Tia Maria's

For some reason, Tia Maria’s gets no love. Why is that? Located where Mangum, Dacoma, and US290 all converge, Tia Maria’s has been serving decent Tex Mex cuisine for at least 20 years. Force me to categorize even further, Tia Maria’s falls squarely in the category I refer to as “goopy Mexican.” Enchiladas smothered in cheese, Queso with pickled Jalapenos, Quesadillas stuffed with lots of cheese. Add to that cold beers and cement thick Margaritas and you have a template for classic, no fuss Tex Mex.

If this all sounds strangely familiar, you must be a Tony’s Mexican fan. Located just a few short miles from Tia Maria’s, Tony’s Mexican has the same blueprint: Add one part comfort food cheese enchiladas, one part stupid strong margaritas… boom, lines out the door and waits aplenty.

I’m not here to be a hater, but rather to provide perspective. There are many styles of Mexican and Tex Mex available in the Heights area. On Airline, Tampico and Connies serve fantastic Mexican seafood, while Teotihuacan excels at an amazing variety of Parillada dishes. Tony’s has built a loyal following on their cheese enchiladas alone.

Up the road at Tia Maria’s, the cheese enchiladas hold their own. Stuffed with an unsophisticated gooey cheese, smothered in chili gravy and topped with even more cheese, these are Houston’s answer to a cheez whiz covered Philly Steak and Cheese.

Second half of the Acapulco special: Cheese enchiladas, tamal, rice, and beans