Eat At Joe's!

This might be an odd "thing to do" in Dallas/Fort Worth but it is truly a Fort Worth tradition. If you're on the northside of Fort Worth (or in the vicinity of Fort Worth), and you have a hankering for good Tex-Mex food, you need to head to Joe T. Garcia's.

It all started when Jessie and Joe emigrated from Mexico, not necessarily together. They eventually married and opened a little store where they sold BBQ sandwiches and Mexican dishes along with other grocery items. Demand for her food was so great that the family eventually opened a restaurant out of their house. Rumor has it that their store was once visited by Bonnie and Clyde!

In 1935, they opened "Joe's Place" by turning their living room into a 15 table restaurant. Jessie cooked in the kitchen, Joe worked the barbeque and the kids waited tables. The family lived in the back. Then in 1953, Joe died unexpectedly. It was a pivotal point in their history. They dropped the barbeque and renamed the restaurant Joe T. Garcia's. As they could afford to, they would knock down walls to expand the seating. I remember going there in the old days and when you sat inside, you had to go through the kitchen to go to the bathroom. Still people lined up around the corner to get in.

They eventually opened up their backyard as a patio. Today it's about 6 acres of patio seating. 

The patio is like an oasis. They have cool fountains like this throughout. Some of the tables are under pergolas or umbrellas and others are just under the trees. It's the perfect place to relax and enjoy an adult beverage or refreshing iced tea. 

Also back then they had two things on the menu: Fajitas or the enchilada dinner which came with a nacho appetizer, rice, beans, guacamole, two cheese enchiladas and two tacos.  This is the nacho. It looks pedestrian enough but it is delicious! It's a tostada covered in melted cheese and topped with chili peppers. I don't know what kind of cheese it is but I can't seem to make this at home.

These days, you can get a lunch portion of that enchilada dinner. At lunch, you can also peruse the expanded menu and get other items like flautas or quesadillas. But dinner is still the big two items with a couple of variations. Also - it's all cash. No credit cards. They have ATM machines available.

You can sit outside in the patio, which is amazing on a beautiful spring or fall day, or you can sit inside.  If you want a sweet, I recommend the pink cookie. Any of the cookies are good but that's my fave. They have other stuff as well.

Don't let the lines scare you off. They have a system and it's well worth the wait. They are at 2201 N. Commerce Street in Fort Worth. They are still family owned (the grandkids run it now) and they don't take credit cards. It's cash only and worth it! Joe T. Garcia's, give it a try.