Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen {The Original}

Usually, people focus on small complaints, but in my case, I want to highlight the excellent experience I had dining here. Everything was impeccable—the restaurant was spotlessly clean, the presentation and integrity of the dishes were flawless, the flavors were outstanding, and the service was exceptional. I felt truly welcomed and respected as a customer. Every detail mattered. I’ll definitely return because it was well worth it. My server, Luke, was prompt, professional, and courteous.

Dope, chilled, and laid-back. Drinks smack every single time, and the food never misses. The music? Always on point—it’s an entire vibe. Perfect for lunch, after work, or even a first date. It’s dope. Thank me later.

Overall the food was good, the server was attentive. This was our first visit the only negative I can say was the ribeye street tacos had a lot of grizzly steak I could barely chew. The pieces that were tough I fed to my dog. The sweet tea had an old taste. Everything else was on point. They have soft serve ice cream in the waiting area, that is a nice touch.

We always sit at the bar and Ata, Kat, and Luke take great care of us. Fun and friendly staff with great drinks and Mexican cuisine. The El Capitan platter is Amazing! Pico lime butter on it is out of this world! If you didn't know, you can order fajita steak the way you like it cooked, including Rare! Amazing place!

My wife and I enjoyed lunch here with our grandson and his girlfriend. I moved from Texas about a decade ago and used to eat here often. The quality of food is still great and service attentive.

Our waiter, Angie, was very attentive and ensured that she was always at the table just before we were going to request her help! The food, as always was exceptional. We are true fans of Gringo’s! They never disappoint. Only small request would be to turn down the music …. We struggle to carry on a conversation at our table.

I went today for lunch and the food was great. I have always loved gringos. This was my first time going to this Gringos and my waitress was amazing! Helen attended us so great and was checking up and making sure we were good. She is such a sweetheart and so thoughtful. I will definitely be returning for sure.

Always love the chips and salsa to start here. Followed by a giant bowl of queso. The beef fajitas are just as remembered, delicious. As someone who has grown up eating Gringo's Mexican Restaurant, you just can't go wrong.

Excellent customer service excellent food outstanding ambiance if you're looking for a server that remembers you, anticipates your every need, then you need to definitely ask for Graciela (Gracie) you won't be disappointed, Shell make you look for her-every time you come Because you won't settle for anything less than what she provides.

We went to Gringos for my sisters 16th birthday. We originally wanted to go to Tex Mex restaurant Lupe Tortillas, however the place was closed due to a power outage, and we've heard good things about Gringos so we figured we give it a try. We walked in and were seated immediately. The restaurant ambiance was really nice comforting and formal. We were seated at a booth and the table was pretty clean. Our waiter started us off with some drinks but we were ready to order. His name was Anthony and honestly he wasn't really nice and welcoming at first but he kept checking in and keeping our tables clean for the remainder of our dinner. After order maybe 10 minutes later our beef fajitas came. I was really surprised because we didn't get our drinks yet and the queso so we asked the guy who brought oir food out about it and he followed through quickly with the remainder of our order. Now to first start the queso was really cute but it really didn't taste that great. It just reminded me of the plain nacho cheese sauce you get at concessions at sporting events or such. Moving on the fajitas they actually weren't that bad. I was personally comparing them to Lupe's fajitas and these didn't taste as marinated but the meat was still pretty soft and flavorful. They cooked it to about medium well. I was a huge fan of the spanish rice and the refried beans were also ok but still good. I do wish they brought out sour cream with the fajitas. Also the pina colada was pretty good but I wouldn't get it again. Overall the food was ok and I wouldn't come back here unless a group really wanted to go, so in that case I wouldn't mind. But the food wasn't bad just mid. But shoutout to the quick and clean service.

Ordered dinner for two. The chip portion was very underwhelming. You would think for two entrees you would get a larger portion. At least we had some HEB chips already at home.

