The Most Delectable Tex-Mex in Austin

El Patio

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (357) • $

"Love this place. I try to get other stuff on the menu but my go to is 2 cheese enchiladas w rice and beans and guacamole salad. That plus the chips and salsa, a DP, and the occasional order of queso w friends, and the occasional margarita.. pretty much perfecto.I personally like my crispy tacos folded and able to be held, so the El Patio tacos have never been my favorite, but it doesn't bother me one bit, and many peopleseem to love them. The staff is ALWAYS pleasant and remembers us for the most part, and if there are the occasional misstep, it's always corrected quickly. Don't hesitate to discover or rediscover this Austin original. Imagine how hard it would be to stay open for 70+ years. Good help you if you try and go on a UT home game though ;D"

Z’Tejas

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (93)

"Surprised as we knew this was a chain and not your mom pop authentic Mexican. Came for happy hour and grabbed a seat (3-6) at the bar. Drinks are strong (no complaints here!)Orderedd off the HH menu and the catfish beignets did not disappoint! Flakey, perfect crust that isn't too thick! Gringo tacos...suits the name. Queso is a great started, smokey flavors!"

El Mercado Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (246) • $$

"YUM. We stopped here on a whim after leaving another restaurant with terrible service. The host was friendly and seated us quickly. The booths still have the plastic barriers between them- love it! We were able to order quickly and we had chips and salsa on the table immediately. We ordered the beef fajita meal for 2. The meat was seasoned beautifully, it was tender and perfectly cooked. The salsa wasn't spicy but it had great flavor. The portions were great and we had food leftover to take home. We were able to get our check easily and paid quickly. From start to finish the service was flawless. The only downside was we do love when Mexican restaurants have several salsa options and we prefer Coke products over Pepsi. None of that changes the 5 star rating. Highly recommend El Mercado!"

Vaquero’s Cafe & Cantina

★★★★☆ 3.6 (103)

"Vaquero's-- YOUR next brunch stop! This place is a MUST! The FOOD is delicious with a variety of choices! My personal favorites included the Steiner pancakes with strawberry syrup, (pictured are the tres leches pancakes- also a win) stuffed french toast which has a cheesecake type filling, and the bacon was cooked to perfection! The perfect crisp, without being too chewy, and the eggs were great too! If you're looking for something other than breakfast and want to combine it with somelunch offerings-- the chicken piccata was a WIN! Unfortunately, i indulged a little too soon and enjoyed my time with family eating here that pictures were an after thought but holy moly-- yes yes yes!!"

Nasha

★★★★☆ 3.8 (578) • $$

"I've always been curious about what Indian TexMex fusion would work and Nasha nailed it. We started with the tikka queso, the flavors were incredible. It was very creamy and almost the texture of vegan queso, but good nonetheless. I wanted to try the "fusion" food but I got sucked into a favorite food, chicken tikka masala. I like spicy food but the server made me a little nervous by saying spicy is- well spicy. So I went with medium heat- next time I will ask for just spicy. the flavor was great but I would have loved a bit more heat. The garlic naan was incredible. My partner got a chicken biryani and said it was better than others he's had at other joints. The inside is small and cozy but they take advantage of the space well. If cedar wasn't trying to take us all out, I would have opted to sit outside. The space looks great out there. Will definitely be back, I saw about 30 other item on the menu that I need to try."

Kerbey Lane Cafe - Central

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"Great place to stop by fo a quick family meal! I just love the vibes of this place! This staff is friendly and laid back and it just feels welcoming. Went with my husband and preschooler (who doesn't historically do great at restaurants) on a Saturday morning and we had a great time! We made a reservation, but didn't need it and were seated immediately. My husband got the chicken and pancakes and they were REALLY good! The chicken tenders are better than most --really well seasoned and cripsy. And the pancakes were tender and delicious. I got the pumpkin french toast and migas (Paris Texas) and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's pan fried pumpkin bread rather than regular bread dipped in pumpkin puree and batter. It was so yummy, but so rich that I couldn't finish it all in one sitting. You get a choice of sauces for the migas and I chose the vegan queso which was really good (and very generously slathered over the migas -I could've used less to be honest). Our preschooler liked the chicken tenders, but it was easy to take a look at the mac + cheese and tell it wasn't going to be good so he skipped over it.We'll definitely be back for more!"

