Little Rey

The Best Restaurants in River Oaks

"For a more casual dining experience, head to chef Ford Fry’s most casual spot. All-day Mexican restaurant Little Rey offers tacos of all sorts, breakfast chalupas, hotcakes slathered in butter, gooey queso, pozole, and so much more. For the full experience, try its signature dish, pollo al carbon — a half chicken roasted over coals is served with corn or flour tortillas, smoked onions and jalapeños, ranch beans, and cilantro rice. Don’t skimp on drinks or dessert. Margaritas and agua frescas offer the perfect refreshers, and the soft-serve ice cream, coming in flavors like tres leches and salty cajeta with fried peanuts, pair well with Little Rey’s fried plantains." - Marcy de Luna, Brittany Britto Garley

The 15 Best Pumpkin-Flavored Drinks and Dishes in Houston

"Atlanta-based chef Ford Fry’s fast-casual North Mexican restaurant is big on tacos al carbon, fresh tortillas, and margaritas, but the restaurant also knows a great dessert. Little Rey has debuted its new seasonal pumpkin-spiced soft serve ice cream, which comes topped with candied pumpkin seed, pumpkin seed oil, and pumpkin spice — a cool and sweet option for Houston’s warm version of fall." - Brittany Britto Garley

The 13 Best Restaurants In River Oaks

"Little Rey is best known for their pollo al carbon tacos, and for good reason. The meat at this fast-casual spot is smokey and tender enough to eat by itself—it’s not a filling, it’s the main event. And while their flour tortillas are too dense to be our favorite in the city, they will still do the job for a quick lunch. The atmosphere of this airy Mexican restaurant is the perfect spot to have a grapefruit margarita on the patio with your labradoodle or chips and guac with your work friends. " - gianni greene, chelsea thomas

Little Rey Review - River Oaks - Houston - The Infatuation

"Little Rey in River Oaks is best known for their pollo al carbon tacos, and for good reason. The meat at this fast-casual spot is smokey and tender enough to eat by itself—it’s not a filling, it’s the main event. And while their flour tortillas are too dense to be our favorite in the city, they will still do the job for a quick lunch. The atmosphere of this airy Mexican restaurant is the perfect spot to have a grapefruit margarita on the patio with your labradoodle or chips and guac with your work friends. photo credit: Andrew Thomas Lee photo credit: Andrew Thomas Lee photo credit: Andrew Thomas Lee" - Gianni Greene

Atlanta Chef Ford Fry Is Opening Second Little Rey Outpost in Houston - Eater Houston

"Little Rey, opening in early 2024, will offer a menu inspired by Northern Mexico with street-style tacos, salads, fresh salsas, hand-made tortillas, Tex-Mex-styled breakfast items, and coal-roasted chicken. The restaurant will also feature Mexican-inspired soft-serve ice cream, a variety of margaritas, Mexican beers, hand-picked brews, homemade agua frescas, and a walk-up window for quick service. The decor will incorporate reclaimed woods, hand-painted signs, vintage Mexican memorabilia, and soft hues of rose, blue, and sage, with a playlist featuring Texas great Willie Nelson." - Brittany Britto Garley

Ari Artis

Google

Amazing food, always fresh and hot with a menu that offers a variety of choices to try. I’ve went twice and each time had no problems and had a remarkable dinning experience!! Beautiful interior and patio seating with their wings having the perfect amount of spice and seasoning and their steak quesadillas having fresh, soft tortillas! Love coming here with my family and have recommended them a 10/10.

Sonya Winfree

Google

Perfect place for a quick meal. Everything we had was outstanding. Our favorite were the smoked wings! We shared the family chicken dinner it was plenty of food for 4 people to share. The chicken was delicious. The frozen margaritas were pretty good. Service was great as well.

Kelly L

Google

Was working all day on Friday and was looking for a place to grab a quick bite in between my break with a friend. Came across this place and saw it was pretty new so decided to give it a try. First things first, the prices was not worth it. Pretty over priced for tacos. Second of all, the “torta diabla” that we ordered was barely spicy and honestly did not taste like it had any flavor or seasonings. We also ordered the Smoked Chicken Wings and let just say, the amount of oil/grease in it was absolutely ridiculous!! There was so much oil that it basically leaked through the tray and stained the table. It was nowhere near worth $12 with all that disgusting oil just sitting at the bottom of the tray. It had a kick of spice on the chicken skin but the meat was bland and dry. Left both of us with a bad tummy ache for the rest of the day and the following day. Was not worth the $38 we spent, the only thing that was decent was the bottle beer that we ordered.

