This cozy spot serves up traditional Mexican delights like barbacoa and carnitas, paired with strong margaritas and a vibrant atmosphere—just be ready to wait!
"Garnished with a tamarindo straw, De Nada’s micheladas are easy to spot and in high demand. Served in its signature keepsake cups, these cocktails are rimmed in a house blend of smoked salt and ancho chile powder and are a great lower-ABV alternative to the restaurant’s cult-favorite margaritas (Bargoers can only order two per person). There is plenty of outdoor seating at this Govalle bar, but reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends. Takeout orders can be placed online." - Reese Oxner
"The margaritas at the Govalle restaurant are strong and well-crafted, which makes sense considering that booze expert Chris Bostick developed the menu. The menu features all the typical margs one expects, plus fruity frozen iterations. The place has a colorful cantina vibe, which makes it fun to be in, but takeout orders can be placed online if that’s your preference." - Kayleigh Hughes
"The first thing you’ll notice about the queso at De Nada is the heavy amount of black pepper in and on top of it. It’s almost overwhelming at first, but we find that after the first few bites, that pepperiness mixes in and becomes a welcome addition to a giant bowl of melted cheese. The chips here are some of the better ones we’ve come across—they’re just thick enough to hold up to a generous amount of cheese without feeling dense. At around $6, this is also one of the best values on this list. What we got: Chips with queso blanco and salsa verde" - nicolai mccrary
"De Nada’s margaritas come in at just over $10, and considering their potency and quality, it’s worth maxing out the restaurant’s “two per person” limit. Or you can pay a couple more dollars for a large and take home the pink souvenir cup to forever remember the mistakes and/or good choices you made that night. These aren’t the fanciest margaritas in town, but they’re the ones you crave when the sun comes out in full force. " - nicolai mccrary
"The simple menu at De Nada Cantina on East Cesar Chavez consists of about a dozen lunch and breakfast tacos, all served on housemade blue corn tortillas. And when the tacos are as tasty and reliable as De Nada’s, simple is very good. We like to get the fish taco here—it comes topped with pickled pineapples that provide a sweet and salty balance to the thick slabs of seared gulf fish—and round it out with a carnitas taco topped with salsa macha. This is also one of the better places in town to get crispy shell tacos outside of your favorite fast food “taqueria,” AKA Taco Bell. What To Get: Fish taco, carnitas taco" - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
