La Palapa

Great Tacos in downtown Houston. I visit Alamo at everyday. It’s a little pink colored walk up only building, but definitely worth a visit if you are in downtown Houston and looking for great tacos. Every taco is amazing as well as the prices. They have burgers as well, if you not in breakfast taco mood. The staff is very friendly as well.

The tacos are good. The prices are right. It's close enough to where if you have jury duty you can grab breakfast first. They are very quick so you won't be waiting long. Food came out hot. The tacos are on flour tortillas not corn which I like. Definitely worth the convenience if you're running late or need a quick bite. I did wish they gave me a little more sauce but definitely not a deal breaker.

My coworkers and I have been going to this establishment for 10 plus years. That's our go-to breakfast place and sometimes lunch place. My favorite items are breakfast tacos with their homemade salsa which is truly the best salsa I've had. It's nice that you can call ahead and put in an order for when you are really busy and just need to grab a meal and go. If you work in the area or have a need to go to court or county buildings it is definitely worth giving a shot.

I can not believe I only just discover this place for cheap fast food in Houston downtown. I was at the Harris County Tax Office that is one block over and I was able finish early and I was getting hungry, and the pink building caught my eyes so I look it up and decide to get a quick bite here. Make sure you have cash. Mostly the working class come here for food, the food is actually Tex-Mex not real Mexican food.

Love the tacos . Didn't know they had so much different food but I have to check them out more often they have a great Friday of food and I really enjoy their tacos or always give me an apple juice in the morning makes me feel very fresh everytime I drink an apple juices

A throwback to the small neighborhood burger we all knew growing up. An extensive menu, but primarily food that can be prepared quickly for downtown workers without a lot of time. Shake Shake it is not, but for what it is and what it offers, and for where it is-I'm a fan-of the convenience, prices & basic food fare. Yes, I can make the same entire menu at home better, but in a pinch they'll do. So, with downtown eateries averaging $11 & up, La Palapa is a welcomed surprise.

Fast friendly service, breakfast tacos, nothing special. Store bought tortillas put affordable given the area.

The tacos are good and affordable but whoever the man is that answers the phone , his attitude is horrible and he needs to learn some customer service skills.

I can not believe I only just discover this place for cheap fast food in Houston downtown. I was at the Harris County Tax Office that is one block over and I was able finish early and I was getting hungry, and the pink building caught my eyes so I look it up and decide to get a quick bite here. Make sure you have cash. Mostly the working class come here for food, the food is actually Tex-Mex not real Mexican food.

Houston's Greatest Hidden Gem no doubt. Awesome food, low price Keep up the Amazing work guys We love you Houston Loves you

Great Spot for Quick Tacos This is a great place to grab tacos and fast food. The tacos taste great, and you can order to-go. There's no seating since it's takeout only, but the service is very friendly, which makes the experience even better.

Always reliable. Local business. Ok food is not great and it's fattening but they deliver, and promptly.

I got a potato egg and cheese taco from here while I was waiting to testify in court. The potatoes were well cooked and I really liked the salsa. There is a fountain with places to sit right out front, but be warned, people are going to ask you for stuff. I gave money to three people before I wrapped the rest of it up and ate it in front of the courthouse. I would definitely recommend if you're in the area.

I started working close to this business in 1992..This business was the only one that had a good breakfast taco..many employees relied on this business for their food and service..They delivered and you could order by phone and it would be ready by the time you got there . It saved us a lot of time.. As far as the food not being healthy..really? When you have 30 min for lunch I didn't care. What Mexican food is healthy.. this place opens at 6:00 am. Where else are you going to get hot food and coffee at that time in the morning..The service is great..I really love the food..I do miss it. If you have to go to jury duty and it's early in the morning La Palapa is the perfect place..quick service.. I hope you will give it a try..I will try to go back as often as I can..I will be traveling more.. I will remember this place and the lady who owns it .nothing but good memories..

Food is always good. In downtown and will deliver to your office. Everyone is always courteous and the service is great.