Kerbey Lane Cafe - Northwest

★★★☆☆ 3.2 • $$

"The glorified ihop is always disappointing. Service is "corky" at best and the food has gone wildly down hill in the last year. Not feasible to keep coming for 50$+ a date"

Maudie’s Hill Country

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (422) • $$

"We have lived in the Hill Country for a long time and never went to Maudies because the reviews are pretty scary. We decided to give it a shot today looking for some good Mexican food, nothing fancy just tacos, chips & salsa, margaritas and maybe a good tortilla soup. Maudie's was exactly that! It was fast, it was good, the server was very friendly and seemed to know quite a few of the other patrons and was telling them he'd see them next week. It's nice seeing regulars at a restaurant- you don't find that often anymore. We decided this will be our go to for a fast, no frills, good Mexican meal. It's so much better than all the Mexican restaurants in Dripping Springs."

Kerbey Lane Cafe - Southwest

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (874) • $$

"I recently stopped by without a reservation as my friend was in town visiting with her family and wanted to come as she hadn't been to Kerbey Lane in years. Kerbey Lane was a go-to spot for UT students when we were in college, and they always had reliable and delicious food (with plenty of gluten free options as well!)We came on a Wednesday around 12:30 pm with no reservation and had a table within about 5 minutes of being on the waitlist. Our waiter was very friendly and quite prompt with everything. Only complaint is that my chai latte was forgotten, but that could have been the kitchen or the waiter, and it was promptly resolved as soon as I asked about it.It's been quite some time since I've returned after my last experience, and while the menu has significantly changed, I do think Kerbey Lane is no longer a great pancake place for gluten free folks, given how greatly the options have been reduced (pretty much just a vanilla pancake with the option to add a cinnamon swirl or other toppings, but no fun pancake flavors like they used to do.)That said, I ordered the black-cherry smothered pork chops with tamarind brussel sprouts and was thoroughly impressed with how well seasoned the food was. The flavor was great and it was a good portion. Everyone else ordered the standard (not gluten free) breakfast food and said it was good, so if you're not gluten free, the breakfast options are a great choice as well!There is plenty of parking but the lot is somehow always full, so thankfully it's in a larger complex and additional parking is available. Due to the location, parking is always free here. The ambiance is a pretty general diner atmosphere, so it is a bit crowded and can be noisy, but this is casual dining so it's to be expected. They do have indoor and outdoor patio seating, so you can pick your preference, and the patio is relatively covered so even if it's cold outside you shouldn't be too cold.If you need gluten free and want breakfast foods, I'd recommend going somewhere else, but if you're looking for savory food for lunch or dinner, Kerbey Lane is a great option."

AJ's Ranch Road Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (110) • $

"Nice little hole in wall. We stopped here after dropping my son off at Texas State. Brisket quesadillas were on point. Good bbq sauce but need more of it. Good green chili ranch sauce. Fries were excellent! My son had pulled pork sandwich combo. Should be served with coleslaw and pickles and jalepenos on the sandwich. Quality of meat is great. Good smoke. They let you BYOB from liquor store next door, which I did. The folks were nice, service was good. My son will be going here often for good food at good price. He will like the brisket grilled cheese and brisket nachos... Check this place out next time you are in quaint San Marcos!"

Pelons Tex-Mex

★★★★☆ 3.5 (696) • $$

"Amazing food, cool atmosphere and seating areas are cool as well, inside and outside. Very cool vibe! Don't sleep on this place, the quality is hard to get!"

Taquito Anaya

★★★★★ 4.8 (21) • $

"Listen...I don't get the allure of breakfast tacos. But, this morning my brain and my belly ignored that fact and I woke up craving the edible vehicle of potato and egg...and cheese.It turns out it is tough to decide which taco truck to take your business to, but fortunately my fellow yelpers were spot on about Anaya. Pros:Green salsa is "da bomb dot com"! Really it is tasty!Tacos are hefty, no skimping hereCome in a nifty little to-go packageThe ladies are lovelyCons:Umm...they weren't free? That's all I got. and I stood in the rain to get these. Oh, $5 for two potato/egg/cheese tacos. Pretty straight forward, right? No, I don't know if the were locally sourced, organic, non-gmo, pasture raised tacos...but I'm ok with that today (because of that salsa verde!)."

Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (101) • $$

"I honestly have no clue what all the hype is about with this place!We were taken here for a business dinner; I was expecting some real "Tex Mex." It was completely packed, and we had to walk quite a ways, so I'm thinking it must be amazing, boy was I wrong! The servers were great, and accommodating. Pretty standard decor as far as restaurants go, nothing special really. Opened the menu, and I kid you not there were maybe 4 or 5 items that were "Mexican" the rest was things like; stuffed chicken breasts, or pork chops with mushrooms... WTH?!!!! Also there aren't any complementary chips and salsa, you gotta order those, so fortunately the boss got queso, guacamole, and salsa.The queso was basically like a rotel dip, their salsa was really good, and their guacamole pretty standard. I got the streak tip burrito that was basically just meat in a flour tortilla with queso on top, good but definitely not amazing...I absolutely would not call this a "Mexican Restaurant." I'd say it's more of an upscale dinner that just added a few Mexican style dishes to help it stand out. Extremely expensive for what you get. Is it good, yeah I guess it's not bad, but it's really no different than other high end dinners; is it worth the money? I wouldn't go back there, but I also just think there isn't a lot of competition in that area, so people can pretty much do whatever they want. Maybe I'm spoiled because I'm from a place where there's a restaurant every mile or so.."

La Palapa

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (193) • $$

"After driving past this place for years, we finally checked it out for lunch the other day. We found good, solid Texmex lunch specials, and a sprawling menu that lures us back for further exploration. The Happy Hour looks tempting as well, with drink and appetizer specials.I ordered the lunch Chicken Flautas, which were excellent. The two were bigger than I expected and tasted fresh from the fryer, and the rice and Charro beans that came alongside were very good. A few TexMex places have started upcharging for Charro beans instead of Refried, but La Palapa does not.My guy ordered the Chile Relleno. He's from Chicago and refuses to pronounce "relleno" properly, but our server did not hit him over the head with the chips basket, and was kind and friendly throughout. He has a weird idea that the fried chile shouldn't be flattened before cooking, but said it tasted fine. I liked the interesting architecture of the building and the friendly vibe. We'll be back."

Habanero Mexican Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (792) • $$

"Dining in as a tourist makes me feel like I got invited to the cool neighbor's party. Servers are always smiling and cracking jokes with the locals while moving so quickly. You'll notice everyone is eating something different - you know that's a great sign.AWESOME fajitas, if you take the food less traveled like me, GET THE TRIPAS FAJITAS. They made it crispy like I like it. If not, the beef or chicken rancheras will do just fine. Chile Relleno got a great balance of cheese and chicken that isn't dry and is well seasoned. If you're not from Texas, get the fries instead - it's the same fries in your fave Cali burrito - enough crisp on every frie and the goldilocks of thick/thin."

Grizzelda's

★★★★☆ 3.7 (483) • $$$

"Grizzelda's Mexican restaurant is a trendy spot that consistently cooks up creative and fresh flavors. The dishes are thoughtfully crafted, offering a unique twist on traditional Mexican cuisine. Their drink menu is just big enough to have something for everybody, and the Mexican martini is a must-try--perfectly made!However, the space is a bit small, and it can get crowded, especially during peak hours, so make reservations or plan for a wait. Additionally, is a bit on the pricier side, which might not make it an everyday choice. Despite these minor downsides, the overall experience is great, and the quality of the food makes it well worth a visit. Grizzelda's is a great spot for anyone looking to enjoy elevated Mexican dishes in a lively atmosphere."

Burros Tex Mex Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (252) • $$

"I got the medium beef brisket wrapped burro with black beans and a side of guacamole. It was filling and delicious as the meat was tender and not too chewy. For my drink, I had the michelada with Dos XX as my beer of choice. It was okay as it tasted fairly watered down, so I probably would recommend another drink choice unless you are a big fan of micheladas.The service was great with our server being very patient and taking her time to answer all our questions regarding the menu. The food did take some time to get out to us but we did have a party of 5 and the restaurant was fairly busy. The establishment had a lot of televisions where we were seated and overall was decorated very nicely. There are various seating options available to accommodate various party sizes, which was nice."

