Molina's Cantina

When I walked in no one was at the front to seat people and the bartender just stared at me. After several minutes a lady appeared. You could barely read the menu because it was old, cloudy and had been colored on with crayon. Chips and three types of salsa were served, and unfortunately every single salsa was spicy. I had the C.W. Special and everything was really good except for the beans (especially the cheese in the enchilada, the al pastor meat and the rice).

Worst happy hour ambiance EVER!! The bar should be fun and festive, especially during the holidays. This was the most drab experience. The happy hour food was ok, it was fresh, and fast. No music, just the annoying sounds of ragedy margarita machines and refrigerators. The server was ok, but quite rushed the entire time. In fact, the last couple of times I've been here, the staff isn't very friendly, they just get what you need. They run off so fast, that you're having to yell to summons them back for something else. The staff is definitely not personable and don't seem to appreciate the patronage from all guests. No smiles, just a bunch of workers shuffling around. Molina's is obviously not a great place to work because no one seems excited to come to work. I don't think I'll be back.

I've lived out of the country for 12 years and Molina's is always my first stop when I get back. My favorite restaurant, no question. José's dip is prob my favorite food of all time. Love their fish tacos and the Lady's Special. Not a bad bite to be had. Service is always excellent. Love this location and the one in Bellaire. Would give it 100 stars if I could!

Met my dad for lunch and we were greeted with warmth and kindness. Our waitstaff were wonderful and even laughed at the dad jokes. Food was wonderful. My taco dinner was so very good (would have liked cheese though). Beans were excellent (!!) and I loved the green sauce & chips. Wonderful place

Tiny margarita… i mean in a cordial cup, Sunday 12/28/25. It’s the smallest tiny margarita I have ever paid for. It wasn’t good either. I decided not to stay and eat. I was not hungry. I was here to drink a Marg. I come on week days for happy hour, not the same sized glass… just put in a margarita glass and charge me. I didn’t even ask price… so for me it’s a mehhh.

Old line Mexican & TEX-MEX restaurant local chain with delish standard and not-so-standard offerings. Nice selection of Texas-cold beers and cocktails. G Leche Quemada! Only down side is the kitchen has heavy hsnd with the salt;however

A friend invited me because they wanted to try the chile con carne. It was a little past noon and the restaurant was pretty empty. We ordered the taquitos and a cup of the chile con carne. For me, they were both bland and lacked any flavor. I wasn’t a fan of their chips and salsa either. The highlight of my meal was the candy at the end.

I just happened to come across this place. Omg…fantastic service and atmosphere but the food here is the HERO. Not only was it beyond scrumptious, the value for what you get is mind blowing. I would travel to Houston again just to eat here. Put this on your must go to places to eat. Very classy and clean.

Flew into Houston for a graduation and we looked for something to eat we can only eat in Houston, and we found Molina's!! Service was great from the moment we walked in the door. Learned a lot about the restaurant while I waited. Can't speak to ambiance but it seemed like a family Tex-Mex restaurant with pictures and decorations. The flavor of the food was outstanding I just wish there was more of it!!

I liked Molina's in the years past. But I was not happy with my recent experience. I had the C.W. Special (taco al carbon with beef, cheese enchilada, rice and beans, pico de gallo and guacamole.) I added queso to the meal. I wasn't impressed with the quality of the beef in the taco. The cheese enchilada was okay -- but nothing like I remember. The rice was flavorless and overcooked (and felt like a leftover). The beans tasted just like Frito bean dip from the 90s and the queso was some of the worst I've had. It was just like Cheese Whiz warmed over. The service was hot and cold. The chips were okay and I did like the green salsa they served. But overall, this wasn't the Molina's I remembered.

Always great to come here. Though the Meyerland one is closer to me. Chips and salsa were always filled when needed. I ordered the Berly's Burrito - flour tortilla filled with beef or chicken fajita meat, covered with chili con carne, topped with melted cheese with double rice and it came out hot and delicious. Service was great. Will be back for a baby shower in September! They have a private room.

First time going here. I've always wanted to try it. Went in and was greeted very nicely, nice ambiance and good service. The food is where it started lacking. Just the lack of flavor... The chips were okay, the green sauce and red sauce had no flavor, no salt, very plain. There was another red sauce that maybe had some type of pickled pepper that was pretty good. The queso con pico was probably the best thing I ordered. My Mangonada was extremely sweet. I ordered the Enchiladas verdes de Michael and I was disappointed. Again no flavor, the sauce was meh, the chicken was meh, small rice on the side and charro beans. You'd think a Mexican restaurant would at least have decent avocado. Charro beans were decent. My partner ordered the chille relleno and the sauce was super broken. It was like a gravy...super thick and brown. I had one bite and was like NO right away. Suddenly my enchiladas did not seem so bad. Again the service was great and we even got complimentary little sweets. Took them home at this point I couldn't eat any more. Going home that night the food was super heavy. From 3 enchiladas I only ate one, and some chips with queso. I couldn't hold it in when I went home, my stomach did not like it. Something was off. Maybe it was just a bad day, but personally I wouldn't go back.

