El Ranchito

El Ranchito is at the top of the city’s Tex-Mex ecosystem, with excellent food in a charming restaurant buzzing with Southern hospitality. It’s the type of down-to-earth spot that you can show up to in sweatpants, and yes, you will see a mariachi band play no matter what day you stop by—the restaurant's tagline is “fiestas, mariachis, y cabrito,” after all. There are a ton of Tex-Mex options in Oak Cliff, but El Ranchito’s fajitas, mole, and pechuga make it a place to prioritize.