El Big Bad

Was in town for a brief business trip and stopped in for a quick bite. Although I was in a Tex-Mex restaurant and bar, I was in the mood for a burger. I was not disappointed! I ordered the cheeseburger medium and it was the perfect blend of juicy and savory. Chelsea Anna made an amazing Spicy Mezcal Margarita. Do yourself a favor and stop in.

My partner and I stopped by Sunday night on a whim. I loved every minute of dining at El Big Bad! The food was amazing and it was evident everything was prepared fresh with quality ingredients. We got the chips and queso, burger with fries and pollo asado tacos with rice and beans. This place easily has the best queso I have ever had. We also got a few drinks starting with the strawberry infused tequila margaritas. They have a plethora of infused tequilas; something around 30+ if I remember correctly.. Naturally we tried the tequila flight which comes with 3 infused tequila shots to try. They were all great except the key lime which we both agreed was not our favorite. The REAL TREAT was the bartender John. His wittiness and attention to detail is unmatched! He had plenty of suggestions and constantly made sure everything met our expectations. Also compliments to the chef because he did his thing! I Can’t wait for us to visit again.

My new favorite haunt 🥂. Stumbled in here after checking out a few other ‘highly rated’ bars and I like it so much I couldn’t leave. Highly recommend hitting up John on either Friday or Saturday nights to get some absolutely delicious infused cocktails. What I absolutely love: the cocktails aren’t sugary sweet, and ARE perfectly balanced. Other bars add a lot of sweetener and artificial flavors, but you can tell these guys don’t take shortcuts. Def ask them about their infusions! There’s an impressive collection and constantly rotation selections. The drink AND food menu are FIRE 🔥. The patio is perfect on a breezy late summer evening. A few things I didn’t love: their ambiance. The building is old and ventilation clearly struggles. The couches upstairs are beat up and dated. The sound system upstairs was loud in all the wrong ways and makes the patio space uncomfortably loud. Ordering via barcode feels disenchanting — I crave the interaction and banter. Overall, it’s my new favorite place for drinks and food. Can’t wait to try the Strawberry Basil Marg!

Came for dinner before a rockets game and glad we did! Great service by server/bartender. The tostadas and wings were very flavorful.

Not the best experience it seemed most the things on the menu were unavailable. The tequila flight shots were alright. There wasn’t a server really it was just random employees dropping off food as it was ordered through an app. By the time the food arrived we hadn’t been provided drinks or silverware. Then when it was time to pay for the tab they automatically charge gratuity and still ask for tip. I accidentally added tip and ended up paying more in addition to gratuity. Aside from that it was very well decorated but I won’t be returning.

Amazing service from our bartender. She kept the vibe chill and funny. I think I found the bar I feel most comfortable going alone to and be ok with. P.S. they have hooks under the bar. How many bars do you see with hooks under the bar???

We stopped in to grab a margarita and everybody from the guy working the door to the folks behind the counter were so nice and friendly. We ordered margaritas on the rocks with tajin, had them in front of us in no time and enjoyed visiting with other patrons. It’s got a cool, laid back atmosphere and a great vibe. We didn’t eat, but others around us got better than decently sized portions and everything smelled amazing.

I wanted Mexican so I went to this location. It was not busy. Most tables were empty. The upstairs was closed. To start, there was no waiters. You had to order via phone. I did not like this. In addition, there was hard core rap playing. If I had a kid, I would have turned around due to the curse words. This is not what I expect from a Mexican Restaurant; therefore I left.

