Los Tios Mexican Restaurant
| Address: | 9527 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063, USA |
| Phone: | +1 713-784-0380 |
| Site: | lostiosrestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 3.7 |
| Working: | 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
AL
Alain Harvey
Los Tios is a casual, old school Tex-Mex restaurant that is something of a Houston institution. This 47 year old restaurant is the kind of place where workers know your name and orders are done by memory, including Tex-Mex dishes served exactly as they were when the restaurant started four decades ago. I hadnt visited Los Tios since I was a child in the 1970s. The dishes really havent changed all that much. All of the old school Tex-Mex options are still on the menu. Gary Adair, who purchased the restaurant from its original owner Rosemary Garnett in 2000, took over Los Tios in 2000 and has since added a few locations. The updated menu is more of an enhancement of the original, adding fajitas, homemade tortillas, and premium margaritas. The food, ambiance and service remain pretty much the same since those days. Los Tios is perhaps best known for its pralines and queso puffs. The service is consistent, provided by employees who have remained with the restaurant throughout their entire careers. Los Tios offers what I think of as old folks Tex-Mex; bland and inoffensive, similar to what you would experience from a frozen dinner purchased at your local supermarket. Los Tios is definitely a place to take the kids or the grandparents. The food isnt stellar and youll find tamales, enchiladas and other items covered in chile gravy and the ample use of seasoned grayish ground beef filling tacos and other items just like they were in 70s. The clientele generally matches the food; regulars who have been coming to Los Tios for years and dont particularly like change or adventurous eating. Gray hair, golf shirts, cargo shorts and white tube socks paired with sandals or orthopedic shoes abound here. If youre a vegetarian Los Tios is assuredly not the best choice for you unless youre willing to accept dining options generally involving queso or salads made with iceberg lettuce; hold the seasoned ground beef please. Various combo meals have gone on and off the menu since my childhood, but these dishes are still available; the staff knows them all and knows how to ring them up much like a "Secret" Menu. The combination plates on the current official Los Tios menu ostensibly go up to No. 8, though years ago there were as many as 14. I understand that the regulars rebelled against the truncated menu and continued to order these off-the-menu combination plates, and Los Tios -- in humble deference to its patrons -- continued to serve them. But only if you asked. Today, the most popular "secret," request-only combination plates are the No. 14 and the No. 12 (nachos, puffy queso, cheese enchilada and Mexican rice). Clandestine cooking must taste better because I enjoyed the No. 14 so much that I plan to order the No. 12 next time. For me the puffy tacos, which have been on the menu since the original Beechnut location opened in 1970 are one of the most interesting menu options. Theyre not just a San Antonio thing either. For 35 years, one woman, Juanita García, has made them. Apparently not just anyone can do it. Juanita shared that It takes the most tender hand, "like holding a piece of lace." If youre seeking an advant-garde chef-centered restaurant offering an enlightened take on Tex-Mex Los Tios is definitely not the place for you. However, if youre of a nostalgic bent, seeking comfort food from your childhood or looking for a kid-friendly venue or one bland and inoffensive enough to please your older relatives give this Houston institution a visit.
DA
Dave Oakland
This place is terrible!!! Comeon, this is HOUSTON the TEX MEX capital of the world, save your self 1/2 the price and just go to Taco Cabana and the same exact (maybe even better) food. Seriously guys, this place is a notch above Taco Bell. We went there because everyone else was packed Friday night, and this place had no wait (the first bad sign). The waitress was terrible, the manager was a buffoon and spent all of his time bossing people around like a nervous Nellie, too bad he couldnt lift a finger to help out. Now about the food - everything was simply below average. My kids even hated the lemonaide! And they love everything. HOW can you screw up Lemmonaide? I ordered a beer, it was flat. The cheese enchiladas were decent, the chips were good, and so was the green sauce, but thats about it. The ambiance: it sucks. This place has not changed since 1975, and I think the only people eating there are the same people that have been coming here SINCE 1975. Skip this place - try Molinas, El Patio, El Tiempo, Pappacitos, or Escalantes.
AU
Audrey Ford
I came here tonight, 4/7/2017, for the first time hoping to get good Mexican or even Tex-mex. I was very disappointed. You already know when youre served cold salsa that its not going to be the best. Salsa should be warm! I ordered chicken enchiladas. They were a lot different than ones Ive had before. The chicken was in chunks, so you barely got any, and the sauce inside almost tasted like spaghetti sauce. I kinda liked it though. As soon as I bit into the rice I was disgusted. It had the oddest taste and it wasnt fully cooked, it was so hard! The charro beans had no taste..Well maybe like a watery bean juice taste. Gross. My daughters rice was the same. Her refried beans tasted like a can. The tea is basically water. The manage did comp the meal but I was super disappointed. I really wanted some good Mexican food. The service was pretty slow and inattentive...The crowd wasnt much either so there shouldnt be slow service. Anyways... I wouldnt come back. Not even for a free meal..
WH
whynot280
Wait staff was polite and very attentive. I was seated in front of a booth which consisted of two fat 70 year old women wearing no shoes with their legs crossed in the seat. It was awful and there was white and green stuff on their feet. I asked to be moved and the waiter did comply. At the different table, there were flies all over the chips and salsa, and my dinner. The enchiladas had the consistency of shoe leather and it was all bad. The manager was willing to comp for part of it which was fine. He brought me the bill. It was the bill for someone else who drank a crap load of drinks. He finally gave me the correct bill and paid for it all. I use to love this restaurant.
LA
Lara Allen
I love this place. Ive been coming here since childhood. Its not fancy (its super basic), but its solid Tex Mex. I dont think you can get a better cheese enchilada. Maybe its nostalgia, the margaritas (strong), or lack of pretense, but once in a while I crave this place and simply must go. Its a Houston institution.
SI
Sir Edward S
I will agree the Margaritas are amazing!! Service is great! I wouldnt call this a real Mexican food place. Prices are jacked up for what you pay for. Iv been here twice and the food just doesnt taste all to great, I guess it depends on what you get. The seating just seems like kind of a odd lay out.
RJ
RJ Thomas
Service was good but the atmosphere & food was not. I ordered a cheese enchilada plate. The enchilada were very rubbery and stale tasting, as were the chips. The atmosphere was outdated as well. There were stains in the 4 different booths that I saw. Everything needs to remodeled and updated.
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jasmine Rodriguez
Ordered for our office, and some of our orders were completely wrong! I ordered a beef fajita quesadilla. They sent me two rolled flour tacos with fajita, no cheese! Also cold, no sour cream. My coworker order a classic chicken taco salad and they gave her beef. Never again.