I had not been to this location in 10 years. Met a friend for lunch so she could see my African trip pictures. The food was as great as always. I decided to get something different. I ordered the POLLO MARISCO shrimp & crawfish tails, sautéed to order in creamy white wine sauce atop a grilled chicken breast, cucumber relish. It was totally delicious! Everything was excellent! Ten stars

Had a good time at Gringos! Living in Pearland, we're always looking for Mexican food. The only issue with some of the restaurants is limited vegetarian food. When we got to Gingos we were seated, on a 6:30pm weekday, it was shockingly packed. We were seated in this very small two seated booth with barely a walkway as there was a huge party with a high chair in the walkway. It was near the restrooms and kitchen! I ordered the frozen margarita with the mango and strawberry and it was huge! Huge and delicious! We then ordered, I got vegetarian enchiladas with the tomato sauce and it came out in a timely manner, however came with the white sauce which the waiter mentioned when he gave me my plate. I was fine with it since the sauce was vegetarian too. The enchiladas were good! Honestly nothing too special, just another Mexican restaurant. Service is average, foods average, etc. they probably do have more meat heavy options that may be better than veggie options.

One of the most reliable tex mex chains in Houston. It's our long standing tradition for us to go to the original location in Pearland and we have never had a subpar experience. Highly recommend their skirt steak fajitas ( or any dish with steak) which are marinated and super tender. We also recently tried their Al pastor rice bowl and excellent Southwestern eggroll apps. Service is always excellent despite it being super busy on weekends and nights. Don't let the name throw you off the food has tons of flavor and spices and it ain't just for gringos :)

Location is busy but we were seated right away after being asked for our preferred seating situation. Of note, a large and comfortable waiting area is available away from the entrance if you arrive at a time that there is a wait. When seated, you are provided chips & salsa (both green and red sauce). I've never been one for red sauce, but their green sauce is delicious with a creamy, avocado taste. While simple, the chips stand out, not too thick or thin, good crunch, and not over or under salted. Chips are also warm which is appreciated. We ordered both Chicken Enchiladas Suizas (a Gringo's Favorite, as indicated by an asterisk on their menu) and Bangin' Shrimp Tacos, which are a temporary featured item. Chicken Enchiladas Suizas: "Three shredded {all white meat} chicken enchiladas, a traditional suizas sauce, grated cheese, queso fresco & pickled red onions; cilantro lime rice & sliced avocado" We're not new to the Chicken Enchiladas Suizas - it's the first item we've tried of theirs back when it was a temporary featured item, only for it to be brought on as a permanent staple (and a Gringo's Favorite). We love this item so much that we haven't been able to explore the menu - it's too good not to get! Portion is generous - good thing it reheats well at home. Bangin' Shrimp Tacos: "Crispy shrimp tossed in a sweet chili sauce, pico de gallo, cabbage slaw, queso fresco & guajillo agave glaze" This temporary featured item caught our eye enough to order it in addition to our usual staple, and boy do we not regret it. Shrimp are large and generous with a good bite. Asian inspired sauce is the perfect level of sweet and spicy. Cabbage slaw adds to a nice crunch to the tacos. Let's just say we'll be ordering this again and we hope it transitions to a permanent menu item as the Chicken Enchiladas Suizas did. For the sides, we tried both the Boracho Beans and the Black Beans, both of which had great flavor, with the beans not being over cooked. Both entrées also come with a side of cilantro lime rice, which is flavorful and I appreciate the small effort made into forming it into a pyramid shape as opposed to a shapeless pile. After your meal, you can make your way to the free soft serve ice cream machine. Vanilla, chocolate, and vanilla & chocolate twist are all options. While we appreciate the variety of offerings, vanilla is the clear winner, with the chocolate flavor being too subdued. The soft serve ice cream was a bit icy, but that doesn't take away from this being a great (and free!) end to a meal. It's great that Gringo's explores offerings through their temporary featured items. Since we have enjoyed the temporary offerings so much, it's made us more curious to explore their permanent items and Gringo's Favorites during future visits. It'll be hard not to revisit both of today's items though!

I loved everything about this place. It was my first time at any Gringo's and they set the bar high for the other locations! The decor and ambiance were perfectly Tex-Mex. Our waiter, Lucius, was flawless! Just the right amount of attentive, knowledgeable and helpful with the menu items, and genuinely friendly. The food was all fantastic- and that green sauce is one of the best in the area! The portions were generous and prices were fair all around. 5 stars easily.

