Rest in peace to another iconic piece of Austin. So many good random memories here with friends over the years. Always such a fun spot to bring people from out of town...One of those places that really felt like Austin. Gonna miss this one. read more

We decided to visit to visit based on its location and yelp ratings. When we first entered, my friend, and I were the only people not sitting at the bar, where a few men could be seen. although not well populated at this early evening hour of 5 PM, the restaurant was clean and nice nicely decorated. One gentleman, who was apparently host, bartender, and server, brought us menus and took our order. We chose to share the queso which turned out to be gigantic. The melted cheese was served on a large hot platter covered in chorizo and onions. We ordered both corn and flour tortillas and ate everything! It was delicious. read more

Cafe Hornitos - The queso flameado is amazing - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

We have been here 3 times. Each time we have come here we have had nothing but wonderful service. We got to see sit down quickly, without all the huddle bustle of local popular places. Instead, this place is a hidden gem facing 35. The chips and salsa are fresh with a greta taste. The quesoflameado served 4 of us easily. I recommend this with corn tortillas! We also had the El Jay which had a taco, 2 chili con queso enchiladas served with rice and beans. Everything tasted so good! We also had all sorts of dofferent enchiladas from beef to chicken, green sauces etc. And couldn't go without some migas with chorizo and cheese with potatoes. Definitely hit the spot! I highly recommend stopping here and giving it a shot! read more

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We have been enjoying light Mexican and Tex Mex fare from Hornitos as long as we can remember. This neighbrhood gem and classic Austin eatery has wonderful service, tasty margaritas and other drink selections, and a comfortable vibe that can be perfect for both taking famiies and college friends. I recommend their chips with queso and enchilada plates. On this visit, we had chicken enchiladas with mole sauce. the mole was lighter in color than most places, but the taste was authentic. There is plenty of parking and the neighborhood is walkable. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Enchiladas de Mole - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I stopped by for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Fresh food, affordable specials and great service! One of my new favorites!

Having driven by this place way to many times, today when it came up in my map I decided to give them a try. Can't wait to return and eat inside! Ordered a migas breakfast taco and a barbacoa one both on corn. Delicious!! read more

Amazing place! Such a lowkey place but it has the absolute best Mexican food I've ever had. We got the queso, chips, and brisket tacos and it was all so fresh, delicious, and came out super fast. We also had some margaritas and they were phenomenal! The service was truly the best part, we had an amazing server Jose who was super good at his job and so friendly! He ensured we were taken care of properly and we never went without anything we needed. The place is super cute and quaint, very old school Austin vibes and I really enjoyed it. Hidden gem and I will be returning frequently! read more

Good food, and good strong drinks. Very well priced for the amount of food you get, and happy hour 3-7 every weekday makes this place a regular spot of ours near campus. read more

To go order review--walked in around lunch time to order my food. I ordered my food and received my food pretty quickly; I probably had my food less than 10 minutes of ordering. They have lunch specials that are reasonably priced. My enchiladas and beans were mediocre--they weren't anything to rave about. The Spanish rice was decent (probably the best thing on my plate). read more

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I found a new item on their menu. They now offer Street Tacos. I had the brisket. Excellent. Four tacos served with fresh onions and cilantro on two corn tortillas. The brisket was tender and tasty. Don't forget to ask for the homemade BBQ sauce. It's sweet but spicy. Don't let the I35 construction fool you. They're still open and will be for at least another 6 months. read more

for lack of words...dog shit. It is not often that I go to a restaurant that ruins my day but this did it then some. The prices are horrid for what they provide in portions and taste. Bland at best, service that'll make you angry, and margs where it has the lime juice and nothing else. Avoid at all costs. read more

I placed a to-go order, and the service was very quick and friendly. Such a cute, family-owned business, and the food was really good. I'll definitely be back soon to dine in! read more

Cafe Hornitos... Hmmm definitely did not wow me. Let's continue with the bad since we've already started off there. Arrived during Happy Hour.. Margaritas were weak as hell. I am not sure if they are premixed/made but they are the equivalent of the Applebees Margaritas. Not strong at all. Ok that's probably the only thing I can legitimately remember right now but it was enough to upset me. LOL However, I do like the prices during Happy Hour. They have a Happy Hour Menu. The portions are small - too small for some I would say. They were ok for me and my friend. Just a snack. I would definitely give it another shot.. in hopes that it is a little better. Service was pretty decent overall. read more