Luz Garcia

Google

Mixed Experience at LITTLE REY Tacos 🌮 I decided to try LITTLE REY Tacos because I live nearby. The tacos were good, but I found them overpriced compared to other Mexican restaurants in the River Oaks area. Despite this, I was willing to overlook the price because the vibe and the area are great. However, my experience was marred by the service I received yesterday (07/27/24) at 9 PM. The cashier (a man) was very nice and took our order efficiently. Unfortunately, the girl who served our food to the table was very rude and not polite. She threw the plates on the table in a very rude manner, and did it twice even though she could see it was bothering me. She was tall and very young, but I don’t know her name. Additionally, the margaritas are $12, which is too expensive, especially since they are served in plastic cups. This added to my disappointment with the value for money at this place. It’s disappointing that someone with such poor manners is hired to serve in a restaurant. Everything else about the place was good, but the service from this particular staff member and the overpriced margaritas really brought down the experience. Overall, while I loved the vibe and the area, the tacos and margaritas are too expensive for what you get, and the service needs improvement.

robert puig

Google

Located in Highland Village in Houston is Little Rey. Now daddy works right down the street from here and it caught my eye. Going against my better judgement I decided to eat Mexican food in this area. White would I ever do that? lol I’m a sucker for good advertising. Parking is an abomination bc there’s like apartment complexes? Buildings? Lighting towers? All around it. Anyways they have a really nice outdoor seating area and the inside is expansive too. Walk up to order and I already know I’m gonna be on some $30 for Mexican food bullshit. Sure enough that happened lol but I was already here. Seat myself and my food comes out shortly. S/o my guy running the food! That guy was busting his ass! He can work for me any day of the week man. Chicken “Al carbon” taco 7.5/10 - as with anything white lol “Al carbon” just means charcoal grilled. And this fits the criteria. It was solid. Nothing to write home about. Pork “al carbon” taco 7.7/10 - slightly better than the chicken. The pork pairs better with the pico and grilled onions thing they got going on. However at a glance you have no idea which one is which. Beans 8/10 - they did something here adding sour cream and chorizo to the beans. I’d go back if I’m taking clients or being taken out lol. However I’ve lived in Mexico. I’m not paying $30 for 1 person. Nah nah. Follow me on IG eats_by_puig

Beatrice Wong

Google

A great addition to the neighborhood. Delicious tacos (ordered 4, all authentic, delicious, with quality ingredients). Love its sauce bar with a diverse range of sauces. Chicken wings are tasty too, with a spicy kick. A sizeable patio with outdoor seating. Friendly services.

Carmen Lambert

Google

This place is such a vibe! Great music and atmosphere! Service was excellent! Food came out rapid! Everything was fresh and delicious! I will definitely be returning!

Diana Aguirre

Google

GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Ridiculously overpriced underwhelming food. $7 for a mediocre carne asada taco. The elote was good but a very small portion size and it was a little cold. The salsas are nothing great either. Was fairly empty on a Saturday afternoon which should’ve been a sign.

Vicky B.

Yelp

I came here first when my co-worker introduced it to us in 2024 and we decided to come as a team to try out the food. I'm a fan of mexican food and the restaurant looked very new! Everything was super nice and clean for lunch and we came on a semi- cloudy day right when they just opened so it wasn't busy for lunch but when we were leaving people started coming in. They're counter service so you order when you come in and then find a table. What I love is that they have a similar concept to Chacos with a salsa bar where you can get whatever salsas to try with your tacos! I love sampling everything they have and getting extra limes because I feel like there are never enough limes given in an order. Service was quick and efficient! There was always someone coming by to see how we're doing and to pick up any empty plates for us as well. I've been trying to come back and introduce it to my friends each time they're in the area and asking for recommendation for lunch or a late afternoon snack! Great place with outdoor seating as well! Food is fresh and tastes great.

Justo C.

