If you're looking for authentic, delicious Mexican food in the Austin, Texas area that is reasonably priced, Cruzteca is a must-visit. This hidden gem is tucked away in a commercial shopping center near a Burlington store, and you would never guess the incredible dining experience waiting inside. Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by the founder, Mr. Tony. He personally took the time to welcome us, seat us, and share that his family has been involved in the culinary industry for over 100 years. That passion, tradition, and attention to detail truly shine through. The atmosphere was welcoming and family-friendly. Even though the restaurant was busy, the service was impressively fast, and the staff continuously checked on us to ensure we were having a great experience. The food was outstanding--some of the freshest and most flavorful Mexican dishes we have ever enjoyed. Every bite reflected quality ingredients and authentic preparation. Cruzteca is a true hidden gem, and we highly recommend stopping by. Great food, great people, and a wonderful family-owned experience! read more

See all

The Shroon tacos made with portobello mushrooms are excellent, our server on Friday night 6/26 was excellent, very attentive and friendly. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - My 3 brothers, Tony, Robert and Fred - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Pro-tip: Wednesdays are happy hour all day with $2 off margaritas and specials on a number of different appetizers. Family run and not overwhelmingly big. Enjoyable staff provides guidance to favorites, such as the Guisada, Ceviche, and Beef Fajitas. Make sure to order the Mango Empanadas sooner rather than later, they run out quickly. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Hidden gem with Wednesday happy hour all day specials! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I stumbled upon this gem near my hotel during my trip to Austin for a wedding. I had a late breakfast here, and the chorizo migas were absolutely delicious. I wish I had a place like this back home. read more

I've been missing out on this place having lived in the area for a while! We visited for lunch and I ordered the roasted chicken tacos. They were large tacos and came with a fantastic sauce. Our server was really kind and our food came out quickly. We'll definitely be back. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

Always fresh. Always delicious. Service is great. Queso is still amazing. Busy, but not too busy for a Sunday brunch. Perfect! read more

See all

So we came for dinner first evening in Austin. We were only in Austin for a few days to explore the food, culture and vibe. Ended up having our dinner here and a brunch before it was time to head home. What I like about this place is the original family still using the old family recipe and continuing with their traditional food back Mexico but with a Texan twist. We met the owner and she was so friendly and proud of her family restaurant. All the staff were so friendly too. Braised beef enchiladas was my favorite. Lots of succulent meat and tasty sauce. My husband got the shrimp taco on corn tortilla (gluten sensitive). They had lots of options for everyone. I tried their Esquites too and that was really good. When you go back to the same restaurant while on a short visit in Austin, that tells you it's good. Try them. read more

See all

Over the last year this has become my girlfriend and I's favorite restaurant. We're both Austin natives who grew up on healthy diets of Tex-Mex and Cruzteca does it as well as any place in town. Every meal starts with top shelf queso, which is incredible, and favorite entree options are flautas especial, Del Mar tacos, spinach and mushroom enchiladas, carne asada, and steak fajitas. The drinks are delicious and reasonably priced, and the dining room is comfortable and relaxed. The staff and service are fantastic, but Gabriel is our favorite server and always takes great care of us. Highly recommend this place to everyone I know, and at the risk of it becoming so popular that we can't walk in and get a table quickly I can't help but sing its praises. read more

We found ourselves down south after visiting the Cathedral of Junk (an Austin must) and randomly stumbled upon Cruzteca after a brief Google search for Tex Mex. Glad that we did--this place is awesome. We arrived for a fairly early dinner, and while the place was sparsely populated, there appeared to be only one person working the entire floor and bar, so service did lag a bit (we hate when our chips and queso come out before our drinks!). The ambience, despite it being in a strip mall, feels cozy, open, and pleasant. We were happy in our booth, and the frozen blood orange margaritas on special were perfect on a hot day. Our daughter was also very satisfied with her hibiscus aqua fresca. For food, the aforementioned queso had great consistency, and we ordered their more upscale one with all the extras in it, like beef, avocado, etc. For mains, the La Patrona salad was so good and fresh, but there was way too much dressing and the mixed greens became pretty soggy and wilted. If they had used a sturdier green like shredded kale, it would have been perfection. We liked the beef fajitas and all of its accompaniments, although only three tortillas?? (They did bring us out some more when we asked.) Our daughter got an enchilada that look way better than the usual kids' stuff you see at a Tex Mex place--just wish we didn't have to pay $4 for a tiny ramekin of guac that she requested on the side... Prices are higher here than in a comparative restaurant, but we are not complaining because we did feel the superiority in quality, so felt that what they were charging was fair. In whichever case, we do want to emphasize how much we genuinely loved this place and would be excited to come back if we're ever back in this part of town. Great food, atmosphere, and service, which feels like a hat trick rarity in Austin nowadays. 4.5 stars, rounding down, with a strong recommendation. (Oh--and there's an awesome Lego store just next door that we stumbled upon afterwards now that we're even bigger fans after experiencing so much Lego-ness in Denmark this past summer :) read more

