s has four locations – Pasadena, League City, Katy and Pearland. All active military, veterans and first responders receive a 50 percent discount with ID every day! For everyone else, the Wild Tribe to receive discounts and special offers!
Chuy’s
Chuy’s is an Austin, Texas original that has since gone national. The owners had a vision of a fun and funky Tex-Mex restaurant that served authentic and fresh food in an atmosphere that appealed to everyone. Even though it’s a large chain, everything is always fresh and never frozen.
Teotihuacan
There are three Teotihuacan locations in the Houston area – one on Irvington, Airline, or West Bellfort. The restaurant on Irvington is the original location where the owners split their time amongst all the jobs that make a restaurant operate. Now the Teo family is over 100 people! Make sure to join the Teo Club to receive special discounts and offers!
Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation is where it all started. Mama Ninfa first stuffed chargrilled sliced beef into a handmade flour tortilla and launched the national fajita craze. Their flour tortillas cannot be beat!
The Don’key
The Don’Key doors opened in 1984 in Pasadena, and they’re famous for their Don’KeyRitas and fajitas. Sign up for their Don’Key emails and they’ll reward you on your birthday and anniversary.
Lupe Tortilla
Several viewers told us that Lupe Tortilla has the best beef fajitas around. If you haven’t tried them, there are more than a dozen local spots, so what are you waiting for?
Pappasitos
If you’re a Pappasito’s fan, make sure to join their email club for exclusive offers.
Monterey’s Little Mexico
There are Monterey’s Little Mexico locations all over town! They celebrate Cinco every month at Monterey’s. Use your Loyalty Card to get free food! You get one reward point for every dollar spent at Monterey’s. Earn $8 as a reward for every $100 spent.
