The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
Best Tex-Mex in Houston · TX
Where fajitas became famous, since 1973.
The Original Ninfa's on Navigation started a culinary revolution in 1973, when Ninfa Laurenzo began selling tacos al carbon from her family's East End tortilla factory in Houston. The dish went global as the fajita, and "Mama Ninfa" became the matriarch of Tex-Mex. The Navigation Boulevard original still grills skirt steak over open flame and presses tortillas by hand.
A James Beard-recognized Houston landmark, Ninfa's is the 2025 Centurion Award winner.
What they're known for
- Tacos al carbon (the original fajitas)
- Grilled skirt steak
- Handmade flour tortillas
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; The Original Ninfa's on Navigation met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Houston since 1973 — 53 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Houston.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Houston has kept The Original Ninfa's on Navigation busy for 53 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Houston regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best Tex-Mex in Houston for 2025 as the Navigation Boulevard original where Mama Ninfa's tacos al carbon made fajitas a national obsession.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Tex-Mex in Houston Houston, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about The Original Ninfa's on Navigation.
- Legal / trading name
- The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1973, Houston, TX
- Founders
- Ninfa "Mama Ninfa" Laurenzo
- Location
- 2704 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77003
- Centurion Award
- Best Tex-Mex in Houston — 2025
- Other recognition
- James Beard Award semifinalist (2019)
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for The Original Ninfa's on Navigation against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is The Original Ninfa's on Navigation?
East End institution opened by Ninfa Laurenzo in 1973, credited with popularizing fajitas in America and still setting Houston's Tex-Mex standard.
Is The Original Ninfa's on Navigation award-winning?
Yes — The Original Ninfa's on Navigation is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Tex-Mex in Houston, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best Tex-Mex in Houston for 2025 as the Navigation Boulevard original where Mama Ninfa's tacos al carbon made fajitas a national obsession.
Where is The Original Ninfa's on Navigation?
The Original Ninfa's on Navigation is in Houston, TX.
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