Tila's Restaurante and Bar   1111 S Shepherd Dr Houston TX 77019 713.522.7654 You might also be interested in these:     Mexican Food Restaurants    ZIP 77019 Profile Description: Tila's offers authentic interior Mexican/Continental Cuisine, full bar, concentrationg on our Fresh Lime Juice Margaritas with 50 + 100% agave Premium Tequilas. Our offerings stand out for the Freshness and cleanliness of taste. Our off-menu specials include creative and sophisticated choices of Filet Mignon, Chilean Sea Bas, Chiles en Nogada, Manchego and Mole chicken. Our atmosphere is comfortable, intimate, cozy, romantic and stunning, inside, or on our inviting and exquisite patio. Offer pri   Add Review PROFILE     MY REVIEW: My wife has been there a couple of times and persuaded me to go with three others. My wife had a "Shrimp in Garlic Sauce" (always good...I don't care where you eat...and the othertwo guests had (forgive the spelling) ChiliKillies, Casodillas and a crusted Chicken Breast, all very good. I ordered the Chili Rellainos and it was perhaps the worst I've eaten in Houston: It seemed to have been "pre-cooked" and then reheated. The interior was very liquid with corn pieces mixed with the herbs and spices. The chili was soggy (not that it should be "chrisp") and flavorless. There was a minimum of steak fajita meat in it; the meak crust covering was soggy and also had little flavor, but had some welcomed chili heat flavor. The refried beans had been refried a couple of time too many, and the "Spanish Rice" was the proper color, but was also flavorless. Obviously, I picked the one thing on the menu that was "wrong" to have picked. I love the Chili Rellianos, as use it as a litnus test for new "Mexican / Tex-Mex / New Mexican-Mex restaurants I try. I an name three other single-location family-style restaruants in Houston that serve them as they should be prepared and served, and I have my favorite among these three. Because of the success of the other four plates, I'll try Tila's again...but it won't be for my favorite dish... NAME: Panza Miguel SUBMITTED: 5/18/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: May 2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I hadn't been to Tila's in years, and looked forward to eating one of its interesting menu choices in its funky/attractive dining room. Food was great but the service was the worst I have experienced in many years. My marinated, stuffed pork, sliced as medallions was delicious and served at an appropriate temperature, as was a friend's light spinach enchiladas (served with a choice of red or green sauce), my husband's tortilla soup (which he contended was very authentically Mexico City: spicy, lots of lime and the right proportion of tortillas), and another friend's choice of chilequiles (sp), which is usually a breakfast dish (but since it lacks eggs, being the Mexican basis for the more familiar King Ranch casserole, I guess Tila's management decided to offer it to gringos as a dinner entree). However, this was undoubtedly the least attentive service I have EVER experienced at a Houston restaurant, especially given a Tuesday night at 7 pm, when the restaurant was less than 1/2 full. We were seated at a table for four near the kitchen, where we saw perhaps six different staff members whisking in and out past our table with never a look in our direction. Although we were seated quickly and given menus, we had to flag down people to ask for each of the following: water, wine, refills, dinner, dessert, and the bill! Twice I caught someone's attention only to have to ask someone else a second time, after a period had elapsed. Was there no service manager on duty that night? When we finally got the waiter to order food, we must have sounded annoyed because he excused his absence by saying that he didn't want to interrupt. He wasn't unobtrusive. He was absent. Tila's attentive kitchen deserves more attentive servers. NAME: A woman's point of view SUBMITTED: 10/18/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Odd ambiance but cute nonetheless. Presentation was as wonderful as the flavor. Sunday brunch is always a good time. NAME: TKG SUBMITTED: 7/28/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/07 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Everything as wonderful. The service was great. Tila will make you a Marg like you have never had before. The flying pig add something to the decor(not sure what). Quaint and cozy. I would highly recommend NAME: Humble SUBMITTED: 6/16/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Having been a "neighbor" of Tila's for several years, we have probably eaten there more than any other Mexican place in Houston. We moved out of the neighborhood 2 years ago, but still make it a point to drive in. When we dined at Tila's in late October, my companion could not decide between two entrees so he ordered them both. He then ate them both and ordered another of his favorite one! They were "off menu" specialty items that were nothing less than fabulous. It usually takes me 30 minutes to make a dinner decision as there are so many things I love that are on the menu. Fortunately, I adore the margaritas and the chance to try a variety of tequilas. We have always found the service to be excellent and the food to be outstanding. We would highly recommend this place to anyone, especially if they were looking for something out of the ordinary in Mexican cuisine. NAME: mtgirl SUBMITTED: 2/6/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: Nov 06 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: I've probably driven past this place 500 times and finally made it there for dinner last night on a recomendation of a friend. We met the group and sat down for a good 10 minutes before our waiter asked if we wanted anything to drink. Drinks took another 10 and he walked away before we could order. Not very friendly either. Seemed as if he'd rather be somewhere else. Food was authentic and great but small portions for the price. They have a huge wine and tequilla selection but $4.75 for a Corona and $9.50 for a house white wine is a little steep. Bottom line is for the money I would rather eat at H*ugo's any day. NAME: jebber3 SUBMITTED: 12/29/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Tila is an interesting restaurant owner. You get the feeling she really cares about her customers as soon as you sit down. My husband and I are regulars at Sunday brunch. The chilaquiles are the BEST in Houston. Authenic mexican food lovers only go here.....Great plantains and chips in the tin buckets too! NAME: Melody Wilds SUBMITTED: 11/6/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/06 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: i've never felt compelled to write a restaurant review before considering i eat out constantly in just about every city you can think of from south america to alaska. here in houston, i eat out nearly every night. the one restaurant i continue to return to is tila's. don't get me wrong, i love some good tex-mex on a late night, but tila's is certainly not tex-mex. it's continental mexican cuisine, meaning it's all-natural, fresh ingredients make up dins that you can't order at the neighborhood taqueria. from the spicy gazpacho to the chiles rellenos to a slice of mexican lime pie, the food delivers true mexican/south american delights. the restaurant caters to picky vegetarians like myself, and stuffs my choosey, meat-eating friends. AND, let's not forget the 40some tequilas to choose from... it's fun to sample new types of tequila straight from the tequila bar that wraps around the foyer of the restaurant. on every table is a jar of "self-cooked" garlic, carrots, onion, and jalapenos which tempts you to stick a fork in and prepare for heat- a true appetite blossomer! and if you want to sit out on the dragonfly patio there's a large outdoor cooler to keep you refreshed, and when the weather DOES cool down, don't forget that tila's let's you make your own mexican smores in the ceramic chimaneas that line to patio. i've eaten at tila's many times over the years and there is constantly something new to enjoy. sunday brunch has just begun, and i hear that tila's makes the best bloody marys in town. desayunos, here i come. any bad reviews you see are most likely that of an ignorant eater or someone with a grudge, probably friends or fans to the t*eala's around the corner, often mispronounced or mistaken. i think competition is healthy. when the water rises, all boats will float. i think tila's just got on a higher wave. my favorite restaurant in houston after 9 years of houston dining experience. NAME: toddicus SUBMITTED: 8/23/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/06 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: I absolutely LOVE this restuarant!! From the margaritas (where you get to choose from approx. 40 tequilas) to the best Carne Asada I have ever had. I love sitting outside on Sundays and enjoying the brunch selections. Great eggs benedict. Although I could eat mexican food everyday it is rare that I find a mexican food restuarant that truly stands out, and this one does. I feel the service is good and the food is great!!! Please go! NAME: Tonie Scott SUBMITTED: 5/4/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 4-26-06 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: I'm done. Absolutely will never go here again. This place has had really exceptional food and service in the past, but for my last three visits service has gone far down hill. Today, we waited over 45 minutes after ordering for food; many others arriving after the two of us were served well before we were, and when the food finally arrived, the steaks were not cooked even close to "medium" as was ordered(try blood raw and cold inside), the sides were skimpy, and some items listed on the menu that the waiter was specifically asked about did not make it to the table at all. I take clients out often and have visited here many times, last week I was embarrassed at the service but today was so bad it left me simply incredulous. The server said it was "not my fault" and said he would give us a comment card to fill out. A $60 lunch check today is the last red cent Tila will ever see from me. Too bad, it used to be a great little place. NAME: Nancy Drew SUBMITTED: 4/14/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 4-14-06 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: Great food and great atmosphere. Their signature fresh-squeezed margaritas were a welcome change from the frozen ones that so many restaurants usually offer. The chips and salsa were delicious and very addicting - we went through at least 3 baskets (actually, they serve them in little metal pails). Their crema fresca was amazing too - it comes with several menu items, including the Nachos Bandoleros. I've never had anything like it. Tila's was fantastic. They can take any typical dish and give it an amazing, one-of-a-kind taste. NAME: tiffany