El Fogon Mexican Kitchen — Restaurant in Sugar Land

I’m almost hesitant to write this positive review because it’s just going to encourage more people to go, and then it won’t be long before this place is packed. But credit where credit is due—El Fogón is incredible.

They’ve taken over the former location of Bravos, which, let’s be honest, was pretty terrible. For a Mexican restaurant to fail in Texas is almost unheard of, but Bravos managed. Thankfully, El Fogón is the complete opposite of its predecessor—an absolute gem.

There are only two small negatives, both of which I’m sure they’ll fix (and maybe already have by the time you read this):

The music is just a couple of notches too loud, making it a little difficult to have a conversation without raising your voice.

Every few minutes, the lights briefly go out. They’ve already added table lighting while they fix the breaker, so they’re clearly working on it.

Now, let’s talk about the food. This is not your standard Lupe Tortilla or (gross) Johnny Tamales Mexican food. El Fogón is on another level.

We ordered a variety of dishes since there were six of us, and everything was top-notch. But I have to call out the beef fajitas for two—easily the best I’ve ever had. Tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and served hot—without that fake "smoke juice" some places use to create a sizzling effect. The onions were cooked to perfection, and everything tasted fresh and flavorful.

The rice and beans? Delicious. And if you’re planning on drinking, you better have a designated driver—those margaritas are strong and absolutely worth it.

Oh, and before I forget—the chips! I don’t know if they make them in-house or where they get them, but they’re absolutely addictive—warm, crisp, and perfectly salted. My son would eat bowl after bowl if we let him.

Since everything else was great, maybe next time I'll have enough courage to try the Octopus. (probably not)

Fix the music and the lights, and we’ll be regulars. Actually, who am I kidding? We’ll be...

Atmosphere and service was top notch. We ate here on the grand opening and were greeted by numerous members of the staff. Enjoyed the live music as well. I myself have been a part of opening teams for new restaurants before and it can often be a mess so I think they did a really good job. Food was good overall however I do have a few discretions about the dining experience that I wanted to notify the restaurant on:

#1 - the Piña colada was amazing flavor wise but I could tell it was made in a blender and was not blended for very long. Ice pieces were too big and made it impossible to drink through the straw. I hope there is a frozen drink machine on the way if not I’d advise the bartender to blend it longer so it’s easier to drink.

#2 - I ordered the Molcajete for my entree and while it was good, on the menu it said there was queso flameado in it and there was hardly any cheese, also the shrimps it came with had a very fishy taste. Everything else on it was good.

#3 - I ordered the churros for dessert and I’m sorry but they were bad - like really bad. I’m not sure what happened there but I think they were fried twice or something cause while they were hot, they were really hard and stale. Just very tough to eat.

Besides that, everything else was very good, the green and red salsa for chips was very very good, the ceviche was fresh and tasty, the fajitas were tender and cooked very well. Portion sizes made us feel like we got our money’s worth.

The restaurant had a really nice ambiance. There was some really beautiful decor. Mayo made the experience memorable and we definitely can’t wait to return...

Great place and great food. The inside is absolutely beautiful. The decor was a great blend of colorful and rustic authentic mexican vibes. I loved the wood burned designed on the booths, the tables with the mexican tiles and the decorative colorful ceiling decor was a 100/10!! We went on a Sunday for an early lunch. I had the sampler appetizer which was great. My daughter had the kids beef quesadilla, which was a HUGE plate! We were greated warmly by our hostess, and our waiter was Mayo and he was on point with his service and he was very knowledgable of mexican cuisine. He gave us a great history lesson of the local mexican restaurant scene in SL and Houston. Food came out nice and hot. They provide complimentary red and green salsa, and the red salsa is very unique and taste great! I have tasted alot of red salsas in Houston and surrounding areas, and this one suprisingly unique and different! They have aguas frescas and a large bar area. I highly recommend. I would note that the music was super loud and it was reggaeton which was not really Mexican and it was a little distracting. Overall great experience, great staff, and...