L & J Cafe image

L & J Cafe

Restaurant Cafe Bar Family restaurant Mexican restaurant

One of the Most Revieweds in El Paso


Address

3622 E Missouri Ave, El Paso, TX 79903, United States

Website

www.ljcafe.com

Contact

+1 915-566-8418

Price rating

$ $$$

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (7.6K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Tuesday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Wednesday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Thursday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Friday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Saturday: 9 am to 9 pm
  • Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: great (28) good (21) Paso (20) service (17) delicious (16) Mexican (14) recommend (14) green (13) sauce (12) staff (12)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Dhanashree C. 2 years ago on Google
    Amazing food. They have seperate vegetarian/vegan menu! I ordered the vegetarian fajita sub sour cream with cheese. I would love to see vegetarian mole/enchiladas in the future if they are open to ideas. It's always packed. You may have to wait for a bit to get a table. They ran out of tres leches but I tried the sopaipilla. Loved it.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mer V. 2 years ago on Google
    The place is just amazing. Food is plentiful and delicious. Sad to say I’m an El Paso native and I had never been here. Worst mistake of my life. Will definitely come back!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Moises M. 2 years ago on Google
    Great Place. Came here for Lunch, wasn't a long wait. Ordered the Tampiquena Steak. Was delicious. My only dislike was that the Enchilada that comes with the Tampiquena dish was a bit dry. Would like to see more red chile sauce on it. The Enchilada was still good though. Other than that great place, awesome staff and atmosphere.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Josh B. 1 year ago on Google
    Dine in on May 3rd for lunch. Ordered the Sirloin Tampequenia with queso chili cheese dip on the side. Also got a Strawberry Margarita and a Mango Margarita. Server was great, took care of us well. Food was great, I really like the quest chili cheese dip. SO MUCH FOOD and we had lots of leftovers. Margaritas were great and we felt it!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Arcy H. 1 year ago on Google
    If you’re looking for authentic Mexican food, this is NOT the place. This place is definitely Tex-Mex and I’m not a fan of it. Most of the food had an overkill of the cumin spice. The enchilada sauce was definitely NOT a vibe, 0% authentic. The 2 best items we had was the red chile sauce they serve with the tostadas and the flan we shared for dessert. Customer service was pretty good.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sven G. 2 years ago on Google
    This restaurant is a true El Paso original. We went here with a group of people for breakfast. The service was, as always, good and attentive. The food was delicious. Although the place was a bit crowded, it did not take them forever to serve the meal. If you have never been to this place...go and check them out. Recommended!!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Nour A. 1 year ago on Google
    We went on a Saturday night. We waited around 30 minutes. There is available parking but it is crowded. The place from the inside has a nice atmosphere. The people who works there are nice and friendly. We ordered beef fajitas and chicken tacos. The beef fajitas was so tasty 5/5. The beef was so juicy and fresh. Also the serving way was nice. The chicken tacos was average. It was a bit dry from the inside as it didn’t have any sauce. I will give it 3/5. We asked to have regular beans. Their tortilla chips are so fresh. They have it on the table for all. I liked the place. I recommend it and will come back.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 David B. 2 years ago on Google
    Good food, good service. Stopped here based on a recommendation and it was extremely packed. Waited 30 for a table. Food tasted good and the restaurant has great prices. Would definitely recommend the place if you are in El Paso.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Robert E. 1 year ago on Google
    An El Paso gem worth going to... good food, good atmosphere and excellent service... I also like all the photos and items posted all over the walls... I loved the chili it’s hot and mama always said, “the hotter the better!!!” I highly recommend this place for all and when you have visitors from out of town...
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Adam F. 1 year ago on Google
    Fun place to enjoy a tasty meal. Generous portions for decent prices. They said their liquor license is from the 1920s, so they don’t serve real tequila, only wine-based. On the other hand, we were told we could bring our own liquor to put in our drinks.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lucie M. 3 years ago on Google
    Loved the vegan options and the curbside option. Food was excellent, and I can tell the staff works very hard.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 lee L. 1 year ago on Google
    Great service and fast food! Chips and salsa are given once you get seated. Salsa is more like a sauce compared to salsa. The green is the best in my opinion. If you're looking to try a variety of food get the combination plate. *The best food I tried were the chicken enchiladas** with the green sauce,, not the red 😑 (personal preference)** Check out the mens bathroom too if you're a dude- it's like walking into a western bar 🤠
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mr M. 3 years ago on Google
    Very good authentic Mexican food. Definitely recommended!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lori P. 3 years ago on Google
    I love the new curbside to go. Now I have time to have lunch there without looking for a parking space.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 john d. 3 years ago on Google
