El Tiempo Cantina

I love *this* El Tiempo! I come here frequently as its walking distance from my house. The food is good, hardy and quick. I come here often for breakfast on the weekends (which is the best), I love the breakfast taco. It’s $ 4.99 and huge!!!
I’m a big Texmex fan so his is perfect for me when I’m in the mood.

Our favorite Mexican restaurant in south Houston. Prices are fair and service and food is terrific. The first three times we we seated in same table with older waiter. This place is better than any in Austin!

The food was great
Had beef fajitas and jalapeño sausage family dinner
Loved the vibe too
Ita a beautiful lightning décor and q good place to dine in

Don’t come here if you want to split your checks. Everyone including the manager is confused with how this process works. Took us 30 minutes to leave and they actually came and asked us to come to the computer ourselves to split the check. No thanks.

Great service, the server was attentive and the tacos were great. I am not a huge fan of El Tiempo’s salsa, but other than that, I really enjoyed it.

Very attentive and fast service, great atmosphere. The salsas were delicious as was our margaritas. Very extensive menu and all the food at other tables looked great. We just had drinks and a small order of queso– yum! Would love to go back next time I’m in Houston.

Their pagers do not work and they do not tell you this when you take one. There’s a sticker of a number on the pager & also a digital number in the display, so you don’t know what your pager number is & you assume that it’s working since it blinks, like a normal pager does. As you wait, there is a faint speaker system announcing pager numbers that you can barely hear over the large crowd waiting on their tables. After an hour goes by, you check on your pager & come to find out that they called your pager number (the one on the sticker) but you didn’t hear it & you didn’t know you should be listening for it so you get skipped. Horrible! Cannot believe they operate like this on a Friday night!!! Will not be coming here again!

I don’t have a bad thing to say!
Food was amazing. Like others have said the portions are huge!
I got the beef brisket burrito.
Omg what a great choice!
Service was great. They were very crowded and the staff still made sure I was ok. Gentlemen looked like a manager walked over and made sure my meal and everything was ok.

I work in this area so the drive is very convenient. The service was great and our food came out in a reasonable amount of time. I had the lunch canon ball. It is an avocado stuffed with cheese, your choice of meat and fried. Mine had spicy shrimp and it was delicious. I also got the charro beans instead of refried which were okay. The only reason I give this place 4 stars is because they didn’t have horchata or melon drinks, and the tres leches was not very good. I’m not a picky eater but the tres leches didn’t have that creamy flavor to it.

Food and service is very good and fast! The salsa and chips are perfect! The only downside is the parking as they want you to valet. We park along the street and walk to the restaurant. The lighting in the restaurant is very dim so it’s hard to see what your actually eating.

Great place. The restaurant is a bit dark but I guess that’s what they want the atmosphere to be. I ordered a chicken breast lunch. It tastes really good and the portion is huge. Like this place!

Came here for a friend’s birthday and overall the experience was borderline meh and okay. We were there on a Thursday but the place was still packed. Not sure if they were understaffed or if it was just our waiter, but the overall experience was nothing to be desired. There were only three of us at the table but I had to ask for both a new small plate because it was dirty. I asked him at least three times for napkins because there was water on the table that was dripping on my leg, and the last time I asked I also had to ask for a new knife because I discovered that was dirty as well.
We placed our orders for margaritas and the fajita entrée. Drinks came out at a reasonable time, but our waiter must have forgotten about us because he came by a couple of times to see if we were ready to order. Umm, what?
Decent frozen margaritas, though they could have been a bit stronger. Fajita entrée is delicious and definitely able to be split between three petite ladies with no problems (we did ask for extra tortillas, though). Now — on to the big problem. My friend was enjoying her quail leg when she discovered it was raw. We immediately alerted our waiter about how undercooked it was and he tried to argue that it was pink from sauce. What?! We weren’t having it so he took it back to the kitchen, but not before picking the rest of the quail off the sizzling plate with his fingers. I was done with him and this location at that point.
I hear the location on Washington is much better.

