The entrance is easy to miss: a door marked only by a primitive "TACOS" spelled out in those tacky…read moremailbox stickers, tucked inside a tiny bar hidden down an alley off Trinity Street. Once you're inside, though, the whole operation runs with impressive efficiency. You order at the register, take your receipt, and hand it off to one of the taco guys behind the counter. As the sign says, "No Ticket, No Taco!" so don't lose it. Seating is limited and the line can get long, but they move fast. And don't come expecting cheese or sour cream -- the only add‑ons here are cilantro, onions, salsa, and guacamole. It's a stripped‑down menu, and they stick to it. The tacos are solid. The beef isn't anything remarkable, but the chicken is tender, moist, and genuinely flavorful. The quesadilla is the sleeper hit; the baked cheese gives it a deep, savory punch that outshines the tacos. And if you're hungry or just want the best value, the burritos are enormous -- stuffed right up to the tortilla's structural limit. A hidden little alley spot that delivers quick service, simple options, and reliably good food once you manage to find the door.

Still incredible. The proteins are constantly coming fresh off the grill, crispy and resplendent…read morewith browning and char. These flavors make it all the way into every bite, carried by a guacamole sauce that'll coat your tongue. Everyone I saw there left their plates empty. If you go - and you'll feel more alive if you do - make sure to accept the works. The onions and cilantro greatly balance each bite, while the salsa and guacamole are necessary and fundamental to tying the flavors together.. Despite their popularity, service remains lightning fast. The reluctantly bilingual cooks practically seize your order ticket to guide you through the process. This is my second taco journey to Austin and I haven't found better.

Solid taco spot / bar!!!…read more Was visiting Austin Downtown with some coworkers and we were craving Mexican food, but also wanted to get a drink. This place had the best of both worlds!! I had the guava margarita - refreshing and yum - as well as the quesadilla (brisket) and chicken taco. Both were devoured. delicious. no notes. I would say the only thing that is keeping my rating in the 4.5 range is the smaller menu, some things were sold out, and got a little bad vibe from one of the workers when picking up my food. Other than that, food was solid. Outdoor area was nice. Would come back again!

Great drinks and tacos! We always choose this place when we want a good drink and chill with some…read morefriends

Not enough vegetarian choices!! Prices a little too high and a quite a noisy place!! Ambiance was…read moregood!'

Top-quality food with unique dishes packed full of flavor. Absolutely loved the vibe of this place…read more The staff was very welcoming and friendly, and the drinks were amazing too. Every dish we tried tasted excellent. Such a great spot for a date night or for simply enjoying high-quality food in a beautiful ambiance. Highly recommend.

Just discovered this place in my neighborhood, even though it's not "new" it's new to me and I love…read moreit! The happy hour here is great, with deals on tacos, apps, churros and drinks. The chips are super fresh and the guac was delicious too. Tortillas tend to make or break a restaurant for me but both the flour and corn are really fresh and taste like they could be made in house. My favorite thing here is the agua frescas, all the flavors are great. They don't taste artificially sweet, just natural fruit sweetness. You can add tequila to them as well! Ambiance here feels upscale, with instagram-worthy decor and swanky lighting, but casual enough that I don't need to dress up too much to come by and hang out at the bar. Service has been quick and friendly when I'm there but, to be fair, I always go on pretty slow days/hours. It's a nicer take on tex-mex that feels and tastes way more authentic than other places in Austin. I've been back frequently and would definitely recommend to others.

Beautiful ambience perfect for a date night Service is nice…read moreand fast My fav was the carne asada Even the complementary chips and salsa were good Biria tacos were also juicy

BLOWN AWAY!!! Hidden gem in North/Central Austin. Always wanted to try this place. The stellar…read morereviews are 100% SPOT ON. We first tried the avocado salsa and creamy delicious salsa X. Both incredible and not too hot. I had the sirloin tampiqueño. I have never tasted steak so flavorful in my lifetime. Addictive and so tender and beautifully seasoned I couldn't even speak except for the mmmmm's... don't let the thin slice fool you. It was incredible!!! We also got the Friday night special Saudero taco on the HOMEMADE buttery delicious flour tortilla. Again the steak pieces in there were fantastic. The regular picadillo crispy taco was probably the best I've ever had. Homemade deep fried thick shells. Margaritas were expensive and small, but done RIGHT. Sam made them by hand not from a mix. It's a good balance because the food is FAIRLY PRICED!!! I am completely spoiled now and probably will just come here from now on. Next it's time to taste those great looking enchiladas!!!

