San Antonio Food Events: The 2026 Fajita Lounge Showdown at Gimme Gimme

Gimme Gimme announces the fourth annual ‘Fajita Lounge Showdown’ taking place this Sunday. Photo: TxTroubleMaker, used with permission.

Sizzle & Smoke: The 4th Annual Fajita Lounge Showdown at Gimme Gimme

San Antonio, get your taste buds ready. Gimme Gimme is thrilled to announce the return of the Fajita Lounge Showdown. Now in its fourth year, this high-stakes culinary battle features eight of the city’s top chefs, plus the brave men and women of SAFD Stations #7 & #28, all competing for the ultimate bragging rights: the title of “Best Fajita Tacos” in San Antonio. (Gimme Gimme, 2026)


A Tradition of Carne Asada

Since 2022, the Fajita Lounge pop-ups have become a local legend. Founded by Aaron Peña, Chef Matt Garcia, and Chef Jake Gonzales, these events have built a massive following by celebrating the simple, smoky joy of a perfect taco. This year, the stakes are higher, the grills are hotter, and the trophy is up for grabs.

The 2026 Contender Lineup

Who will take home the $500 grand prize? Our lineup features a mix of heavy hitters and local favorites:

  • Leche de Tigre (The 2025 Defending Champion)
  • The Magpie
  • Naco Mexican
  • Little Death
  • Aguazul
  • El Weinecero
  • Porc Slap
  • Burritos Dorada
  • San Antonio Fire Department Station #7 & #28

The Secret Ingredient: This year, all contestants will be using ArnieTex’s Arnie Asadas Seasonings to season their entries. Want to try the flavor for yourself? Head to the Charro Beans Station featuring Arnie’s legendary South Texas BBQ seasonings.


Meet the Judges

We’ve assembled a panel of Texas food royalty to crown this year’s winner:

  • ArnieTex: New York Times bestselling author and BBQ legend.
  • José Ralat: Texas Monthly Taco Editor.
  • Brandon Watson: CultureMap San Antonio City Editor.
  • Mike Dubya: Local foodie influencer.

Event Details & Afterparty

Come for the tacos, stay for the vibes. There will be specialty cocktails flowing from Live Oak Vodka, while DJs Texas Papi and SunnyBoy keep the energy high all night long.

  • When: Sunday, April 12, 2026
  • Time: 5 PM – 12 AM
  • Where: Gimme Gimme | 803 S St. Mary’s St., San Antonio, TX
  • Entry: $10 at the door (Must be 21+)

Note: Tacos are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Arrive early you don’t want to miss the best bite in the city.

Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss Star in Imperfect Women

Imperfect Women the series is streaming on Apple TV. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Book to Screen: Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall

The transition from page to screen can be complicated, but when the source material is as haunting as Araminta Hall’s Imperfect Women, the results are bound to be electric. Now adapted into an eight-episode limited series on Apple TV+, this psychological thriller is a must-watch for fans of complex female leads and dark, domestic secrets.


Book Overview

When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind a shattered life and a trail of questions. From the outside, Nancy had it all: she was gorgeous, wealthy, and cherished by her husband and daughter. But she also took the identity of a secret lover to her grave.

As the investigation into her death flounders, her two best friends, Eleanor and Mary, find themselves drowning in grief and the realization that they might not have known Nancy, or each other, at all.

  • The Hook: A gripping exploration of impossible expectations and the lethal nature of long-held secrets.
  • The Structure: The story unfolds through the perspectives of three fascinating women, forcing the reader to untangle their complex friendship to answer the ultimate question: Who killed Nancy?
  • The Vibe: Wickedly sharp and suspenseful, drawing comparisons to the likes of Patricia Highsmith and Paula Hawkins.

Imperfect Women explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the compromises we make that alter our lives irrevocably. (Barnes & Noble, 2026)


From Page to Screen: The Series

The Apple TV+ adaptation brings the “wickedly sharp” insights of the novel to life in a high-stakes limited series. The show dives deep into the decades-long friendship at the heart of the crime, peeling back the layers of a murder investigation that exposes the dark underbelly of a “perfect” life.

The Star-Studded Cast

The series boasts an incredible lineup of heavy hitters:

ActorCharacter
Kerry WashingtonEleanor
Elisabeth MossMary
Kate MaraNancy
Joel KinnamanRobert
Corey StollHoward (Mary’s husband)
Photo: IMDb

About the Author

Araminta Hall is no stranger to the dark side of fiction. She holds an MA in creative writing and authorship from the University of Sussex and currently teaches creative writing at New Writing South in Brighton.

Hall is also the acclaimed author of Our Kind of Cruelty, which was named a best book of 2018 by CrimeReads and Real Simple. She lives in Brighton with her husband and three children.


Are you planning to read the book first, or will you be diving straight into the Apple TV+ series?