Benito’s Restaurant is a local favorite that is a popular part of the revitalized Fairmount area in the hospital district of Fort Worth. It is located on the uniquely, popular Magnolia Avenue in the exciting and eclectic Near Southside neighborhood.
Well known for its authentic Mexican food (not tex mex), breakfast dishes, pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, queso flamedo and margaritas, Benito’s has been proudly serving its loyal customers since 1981.
Our head cook has been making our authentic dishes from scratch for over 20 years. The menu offers a wide variety of delicious mexican entrees. At the top of our customers list is always the chille rellenos, milanesa, tamale oaxaqueno (tamale wrapped in banana leaf) and all your favorite enchiladas. Our main entrees are served with homemade tortilla soup. Benito’s prides itself on large portions of food where you will leave satisfied.
Because of Benito’s outstanding service, great food and tasty margaritas, it has become an established landmark in the Fort Worth community. Whether you come for our lunch specials, an evening dinner with friends or a late night breakfast, Benito’s will always be a place you will feel welcome.
TEXAS MONTHLY HOLY GUACOMOLEWhat a find! You’ll think you died and gone to Mexico when you walk into this little old-fashioned place. Sopes-thick corn-cake tarts-come smeared with refried beans, grated cheese, and (unfortunately) tasteless green-chile sause. A gigantic Oaxaca style chicken-and-mole tamal wrapped in a banana leaf would feed a starving family. The adobo sauce (in stewed chicken) is as dark and rich as mole. Not everything is perfect: The masa in the tamal was drier than cornbread. But there’s no faulting the efforts at authenticity. Guacomole: 5 (but needed salt). Chips: corn or flour tortillas offered instead of chips. Salsa: 3.5 (hot!)
TEXAS MONTHLY 50 BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTSWe feel instantly welcomed when the fast-footed servers bring us bowls of mild, tomatoey tortilla soup, included with every entrée. We scoop queso flameado-oaxaca cheese studded with chorizo and flamed tableside-into our hot, light corn tortillas and nibble contentedly before digging into tacos de Puerco en salsa verde: a double layer of tortillas, also corn, filled with pork and bathed in a smooth tomatillo salsa (the refried beans are good too). In a nod to Oaxaca, Benito’s offers oversized chicken-and-re-mole tamales wrapped in a banana leaf, but the time to order it is earlier in the day; by dinnertime, it is dry and disappointing. However, you can’t ever go wrong with the chile relleno, which is stick-to-your ribs good when stuffed with chicken and paired with a belt busting tostada of chorizo and Monterey Jack Cheese.
TEXAS MONTHLY THE 63 TACOS60. Regulars traipse to this Fairmount neighborhood landmark for interior Mexican dishes like the Oaxacan-style tamale, but the tacos at Benito’s exert a powerful pull too. While the fried deshebrada version is heavenly, few things can beat the pure pleasure of that first bite into the simple and flawless tacos de Puerco en salsa verde. Pieces of tender pork, just crisp at the edges and easily shredded, cuddle with chopped white onion, minced cilantro, and a searing green salsa mellowed with a bit of tomatillo inside soft corn tortillas. They go well with black beans on the side, along with a cold Tecate and lime. Everyone’s made to feel welcome inside the serape-strewn rooms.
TEXAS MONTHLY THE INSIDER GUIDE TO MEXICAN FOODChiles Rellenos – A typical response to the first bite of a chile relleno at fiesta-bright Benito’s is a great sigh and rolling of eyes, so extravagant is the experience. Fort Worth’s best example of the genre is a giant roasted poblano encased in a thick but airy egg cocoon and oozing Monterey Jack; the thin red tomato sauce is homey and comforting.
Guacamole – Served in a petite molcajete, the guacamole at festive Benito’s spoils avocado lovers for all
Enchiladas – The shredded chicken enchiladas suizas at colorful, plant filled Benito’s – nestled under velvety sour cream – are pure indulgence.