Helen is our server, she is prompt with everything, she refills our glasses without asking. This is the Pearland locatio. Great food!!

For fajitas it's tough to find a place that tops Gringos. I'm blessed to live so close to the original and still the best Gringos.

Luke #1 is such a cool guy give him a raise please great food great service best gringos ever

I stopped in today and ordered the fish tacos--absolutely amazing! What really made the experience even better was the service. I felt genuinely welcomed from the moment I walked in. My server Helen was fantastic--attentive, kind, and professional. I've actually known her since her days at Jimmy Changas, and it's great to see that her great energy and hospitality haven't changed. Always a pleasure to be served by someone who clearly loves what they do!

This was my first time coming to Gringo's. When I got there the place was packed. They said it would be about an hour wait. People are standing wall to wall waiting. I love Tex-Mex food, however, I wasn't impressed with the menu options and the list of items it offered. I tried the Pollo Con Queso, it was good and flavorful, however, it's not enough to make me come back for the food. This drink though.... Compliments to the bartender. The Whiskey 'Rita was strong and so good. I'll be back for a drink. Our waiter, I didn't catch the spelling of her name, Cidne (spell check), but she was so amazing. She was attentive and sweet. Thank you for making my first experience in Gringo's welcoming. If I come back, I would love for you to be my server. You were amazing.

Cidne is a gem with tons of patience, very gracious, patient and knowledge, I waited two hours on my family to arrive. She took care of me and my grandson until they arrived. She never missed a beat. Great attitude!

Reliably good food, good service, and good ambiance. I've dined here many times and have tried many things on the menu. I appreciate the consistently good quality. If you enjoy Gringo's, I recommend joining their loyalty rewards program, Tex-Mex Insider.

We went here as a family in National Margarita so naturally it was busy. Great energy and the chips were fantastic. I would go just for that. Highly recommend it. Loads of fun.

I've noted this before in a previous review, the thing I love about Gringos is their consistency. Tonight's visit was no exception. Food was hot, fresh, and served quickly. Jonathan our waiter was one of the best! Friendly but not fake and fun. Tonight was National Margarita night and the place was packed. I love our free cup!!!

Gringo's Mexican Kitchen has a Mexican heritage atmosphere, great food and wonderful staff. The menu prices aren't so bad, and for those who love alcohol (NOT me), Gringo's have plenty of margaritas to choose from. Personally, I'm glad that Gringo's doesn't play only Mexican music. They have a mixed playlist of current trending music artists. The location isn't bad and their restrooms are very clean. Like most Mexican restaurants, Gringo's serves free ice cream cones. I'd come here again with my family.

Delicious food. More than enough food for you to share. Great customer service and care. My family and I will definitely be back

My spouse and I ate at the new but original Gringos last week on Cinco de Mayo, Food was okay service was awful. I ordered the Pollo Marisco as usual but with no shrimp. Usually there is only a few crawfish tails, but this time the plate was saturated with them and no pickeled cucumber relish. The service was horrible and the waitress tried to tell us that there was a charge to add it to the plate. We were like WTF! It is on the menu that its supposed to be on there! They were blowing us away with the Hispanic music which sucks by the way. Tex-Mex is not Mexican its American. If you think it will sell for New York invented margaritas then by all means, but turn it down. The predominately European American crowd does not enjoy it! We ate at the Gringos by the Pearland mall on that very week on a Friday for a rehearsal dinner. Service at that location was better but not good. The beef and chicken enchiladas made everyone there sick. What has happened to Gringos brand?

Food was great and we were seated pretty quickly after arriving for lunch. Margaritas were great. I would highly recommend ordering the Pacifico shrimp platter.