SUBMITTED: 3/30/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 3/2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: The owner Tila met us at the door and was very warm and friendly and welcoming, we sat at the bar and had a couple of THE BEST Bloody Mary's ever! I really liked the eclectic decor of the place, and love the pigs. They are fun. We will go back for sure. NAME: Ktin SUBMITTED: 11/21/2005   LAST VISIT WAS:  FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Get to Houston 3-4 times/month - first time visiting Tila's -- have to say it was quite an experience. Although a little crowded, didn't wait long for a table -- was greeted by the manager, Angela, who was very personable and knowledgeable about the food and drinks. Came to our table twice to be sure all as well, as she did with other diners. Our server, Jill, was outstanding, made great suggestions on menu items. Felt as though we were the only party in the restaurant, although she was quite busy. Food was excellent -- appetizers - main course -- not your usual Tex-Mex -- can't remember having food as authentic or as wonderful since being in Mexico. Tila's does a great job and I'll be sure to go back EVERY times I'm in Houston. NAME: Yankee de Pennsylvania SUBMITTED: 10/12/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: October 2005 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Our first visit to Tila's with a group of 8, mid-Sunday afternoon, so no crowds to negotiate. Service was very knowledgable and helpful. I think between the eight of us we tried at least seven different menu items. The pear and brie quesadillas were interesting... a nice combination but it didn't "wow" me. The special chicken breast stuffed with manchego cheese and topped with mole was fabulous. Good reports on the chilean sea bass, pork tenderloins and carnitas. The Ancho Fudge Pie was to die for. Now, that was great (!) chocolate and not so sweet that you didn't want more when it was gone! It's lovely to go someplace with a real personality, that has the owner's 'stamp' on it, with an interesting and well considered menu and good service. NAME: Tamale Lover SUBMITTED: 8/15/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/05 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I have to admit - I was completely surprised by many of the negative reviews below. I've been going to Tila's for a long time, and can not seem to understand where some of the comments below are coming from. No – it’s not “Tex Mex”, nor is it “Mexican”. The restaurant is billed as “Mexico City Continental”. So - let me offer a few insider tips that may go a long way for those contemplating going to Tila's. First - if you're going for drinks, stop off at the bar and ask for Alex. Alex is probably one of the most "flamboyant" bartenders in town, and with an awesome sense of humor, he can make anyone's bad day end with laughter. Those of us who frequent the bar regularly have honestly come to know the regulars and staff as family. I'll concede that Tila's does seem to have a very high turnover rate on server staff. However, if you ask for Manuel, you'll NEVER go wrong. Like Alex, he's been there for years, and he's the best! On to the food. Both my wife and I eat out MANY times a week, and my wife's "pickiness" far exceeds anyone I know. While we've tried virtually everything on the menu (because we had our wedding reception here) the best items are: 1) Chilean Sea Bass (it's an off-the-menu item) 2) Stuffed Filet Mignon, and 3) Pork Tenderloin Medallions. As for desserts - diabetics need not try the Ancho Fudge pie. I'm a true "chocoholic" and the word "decadence" does not begin to describe this fantastic desert. Still another excellent option is the "Tres Chocolates". Next... the drinks. Tila stocks what is perhaps the largest selection of FINE tequila in Houston, and Tila will NEVER insult a quality margarita by making it frozen. (My first time there I asked for a frozen and got a rather grimacing look! LoL) The margaritas are served on-the-rocks or straight-up. (Choose the later - you'll get more!) The mix is hand-made... even the limes are freshly squeezed. If you're in the mood for something a bit different, ask for the raspberry margarita. It's their regular margarita with freshly pureed raspberries added. And for the fine tequila connoisseur - ask to see their tequila list! Last - the atmosphere. Perhaps this is a matter of personal taste, but we and all of our friends love the eclectic atmosphere. It's fun and semi-casual, but also hints of intimate and romantic... the place definitely fits right in being at the corner of where River Oaks, Montrose, and The Heights merge. NAME: JP & Karen SUBMITTED: 7/18/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 07/2005 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: What a delightful place to eat. I was seated immediately and brought water, chips and salsa within seconds. There were the best tasting plantains mixed in with the chips. I'm pretty picky about my salsa and green dip and both of them were great. I just wanted a quick lunch and the waitress suggested their salad that had avocado, jicama, chicken and much more. It was absolutely delicious, and very reasonably priced. The check came promptly and everyone was friendly and polite. This is definitely a place I want to go again. Next time I'll come for a complete dinner because I overheard Tila telling some other customers about the daily specials and they sounded