    There's a reason why people commonly pack this place out. Food is great. Staff is courteous and attentive. Prices are good and portions are decent. Keep it up ????
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 D-TeX7 A. 3 years ago on Google
    This place is fantastic! Service is great! The employees at the bar are very nice and friendly! They’re there for you and are very sociable! I recommend sitting at the bar and order steak tacos or a steak burrito.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shrek 1 year ago on Google
    4/4/22, This place is amazingly delicious. Food is well prepared, well cooked, service is phenomenal, the staff is beyond, the whole atmosphere is great. I ordered the combination plate; taco, enchilada, chili relleno, rice, beans, rolled taco, guacamole, tortilla and small cup of beef soup. 😋 entire plate was filling 😋. I highly recommend a landmark going back 95 plus years. Family owned. If you are in El Paso, stop by and enjoy good food, good people.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Melissa D. 3 years ago on Google
    Our family is new to the El Paso area and have been slowly checking out recommendations made by friends. This was just one of many. We loved this place, tho the wait was long but worth it. I suppose we should have considered the time, noon..on a Sunday... We are a family of five and all our dishes were wonderful and plentiful, served hot without disappointment! The restuarant itself tidy and clean, wait staff extremely friendly and we were promptly greeted upon arrival. I would definitely recommend to others visiting the area.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sarah A. 3 years ago on Google
    One of my old time favs! The food was delicious and fresh. Do miss being able to sit down and enjoy the food and take in the overall ambience but so grateful that L & J's is conscientious and doing their part to responsibly mitigate spreading of this Virus. Thank you for accommodating those of us patrons who would prefer to wait until this whole Pandemic situation settles down. With that being said, the food was Delish, everything we have come to expect from their food. Always fresh and appetizing! They have a good system in place to order online and pick up curb side with minimal contact. Thanks again, I look forward to returning to dine in. I have every hope and know God is with us all and things will normalize in the not so distant future. Stay safe and thanks to you and your staff for your continued hard work! Blessings and good vibes being sent your way!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ice C. 1 year ago on Google
    This is my first time in El Paso, and this restaurant was recommended by a local. The food and the service were both Excellent. They took my phone number and texted me when my table was ready which was maybe 10 minutes and on a Saturday. We waited about 10-15 minutes for our food but it was totally worth it because it was super fresh and delicious. While we waited for our order they gave us some delicious complimentary nacho chips with a red and green sauce, all fresh and very tasty. They even refilled the chips. If you are in the area be sure to stop by.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Josh B. 3 years ago on Google
    The gold standard for Mexican food. Everything is great, the chips, salsa, the tortilla soup. I ALWAYS get the Mexican combo, so much food. The chili Relleno is AMAZING. Go and thank me later.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Katrina M. 3 years ago on Google
    First time in El Paso. Flew into El Paso airport and rented a car, asked the person helping us where we could go to eat that was local and not a chain restaurant. She mentioned several places but when talking about L and J she became excited. So this is where we went. It was a great experience and just what I imagined for a restaurant so close to the border. Food was not like I have had in California, Houston or New Mexico. Staff was welcoming and helpful. I hesitated due to the low prices on the menu, wasn’t sure if the plates would be enough but they were more than enough. The food was great but my favorite was their cinnamon coffee. We will be back in on our next trip for sure.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 M. Lulu Spicy Eyes N. 3 years ago on Google
    Really yummy salsa... Both red and green. The enchilada sauce is really delicious.. as were there refried beans
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lucinda L. 3 years ago on Google
    WOW. This was delicious food. The staff is so friendly and prompt! We ÀLL thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kevin C. 4 months ago on Google
    Food was great! Still working on getting their liquor license, will really be a boost for them I believe. The alternate wine they use, tequista, is a little sweet, but is the best alternative to tequila for them right now.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Vijay d. 4 months ago on Google
    This fourth generation family owned business opened in 1927 is one of the highly recommended restaurant in El Paso and trust me it didn’t disappoint me at all. The atmosphere is fantastic and the food is good. I highly recommend their green and red sauce it is soo good with the chips and I loved strawberry margarita it was good with a chilly powder giving sweet and spicing up every sip it’s a unique taste I have experienced. The green chili chicken enchiladas was upto the mark. Definitely recommend this place.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Russell A. 2 years ago on Google
    We had a wonderful late breakfast/early lunch here. The staff here are the best taking care of their guests. The food was so delicious... original El Paso Mexican foods. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. I will come here Everytime I am in El Paso.