The server decided to automatically put a 20% tip for herself. It was 3 of us eating after theater on a theatre. It was me and my bf on our bill - 2 people, not a large party. Then my friend asked for her separate check - same thing happened to her, so 1 person, not a big party again, also automatic 20% tip. I am an out of town visitor and while the food was absolutely amazing - the service was questionable from the start. The situation: only 2 other couples were in the upstairs restaurant, and us 3 , and one female server. The server offered us to use the scannable menu on table and to pre-pay via the restaurant app, but we wanted to do 2 checks and possibly pay via cash. The lady hesitantly took our order and she also took our credit card information. Again, odd, but no unheard of. All was going well ( except my queso and chips was left off but quickly remedied and brought that out). The burger was delish, my friend loved her shrimp taco, and my bf loved his burrito and chicken strips I didn't drink as I am pregnant but the other 2 confirmed that their margaritas were solid. Then we got the checks. Our cards were already ran and charged. We didn't have the chance to look through our bill. Then we saw the 20-% tip. The server was asked where did this automatic 20% tip came from ? We were not informed that an automatic 20% tip will be added. The menu didn't seem to say to either, and the server didn't inform us at the start of the meal, either. The server said why .. do we want to give more or less tip ? I said well, I just want to know how did this 20% was determined and how it appear on the check. She gave a vague answer how mangement pre programmed their cashier app. We didn't order through the app, I said. She said that's just how it is here. I dont think this was ethical or legal.

The service is amazing, and the drinks are delicious, but this is the second time in an approximate two-week time span that I've come here for dinner and had to leave because there was mysteriously no food for some reason. I obviously left both times because I'd come there for food and drinks. This is really disappointing because this place has tasty food and drinks, the bartenders are so much fun to talk, and there's fantastic service and atmosphere every time. But coming here two times in close proximity of one another only to be told there's no food during dinner time? Huge problem. I'm only knocking one star off for this, as the food is yummy when it's available, the drinks are always amazing, the service is great, and the atmosphere is a blast. But what kind of bizarre restaurant regularly has no food at dinner?! I really hope they get this fixed.

Came in to have a drink and man were we surprised! The infused margaritas taste delicious! So good we came back again tried the coconut, pineapple and churro. They all taste exactly like the flavor. When we came back John was our bartender! Super cool and let us try the apple pie flavor margarita. I don't know how they do it but it tastes just like an apple pie, even with the cinnamon. That one's not on the menu yet but IT NEEDS TO BE! Real chill bar, we didn't try the food but this is a place we continue to talk about cause of how great these flavors are.

I was disappointed. It looked like a place I would like. I liked the old building and festive decor. The variety of infused tequilas was intriguing to both my friend and I. I tasted her rhubarb-strawberry tequila. It bordered on being too sweet, but it was tasty and refreshing. However, the food was not good. Edible, but not pleasurable. Service was mediocre. The server wasn't rude, just slow, inattentive, and seemed pretty bored and lifeless. I wondered if that was just her natural way of acting or if she was stoned. I should have checked reviews, but we just found it convenient right after Drunk Shakespeare--it was practically across the street. Oh well, live and learn.

We brought in local friends that haven't tried El Big Bad, which I've been a fan of since over a decade ago and have not gone in many years, so was excited to introduce a staple in Houston. We went for Houston Restaurant Week, which was good. Blanco Queso was a hit for everyone at the table, fajita steak/chicken was very good but the churros were the star of the night with the Bavarian cream. The reason for the 2 star was due to the overall lack of service from our waitress, who we had to waive down a few times just to get water. The rest of the team seemed to be working so hard through dinner service but her; what made it even worst was the fact that she added 20% gratuity to a table of 4, which made sense as to why we never saw her except for the greeting/ordering time and closing out of our tabs. Mind you, there were about 8 customers in the entire restaurant for the hour and a half that we were there. When food is good, especially in a local spot that's been open for years, we want to share that with friends and family but SERVICE WILL ALWAYS TAKE PRECEDENTS.

Yall let me tell you about this place. We decided to have a few drinks before heading to the theater on 6/15 Saturday night their was only 4 of us. The drinks we blah my margarita was suppose to be a frozen margarita which came out a little more liquified. Service was good but very unorganized they kept coming to the table saying if we order extra drinks& food From the name of Sarah. After letting them know several times that we only ordered what we ordered and no one is name Sarah. It wasn't until our checks came out! Can you please tell me how my brother in laws total came out to 90 dollars? When placing our order they gave us a menu. Some items of the menu had prices while some didn't. He ordered the Casa Blanca. With lack of education from the waitress stating it was "a premium drink " . Someone who isn't aware of different kinds of tequila here's the name Casa Blanca thinks it's a reference to a movie. But anyway I spoke to the manager "Linda Rodríguez" who was rude and inconsiderate. I explained ehow she needs to educate her staff before allowing someone to purchase a 90 dollars worth of drink. She said that the full price menu is in the QR code. But why would you want to scan that if you have a menu in front of you. This whole restaurant is a SCAM! They find many ways to scam you. It's ridiculous and disgusting. How can a businesses like this still be running!! On top of that it's true what the say about the 20%.

