The Original Ninfa's Uptown

"Ninfa’s Uptown in the Galleria neighborhood is the second (and sparklier) location of the classic Tex-Mex institution . The inside of Ninfa’s Uptown is a massive sweeping restaurant filled with nods to the original (with family relics along the wall and personal odes to Mama Ninfa). While the menu at the Galleria location is a bit shorter, there are still all of the Tex-Mex staples you might expect: serious margaritas, hand-made fluffy flour tortillas, and fajita trays big enough to feed your entire crew. " - Gianni Greene

"Though Ninfas is typically credited for its fajitas, this Tex-Mex haven will celebrate the holiday season with handmade tamales through December. Ninfa’s veteran Maria Chavez will handmake carnitas con chile verde tamales, which are available by the dozen for $24, and rajas con queso, made with thin strips of nopales, poblano peppers, onions, and queso, for $20 for dozen. Cover your bases and be sure to Ponche Navideño, a traditional Mexican fruit punch, with the option to spike with with tequila." - Brittany Britto Garley, Megha McSwain

"This Mexican restaurant offers themed cocktails and $8 Astros Dogs, with a complimentary shuttle to the stadium from the Navigation location." - Brittany Britto Garley

"The Uptown location of the Original Ninfa’s was locked out of its space at BLVD Place earlier this week in the midst of a dispute between the restaurant’s owners and its landlords. In a press release, Legacy Restaurants owner Niel Morgan says that negotiations on the lease were underway between the company and Whitestone REIT, its landlord on the space at 1700 Post Oak Boulevard, but fell apart when staff arrived at the restaurant on Tuesday to find locked doors. It’s a pretty rough time for a lockout, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has cratered business at local restaurants. 'We have been negotiating in good faith for some time, and Ninfa’s was not requesting any rent forgiveness,' Morgan said in a statement. 'On Friday, we were informed that our proposed deferral and payment plan was acceptable subject to resolving one remaining issue, so we believed we were making progress.' Speaking with CultureMap, Whitestone’s CEO disputed Morgan’s version of the events, claiming that the restaurant has not paid any rent on the Uptown location since March, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced restaurants across the state to close their dining rooms. Ninfa’s has been open at BLVD Place since June 2019. Due to the lockout, the Original Ninfa’s in Uptown remains closed. Stay tuned for more details on when it will reopen." - Amy McCarthy

"Ninfa’s Astros Margarita, a blend of carrot juice, citrus and tequila with a jicama star garnish, will be available for $10 at both the Navigation and Uptown locations during game days. Ninfa’s is also offering their happy hour menu, including $4 beers, during games. Ninfa’s does pickup and delivery through Doordash, Favor and its own website." - Brittanie Shey