  • 5/5 sergio m. 3 years ago on Google
    I'll never quit their salsa

  • 4/5 Phillip “FlexMcBuffChest” M. 6 months ago on Google
    L & J Cafe is a landmark restaurant in El Paso, Texas, that has been serving up delicious Mexican food since 1927. The restaurant is located in a historic building on Missouri Avenue, and it has a warm and inviting atmosphere. The menu features a wide variety of traditional Mexican dishes, including enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, and chiles rellenos. The food is always fresh and flavorful, and the service is excellent. One of the things that makes L & J Cafe so special is its family-owned and operated status. The fourth generation of the family now runs the restaurant, and they are committed to providing their guests with a memorable dining experience. The staff is friendly and attentive, and they are always happy to make recommendations. If you are looking for a delicious and authentic Mexican meal in El Paso, then L & J Cafe is the place to go. The food is great, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. You won't be disappointed. Here are some of the pros and cons of L & J Cafe: Pros: Delicious food Excellent service Family-owned and operated Historic location Warm and inviting atmosphere Cons: Can be crowded, especially on weekends Parking can be limited Prices are a bit on the higher side Overall, L & J Cafe is a great place to go for a delicious and authentic Mexican meal in El Paso. The food is great, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I highly recommend it. Here are some tips for your visit to L & J Cafe: Make a reservation, especially if you are going on a weekend. Try the enchiladas, tacos, or fajitas. Order a margarita or a beer from the extensive drink menu. Save room for dessert, such as the flan or the tres leches cake.

  • 5/5 Monica L. 3 years ago on Google
    Allow us to feel at home. YUMMY!!

  • 5/5 H. F. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was fantastic. Our server was wonderful. We went in with a 15 top, and they were able to get us in and seated. The restaurant is a tiny bit cramped, but that should not keep you from going and trying the food. The nachos and bean dip were amazing. Everything that was ordered was completely finished and no to-go boxes needed. Highly recommend

  • 5/5 Yankee 10 months ago on Google
    Awesome historic restaurant and bar. Pictured is mole pollo enchiladas. The presentation of the food is great; it's like bands of color on a plate. Great taste, well seasoned. Many of the patrons at the bar are regulars who visit there every day, so there's a strong sense of community here. They only serve beer and wine at the bar, but if you're looking for something stronger, the patrons can help you out 😄

  • 5/5 Cei M. 2 years ago on Google
    Amazing Tex-Mex! I wish their Chile Colorado had been spicier, but overall the taste was great. The sopapillas were tasty and fluffy, I'll definitely be ordering them again. Shout out to our waitress Susana for being so attentive and helpful!