I've been going to Molina's for over 30 years and I have never been disappointed with the quality of food and service...just a great restaurant

Molina's had the BEST customer service i've ever had in Houston. they were kind, attentive, respectful, and friendly. the manager told us a nice story about himself and a little bit of history on the place! the environment was very inviting and well lit! the food was above average, no complaints but nothing to rave about. having two different salsas to choose from was a pleasant surprise!

I give them credit for the nice wait staff. The chips are probably not made at Molina's. The red and green salsas are just ok. I had a grilled fish taco. It comes with two corn tortillas. The relish it comes with is spicy. If I would have known I would have asked them to hold the jalapeños. The rice is good, just a normal Mexican rice. I wish their black beans weren't cooked with lard. Parking is plentiful and security drives around in a golf cart. Unless friends are gathering there like they did this evening, I wouldn't choose this place. They need to upgrade their chips and salsa.

Molina's is my go to for consistently outstanding carnitas. Very little or no fat on the meat like I've had at other places. So tender and great flavor and crispness which I love. I enjoy all three salsas. It's what I label as Old School Mexican. Always a pleasure to visit.

Gave it a four stars for the food quality. The chips and salsas (yes more than one) were pretty good. Great taste! This is coming from a Tex Mex girl through and through. Tortillas handmade and the fajitas we ordered were tasty not to mention the charros. Pretty good if I must say. I take one star off from the service. The lady that was our server could have provided better service. There was miscommunication in ordering a margarita and so I must take a star off from that. Other than that, good Tex Mex!

First visit we had here for dinner. The service was fantastic! I ordered a combo meal-taco had lots of meat & lettuce. Tostada had beans & lettuce all topped with red salsa. It was all fresh- not a lot of any seasoning. The chips & dip were spicy. We had a cheese queso dip with sausage -it was very good. My cheese enchilada was flavorful & was accompanied by a chip cup with queso over- very good.

We arrived 33 minutes before closing time. Service was prompt and friendly. I think the food arrived in 10 minutes. I had the Sopa de Tortilla, and it was fantastic. Nice portion size- not too much, not too little . The side chips and salsa were great! I liked the lime "zing" of the red salsa. Could be a bit much for others, but this bold soul's palate enjoys some tickle on the tongue, and so I thought it was perfect! There was a milder green salsa provided as well. That seemed thoughtful. Shout out to Christian, our server! Such a thoughtful caring person who was quick to smile and show genuine interest. He was curious about Washington weather, (I just moved here from Washington) and I was happy to oblige. We left about 2 minutes after closing time, and yet were not made to feel rushed. Oh, the Tres Leches grand finale was just that...GRAND! Moist and delectable as it should be - and it was! No complaints on this end! 5 stars to Molina's and many thanks for the hard work you do to stay in business in this competitive world in which we live! You help make life better! Thank you!!!

The food is always consistent. Jonny's has had the kitchen in sync for years, along with Maria "The Manager, of all Managers" this place hums like a well oiled machine. The service is outstanding from Miguel, Norma and even Clay taking care of everyone in the bar area. Leo, she is still the legend rocking 41's tie collection. The only thing missing is the original pitch dark dinning room of the original Westheimer location, just turn down the lights and you would bring it all back little Ricky. Plus, you would save on the electric bill (mattress would be fatter). If your a regular it's just like cheers.

I've been to Molinas on Westheimer several times. The main dining room is large and great for large families or even sports team outings. There is a smaller adults only dining room with a bar. Outside they have seating inside a private courtyard. Food is 3 1/2 star TexMex. Not anything too remarkable but good food when you're hungry. Their salsa is good. Ambiance is decent. They need to improve on getting everyone'ds food out at the same time. Every time they bring someone's food out 5 minutes before anyone else's. So that person has to just sit there and wait until finally the other people's food shows up while their food gets cold. Shows a lack of waitstaff training. But I'll probably be back when i'm in the area.