I chose this place because it was close to one of my clients’ I was visiting. When I landed at Hobby and told my Über driver where we were headed, he was instantly jealous. What a good sign!
Once we got our food, Woah portion size! No matter what you ordered, it was enough to feed a small army. I had the chicken fajita quesadillas which were delicious. They have the melt in your mouth tortillas. However, they are known for their fajitas served with a butter sauce.
Plus, their margaritas were strong and amazing. I will be back!

Yummy! Grabbed dinner on a Sunday night with a friend while visiting Houston for the weekend. It was busy when we walked in about 7:30pm but it was a quick 5 minute wait, which was sooner than the 15 minute wait the hostess said it would be, so that was a nice surprise.
We ordered a ½ vegetarian fajita to share, which was a generous portion for the two of us. We didn’t finish but were full. We can had four fajita wraps. The vegetarian dish came with opinions, peppers, asparagus, zucchini, etc. very flavorful! It also came with a butter sauce but we didn’t use it — it was very salty — and the dish already had a lot of flavor. The flour tortillas was warm and soft. Came with side dish of beans, rice, sour cream, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese (the usual).
We also ordered an appetizer of cheese queso that can with hand made tortilla chips, which was thick and crunchy. The table also came with complimentary tortilla chips (the typical Tostitos-​type you can buy at a grocery store) and cilantro sauce and salsa.
I ordered a glass of sangria which was flavorful and fruity — wasn’t too strong. I had two was wasn’t too tipsy afterwards — but I read that the margs are strong so if you want a strong drink, then go with that I guess.
Service was quick and friendly. He was attentive and filled our glasses promptly.
Parking is free valet — pull up to the front doors and wait for a valet to take your keys and park for you. When leaving, show your ticket for the valet to retrieve your car.

I do not see why people like this place.
Everything we ordered had zero flavor.
Beef fajitas — dry and zero flavor.
Enchiladas — way to much chili powder in the sauce.
Charo beans — no salt or seasoning
The Huge crispy taco. Meat was COLD and again no seasoning.
Such a disappointment.

I don’t know what all the hype is about El Tiempo, as for me, it didn’t live up to my expectations.
I’ve had multiple friends tell me how great the food and drinks are and to be honest it all seemed mediocre. The drinks are not only overpriced but also weak and small as hell. All I tasted was margarita mix. 2 margaritas+tip= $ 20. Seriously, if you saw the size of these drinks you’d also think it’s not twenty-​dollars worth.
I had the grilled chicken breast entrée which was served over some veggies and rice. The chicken breast was actually a really good size however the lack of flavor killed it for me. It was all too bland. Now there is an option to add melted cheese for an $ 3 which I opted out of but it may have given it a little extra juice.
My boyfriend had the cheese enchiladas and he thought they were pretty damn good.
The environment is loud a.f. — looking for a quiet place? Keep looking. It is super busy.
The wait time we were quoted was approximately 35 – 40 minutes but we were actually seated in about 15 minutes.
The parking isn’t the greatest, for the most part their lot is for valet. Don’t want to do valet? Park on the dark creepy street next to the restaurant.
Overall the place was ‘meh’. I just wasn’t impressed with anything. I wouldn’t come back if it was my choice.

Had a one night layover in Houston and had no clue where to go to dinner. Went to the ginormous mall as we were told it was a must see when in Houston (come to find out later the rodeo was in town –_​-​). Once dinner time sneaked up on us, I resorted to my useful Unilocal account and searched top rated restaurants nearby. El Tiempo popped up, whats more Houstonian than Tex-​Mex? Probably the rodeo…
Ordered an Über and we were on our way to El Tiempo. Yes it is right next to a strip club, which makes it even better lol. Great dinner ambiance and excellent service. As soon as we walked in, we were in fiesta mode! Two shots and two beers? Yes, please. Ordered the standard fajitas and the beef was outstanding, top quality cut for just their standard beef. Delicious, everything was just mouth watering, over indulged.
Thank you El Tiempo for a great tiempo =)