It is most likely the last time we will eat Gringos. We normally eat there at least 3-4 times a month-yes, we like it that much, and we have a large family so it's not cheap-and we always order to go. In the past we have had very few issues; however, in the last 3 take home orders we've had extensive wait times (over 40 minutes after arrival time before our food came to us - and we had to get their attention twice that we were there to pick up), and after the long wait the order was wrong, another order had missing items and this last order we received chicken dishes when we ordered beef fajita. We have called in the past, on the rare occasion that there was an issue with the order, we'd get a free appetizer or something for the next visit, but all we really want is for our food to be what we ordered-especially since it's a 25 minute drive. So, we will be in search of a New Mexican restaurant. Adios Gringos.

I travel a lot and eat at hundreds of restaurants each year. This location is my top 3 for overall and all around BEST hands down! The service was 10 out of 10, environment 10 out of 10, food 10 out of 10... This is a restaurant that I will come back to every time. I'm in Houston without a doubt I cannot speak enough about the amazing staff. Their recommendations were spot on. The homemade tortillas were excellent overall one of the best restaurants I've ever been at.

Gringo's is always an excellent experience-- no matter the location. Atmosphere is fun (and clean). Service has always been personable. And the food is spot-on ... served hot and fresh. Most of my experience with Gringo's involves their catering, and it is among the best ever. Though the fajitas and all the accoutrements are quite popular (for good reason), I'm a sucker for the Snack Attack, which I first had the pleasure of sampling a few years ago at a work/professional development event, and numerous times since. It includes Southwest egg rolls, quesadillas, chicken taquitos and tamales that taste like they were made in abuela's kitchen! This is also the perfect option for an easy peasy party -- be it the Super Bowl, an Astro's World Series get-together, or a poolside happening with your friends. Gringo's might have numerous locations around Texas, but the CEO and founder is a native son of La Porte. (And he gives back to multiple communities!) Want to eat local and eat well? Eat at Gringo's. You're welcome!

Food: Appetizer - Queso was ok, definitely could have skipped. They were very generous with the portion size though! The green sauce with chips was pretty tasty, but the red salsa was quite watery and didn't have much flavor. Main - I got the Cabo Salad with steak and the margarita vinaigrette dressing. Absolutely recommend and would get again. The fajita was cooked perfectly and the vinaigrette had a solid tang that blended with the salad quite well. Service: Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and very sweet. She kept checking on us throughout the meal, but forgot to refill waters. We don't blame her too much though since we went right around the lunch rush on Saturday. As far as drinks go, I got a ranch water which was decent. My friend got the sunset (?) margarita on the rocks with a tajin rim and that was really tasty. Ambiance: The restaurant is quite large and decorated beautifully. One thing I loved was that even though the restaurant was full, I could still overhear my friends talking at our table and it wasn't echo-y. I can't stand going to places where it sounds like we're having a yelling match. For a Tex-Mex spot, Gringo's is solidly good. I will definitely be returning soon :)

Love this place to the fullest. My wife and I just don't like that when a bartender doesn't want to serve you. The bartender named Kaylie will not wait on us. She thinks that we don't like her. How can you think a customer don't like you if you don't want to wait on us. We are the type of customer that will give a tip even if you not waiting on us! She messed up on our ticket twice in one night before and told the manager about it. Ever since then, she will not wait on us for nothing. She waits in certain people that she wants to. I really do not want to tell my friends to stop going here because of her. She can not be a manager with that type of attitude!

Once again we had a great time at happy hour. Cadillac margarita with an extra shot of Grand Marnier for good measure to start the evening off right. The El Capitan never disappoints the bacon wrapped Shrimp was perfection!! I even enjoyed the beef fajita meat and I don't eat much beef.... I could make a meal from just the refried beans and rice mixed together and eaten like a dip with those great baked chips. My only complaint is the long walk to the bathrooms. Who ever thought it a good idea to not have bathrooms because the Bar... doesn't drink!!!

Service! I'd say a solid 4! The hostesses did not say hi. I to say hello first. So I thought my visit was going to be off but thanks to our waiter for making our first impression to nearly a faint memory. Food was okay, it's typically Tex Mex chain food. Not authentic but yummy! Enchiladas were yummy. Tortilla soup was okay. Rice was okay, refried beans actually tasty, and last but not least tamales just okay. We weren't offered any ice cream but did see it on the way out. People at the front didn't say thanks or see you soon. The energy at the front was missing. Overall the ambiance is great and would return. Have returned and overall the same experience. Second time came with a group of 9 and they had a table ready but never called or texted us, when I saw it sitting empty I went up and asked and sure enough it was ours. They sat us. I was confused by why I had to ask to be seated. Front host are always off but staff are fantastic! Definitely 3 stars still.