Yelp

There are 3 - 6 restaurants around our apartment in Houston that we have wanted to eat at for the past year. This week, we had dinner at 3 of the targeted eateries. The Little Rey name is misleading because there's nothing little about this place. The back of the restaurant is really facing Mid Ln which is west, and the entrance is to the east. The area where it sits is beautifully setup by a nice park with lights, outdoor chairs and the lights of the nearby The Ivy and The James apartments. The restaurant has a big patio with a lovely view of the park and lots of tables to enjoy a meal. As for the food, their primary food they sell is Al Carbon chicken served as a taco and bowls with greens, avocado and cilantro rice with beans. My wife ordered the chicken flauta dinner and I ordered the Arroz con Pollo. The process of ordering is to choose your food order, pay for it and the food will be delivered to your table. You have to get your own drink from a drink chiller located next to the cashier stand. Then, you can have your pick of eating inside or the spacious patio outside. It was a pleasant night but we opted to eat inside instead. This was our first visit so we wanted to try the ambiance inside. Admittedly, we were surprised that the dining room felt a little empty. We had a few diners both inside and outside. However, there was a stream of people picking up online orders. The food was served by a smiling young man. The food serving was very adequate for 2 hungry people. The food was delicious and there was a lot of shredded chicken in the bowl. I was surprised to finally find the cilantro rice buried under pork beans and chicken! The combo was delicious! My wife enjoyed her chicken flauta but she could not finish it so she went and got a to go bowl and took home the rest. Overall, I love the location of the place and since it's walking distance from the nearby apartments, the convenience is appreciated. We will definitely come back here. We love the place - great tasting food and great location!

Leslie K.

Yelp

I've only tried the tacos here and like them. The steak was very tender Elote 3/5 FYI for the breakfast taco standard is the protein to be made with migas, refried beans, cilantro and cheese. For the kids, we order protein, egg, and cheese. Cilantro ranch is delicious.

Sasha D.

Yelp

Great spot for a fast casual lunch. The pollo al carbon was super juicy and the perfect size for two people. The queso and asada tacos were also delicious and I loved how many salsa and sauce options they had at the counter. Enjoyed the frozen margs too, overall would we would definitely return and I think this place deserves higher ratings! The service was friendly as well

Jennifer E.

Yelp

Had an excellent family breakfast this morning. It was so nice to be able to sit on the large patio and enjoy the beautiful weather. There were seven of us and everyone enjoyed their food and the coffee was good too. This is a self-service cafe but food is brought to table after ordering at counter. Server Juan is so nice an attentive, checked on us several times and readily brought out to-go boxes for our leftovers. The tacos are well filled so we over ordered y a bit. My huevos rancheros were really good, served in a bowl on top of tortilla strips. All the salsas were really good too. Will return soon.

Reynaldo L.

Yelp

Thats chicken was really gooooddd. Service was excellent and the ambience was perfect.

Likhitha c.

Yelp

Affordable prices: check Amazing greenery decor: check Delicious food: check Extra sauces & free water: check This place is beautiful and their service was great. Even the location is great and felt very safe in this area.

Cynthia V.

Yelp

A great option for a quick meal with quality and vibes. Their menu is mostly tacos, but they have some other takes if you want to switch it up. Love their tortillas- they are the foundation of a good taco and they do them well here. Their pork is my favorite- great flavor and juicy. You order at the counter and then they bring your food out to you, all quick and easy. Parking: large private lot

Michele B.

Yelp

I've been wanting to stop by Little Rey since I saw that it opened. It's an incredibly cute building in a great location. It's indoor/outdoor, so if the weather is cooperating, you can sit on the patio with your pup. I got their "Arroz con pollo" and I'm not sure exactly what I expected, but the presentation was so much better than I could have imagined. I really appreciated that it was designed like a salad, but also had the flavor you'd want from mexican food. Is this is most authentic place ever? No. Would I come back? Yes. I think this is a great place for a large group or hanging out with friends and picking up a quick bite.

Howard C.

Yelp

Love this place. All good. Highly recommended. Good service. Sauces are spot on. Have eaten here at least dozen times. Will be back.

Veronica L.

