Gerardo’s Drive-In

When I have friends in town, this is THE place I take them so they can experience true barbacoa. You order the meat by the pound and order tortilla’s individually. The cilantro and onions are included with the order if you ask. It is sometimes a challenge for me because I don’t speak Spanish, but it all works out eventually. If you order «barbacoa» they give you a mix of cachete and lengua (cheek and tongue), so you must specify if you want a certain cut of meat (I prefer the lengua). Salsas are kept cool in ice on a tray opposite the counter, their texture is very fine and they are fairly spicy, so they are almost to be treated as hot sauce.

I’m a huge fan of barbacoa, so I had to come here. It’s kind of intimidating if you’ve never been here and don’t speak Spanish. Apparently the line is on the left side of the counter. This one man, I assume one of the owners, was so sweet and pulled my friend and me aside and explained how they work. Yes, you can order meat by the pound, but you can also just get tacos. He also gave us samples of some of the sweetbread, or whatever they’re called. I’d never tried them before, and they tasted okay for being organs, but it’s not something I’d order. He also gave samples of the carnitas, which were big chunks instead of tender, shredded meat. I didn’t try it, but my friend didn’t care for it. We ended up ordering two beef barbacoa tacos and one goat barbacoa taco.
Overall, both kinds of barbacoa were delicious, and their green salsa was so good, I bought a container to bring home. It’s definitely fattier barbacoa than I’m used to, but it wasn’t unpleasant like some meats that have too much fat.
The service was so great. We were also given a free sample of menudo, which my friend tried and said was awful. Yeah, I decided not to try it after that kind of feedback. The barbacoa is definitely worth trying if you’re in the area, but it’s not somewhere I’d likely go out of my way to revisit.

The BARBACOA is legit! Moist, flavorful, perfect balance of fatty goodness & inexpensive!!! What more could you ask for!!! Hidden gem. Def a must to place for some of the best tacos in the city.

OMG. The holy grail of Barbacoa can be found right here, folks. The proportionately fatty, meaty and juiciness of said carcass HEAVENLY couples with the brightly colored, dynamic salsas. I just couldn’t wipe that silly grin off my face with each bite, shocked in disbelief of how life could be so good at that moment in time.
It’s only available on Friday, Saturday and Sundays so keep that in mind. I propose that a bottle of Mandarin Orange Jarritos Mexican soda accompany those hella sweet tacos.
What are YOU waiting for? Come get some, it is the best I’ve ever had in Houston (the Capital of Barbacoa).

Stop No. 2 on our #10Tacos24Hours tour of Houston. We grabbed two cachete tacos (beef cheek), one tub of salsa verde, and a Joya grapefruit soda to share and it came out to $ 4.33.
Everyone here was super nice and about half the people working spoke English. There was even a nice old woman who noticed we were sharing and brought us an extra plate and offered to open the soda for us.
Now, onto the real meat of the review (heh). This place is also a butcher shop, so you can order by the pound, which I would do for next time since it’s easy to get everything for a family dinner. We ordered the tacos from the butcher side and paid at the counter by the door. The cachete was incredible! It was so tender and flavorful and it didn’t have any bay leaves, like they do accidentally at other places. This may be the best barbacoa I’ve ever had. I read that they go through something like 120 cow heads a weekend, so the barbacoa I’d definitely where it’s at here. The salsa verde was really good as well, and not too spicy. I’ll definitely be back soon to try the lengua.

Very good tacos. You buy the meat by the pound at the counter, add flour or corn tortillas, grab salsa and then grab a drink out of the fridge – and then pay at the counter. We ordered the cachete barbacoa meat, and it was very good, though a bit fattier than I would have liked.
For one pound of barbacoa ($ 16), a pack of flour tortillas and two water bottles, it was $ 23, which I thought was a bit too high, but it was partly our fault for ordering too much meat.
A tip: we ordered one pound of meat for two people, which was WAY too much – we really could have been fine with half of a pound.
While it was very good, I prefer Taqueria Laredo, which is only a few blocks down the street.

This little grocery/​deli has been around since 1977 (another great food spot here in H-​Town that shares my birth year). Others include Niko Niko’s, Houston’s and Rainbow Lodge, to name a few. But Gerardo’s is my #1 place to go for barbacoa in Houston and the US alike. I’ve been coming here for many years and haven’t found a better barbacoa. Hard to find a place that makes it this way these days, the traditional way. The Houston Press (Rob Walsh) in 2007, the Chronicle in 2013, and Houstonia magazine (also Rob Walsh) in 2013 have all written articles about Gerardo’s and how they make their barbacoa starting with a whole cow head which includes the eyes, tongue and brains. They cook up about 150 cow heads each weekend and say that’s what gives it the ‘real flavor’ compared to other places around town.
Go through the serving line, get your barbacoa by the pound with some tortillas, some of their spicy salsa and a mexican coke and pay at the register after you get done eating at one of their few indoor tables.
They also serve tamales and other meats to place in corn tortillas such as their delicious carnitas, carne asada or lamb barbacoa.
Gerardo’s is a Houston institution and a must visit for any foodie.

