Our ultimate dedication is to you – our customer. You'll become part of our family as we care for you during your dining experience.
Welcome to our El Tiempo Family

El Tiempo Cantina defines the extraordinary flavors and culture of Tex Mex cuisine. Years ago, our family made fajitas popular in the United States. For the past 75 years, we have dedicated ourselves to perfecting what Houstonians know today as authentic Tex Mex cuisine.
At each El Tiempo location, we have vested much diligence and effort into developing our recipes and training our staff. We have set the standard high for our staff to take great care of our guests. Whether you're craving fresh chicken breast fajitas with onions, or margaritas with fresh-squeezed lime juice, we'll give you the best Tex Mex dining experience you'll ever have!





Our Story
Mama Ninfa Laurenzo
As a young girl, Ninfa created delicious and unique Mexican food. She blended traditional Mexican family recipes with Italian traditions from her husband's side. A year after getting married, Ninfa and Thomas Laurenzo moved to Texas to plant roots. They started a manufacturing company, Rio Grande Food Products. While this provided them with a modest income, their dream was to open a restaurant.

QUality Food at Multiple Locations
Our Locations
Enjoy the El Tiempo experience at multiple locations in Houston, Texas. At El Tiempo Cantina, we make everything from scratch. From the tortillas to the salad dressings, the salsas to the desserts, we cook all of our food using generations-old family recipes. Our attention to quality and exceptional friendliness is our driving force.


