Houston Restaurants - El Rey

El Rey is The King. Plain and simple. This little Mexican/Cuban Taqueria might have the best tacos I’ve ever had.

The truth is El Rey does what it sets out to do in almost perfect fashion: Provide tasty Mexican and Cuban cuisine in a fast, friendly environment, all the while keeping the prices in line with what one would expect from a fast-serve taqueria.

The food is delicious. From the tacos to the sandwiches to house-made green and red salsas that they generously load into the takeout bag, everything has simply been awesome.

Finding fault with El Rey is almost nit-picking, but if there is one thing that stands out it is the drive-thru. Customers order and pick up at the same window so service can get pretty backed up. Plus, there is only space for about three cars before the line curls out onto Shepherd drive, which can be a bit dangerous. And there is always a line. But, the food is worth the risk!

In it’s favor, the drive-thru is open until 3 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday which makes for a fantastic late night meal.

The restaurant inside is generally packed with customers who find it easier to come in than wait in the drive-thru line. This does causes a bit of congestion at the door. But, the counter-service is fast, friendly, efficient and accurate! So getting in and out is a breeze.

The dining room is very clean, but quite small so all of the traffic makes dining in a bit of a challenge. But, not impossible. And with the windows looking out on Washington Avenue gives diners plenty to watch, especially at night.

I definitely suggest you drop by El Rey if you haven’t been already. If you can, call ahead and pick up your order to get in and out faster. The fajita tacos and the steak sandwich are my favorites, but the entire menu is simply delicious.

I frequent the location on Shepherd at Washington, but there are three other Houston locations. Hours vary so check the website for details.