Wonderful food, great old Austin atmosphere, and good service. This place is small and yummy, so it…read moregets busy. We've had to wait about 45 mins for a table of 2 for lunch on a weekday, and the food is worth it. Be smart, plan ahead by several days and make a reservation on their website. Or be spontaneous and grab a drink from the bar and sit outside on the patio for a bit. I had one pretty big issue with waitstaff on my first visit, but that was quickly addressed by management and resolved in way that they've gained a customer for life. Can't speak highly enough of management.

Came here for lunch on a weekday. So the place was very quiet. Only a few other tables were…read moreoccupied. Arriba Abajo as you walked in just gave me all the vibes of a happening place when you want to hang out with friends and have a great time. We ordered the braised ribs rolled tacos for appetizers. It was so fresh and kicking' with all kinds of flavors. I wish I had ordered another one. The avocado sauce layered on the bottom was just enough to keep wanting more. For lunch I ordered the Carneasada Fajitas with chimichurri and my husband ordered the Carneasada Taqueria. With my fajitas came a side of frijoles, green rice & flour tortillas. Corn flour was the other option. Both meals came in pipin' hot & the smell coming from both was very aromatic, zesty & spice. Amazing taste, flavors, just the right amount of marinade on the Carneasada with a hint of lime. It was so delicious while enjoying the ambiance. Our server was a delight and took very good care of us. We didn't order any of their alcoholic beverages since we were both working, but definitely we will be back to enjoy more food and try out their beverages.

Good first visit to Arriba Abajo. Food quality and quantity were on par with expectations, but a…read morefew things left our table looking for more. We made a reservation for inside, and upon arrival, the staff mentioned that'd we'd have to wait quite some time for our table. Instead, they suggested an outside table wouldn't be too bad. We were happy to accommodate, but then the service was noticeably slow (both for drinks and for food). Price points were high (but, I suppose not unexpected for a hotel restaurant). The spot we were in just felt like limbo between guests enjoying the pool and people inside enjoying A/C and good music. May give it another shot down the road.

Another fun place in Austin! Great Mexican food, great and…read morefast service and the mood here was so cozy and inviting- we really enjoyed our food here. So we were thinking of tacos or Mexican food and my daughter suggested this spot as she had come here with some friends and really enjoyed their sopecitos. I had never had a sopecito! What is that! So we had to try... We were lucky to arrive at the right time (9 pm!) where we got their last table!! Make reservations or something because this is another one of those places that fills up! So- we were taken care of immediately: chips and some very hot salsas were set on the table while we chose. They menu is in QR code format, but we asked and got paper menus as well. Well I got the chicken sopecitos , my daughter got the pork ones and my partner got the meat tacos. Everything was delicious, the food arrived promptly, the portion size was perfect and bountiful and everything was super enjoyable. I really enjoyed trying some New Mexican favorites. Next time I will try some other delicacies since I always get tacos tacos burritos or quesadillas: time for some new items on the menu! Enjoy!

Came here for dinner last night and had a good experience. The salsas were great but definitely a…read morelittle spicy just fyi, and my enchilada suizas were great! I also got a side of refried black beans to eat with my rice and I wasn't super impressed with their beans and rice. The skinny margs were great! Nice and strong ;) and our server Sebastian was the best!

Genuinely such a treat to come across this spot while in Austin. My group had reserved a section…read morefor a happy hour and I was beyond pleased with the food and cocktails. Their happy hour selections were great, and the cocktails were craft fully made. The food - full of flavor and diverse creations to truly keep you fueled and filled (in a healthy way).

The crab relleno came with an abundance of crab, which I was happy with. I expect a bit more flavor…read morefrom their Esquites and Guacamole. The Sucio cocktail, was one of the best cocktails I've had in Austin so far. The service and ambiance here were unmatched. Quick service with a beautiful view of the lake if you're close to the windows.