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The Original Ninfa's on Navigation, Houston, TX

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

4.8
4.8
3316 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican
2704 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77003

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 59 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for groups
  • Good for special occasions
The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

Located on Navigation Boulevard just minutes from the heart of downtown Houston, the Original Ninfa's was all started with Mama Ninfa Laurenzo's creative TexMex recipes. These led to the introduction of fajitas & Mexican cuisine to North America which gained immediate success.

If you're looking for a Houston Mexican restaurant, Ninfa's on Navigation is not only a local icon, having serviced politicians, celebrities & even visiting royalty, their Mexican food is unbeatable. Chef Alex Padilla uses only top quality ingredients, like Mama Ninfa herself did, & fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood like red snapper, jumbo shrimp & more.

Voted Best Margaritas, you can enjoy Ninfaritas on the outdoor deck, dine on the best Mexican dishes & fajitas around and truly enjoy the great restaurant experience.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Tex-Mex
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Alex Padilla
  • Catering
    Original Ninfa's prides itself on its tremendous quality in outside catering events. We would be delighted to put together a personal proposal for you. Our restaurant team can put you in touch with one of our catering consultants. <br /><br />Weddings<br />Corporate Events <br />Rehearsal Dinners<br />or just about any event you can imagine...<br /><br />713.228.1175
  • Private party facilities
    Our new private dining room is a welcome addition to The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation. With 660 square feet of newly renovated space, our private dining room can accommodate up to 70 seated guests, and 75 guests cocktail-style. It is the perfect spot for your next social or corporate event!
  • Neighborhood
    East Side
  • Cross street
    Delano
  • Parking details
    We have ample parking and complementary Valet parking service is available.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

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What 3,316 people are saying

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Houston

    Mexican

  • Houston

    Mexican

  • Houston

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Original Ninfa's on Navigation offers an "authentic Tex-Mex experience" with standout dishes like "freaking awesome steak fajitas" and "to die for" tres leches dessert. While the atmosphere can be bustling, service is often "top notch and attentive." Make a reservation to enjoy "delicious food and great ambiance."

3,316 Reviews
  1. Brian VIP

    New Orleans11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love love Ninfas. Haven’t been disappointed with anything I have ordered here. Highly recommend!!!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Ruby

    Houston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food quality is good - consistently tasty! And I love the guava mimosas.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Kay VIP

    Houston141 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We have been eating here since it opened (50+ years?). In recent times, we've eaten at the new Galleria location since it's much closer to home. It was just as good as this one at the beginning, but it declined quickly. Both locations made some changes to the menu, not for the better, and Ninfa's fell off our list. But we wanted to go back to the original and see if it was still good, and it was. The beef fajitas are just as good as they always had been - smoky and full of flavor. And an order of the (somewhat pricey) beef fajita nachos filled a full plate, piled with beans, cheese, and meat. (Our last order at the Galleria location was 6 nachos, with a lot of space on the plate.) The chorizo breakfast tacos were also nice, for a lighter meal. And the margaritas were still excellent, and not too sweet. Service was efficient and helpful. One thing I would like is for them to bring back the old beef fajita enchiladas - just meat wrapped in a fresh flour tortilla. The closest thing they have now are the Tejanas, which are fajita meat with picadillo and a thick gravy with bell peppers. I was once told at the other location that they could make simple beef fajita enchiladas, but all they did was leave out the picadillo and still cover with yucky gravy. We'll be back, but only to this location.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Michael

    Houston1 review

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Ninfa's is a terrific restaurant overall: it's a definitive Tex-Mex experience. Why the low score from me? We went to Ninfa's with an 8pm reservation for dinner on a WEEKNIGHT, arrived at 7:55, and weren't seated until 8:30 - enough said. Get it together, friends.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Lori VIP

    San Diego56 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service and food were on point. Cocktails were excellent. Steak fajitas were freaking awesome! The sausage we added on was best I’ve had in a long time, if ever. Chips and guacamole and salsas were delicious. The tres leches dessert was to die for. This place is a do not miss in my opinion.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Elena

    Alabama5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible food and service! We had a great time with our group here!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Tom

    Denver4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was great, service was excellent. It would be nice if there were more dedicated 2 tops for dates. I really don't like being seated at a 4-top for a date.

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  8. Rebekah

    Houston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always love going to Ninfa’s!! The food and service are always amazing.

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  9. Kristen

    Houston5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Angel was the best! The food was delicious! Thank you for everything!

    Is this helpful?

  10. David

    Minneapolis2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 7, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I didn’t find the classic Margarita special, tasted like usual premixed variety. The Steak fajitas were incredible. We shared a large with 3 people ( 2 tortillas each) and took half home. Service was friendly and attentive.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. The Original Ninfa's on Navigation also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (713) 228-1175.

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation is rated 4.8 stars by 3316 OpenTable diners.

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Houston
  4. Houston
  5. East Side

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 59 times today
Google Map for The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

2704 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77003

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Delano
  • Neighborhood
    East Side
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Tex-Mex
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    We have ample parking and complementary Valet parking service is available.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Alex Padilla
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Original Ninfa's prides itself on its tremendous quality in outside catering events. We would be delighted to put together a personal proposal for you. Our restaurant team can put you in touch with one of our catering consultants. <br /><br />Weddings<br />Corporate Events <br />Rehearsal Dinners<br />or just about any event you can imagine...<br /><br />713.228.1175
  • Private party facilities
    Our new private dining room is a welcome addition to The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation. With 660 square feet of newly renovated space, our private dining room can accommodate up to 70 seated guests, and 75 guests cocktail-style. It is the perfect spot for your next social or corporate event!
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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