Tex-Mex In Dallas: Best Flavors & Must Try Dishes

Best Tex-Mex in Dallas: Tex-Mex, a delectable combination of Anglo and Mexican-Indian dishes established in the late 1800s by Mexican immigrants from northern Mexico, represents Texan good food. Even though the food has developed through time, the classic staples: chili, nachos, enchiladas, and fajitas often identify a true Tex-Mex cuisine.

Of course, no Mexican or Tex-Mex meal is complete without a margarita, particularly the frozen type, which was introduced in Dallas in 1974. And one of the greatest places to catch them is at E Bar Tex-Mex, particularly on Tuesdays when they’re only $3 all day.

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine, a family-owned mini-chain with 12 sites in the DFW region, also serves unique margaritas in addition to superb Tex-Mex, Mexican, and Salvadoran dishes.

If you’re looking for something a bit more sophisticated, go to Meso Maya, a lively cafe with sites in North Dallas and Downtown Dallas. With dishes like adobo-flavored brisket tacos and short rib chile rellenos, this restaurant takes Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine to a whole new level. And it’s certainly not simple to pick one out in a city filled with fantastic Mexican and Tex-Mex eateries, but Mia’s Tex-Mex has beaten the odds for almost thirty years by serving dependably great from-scratch food. When A-list stars visit the town, they make a beeline for this trendy hangout.

Are you feeling hungry yet? Then ensure that you check out our whole selection of Dallas’ top 10 Tex-Mex restaurants. Your sense of taste will appreciate it.

E BAR TEX-MEX

This nice and comfortable brick-lined cafe, hidden away off the beaten track between East Dallas and Uptown, has locals stuffing in at all hours, not only for the amazing cheap drinks on the deal every day (such as $3 hand-crafted margaritas on Tuesdays and $2 mimosas at Sunday brunch), but also for the fantastic snacks. Everything on the list is delicious, from the hot white queso topped with taco meat, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapenos to tacos, enchiladas, carne guisada (a Tex-Mex style beef stew), fried shrimp, and more. The star of the show, though, has to be Jorge’s tacos. These flavorful delights are made with ground beef, shredded chicken, brisket, or carnitas and offered on deliciously griddled corn tortillas. Chill off with margaritas, which are available in an assortment of varieties, from pure up on the rocks to frozen and swirled in flavors like mango and strawberry. Did you know they offer breakfast throughout the day and remain open until 2 a.m.?

Rated for Tex-Mex because E Bar is one of Dallas’ most active and popular Mexican restaurants.

MIA’S TEX-MEX

Mia’s may appear to be nothing more than a hole-in-the-wall, yet don’t be tricked, it’s one of the city’s most genuine and popular Tex-Mex places. As a result, you’ll have to struggle for a seat during eating meals, when they serve a variety of from-scratch dishes based on tried-and-true traditional foods. All of the basic Tex-Mex ingredients are present: Crispy Tacos? Check. Enchiladas with rice and beans. Everything from tostadas and tamales to quesadillas, chimichangas, flautas, and fajitas is on the menu. Their brisket tacos are iconic, as are their chile rellenos (served only on Tuesday nights) packed with meat, raisins, and almonds.

Good for Tex-Mex because Mia’s is so famous that national and international celebrities enjoy it.

MESO MAYA

This lively restaurant serves up modern variations on interior Mexican favorites like cochinita pibil, a traditional slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula that extends back to Ancient times. There are also Tex-Mex dishes like mole-bathed chicken enchiladas and a taco menu with adobo brisket offered on fresh white corn tortillas. Talking of tortillas, they’re all freshly prepared here by combining dried white maize, water, and lime powder, then resting overnight before being meticulously crushed into masa. A must-try is the queso dip with grilled poblano peppers, raw corn, and nopales (cactus). Budin Azteca, a Mexican version of lasagna with beef (or veggies) and cheese sandwiched between slices of tortillas, is also a house delicacy. It’s an excellent Mexican popular dish at its finest. And, to be honest, the avocado margaritas here are said to be the best in town (avocado puree, pineapple, lime juice, Cointreau, and Don Ramon tequila blanco). Please keep in mind that there are two places: Preston Forest Village and Downtown.

Meso Maya is suited for Tex-Mex because Meso Maya takes Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes to a whole different level.

LALO’S FINE MEXICAN CUISINE

Lalo’s may appear modest from the outside, tucked amid the depths of a generic shopping plaza on the Plano/Richardson border- but among its millions of loving admirers, this elegant eatery consistently ranks at the top of the list. And it’s easy to see why. Traditional Mexican foods like chicken mole and species (deep-fried corn tortillas stacked with brisket, beans, queso, and sour cream) are popular here, as are Tex-Mex favorites like quesadillas, tamales, enchiladas, and, of course, tacos stuffed with items ranging from succulent pork al pastor to sliced New York strip and fried battered onions. You can’t go wrong with the house-made chips, which come with free salsa and black bean dip.