Yelp

I love the concept of the store. Lots of outdoor space /seating. When the weather is nice, this is a great place to be outside & with your dogs! They are pet friendly (outdoor only) & it's right next to a big grass area where you might see other people with dogs playing. The food was decent for the price. The tacos had lots of flavors and were decently sized. I enjoyed the steak but I don't think I'd get the quesadillas again. I'd love to come back to try more. The service was 10/10!

Lalanica C.

Yelp

After reading the reviews I was a bit skeptical, but I quite enjoyed the food here! We got way more queso than was necessary to share, but I got the pollo Al carbon taco which was nice and NOT dry and I'm forgetting the other now. I love a good salsa selection with multiple heat levels so that was a win for me. Taquitos were good. The spicy torta was good too- just a tad dry for me. Parking wasn't an issue as it didn't seem to be busy. Worth a try for Tex Mex!

Requel P.

Yelp

Beautiful taco restaurant with a patio sitting in the middle of the park. I just wanted to try their food so I grabbed two tacos, Suadero & Oaxaca, and some ice cream with honey. Both tacos were good but that Oaxaca was surprisingly my favorite. They have a salsa bar where you can get a variety of salsa and sauces. I would definitely return and try more tacos.

Roma B.

Yelp

Cute spot near memorial park area! Got the chorizo breakfast taco and superica hot cakes! Loved both the dishes. The portions were huge and the syrup for the hot cakes was amazing, tasted like melted brown butter. Plenty of parking and huge seating area, both inside and outside. They have a huge salsa bar as well!

Diana J.

Yelp

The wings are flavorful with a little kick. The elote is decent. Everything else had no seasoning or something even tho it looked like it. Very bland. The Oaxaca taco, mostly peppers and cheese 4 mini mushrooms so small I didn't even know there was mushrooms in it. Besides the lack of flavor in pretty much everything, the space itself is nice. Large, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. No refillable fountain drinks besides water. There's a sauce station. Food comes out quick. But that's just quick to be disappointed. I fell for the influencer trap coming here. Mistakes were made. Also the entire meal came out to be about $110 for a sad meal.

Kendrick D.

Yelp

Houston. We've got a new hideout. This was my first time at little Rey's, I'll get to the food, but the location, vibe, and atmosphere is mesmerizing. I like this spot a lot because it's hidden right in the open, I would call it a nice duck off. If you're as lucky as me you'll be able to sit outside with a view of the park and watch a train pass right in front of your eyes while you bite into delicious food and sip on a perso bottle of Prosecco. The vibes alone push this review over the top. Then we get into the food. The smoked wings were something everyone raved about, and they were good, but what made me an instant fan was the sauce bar. If you know me, you know I love my sauce, and they've got VARIETY, and it's all laid out like for the fanatics like me. I recommend you try each sauce like I did. My favorites are the cilantro ranch and the hot pork sauce. All of them are super tasty to me. I also had a quesadilla that isn't pictured here, but it was the first thing we tore apart. It was so good, then we went to war with those wings which are awesome coming from a taco shop, my son had a face full of beans from his kids meal and apparently the food was so good he had to let his hair taste it too. There wasn't one thing that we didn't enjoy. The prices were extremely fair, to be honest I expected it to be much more. We paid $50 for everything including beers and wine. This is definitely one of my new spots.

Judy C.

Yelp

Too hungry and forgot my picsss! Ordered the Arroz Con Pollo which had Chopped pollo al carbon, cilantro rice, pickled red onion, pork beans, super greens, avocado & coitija cheese. It was really filling and quite nutritious. It was giving flavorful chipotle rice and salad bowl. Also got the Carnitas Taco which had Crispy smoked pork belly topped with raw onions & cilantro. I ordered it togo so it was a bit too greasy for me. but, i'm sure if you ate it there then it would be fine. Got a side of Elotes off the cob and it was delish! Plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. Across from the field where you can bring your pup! Also really liked that they had a Salsa bar with 6 diff options. The cashier was super friendly and helpful as well.

Lauren H.