La Palapa is great! It's honestly a 5-10 min drive from where I work so, convenient for me personally. I'd recommend if you can't wait, to give a call in advanced so they can have your order ready for you when you get to the window. I have gotten a beef torta and the palapa burger with fries, both are great! You can't beat the price, I'm only giving it a 4 because taste wise I feel like it can be better (I'm just being picky). But overall, a spot that I will keep coming back to! I also heard their breakfast tacos are good so, give it a shot if you can!! :)

Top breakfast taco spot in the downtown area. I work in downtown every day and eat here 2-3 times a week easy. Good price, great food, fast service. Avoid Brothers, hit the pink shack!

A quick food this is the place food is okay could be in a better area. A lot of homeless around asking for your food or money.

Service was good. Food was OK. Maybe it was what I ordered. I do plan on going back and trying something different because of the Customer Service and maybe I'll like what I order next time.

The yummiest breakfast tacos! Good prices too. Always such friendly service. Highly recommend.

I ordered this the other day with some coworkers. They do deliver, I believe you have to order over $5 to use a credit card which is not hard to do. I ended up getting the Tuesday special which was 2 soft tacos, your choice of meat of course, and it came with rice and beans and a small salad/guac mix. Everything tasted pretty good but was super greasy. The chicken was pulled chicken, tortillas were slightly soggy, but did come with extra ones on the side, small win! I also got a coke, so it came with an ice cup too! (I suggest checking the ice cup for water bc mine would definitely have made my coke watery! But it happens, it's hot outside). It came with 2 sauces, I'm not really a sauce person but both were spicy to me so if you like that kind of thing, you'll enjoy them! It's cheap and tasted good so I'll definitely be ordering again!

Food is okay.. but the homeless are BAD over there. They have gotten so aggressive it has made me stop eating from here. It's sad because this place has been in downtown Houston for ages.

The food is great, I love the fact that they deliver. Breakfast tacos are stuffed, you would only need about 2. I love this little pink building...

Nice little shack I discovered during my internship! Tacos are very cheap and filling. $5 minimum if you're using cards. Asian lady behind the counter is ready for your order so you be ready as well! The chorizo is okay, but the bacon egg and sausage patty egg taco are delicious. Ask for salsa! It's not spicy at all, just good.

Best breakfast tacos and salsa, love this place. Service is always great and fast. My mom works around the corner and we always get tacos and have breakfast together in the office.

May 2022 This place is not closed. It is open for business and they are doing great. The owner and her staff are wonderful. They work very fast to get the food out to people without a long wait time.

I love this place. Fast. Great. You gotta be prepared to order because the lady at the front means business. Order with the numbers and don't try to be fancy. This is a great taco hut. The food isn't "healthy" (even the taco salad is like...a bad excuse for a salad) but the tacos and tortas are where it's at. Also, if you have a large breakfast taco order, they will label them!

Great food at a great price. Employees are friendly and attentive. Really nice spot to enjoy lunch downtown.

Great breakfast tacos! Get double your usual, trust me. And the salsa is a must, gotta have it!

Mannnnn sheesh! I just parked in the lot next to it as I always do when I'm downtown in this area (it's $5 for 20 mins and $15 for all day.. might seem like a lot compared to the meter but when you're here frequently like I am, I like my car to be in the same place every time *random review information lol*).. but I've never stopped here to grab anything to eat. Today was different .. "hmm f*** it lemme see what they're about".. walked up.. scanned the menu and noticed they have a lotttt of options covering breakfast, lunch and dinner .. it says 70 but looking at all the combinations of things you can order and types of meat, it can be well over. Anyway, I decided to order the fajita egg and cheese taco. You get your choice of beef or chicken, I chose chicken. I only ordered one just in case I didn't like it but I could've easily gotten 2 or 3 bc that taco was good as fuuuuuuuu** haha. And the red salsa that accompanied the order was the good kind, whatever that means to you lol. If you're in the area, check them out! Gotta see what lunch is like there next!

I work downtown and breakfast tacos are one of my favorite food groups lol. It took me a couple of months to find this place, but they definitely have the best breakfast tacos downtown!! My coworkers and I get them at least 3 times a week As a bonus, the ladies that work there are super sweet.

