Mexican Restaurants in Downtown Houston: Tacos, Oaxacan Food & More

Downtown Houston has several very different Mexican restaurant experiences within a relatively small area. You can choose Oaxacan cooking near Discovery Green, modern Mexican food shaped by the Las Californias region, a long-running Houston family restaurant, or Mexico City-style tacos that stay open well past dinner.

These restaurants are not interchangeable: each has a different regional focus, service style, schedule, and Downtown setting.

Quick Answer

Choose Xochi for Oaxacan food and a full-service meal near Discovery Green; Zaranda for modern Mexican food with coastal and cross-border influences; Irma’s Original or Irma’s Southwest for the Irma Galvan family’s Houston legacy; and La Calle when tacos, speed or late-night hours matter most.

For drink specials in the same area, see Downtown Houston Happy Hour.

Downtown Mexican Restaurants at a Glance

Restaurant	Downtown location	Food direction	Useful current detail
Xochi	Discovery Green / Marriott Marquis	Oaxacan Mexican	Separate Saturday brunch and Sunday brunch buffet menus.
Zaranda	Discovery Green	Modern Mexican / Las Californias	Sunday brunch plus Sunday-night cocktail pricing.
Irma’s Original	N. Chenevert	Mexican / Tex-Mex	Breakfast and lunch-focused most weekdays; own parking.
Irma’s Southwest	Texas Avenue	Mexican, seafood and Texas game	Open Mon–Sat; wild-game dishes distinguish the menu.
La Calle Tacos	Franklin Street	Mexico City-style street food	Open until 2 or 3 a.m. depending on the day.

Oaxacan and Modern Mexican Dining

Xochi

Xochi is the strongest Downtown choice when you want a restaurant built around a specific Mexican region rather than a broad Tex-Mex menu. Chef Hugo Ortega’s concept focuses on Oaxaca, with handmade masa, housemade moles, cacao, mezcal and wood-fired cooking.

• Address: 1777 Walker St, Suite A, Houston, TX 77010
• Hours: Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
• What to expect: Moles, masa-based dishes, wood-fired meats and seafood, oysters/crudos, mezcal and chocolate/cacao preparations.
• Brunch: Xochi publishes separate Saturday brunch and Sunday brunch buffet menus.
• Parking: The restaurant currently lists $11 valet during dinner service and Sunday brunch; the Xochi valet stand is on Crawford Street and is separate from the Marriott valet.
• Location: First floor of the Marriott Marquis across from Discovery Green.
• Official menu: Xochi menus

Zaranda

Zaranda is also associated with Chef Hugo Ortega, but it is a different concept from Xochi. The menu explores the food traditions of Las Californias—from Northern California through Baja and Cabo—so seafood, tostadas and zarandeado-style grilling play a larger role.

• Address: 1550 Lamar Street, Suite 101, Houston, TX 77010
• Hours: Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Menu direction: Oysters, tostadas, tacos, coastal seafood, grilled dishes and modern Mexican plates influenced by the Las Californias region.
• Brunch: Weekend brunch is published, including Sunday service with live music during part of the day.
• Sunday night: The restaurant currently advertises happy-hour cocktail pricing all night and 25% off select bottles of wine.
• Parking: Current information lists complimentary valet on Sunday and paid valet Monday–Saturday.
• Official menu: Zaranda menus

Long-Running Houston Mexican Restaurants

Irma’s Original

Irma’s Original is the historic, personal-feeling counterpoint to the newer Downtown dining rooms. Irma Galvan’s restaurant became a Houston institution and received a James Beard America’s Classics award in 2008.

• Address: 22 N Chenevert St, Houston, TX 77002
• Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday 4–9 p.m.; closed Sunday.
• Food direction: Enchiladas, fajitas, carne guisada, chile relleno, carnitas, seafood and changing daily Mexican/Tex-Mex selections.
• Signature detail: The restaurant is especially known for its lemonade and for a menu that changes rather than relying on one fixed list of dishes.
• Parking: Irma’s states that it has its own restaurant parking.
• Official menu: Irma’s Original menu

Irma’s Southwest

Irma’s Southwest expands the family’s Mexican cooking with seafood and Texas wild game, so the menu has items you will not find at many Downtown Mexican restaurants.

• Address: 1475 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002
• Hours: Monday–Saturday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed Sunday. The restaurant currently notes last reservations/walk-ins at 8 p.m.
• Menu direction: Fajitas, enchiladas, tamales, mole, seafood and game meats.
• Distinctive dishes: The current menu includes nilgai enchiladas and a Texas wild-game combination alongside more familiar Mexican plates.
• Good for: Your group wants a sit-down Downtown meal with more adventurous protein options rather than tacos alone.
• Official menu: Irma’s Southwest menu

Tacos and Late-Night Mexican Food

La Calle Tacos

La Calle is the practical choice when you want tacos, tortas, or something open after most full-service kitchens have closed.

• Address: 909 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77002
• Current hours: Sunday 9 a.m.–2 a.m.; Monday–Wednesday 7 a.m.–2 a.m.; Thursday–Friday 7 a.m.–3 a.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.–3 a.m.
• Food direction: Mexico City-style street tacos, tortas, quesabirria, chilaquiles, pozole and other casual Mexican dishes.
• Best use: Quick lunch, casual dinner, late-night tacos or food after a Downtown event.
• Atmosphere: Much more casual than Xochi or Zaranda; choose it for speed and street-food style rather than a long dining experience.
• Official site: La Calle Tacos

Parking, Reservations and Downtown Planning

Downtown parking is highly dependent on events. Astros games, conventions, concerts and large Discovery Green programs can change traffic and garage availability even when a restaurant’s normal parking arrangement has not changed.

• Xochi: Publishes its own valet information, including Sunday brunch service.
• Zaranda: Publishes valet pricing and currently advertises complimentary Sunday valet.
• Irma’s Original: States that it has its own parking.
• La Calle: Plan around Downtown street/garage parking rather than assuming a dedicated restaurant lot.
• Reservations: More important at Xochi and Zaranda than at a casual taco stop such as La Calle.

How to Choose

• Oaxacan cooking: Xochi.
• Modern coastal/cross-border Mexican: Zaranda.
• Long-running Houston family restaurant: Irma’s Original.
• Mexican food plus Texas wild game: Irma’s Southwest.
• Late-night tacos: La Calle Tacos.

Frequently Asked Questions