fantastic. Can't wait to try them. NAME: bjk SUBMITTED: 6/14/2005   LAST VISIT WAS:  FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: It is amazing how a place can change. It has been about 3 years since I last had visited this place, and since the receint reviews were not recommending this establishment I decided to see myself. The decore is the same, I think it is eccletic myself...I really think it gives the place a quirky ambiance, not obtrusive, but it reminds me of a place that I frequent when I go to Mexico...that "hole in the wall" kina place. It was $2 margarita tuesday with also a few $2 appstizers. The drinks did take longer than usual (our appatizer came before the drinks which is odd)and the margaitas were not strong at all (I just figured it was because it was only $2) The spinach dip was very flavorful. The jalapenos gave it the extra kick. I think by itself it would have just been ok, but worth $2 I had the cerviche wich was very fresh. Very lean on the shrimp, and fish, but otherwise fresh. My husband had the skirt steak. If you are not a fan of garlic, make sure you tell them not to put any on top. I just used the extra roasted garlic on my toast that came with the cerviche. The black beens and rice remind me of the ones down the way at the other Mexican restaurant with the same name. They do have some imaginative itemse on the menu...like the pear and gorganzola quesadillas (which I will have to go back and try) and I like the idea of make your own taquito. Service is not the worst I have had but it not that bad that I would not go back. Waiters were friendly and accommodating. All in all, I will go back again on a off night, but I will order a wine instead of a margarita. NAME: Lovetoeatout SUBMITTED: 3/30/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 3/29/05 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: poor seating, poor service, parking confusing, valet complicated, they charged us for a drink we never ordered, the drinks took over 15 minutes to arrive at table. food was great though, although my boyfriend thinks, it is just "ok." He loves maria s*elmas and el t*iempo. this was our first time at tila's. i think that we shall go back in a few months to see if things have improved. NAME: houston tex mex lover SUBMITTED: 2/19/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 02/ FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Ok, where to start . . . The skeleton on the wall and the stuffed monkey- if this isn't a sign to turn around and leave I don't know what is. The interior decor is so aimless I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to be in Mexico or Africa. And the pigs? Apparently the decorator was desperately running behind on the day of opening and stopped at a few yard sales. It's not possible to get over the "ambiance," but if you do manage the menu is so limited that you will be selecting appetizers as as your meal. The food was neither Mexican nor Tex Mex, and we couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. Honestly, we found it embarrasing to have eaten there. This place was a decidedly negative reflection on whatever type of cuisine it was supposed to be. For those of you who actually enjoy their food, we highly suggest visiting the frozen food section of your supermarket for higher quality and better price. NAME: Food for Thought SUBMITTED: 11/28/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/2004 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Eight of us went here for dinner on Saturday. One of the reasons we had picked Tila's was because in the newspaper and in the Houston Press, they had advertised hourly costume contests and Halloween Margaritas. Well, other than their staff being in costume and decorations, they did not have contests or Halloween Ritas. They seemed real proud of their costumes though. The other reasons were for the food and Ritas. Well after 30 minutes, most of our party received our Margarits and they were absolutely the worst drinks I have ever tasted. Hard to swallow when we went to another restaurant the night before and they were the best ever. Two of our party received their $10 Cuevro Gold Ritas 2 minutes before our dinner arrived. One of our party received her wine after the food arrived to the table. I obviously selected the worst item on the menu. The roll your on tacos with lightly breaded fish, which came grilled. The fish was so strong that I could not eat them. For $12 they gave you three strips of fish, about a total of 4 oz. Most of the other entees were acceptable, but no one raved about it. Two of our party received salmon entrees when they had ordered red snapper, so they got to wait another 20 minutes to eat. By this name we all were pretty cranky and very sober because some of just did not bother to drink the nasty margaritas and the others said that their was no liquor. Then when it was bill time, the real nightmare began. The waiter just could not handl four separate checks. He had the ntrees all mixed up. He finally straightened it out but then he was confused about who had paid and who had not. It took 30 minutes to settle the bill and get our change back. The manager did not seem concerned at all. Well, I guess it was the perfect place for Halloween, because it was a hell of a night. NAME: EX-Patron SUBMITTED: 11/1/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/30/04 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Gee, how do I start? Let me put this nicely... this