El Metate Restaurant

Breakfast review: 5 stars all the way!
Best happy accident restaurant i’ve ever found. I neeeever write reviews, but it this place for breakfast was that good.
Visiting the area on a work trip and being the good little east coaster i am — i tried (and failed miserably) to find a starbucks. I assumed the shopping area by W. Del Mar (HEB, Target, etc) was the logical place but struck out. Did a quick glance around and saw that the parking lot for El Metate was pretty full so figured i’d try my luck there for a cup of coffee and maybe a «breakfast taco» (again.ignorant east coaster).
Wow. Thats all i can say is — fantastic.
Walked in, it was about half full. Waitress immediately helped me and came over with a menu. While she presented the side of the menu for «American Breakfast», she recommended the local favorite (which, again, East Coaster) that i was baffled by, i.e., Nopalito which she explained was eggs and cactus.
I had a «??» moment and decided to be adventurous.
Amazing. Wait staff — wonderful, very helpful. Food. Brilliant. Tasty, not too large portions, clean flavors — the homemade tortillas i will be dreaming about (and attempting to replicate badly) for months to come. Coffee — not fancy but solid and did the trick. Cannot say enough about the my perceived authenticity of the place (i seriously wanted to steal the wood carved chairs from here and smuggle them home).
!! Please note! — i paid my credit card (rarely carry cash) and was handed a receipt with no room for a tip! Perhaps if you advise the tip amount before they swipe they can work it that way. Regardless, i will be going back there every breakfast and have the wonderful breakfast Napolitos (with cash!) every day that i’m here.

The décor looks like it hasn’t changed in a while. Not sure if this place opened in the late 70s or early 80s, but that’s the vibe I get. But then, why change your furniture if it is sturdy wood that still holds up. I don’t know how I had lived in Laredo so long without coming here, but I finally took the plunge. My boyfriend and I went for a late Sunday breakfast. I’m not an egg eater so my options are always limited, but my food was ok. His huevos rancheros though left much to be desired. I know there is confusion about some plates like some folks think that chilaqueles come with eggs, but how can there be confusion about huevos rancheros? The price was a unexpectedly high too. Overall, not the greatest place, but perhaps if you go with a regular or ask a regular what they get you’ll have a better experience.