I usually come by for breakfast or brunch as the chilaquiles are spot on! Friendly folks in a casual environment. Was in the neighborhood and stopped by for...what's that meal between lunch and dinner? Linner? Yeah...just one taco will do. They have a variety so go wild! read more

Super excellent food, great margaritas!!! A small family owned place that I will return to again and again... The brisket tacos were the best thing I've ever eaten..a great lunch or dinner place..and the waitress told us they have a wonderful brunch menu... Will be back very soon... read more

I recently came back with my sister and was a bit disappointed to discover the coconut margarita was not as tasty as the last time I visited. Super sad, especially after I'd been raving about it to my sister! But, which the margarita just didn't hit the spot quite like it used to, the food was absolutely phenomenal (even though they were out of what I'd originally wanted!) I do wish their menu listed allergens and gluten free options, but the food itself is very tasty and the service was very prompt and pleasant. If you've never been to Cruzteca, I highly recommend checking it out! There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and the ambiance is also quite nice. Plenty of free parking, as this restaurant is located in a shopping center, and getting here is quite easy as it's just off of 290. We'll definitely be back, but I think we'll try a different drink next time! They do also offer a special event every few months (seasonal-theme) with a custom menu and curated drink tasting with a local liquor brand. Pretty cool if you like to try new things and experience food tasting events! read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I had high hopes for this place. Menu had a few classics and some nice twists but overall traditional Tex-Mex items. The staff were very friendly, but ultimately the food was very average. Carne Guisada was so overpowered by cumin it was hard to eat. Same with the Mexican rice. Carnitas tacos were cooked perfectly, but lacked flavor (no salt, seasoning)land avocado sauce was bland. The skinny margarita was ok, but seemed light on flavor, which is odd given it's made with Espolon Repo and Cointreau. Maybe we picked the wrong dishes, but we probably won't go back. read more

See all

Food is always good. Coffee could be better. The service is always great. It's a bit small, limited seating but worth it the wait.

First time trying Cruzteca and it's my new fave Mexican restaurant in Austin! It's a cute and cozy restaurant nestled in an unassuming shopping center. You can tell it's a neighborhood favorite as everybody knew everybody there by name. My husband had the nachos and I had the La Casa enchiladas and both were excellent. Took off one star because it is pretty expensive for the size of the plates. You also have to pay separately for chips and salsa. read more

My family loves this restaurant so much. The staff here is wonderful, the food is delicious, we alll had the verde enchiladas! Their salsas are amazing too! 10/10 read more

We went to Austin for a layover and we have the luck to find out this little Mexican restaurant. You need to meet TONY, he is amazing like the food. Recommended 100% +. Don't forget to ask Tony about the family history. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - cruzteca family - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place came highly recommended from two of our friends with whom we dined with. The 4 1/2 star total rating helped as well. This place is actually pretty small inside with only the three booths and no more than a dozen other tables to sit at (5 picnic tables outside). We came here for dinner, but they do have a good breakfast menu as well. They don't have any beer on draft (bottles only) and there are no craft beers at this time. However, they do knock two dollars off their margaritas during happy hour. The great thing about this restaurant is that it is a friendly family run establishment with great service and plenty of parking. They have a fairly full bar albeit fairly cramped with only five stools. We started offwith chips and salsa, which I have to admit comes with plenty of both (green salsa available as well). We all either had the typical texmex version of enchiladas or nachos and they were all good. It was so filling that we had no room for dessert. Plenty of photos to get you familiar with the business. All things considered: ****1/2. read more

See all

Was looking around town for a new Mexican place to try for dinner and stumbled into Cruzteca on Tequila Thursday! Such a cute inside & they had a band pulling out all of the stops (12 string guitar, accordion, a bass guitar that looks like a ukulele - from Mexico music to polka music) - a very fun environment. We were personally greeted by one of the owners who was the nicest man. So glad to have us and personally made sure we had a nice time for our first visit in. Service was nice & pretty quick to get us our food & drinks. We tried the first marg option on the menu - it was fresh but a little salty so next time I want to try a tajin rum or one of the flavored margs. We started with the top shelf queso - very loaded if you like it meaty (or you can get the regular option which I also want to try next time). We ordered enchiladas - I got the spinach & mushroom ones (one with each kind of sauce) and my boyfriend got the las casa enchiladas with beef. I liked mine a bit better but we both totally cleaned our plates. This was a nice meal (but it was a bit on the higher price range for Mexican food). We enjoyed the atmosphere & the team was so so nice to us and even shared their story of how they started. read more