Morales Tex-Mex Food

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (18) • $

"Yummy option for TexMex food right by UT's campus. I think I'm overly critical of TexMex food because there are so many awesome places to compare to, especially in Austin! Morales is easy and convenient, and it's overall a good option when you're craving basic TexMex. I ordered the 5 mini tacos. You can't mix and match different meats, so I got all beef. The seasoning was pretty basic, but they were still yummy. Fair warning- the green sauce is hella spicy! I love spicy food, but I poured it all over the tacos without knowing the temp and I was dying just a little! Prices are reasonable and the food truck area is really neat to sit and just chill with friends!"

Texican Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (182) • $$

"The lunch and happy hour specials here are a great value! The food and service are decent overall. I usually order the sour cream enchiladas or the taco salad bowl--delicious and filling! One thing I find odd is the extra charge when substituting meat for beans; it doesn't quite make sense to me."

Texican Cafe - Menchaca

★★★★☆ 3.8 (382) • $$

"The place is deceptively big! So many rooms and tables, it's easy to get a table for two at any time.I've had great service when I come here. The servers are super friendly and will refill your chips and salsa so quickly!Ive had the chicken tortilla soup and the green chili soup and both are super flavorful. The bowl is humongous so if you want to share, get the large.The flauta plate is also a great choice as well. I've never had a bad meal here!"

Born And Braised

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"I always wanted to try the food at Born And Braised Food Truck, which is by Sagebrush on S. Congress . Today my husband brought home dinner from them. It's soooo incredibly tasty that I just have to write a review. We had the venison chili with Fritos, Texas caviar and the fire roasted corn. He also gave us a piece of braised turkey to try and it's fantastic. If you're not a meat eater, there are veggie options. Everything is absolutely delicious. I'm so happy we live nearby! Go and check'em out."

Chimy's Cerveceria

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (114) • $

"Fajita Nachos are super huge, enough for 2. The staff at the cashier are very nice and understanding since I'm Deaf. He even bring our food plates to our table. We definitely will go back again, from San Antonio Texas. Also margaritas are delicious!!!"

Anita's Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (85) • $$

"The Migas were absolutely on point. Sooooo delicious!! The homemade tortillas were to die for!! Huge portions and very reasonable pricing. Absolutely recommend Anita's authentic Mexican!!"

El Nuevo Mexico- Austin

★★★★☆ 4 (283) • $$

"This restaurant is in the same plaza as my Buddhist community center, so we often come here to eat after meetings.On New Year's Day, we decided to eat there again. I wasn't feeling well, so I ordered the Tortilla Soup. It was the perfect choice for a soothing and healing meal.The small bowl was enough to satisfy my appetite and it contained a lot of delicious ingredients: corn on the cob (not typically included in tortilla soup, so this was a plus!), ample amounts of chicken, a large avocado wedge, cheese, and of course, tortilla strips. Topped with tasty cilantro, with a side of rice for the soup.The service is always good. They promptly bring drinks and chips and salsa. And they keep refilling the chips, so no one goes hungry!The atmosphere is friendly. A bonus for this trip was the large screen TV, perfect for viewing the UT game while eating. I highly recommend this restaurant."

BOCA

★★★★★ 4.5 (37) • $

"Catching up with all my reviews for 2014. ACL weekend I came a day before the event started so we had a chance to explore Austin a bit. At night we came to Boca and Beirut. For Boca I ordered their chicken sandwich. Yes that's not the name they used but I can't remember. It's basically a chicken with bread at least. Anyhow I thought it was okay and well it was good in some sense but I think it was Beirut's fault. The chicken at Beirut was super juicy and their is something about their flavoring that made it stood out. So when I took a bite out of my sandwich it was good but it was lacking something. With that in mind I still enjoyed my sandwich. So much so I came back the next day and ordered from them again. I'm a fan. The place was just right across from the apartments we were staying at so I can't complain.Overall if you're in the area and want some Bocadilla (sp?) Then come here."

Maudie’s Milagro

★★★★☆ 3.5 (358) • $$

"Love Maudies! Their Mexican Martini is the best!!! We also like their food which you need to eat if you are going to drink their Mexican Martini or you will end up finding your head hurting the next day."

Maudie’s Hacienda

★★★★☆ 3.5 (495) • $$

"Maudie's is a classic for Tex-Mex in Austin and I always leave satisfied when I eat there. It's not going to blow your mind but it's reliable and has a large menu with something for everyone. My favorite lately has been the power bowl with the cilantro lime dressing, which is relatively healthy option with a large portion. We also really enjoy the brunch here. Service at this location has always been exceptionally quick and friendly and the vibes inside are nice and cozy for a neighborhood spot."