This place was amazing!!! Anastasia was so helpful and outgoing, will definitely be back! Request her!

Space was cool it was 3 floors. We got a drink at the top floor since it was empty. The place did had a old bar stink to it. The drinks were disgusting. Not sure what the bartender mixed but it tasted disgusting. Note to self do not get the Moscow Mule from here. They also were out of Tito's and offered a different kind but tasted watered down when mixed with soda.

We ordered a couple of beers and I popped back inside to get a glass. The bartender actually came and found us on the balcony to bring a cold glass! Service! Ahhh...a lost art. Excellent service and a great vibe.

I'm not sure if it's the sweet elderly woman in the back making this delicious freaking food, but these Taquito's were tasty treats! Their salsa does need more heat to it, and you will be charged if you ask for more - which you will do since they only give you about a tablespoon full in a tiny cup - even for dine-in orders etc.... Fun crowd with tons of infused tequilas in all varieties. Think Russian House - Vodka (Austin) downtown.... Blueberry Marg is a great choice! But, skip the cilantro in it!!

We were actually very pleasantly surprised by this place. We love tequila and mezcal and saw it was highly rated. We only got drinks but they were very good. We would return to try their other margaritas.

Went on a Tuesday night right after work. Place plays dance music and it's loud. No one in there on Tuesday. It was cold too and only reason I stayed was it was the other employees idea. Had dinner with some coworkers and it was pretty bad. Cold cheese fries, but the quesadillas was ok. Overall a rough experience.

Idk what happened to the quality of this place but it's taken a sharp dive. We got an order of carne asada tacos and they were cold and didn't hit. Skipping El Big Bad in the future.

I ordered chips and queso as entree 8.75(food sucked) 2 carne asada tacos 13.99 (food sucked) Fajitas

Not Bad for it being Cinco de Mayo! Definitely needs more bartenders on the first floor. I feel like some people may have called out that day & needed to be fired over the phone (but that's just me ‍) Drinks were good .... Might come again for the food without the crowd next time.

I thought the bill was a bit high and now after reading other reviews it makes sense they added 20% automatically. So they got a 40% tip from me since I was distracted signing the bill. They do have good tequila though. They have all sorts of infused tequila including peanut butter and lavender. The list is extensive and they are proud of it. The outside deck is still a popular place to chill. Place has been around a long time. I would pay more attention to the bill next time.

I went here with some friends who I had assumed looked at the reviews but apparently they had not. The 2.9 rating makes sense and had I seen it I would have spoken up about going elsewhere. Food was blah, drinks were blah, vibes were horrible. There were multiple djs spread between the floors and the music was going to max volume, skipping over itself, then turning off. Repeatedly. We could hear all of them and it was so bad. Service was blah. We ordered once and then she disappeared because we closed our tab. Oftentimes I'll close my tab but if it's a good time and good drinks I'll reopen and get something else. She did not allow that opportunity. They were very inattentive overall. I walked in with a large water bottle as I was recovering from a procedure and I was told to throw it away due to no outside food or drinks. Okay, fine, understandable. However, I was not offered water immediately by the restaurant. It's also a required 20% added tip. I always tip at least 20% every time, every where but I still find it sneaky when it's added with no head's up. Won't go back and I don't recommend you do either.

This is our pre-gaming spot before Astros games. Has a great patio Drinks are pretty good, but food can be hit or miss.

The service was well when we stopped by as a big group! Anastasia was a great bartender who took good care of us! The ambiance was welcoming and everything was wonderful.

