El Real Tex-Mex Cafe

• Cuisine(s): Tex-Mex
  Hours: Sun 10am-10pm, Mon-Wed 11am-10pm, Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
  Price: $$
  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
• Attire: Casual
  Features: Kid Friendly, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Wifi Access
  Serving: Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
  Alcohol: Full bar
• Reservations: Not Accepted
  Parking: Lot Available, Valet

Description

This is your father's Tex-Mex, in the best possible way. El Real Tex-Mex Cafe is a satisfying return to form for a worthy genre: old-school Tex-Mex, in the style of Felix and other dearly departed restaurants from years past. It's a star-studded collaboration between the original Tex-Mex apologist (and former Houston Press food critic) Robb Walsh and celebrity chef Bryan Caswell, so the food could easily be over-hyped and under-delivering. But it isn't. Get a plate of chili con carne-smothered cheese enchiladas and you'll wonder where they've been all your life. Ditto the San Antonio-inspired puffy tacos with mesquite-smoked chicken and the refried beans made with pure, rendered lard. Yes, lard.