I DID NOT EAT HERE. But the interaction alone with Maria (i believe is her name) the Manager of this place is just terrible and i can only imagine what her customers endure. My fiancé and I had a meet and greet in the area that her restaurant is in. We normally draw a big crowd so we offered to have her cater our event and we would even pay extra to use her parking lot mind you not even the whole parking lot just a couple of spaces. She said no. The morning of our meet and greet before it even started she came over and told us that she will tow any car parked in her parking lot. So i made sure none of our people parked there. She then started harassing people JUST WALKING THROUGH "HER" PARKING LOT ! She had her phone in kids faces, telling them that she was going to have them arrested for walking on private property. Mind you there are no signs that say private property. The apparently.. behind her building which is just a gravel lot (no signs indicating who's parking it belonged to) she parked her van behind our customers cars so they could not get out. Most of them had to make 8 point turns just to move because she wouldn't even move the car for them to leave. We got into a few times .. she kept calling me "little girl" ... mind you I'm 33 lol . I respect my elders but after crossing a few lines i really just let her have it. She literally gave us the hardest time ever , we're just a couple of content creators giving back to our fans who have supported us for the past 10 yrs and she truly made things so difficult. Whoever ACTUALLY owns this place i suggest you re-train Maria in some manners and customer service. There's truly no need for that type of hostility and rudeness.

For the past 25 years, Molina's has been my GO TO in Houston for the best Tex Mex. Over the years I've tried a few dishes on the menu, but it's all about the delectable Jose's Dip and the "potent" margaritas. I only eat in the bar area and staff is always very pleasant, especially Miguel who has served me over the years.

Always the place to go for Mexican food and margaritas . Fun for the family of all ages .

Molinas needs to either shut down or remodel the outside seating area. They use it to serve families with active children but it's very child unfriendly. With many hard, uneven dangerous surfaces and tripping hazards, the patio area is prone to both children and adult falls. The prosperous restaurant owes it to its many repeat customers to remodel the old dilapidated patio area to ensure the safety of its customers.

We get a to go order of chips and queso and some beef enchiladas , and a margarita The margaritas where very strong with cheap tequila, which was a help to stomach the food. Bland , zero taste. And expensive. Wife grew up in Houston, and insisted we eat here, she was very unhappy about the food, I doubt we would return or recommend this restaurant, Unfortunately we wasted money here

This place is amazing and I'm just really glad I'm only 3 minutes away. The menu has a lot of great items.. also ordered a drink and it was very small for $9 but it was potent. Rated a 4/5 just due to lack of an attentive server.

i went for my birthday and dinner was perfect! very authentic and everything had good flavor. they surprised me with a complimentary dessert and sung happy birthday. we all love it here and our server was awesome! definitely coming here more often.

First impression is perfect! Ms. Alberta kept bringing us dips and chips as soon as we got low and was very attentive to our food experience. Their red salsa is soooo good! Would absolutely return. The watermelon Fresca was incredibly light and refreshing. Highly recommend! Lovely wait staff, lovely atmosphere!!!

Food is always good, service and ambiance has always been excellent. But quite disappointed when we found out they quit serving at 5 and that we would be asked to leave by 5:10??? We had a group of ladies leaving the movie theatre that wanted to meet there to talk about the movie we had just seen while enjoining a meal. Who knew 4th of July restaurants closed early? Might as well let their employees off to enjoy being with their families to celebrate with the rest of us! We were blessed with a restaurant over on I10 that was open and very accommodating to all of ladies.

Very nice atmosphere. Food and service were good. Good part of town. Little disappointed in salsa

I hadn't been here since I was little n decided to finally make a trip after all these years n the fact that this establishment being around for 80 years must mean they're definitely doing something right. I ordered the Chicken Enchiladas and they were very fantastic n very delicious with a great n juicy corn wrap, tender shredded chicken, rich yellow cheese and a runny n slightly chunky red sauce. They were seasoned well without being too salty and juicy without being overly greasy. Also, both were very tender to cut, thus no knife needed. Imo, they seemed to resemble real Mexican enchiladas more than every other Tex Mex place does. The rice and beans on the side tasted great. The rice was very tasty with a somewhat buttery n loose feel to it. Then, when the bill came, I was given two free little cookies that tasted like butter, sugar and possibly nutmeg or some spice in every bite. They were similar to pralines and very delicious, crunchy n yet smooth on the outer layer from the cream, free and very satisfying for a sweet tooth satisfaction after a savory meal. The service was great, efficient n friendly as well. I plan to also try their famous Nachos next time.

Friendly service . Food was not really that good . Don't think I would return . My burrito was threw together .