Came across this sketchy looking little pink shack in a parking lot off of Preston. It wouldn't have been my first choice for lunch but I wanted to grab a quick bite before jury duty. The menu consisted mostly of tacos and burgers. I opted for a burger and an order of fries. One of the things that I did like was that everything is made to order and not sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. The toppings on the burger were fresh and the meat was cooked well but it really didn't have a wow factor. The fries were the steak grocery store type, served hot without any seasoning. My lunch came to less than 5 dollars, so I really can't complain. No tables or chairs. However there are a few stone art boulders in front of the shack that could be used as a makeshift table if needed. Most of the customers were getting it to go and heading back to their offices or just eating as they walked down the street. If you are downtown and just want a quick cheap no frills lunch, La Palapa should hit the spot.

This little pink hut of a food stand screams for a good scrubbing and deoderizing, but I just can't help but indulge in the yummy "Super" taco. It's the quickest, best breakfast I can find within several blocks of where I work near Fannin and Main. I choose not to "read the book by the cover" at La Palapa, or else I would steer far away. I can't say for certain that it's clean or sanitary or that little critters and stinky homeless people may not be lurking nearby. All I can say is that the multiple occurances of my "Super" taco purchases have not disappointed. The taco is always hot and fresh tasting and I LOVE the fresh salsa which reminds me of a Spanish gazpacho. Note: No seating area, unless you count the fountain area, but beware the pee smell if eating at the fountain.

It was a nice surprise to find the little stand near the courthouse on my way to jury duty. There are a lot of options of tacos, plates, breakfast sandwiches, and lunch options. Watch out for adding cheese (extra fee) on your tacos if you don't look at the menu carefully and think it's part of the taco. I got the ham and egg croissant and a sausage and egg taco. Everything was made to order, hot, and not excessively greasy. I ordered the sliced round sausage taco with egg. The salsa was pretty good too. The croissant was soft, chewy, and buttery.

Great breakfast tacos and friendly staff make every morning good! The Super Taco is my go to, watch out for the hot sauce it's amazing but you'll be on FIRE!

Stopped here for a quick bite while downtown, I got the chorizo and egg taco, super taco and country sausage and egg taco. Of the three, the super taco was the best. Each taco was about $1.99 and there is a $5 card minimum. These weren't the best tacos ever but they were decent.

Perfect if you're looking for cheap and quick Tex-Mex and breakfast tacos. This establishment is located behind the courthouse building in Downtown Houston on Preston St. (It's in front of a parking lot. Small, pink, building.) It's been around for years, at least, from what I've been told. You go up, and tilt your head a bit up and you'll see the large menu. Find the meal you want and tell the lady at the window your order by giving her the # associated with it. For example, if you want the #52 Beef Fajita Torta, tell her #52, she'll know. Pay with cash and card (no Android/Apple/Samsung Pay here) and wait for your order. I've had everything from breakfast tacos, to tortas to cheese enchilada plates (You won't find street tacos here, sorry). You can't beat the price for the amount of food you get. The quality of the food can be matched to what you find at your typical Taqueria Arandas. The beef fajita torta is usually my go-to menu item. Comes with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, jalapeno, beans and a side of mild red sauce. The bread is warm/toasted perfectly and the meat is cooked well. Note: This place closes at 3PM (Mon-Fri) and don't think they're open on the weekend. For parking, either the pay lot it's next to, or street parking. Walking distance from Main St. No seating, except for the fountain in front of it. Nonetheless,if you're looking for good, cheap and fast Tex-Mex food, this is the place to go!

Food it pretty decent, reasonably price and fast. Like the comments below, know what you want as too not slow down production. Standard breakfast tacos but awesome salsa. Sandwiches on point.

32 years strong I've been coming here. They have yet to let me down. My favorite place for breakfast tacos. Call ahead and save some time. Or wait in line, it doesn't take long. The owner is as super nice and the super taco is outstanding.