Yelp

Saw this spot on IG. My friend and I decided to try it out. The restaurants was clean and playful style. There was adequate parking available. We entered and was greeted and given food recommendations. I had the smoked wings and the queso and chips. My friend tacos, 1 chicken & 1 steak. We received the chips and queso which was super thick and lukewarm. We requested for it to be warmed which was done without pause. Ratings: Queso and chips:5/10 - Bland and taste like Velveeta cheese Smoked wings: 7.5/10 - smoky flavor with a nice kick. Greasy. However I don't understand the peanuts on it. Also the rating includes my stomach hurting after eating them. Smoked wings and queso and chips =$21* pricey Chicken & Steak taco: 5/10 Large tortillas for not enough meat; lacked flavor but the meat was tender. I won't be returning.

Gabriel B.

Yelp

Lil Rey in Houston's River Oaks District might have the upscale location and potential to thrive, but unfortunately, it falls short of expectations compared to its Atlanta counterpart. Here's my breakdown based on my repeated visits: 1. Taste: The food is consistently dry and lacks the flavor punch you'd expect from a chicken spot. It's downright disappointing, especially when you know what the Atlanta location delivers. 2. Texture: Every time I've tried the chicken here, it's been overcooked or just not fresh, making it tough to enjoy. 3. Presentation: The meals don't look appetizing--plated with minimal care, which doesn't match the vibe of the upscale River Oaks District. 4. Atmosphere: The location itself is the restaurant's saving grace, sitting amidst prime real estate with a modern, airy vibe and great outdoor spaces. 5. Outdoor Space: The expansive half-acre yards on either side of the parking lot are perfect for summer gatherings and dog-friendly outings. 6. Customer Service: The staff is polite and somewhat attentive, and the managers are approachable and accommodating, but they can't make up for the lackluster food quality. 7. Consistency: Unlike the five-star experience I've had in Atlanta, this Houston spot just doesn't live up to its sibling's reputation. 8. Value: Considering the upscale area and the potential of this location, the poor food quality makes it feel overpriced and underwhelming. If Lil Rey can elevate their food to match the Atlanta standard, they'd have a winning combination with their prime location. For now, though, it's all style and no substance.

Drew K.

Yelp

Ford Fry (State of Grace, La Lucha, Superica) snuck into town and opened up another restaurant. This time it's a fast-casual Northern Mexican cuisine restaurant hidden between The Shops at Highland Village and River Oaks District. First and foremost, the space looks great. The decor is heavy on exposed wood, hanging plants, colorful tile, and neon which make for a very relaxed feel. There's plenty of seating options both indoors and outdoors with large floor to ceiling windows, seemingly connecting both spaces, even though we all know where the AC is on those hot muggy Houston days. The menu offers a wide variety of Mexican food with a big focus on AL Carbon. Breakfast is offered on weekends, but this place struck me as a perfect go to lunch spot. Pricing is not bad, allowing you enough room in your budget to try a couple little dishes if you're starving or eat one entree keeping some welcome change out of your $20. I was with a big group, so we got a chance to try a number of things: -La Torta Diabla $10.50- I'm a big torta fan, so I was excited to grub, but it ended up just being a Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with a Torta name...It was a tasty hot chicken sandwich, but why not just call it that? -Queso Primo $11.00- Small paper cup full of queso, pico, and 4-5 chicken slices. The chicken slices prevent you from getting to the queso, so it takes some deconstruction but it's queso and it's tasty. -Brisket Flauta $10.25- 3 flautas with brisket meat, sour cream, cabbage, cojita cheese, and pico. The tortilla in the flauta was silly thick, so that's all we could taste. There's brisket in there somewhere... -Chicken Al Carbon $7.25- One taco of smoked chicken, onions, and pico. Simple and tasty. -Steak Al Carbon $7.25- Same as above but steak. -La Superica $13.50- Big bowl of chicken avocado, cucumber, corn, tortilla strips, and dressing. Tasty salad especially for the price. They offer a stand up cooler full of beer, seltzers, Mexican Coke, Topo, and other sodas. Behind the counter they also offer regular and grapefruit margs, plus 3-4 beers on tap. Overall, the price point is what kept me from dipping to a 3 star review. This isn't top tier super serious Mexican food. This also isn't super authentic Mexican food. BUT it's definitely well priced good enough Mexican food. I would come here for a quick lunch, or a casual meal with friends, and I'd be happy enough with my choice. So if you're not taking things too seriously and want to get full for $20, give Little Rey a shot.

Rachel J.

