Little Diner

Food is a little expensive, but fantastic food! !! I love the gorditas! !! I go there as often as I can! !!! Great place. Canutillos little secret! !

I’ve been eating at little diner since I was a tiny kid. My family and I really love this place. The chile con queso is great and we always get gorditas and flautas. Honestly there have been times when the queso wasn’t hot at all and some of the meat is super greasy on occasion but more times than not it’s really a great place. Don’t forget to try the horchata.

Little Diner is the best Mexican restaurant in Texas. Maybe the world, I don’t know, I haven’t been everywhere, but definitely Texas.
These are opinions, take them for what they are. I do hope they will at least entice you to give this place a try.
I stop here every time I pass through El Paso on my trips from California to Texas. I have the option to fly, but More than once I’ve opted to drive just so I could go to Little Diner. It’s pretty well hidden in a residential neighborhood in Canutillo, though you’ll find many signs to guide you there.
Don’t expect anything too fancy. It’s a small place. Looks like it was built for fast food and has been expanded on a little bit. There are only a handful of tables in the dining room but I’ve never been without a place to sit.
They are famous for their gorditas and I recommend that you try them. There’s a 3 gordita plate that will allow you to try a variety of different meat and fillings inside them, or you can make them all the same if you have a feeling you’ll like one in particular. I love the red pork gorditas. You can tell everything is home made, crafted with love.
The beans and rice are world class so it’s pretty essential to the experience that you order a combo plate.
I consider myself a connoisseur of fine chips and salsas and in all my years, I’ve never encountered any more exquisite than those offered at Little Diner. You might as well tack on an order of guacamole and/​or queso because the diner has their dip game down to pure mathematical truth.
If after eating your meal you can still move properly and happen to have a little room in your gut to spare, you must end your experience proper with some flan. It’s some of he best I’ve had in a restaurant.
It takes a little effort to get to this place, but it’s more than worth it. I’m planning and saving up for my next trip now.

This place was a disappointment. Everybody would tell us how good it was but the food was tasteless, the tacos had no flavor and the Gorditas were just as bad. The avocado was not fresh and the yellow cheese was so salty, that it overtook the flavor of the rice and beans. And the salsa tasted like if it came from a can. Never coming back.

This place is pretty awesome! Authentic and a great taste! For my first time it was amazing and the service was tremendous! Definitely coming back and definitely recommend!

Stopped in via a strong recommendation to try the Gorditas. The were amazing, in fact the best I have had… I strongly recommend to anyone in the mood for a Hot and deicious Gordita !!!
The service was very friendly and good++++++

Mexican restaurants in the El Paso area are so common, but so few elevate themselves above the rest. Little Diner (which was once a subject on Jeopardy!) is one of the places that celebrities go to and that you hear much hooplah about. I have been multiple times with my family over the last decade. They are willing to take the 20+ minute road trip to get here, but I don’t think it’s worth the gas (for the car ;)). Some of their food is tasty. Their chile con queso is spicy and creamy, but I prefer the one at Casita Linda. The green enchiladas are they way I like them, especially with an egg on it. The gorditas are usually good, but as a non-​meat eater, I usually stick to the avocado or bean filled ones. My favorite thing to get, however, is an order of fries topped with cheese and the green enchilada sauce. MMMM. Like I said, I do enjoy it when I’m here, but it’s average Mexican. If I’m in the area, let’s do it, if not, I don’t feel like I’m missing out.

This is it. Mecca of Mexican food. A little difficult to find but worth the search. They are known for their gorditas… holy guacamole are they out of sight. The server told us the Corn used to make the shell is stone ground in their kitchen. The hot, crisp, shell is slightly orange from some chili added to the «masa» and has a great texture and flavor. We had some different ones stuffed with ground beef, chili Colorado, bean, and guacamole. All of them are insanely good. The chili Colorado by itself is amazing, slow roasted with red chili they say they get from local producers. The cashier told us that every corn and flour tortilla, tostada, and taco shell, is made from scratch and the flavor really comes through. The walls are covered with all kinds of awards, pictures of presidents and rock stars and Jeopardy questions… really? We ate there on a Thursday and THEN learned that the gorditas are only a $ 1 each on Mondays. We will be heading back, next Monday most likely.

I’m from California and was there for the 1^st time last weekend. I had the Gorditas which were by far the best. Doesn’t compare to anything I’ve tried here in So Cal. I just had to bring flour tortillas home 2 packages one for me other for a friend. .my friend never received her tortillas. My family ate them ALL! I would like to know if you can ship more my way? ILove Little Dinner El Paso.

The chile con queso is amazing, as are the tostadas. The chips are the best I’ve ever had, anywhere.

