When Cantina Laredo closed at Preston Royal after more than twenty years, the neighborhood lost its Tex-Mex anchor and didn’t have a replacement. Jon Alexis — who has run TJ’s Seafood Market in the same neighborhood since 1989 — noticed. “When we discovered Tex-Mex was leaving Preston Royal, we knew we had to bring it back,” he said at the time. He opened Escondido Tex Mex Patio in the former Ruggeri’s space at 5950 Royal Lane in November 2022, and the neighborhood has been showing up for it ever since.
The philosophy was stated plainly from the beginning and has held: no reinvention of Tex-Mex, just the best possible version of what people actually want. Every flour and corn tortilla is made daily by La Norteña, a local tortilleria, and delivered fresh. The chips are thin enough that they don’t crack but substantial enough that they hold queso without dissolving. The Queso Perfecto — brisket, guacamole, salsa verde, pico — is the opening move that sets the standard.
The brisket tacos, cooked for 24 hours and topped with melted Asadero and Oaxaca cheese and pico in a soft flour tortilla, are the dish that regulars order without looking at the menu.
The ancho butter fajitas — chicken, steak, shrimp, or portobello — come sizzling with warm tortillas, grilled jalapeño, roasted garlic, and spiced lime alongside the standard accompaniments, and the ancho butter is the detail that elevates the whole plate. The Elote Fritters — fried corn with lime crema — are the appetizer that disappears first.
The room seats 75 inside and another 75 on the patio, which is the real reason to go when the weather allows. Cozy booths, black and white tile, wrought iron light fixtures, string lights, Otomi folk art on the walls, and an indoor-outdoor bar that connects the dining room to the patio with Mexican tile. A dedicated to-go window opens directly onto Royal Lane.
The cocktail program runs 12 margarita varieties, all made with 100 percent blue agave tequila and fresh citrus juice — the jalapeño cucumber is the one most tables order, and the Weekend in Cabo, a frozen mango margarita with spicy chili rum and chipotle sugar, is the one people describe to friends afterward. Happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday 4 to 6 p.m. — $6 house margaritas, draft beer, and select wine by the glass. Wine Wednesday runs 50 percent off select bottles all night.
The location is worth noting now that Preston Royal has a new neighbor. Palladino’s Steak & Seafood just opened one door over, which means the stretch of Royal Lane between Briarwood and Preston Road has gone from a neighborhood shopping center to one of the more interesting dining blocks in North Dallas essentially overnight. Escondido has been the reliable anchor of that block for three years. That context makes it worth a visit if you haven’t been recently, and worth reconsidering if you have.
Open daily 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. Weekend brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations on Resy. (945) 268-2346. We are looking for Escondido a new location soon on Greenville Ave.