Yelp

Great food. Got the salad bowl with plantains and cashew dressing. Delicious and very large portions for the price. The Catalina dressing is not your typical dressing so wasn't a fan but the jalepano ranch 10/10. I also got the ice cream which has salt, honey and these deep fried cinnamon things which i give 7/10. Decent but not amazing.

Brooke A.

Yelp

Tried the chicken wings, they were dry but had the unique peanut flavor, tried three different tacos at $5-7 a piece they were nothing special. Had to try the ice cream which you are offered four toppings and the server didn't even correctly top the ice cream. Over all over priced and very mediocre but fun patio with lots of kids running around.

Kelly L.

Yelp

Was working all day on Friday and was looking for a place to grab a quick bite in between my break with a friend. Came across this place and saw it was pretty new so decided to give it a try. First things first, the prices was not worth it. Pretty over priced for tacos. Second of all, the "torta diabla" that we ordered was barely spicy and honestly did not taste like it had any flavor or seasonings. We also ordered the Smoked Chicken Wings and let just say, the amount of oil/grease in it was absolutely ridiculous!! There was so much oil that it basically leaked through the tray and stained the table. It was nowhere near worth $12 with all that disgusting oil just sitting at the bottom of the tray. It had a kick of spice on the chicken skin but the meat was bland and dry. Left both of us with a bad tummy ache for the rest of the day and the following day. Was not worth the $38 we spent, the only thing that was decent was the bottle beer that we ordered.

Jackie K.

Yelp

We had a great lunch at Little Rey! The food was great--I really enjoyed my chicken al carbon taco: the meat was super tasty, and the tortillas were homemade. They also have a great selection of many salsas you can try--one unique salsa that I liked was the ranch salsa. But perhaps even better than the food at Little Rey was the great patio. It's turfed, and next to that is a big park--very dog-friendly and kid-friendly.

Sweet G.

Yelp

This was a lack luster experience. The young lady who took our order was lost. She struggled to explain the menu items and pricing us a le carte. The food came out staggerd, and it was not very flavorful. All in all, it was not a very pleasant experience and not the place to go if you are actually hungry and hoping for good food.

John D.

Yelp

Don't listen to the bad reviews. I'm from California, born and raised. This is as good as it gets for something that checks all the boxes when it comes to Mexican food. I came here with my girlfriend after we had a horrible experience at Ocho de Agua. we were completely amazed at how delicious their breakfast items were and we came back to find that the same was true for their lunch options. It's my favorite place to stop and grab something for lunch!

Annie J.

Yelp

THE FOOD IS AMAZING! 10/10 For sure! I love this place down! The wings burn so good, they're definitely worth trying

A A.

Yelp

Surprised this doesn't have better reviews, food is amazing! They need to update their menu with labels for dietary restrictions and substitutions. They have vegetarian black beans available, but not listed on the menu. Some of the sauces/salsas contain meat or egg, so would be great to see them listed and labeled on the menu. The music is too loud, and the fans outside are necessary in the hot weather, but a bit too strong, as they are blowing stuff on the tables away. Great space, location, staff and food.

Jamed K.

Yelp

Just hosted the Houston Concierge Association. This place is a gem. Great beer list, great play list and the best chicken fajitas I've had.

Nia S.

Yelp

I was really looking forward to this place opening but was disappointed in the food. Their tacos are just "okay". Nothing to brag about. The pancakes are good and the house margaritas. Maybe if they had a full bar and wings without peanut's.. I'm not really a fan of the cafeteria atmosphere. There's plenty of other Mexican places near by that are much better.

Sean D.

Yelp

Get food and environment but over priced $23 for 2 tacos and a beer lol!! It's a cool spot second time here a must try if you want to splurge a little.

Gazelle J.

Yelp

Food was good, for a quick service spot the service was great! Our favorite thing was the wings & jalapeño ranch. Very cute spot for a casual lunch.

Seher B.

Yelp

We visited little Rey on a nice weekend afternoon. It was a perfect time for the patio. The chips and queso and margaritas were a great start to our lunch!! Our little girly enjoyed the turf area to play around as we enjoyed our lunch. Service was fast and people were kind!The steak taco and spicy chicken torta were our favorite items!

Diana S.

