Where Are Houston's Mexican Neigborhoods?

[VisitingHouston]

I'm visiting Houston this upcoming week and was wondering where the Mexican neighborhoods in Houston are.

I have heard that Houston has a large Mexican and Latino population as well as very good authentic food at great prices. Where would be a "main drag" or area that would be a good place to explore, take pictures, eat, drink, visit mexican markets, etc?

Thanks!

[TJones]

My first question would be , are YOU Hispanic also ? If not, this town doesn't have a real touristy Latin part of town like San Antonio does, if THAT is what you are looking for, you may be dissappointed.

I guess the best place would be Airline Dr. big Mexican Market on Saturday and Sunday over there, or around the 610 and I45 interchange area. Don't think you want to "explore" too much around the latter. Gulfton and Chimney Rock area might turn up some prospects, but don't try it at night.

Edited January 28, 2006 by TJones

[VisitingHouston]

My first question would be , are YOU Hispanic also ? If not this town doesn't have a real Latin part of town like San Antonio does, if THAT is what you are looking for, you may be dissappointed.

I guess the best place would be Airline Dr. big Mexican Market on Saturday and Sunday over there, or around the 610 and I45 interchange area. Don't think you want to "explore" too much around the latter. Gulfton and Chimney Rock area might turn up some prospects, but don't try it at night.

No, i'm not hispanic, but i'm pretty adventurous-- (I can speak Spanish and have been to Mexico before).

Where exactly is this market? (Sorry, i'm pretty much a complete newbie to H-town)

Where would be a good place to find Mexican street vendors (selling food) or taco trucks/taquerias?

I figure a town like Houston has a large Mexican pop, so it must have a huge Mexican commercial area, markets, street vendors, etc.

THANKS!

Edited January 28, 2006 by VisitingHouston

[DJ V Lawrence]

I'm visiting Houston this upcoming week and was wondering where the Mexican neighborhoods in Houston are.

I have heard that Houston has a large Mexican and Latino population as well as very good authentic food at great prices. Where would be a "main drag" or area that would be a good place to explore, take pictures, eat, drink, visit mexican markets, etc?

Thanks!

My friends used to know 3rd Ward as a latin-amercan neighborhood, but there's many places in Houston to check out. Can't think of them at the top of my head except 3rd Ward, but I'm sure there are many neighborhoods better...

[sevfiv]

there are little pockets everywhere, but larger ones are east/southeast, southwest and northeast

eastwood, reveille area, telephone road, and bellaire blvd. west of chimney rock...

Edited January 28, 2006 by sevfiv

[TJones]

Where exactly is this market? (Sorry, i'm pretty much a complete newbie to H-town)

Where would be a good place to find Mexican street vendors (selling food) or taco trucks/taquerias?

THANKS!

You will find what you are looking for on Airline, it IS the safest place, If you need a "Taqueria on Wheels" find a new home building site, plenty of trucks to be found there. Just look for construction sites, one is bound to turn up. I have to ask you again though, are you Hispanic, the only reason I ask is because if you know absolutely no spanish, you might get into trouble going into some of these places. The big Market on Airline just east of I-45 north about 3 miles or so down the road, IS your best bet.

For the most part, all of our little brown brothers are sprinkled in and around the city, like queso on a torta !

Edited January 28, 2006 by TJones

[TJones]

My friends used to know 3rd Ward as a latin-amercan neighborhood, but there's many places in Houston to check out. Can't think of them at the top of my head except 3rd Ward, but I'm sure there are many neighborhoods better...

WHOA ! DJ, what are you thinking ? You don't send tourists to any part of our fair city that has the word "WARD" attached to it. Are you trying to put this guy on the 10 o'clock news ?

[Original Timmy Chan's]

My friends used to know 3rd Ward as a latin-amercan neighborhood, but there's many places in Houston to check out. Can't think of them at the top of my head except 3rd Ward, but I'm sure there are many neighborhoods better...

You're thinking 2nd Ward, roughly between the Gulf Freeway and 59 N, southeast of downtown.

3rd Ward has never been Latino.

I've never had a problem in either ward...I've always found them to be laid back places.

There's an established Mexican-American population in 2nd Ward...and continuing east to north Pasadena and southeast down the Gulf Freeway and down Telephone Road just outside the Loop.

A lot of Central Americanos in the Gulfton area. There's a big market just off the Southwest Freeway between Fountainview and Westpark (on Skyline?) It's heavily trafficked on the weekends.