See all

Every once in awhile you go to a place hoping it stands up to all the positive reviews. Cruzteca not only met the standard but in many ways was WAAAAY more than what I expected. Everything was so much more than we could have hoped for.. Service from Tony onwards was gracious, friendly and energetic, the cocktails well made and boy oh boy the food. Friends ordered the Ceviche, me the Chips and Salsa.. I want to go back just for the Mexican martini, chips and salsa. It's a tray of perfectly crisp yellow corn chip, a fresh tomato salsa, a salsa arbol and a salsa verde. Note: The Arbol packs some heat. I had one of the best vegetarian enchilada plates I have ever had. The veggies still had a nice texture, the beans and rice were not just support actors but perfect partners to the tangy verde sauce enchiladas. Was torn to write this review as this is a 1st come 1st served kinda place and as the pic shows, every table is taken. They have started tequila dinners, look forward to attending one soon. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Spinach and Mushroom Enchiladas with Verde Sauce - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Great service and amazing food (the ceviche and mole enchiladas were especially good). We had a fun time talking to Tony Galindo about his family history in the Austin food scene. read more

I was so happy to find this awesome restaurant on yelp. I was craving a traditional beef crispy taco. Cruzteca delivered a super tasty taco and I also tried the mushroom spinach enchiladas which were very fresh and included generous portion of Spanish rice and beans. My boyfriend tried the Chilaquiles with he also said were delicious. read more

See all

Great little spot for tacos and enchiladas! Good margaritas. Service is always friendly! read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I was looking for a Mexican restaurant in south Austin to take some friends out for lunch. After reading the positive reviews, I settled on trying Cruzteca. Located within a somewhat upscale shopping center, Cruzteca is compact but has a cozy seating area and bar. I was not disappointed in the least. We started with one of the featured margaritas, the mango chamoy served up as a frozen concoction. The drink came in glasses rimmed with tajin and a straw dipped in a tangy mix of sugar and tamarind (I think) that was a perfect complement to the mango. The margarita contained a healthy pour of tequila as well. I'm not a heavy drinker and I had a pleasant buzz with just one. There are two sizes, the regular and then a much bigger "fish bowl" glass that would probably put me under the table. Salsa and guacamole came out with the drinks. The chips are pretty ordinary but I really loved their fresh salsa with a nice fiery kick in the pants. The guac was also tasty, a bit on the mild side but plenty of avocado flavor. The taco entrees come two to a plate, but the server informed me that I could mix and match them. I went with the shrimp tempura taco and the braised beef. The shrimp came lightly battered with some slaw and a drizzle of some creamy lime cilantro dressing. The portion was huge; definitely not one of those teeny tiny street tacos. As for the braised beef, it has that wonderful decadent, luscious deep flavor and texture that is addictive. My fellow diners also had tacos and reported that the enchiladas were similarly amazing. I appreciate good service and the server was very knowledgeable about the menu and made some good suggestions. Food came out quickly at a good pace. Prices are very reasonable here. Cruzteca is a keeper. Highly recommended. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Mango chamoy margarita with a glass rimmed in tajin. Yum! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

They have lunch specials during week My favorite is old school lunch which is two tacos in crispy shell Served with beans and rice They also have full bar with happy hour 3-6 weekdays read more

We were looking to try somewhere new last weekend and landed upon Cruzteca based on the positive reviews. We arrived around 7:30 PM on a Saturday night and were seated right away. It's a bit cozy inside so I could see there being a wait sometimes. Our experience here was mixed. As far as the food, the chips were not our favorite and you have to pay for chips and salsa. The chicken verde enchiladas were pretty good though. The plain margarita was fine but the mango margarita tastes mostly like juice so overall was disappointed with the margs. The service was very friendly but it was slow at time and we asked for more chips that we never got. I think some small improvements, especially to the service and the drinks, could make this place a lot better. read more

I kind of don't want to tell you how good this place is because I want to be able to go whenever I want without a wait, and I want it to stay so incredibly on-point with great customer service and probably the best Tex-mex in Austin. But, I told you, so don't ruin it for me. read more

Excellent food and excellent service. The old school tacos are delicious and featured on their happy hour menu. They were so good, I didn't even get a picture! Frozen margaritas are amazing and strong! House margaritas have a good flavor and are on happy hour as well. Great place to take friends and family! read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Ceviche - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I was in Austin for a girls weekend with a friend and she suggested going to Cruzteca since I wanted Mexican food - this is her go to place. The photos looked great and I liked that it would be a casual dinner so I was all game! I ordered the La Casa Enchiladas with Chicken (Queso on the side) with rice and refried beans. It definitely had quite a bit of kick/ heat to the dish (I'm a bit of a baby) but it was so flavorful and delicious. I also ordered a ranch water because I wanted to try the DulceVida Lime Tequila I had heard so much about- it was good as well (would be my go to drink order there for sure)! My friend ordered two tacos, the prickly pear frozen margarita and a watermelon frozen margarita (I tried a sip/bite of each) and everything was perfectly done! Lastly, our server Brent was very attentive and provided excellent service! Would definitely go back next time I'm in town! read more

