Jarro Cafe

Let me ruin the ending, Jarro Cafe was some of the worst food I have eaten.  Texas Monthy listed them as one of the 50 best Mexican Restaurants in Texas.  Really?  Seriously?  Texas Monthy's credibilty is seriously lost for me now.

Here are my thoughts on Jarro Cafe.  Barebones interior (that's okay).  The owner has a serious "thing" for the Beatles.  The service was slow, but nice.  Musical choices were eclectic ranging from Muse to classical to the Beatles (of course) to Caribbean steel drums to the Pretenders.  No alcohol served.  I could have used a Margarita or Tecate to wash down the food.

Jarro Cafe, Beatles posters decorate the restaurant

The food was very unpleasing.  The nachos ($6.99) consisted of poured Rico's Cheese Sauce.  You know the stuff -- the cheese product used for nachos at football stadiums and movie theaters.  Not kidding, we saw the can.  Chicken, with zero flavor, was sliced across the top (not on individual nacho chips).  The refried beans tasted like they were out of a can.  Boring.  Bland. Including the avocado.

Nachos

Next up, Flautas ($7.99).  I would have guessed that messing up a Flauta plate would be tough.  I mean, fried anything is usually good.  Not so much here at Jarro Cafe.  The chicken inside the fried rolled up tortilla was white, which made me happy, but it was dry and flavorless.  No seasonings.  Again, the beans were just not good.  Very disappointing. 

Flautas

Final dish ordered: Bistec a la Mexicana ($7.99).  Beefsteak cooked with tomatoes, onions, and spicy jalapenos.  This dish was a tad better because of the salsa/sauce poured over the top.  I guess salsa makes anything better!  Beef steak was pounded very thinly...it was tender, but consequently did not offer much meat on the plate.  The rice.  Ugh.  Gummy.  Flavorless.  I mean just awful.  Beans, the same canned beans on other dishes.

Bistec a la Mexicana

Our lunch was such a disappointment.  I like Taco Bell better.  While I do realize that Taco Bell is using the same canned cheese sauce for their nachos, at least you expect it, and the price is cheaper.  I'm going to have a hard time believing Texas Monthy's recommendations in the future.

Jarro Cafe
1521 Gessner
Houston, Texas 77080
713-827-0373
http://www.jarrocafe.com/english/index.php