When people talk about how great the food is in El Paso, the Little Diner is often what they’re thinking about. A definite and well earned favorite among the locals. Now I know some people in El Paso look with snobbery upon the rest of Texas and their Tex-​Mex, but I like to think that the Little Diner is Tex-​Mex, and is really really good! They raise the level of Tex-​Mex by making some great Texas favorites, but only as an El Pasoan knows how.
The Little Diner serves up great chile con queso and their chili bowl is almost unparalleled in flavor with no beans in it. Shiner bock plastered proudly below the counter from which you order. UTEP signs proudly posted about the place, and wonderful pictures and paintings of the beautiful southwest, El Paso and Ciudad Juarez abound. Some people in El Paso have a sense of identity crisis, the people at the Little Diner do not have that problem.
They make the best gorditas, in the world. Whether you go chile colorado or ground beef, I’ve grown up on these masa pocketed things of wonder since I was a toddler. I can recall the first time I had a gordita from another restaurant, and just thought, «this isn’t right?» They prepare their own masa for making gorditas, enchiladas, tacos, tamales, this place is legit. Their chile rellenos by themselves or in a wonderful little burrito are delightful. They are famous for having some of the, if not just about the best red chile sauce ever for their enchiladas. Yes the enchiladas are a bit simple, but with that balance of cheese, tortilla, onions, and the sauce… who cares it’s amazing! The salsa is homemade and spicy as all get out, and the guacomole is velvety smooth, to go with your homemade tortilla chips.
The place is great. They have their off days, and we’ve gone and been and disappointed before, but if you want perfect consistency and safety in expectation go to pinche chili’s hombre. These guys have managed to keep quality up overall for decades.

Little Diner is my go to joint in El Paso! Their tacos and gorditas are second to none. Always great service in an authentic establishment tucked away from the rest of the city. Enjoy :)

Still, one of the best gorditas I have ever tasted. Size of gordita is about the size of a small cheese burger from Mc D’s.
My family has been going to this place for years, so it’s a treat when we decide to get a dozen to go!
It’s good, but they have some competition in El Paso for sure…

This place is really good and it’s just down the street from my patents house. First time here and what can I say «it’s delicious «I had the combination plate since it was my first time I wanted to try a little of everything. Good choice. Best Gorditas !! California has nothing on the little diner! And the sell tortillas so buy some :)

Best gorditas I’ve ever eaten. closed on Wednesdays.

This place was off the beaten path and my wife and kids were shocked when we drove up. After the first few bites they all looked at me and said OK we will just say this once! Great Find! Gorditas are a must and the Chile Con Queso. Amazing green chile in the Queso for TX. Since we know GC in NM ha ha; There Red chile rocks! Staff at the counter were you order was awesome and friendly. This is a must when you are in Canutillo Tx for Mexican food and it’s very mom and pop. #Canutillo #TX

I like exploring the smaller towns surrounding El Paso. And Canutillo is only minutes away from where I live, so I find myself there quite a bit. The Little Diner seems to be a local favorite so I knew I had to check it out.
The food is just simple homemade style Mexican food. Nothing out of the ordinary, but if you’re in the area craving Mexican, LD is a good place for a stop. I did find the menu a tad pricey, but if you knock of the rice and beans it takes your price down 2 or 3 bucks. I ate the tamales with the beans and rice… it was okay. My foodie partner for the night ordered the enchiladas which I thought was more like what would happen if an enchilada and chilaquiles had a baby. It was two corn tortillas smothered in red chile sauce with some cheese and raw onions on top. I like it, my foodie partner did not (I think that’s more of a personal preference kind of thing caused by having home cooked meals made a certain type of way). And the salsa was pretty hott.
The atmosphere was kind of lackluster, but totally mama-​y-​papi so it’s excusable. There really isn’t a wait staff, you order at the counter and someone brings it back… but no one comes back to fill up your glasses or anything. Now I’m seriously wondering if refills are even free… that’s worth checking into. The do have wi-​fi though! Points for being kind of technologically savvy LD.
All in all, I’d come back if I was in the nearby area and I’m definitely going to try the gorditas because that’s all anyone is raving about on here.

Growing up, this was the BEST place to get gorditas, enchiladas, etc. Little Diner was the weekly restaurant my family would visit.
Each time I have visited since I have moved out of state, I have been significantly disappointed. Initially, it was the steep raise in prices, but as of late, the quality and taste of food (especially the gorditas) has been mediocre at best. Now when I visit El Paso, Little Diner is no longer my restaurant of choice, as there are plenty of great Mexican restaurants in the area. My family and I miss the comfort and deliciousness of the old Little Diner!

Our Road Food book led us to Little Diner on our way through El Paso on our road trip. After walking into Little Diner and seeing celebrities pictures on the wall, I knew we in for something good.
I discovered that authentic gorditas are much like Venezuelan arepas rather than that crap that Taco Bell passes off as a Mexican-​like sandwich. Little Diner’s version of a gordita includes a pillowy masa «envelope» filled with your choice of protein. I think I prefer arepas, but I really appreciate experiencing a «real» gordita.
The flautas, for which the place is known, were amazing. We sampled the chicken and beef filled smothered with chile con queso. True Tex Mex flair with the ubiquitous queso.
This spot is off the beaten path from I-​10 but worth the trip.

The Little Diner is FOOD PILGRIMAGE GOOD!
I have been going to the little diner since the early 80’s and the food is still as delicious today as it was way back then. I don’t live in El Paso any more but I time my road trips through the area to coincide with meal time at Little Diner.
We travel a lot and eat out a lot. We go from the highest end restaurants to taco trucks so I know food. My favorite things at Little Diner are the beef tacos, gorditas and chile rellenos. For those three items you would be hard pressed to find any better ANYWHERE at any price — I know because I’ve tried.