Where to find the best fajita fix in the Fort Worth area for National Fajita Day
In the beginning, there were no fajitas.
Tex-Mex food history is divided into the years before and after the 1980 arrival of fajitas to go with frozen margaritas, a complete game-changer from the days of combination plates with beer.
At some family-run restaurants, nearly every day is National Fajita Day. But officially, it’s Aug. 18.
Lanny Lancarte II, the chef behind the EatFajitas.com home delivery service, was in kindergarten when local restaurants such as Los Vaqueros introduced the sizzling skirt steak strips to local customers.
“I believe fajitas are the perfect food to share with others,” said Lancarte, also the owner and chef of the Righteous Foods lunch cafe and part of the larger family that owns Tex-Mex mecca Joe T. García’s.
The do-it-yourself folding of each fajita burrito or taco is part of the appeal, he said.
“Everyone builds their own burrito according to personal tastes,” he said.
Different restaurants use different cuts of meat, spices and cooking styles.
For example, EatFajitas.com uses an all-natural sirloin that’s melt-away tender.
But most restaurants use the traditional skirt steak or chicken breast, sliced into small “belts” — in Spanish, “fajitas.”
I’ve always thought chicken fajitas came later. But they also showed up in 1980, when Fort Worth diners were discovering fajitas at Los Vaqueros or long-gone Jiménez or La Palma.
Since the word “fajitas” only refers to the thin, long strips, the meats vary.
EatFajitas.com offers beef or all-natural chicken for home delivery only at lunch and dinner weekdays and Saturdays; 817-850-9996. but order only online.
Lancarte’s family restaurant, Joe T.’s, offers two different styles of fajitas at lunch and dinner daily; joetgarcias.com.
Fort Worth’s most ordered fajitas are at the Joe T.’s flagship, 2201 N. Commerce St., but they vary slightly at the breakfast-lunch spinoff, Esperanza’s Restaurant & Bakery, 2122 N. Main St. or 1601 Park Place Avenue; joetgarcias.com/esperanzas-cafe-and-bakery.
Bison and elk
Near Arlington, the Arizona-Sonora-style Campo Verde restaurant offers low-fat bison fajitas, elk and rattlesnake along with beef, chicken and shrimp.
It’s open for lunch and dinner daily except Mondays; 2918 W. Pioneer Parkway (Spur 303), Dalworthington Gardens, 817-275-7003; campoverde.us.
More local fajitas
More small local family restaurants with exceptional fajitas:
▪ Del Norte Tacos, a fabled Johnson County restaurant offering National Fajita Day specials at 101 Texas 171 East, Godley, 817-389-2451, delnortetacos.com.
▪ Dos Molina’s Restaurant near the Stockyards, also known for large tortillas, 404 N.W. 25th St.
▪ El Paseo Mexican Restaurant, reliable for both fajitas and combination plates, 5436 Jacksboro Highway (Texas 199), Sansom Park, and 100 W. Main St., Azle, facebook.com/elpaseomex.
▪ Josefinas Mexican Cafe, home of “macho” fajitas in spicy poblano sauce, 5404 River Oaks Blvd., River Oaks.
▪ Los Asaderos Restaurant, known for its extra-hot sauce, 1535 N. Main St., facebook.com/asaderos.
▪ Los Vaqueros Restaurant, the longest-running fajita restaurant in Fort Worth, 2629 N. Main St., 3201 S. University Drive or 4899 Interstate 20, Willow Park, losvaqueros.com.
Chain deals
Three chain restaurants offering specials:
▪ The Chili’s Grill and Bar chain is offering $10.99 platters; chilis.com.
▪ Chuy’s Tex-Mex, the Austin-based chain with locations in Fort Worth, Arlington and Southlake, is donating $1 of each fajita dinner August 18 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee; chuys.com.
▪ The On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina chain is offering chicken fajitas for $9.99.
This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