See all

A bit over priced. $18.00 for two lunch tacos is a bit much. The shrimp taco I got was just a bunch of batter. The shrimp itself was a third of the size compared to all the batter it was covered in. A bit disappointing. The pork and pineapple taco was tasty but again, 8.50 for a single taco is too much. read more

Unfortunately the food quality keeps slipping. Still noticeably more expensive than other similar places though... Plates have become more greasy and salty while the flavors are less pleasant, especially the enchiladas and tacos. Fajitas used to be good, though expensive at $27/plate, they too are getting worse with lesser quality meats. Mixed drinks are weak and made with concentrate instead of fresh squeezed at premium prices. We are done with this place after being regulars for years. read more

This was a pleasant restaurant with good food! We went for a Saturday lunch and were seated right away. Everything tasted good. We loved the migas tacos and the pineapple aguas frescas is a must have. The Paloma, garlic fries, and enchiladas was good as well. The server was super nice and checked in often, the food came out at a timely manner. I'll be back to try their shrimp and grits and carne guisadas. read more

See all

1. No military discount 2. Charge for chips and salsa 3. Chicken was warmed up via microwave. ( I know microwave chicken... ya can't cut it with a fork, and it's rubbery) And 4. See #1 read more

Skip the fideo soup. Very watery with only two slices of avocado and not much fideo. That's a shame. For $15.99 my friend was very disappointed. Had to add chips from table to the soup broth just to add something to eat in all that tomato broth. read more

So we found this place by googling dog friendly places! They are definitely dog friendly, the sweet waitress offered bowls for the pups and they have a comfortable outside seating area! Now the food was amazing! My friend has the nachos and he said the fajita meat was the best thing he tried! I had the mushroom spinach enchiladas, I loved that the mushrooms and spinach were chopped up small and blended perfectly in the dish! The queso was very good! We all loved that the dishes weren't heavily salted, none of us like a lot of salt and normally with refried beans in Tex-Mex the beans are salt heavy. Highly recommend this place, we definitely will be returning! read more

See all

We love their green sauce, breakfast tacos, ceviche, and pozole. We just discovered this restaurant and our only regret is that we didn't try it sooner!! Excellent food and customer service. read more

Nice little Mexican restaurant. The food was very good and well prepared. Kudos on the presentation and flavors. The top shelf queso is amazing. Lots of meaty goodness. The chicken enchilada verdes were very tasty although a little heavy on the hot side. Dial back the spicy peppers a bit and this would elevate the dish a bit more. Service was prompt and friendly. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - Top Shelf Queso - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Move over Juan in a Million, there's a new Don in town!!!! Seriously, if you like the Don Juan but not the wait (or the disastrous attempts at parking there), The B.A.T (big azz taco) is better and just as tasty!!!! I love this spot - family-owned in sunset valley, easy in and out with AMPLE parking, good prices, and delicious Yucatán-style Mexican food. I'll definitely be back to check out the full brunch experience, but everything I've ever ordered from Cruzteca has been delicious. They have great tacos and margs, and do a steady take-out business along with their dine-in service. They have very attentive and prompt servers- throughout our meal, multiple people checked in on us, bussed our table, and made sure we got closed out quickly. Great service and a good communal awareness amongst all the staff, who check in on everyone. This is such a little hidden gem in south Austin. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and go!!!! Get the B.A.T., add avocado, drink a Bloody Mary for me, and start your day off right!!! Brunch/breakfast is served until 3 and they have a TV at the bar if you don't want to miss a game. read more

Cruzteca Mexican Kitchen - The B.A.T. Big Azz Breakfast Tacos!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

We ordered online for pickup and it was ready within about 30 minutes. We got enchiladas verdes, nutella mole enchiladas, and fish tacos. Both enchiladas were good - if you like mole definitely give that one a try. To me it tasted nothing like Nutella, which I was actually quite happy about because I wasn't sure what that would be like.. The fish taco was pretty big, two of those would probably be enough for a meal. The fish was also fried well and still crispy, even after bringing it home to eat. Overall I would definitely rank it above the average for the Austin area. read more

See all

Came here for a late brunch and really enjoyed the Nutella mole enchiladas. This mole had a nice smokey and spicy taste. The Nutella gives the mole a nice nutty and buttery profile and toned down the spice level to balance the flavor. I really wasn't expecting that at all. The chicken was well cooked as well. It came with beans and rice. Though the star was the mole which I cleaned my plate. The drinks are strong and I got the watermelon margarita. read more

See all