Houstonians know nothing hits the spot better than a tasty Tex-Mex meal, which is why each weekend, local hotspot El Tiempo is packed to capacity with patrons devouring mouth-watering dishes and kicking back salty margaritas. With eight locations in the Houston area, this cantina-style restaurant serves as the perfect spot for large friend groups with its multiple locations and extensive menu. The 1308 Cantina in the heart of Montrose is well-known as the favorite for LGBT patrons.
The terracotta orange awning leads patrons past one of two patio locations featuring lush foliage and privacy from the Montrose traffic. Inside, the two long wooden bars are usually crowded with margarita lovers enjoying crispy tortilla chips and the infamous tomatillo salsa. Customers looking to enjoy sports playing on the big-screen TVs can order from elevated bar tables that seat around six. The dining area is bathed in orange décor with tables and a row of red banquettes.
The sound of waiters walking past with sizzling fajitas is like a delicious white noise in the dining room. Hot fajita beef, chicken and seafood on a bed of charred onions and peppers is a popular sharing dish. El Tiempo offers toppers of jalapeños, chorizo, and bacon for an added punch of flavor to the classic dish, as well as a side steel container of clarified butter that can be added for a bit of decadence. For those looking for something more breakfast like, El Tiempo serves up eggs every which way. Their classic huevos rancheros is a delicious fried egg smothered in red ranchera sauce with your choice of bacon, ham, pork sausage or jalapeno sausage.
In addition to the authentic taco, enchilada and chalupa lunch plates, a personal favorite is the Lunch Canonball: a breaded and fried avocado that’s stuffed with gooey cheese and choice of protein. Most importantly, El Tiempo’s full bar serves a range of premium tequilas, salty margaritas and pitchers of fruity sangria for those hot Houston days.
El Tiempo is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and a full brunch menu can be found on their website.