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Family owned restaurant. Great food. Friendly staff! Great bartenders!! Their Diablo shrimp taco will never disappoint

I went back and was told happy hour food prices only count if one gets a drink. Bummer. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Botana Chile con Queso - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

What you see is what you get. Cafe Hornitos don't look so good. * * * Cafe Hornitos is a grungy Mexican restaurant On the grungiest section of I-35 - The part between Manor and 38th. Other businesses in the area are a porn shop and a Latina themed topless bar. The building is built cheap and needs maintenance. There are various plywood doors cut into walls that lead to random places. There is graffiti in front near the roof. The upper deck of I-35 overhangs everything. The outdoor ambience? Loud and dirty. * * * I had a taco salad with the standard ground beef filling - to go. I was kind of nauseous when I was done. The ground beef was fine and so was the salad part. I was surprised they were able to fit a taco salad bowl into the little white box. But they did. That part worked fine. The source of all evil was the taco salad shell. That shell tasted funny from the very beginning. I have no idea how a taco salad shell can be off Other than being somewhat stale. But it was off for whatever reason - and it ruined the party. * * * Other items here might be okay. However, the location seems so generally repellent That I am not super eager to repeat the experiment. read more

Good unpretentious, tasty, filling breakfast. Very reasonable priced. Neighborhood joint. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Egg, ham, potato tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I finally CAME BACK!!!!!! I was so excited to come back to one of my favorite restaurants. It's still as delicious, there's a new waitress and she's the sweetest. I ordered the barbacoa tacos and it was DELICIOUS! The barbacoa was spot on. Took our order, kept checking up on us, refilled our drinks. I love it and I can't wait to be back. Hidden Jem if you ask me , definitely check it out read more

Cafe Hornitos - Taco de Barbacoa - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing tex mex food. I've been searching for good enchiladas everywhere in Austin as someone from SA I have some standards lol and this is the place i've been looking for. The server was really nice , the food came out pretty quick, it wasn't really packed but they have music playing . 10/10 definitely coming back read more

Cafe Hornitos - Enchiladas with fajitas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I feel super guilty leaving a bad review because they seemed nice and it feels like a small family owned business but god damn was this gross Kind of reminded me of my elementary school cafeteria taco Tuesday. Bland, unoriginal, over cooked, mysterious and last but not least diarrhea inducing. read more

Small, unassuming but it's always delightfully cozy inside. The food is always affordable and the proportions are great! Takeout is fast and the waiters are really nice if you decide to dine indoors. I got the El Jay last time I went which came with two separate dishes basically (pictured). Both were good. I usually end up ordering the burritos with a Margarita because nothing beats the comfort food-alchohol combo on a midweek night. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Interior - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This spot has good food. During COVID they have spaced out the tables for dine in if you'd like. However, people were sitting at the bar. Employees wear a mask the entire time. Food came out quick and HOT. Came during Happy Hour but ordered from the regular menu. Decent prices. Complimentary salsa (with a kick!) and chips. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Chimichanga - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great prices, 3 different meals there were excellent and a reasonable proportion. Good happy hour price!

Great food & service! Nice price point and more importantly great margaritas! They even stayed late for us because we were visiting from out of town and extremely hungry! read more

They recently changed their hours. Okay, no problem. We went there well after the new "open" time -- doors locked, lights dark. TWICE !! They obviously don't want our business and now they don't have to worry about getting it. I saw some other potential customers try the doors, too; same result -- they walked away. read more

Favorite place for Friday fun for whole family!!! The food is perfect for me and wife loves the drinks. Definitely A+++++servicr read more

Cafe Hornitos - Best Restaurant in ATX!!! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love the food and the people that work there. Family owned businesses love eating here and hanging out . Good times!

This is going to be our new favorite spot. The margaritas are fantastic and the service is really good! Take a shot or two while you're there. read more

Cafe Hornitos - El Jay and Enchiladas de Mole. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

The food is good and I live around the corner, so I will definitely be back. The service was also friendly. The happy hour menu is affordable, which is rare in Austin. A fair warning, though: you may want to be very specific when you're ordering take out for their specials. I called in for the $5 a la carte chimichanga from the happy hour menu, and ended up being charged $15 for the regular chimichanga entree. The difference between the $5 a la carte and $15 entree is only some refried beans and lettuce+sour cream, so that was pretty disappointing. :( But again, the food and service is good! I'm going to keep exploring the (lunch specials and happy hour) menu. And, if you order the right things, it's a lot of bang for your buck. Overall, I am satisfied. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Happy Hour Menu - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Loved the Rita's! Great pre-game location. Service is always amazing. Don't be fooled by the rustic appearance.