Food is excellent. However I’m surprised that I have to pay an additional .50 cents to use my debit card. I’m already dropping $ 30 bucks for your food. Sounds like management is milking it.

Never been to a place like this before (market style) so I was confused as I was amazed. You order meat by the pound and they give it to you in paper basket, with tortillas and onions/​cilantro all separate that you have to specifically request. I got a half-​pound of the barbacoa mix (beef and lamb supposedly) and 4 tortillas, both corn and flour. There’s no pricing anywhere, but luckily it’s extremely cheap. I paid $ 6.88 total, with the barbacoa costing $ 5.25 (around $ 10/​pound). That comes out to like $ 1.70 per taco.
I asked about water and was pointed to the refrigerator with bottled water in it, so apparently you can’t get free water here. There was lemonade in a pitcher though, but I thought you had to pay for that so I just didn’t drink anything.
To confuse me even more, a lady came to my table, gave me 2 slices of a whole lime, and took my top corn tortillas just as I was about to put meat on it. She just said something in Spanish and walked off. alright then… I just continued eating. Then 3 minutes later she comes back and gives me 2 fresh hot corn tortillas! Apparently she thought my tortilla was cold? I have no clue. But now I had 5 tacos for $ 6.88, waooooow the value! And if you’re wondering how many tortillas you need for half a pound of meat, it comes out to exactly 5.
now the food:
Like other reviewers say, the barbacoa is very good. I’m not sure about best in town, as I thought Tierra Caliente had slightly tastier barbacoa, but I’m good with calling it a close second. It’s certainly better than the nearby Taconazo. My opinion might be different though if I had come earlier, because at 2 pm, lunch was already over and their barbacoa was already out of the steam table.
Some people have said the tortillas were store bought and docked a star for that, but I think they might just be premade because I saw bags of their own branded tortillas that you could buy in their store. I think they just take these and heat them up. The flour tortillas were like typical flour tortillas, and a bit larger than the corn. They were alright. The corn tortillas though… SO GOOD. Maybe the best corn tortillas I’ve ever had. Definitely competing with Taconazo for the best corn tortillas in town to me. I don’t care if they’re store bought, pre made, they were just incredible. Get the corn tortillas here.
I’m definitely coming back. Though you’re limited to only one meat pretty much, you get so much value. Lots of meat, cheap tortillas, large basket of cilantro/​onions, and a whole lime. I don’t even mind the lack of water, I’ll just bring my own drink next time.

YUMMY, wow really authentic Mexican carnitas and barbacoa and absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to go back and try their gorditas, I’m sure they will be scrumptious, I feel like I stepped into a little restaurant in Mexico when I arrived.

This little mom and pop restaurant/​market probably serves the best barbacoa in town. Their sign says it is their specialty and I believe it.
I went by on Saturday for lunch. There is ample parking next to the bright yellow building. When you walk in head to the right where the serving counter is and order. Fortunately for me there were servers who spoke English that helped me. I ordered a ½ lb. of barbacoa, 3 flour tortillas, an order of beans and a small serving of carnitas just so that I could try them.
They gave me my food and and I snagged a table. Then I got a drink from one of the coolers and started eating in this simple and basic restaurant. First, I tried the beans and they were very good (4). Creamy and flavorful I would order them again. Then the barbacoa on tortillas with a sprinkling of cilantro. Wow! That was some fine barbacoa. They aren’t kidding when they say it’s their specialty. It was moist, tasty and melt in your mouth good. The tortillas and cilantro were good too. A (5) for the barbacoa! The carnitas were good (3) but compared to the barbacoa made me understand that next time I will only order the barbacoa.
With a Jalito drink my bill with tax came to a little over $ 14. However the carnitas were almost $ 3 of that and next time I will only order the barbacoa. With the beans it is plenty of food.
If you are looking for excellent barbacoa in a very unassuming restaurant this is it. Great place for lunch.

I was reading Rob Walsh’s book Tex Mex Grill and Backyard Barbacoa today after a really long night with my wife that ended at 5 in the morning. When he described the barbacoa at Gerardo’s i knew it would be the cure to soak up the mind numbing hangover. We got there around two in the afternoon and the place was totally dead. The man behind the counter was very helpful and friendly, offering us some samples to see that we liked them. We ended up getting a half pound of the two types of barbacoa that they offer and taking it to a nearby park to devour. We got a mix of the flour and corn tortillas along with the red and green salsas. The beef barbacoa was silky smooth and rich. The seasoning was really simple and let the meat shine through. We opted to get some onions and cilantro to top it withe a drizzle of the red salsa. The tortillas were not home made but scorched on the griddle for a second made them appealing. The meat had some pieces of fat that were not to my wifes liking but I didn’t really mind them. The lamb barbacoa was favorite as I don’t get lamb as often as I should and it was nicely done. It was mildly funky but was counterbalanced nicely with the onions and cilantro topped with the green salsa. I would give it five stars but the lack of home-​made tortillas was a little disappointing and the big chunks of fat was a little of putting. I think there barbacoa is very traditional and excellent, but not the best tasting that I have ever had. That distinction I would reserve for Alamo Tamale on the east end. Still an excellent hangover cure!

