The EL Cantina Superior

Readable priced, swift service, and tasty food? Game on. Our group was greeted with warm chips and dip– smoky red salsa and mild green salsa. We added queso to the mix and were not disappointed. The queso was rich and cheesy– delish! I ordered a shrimp and crab enchilada a la carte… We had eaten lots of chips in advance:) the shrimp and crab were plump and juicy– so good! I was not a fan of the corn garnish but did enjoy the enchilada:) it was a gorgeous Houston night, the garage door was open, and El Cantina Superior was a great place to be! great service and charming ambiance as well as tasty dips– a great Tex Mex choice in Houston!

When it opened, I tried a few times and I was not impressed with the food or service. However in recent months they showed a lot of improvement. I ate there Saturday and thought, this is pretty good, why did it take so long? All for naught though as they appeared to close Monday for ‘reconcepting’.
Concepts are cool but quality food and service keep the doors open. Good luck.

Usually when I go, there is two of us and we don’t really have any issues.
I went last night for happy hour with a larger group. We saw our waiter every half hour, waited for drinks, and had to ask another waiter to grab ours so we could get our checks. When we got our checks, they were almost all wrong, and they didn’t give us the happy hour prices for any of them. He also added an extra drink and didn’t care about fixing any of it.
I had heard this place was going downhill, but hadn’t experienced it. We were very disappointed last night.

I’ve always had excellent food and service when I’ve come in. My favorite thing here is an appetizer, the Oaxaca Cheese with brisket — goodness why isn’t this just a meal by itself?!
The fancy pig tacos and fajitas are also pretty good.
My only disappointments with this place is that it is a little pricey for Mexican, well, not so much the food more like the margaritas are pricey, a nightly special would probably help (and no I don’t want a Corona in a bottle, please don’t make that your special, that’s just lame).
Also, the first time I came here we had a wonderful server (no clue what her name was) and she suggested a special margarita from the bar that wasn’t on the menu. It was kind of spicy, fruity and delicious (can you tell I had too many of them?). The next time I went back, of course it wasn’t on the menu and I had forgotten the name of it and the bartenders (we were sitting at the bar) had no idea what I was talking about.
Easy self-​parking with an attendant and really nice staff.

Everything we ordered was delicious, the Carnitas were smoked with orange peel which gave it a complex great flavor. Also one of the best bread pudding I have ever had!

Went there for the second time within 6 months. The first time I would have given 1 star. They improved so much that they deserve 5 stars all the way.
The prices are ok, very much aligned with any other mexican restaurant.
Besides this place is a great alternative to cucos half a mile away.
Keep up with the good work!!!

Great atmosphere and it’s in a great part of town, too! I like the garage doors opening up for wide open spaces and tons of fresh air. Large bar, and the chips and salsa you get beforehand is kinda fantastic. That Tomatillo sauce is the best: thick, spicy but not too hot.
I had the Smoked Carnitas, and everything from the pork to the tortillas were just about perfect. Such pork goodness with that fantastic Tomatillo sauce on the side!
Good selection of beers, friendly wait staff and a reasonable price, what’s not to like?

Easy parking — glad for the parking attendant. Lot was clean and it was easy to get into restaurant.
From the outside, I thought it would be a kind of a dive inside and I was so wrong! It’s clean and kinda eclectic with plenty of space for groups and fun.
This time I brought my toddler and there were several other families there eating too. They make it easy, and the kids didn’t bother the happy hour folks.
Salsas were great, spicy and fresh. We ate through the chips and appreciated that they were making fresh chips vs just pulling from a warmer.
I felt there were some similarities between the menu and the BRC/​liberty kitchen places… we found out they are connected somehow. Either way, it was great!
I got a carne asada — it was tender and yummy. The flavors were mild. It didn’t come with avocado/​guac which was a little disappointing. The beans and rice were on the foodie side — I appreciate that! Hubby got the «gorilla salad» which isn’t a salad at all. It’s a burrito topped with queso and a fried egg — all atop a pile of fries with some lettuce to decorate the plate.
Service was solid, the manager stopped by several times to check on us and the drinks were always filled. We’ll be back!

There was not a wait here on a Friday around 7:00 pm… Either it’s my lucky day or something is wrong with the place I’m about to dine at…
There was a nice outdoor patio overlooking the corner of studemont near BB’s café. There are small tables for date night or long picnic tables to hold groups.
We started off with the Queso which was a white queso with tomato and artichoke chunks in it which surprisingly didn’t bother me, the queso was very good– perfect consistency and ALMOST one of the best I’ve had. I consider queso it’s own food group. The salsa verde offered with the chips had a weird and tang and wasn’t as delicious as a green salsa you get at el tiempo.
I had a chicken quesadilla. I hate when quesadillas are completely dry and just huge meat squares between tortillas. these were NOT dry. Perfectly smothered inside was a melty delicious cheese mixture giving the quesadilla a much needed a creaminess.
Minus one star because at times the staff was clueless and you had to ask a few times for the same thing. Also the margaritas were victim to the ever growing trend of charging 9 $ for a house small well tequila margarita. Come on houston.