Oh Gringo's, not you too! There are very few chain restaurants that I will still visit from time to time.. Gringo's was one of them and has my favorite fish tacos. This place is always so packed and wanted to visit a friend for dinner in Pearland since she always comes and visits me in my neck of the woods. After an hour and 30 mins in traffic, i arrived, and we were placed on a wait for an hour on a Friday. Boy, people love this place! After waiting for some time,we finally got sat! Whoooo! I have to say one thing, and that is.. a cup of their tortilla soup is almost $10!!! Anyways.. back to my foodie story. Once we received our dishes, we looked down at the plates, and our jaws dropped. I guess it's been some time since I've been here, but we could easily see that the plate sizes were cut in half! Once beautiful, full, and tasty fish tacos, now.. small street taco with a scoop of Pico. RIP to my fish tacos. As a Texan.. I bowed my head for a moment of silence. Altogether, after driving across town to Gringos, my foodie heart was sad. I can't find myself paying the same amount (actually more now) and getting 2 street tacos.

Ordered curbside and my daughter saw someone else have ice cream The waitress who gave us our order heard my daughter asking about ice cream and went even back to go get her some 5 stars for customer service for sure! Update her name was Katelyn

what was happened??? my family is thoroughly disgusted with gringo's the attitude is atrocious biligerant condescending the girls at the front "snark" at the customers and then laugh about it - seriously, they should be fired the take out at the bar was always wrong and a "hell" of a lot less food with a take out that is just disgraceful the attitude at the bar is the same - we don't care, whatever and it is so obvious i guess boozing up the customers is more important oh, the to go menu is now limited?!?!?!?!? today i went to place a to go order and the girl snarked my head off "no more take out?" (again, she laughed about it with her co-worker) "you have to download the app to place your order" "you have to text from a numbered parking spot for the order" absolutely unacceptable how about gringo's management getting their act together and showing the customers some respect and common decency how about gringo's firing the current staff and hiring competent staff gringo's has lost a family of 4 and i'm positive we will not be the last customers to abandon gringo's gringo's food is good but it is not that good to put up with "bs" customers beware wish i could give zero stars my family has found a new awesome mexican restaurant. we are going to the "red river cantina" in league city with great atmosphere, excellent staff attitude & service, and superb food.

Been coming here ever since I was born, and this place never disappoints. Our party of 4 came on a Sunday night, and it didn't take long for us to get seated at all. Our waiter was attentive, and our food came relatively fast. As always, this restaurant is always thriving with chatter and is very loud, but that's just the experience of Gringo's. My sister and I split the Steak & Chicken Fajitas with flour tortillas and double Mexican rice, and it was tasty as always. Both the steak and chicken were seasoned nicely and had good flavor and were also cooked perfectly. Personally, I liked the steak better, but my sister liked the chicken better, so it was the perfect split. It came with 3 tortillas each, and it was more than enough food. I would definitely recommend the sizzling fajita platters any day, and the Amazon Wrap is another good option you can't go wrong with.

The beef nachos had tiny small hairs ALL over them. Called back to complain and it took 20 minutes for a manager to finally address us. Disgusting and unacceptable will never go back again.

This was my first visit to Gringo's Mexican kitchen. Since it was crowded on a Sunday night, and since I was dining solo, I decided to eat at the bar. Kudos to the bartender who was able to make several excellent recommendations. Pollo Marisco is an excellent dish which consists of two cut pieces of chicken breast smothered in their famous Marisco sauce which includes shrimp and crawfish pieces. Good stuff! Can't wait to come back because legend has it they also serve this sauce over beef! Soft serve ice cream on the way out! Sweet treats!