There's a heavy Hispanic flavor to Long Point also.

[gnu]

Where would be a good place to find Mexican street vendors (selling food) or taco trucks/taquerias?

I say Eastside..it's probably the longest continuously hispanic area:

Harrisburg would be the best street to cruise. Its the main drag for hispanic businesses.

The epicenter is like Harrisburg and 75th or Wayside

Another good spot would be in the Near Northside along N.Main at Quitman and Hogan.

and you could go across up Airline - like Tjones said. The Farmers Market is out there but I don't know how late its open or if its open on Sunday. also there are some big Hispanic Flea Markets out Airline near 45 that do very good business.

And the streets Sevfiv and Timmy chan mentioned are good streets too.

Edited January 29, 2006 by gnu

[WesternGulf]

I replied to your thread at SSP. Just found this one.

Edited January 29, 2006 by WesternGulf

[CaptAWACS]

Ninfa's on Navigation is a place to try!

As for the "ward" thing, they are not all bad. One of my properties in the fourth ward, and I rent to a lawyer (as are 4 others on the block). Don't fear the "Ward"

Ciao, and Hook 'em Horns,

Capt-AWACS, Dutch girls are easy

[WesternGulf]

As for the "ward" thing, they are not all bad. One of my properties in the fourth ward, and I rent to a lawyer (as are 4 others on the block). Don't fear the "Ward"

That's just Katy talk. Fifth Ward is another story though.

[riverrat]

I'm visiting Houston this upcoming week and was wondering where the Mexican neighborhoods in Houston are.

I have heard that Houston has a large Mexican and Latino population as well as very good authentic food at great prices. Where would be a "main drag" or area that would be a good place to explore, take pictures, eat, drink, visit mexican markets, etc?

Thanks!

Just WHERE IS IT you are coming from that you want to see Mexican neighborhoods?

[VicMan]

The Third Ward is getting expensive, as is the Fourth Ward.

[brucesw]

I'm visiting Houston this upcoming week and was wondering where the Mexican neighborhoods in Houston are.

I have heard that Houston has a large Mexican and Latino population as well as very good authentic food at great prices. Where would be a "main drag" or area that would be a good place to explore, take pictures, eat, drink, visit mexican markets, etc?

Thanks!

Others have already noted Houston's Mexican and Latino population is very spread out. I find the area along Harrisburg around Wayside and Sgt. Macario Garcia Blvd. (69th St) interesting.

I know some cities (Seattle, LA) have websites with user reviews of taco trucks and other mobile vendors but Houston doesn't, so far as I know (wish we did).

Check out this old thread on HAIF: http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=2459 for some good discussion of eateries on the east and SE sides.

Also this: http://www.b4-u-eat.com/eat002.asp?Z=&A=&H=125&N=&S=N. 99 Taquerias and that's no where near all of them. This site also has listings for 'Mexican' - almost 1000 - and other Hispanic countries. Mexican in many cases probably means Tex-Mex.

The original Ninfas on Navigation - now part of a chain - is where the fajita craze took off. Not where they were invented, just where they became famous.

El Tiempo on Washington and Richmond is run by Ninfa's family and supposedly uses her original recipes.

Tampico on Airline (inside the Loop across from the Produce Market) is good for seafood.

[DJ V Lawrence]

WHOA ! DJ, what are you thinking ? You don't send tourists to any part of our fair city that has the word "WARD" attached to it. Are you trying to put this guy on the 10 o'clock news ?

You're thinking 2nd Ward, roughly between the Gulf Freeway and 59 N, southeast of downtown.

3rd Ward has never been Latino.

I've never had a problem in either ward...I've always found them to be laid back places.

There's an established Mexican-American population in 2nd Ward...and continuing east to north Pasadena and southeast down the Gulf Freeway and down Telephone Road just outside the Loop.

A lot of Central Americanos in the Gulfton area. There's a big market just off the Southwest Freeway between Fountainview and Westpark (on Skyline?) It's heavily trafficked on the weekends.

There's a heavy Hispanic flavor to Long Point also.

My mistake. That area was where I had in mind.

[west20th]

Where exactly is this market? (Sorry, i'm pretty much a complete newbie to H-town)

Canino's Produce

2520 Airline Drive

713-862-4027

Open 7 days 6 a.m.

[native_Houstonian]

Canino's Produce

2520 Airline Drive

713-862-4027

Open 7 days 6 a.m.

Edited January 30, 2006 by native_Houstonian

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Another GREAT place for breakfast tacos is Villa Arcos, on Navigation, just a couple blocks down from the original Ninfa's. Their fresh homemade tortillas are what makes the taco. My favorite is the chorizo super taco.

Another bonus is that they don't "dumb down" the salsa. It's got some bite to it...plenty of chile.

There's always a line on the weekends, but it moves fast, and that line is a good sign...lots of loyal customers (it's similar to Frenchy's on Scott in that manner.)

[mothernature]

Most Hispanic neighborhoods are pretty safe, yep, even at night. I'm Anglo & raised my kids in one because I was a working single mom & that's where I could afford to live. Now I live near them by choice. They taught me how to be poor and still maintain a good quality of life. I'm an artist, own a business, & am in much better financial condition than I was back in those days, but I love Mexican culture and neighborhoods. Where else can you keep chickens in your backyard without someone calling the city? Just stay alert if you're there at night and you'll be fine. I made it---both kids grew up just fine, & 3 grandkids followed.

I grew up in SE Houston and we used to eat at the original Ninfa's on Navigation right after Mama Ninfa's husband died and she first opened. Navigation is a very established Hispanic neighborhood.

I now live and have my business close to the Farmer's Market on Airline. If you drive around the neighborhoods east of I-45 between the N. Main & Airline exits there is another very established Latino neighborhood with some excellent taqueirias. The ones in the trailers set up in parking lots are usually very inexpensive and good. The one I go to is on Houston Ave. at Crockett near downtown. You get a free little cup of beans that are outstanding with your tacos, which are only $1-$1.50 depending on what you get.

Hope your visit is fun---being adventurous certainly adds to the probability that it will be.

[Guest danax]

Most Hispanic neighborhoods are pretty safe, yep, even at night. I'm Anglo & raised my kids in one because I was a working single mom & that's where I could afford to live. Now I live near them by choice. They taught me how to be poor and still maintain a good quality of life. I'm an artist, own a business, & am in much better financial condition than I was back in those days, but I love Mexican culture and neighborhoods. Where else can you keep chickens in your backyard without someone calling the city? Just stay alert if you're there at night and you'll be fine. I made it---both kids grew up just fine, & 3 grandkids followed.

I grew up in SE Houston and we used to eat at the original Ninfa's on Navigation right after Mama Ninfa's husband died and she first opened. Navigation is a very established Hispanic neighborhood.

I now live and have my business close to the Farmer's Market on Airline. If you drive around the neighborhoods east of I-45 between the N. Main & Airline exits there is another very established Latino neighborhood with some excellent taqueirias. The ones in the trailers set up in parking lots are usually very inexpensive and good. The one I go to is on Houston Ave. at Crockett near downtown. You get a free little cup of beans that are outstanding with your tacos, which are only $1-$1.50 depending on what you get.

Hope your visit is fun---being adventurous certainly adds to the probability that it will be.

Welcome to HAIF, mothernature. We're honored (those hurricanes last year were a bit much though, if I may be so blunt)

As for the Navigation area and Harrisburg Blvd areas, they're still traditional but I think that will change as the area gets gentrified. Eastwood are the surroundings have become a sort of Montrose with a hispanic gay population which I think will eventually cause a unique hybrid retail, sort of a Chicana Chic, to pop up which will displace some of the more traditional Mexican places. I welcome this type of change as it will clean the place up and turn the place into a place to go, not just a place to live. However, the old neighborhoods and the establishments that serve them will change too.

I agree about the hispanic neighborhoods being safe and good places to raise a family, in general. Why Gulfton has a gang problem and the East End doesn't (as far as I know) eludes me.

[jm1fd]

Eastwood are the surroundings have become a sort of Montrose with a hispanic gay population

Eastwood is full of gay mexicans? That's a new one...what makes you say this?

[Guest danax]

Eastwood is full of gay mexicans? That's a new one...what makes you say this?

I don't know how "full" it is, but I've met several. And I know another who is house hunting this weekend there and one who lived there a few years back when it was still cheap, sold his house, and now wishes he hadn't. I don't live there and I'm not gay so my comment is observational only, but the place definitely has a gay population, of which at least several are hispanic.

So I have absolutely no idea how many hispanic gays live there as a percentage. Maybe I've run into the only 4 or 5 over there, but the mind tends to put 2 and 2 together and creates a larger picture based on the limited data available. I apologize if I painted a picture based on that and not hard statistics.

My real point was that I see the area slowly attracting more and more "west end" types (again, based on my limited observations) and envision an eventual blend of retail that might be Montrose-esque but hispanic too, upscale Mexican restaurants and shops, etc. But who really knows, these are just my imaginings for now.

[77017]

[quote name='danax' date='Monday, January 30th, 2006 @ 9:08pm' post='68 Why Gulfton has a gang problem and the East End doesn't (as far as I know) eludes me.

Southeast Crips

Southeast Crip Cartel

Southeast 52 Hoova Crips

Southeast Lunatics

Southeast Murdernolia

Southway Hustlers

Oak Meadows Mafia

Broadway Mafia Crips

Tango Blast

Mara Salvatrucha

Riverview Bloods

Puro Segundo Varrio

Bloc of D

H-town Gangstas

Gangsta Type Criminals

G-Store

Houstone

Nah, there aint a gang problem in East End as long as you don't have a problem with gangs. . .

[Guest danax]

^ I've lived here 4 years and I haven't noticed any signs of them except occasional graffiti, but that gets abated very quickly. An HPD officer recently came to our civic club meetings and shook his head no to the question of whether or not gangs were a problem in our area. 2nd Ward, Magnolia Park and Park Place might be different stories though.

Have you noticed any problems with them?

[gto250us]

^ I've lived here 4 years and I haven't noticed any signs of them except occasional graffiti, but that gets abated very quickly. An HPD officer recently came to our civic club meetings and shook his head no to the question of whether or not gangs were a problem in our area. 2nd Ward, Magnolia Park and Park Place might be different stories though.

Have you noticed any problems with them?

You must not watch the 10 PM or the 7 AM new. Most murders are gang related although they won't always tell you that on the news.

[gnu]

You must not watch the 10 PM or the 7 AM new. Most murders are gang related although they won't always tell you that on the news.

i haven't seen news on TV (or anywhere else) of a lot of murders (gang or otherwise) in the East End.

The majority of the violence seems to be centered around Gulfton. And i don't doubt the majority of that is gang related.

I have lived in this area for about 6+ years and have never known gangs to be a significant problem and definately not violent crime.

I see some property crime (whether or not that is gang related, i don't know). My opinion is its drug addict related or economics related.

[77017]

i haven't seen news on TV (or anywhere else) of a lot of murders (gang or otherwise) in the East End.

The majority of the violence seems to be centered around Gulfton. And i don't doubt the majority of that is gang related.

I have lived in this area for about 6+ years and have never known gangs to be a significant problem and definately not violent crime.

I see some property crime (whether or not that is gang related, i don't know). My opinion is its drug addict related or economics related.

I was born n raised in southeast off broadway. Two of my closest friends are both locked up for murder. Last week one of my friends who was a crip was killed. My father was murdered a few years ago by his best friend. My father was also a murderer. Another friend I got is hiding out somewhere cuz he recently killed a bunch of people. Not every murder makes it on the news. Where do you live?

[gnu]

I was born n raised in southeast off broadway. Two of my closest friends are both locked up for murder. Last week one of my friends who was a crip was killed. My father was murdered a few years ago by his best friend. My father was also a murderer. Another friend I got is hiding out somewhere cuz he recently killed a bunch of people. Not every murder makes it on the news. Where do you live?

I am sorry for your loss and in no way do I want to diminish any hardships you have gone through.

But if what you say is true, i guess i am living happily oblivious in my ignorance.

However, I would really be surprised if every murder DID NOT make it on the news....especially channel 2.

In general, i would say its gang on gang crime and average joe citizen does not get affected unless they are in the wrong place at the wrong time or somehow associate with gang members.

Edited February 2, 2006 by gnu

[77017]

I am sorry for your loss and in no way do I want to diminish any hardships you have gone through.

But if what you say is true, i guess i am living happily oblivious in my ignorance.

However, I would really be surprised if every murder DID NOT make it on the news....especially channel 2.

In general, i would say its gang on gang crime and average joe citizen does not get affected unless they are in the wrong place at the wrong time or somehow associate with gang members.

Yeah you right, but I don't think its a good idea for this guy to go sightseeing in the hood, I'm just tryin to let him know some parts aren't as safe as yall make it sound.