Yelp

Aw man, I really wanted to love the pollo al carbon here. I mean, it's what they advertise. Sadly, I wasn't wowed. We ordered the half pollo al carbon plate. Three stars, it comes with beans very good, a bit salty, lime cilantro white rice didn't really stand out. Now my husband ordered the puerco al carbon taco is five stars. Service is great, staff was super friendly! Venue is clean and patio is excellent for patio weather! Might come again to try other dishes.

Morenike O.

Yelp

I have been to Little Rey twice. I really want to like it I really do, but the food is MID. The first time I had it was when they had their block party so the food was free, you just had to pay for drinks. I got one of their margaritas it was strong, and good. I had chips, guacamole, and two brisket tacos. My first thoughts on the food is it feels like it's missing something. Everything tasted like a tone down version of what it should be. Even their hottest sauces were not spicy. The guacamole was okay, but it had no flavor and lacked salt, same with the queso. The brisket was okay, but it felt like it could be more flavorful and smoky. I literally had H‑E‑B's brisket the other day and is much more flavorful compared to this one. Also, when I arrived, it was pretty late so I just thought maybe it as like that because they were busy and the food was free. I'll come back and try it another day. Came back another day and they got my order wrong. I wanted a chicken taco and I got a taco with mushrooms in it. I don't like mushrooms, they may have misheard me because said numbers vs the names, but by the time I realized I was already home. I think the taco they gave me was the Oaxaca. It was very very greasy and I didn't finish it. I also got the Suadero aka the brisket taco and the chips and queso and the taste is exactly the same as the first day. The service is wonderful and their staff is super friendly and nice. The restaurant is beautiful and in a great location but so far the food is MID. It's not like it's bad, it just doesn't pack flavor. Honestly it leaves me feeling hungry and unsatisfied. There are other places in the area that have better Mexican food in my opinion. I feel like it's a great concept, but the food could more flavorful.

David B.

Yelp

Went for a quick lunch. Really like this spot. It's a bright restaurant with lots of windows and plenty of seating inside and out. I had the chips and queso, which was really good. The chips were light and airy and the queso had good flavor. I went with the chicken al carbon and the beef al carbon tacos. Both came with onions and pico de gallo. The chicken was good, but nothing exceptional. The beef was very good. Service is counter ordering, and food delivered to your table. All in all, if you're looking for a taco, this is a good addition to the Houston area. Although, it is a bit pricey as others have mentioned for tacos. The aforementioned lunch with an iced tea was $30.

Martha H.

Yelp

Great location and friendly staff. I would give the Shrimp Diablo quesadilla 3/5, but I would come back to try the other menu items. The salsa bar is a nice touch - really enjoyed the jalapeño ranch and salsa verde. There is a good amount of seating inside and out.

Katy G.

Yelp

We've been many times and every time it lives up to expectations. If I could do 4.5/5 stars I would because I feel like it's a little overpriced, but what Mexican place in Houston isn't. I love that there are multiple salad options in addition to tacos and queso. If you haven't had their pancakes, they are absolutely worth it! The breakfast tacos are also awesome. The service is always excellent, and one of the main guys who helps keep the place spotless is always so kind to my son. Love that it's a great environment for kids, but I can also come with my coworkers. Definitely recommend!

Priscila P.

Yelp

As a Latina, who loves Mexican food, I wish the food here tasted as good as other Mexican restaurants I've been to overall the food was meh. The prices are a little high for what you're getting. Service was great and the restaurant was clean!

Megan M.

Yelp

Good food, friendly service and good outdoor space. Dog friendly too! Try the veggie tacos and definitely get a margarita

Dee W.

Yelp

Neighborhood place that we really like. The setting is great, it's fast and really good. My favorite is the Oaxaca, but also like the brisket and pork, the guac, cojita and the salsas. I don't care for the grilled chicken taco. If it were my restaurant, I'd do something about the lighting. It's too bright and has an industrial feel more like a cafeteria rather than a great casual spot.

Mike T.

Yelp

Great breakfast tacos, also bean tacos--an easy drive through- egg and bacon tacos are awesome!

Patricia L.

