Hey, Celebs, North Texas Has Great Tex-Mex. You Won't Find It at Joe T's.

Joe T. Garcia's has drawn crowds for years, a true culinary toast of Cow Town. The restaurant was started by Mexican immigrants in the '30s, and, almost 100 years later, its Rolodex is thick with big-name visitors. George Strait, Garth Brooks, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Wayne Newton and Elvis have all been guests.

The Dallas Morning News reported Monday that the cast of Yellowstone recently held a wrap party at Joe T.'s. The drama series, starring Kevin Costner, is based on a working cattle ranch in Montana and has filmed scenes near Weatherford, west of Fort Worth. The Hollywood stars likely had a lovely time rubbing elbows and sipping margaritas. They were probably so involved in socializing and saying goodbyes they didn't eat much — at least, we hope.
The charming, somewhat small interior restaurant is overshadowed by the large, lovely, well-manicured garden oasis adjacent to it, which is the true draw here. The waiting line regularly starts at the stone archway and wraps down a ramp, through the parking lot. The family who owns the place has spent decades planting hundreds of plants and trees, installing a pool and fountains and creating a breathtaking space to enjoy a margarita or four.

According to the TABSReport, which tracks alcohol sales through the Texas Comptroller, Joe T's sold just over $600,000 in liquor in August 2024. Comparatively, the Fort Worth music venue Billy Bob's sold $741,000. That it's pushing nearly as much booze as a music hall and dance venue is evidence of its broad appeal.

And the restaurant is cash only, which many still learn the hard way. Maybe you haven't been in a decade and thought, "Surely they take cards now." Nope. And, of course, there's no mention of the cash-only policy on its website or Google page, leaving many a sucker to get money from the on-site ATMs, with the requisite fee. Tip o' our 10-gallon cowboy hats for that clever maneuver, Joe T. However, Trip Advisor has an all-caps "CASH ONLY" post to advise out-of-towners.

The space is beautiful, the margs flow easily, the service is stellar, but once the food arrives, the charm is lost.

Food is served family-style, with just two choices: an enchilada and taco platter or fajitas (chicken or steak). Food comes out of the kitchen fast. When the bounty of plates arrives at tables, the visuals are on point — if the point is eating at a beautiful hacienda.
After the first bite, this Cowtown treasure turns sour, especially if you start with a cup of queso. Never has a worse cup of supposed cheese sauce graced a table in Texas. We reached out to Joe T.'s to confirm this and did not hear back, but five of us were very certain the queso is actually orange-tinted cream of chicken soup. It quickly coagulated and curdled into gelatinous blobs.

The cheese nachos are the best thing on the table; two large fried tortillas are simply dressed with cheddar and green chilis. If you're really hungry, go long here.
We thought we ordered beef fajitas, but the mealy texture left us second-guessing. The color seemed like beef, but the consistency suggested something else. We're not sure what. The bland protein oddly had hints of sweetness. Enchiladas were flavorless, as were the trusty sidekicks, rice and beans. If you can't get the rice and beans right, are you even trying?

The chips and salsa were solid. But with the line wrapping through the parking lot, it feels rude to sit at a table and take in the sights with just a bowl of chips in front of you. We try to be polite if nothing else (sometimes).

So, be warned. There's a plethora of wonderful restaurants in Fort Worth but Joe T. Garcia's is not one of them. However, if you're going just for ambiance, no place is better. It's a matter of style over substance.