Old school Tex Mex right here! The place feels like a time machine that takes you back to a simpler era of Tex Mex cooking, with a focus on the basics. I've ordered combo plates here several times and the food has always been simple and solid. The interior harks back to the 1980s - the building appears to have been a restaurant space for a long time, and that nostalgia appeals to me. The small dining room includes a full bar and is accented with the typical kitschy, colorful decor. Everything is well-worn but clean. Looks like they have happy hour specials, though I've never been. I live in the neighborhood and mostly get takeout. Beyond Tex Mex, the menu offers some more authentic dishes like pollo en mole and barbacoa. And for those who want a burger or a chicken sandwich, they've got those, too. It's is easy to overlook in its location in the shadow of I-35's upper deck, but Cafe Hornitos fills a niche with its no-frills, moderately priced fare. Pro tip: If you're coming from the neighborhood west of I-35, use 38th street to avoid the busy, one-way access road. read more

We were in desperate need of a place to eat and we found this place last minute with a party of 10... service was very nice however they were understaffed so we waited about 45 minutes to be seated even though they were not very busy. Food was average but did the job! read more

Cafe Hornitos - Pollo Picoso - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great food! My friend and I come to this establishment at least twice a week. The staff is super friendly, food comes out quickly, and every item that I've tried on the menu is authentic and incredibly delicious. Prices are great for the quality of their food. I recommend this place over any other Mexican restaurant in Austin! read more

These michiladas are very tasty. They have just the right amount of sting, having you come back for more. Food is good and moderately priced. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Cold Michiladas!! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is the best and cleanest place to get a great hamburger, salad, breakfast and tacos!

My wife and I came here the other night for the first time and was extremely happy that we did! We live walking distance and will defiantly be coming back. We started with a Hornitos Marg that was delicious and strong! My wife order the combo fajitas and I ordered the taco enchilada plate. Both dishes had a lot of flavor; my favorite were the cheese enchiladas! Our server was a very sweet lady and the service was awesome! Don't let this little gem fool you being on the frontage road. read more

Continuing the fam bam tradition of getting Tex Mex on Fridays, and since we like to try new places, we ended up here. Cafe Hornitos is close to home, and we've probably driven by it hundreds of times, so it was high time to give it a try. This place is interesting in that for every really great thing about it, there's an equally opposite complaint. For example, we love that when you walk in, the decor is completely no frills: plastic tablecloths, six-pack containers as wallpaper, furniture from the 70s. It feels like you're in abuela's basement...aaaaaaand it also smells like urine. Like, the whole restaurant just smelled vaguely septic. You get used to it. Spicy salsa, powerful margaritas, an earnest young millennial server eager to please his customers (but clearly the restaurant business is not his calling): check, check, check. We enjoyed the queso flameado that we started with since it's the more "traditional" version with (real-ish) cheese served all melty on a hotplate. Our daughter got her typical quesadilla, and we have to say that it was pretty soggy. The two of us split gorditos and the pescado caliente. Both were...OK. Everything was unexciting, even the sides. So overall a mixed review, but we genuinely like this place and how under the radar it is. We can see ourselves going back at some point or another, but the Friday Tex-Mex tradition will move on to spicier pastures for now. read more

Such a great hidden gem!! Michael is the best server and the food is always amazing and consistent. Great margaritas and atmosphere. Highly recommend for brunch/lunch. read more

We happened to be in the area, spotted this little gem alongside the I-35 access road and decided to give it a try. Boy, I am glad we did as I am a huge fan of hole in the wall Mexican food restaurants. My wife enjoyed a Margarita which was made from hand squeeze limes as well as her enchilada with a crispy taco and queso. My beef enchiladas with Verde sauce was also delicious. We both also enjoyed the crispy tacos. The chips and hot sauce as well as the food all seem to be housemate and very delicious. We will definitely come here again. read more

Cafe Hornitos - Beef enchiladas with verde sauce, beans, and cactus - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Hornitos never disappoints. Great food, kind service, authentic Tex Mex. People complaining about the ambiance or interior design should go back to The Cheesecake Factory. read more