  • 3/5 Sadie J. 10 months ago on Google
    The food was delicious, starting with the chips and salsa... very yummy and perfectly salted chips. The waiter was attentive, polite, with quick service. I ordered the chicken burrito and it was very good. Whatever my husband ordered he enjoyed, but gave him food poisoning. It only could've been this because for the last couple days prior, we had been eating the same food. I understand that this is probably a fluke, but it's still not fun to have food poisoning.

  • 5/5 David S. 2 years ago on Google
    Best refried beans I've had in a long while. Good salty chips and salsa, both red and green. Rice is good. The Chili Colorado has really nice flavor and paired well in the corn tortillas. My friend had the steak fajitas which were equally good with great tasting peppers and onions. We'll be back soon!

  • 4/5 albert a. 2 years ago on Google
    L&J Restaurant and Bar is definitely a El Paso tradition. Right across from the Concordia Cemetery, L&Js Restaurant serves one of the best green chicken enchilada in town and you can wash it down with a cold mug of your favorite beverage (beer for me). It's a great place to take your out of town relatives and a great place to meet your friends.

  • 5/5 Clyde B. 2 years ago on Google
    Got the Mexican Combination plate and it has to be the best plate of food I've had. My favorites were the caldillo and taco. Caldillo had tender meat, and the peppers weren't overbearing with heat. Taco was hands down, the best seasoned taco meat and it was just ground beef. Flauta, enchilada, and chile relleno were all great as well. Manager also checked on us twice and I can't think of the last time I've seen that happen. We will definitely be back.

  • 5/5 Z N. 3 months ago on Google New
    Wanted to find some good Mexican food while I was in El Paso and it did not disappoint. There was a short wait and it was totally worth it. The chips and salsa were great, as were the tacos. Service was great, like the best I've had in a long time. No regrets.

  • 5/5 Christina B. 4 months ago on Google
    Absolutely wonderful food, service, and price. Love the support the show to the soldiers. I'm so glad we came here to eat while we were visiting our soldier. He said that while he is station out here, he would definitely go back.

  • 4/5 Nicole C. 4 months ago on Google
    We really enjoyed our experience here! They were very accommodating and had a great selection of both food and drinks. The meats were all lacking a bit of flavor, but sauces and sides were really delicious! Would recommend for anyone in the area.

  • 5/5 Marilyn Z. 5 months ago on Google
    Went on a Wednesday around noon — was a little confused on the entrance initially, and then who/where to ask for a table. The Cafe shares the space with a bar (whose staff seem friendly). However, once we found our seats, the staff were attentive, food/drinks were delivered timely, and the ambiance was very calm and homey. Food was a bit too greasy for my taste but overall very good! The complimentary chips and salsa were especially tasty in my opinion. I would definitely stop by again.

  • 3/5 Satish D. 4 months ago on Google
    I just had a dinner at L & J. The food is right and both of the hot sauce or really hot at all. Guacamole is just a avocado, smash with a little bit of added salt. Very surprising however, it’s different. I tried their signature Enchiladas with green sauce. It was different and I liked it.

  • 5/5 Luis B. 3 years ago on Google
    Awesomeness

  • 5/5 Isabel V. 3 years ago on Google
    Simply the best!

  • 5/5 Caresa S. 3 years ago on Google
    The employees were great and the food was wonderful

  • 5/5 Marcus B. 3 years ago on Google
    I would have given six stars for the green salsa! We drove to El Paso for Mexican food (from Arkansas) and chose L&J Cafe from an endless list of Mexican restaurants. We thought we hit the jackpot! We ordered the green chili enchiladas and deshebrada tacos. Both were excellent. Our server was kind, friendly and helpful, as were all the staff who stopped by our table. I highly recommend L&J Cafe the next time you pass through El Paso. We probably added about 10 hours to our journey, but it was worth it to scratch an item off the bucket list. If not for COVID, we'd have their Juarez, too. Next time!