September 23, 2021 Drove in from Galveston to spend the day in the city. We were bar hoping and came in here for our last call. This used to be "Cabo's" back in the day (like more than a decade ago) and honestly, nothings changed, it's still a huge place with very little seating, limited menu but a great DT balcony view. The only place to sit is upstairs. Very friendly staff. Bartender tonight was helpful and knowledgeable about their infused tequilas. Extensive list (see photo) I tried their flight of 3: horchata, rosemary and red beet...I really liked them all. We had chips/salsas...and watched people go by. They (for the most part) copied the "I love you so much" on the wall like in Austin TX; but, added "tacos!"

You order everything from a QR code at the table which probably works when it's not super busy. We ordered steak nachos, which were actually really good but they need to come with a side queso because there's not enough cheese. That kept the chips from getting soggy. We ordered just a side of queso cheese and it literally took 35 minutes and 3 trips to the bar. Everybody around us was complaining about how long it was taking to get food. The music was way too loud but the DJ was good.

I am so sad to write this review because I thought the food was good but, the service was awful. The lady behind the bar can make a drink but, sat down to her smoking on the patio, didn't wash her hands and continued to make drinks and call for a runner when she could have walked 2 feet to deliver it since there were only 5 people in the whole place.. couldn't think on her feet to substitute peach crown for a mixed drink on their menu until we went to the bar and made the suggestion for her after seeing she was thrown for a loop. Overall we won't be back aside from the 20% tip that is automatically added from the app they use for drinks.. Really disappointed.

Frozen margarita from machine is considered premium $16... it's gross. And they add gratuity to all checks ( I sat at bar). Fish tacos were ok, but the restaurant smells old and prices for drinks are ridiculous. Won't be back.

First off service was terrible. The bartender didn't speak English. He literally asked me "How make Margarita". Food was the worst. I went based on yelp reviews and was sadly mistaken. The cheese burger tasted like rotten meat. Do not go. Do not waste your time.

Found this cute little tequila bar while bar hopping near our hotel Labor Day weekend. The vibe is cozy with string lights and wood throughout. Bar staff were very friendly! I loved the fact that they have infused tequila flights! The chips, queso and salsa paired well with the tequila. The highlight of the spot was definitely the rooftop. When back in Houston I'll stop by again!

Hello. No. I don't recommend anything about this business. We went for national margarita day. Sat at the bar, and were promptly ignored for 17 minutes. I know this because I made sure to set my timer so my review would be accurate. There were 3 bartenders. A woman and 2 men. One gentleman made eye contact but didn't offer service, the other two actively ignore my party of three THAT WAS SEATED DIRECTLY AT THE BAR and never engaged. ALL of my friends and I are in the industry, and we are all also BLACK. At bare minimum a simple 'Hey ya'll gimmie a minute I'll be right with you!' would have sufficed. The white man to my right was served food, a shot, and a drink before we were spoken to. The white man to the left and his partner were spoken to as soon as they got to the bar, given shots, and drinks, and we still hadn't been spoken to. In my time there a manager said several items were 86'd, and some items were low. After 17 minutes we were finally acknowledged by the bartender to my right less than enthusiastically. We ordered one beverage and left. Please understand despite it being a 'holiday' there were only 5 people seated at the bar, not counting the three of us. No one was in the weeds, no one was running crazy, there was just an exuberant amount of effort given to NOT acknowledging or helping US. Lastly grat was auto added to our checks. If that's standard... ok. But, again, we were seated at the bar, and it wasn't busy, so I'm unclear why there was an assumption that we wouldn't tip. It's giving racist undertones.

I've been here before but it's been years, since it was Cinco de Mayo I suggested we go here for a margarita because I remembered really liking the margs and the service. We were there earlier evening to avoid any crowds that we assumed would be later. It wasn't that busy so we figured good choice so we could hang out and chill. The service at the upstairs bar was just lacking a lot. There was 4 to 5 making drinks but everyone was just walking into each other and it seemed like no organization whatsoever. We ordered two drinks only one was given to us so we asked again for the second. I had the cucumber mint margarita, the mint leave the bartender took, sat in the palm of his hand and took his other hand and kind of smashed it, I'm not sure if this was his way of muddling or what, but watching him handle money and things like that then take the mint leaf in his palm and place it in the drink .... As we waited, one woman by us gave up and said never mind she's just not getting a drink she'll go somewhere else, two guys beside us said maybe they need to be more aggressive because no one was helping them at all, the service here just isn't the same at all. There was also a lady bartender but she was just in her own world and not moving at any pace you'd expect from a half busy bar, can't imagine what happens when they actually get busy. On the plus side, they have a nice side patio and had a DJ which was good, although it was competing with the restaurant music which was still on the speakers too. ‍. Maybe it was just tonight, I don't know, but it was a drastic difference from my experience before.