I waited a looooong time to try this place, and finally visited a few months back. I was blown away by the service and the menu. As a vegan, there aren’t many restaurants in Houston that have something other than a salad as an option, so I was super excited about the mushroom and tofu tacos. They were great, and I can’t tell you how grateful I was that they had something like that on their menu. Yeah, when you don’t eat meat, you eat a lot of vegetables, but salads get really boring really quickly when most restaurants don’t stray from the Cobb, Caesar, etc. route.
Last night I returned with some friends to find that they had removed the tacos from the menu, and the only options our waiter offered were a ½ lb of veggie fajitas for over $ 20, and a salad (which was riddled with different kinds of meat so I’m not sure what else would have been in it). I was SO bummed. Our waiter was kind enough to arrange for some tacos with portobello mushrooms, and he warned me that the rice and beans are cooked with pork/​chicken stock. He was super sweet and knowledgeable about it, which isn’t usually the experience that I have. The food came out with the rice and beans on the plate still, but the tacos were fine. Literally just 2 corn tortillas with mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and cilantro.
I know it’s my choice to not eat meat, that I don’t have to visit places like this, and I have no right to tell them what should be on their menu. It’s fine, I am just really disappointed. I was super excited that a new place within walking distance from my house was progressive enough to offer some really stellar options for people who don’t eat meat. I want to say I’ll go back, but what am I supposed to do? It sucks to go out to eat and have to negotiate with a waiter about an option that’s not on their menu. It’s a hassle for them, and kind of embarrassing for me.

I’ve eaten in quite a few of the Mexican food restaurants in town for years. El Cantina Superior stands in a class by itself. The food, service, and atmosphere are exceptional. My new favorite Tex-​Mex cantina! It’s right across Studewood from Fitzgerald’s
Open 11am-​11pm. Try it!

OK — think Chuy’s with fewer families (read «screaming kids») and higher prices…
This is a happening place and will succeed for awhile…
In thinking through my many local reviews — a «reset» is in order (in other words, I have been too generous with 4 stars). To be 4 or 5 stars should be great food and/​or great service and/​or neat space and/​or unique food and pricing in line with these factors.
This place has very good service and is a nice space (and in a happening neighborhood). BUT with the exception of one appetizer (nuevo laredo poutine at $ 12 — enough to serve 3 people and very good), food was nothing exceptional and overpriced (entrees are $ 11 — $ 30+, most in the teens). Refried beans are good. Three tacos, beans, and rice (JNB Dorado plate at $ 15) — what?
The 2 top margaritas at $ 12 and $ 14 — nothing special AND they overdid them with jalapenos causing the heat to overwhelm the mescal.
Not recommended unless you want to hang out and be cool (and overpay for OK food).

Nick P. was spot on with his review.
I came here originally during their ‘soft opening’ which was indeed soft. They didn’t have a bunch of product yet, the service was super spotty, and they really should have just held off on opening.
I decided to give it another chance on a beautiful houston weekend, and was not disappointed. **disclaimer– we only can for drinks and of course chips and salsa
Food: 4 (again, just chips and salsa, but they give you the green sauce without asking and it’s good! And the pickled veggies are AWESOME and spicy!)
Drinks: 4 (frozen margs are gooood)
Atmosphere: 4 (nice large patio!)
Service: 4
Price: 3.5 (maybe happy hour is good??)
I’m going to have to give it another chance for dinner now. Hasta luego…

I visited The El shortly after Liberty Kitchen stepped in.
The Service:
I received great service from the staff during the entire visit. When I tasted my food, I noticed the Big Belly Burrito was overwhelmingly salty. I brought my disatisfaction for my food to the server, who immediately stepped in to rectify the situatuation. Even the manager and chef apologized and took steps to ensure my experience was a great one. I was able to order another dish, which arrived to the table in a short period of time.
The Drinks:
I ordered a frozen margarita. After drinking two, I was starting to feel a buzz. I would say this is one of the best and strongest margaritas I have had in Houston. The mix was a great balance of sweet and sour and didn’t overwhelm the taste of the tequila. I would love to return to taste the other margarita variations on the menu.
The Food:
I ordered the Big Belly Burrito initially. The pork belly tasted great and well seasoned. However, the combination of the pork belly, smoked brisket, and cheese made the burrito tast overwhelmingly salty. I brought this to the attention of the server and the chef who both agreed and explained that the rub was still and work in progress. I receved exceptional service to correct the situation. I then ordered the Beef and Chile Con Carne Enchiladas. I found the sauce to be well seasoned and spiced. The meat was tender. I would put these enchilada at the top of my list. There was nothing special about the rice and beans, which didn’t taste better or worse than an other tex-​mex restaurant.
Overall, I was a satisfied customer. I would return again to try the other menu items or to drink a few margaritas with friends. The 4 stars is the average between a 3 for the food and a 5 for service. As the dishes are perfected, I am sure the food will taste very good.

