El Paso - Where to stay? Where to eat?

[GenXer 2896]

Wife and I are going to the Foo Fighters concert in El Paso in a couple of weeks.

I was there once on a cross-country Clark Griswold style vacation; I was in the first grade. A million years ago.

Looking for recommendations for an interesting area to stay and restaurant recs. For reference, we usually stay at Hotel San Jose in Austin, and prefer locally owned restaurants/ food trucks. Wife is looking to hit up Rocketbuster for a pair of custom boots.

I’m gonna try to convince her to recreate the tradition founded at the sun bowl. Will report on my success or failure of this mission.

 

[Dewey 3286]

There was a thread on this sometime ago, I live here but don't do much. L&J Cafe is a good place for sure, Julio's started in Juarez and now has several places in EP. No shortage of good steakhouses, pick one. I want to try 1700, so if you go, let me know. Cattleman's Steakhouse is a long timer, EP favorite. I've gone mostly to the West Texas Chop House, I would say pretty good. 

I live and work in the NE, so places like Tony's Barbacoa, Don Cucos (chain), Flores Meat market, etc. Point is, get out and find those places too. Have some tacos buche, tripas, barbacoa (I love the barbacoa here, won't have any better in the state.)

Not a fan of Chicos Taco's, apparently good drunk food. Get two singles, not the double, more sauce. Cash only. 

If you've got allergies , come prepared, this past spring and summer was rocking and it's still around. 

Wouldn't know where to stay. 

 

[DalTxHornFan 3109]

Need the Surly mastermind on this.  Didn't there used to be a legit Mexican restaurant at the El Paso airport? 

Locals would go there to eat and drink even when not traveling?  Obviously in the days before all of the TSA BS.

Gracias.

[GenXer 2896]

Thanks for the food recs.

Is there a cultural area there for shopping and/or bars?

[Gen. Applewhite 226]

Stanton House was a nice hotel DT. 

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Desert Oak BBQ, at least the one time I ate there, was good.  Not elite, top tier BBQ, but very solid.

[Dewey 3286]

12 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Desert Oak BBQ, at least the one time I ate there, was good.  Not elite, top tier BBQ, but very solid.

Their brisket is good, ribs not so much. Their sides are pretty legit, green chili rice for starters. 

[morehornsepower 887]

19 hours ago, Dewey said:

Not a fan of Chicos Taco's, apparently good drunk food. Get two singles, not the double, more sauce. Cash only. 

 

 

Chicos was definitely fantastic drunk food.  Not sure my stomach could handle it anymore!

[Brisketexan 105186]

Last time I was there, a client took me to Carnitas Queretaro, it was top-notch.

 

L&J is an institution, you probably should check it out.  And I dig Chico's -- it's an EP thing, a real piece of local anthropology and history.

I usually stay at the Indigo downtown, but that's because my work obligations are usually in the area.  I really dig EP, it's a pretty and underrated city (I love the high desert, not everyone does).

[High Plains Drifter 11050]

 

Ardovinos is decent Italian.

Second L&J.

Crave is a hipster bistro if that's your thing.

 

 

[GenXer 2896]

20 hours ago, Gen. Applewhite said:

Stanton House was a nice hotel DT. 

This looks legit

[Dewey 3286]

Almost forgot Village Inn for breakfast, take a pie home.

[GenXer 2896]

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Last time I was there, a client took me to Carnitas Queretaro, it was top-notch.

 

L&J is an institution, you probably should check it out.  And I dig Chico's -- it's an EP thing, a real piece of local anthropology and history.

I usually stay at the Indigo downtown, but that's because my work obligations are usually in the area.  I really dig EP, it's a pretty and underrated city (I love the high desert, not everyone does).

Three recs for L&J Cafe on the surl = sold for me.

In on those carnitas.

[RiverwalkMiner 257]

For old school, one more vote for L&J, and I'll add Kiki's.

For something modern, ELEMI. James Beard semifinalist. Very cool place and food was outstanding. 

Hilton Garden Inn University is at the UTEP front gate and less than 5 minute walk to the Arena. Nothing fancy, (it's a Garden Inn) but location is great for Haskins Center. Hotel Indigo and Stanton House are cool for downtown.  The Paso Del Norte was taken over by Marriott and had a big renovation, same for The Plaza but different owner.

You can check out ELEMI on Hulu's Taste of the Nation with Padma. 

[nolongerU2horn 767]

Go to Taconeta and have yourself 3 or 4 suadero tacos

[Pato del Muerto 52539]

Be careful at Rose’s cantina 

[MalibuSheriff 1090]

Another vote for L&J Cafe.

[gofuckyourself 8352]

1 hour ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Be careful at Rose’s cantina 

Rosa's

Doesn't matter. Felina got fired for all that drama.

[GenXer 2896]

Again, thanks for the recs. We’re staying at Stanton House. They too recommended Elemi.

[fwtxbevo 91]

If you are staying for the weekend and have some free time, drive the back way up to Old Mesilla, New Mexico, and stop at Chope's Bar and Cafe in La Mesa for some excellent Mexican food and ice-cold beer and Margaritas. Old Mesillas is a quaint small village outside of Las Cruces, and the drive up 28 is really nice. There is decent Mexican food at La Posta, and a really nice wine bar across the street at NM Vintage Wines.

[royiv 9333]

22 minutes ago, fwtxbevo said:

If you are staying for the weekend and have some free time, drive the back way up to Old Mesilla, New Mexico, and stop at Chope's Bar and Cafe in La Mesa for some excellent Mexican food and ice-cold beer and Margaritas. Old Mesillas is a quaint small village outside of Las Cruces, and the drive up 28 is really nice. There is decent Mexican food at La Posta, and a really nice wine bar across the street at NM Vintage Wines.

Chopes is awesome or it least it was when I was last there pre-Covid.