There are definitely lots of Mexican places to choose from in Houston. This place is packed on a Saturday night! Luckily we had reservations for a table of 18! The service was good — considering food and drinks came out promptly. They refused to split our checks though, even into two, so paying the bill was frustrating and a pain. They split our bills before so I’m wondering if it’s the server.
The food — my ceviche was ok. Calamari and shrimp with loads of the other stuff. I wish there was more seafood. The presentation was great — if came with 4 pieces of toast, two sauces and 2 packs of saltines. Flavors were good, can’t say it’s the best ceviche I’ve had. The queso flameago they roll for you table side. Again, it was good but not spectacular. I’ve had better ones at other places.
Overall, this place is ok. I think I personally prefer La Tapatia for food though.

This place has the best fajitas you will ever eat! And yes, it is probably the most expensive Mexican restaurant you can encounter. I can’t speak for any of the other plates, but their fajitas are indeed amazing!
Recommendation: If you are getting the fajita, one is enough for two people!
If you are planning on spending a couple of hours with a large group of friends on a Sunday afternoon, this is a great place to be. Get a pitcher of mojitos, some queso (I’ve tried better), and order some beef tenderloin fajitas. Actually, I should warn you, don’t fill up on chips, save room for the actual food when it comes. The fajitas come in a cool grill, and the sirloin is cooked to perfection. Sweet, tender, and pink in the middle. The tortillas are soft and delicious. They also bring beans (however you want, black, refried, pinto), onion, tomatoes, and more to go along with the rest of the food.
SERVICE
Top notch service ⁵⁄₅
FOOD
Can only speak for the fajitas but ⁵⁄₅
PARKING
They have valet service.

This place rocks. We had a huuuuge party. All of my cousins, their spouses, and some friends. We were celebrating 3 birthdays, and we ordered lots of food. Many restaurants get overwhelmed by large parties, but they didn’t miss a beat. Our waiter was the man. Seriously.
We had a huge table on the patio that was completely covered with fajitas. I got a salad, which was delicious. Wish it would have had more meat, but oh well. The salsa was great. The fresh corn tortillas were to die for. They brought complimentary tres leches for our birthday girls, and it was so tasty (I ate more of it than the birthday girls did).
When it was all said and done, we split the check evenly, and our bill was way less than I expected. Super reasonable for the amount of food we ordered. When in Tex, we Mex. And this is where we will do it from now on.

I knew it was going downhill once I tried the chips and salsa. Did you know that that’s a HUGE indicator on whether or not the food will be good? El Tiempo Cantina was exceedingly praised and highly suggested from a former colleague of mine. He mentioned that the parrillada platter was not only an immaculate experience, but was about the best darn grilled food he had ever had.
Maybe he was used to grilled gym socks?
I mean where should I start? The chips tasted like Tostitos, the salsa had the flavor of crushed tomatoes with a hint of salt (AKA Flavorless) and the margs? How can you screw up a margarita? It costed $ 9 for a watered down glass of utter disappointment. I’m sure you can feel my frustration in this review. If Houston, Texas couldn’t do anything right, you would think they could do Tex-​Mex blindfolded. It’s unsettling!
The restaurant itself was nothing special – a typical Uncle Julio’s type joint. It’s truly beyond me that the ratings are so high.
The Parrilladas we ordered came with chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, quail, jalapeño sausage, baby back ribs, and a wonderful side of fajita garlic butter – all on some grilling metal device. The chicken, shrimp and steak were thoroughly enjoyable and the aroma made my mouth water – the synchronization of the meats along with the butter and house made tortillas could’ve easily gotten this place a 5 from me. If you don’t read anything in this review, read this: **PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THE PORK DISHES AT EL TIEMPO CANTINA.** You could honestly mistake it for cat food. And the quail? So disrespectful to my palette.
There was no in between at one of Houston’s favorite Tex-​Mex eateries. Some things were really good, and some things were really bad. If you plan on giving these people your business, I recommend sticking to the basics.