Azul Tequila

★★★★☆ 3.7 (432) • $$

"Great service and great Mexican food a decent price. Would go again. They have pretty drinks."

La Rancheria Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.9 (15)

"This place is amazing. The food was outstanding. Fajitas for two was more like for four. Everything came out fast and almost too hot to eat temp wise. Everything we tried was phenomenal and the staff were nice and well trained. Authentic Mexican food that was very fresh. Almost felt like we were in Mexico. Have to come back for karaoke and $3 margs !"

Freebirds

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (25)

"If you've got kids, Freebirds is the place to be on Sunday! Kids eat free when the grown ups purchase a meal!I generally get a nacho platter for myself and find it to be the perfect amount of food for lunch. I haven't had anything bad here!The kids meals are really nice and come with either a taco or quesadilla, chips and a drink. My kids usually get milk or juice.I just noticed on our last visit that there's a nice open space outside between Freebirds and the pizza spot next door. It was too cold to eat outside yet but I can see this as a great hidden gem for kids to run around while the adults have a bite."

Mi Madre's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (775) • $$

"Normal chips.Normal salsa.Normal main dishes.Respectable, decent but not that different from 300 other Mexican restaurants in Austin.* * *Why the five stars?The Horchata.I give five stars to any restaurant which makes the best version of some dish in the world - no matter what else is going on elsewhere on the menu.(Okay, if you could eat something that is awful or could kill you, no five stars.)Mi Madres's is totally solid, so no landmines here.The Horchata is "Best of Class".So they get the five stars.* * *What is so special about the horchata?a) It is homemade. Nearly everyone else in Austin uses preprepared powder.b) It tastes overwhelmingly and massively of cinnamon.Cinnamon is what makes horchata good.* * *Would you drive all the way up from Houston just to get a really good horchata?I might not drive all the way from Houston.From Del Valle, no question asked. I am off to Mi Madre's.Or rather,I am off to Mi Madre's if I am not eating in the awesome awesome Mexican food trucks that are on the north side of Highway 812.Del Valle's Mexican food scene is over the top good."

Encantada Cocina & Cantina

★★★★☆ 3.9 (25)

"This is a revamp on what was previously my beloved El Monumento. Same amazing staff! The new owners have been in the El Monumento family as the GM for years. They have done an outstanding job adding new additions to the menu and new decor. The atmosphere and views are fabulous. Two patios, one facing the river and one in the center surrounded by beautiful landscaping and an outside tiki bar. Some of the same fantastic recipes, and new dishes that we loved. The margaritas are the best you will EVER have. Coming from south Texas that says a lot! The Staff is superb! The absolute best bartenders and staff! The cantina is my personal favorite. Come support this local business where you will find the best food, people, service and staff!"

La Posada Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (329) • $$

"Nice place with lots of friendly servers, we were driving around when my wife was asking me for a coffee since Starbucks is in the same shopping center, I told her what about to go into this place? And she was sure let's try it. The place is nice and clean and the atmosphere is great, the servers Melanie and Isabel were the best with suggestions. Great food and drinks. No need to drive to San Antonio anymore for food like this. I can't wait to go back to this place."

Papa Joe's Tex-Mex

★★★★★ 4.5 (53) • $

"10/10. Love me some Papa Joes. There aren't a lot of places I can get an authentic machacado con huevo a la mexicana taco!! The staff are amazing. My gf loves their bacon egg and cheese. It's actually her favorite in the city. Didn't grab a pic. Single crispy bacon on perfectly cooked eggs. Definitely a staple place for us."

Neon Armadillo

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"Ok y'all, I'm a very much a "foodie" I guess, if that means I am very critical about dishes prepared by restaurants, food trucks, etc. I am not a chef but a self-taught cook for many years and have been told I am pretty good at it. Not trying to toot my own horn, just that I think I can recognize something that's really great and that is this food truck (restaurant coming in spring) Spectacular food. My faves so far, brisket wedge salad, pollo, queso, guacamole is AH-mazing, chips fried in tallow, WHAT? No see oils, grass fed beef, pasture raised chicken...you go and decide. I know my decision, one of the best in WTX and there aren't many--I'm a Local. Enjoy y'all!!"