I admire what The El has done over the last month or so. This place got off to a rocky start, to say the least. My early reviews were less than glowing. They stepped back and overhauled the menu with the help of the Liberty Kitchen group, and we gave it another shot last Friday for lunch. VERY interesting menu, featuring Tex Mex standards as well as burgers and a couple different chicken fried steak creations. You can see the Liberty Kitchen influence in some of the more creative menu offerings.
The Pros, excellent street tacos and big nasty burritos, great brisket queso, and ice cold Pacifico, made for a great lunch! The house made corn and flour tortillas were a home run!
Cons, the french fries served with the burrito were a bit much, it was starch overload. The chicken fajitas we under seasoned and a bit dry.
Overall, this is a most amazing come back! We will be back to work our way through that funky menu. Congrats guys, you are finally off and running!

First time since the Liberty Kitchen folks got involved. Amazing! Hostess greeted us and seated us right away. Our waiter, Giovani, was spot on!
Had the tortilla soup — rich, dark broth; brisket chile rellenos were righteous. The Bbq brisket was comparable to the Goode Company that I had a few days ago. Then, there was the fried chicken enchilada. Very cliched Liberty Kitchen, but excellent.
Heights people, don’t listen to the haters, this place is good! Oh yeah, and the house margaritas were perfect!

The spicy vegetables are SPICY! WOO! But hey, I’m not complaining! Their sauces are equally delicious, but not nearly as spicy as their vegetables.
We came here thanks to my brother– and sister-​in-​law. We all ordered different items, but I chose the Swami Tacos. Oh my goodness! Delicious! Lately I have been on a tofu and vegetable kick. No good reason other than I like the taste. When I saw these tacos on the menu I had to try them. I was not disappointed! My sister-​in-​law tried the fried chicken with ranch enchiladas and she seemed to enjoy them. I do not remember what my husband, brother-​in-​law, or my parents-​in law ordered but everyone stated their meal was yummy. Some of us ordered the house margaritas which were another fav! Not too much but not too little alcohol– that’s the way I like it.
The atmosphere reminds me of Chuy’s without all the nonsense on the walls. Management stopped by our table to ask us our opinions the establishment and food quality. I always like it when management does that; it shows they want to improve and are always striving to quality of service over quantity. I want to come back here again so I can taste more of their food!

Way to make me eat my words El Cantina. After supporting you in the beginning, when initial reviews were bad, and even after being called out as a Delicious Concepts hack. Subsequent visits have left me wanting more.
Slow service, cold food, and scatter brained bartenders. All with only a handful of people to take of. The menu has never been inventive, just your typical Americanized Mex fair. Tacos, Queso, Chimichanga’s…all standard and takes forever, and comes out cold. Often times out of items (which happens a lot with this group as a whole). Drinks are not what I remember, over priced, and the bartenders really had no idea how to make some.
They have already closed at least once, reopened, and now shortly will be under new managers. I think DC will still be the owners, but complete control going to the new managers. I might make another visit when that is up and running, but until then… this place just went downhill in a hurry.

THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS
I’ll make this as quick as possible since I probably won’t be back anyway. For the record, I eat a lot of Tex-​Mex so I have plenty to compare it to. The margarita was so-​so, as were the chips and salsa. The waitress was very friendly and helpful but the manager (or whatever he was) was not. The place was basically empty on a Thursday night so one would think he’d check up on the customers or at least smile. My meal was alright. I’d say the beef tamale and the frijoles a la charra were really good and that’s why I’m giving three stars instead of two. Overall, I was unimpressed and have no reason to return. ***** Just heard the management of Liberty Kitchen is coming to the rescue of this place. I think a name change may need to happen to clear the bad taste left in many mouths.

Great place! The staff was very attentive to our every need. Quick seating water, chips and salsa brought to the table along with quick drink order taken.
Good was delicious, the carnitas tacos were amazing. Authentic Mexican rice and tasty boracho beans — sizeable portions for the price.
Our waiter was excellent and manager came over to check on us too made us feel welcomed and that we mattered
Definitely a return visit soon