Molina's Cantina has been a Houston Tex-Mex staple for more than 80 years, and the businesses chronicle one family's determination and community investment.

The history

Raul and Mary Molina purchased the Old Monterrey Restaurant at 1919 W. Gray St., Houston, in June 1941. Raul Molina had been employed at the restaurant for the previous 10 years, and the family lived together in one room above the eatery, according to Molina's Cantina website.

For the next two years, Raul Molina waited tables, Mary Molina cooked the food, and their sons, Raul Molina Jr. and George Molina, washed dishes.

In 1943, the husband and wife bought the Mexico City Restaurant on 3916 S. Main St., Houston, later renaming it Molina's Restaurant & Cantina. Raul Molina made his sons partners in the business while they earned an education and served in the U.S. Army.
Raul and Mary Molina started their business in 1941 by purchasing the restaurant Raul Molina had worked in for the previous ten years. (Courtesy Molina's Cantina)
Raul and Mary Molina started their business in 1941 by purchasing the restaurant Raul Molina had worked in for the previous 10 years. (Courtesy Molina's Cantina)
Raul Molina's grandson, Ricardo Molina, said he and his brothers, Roberto Molina and Raul Molina III, purchased the business from his parents in 1977. They are the third generation of Molinas to run the Houston restaurants and have worked to honor their grandfather's legacy.


“I've been working with my brothers for over 30 years. It's been wonderful growing up working with them,” Ricardo Molina said. “Everybody's got to work for somebody, and working with your family is best—you know they have your best interests at heart.”
Ricardo Molina (left) works alongside his brothers, Roberto Molina (middle left) and Raul Molina III (right), as the third generation of Molina men to run the restaurants. They bought the restaurant from their father, Raul Molina Jr. (middle right), in 1977. (Courtesy Kimberly Park)
How we got here

With decades of experience in the industry, Ricardo Molina said he believes family-owned restaurants such as Molina’s Cantina helped shape the dining scene in Houston and make it distinct, even from other cities throughout Texas.

"Family businesses are ... still the backbone of our industry,” he said. “They give you the local flavor in taste and that personal feeling, plus the personalities that come with it. Even though Tex-Mex is regional, Houston is different than Austin and San Antonio and Dallas in some way—and that’s because different families started these [restaurants].”

With few additions, including salads, seafood and soups, the Molina's Cantina menu remains largely the same as it was when the restaurant was founded, Ricardo Molina said.
The C.W. Special is named after the brothers' childhood friend. They've built relationship with much of the Houston community, the owner said. (Courtesy Kimberly Park)
The C.W. Special ($18.95) is named after the brothers' childhood friend and features a taco, cheese enchilada and rice and beans.(Courtesy Kimberly Park)
They still boil beef bones to make the stock for their chili gravy and grind ancho chiles to make the chili paste for their chili con carne, he said. The C.W. Special, which was named after the brothers' childhood friend, is a Mexico City-style combination plate featuring a taco al carbon, cheese enchilada, rice and beans, pico de gallo and guacamole.


“We've always had and will have the Tex-Mex standard items, ... and we've kept the same recipes,” Ricardo Molina said.

Staying local

The Fulshear restaurant is the third and most recent to open for the Tex-Mex brand in September 2020. Ricardo Molina said they fought through supply chain disruption and construction delays from the COVID-19 pandemic to see the restaurant open.

Its location in Bellaire has been open for over 12 years, and the Westheimer Road location opened more than 60 years ago. Each restaurant has elements that make them unique, Ricardo Molina said.


In Fulshear, it's the open-kitchen concept, patio and intimate ambience; in Bellaire, a member of the wait staff named Joaquin is 81-years-old and has been with Molina's for over 30 years, Ricardo Molina said.
The Fulshear location has a warm ambience and an open kitchen concept. It opened in September 2020. (Coutesy Kimberly Park)
The Fulshear location has a warm ambience and an open kitchen concept. It opened in September 2020. (Courtesy Kimberly Park)


Ricardo Molina said he wants to continue building relationships in the Fulshear community, the same way they've gotten to know five or more generations of families at the other Molina's Cantina locations. After so many years in business, the family has become very involved in the lives of the customers who patron their restaurants.

"We've got people that are grandparents that still come in, and that's really fun," Ricardo Molina said. "We've been there for all kinds of events—from baptisms, weddings, funerals or celebrations of life, divorce—you name it, and we've done it."