L & J Cafe - El Paso (TX)

5 /5 Brian Goettl: On our 2nd week long trip to El Paso, we went to L&J Cafe for an early lunch. I would have to rate it as my favorite restaurant experience of the two trips. As a Kentuckian, L&J Cafe seems to be an authentic El Paso mexican food experience. You get fresh made corn tortilla chips with three different salsas when you sit down. The 3 heat levels for the salsas satisfy different palates. We also ordered chilli con queso as an appetizer which was nothing but cheesy goodness. The lunch special the day we visited consisted of a chicken, a shredded beef and a ground beef taco. The shells were perfectly crisped and the fillings were delicious. The tacos came with rice and beans and a chicken/rice/veggie cup of soup was part of the special.. Campbells can only wish their soups were this good. We finished with the moist, light Tres Leches cake that did not disappoint, along with some sopaipilla. Oh, and as an ice tea aficionado, I can rate theirs an A. Finally, our waiter Fabian did a fabulous job. If you are in the area, give L&J Cafe a try. I think you will enjoy the food and the experience.

5 /5 T Clark: Visited with my brother a few days before Christmas. This place was suggested by the Through My Lens guys on YouTube and the green chile enchiladas were highly recommended so we both decided to try those. Location is near the highway and its the only Mexican restaurant across from a cemetery so you cant mistake it. They dont close for lunch so thats great. There was a really helpful guy in the street helping to direct parking. They were busy but we were immediately seated. Clean bathrooms, yummy smells, and the place and staff were all decked out in Christmas-y accessories. Lots of big family dinners-- felt kind of like going to someones home? Not ours but still very friendly and welcoming to outsiders. Our server was on top of everything and made sure that I understood which of the items had chicken broth, etc. (FYI- the green chili enchiladas are made with chicken broth and so are some of the salsas and of course the refried beans). They have a very extensive vegetarian section on the menu which was awesome. Our food came pretty quickly and the portions were huge. Everything was delicious-- I wished I hadnt eaten so much junk food in the road trip because there was no way to finish eating the whole thing. I swapped the refried beans for plain, had iced tea, my brother had a soda and ordered the appetizer with queso, tomatillo & red salsas, and our two entrees which included a side of rice and our total was less than $50. In 2025, I consider that to be a great value. Excellent service, warm & welcoming atmosphere, and great food. I would love to revisit on a return trip to El Paso :) *if you make this a date night, its only a short drive over from the Scenic Overlook of the city, which was also pretty.

5 /5 M D: Wow! Wow! We had an incredible time. We are so happy we came here! We were driving through El Paso on a road trip and stayed an Airbnb down the street. So we were able to walk up this restaurant - which was great bc the parking lot and adjacent street parking was packed! This restaurant came highly recommended by both the airbnb host and my friend who is from EP. We came on a Thursday evening around 630pm - there was a wait out the door and we ended up waiting for about 15-20 min. Based on reviews we ordered the following: 1. Queso dip as an appetizer 2. Mexican combo plate - but we substituted the red chili enchilada with their famous, legendary green chili chicken enchilada (which the waiter confirmed was what they are famous for) 3. Chicken tortilla soup 4. Tres leches dessert Everything was amazing!! INCLUDING THEIR included and unlimited chips and 3 salsas! Their red salsa was very good. Their green salsa was even better!! And my favorite was their mocaheta salsa - which I ended up getting three refills of!! The chips were fresh and made in house! So good!! The ambiance was exciting and joyful! The waiter Alex was wonderful. He created an amazing experience! He was friendly, helpful, attentive. He did his best to pay attention to us and serve us in an efficient way even though we could tell the restaurant was super busy - he worked very hard to never rush us! We are so happy with our food choices! On the Mexican combo plate - I loved everything: beef stew, steak flauta, green chili chicken enchilada and chili relleno! The chicken tortilla soup came out with the toppings on the side so we could put as little or as much avocado, cheese, or lime as we wanted - i loved that feature. We first tried the chicken and broth by itself and it was amazing - so when we added the toppings it was next l level! The tres leches dessert had peach in it, the whipped cream frosting and the soft spongy cake was SO GOOD! We kept raving about our experience for the remainder of the night. We will definitely come back to El Paso - even if its just for this restaurant! PS. The waiter packed me extra chips and salsa to take home bc I loved it so much. I ate them for breakfast the next day!

5 /5 Gina Lewis: Loved this place! Amazing, authentic food. Every mouthful made me smile and I was excited for each bite. We were referred here and they were absolutely right. Incredible food, friendly service, and great prices. Highly recommend!

5 /5 Lilly Bueche: A true El Paso gem! We had dinner at L&J’s Restaurant, and it was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The chile rellenos were perfectly cooked — soft and flavorful inside, with just the right amount of heat. The chicken mole was incredible — the chicken was so tender it practically fell apart, and the mole sauce was rich, deep, and perfectly balanced with a touch of sweetness. The atmosphere is just as special as the food. The historic vibe of the place, paired with its unique location right next to the old Concordia Cemetery, gives it a charm you can’t find anywhere else. You really feel like you’re experiencing a piece of El Paso history while enjoying some of the best Mexican food in town. If you’re visiting El Paso or even if you’ve lived here all your life, L&J’s is a must! Great service, amazing food, and a one-of-a-kind setting — it doesn’t get better than this.