"Pink Taco Hut" is a solid, affordable, quick breakfast and lunch spot close to the Harris County admin building and courthouse. I primarily come here for breakfast to get the super taco, and let me tell you, the salsa is everything. So good. My coworkers frequently come here to get tortas during lunch, and you can easily get a meal for under $5. Under $5 is cash only, but they accept all major credit cards over $5. You may find parking difficult in this area, so this place is good to go to for convenience, not as a destination. The location is in an extremely sketchy area of downtown, just as a heads up but definitely worth it

**UPDATED 8/08/18** My original review came with a four-star rating. 2-1/2 years later, I'm still going to LaPalapa at least once a week for a breakfast taco feast. I am always going to be a fan of the Super Taco (#8), but I am now swooning over the Fajita/Egg/Cheese Taco (#9). The fajita meat is stewed and tastes like a fantastic hybrid of fajita/carne guisada. The salsa is definitely much hotter than when I originally posted my review. It also has a nice punch of garlic that makes it nothing less than one of my favorite salsas--besides my own recipe. I don't really do lunch there--have only done so twice. It was their Mexican combination plate which was very tasty and the price was good. I just prefer getting my fill with the breakfast tacos. The owner runs a super efficient food stand that turns out a lot of food orders with very little wait time. YUM! =============================== I work a block away and had seen the pink building before. There was a good amount of people ordering food when I stopped by this morning. I ordered the #8 (super taco--which had eggs, beans, potato, bacon and shredded cheese) and #13 (pollo loco taco--which had egg, potato, shredded cheese and cubed chicken breast). Both were good, but the super taco was EXCELLENT! Their menu is really large for such a small place. I will definitely venture and try other things on the menu, but will still make sure that one of the tacos is the super taco. Their salsa is could be hotter, but that's just my preference. I will definitely be back!

Really tasty breakfast tacos!!!! The super taco seems to be a fan favorite and I can see why! Looking forward to trying other items on the list, the salsa was delicious as well just the right amount of heat and garlic.

had to order in today..and La Palapa had not been on my palette for quite some time! So I figured, let's give them a whirl! They do free delivery with a $5 order. The prices are really reasonable. I had a crispy beef taco, a chicken fajita super taco and a side of rice...all for under $7! I did tip well though! Their delivery ladies have been doing this for so long and no matter the weather!! I must say the rice caught me off guard as being really good! Both of my tacos were tasty as well, I do recommend eating the crispy taco first..because mine wasn't as crispy due to being wrapped up while I enjoyed other parts of my lunch! They also gave me 3 containers of their fresh salsa! It's good and has a little kick as well...almost like Pico! They also have a jumbo cheeseburger/fries/coke special for less than $6 everyday! The food is pretty good IMHO! Even though I'm trying to be healthy, for those days you just can't or don't want to..give them a call!

The tacos are tacos you can get anywhere... they are great but what's better is their salsa! I swear the salsa is what makes the taco that much better! Grab a number 8 and your good to go!

Every time I attempt to say La Palapa.. it comes out of my mouth like this, "lapa la pala".. I'm butchering it, I know.. but the rest of my spanish is a-ok! :) This is the very tacky, pepto-bismol pink, mexican food stand in the heart of downtown. I think they have some really great nachos in Houston. When I'm craving a big mound of nacho greasiness, this is where I go.. but honestly, I never ordered anything else. I've been so annoyed with nachos at other places but la palapa doesn't disappoint me. It's CHEAP and quick. If you're on-the-go or on-a-budget, stop by the PINK stand! If you know what you want, you can call ahead to place your order. You'll see customers sitting outside of the stand during lunch hours munching on their tacos and tortas. I'd recommend their fully loaded nachos with the beef fajita.. and jalapeño's!

A tex-mex taco stand run by Vietnamese. Why don't they sell Vietnamese food too? I had a cheese enchilada which was...ok. They added extra sliced jalapeno's which gave it a little kick. the meat in the beef tacos was old. rice was 'enh' and bean puree stuff was NOT good. save your $5 for another platter elsewhere. if someone else tries the $1.50 morning tacos let us know how they are.

Love their breakfast! I usually order the breakfast torta (ham, eggs, beans, cheese and jalapeños) the bread is soft and delicious, overall great sandwich and for about $4, it can't be beat. Their croissants are pretty good and so are their tacos (especially the super taco). BUT honestly what keeps me coming back to this place is their....SALSA! The salsa is garlicky with enough spice. I highly recommended this place for a quick, inexpensive bite! Like other reviewers have said...DONT LET THE BUILDING FOOL YOU.