I recently moved to the area, and heard from a friend that this place was pretty good. I’ve been there three days in a row. Great tamales, killer carnitas… Ive never been a barbacoa fan… I guess that’s because I wasn’t eating it from Gerardo’s. Honestly delicious, and friendly people. I don’t know why someone complained about them speaking Spanish… everyone that can help you there speaks English. EAT HERE!

This is the best barbacoa I have had. Friday afternoon I picked up two pounds of barbacoa and one pound of the carnitas. I liked the carnitas but loved the complex flavors of the barbacoa. We made traditional Mexican tacos with diced onion and cilantro. We had two of the sauces the green and orange. The green has some after heat and the orange is pretty nice and hot from the beginning. Meat is ten dolalrs a pound. I will be back.

I have been telling people for years the best barbacoa anywhere. I go every Sunday to get 4lbs of tongue there green salsa is great but I usually get a cup of guacamole with it. There are a couple of people I know that come from Dallas just for barbacoa when they are craving it. If they had homemade corn tortillas it would be even better but there tortillas are still good and hot. They also carry small section of Bolios bread also I think best bakery in Houston and they carry joya Mexican drink I recommend the apple one. and they also have Aguasfrescas. the owner is always there greeting and walking around every once in a while they have 2 guys singing with a Guitar and a accordion.

Barbacoa and lengua were delicious. They each run about $ 10/​pound. The salsa and tortillas were fresh but not overly flavorful. The lemonade wAs very sweet and refreshing with a hint of mint.
I’m not sure why people comment on the neighborhood. It looked ok to me and the place isn’t too far from I45

Growing up my dad use to bring home a whole cow head wrapped in butcher paper, place it in the center of the table, and we would all just dig in. When you don’t want the hassle, but you want the real deal then go to Gerardo’s.
Luckily my grandmother lived just less than a mile away, so I have been coming to Gerardo’s for years. I love the meat and spice smell that hits you when you walk in the door. The lines can be long on the weekends and it’s helpful if you know a little Spanish. In addition to barbacoa they sell tacos, menudo, tamales, pan dulce, salsas, tortillas, assorted groceries, and just about everything you need for an awesome meal.
I usually order cachete (cheek meat) and lengua (tongue) by the pound, take it home, and eat it with two over easy eggs, tortillas, and lots of salsa. I also tend to get a pound of carnitas because who doesn’t love fried chunks of pork.
Yeah, it’s kind of a dive, and yes the parking lot is totally in need of repairs, but their food is authentic. Thank you Gerardo’s for serving up the best barbacoa in Houston.

I only had barbacoa at Chipotle before this, so I didn’t know what to expect, but when I had these barbacoa tacos, all I can say is WOW. They are so good. I think the beans in the tacos add to the taste as well. Recommend.

I happened to learn of this place off the Serious Eats website, claiming their Barbacoa tacos were some of the best they’ve had in the country.
I happened to be free and around the area and decided to check it out. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much, I’ve tried ALOT of Barbacoa in my life and for the most part, it has eluded me somewhat, it’s never as good as people hype it up to be. I usually stick to the pork (al pastor, cochinita pibil, pierna), when it comes to Mexican food and the occasional Lengua (beef tongue).
Here I was, deciding to give it another shot and I’m really glad I did. The Barbacoa tacos I ordered were extremely tender, fatty, juicy and delicious. They really filled up the tacos w/​meat, and you only get that melt in your mouth texture braising beef cheeks, it’s really amazing.
The reason it’s not 5 stars is the part of town Gerardo’s is located in is left to be desired, the place looks kinda jenky and you have to really specify that you want cilantro and onions in your taco or they’ll just give you straight meat, also, Spanish is def their 1^st language. Then again, you can also look at this as extremely authentic, from the sign outside, it has been there since 1977.
Regardless, if ever I’m craving Barbacoa, this is def the place I will go!

I’m not sure why they call this place a drive-​in when they don’t serve you at your car. Maybe at one time. Maybe because parking is just a grass-​overriden gravel lot.
I no longer eat meat but this place does offer probably the best barbacoa in the city if you’re willing to brave the neighbourhood and language barriers since the staff mainly speak Spanish. Muy rico. Muy suave. They only sell it on the weekend though, and it’s by the pound. You can’t buy tacos but they’ll happily sell you the meat and the tortillas for you to make the tacos.
I think that’s the flaw. It’s a shame to pair the best barbacoa in the city with store-​bought tortillas.