Was so pleasantly surprised by this place. My best friend and I stumbled in on accident and it ended up being our favorite bar of the evening. The tequila flight was so incredible, they have so many tasty infusions! I liked the watermelon, the blood orange, and the rose! The Big Bad was nothing but GOOD! 10/10! Might have found our new favorite spot!

Apparently in Houston you now have to read every line item on your receipt to see if someone charged you gratuity already because they certainly won't bring it to your attention. My boyfriend and I visited the bar and ordered 2 drinks, luckily we read the receipt because she didn't tell us we had already tipped. It's bad business to charge customers and not bring it to their attention. I won't come here again because of the dishonesty.

John makes legit margaritas! Delicious happy hour drinks and tacos. Can't go wrong! Had the Carne asada and carnitas. We liked them both. They have a ton of infused tequilas if that is your thing. It's not ours. But the classic was well made.

It's a sticky dive bar. No parking since it's downtown. Good for drinks I suppose but I'm not sure if anyone should come here for the sole purpose of food lol. As we entered the dark restaurant, there was a kitchen lady prepping in the bar/kitchen who told us to go upstairs. We went upstairs and saw a bartender and a single patron. We sat in a booth and the bartender shouted something to us but it was hard to here but we figured she said something like, "I'll be right with you". We waited patiently and saw her conversing and laughing with her single patron before we realized that we don't think that's what she said. We approached the bar and she said, "you have to order at the bar". "Oh!" Haha, we laughed. The guacamole was fizzy.... My friend reported hers was.. "a little fermented" The chicken fajitas were nothing to rave about. The dessert was some sort of bread pudding - that was actually very good. Tl; dr: No parking, downtown. Fizzy guac. Bomb Desserts. Known for their tequila.

Oh where do I start!!!... I was always really happy to come to this place because the margaritas are always on point. However, i went to renew my ID and had the paper provisional ID the DPS gives you and was NOT allowed in. The "doorman" as he referred to himself, did not let me in, REGARDLESS OF ME BEING THERE EVERY TWO WEEKS and being a regular costumer. He was acting like an a$$hole, he kept telling me he needed a physical ID, but even cops accept AND other places accept the paper provisional ID but him. I did call him out by telling him He was literally acting like an a$$hole, just for him to reply and act upon "my physical appearance" by saying I looked like a "big baked potato". I find it unacceptable, in 2024, a man, who keep on mind is about 400lbs, having opinions on how a lady "looks" because he did not have a better comeback than projecting his own insecurities on someone else for not having "a physical ID". I wouldn't like to say I wasnt coming back to this places because again, the margaritas are great, but the costumer service (or should I say diservice?" was beyond unbearable tonight.

This place was an absolute mess - the ambiance was worse than a bad date. The staff looked like they were in their own world and couldn't care less about what was going on around them. 1 star given for nothing other than the hostess' enormous rack.

Two words; Churro Margarita. If you like whiskey or dark beer you have to try it! But hey, if you're more of a clear liquor person then no worries; El Big Bad has a drink for you! All of the tequila is infused and unique, I've never seen such a selection of awesome liquors. Good drinks go best with a great atmosphere, and El Big Bad does not disappoint. The views of downtown Houston from the patio are spectacular, but most importantly Chelseana and Sebastian know how to mix a mean drink!! Visit El Big Bad, it's very good.

Emily was great!! She was on time and a good time! She mad my experience at el big bad even better than expected shout out to her

Meh, could have been better. DJ was okay. Margarita was tasty, but on the tiny side.