Had it for the 1st time and got the super taco.... absolutely delicious. Bacon is crispy, potatoes are cooked perfectly, and the salsa has just enough Heat! Thank goodness I was in downtown for a marketing event because if I worked down there I'd eat breakfast here every day!

Store bought flour tortillas but meat flavor was good. Good salsa. Probably wouldn't go back.

Best breakfast taco downtown. Fantastic hot sauce. Great service from the owner (presumably, she's there every single day, literally never takes a day off - probably the hardest working person I've ever met). Try the Super (bacon, eggs, cheese, beans). be sure to put the hot sauce on - hot as a mofo but so delicious. DO NOT be dissuaded by the place's appearance - it looks like a pretty sketchy (it's a tiny shack with no seating across from a courthouse) but I've eaten there constantly for a decade, trust me it's fine. ignore the homeless people, the owner will run them off if they get obnoxious. they usually act fine because they don't want to be banned and risk access to the breakfast tacos. the rest of the menu is pretty good - a decent burger. always great service. but seriously, do yourself a favor, sample the breakfast tacos.

We dropped in for a drink while on a layover. There was absolutely no hint of alcohol in any of our three drinks. Over $30 later we left disappointed. I can't speak for the food, but the service and drinks are terrible. Avoid if possible.

Great breakfast! I would definitely recommend ordering 2 or 3 tacos. Very quick with fulfilling your order. When you order, order with the number.

Don't judge this book by its cover. Wonderful food is crafted in side this little pink shack located in the middle of a parking lot. Their handmade salsa is delicious and I would drink it by itself if it was socially acceptable. Love, love, love their breakfast tacos; especially the bacon and egg, the chorizo, and super taco. You can't beat the prices. The wonderful owner and staff are very friendly. The main thing reviewers complain about are the vagrants that are attracted to this place because there is a constant flow of cash-paying customers they can ask for their change (that is not the restaurant's fault, but the City of Houston's).

I recently started working down town, and soon stumbled across this little taco stand: 'La Palapa.' Upon my first visit I was quite skeptical of the pink rectangle box like building. The 'Super Taco' came recommended so I gave it a shot. I was not disappointed. A mixture of fried egg, fried potato squares, cheese, and bacon, wrapped in a flour tortilla really hit the spot, one darn good taco. I soon found out that La Palapa is a common bond that connects people. You see someone in the elevator or hall with a brown paper bag and say "La Palapa?" They say "Yeah!" and then say something like "I love the 'Taco Lapalapa or Taco Adam or Super Taco.'" ...You instantly relate,it is like you have know them your whole life. Since the name seemed so odd, I did some research and found it only to be a name of restaurants that typically serve Mexican style food. However, my co-worker had some insight into the history of the origin of La Palapa: "In Mexican folklore, La Palapa is known as the sound made by evil, mad cows that galloped down the stone paths of ancient Mayan villages, terrorizing inhabitants. These calamitous cows wore tennis shoes which produced a sound similar to "la palapa la palapa la palapa la palapa." Today, people still recall this traumatic tale and continue to butcher cattle for meat. The meat is served in delicious taco stands throughout the country, aptly named for the dreaded discord made by these mythical beasts and their tennis shoes. " This is a common La Palapism, and is used by fellow La Palapians. From what I have gathered La Palapaology is the science of studying the food and culture of restaurants named La Palapa. I highly recommend La Palapa to all downtowners, and don't let the natives who often regularly ask for money, or are washing their hair in the near by fountain, deter you.

Been working downtown over 15 years. Conveienent, reasonably priced. Unless you have tried them, don't be so quick to criticize. Their salsa is awesome.

These are my favorite breakfast tacos for busy weekday mornings. Serving the courthouse crowd, the ladies who run this taco stand are fast and no nonsense. For a reasonable price you'll get a delicious taco and a container of fresh, spicy salsa that is delicious. Try the super taco, it's a classic! They do now take credit cards if you spend at least $5.

Fast, efficient, inexpensive, decent food, and friendly people. Hits the spot for a quick breakfast or lunch on the go.