Taco Tuesday: Fiesta Loma Linda

Let’s test your Houston heritage... Do you remember the Loma Lindas? According to Jay Francis, the Loma Linda chain was a Houston institution in the 60’s and 70’s. The oil bust of the 1980’s sent the family-run business into a tailspin, forcing it to close. Soon after, a friend of the original owner took it upon himself to preserve the tradition, reopening the Fiesta Loma Linda on Telephone Road, which still serves up tacos, enchiladas, and nostalgia today.


A visit to this homey little place is a trip back through time. Servers in traditional Mexican attire provide excellent service in a quiet, uncluttered locale. Remember when you were a kid and you used to get those old-fashioned puffy tortillas covered with chile con queso? That’s precisely what you get with a Loma Linda taco: Handmade tortillas brushed lightly with oil and “puffed up” in the skillet, then topped with tender meats, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomato. Add the spicy homemade salsa, and dig in. I prefer the fresh picked chicken over the ground beef (your only two options with the puffy tacos), though both are moist and meaty.


Loma Linda is straight Tex-Mex. And while I prefer my tacos in the Mexican steam-table style of meat, onion, and cilantro only, this is certainly a fun place to try and has much to offer in terms of food, service, and legacy. They do serve some of the best breakfast tacos in town, and the lunch and dinner menus are quite extensive as well.

Fiesta Loma Linda - 2111 Telephone Road (near I-45)