Suggested Tex-Mex because This is the place for those looking for unique Mexican and Tex-Mex food in an attractive atmosphere.

PEPE’S & MITO’S MEXICAN CAFE

This lively, rural cafe is well-known for its delectable Mex-Tex favorites such as tacos al pastor, fajitas, and chicken mole enchiladas. Yet you’ll be missed out if you don’t sample the albondiga soup, a warm bowl of fragrant broth with tasty omelet-like patties of beef and veggies that had Guy Fieri slurping with joy. Guy also raved about the beef tacos nortenos, among other entrees covered in a wonderful chipotle wine sauce. When it comes to getting sauced, the margaritas here are really powerful. Take a couple to swish on the comfortable terrace; it’s a great way to spend the evening.

It is rated because Pepe’s and Mito’s serve the greatest Tex-Mex in Deep Ellum. And the margaritas are extremely powerful here.

EL RANCHITO

It’s goofy, noisy, and popular. So, don’t be amazed if there’s a queue out through the door, particularly during the weekend. The actual draw to this decades-old institution is the cuisine, not the wandering mariachi bands, Elvis impersonators (Wednesday nights), and colorful decoration (pinatas, wagon wheel chandeliers, and the works). El Ranchito is famous for its Northern Mexican or Norteno cuisine, which includes mollejas (beef sweetbreads), fried tripe, and its distinctive cabrito a la parrilla (grilled baby goat). If all of that sounds a little too bold for your taste buds, you may also tuck into a little pure Tex-Mex fare. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and nachos are all available. Desserts are very delicious, mainly the sopapillas. What isn’t to like about great food, big margaritas, and pleasant service?

El Ranchito is excellent for Tex-Mex because No trip to Dallas is full without authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex meals.

GLORIA’S LATIN CUISINE

At this beautiful eatery and bar, you’ll discover all from real Salvadoran fare to Mexican and Tex-Mex delicacies. It’s part of a renowned, family-owned mini-chain (fifteen in all, with twelve in the DFW area) that began in 1986 with the launch of Dallas’ first Salvadoran eatery. Like with the original, there is a concentrate on Salvadoran food, with specialties such as pupusas (lightly buttered tortillas packed with cheese and meat) and cooked plantains served with sour cream. But, the menu also includes tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas, as well as grilled quail, pork tenderloin, and even ribeye steak. Even good, the costs are reasonable, with most main dishes costing less than $15. Expect a selection of unique mojitos and margaritas, as well as wine, beer, and sangria. Don’t skip the sweets; Gloria’s tres leches cake is out of this world.

Suggested Tex-Mex because Gloria’s always has a party scene because of its reasonably priced Pan-Latin dishes and great margaritas.

BANDITO’S TEX-MEX CANTINA

Delicious Tex-Mex treats, pretty stable margaritas, and terrific drink specials keep this cheerful cafe lively with everyone from couples to students at all hours. As a result, there is virtually always a line to get in. But that hasn’t prevented its millions of followers from chowing down on top-notch fajita nachos, rib-eye tacos, and what a lot of people think are the tastiest “beefy, cheesy, and slightly greasy” enchiladas in the city. Oh, and the salmon diablo (grilled salmon with prawns, crab meat, and pica de gallo) is out of this world. Talking of the devil, the margaritas here are truly sinister, especially the “ethyl,” which is created with a strong combination of Sauza Silver tequila and sangria.

Bandito’s is rated for Tex-Mex because Supporters think Bandito’s has the greatest all-around Tex-Mex in town, and the margaritas are also very powerful.

MI COCINA-HIGHLAND PARK VILLAGE

This always lively cafe has been a Tex-Mex hotspot for over twenty years, attracting not only residents but also A-list stars. Angie Harmon, Conan O’Brien, and now even Kanye and Kim Kardashian have all visited here at some point. What’s the charm? Without a doubt, the restaurant serves an excellent array of tacos, nachos, fajitas, enchiladas, and the like. And there’s something to be said for its mind-blowing queso blanco and a never-ending amount of handmade salsa and chips. The main lure here, though, is the outstanding margaritas.

Rated for Tex-Mex because Mi Cocina is the place to go not only for great Tex-Mex but also for free events and strong cocktails.

DIGG’S TACO SHOP

This calm taqueria across the street from SMU serves tacos stuffed with anything from slow-cooked barbecue beef to grilled mahi mahi and fried habanero prawns. But the cuisine doesn’t end with tacos, Digg’s also serves some of the finest, most cheap Tex-Mex fare, including fully loaded nachos and burritos (even burritos in a bowl) to Tex-Mex style burgers and torta sandwiches stuffed with carnitas and wrapped in caramelized Mexican style bread. And where else might you get a frozen margarita on a stick? Do you favor a sugar rush over a tequila high? Then a stack of crispy doughnut holes with strawberry jam on the side will do the trick.

it’s excellent for Tex-Mex because Digg’s is one of the most fantastic locations in Dallas where you can get your taco fix.