Nice Mexican restaurant with lots of good food. Service was great and the salsa was amazing. We were offered three different types of salsa with out chips. I ordered the puffy taco with refried beans. My son ordered Mole' which he wouldn't order again. It was good but not to his liking. I would come here again when I visit again.

Always fun dining there whenever in Houston. Always recommend to visitors. Great dining memories.

I'm giving this place 5 stars. Why? Because of the Nancy Ames nachos. Yep, these nachos are hands down my favorite in town. Each chip is topped with refried beans, picadillo taco meat, guacamole, queso, diced jalapenos & pickled carrots. The chips stay crispy & the ratio of chip, beans, meat & cheese are perfect. On top of that, diced pickled carrots? Yep, the combination of every ingredient makes these nachos my all time favorite. And thank you, Nancy Ames for telling Molina's how to make the perfect nacho. Did you know that Molina's has been around for 78 years? That's older than me! Thanks to Raul & his wife Maria for purchasing the Old Monterrey Restaurant & turning it into something historic. It takes something special to stay in business this long & you can tell that they have a very loyal following. Every time I lunch at this location there are a ton of seniors enjoying their meals. I used to think this place (without even stepping through the doors) was a run of the mill type of place. It isn't. This place serves up excellent, tasty dishes & a very attentive, friendly staff. So, why don't you try this place? You should. Especially if you are looking for the best "old skool" nachos.

Very good. Not crowded on a Saturday night which was nice. Fish tacos very good too. Nice for big groups and music not too loud for conversation

I have been coming to Molina's for over 20 years and have even seen the late Barbra and George H Bush dining in at the Westheimer location. The restaurant in well laid out which includes 2 outside patio's, a main dining room and double sided bar with televisions on both sides. They include queso for there happy hour but if you want a little more flavor consider mixing the chili carne with the queso. The most popular dish on the menu is the C.W. special which includes a tacos al carbon, cheese enchilada, guacamole with rice and beans. They have great combination specials that work whether you're very hungry or looking for something light. I also love the Berly's Burrito if you're really hungry. It's basically a large enchilada with fajita chicken or beef covered in cheese and chili carne.

Understated restaurant with good, reasonably-priced food and margaritas. Servers were very attentive and the salsa was excellent. Better quality than many tex-mex restaurants serving the Houston area.

This is a Houston classic. The house margarita's are tart and strong, the queso and salsa are iconic, and there are many classic Tex-Mex options. Service can be uneven when it's busy. Read that again and see if you can understand why. Really good combination plates and several distinctive items you won't find at other Tex-Mex restaurants.

No wait and nice staff! I prefer this Casa Molina compared to the other location as it is more centralized. You will not be disappointed ! :-)

Don't ever order the shrimp tacos! They should be called lettuce tacos with a chopped shrimp. You can get a better shrimp taco at Ruchi's or Taco Cabana! I couldn't believe how lame they were. One chopped shrimp per taco?!! Thanks for replying. I got delivery last Wednesday.

Stopped in on my visit to Houston. Guess I should have read the reviews. I ordered the Molina's special. I waited a long time for service. Not very busy just not coordinated. No bussing staff. I sat dehydrated most of the meal. No service for water or refill on drink. Half the order came out. Over spicy cheese con quest that was cold. Over stuffed chicken runny taco with soggy lettuce with thick red gravy poured on top of the chalupa. When I sat staring at the waiter ... he came out with another plate of food 20 minutes later. The completion of my order. I never got a refill. Looked at this plate of dark heavy mush and requested my check and left. Never again.

Stay away from the Chile rellenos. A large relleno was flooded with thick, brown, tasteless gravy, which matched the brown mediocre refried beans. Molinas should consider updating their old family recipes. On Sunday at noon, the place was not exactly packed.....maybe a message?

Molina's has been a Houston favorite since the 1940s and has the best food and service of any other authentic Tex-Mex. I was at the restaurant on Sunday, January 22, 2023 where a local head shop (B.C. SmokeshopWest) was allowing their customers to park in the restaurant parking lot. So if you see a bad review from "Dottie R." from LA (who is a vegan and on Instagram as Stoner Dottie) attacking Maria, the awesome manager of Molina's at this location, ignore her. She is just a stoner for California who was mad because the teenagers they were selling their Delta 8 & 9 products to were made to park somewhere else. Same for Thomas A. (Dottie's partner) who goes as Yola... another peddler of THC Delta 8 & 9 to teens. I cannot wait until I see them planning another event so I can have my friends at HPD wake them up!

