Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen — Restaurant in Houston

I'm just a Texas guy that was born and raised in San Antonio and moved to Houston area about 30years ago, so I've had my share of amazing homemade food in Houston and the food I would rate as "Patio TV frozen dinners" Seen this place on a couple of TV shows featuring places that are good to eat at. It was featured as all fresh homemade food prepared when ordered. Had lunch special on Saturday 8/2. The menu gives a variety of different enchilada dishes, so I went with basic 2 cheese enchiladas plate with rice and beans (approx $15), with the way the owner described their star of the restaurant (enchiladas) I figured they were spectacular and worth the money, and besides how can you screw up cheese enchiladas... Boy what a disappointment! To start off with this review of this food and restaurant, the staff tried to be genuine and welcoming, but it didn't land that way, it's just a job they didn't want to be there, but any way. I wanted to try their "carne guisada" to see if it was a home made dish that any Texican can tell right away if it's made like mama used to make or close to it, so I asked for a flour tortilla taco of carne guisada, (where any Mexican restaurant will gladly sell to you), or just a taste in a small disposable hot sauce cup, just to taste, maybe I would buy the plate but I was shut down. I was told they can only sell actual plates with the sides, I even asked the manager, and after a small back and forth he agreed and brought out a small bowl with carne guisada gravy. The carne guisada gravy was enchilada sauce and when I told the manager, he agreed and said that was the same sauce the use on both carne guisada and enchiladas, WOW! What a gip for those of us that know what a difference those to dishes should taste like. Now their enchilada sauce is described by the restaurant as famous and well loved sauce, to me it tasted like a generic sauce that was let out of the can that morning during prep. Eating my lunch and staring at the metal plates (one for the enchiladas and one for the sides) at the restaurant I realized why they can't see individual tacos, even though they're a Mexican restaurant, it's because the have prepared everything and probably in fridge ready to throw into an oven, and that explains the extended wait for the dishes to come out. I have no problem with plates being heated in oven but during one of those shows featuring this restaurant, the owner sez their enchiladas are made fresh per order and camera pans over to show kitchen workers rolling enchiladas fresh. We also ordered a guacamole dip with our lunch, the dip was a scoop that was dark in color, I don't know about you, but I can tell if guacamole is fresh and the bright green color was not there, and the taste confirmed it had been in the fridge for awhile. So they brought another scoop to the table, about same color and taste, at that point I just said leave it, we didn't even eat it. I order some flour tortillas cause menu says homade and fresh... yes they are cooked on griddle when ordered, but by the look and texture of the tortillas, the dough was made earlier that week. Hey Sylvia, you can get and operate a tortilla machine like pappasitos cantina and have fresh tortillas for your customers that can tell the difference. So yeah this place really disappointed and I won't be going back, should have gone to Natalitas on Jones Rd. They're sauce is really good and has not changed in the 30years that we've been eating there, those enchiladas are delicious. Boy did Sylvias resturant really fall short of their owners own description. For those thinking of going, if you're looking for real Mexican food find somewhere else to go to, for those that don't care what they throw in their gut as long as it has cheese and hot sauce, this place is perfect. Good luck if you're still...

The Sylvia's on eldridge is a different experience than the old westheimer location, which we loved. We tried the eldridge location several times when they were both open, but kept going back to the westheimer one. When they finally closed we had no choice and the experience was not even comparable. Higher prices, smaller portions, sloppy service. We did not give up and have continue to go back every few weeks. Finally the last 3 times things have turned, and I think I know three trick: SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE BAR! The atmosphere and service have been better there. Price and portions still not like before, but I'll exchange that for a good atmosphere and service. It may have helped that Sylvia happened to be there and sat in a table next to ours one of those times. We will keep visiting this restaurant, and if things get bad again, I'll update my review. For now they are on the rise.

UPDATE: It has been a couple of years since I've updated this review, but as of Jan 1 of 2023, I think I'm done giving this place more chances. We ordered takeout, hoping to have food that brought back good memories. For many years we enjoyed the Sarita enchiladas with our kids and now they were home for the holidays from college and work life so we were all looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. The enchiladas were extremely salty. It's not that we have not had them before, but when you have a flavor ingrained, you know when the taste is off. Portions still very small and prices simply are hard to justify with what tasted like someone playing cook in the kitchen. I also had some poblano chile rellenos, and they were much more spicy than I'm used to from just about any restaurant we order. We love the taste and texture of the poblano pepper, but when the seeds are not removed, there are pockets of very spicy food that take away from the enjoyment.

I'll keep getting the other Mexican restaurants in the neighborhood my business, instead...

I been going here for years with my babe and mother in law. Went there recently and I always order the Carne Guisada with flour tortillas and rice and beans, this time my babe and mother in law ordered what they wanted and I ordered My usual Carne Guisada and rice and beans but I also ordered a crispy taco also this time, we also ordered queso flamado which was good and greasy but had to drain the oil because I wasn't trying to have indigestion/heartburn. When my Carne Guisada came out I noticed that the color was different but didn't question it, but I can tell you I'm the kind of person who likes salt but OMG that Carne Guisada was so so so salty that I didn't even eat it, good thing I ordered a crispy taco and even only the lettuce and cheese tasted better but I ate the taco anyway and my rice and beans from my entree. When I brought it up to the waitress attention that how salty it was her response was oh ok. Didn't even try to make any attempt to make it better, no management ever came by which was sad and unappealing, unexceptable, what a lack of management.After everyone else ate, I told the waitress just bring me a togo box so when I got home I could add some water and put it in the microwave to make it less salty but that didn't work, it was like they might have added a little more salt and simmer to long and when that happens it makes the food more salty the longer it simmers so that entree money went in the trash.Even though we been going there for some years we will not be returning. I know the the restaurants is going to be copying and pasting their response on how sorry and they strive but save it. We'll just make the extra few minutes and start going back...