Yelp

We were so exited to try little Rey but unfortunately our experience was not very good. The restaurant is in an enviable location with a park alongside perfect for kids but the food was just not up to par at all. The chicken was dry, cilantro rice flavorless and beans bland. We also ordered a steak taco and it was also over cooked and dry. The kids meals are just a taco with meat, bland and sad. It's sort of new so maybe they're smoothing out the menu but for now, it's not somewhere I would go for dinner, there are so many better taco places and definitely better Tex mex places to try in Houston, we left sadly dissatisfied and disappointed

Madeline C.

Yelp

New little spot that's only been open two months! Really good margs, amazing tacos. Bomb queso fries. W got the Diablo shrimp taco (which was my favorite one) the carne asada taco (my man loved) and the pork belly taco which was also just a hit. Will definitely be coming back The atmosphere is adorable, good outdoor area :)

Lauren K.

Yelp

Let me start by saying the vibes are immaculate and the margs are strong. However, I was let down by the lack of seasoning in the salsa, queso, and carne asada. I could've gone to torchy's and gotten more bank for my buck in terms of price and spice. Will I be back? Maybe. Only because the margs are STRONG.

Dephlow D.

Yelp

I don't know why this place doesn't have a near perfect rating. On one hand I don't want a lot of people to know about it, but I also want the business to thrive at the same time. I didn't sample everything. But I got a #2 that was fire, and the wings...the wings deserve their own review, with music. Music at a frequency that both heals and unites. I don't know what spices are involved or what cultural derivation inspired them. I just know they deserve theme music and a special place on my weekly rotation of places to eat. Top 5 wings I've had anywhere.

Just A G.

Yelp

PSA- $9.95 (aka $10) small margarita and they only fill the child size cup 1/2 full without ice. This is my 3 rd time to Little Rey's .... I was disappointed the first time when I ordered 1 taco & it costed $7.25. But, I put that aside and embraced the "river oaks Mexican food pricing" as it's right next to where I live. In general, over all the food and ambience are nice and I enjoy their salads but after today it'll be hard for me to return. I ordered a grapefruit margarita which is PREMIXED in a machine (so no telling how little alcohol they actually put in the premixture) but when I asked for no ice they only filled the already child size cup 1/2 full - picture attached! I spoke to the manager who walked around the counter to confront me and she told me if I wanted a full Cup without ice I would have to pay for a double! I asked to speak to the owner - who I had just spoken to when I ordered and she told me conveniently that he had just left to run errands. So- me being the petty customer service person I am - took a picture for my reviews & then brought my drink home and measured the liquid... 3/4 cup of premixed grapefruit margarita was in my glass!! 3/4 OF A CUP! And I need to remind you they are charging $10 !!! Basically 2 shot glasses full of a premixed drink! And with their measurements you know it's not even 50% tequila more like 15%! All I asked was for them to fill it up more than 1/2 way and I got a hard "NO" so for me it's a hard PASS on this over priced, over rated restaurant where they don't take quality customer service and VALUE for the food/drink they are putting out seriously. DISAPPOINTING doesn't even begin to express how I feel.... Another one bites the dust for the locals (including me) that live around Mid Lane!

Paige P.

Yelp

With Little Rey, what you see is not what you get. The location and ambience are great, which only served to make the food more disappointing. We had two chicken tacos and two carnitas tacos. The chicken tacos had some flavor (mostly from the jalapenos on top), but the carnitas had almost no flavor. For a "Mexican" restaurant, that's embarrassing. I had to go grab some lime wedges and salt to make them tasty at all. We made the mistake of getting the guacamole. I say mistake because it's "market price" and so it must've been like $12-15 for a small cup based on the rest of our bill. (It's pay at the counter and not itemized on the check out ipad...) The guac was in dire need of salt, lime, and garlic. Any flavor other than plain avocado would've been welcome-- it was incredibly lack luster and certainly did not live up to the high price. The frozen margarita I had was okay-- it was strong and cold which is truly the nicest thing I can say about it. They did not offer salt or Tajin on the rim, and they dropped a gnarly looking lime wedge in it. :( With all the great Tex-Mex and Mexican food spots in Houston, Little Rey is a huge PASS. If they learn to actually season their food, I could be tempted to return because the ambiance really is nice. But that's all they have going for them at the moment.

Nicole W.

Yelp

I had chorizo tacos, they are mediocre and not authentic. I was there on a Sunday morning with very few people and still received bad service. There are many other breakfast taco spots with better food, try somewhere else.

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