place needs serious help from many angles. My friends, we'll call them "Wilma" and "Betty", have been telling me for months about how great Tila's was... so I broke down and we went -- oh my god, are they on crack or what? I went for the first time about a month ago... food was about a 3 on a scale of 1-10, service about a 4.4, but atmosphere on the patio was not too bad, about an 8. Even Betty told me, ‘that normally the food and service were much better’. Oh did I mention the godawful margs? Hmmm... tasted like those limeade slushy drinks that the old 7-Eleven's used to have [when the machine wasn’t quite working right]. Now, let's talk about dinner last nite! I went with Wilma and a friend, "Bert" - there were few customers in the restaurant, yet our server was slower than a car running out of gas. We are still trying to figure out whether our server was Pam or Sam, but hey that's not the point of this story... our topic is food and service. First off, Pam forgot to put my order in... Wilma's food came out rather timely - however, after about a 10-15 min. no show of my food, Wilma takes the bull by the horns, and asks Pam about my food, Pam asks, "what snapper?" Basically he forgot to put my order in.... ok, cool, stuff happens, so about 15 min later, it arrives. After a few bites, I compared it to my last late nite meal after drinking... at T*aco Cabana, I told Wilma, that we should go back to TC. Ok, so now to the fun part... after a while, Pam arbitrarily brings a coke to our table, sets it in front of me, and walks off... the thing is, none of us were drinking coke. Anyway, now comes the bill... no discount, no comps, no free dessert, no “sorry “for the complete breakdown in communication, etc. So, we ask Sam about this - she comes back and comps a 6.95 appetizer... uh, sorry no cigar. We ask for the manager who promptly, yet sheepishly, comes out to chat with us... gives us a brief song and dance, and offers the same lame 6.95 comp. After his utter lack of display of basic customer service skills, I told him I would not be back, ever. As a last resort, the manager did offer for us to fill out a comment card and to call the owner the next day. But, what good does that do? The owner has lost business because of an incompetent server and a manager who needs Cust Svce 101. Tila's sorry - but you get a 1.9 from me on my scale. Luckily, my partner on this deal is not commenting, but she may comment later. NAME: RestaurantNazis.com SUBMITTED: 10/5/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/04 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: The atmosphere is nice but that is all I liked. The lemonade tasted like it was made with sparkling water which I did not enjoy. To those of you who like Horchata, beware that the Horchata they serve is not like the one you get from A*randas or T*epatitlan or any other Taqueria, it's not as sweet and kinda watered down. The portions of food are small and the food is overpriced. I ordered Chilaquiles that I could have gotten at T*epatlitan for a lower price and I know I would have gotten a bigger portion and they would have tasted better too. The waitstaff was very friendly though. I do think that $40 for 2 people is ridiculous so I won't be returning to Tila's. NAME: Chelle SUBMITTED: 4/17/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/04 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: this is the best mexican "cuisine" food outside of chicago. in chicago, we have "salpicon" and "topolobamp - frontera grill". houston has "tila's". for those reviews who claim this is not good food here, maybe they are looking for americanized tex-mex. tila's truly does offer authentic "cuisine" and great margaritas!! i like the style in which they serve their margaritas. i grew up in houston and lived off of mexican food growing up. it's not until the last 10 years or so that true mexican cuisine restaurants have established themselves. tila's offers many dishes and delicious appetizers along with a tequila list that you can drink straight up or with a margarita. the best in houston if you want "real" mexican food. don't bother critiqueing this restaurant if all you know is "tex-mex". NAME: tequila guy SUBMITTED: 3/16/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: january, 2004 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I dont remember the exact name of the menu item but is was something like cured tequila salmon. When our food arrived to the table it was nicely dressed on the plates but we were shocked that the salmon looked to be raw,(overlooked on the menu that this item was cured). Really didnt want it but decided to taste & it was AWESOME!!!!! Nice atmosphere too, liked the pigs! May God bless you some more, Tila! NAME: Esther Billings SUBMITTED: 2/11/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: jan 2004 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: The food is good at Tila's, but do not go there for drinks. I was impressed with their food for lunch, that I went back for dinner and drinks. Well don't! I had order a Top Self Margarita,it came in a SMALL cup, and was watered down. I told the waiter, so he went back to the bartendar, and they topped it off with a little bit of well tequila, cost for this "Worst Margarita in Houston", $13.95. Need I say more. Poor experience. NAME: Knows Quality Restaurants SUBMITTED: 1/6/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/5/04 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY