With an abundance of Mexican food restaurants in Houston, it is hard to try them all. With a family atmosphere as soon as you walk in, HiWay Cantina Bar & Restaurant is one that needs to be at the top of the list!

Located in East Downtown Houston, HiWay Cantina offers a fun alternative to the normal Tex-Mex dining experience. With convenient parking across the street, guests are welcomed with a mural on the outside of the restaurant. Immediately upon entering it feels as if you are dining at home. With plenty of bar seating, as well as indoor and outdoor seating you get your pick of what area you want to be in.

As soon as you have been seated, you are brought chips and two salsas – a red and a green. Both were fresh and served with homemade tortilla chips that had the perfect crunch. We recommend also getting the queso. It was one of the best I have ever had!

When it comes time for the entree, the fajitas are the way to go! They come out sizzling hot, with beans, rice, cheese, and fresh pico and guac. I especially enjoyed the tomatoes on the side of the fajitas. The tortillas are the perfect size and made right in the kitchen! There is an opening where you can watch the tortillas being made while you dine.

Be sure to save room for dessert because the Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake is the way to go! The perfect size for sharing, you get a taste of cinnamon in every bite. It was something I have never had, but now I cannot wait to go back and get it again.

The whole atmosphere of the restaurant makes the experience worthwhile. They had Texas Country playing on the speakers, and a variety of colors and vintage Texas decorations hung on the walls. What makes this place even better is that it is close to all the main attractions of Downtown Houston! So whether you are going to a concert at the Toyota Center or an Astros game at Minute Maid Park – HiWay Cantina can feed you before!

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Cover Photo Courtesy Emily Hord

Emily Hord is the Assistant Editor of Texas Lifestyle Magazine and a native Texan. She graduated from Texas A&M University. In her free time, she enjoys going to see live music and spending time with her friends and family, as well as supporting the Houston sports teams!