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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Tex-Mex in Houston Houston, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for The Original Ninfa's on Navigation (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.