Limes rated 0/5. Ordered 11 Margaritas and 6 shots, not a lime in sight. Highly disappointing. Food was decent, order the taquitos. Chips and Queso tastes like football stadium nachos, not sure if that's a plus or minus. Tacos are a thumbs up! -Limes

So I wanted to try somewhere new and downtown with a beautiful view of the city and this place checked all of my boxes. As soon you walk in there are containers and containers of tequila's infusing. We were guided upstairs and went out to the balcony and it was awesome. We sat at a table that was right at the corner of Travis and Pierce and we were just high enough to not be distracted by the noises of the city but close enough to still enjoy the atmosphere downtown houston provides. The drinks were awesome and the bartender was great. The food is really good bar food but mixed with the drinks it was gourmet to me. Lol. I definitely recommend checking this place out especially during the week because you don't have to fight people and traffic.

This bar needs to be on bar rescue. Over priced drinks and shitty food. Queso was cold, chips were stale.

El Big Bad consistently has poor service, rude staff and is filthy. I had hoped they might have a deep clean during the pandemic but no. Still gross. The patio could use some work and you will be charged an AUTOMATIC 20% gratuity even if you order at the bar. Yeah - really. I only went because a friend suggested going for National Margarita day. Never again. Don't waste your money. Nobody cleaned our table either. What exactly was that 20% for?!!! It sure is not spent on cleaning products! Nobody ever collected our glasses or plates and there are lots of birds out there!

I would give a zero! from the nasty bathrooms to nasty food, poorly made drinks and zero service! Do not walk away without getting your check. I was shocked when I got charged on my Apple Pay and unable to dispute it because I walked out without a receipt!

The bartenders were nice and attentive enough, but they should really not advertise themselves as a restaurant at all. The food is just plain not good, and they don't have the staff to properly serve it. We wouldn't have minded if the bill was probably about 50% less than it was, but it is a complete joke to charge the same prices as a real restaurant when you offer bar food that tastes weird. Their patio is also horribly in need of attention. It hasn't been touched or cleaned in years, and it's all rusted and broken. It's too bad, because the location is being wasted on a run-of-the-mill bar pretending to be something that it isn't. I remember when El Big Bad was an up and coming thing. Boy, have they fallen down hard. Ownership should be ashamed of themselves with their lack of attention.

The infused tequila is the best!! We did a tequila tasting class with Steve who was awesome and so knowledgeable about everything tequila. Food was great too, especially the empanadas and stuffed mushrooms. Balcony area was perfect for socializing and people watching.

It's been a good wait since we've ordered while our other party ordered the same time on the same ticket, and they're just about done eating and drinking. We didn't even get our drinks (at least!) either. They're not even that busy so I'm not sure if it's the bar or waitress or if they're unorganized. We asked the manager about our order and 15 mins later, still no drinks nor food. Would not recommend.

Went here today for drinks with friends. Very cool and unique atmosphere!! The flight we ordered was delicious (you pick different flavored infused tequilas) and the margaritas were sooooo good! Food was amazing- jackfruit tacos and carne asada tacos were the bomb. Definitely returning soon!!

ambiance is great, food is fine. price for the portions were overpriced. margaritas was good and the waiters provided quick service.

This was pretty disappointing and is now off my list. Worst thing is the horrible sewage smell that lingers on the first level and is overwhelming on the higher levels. It felt unsanitary. We tried the happy hour. Everything is $5. My friend had a margarita that she liked but her second one was weirdly sour. I had a sangria that was small but good. My second one was very light. Some inconsistent drinks. Food wise the guacamole was ok and the queso was pretty good. The taquitos were well received. The empanadas were way too sweet and not good at all. Service is at the counter. It's kind of a pain to have to get up for every refill or wait if there's a line. The close out process was longer than it should be. Servers were nice though. Atmosphere on a Thursday was lacking. Very few patrons in a pretty large establishment. I'm glad we tried it but not planning to return.

Found El Big Bad while seeking happy hour deals. So glad we did. Got margaritas, wings and guac. The service was great!! We got greated as we walked in, the decor is beautiful and the food was phenomenal. Their house ranch is DELICIOUS. If in the Houston area again I'd recommend

Bartender Sam is AMAZING!! The infused tequilas are beyond anything i have ever tasted. This is definitely a just on your Houston todo list!!