  • 5/5 any o. 3 years ago on Google
    Great tex/mex food at a medium price

  • 5/5 Susie M. 3 years ago on Google
    Great food always!

  • 5/5 Xochitl Adriana B. 3 years ago on Google
    Great Service, the food is awesome and the ambiance is just cozy

  • 5/5 Cindee R. 3 years ago on Google
    Very nice place. You should go

  • 5/5 Arnoldo C. 3 years ago on Google
    excellent food

  • 1/5 Khrystle O. 3 years ago on Google
    The online listing said this business was open, and when we showed up, they were closed. 2nd disappointment. Wont be a 3rd time.

  • 5/5 Michael S. 3 years ago on Google
    This place has reasonable prices and quality food. In my opinion best restaurant around.

  • 5/5 Jeremy H. 3 years ago on Google
    Their food is tasty ?

  • 2/5 LiliCo 3 years ago on Google
    Fame has gone to the head of this once hole in the wall. The ingredients once fresh and of quality are now cheap and flavorless. Steak has been replaced with ground beef and Chile con queso is more queso and hardly any Chile. Hope this place finds its footing again.

  • 5/5 Kenneth J. 3 years ago on Google
    This place is amazing. The queso is out of this world, and some of the best green chili Chicken enchiladas

  • 5/5 Amanda C. 3 years ago on Google
    The fajitas and chile con queso fries. There's no way you can turn these foods down. Delicious

  • 4/5 Daniel R. 3 years ago on Google
    Love the food! Best food in town by far. However, they tend to get your order wrong pretty frequently. Management always addresses the inconvenience. Curbside procedures also needs some reorganization.

  • 5/5 Marina M. 3 years ago on Google
    Awesome ? . Absolutely recommend. They are abiding all COVID-19 rules.

  • 5/5 Silvia J. 3 years ago on Google
    Food ? of course! Took our Temps, cleaned as soon as tables were empty. A business that CARES ABOUT THEY'RE PATRONS ? Thank YOU ??

  • 5/5 Roberto M. 3 years ago on Google
    No words needed to place L&J Cafe on a pedestal....

  • 5/5 Joe A. 3 years ago on Google
    The food was delicious!!

  • 5/5 Roy C. 3 years ago on Google
    Great place for lunch

  • 5/5 Jerry R. 3 years ago on Google
    Tastiest Mexican food in El paso

  • 5/5 Peter J. 3 years ago on Google
    Pork chops and eggs with the green ranchero sauce??

  • 5/5 Jess M. 3 years ago on Google
    Chicken tortilla soup great

  • 4/5 David Q. 3 years ago on Google
    Food was amazing! Service could have been a little better.

  • 5/5 patricia c. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Delicious (Original) Delicioso

  • 5/5 Patsy H. 3 years ago on Google
    Great service and food

  • 5/5 Gloria S. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Very rich food and excellent attention. (Original) Muy rica la comida y la atencion excelente.

  • 1/5 pedro e. 3 years ago on Google
    Bad staff

  • 3/5 Rebecca S. 3 years ago on Google
    The best food in El Paso. However, be cautious if you call in and pick up. Make sure your order is correct. Today was the third time doing the curbside pick up where, once we got home with the food, we were ripped off as two combo plates did not have all of the food in the order. When we called them about it they said, “well if you drive back we’ll give you the rest of the order”. Why? Really?

  • 5/5 Dennis G. 3 years ago on Google
    Excellent food and service!

  • 3/5 irasema d. 3 years ago on Google
    The service is great. The food it's ok

  • 5/5 Maria G. 3 years ago on Google
    It's awesome love the food the service is great definitely would recommend


Call +1 915-566-8418 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✓️ Dogs allowed
  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free of charge street parking
    • ✓️ Somewhat difficult to find a space
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Happy-hour food
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Happy-hour drinks
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Breakfast
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Kerbside pickup
  • From the business
    • ✓️ Identifies as women-owned
    • ✓️ Identifies as Latino-owned

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