Takeout is a shambles. Always wrong always late. A joke how bad it is. Too bad because food often very good

I've been going to Molina's for years and have NEVER had a bad experience. Now, I wouldn't go in if you are in a hurry, but if you are looking for a nice, leisurely dinner, this is the place. The food is amazing, i.e. Rolitos, William's Special and much more. The William's is my favorite and the best part is you can order a 1/2 order. All in all, my family and friends love this restaurant. Great margs as well.

Best fajitas ever in H town, the chips as well are crunchy and the salsas!! I love molinas , even going to another states in the for tex mex food. Molinas has been the best

I was very clear over the phone when I ordered CHICKEN quesadillas. when I got home, I saw that I got cheese quesadillas instead. Who would order quesadillas with just cheese? Look at the photos....There was nothing in there! I really want to support restaurants during COVID-19. Unfortunately, I will no longer eat at your restaurant. Customers are paying a good amount of money to order to-go. If you can't get your orders correctly, you may end up going out of business.

Molina's is the neighborhood family friendly Tex-Mex staple.If you live on the West side of Houston near-ish Westheimer or the Memorial area, you've probably been here a handful of times already. They offer the regular tex-mex food that you'd expect and I haven't met a bad plate there yet. Big standout, must order type thing is Jose Dip. It's essentially chili con queso but somehow way better than you've had it anywhere else. Mexican beers, margaritas and all the other usual suspects are on the bar menu. Their salsa is a big point of conjecture. It's very different from most salsas you get at similar places. Customers either absolutely rave about it and love it or hate it. I'm a fan but that's just me. Service is friendly and fast. We even came by during Hurricane Harvey's aftermath and they were still open, t with a limited menu, and everyone was all smiles to be there serving queso. If you haven't been, it's a must try for the Tex-Mex fans of Houston.

The food was "just ok ", the server was nice but barely spoke English so ordering was challenged, we had to point to what what we wanted on the menu and the order was still only half correct, but since we were starving , we ate it anyway. The drinks were good tho.

The family has been going to Molina's for over thirty years and I have found it to be always very good. Went recently for lunch and had my usual Berly's burrito and it was really good. My daughter had the chicken fajitas which she liked very much. The lunch prices are reasonable. Don't really like the original margarita because it is super strong. I've had minor hangovers after only having two. Molina's earns five stars for longevity, nice decor and ambience with open spaces and patios. The service is always very good. It's probably overpriced considering the great taco trucks and Mexican groceries where you can get great tacos cheap but Molina's provides okay value especially compared to the competition to the west in the Memorial area. I'll be back next time I'm in Hugetown!

Very good and authentic TexMex. They have been in business since 1947. Bush 1 used to eat here. The Jose dip is the best queso with beef in Houston. Of their three locations the one on Westheimer is the best and has the best parking. They also have a private room for parties. Two patio outdoor areas. Open Labor Day too.

I went here with my family. 5 adults. Our waitress "Leo" was horrible. I got my food before everyone. I was more halfway finished before they got their food. She rarely came to check on us. After the meal, I left a note on my receipt about the horrible service. Whyyyyyy was my credit card flagged by my bank for FRUAD. This is the ONLY TIME I USED IT. $799 for a Boost Mobile bill, $177 for Dillard's and $47 for some hello kitty. Thank God it was ALL DENIED. Than my daughter was billed twice. Same amount. Double billed to her account. Her friend ALSO. LEO was our server and I don't know what type of craziness that this place is doing. I'm putting these FACTS HERE. So when and if this place gets in trouble for FRUAD. Just reach out to me. I have receipts and your IT people can follow their tracks. Never again will I dine here. I will pay my bill but I WON'T STAND FOR SCAMS.

Great classic old-school Tex-Mex place owned by the same family since the 1940s. Chips served with three different salsas all of which are tasty. Excellent cheese enchiladas and fish tacos. Great service. Will definitely be back.

Molina's is your typical Tex-Mex joint. You are immediately served chips and salsa, which I have read in many Houston area publications are some of the best in our city. I will have to disagree with those journalists on the salsa-front; they have a roasted-molcajete style salsa which is tasty but no spice-level, and a vinegary salsa roja, both of which are adequate, but no where near the best our city has to offer. Their chips, however, were quite tasty with a good masa flavor. As far as the food, again, standard Tex-Mex fare: tasty enough fajitas, charro beans, etc. Nothing particularly memorable or standout, but by no means bad. The service was pretty attentive, and the atmosphere was lively. I wouldn't go back on my own because I'm craving great Mexican or even Tex-Mex food, but I would go back in a social setting if a group wanted to.

After shopping me and my daughter stopped for lunch. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We ordered fajitas for one and a chili con queso. Servive was fast and food was delicous. Portion sizes were large. Will be back again.