Houston is full of Mexican restaurants, although some are better than others. For a Mexican restaurant that claims to be the creator of the original fajita, The Orginal Ninfa’s on Navigation is, as their slogan goes, “where it all started.”

Traditional Food

You won’t find any Tex-Mex or new American cooking here; rather, Ninfa’s is all about keeping it traditional by providing dishes that are true to Mexico. Everything is made in house, meaning that the tortilla you’re chowing down on is about as authentic as a trip to a Mexican grandma’s kitchen would be. With plates featuring seafood, meat, tacos, salads, tamales, and more, Ninfa’s is sure to be a favorite. Another plus that everyone loves: guests of Ninfa’s are served chips with two kinds of salsa upon being seated. Yum.

Crowd Pleasers

Every restaurant has their specialties, but choosing a best dish at Ninfa’s is hard to do. The Queso Flameado is hard to beat as an appetizer, and features chorizo sausages within a yummy cheese casserole. If you loved enchiladas, the Enchiladas de Mole, with pulled chicken breast in poblano mole sauce with sour cream and avocado is absolutely amazing. Of course, as this restaurant specializes in fajitas, it’d be almost ridiculous to not try them. You can order beef, chicken, vegetarian, or combination fajitas and add extras including quail, chorizo, beef of chile relleno, or the famous bacon-wrapped shrimp Diablo. For those who are really feeling hungry, the fajita burger will leave you begging for more despite how full you’ll feel—it’s just that good.

Don’t Forget the Specials

If you’ve never been to this restaurant before, you might be tempted to just order something off of the menu as you would at any other restaurant in Houston. Don’t be too hasty, though; the specials at this restaurant are worth taking a second look at, and a seasoned Ninfa’s-goer knows that the specials often top menu items. While the specials are constantly changing, some previous specials have included Chile Pasilla Relleno, a Whole Red Snapper, and Tostadas de Atun (similar to a fish taco, but way better). There’s also a whole bunch of cocktails listed with the specials, and the Chelly Belly, a combination of tequila, St. Germaine, lime juice, honey, ginger, Serrano peppers, and orange soda is remarkable.

Mind-Blowing Brunch

Mexican meals are often associated with dinner or lunch, but did you ever consider having Mexican for brunch? At Ninfa’s, you can have huevos rancheros, tacos con huevos, fried quail, breakfast enchiladas, carnitas hash and eggs, and more ,every Saturday and Sunday from 10AM to 2PM. There’s also a very quaint outdoor patio, perfect for a late breakfast or early lunch.

Finishing it Off

If you want an extra little kick at the end of your meal, try the café con tequila. While the urge to drink coffee and tequila together may never have hit you before, after trying this little gem of a drink, you may never be able to return to black coffee again.