When I'm in the Houston area I always want to eat at a Tex-mex restaurant that has green sauce because we don't have it served in NTX. I chose Gringo's. Maybe it's me and my palate has changed from when I was a teenager or maybe their green sauce just isn't what it used to be but I wasn't impressed. They have great chips & salsa but I can get the same thing at plenty of places in NTX. I really wanted the green sauce experience & was so disappointed. They did redeem themselves w/their fish tacos however. They were very flavorful & filling. Rice & beans not so much . LOL . The main reason I'm giving them 4 stars is the staff. They went above & beyond. We had a pretty big party (my family) & the waitress totally kicked ass. She handled us like a rockstar & always made sure we were stocked & filled. Sunday at 12pm is not easy. So great job!!

We passed it all the time and the parking lot is always packed. Couldn't figure out why because the menu is the same as their sister restaurant. The only exception is Gringo's has happy hour. Our first impression of the interior was, "Wow, very dark, cold and dated." We opted for a booth in the bar area. That was a mistake because the booth was uncomfortable. You can feel the springs in the seat. The bar area was also very loud, not a lot cushions to absorb the noise. Besides those, the food, drink and service are good.

We had my daughter's graduation dinner here and I was impressed. Coming from out of town, I was nervous about the decorations and set up, but they allowed us to look at the room a day before, which we appreciated, and it was just what we needed. The party room was decorated perfectly, the food was good, and our hosts, Xavier and Bria were the BEST! They catered to our needs and were very welcoming. We had a great experience at Gringo's. If you're ever there, ask for Xavier or Bria!

Picked up curbside and ordered fajitas and they didn't put tortillas in my order. Really???? Too far to drive back so I called to let them know. Was promised a gift card in the mail, which I never received. Do your due diligence Gringos.

Excellent service, margaritas and Tex-mex at a price you can afford to take the whole family and free ice cream for dessert!

Another wonderful visit at the Original Gringo's in Pearland. Helen was our server and she nailed our requests. We'll be returning soon

I LOVE GRINGOS. It great fast Tex mex . Anytime I'm in Houston I have to make sure I stop in and get a free ice cream cone on the way out. If you haven't make sure you try their margaritas!!

Worst service ever, took too long to get order . And my order was wrong so I sent it back. No silverware to eat when food finally came . Waitress must have been overworked. Not a good start for my birthday celebration. At least they compt my correct, service sucks !!!! I personally will never return !

Food was okay for a Tex mex restaurant. I had the tamale , enchilada, and beef taco with a margarita coronita. Margarita was flavorish with what taste like zero tequila in it . This drink came with a margarita with a corona on the side . It was definitely not served correctly . Tamale and enchiladas was okay but nothing to special. The taco came out cold so we had to get another order . The server was nice but it was definitely a restaurant for bland taste buds. Overall, my husband and I will choose another restaurant in the future.

We are here from out of town and found this place. We had a great experience and will definitely be back! We put our name on the waitlist online. The hostesses greeted us immediately and were so friendly. We were seated within 2 minutes of walking in. Robert C. was our server and did an amazing job. He was very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious! We had the Presidente ... it was a great variety. Highly recommend eating here! Ask for Robert!

It gets busy during rush hour. Service is good and prompt. Food is good. Like any Tex-mex food. Came for the margaritas, plenty of choices. Would come again.

Yum, yum, yum, good food in my tum. Gringos has been good ole faithful to me for forever. I've been coming to Gringos for yearrrrrrrrsss but took a little break awhile back. I have always enjoyed my meal, drinks, and the FREE ice cream and today was no different. I had to chimichanga burrito which was absolutely delicious and the Cadillac margarita which always gives me a good feeling lol if you know what I mean. Our waiter was very attentive until it was time to go, which was was no biggie since I still had a lot of catching up to do with my friend. Per usual, I will always come back.

I really like this place . The chicken fajitas and the bacon wrapped shrimp are great. The La Bomba burger is a favorite and the combo plates are also terrific. It's a good go to place where you can get good eats though on the mild side . It can be packed so try going at an off time.

The avocado tacos were the best!! Our waitress Myka was great! Restaurant clean, great food and great service!

Host is absolutely rude! I've been coming here for decades and have never experienced a rude young lady like we did today! Pure reflection on leadership