The Original Ninfa's on Navigation — Houston, TX
2026 Centurion Award winner

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

Best Tex-Mex in Houston · Houston, TX

Restaurant · Houston, TX · Since 1973

The overview

Where fajitas became famous, since 1973.

The Original Ninfa's on Navigation started a culinary revolution in 1973, when Ninfa Laurenzo began selling tacos al carbon from her family's East End tortilla factory in Houston. The dish went global as the fajita, and "Mama Ninfa" became the matriarch of Tex-Mex. The Navigation Boulevard original still grills skirt steak over open flame and presses tortillas by hand.

A James Beard-recognized Houston landmark, Ninfa's is the 2026 Centurion Award winner.

What they're known for

  • Tacos al carbon (the original fajitas)
  • Grilled skirt steak
  • Handmade flour tortillas
The award record

Every award, on the record.

Each Centurion Award is a dated record tied to one year’s evaluation — earned annually, never carried over. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.

2026

Best Tex-Mex in Houston Houston, TX · Awarded under the 2026 evaluation View the 2026 award →

Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.

Visit The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

Location2704 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77003
In business since1973

A signal you can check.

This page is the standing record for The Original Ninfa's on Navigation (2026). It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.

Run a business like this one?

If you’ve put in the years, you may already clear the bar. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.