Wonderful, cool, dark restaurant that is expansive but also creates a sense of enclosed space that allows for good conversations. Chips and salsa were top-​notch, as was the brunch basket of sweet breads. Café de Olla was fine but not memorable, and the breakfast and lunch plates were huge! My eggs were a little watery but the tamales with sauce on top were very satisfying. Tortillas were pleasingly pliant and the rice and beans were solid too.
Private parking lot in the back makes this a strong spot for casual dining that will fill you up for most of the day. Next time, I want to see the patio and have a giant drink.

As an ex-​cia agent who loves margaritas I can definitely five star this place. The frozen margaritas are mind-​numbingly frozen. The fajitas are flaming hot. Heck, as an ex-​cia agent i can eat my fill of chips and salsa and margaritas; by the time the food comes, i’m full already.
Now, I understand why Texas is the fattest state in the US of A. I’m proud to be an American, born in the USA. Proud to be a texan, plumped up with such patriotic tex-​mex.

This was my first time to El Tiempo but my friend is a repeat customer. However, after today’s experience, she’s «done».
Valet Parking — I was duped into valet parking upon arrival because the gentleman immediately came out to greet me. Upon entering, I found out that valet parking is optional.
Atmosphere — We chose to eat on the patio to enjoy a little fresh air. It was nicely decorated with a Halloween flair. The fresh breeze was very enjoyable but the cigarette smoke that wafted in from a neighboring table was annoying. I didn’t know that smoking was still allowed in TX restaurants. Three parties asked to be moved to avoid inhaling second hand smoke.
Food — I ordered brisket nachos but received beef fajita nachos. I didn’t complain because the meat was delicious. However, my friend was VERY DISAPPOINTED with her meal. She ordered basic chicken flautas. They were bland and dry. Instead of being drizzled with sour cream sauce, it was dry. There was this mystery «goop» served on the side instead. She had to ask the waiter for a side of sour cream, queso and guacamole just to get it down!
Service — The waiter was just blah. He had no enthusiasm and did not regularly check on us. He didn’t even offer us another drink until the end of the meal. When eating out, I expect a waiter who is enthusiastic about work or at least working hard for their tip.
The one saving grace was the fact that the manager, Albert, arrived at our table within minutes of my friend using the texting table service. We were shocked at his response and generosity. He apologized for the service and quality of food. He then made us feel very appreciated by comping our meal which was completely unexpected. Thank you Albert for redeeming our experience.

Wonderful atmosphere, feels like your in a mexican dive bar, a lot of people, great for drinks and hanging out with friends, food is relatively inexpensive, filling steak fajitas, love their mexican rice and complimentary nachos, customer service is excellent, our server although didn’t speak much English always came up to check on us
Will come back again for drinks and food

Born and raised in Texas, I know my Tex-​mex and El Tiempo is my favorite tex-​mex in Houston/​of all time! I first heard of this place when the Dean of Undergrads at Rice said this was one of his favorite restaurants in Houston.
I’ve had the fajitas here before and they are one of a kind. The sizzling platter presentation is very fun and it’s crazy that they come with dipping butter! Tasty and worth a try.
However, what won me over and keeps me coming back is the Jumbo Lump Crab Enchilada. It is a splurge, but the portion of crab is HUGE. I always have leftovers and I’ve even shared a portion with a friend. It is beyond good and I’ve never had anything like this before. They say seafood doesn’t go well with cheese, but this dish makes me a believer of the contrary.
Come try this place out for the good atmosphere, free chips and salsa, strong drinks and a crab enchilada that will make you a regular.

Super du début a la fin !
Ingrédients de qualite, cuit parfaitement, cuisine savoureuse, genereuse, et ambiance dépaysante.
Première expérience tex mex réussite!