Honestly, just not that impressive. I visited the place on a Sunday with a few folks that like to try new places for brunch. they seem to like it and think that everything was GREAT. Unfortunately, I can tell you that for the price and service I would rather go to about ten other places and that would include Maudi's and I can't enjoy the food at that place. I had some tacos that I think for some reason should be flame grilled...I don't know why. But, this is what I desire and I always seem to be disappointed when they are grilled on a flat top stove. Once again, personal opinion :D read more

Ive been wanting to try this place for a while and finally was able to make it in during a slow time. I only sat at the bar and from what I can tell the decor was nice. The food was pretty good, I ordered the enchiladas and a few beers. They were 16 bucks fyi. They have some shrimp plates at 25 that looked worth a try. I eat out alot and I usually make my decision where I dine on what Im craving and the environment I want to be in. That being said I was a little annoyed that a manager bought pizza for the employees and next thing you know I had the bartender and people next to me eating pizza. The guy next to me was watching the soccer game and was offered the pizza not sure if he was an employee off duty. Anyways I get its a very nice gesture by the manager but that should be kept to back. Kinda of messed up my : I feel like eating mexican food mood up. 3 stars for having good food. -2 for charging what you do and not providing a professional environment while eating. read more

Man alive have I tried to like this place. I go here regularly for lunch which is why I am giving it three stars. The problem is always order the same lucnch salad (Achiota Chicken Salad - amazing). The salsa is amazing, but typically is way to spicy in the summer and far to mild in the winter. The service has been completely hit or miss in the evenings. The last two bills were $100 apiece, and when you feel like you are eating what is attempting to be above average Tex-Mex it makes me sad :( I give the place alot of credit for having weathered the storms of the last ten years in the downtown Austin restaraunt scene and I truly hope for the best. read more

Ridiculously over-priced for 'mediocre' food Breakfast for 2 was $54 for Migas, guac & queso - with chips and salsa that HEB would put to shame Really?! read more

Like the review stated before the place is a bit pricey. The food is good and the service was excellent. The only thing holding back the 5th star is the worth of the food. Tacos were $13 and enchilada were $17 which was a bit of a let down. read more

Manuel's - Sizzling fajitas! - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Lunch time service, restaurant mostly empty. Waiter was very friendly, he is solely responsible for the two stars. Glasses and tattoos, stand-up fella. Ordered the Pechuga de Pollo. Tough, dry, served on a bed of mushy rice. Black beans okay, though if you're going to make them soupy, serve them with a spoon. Respectable guacamole. Anywhoo, ambiance is nice, patio might be the key to a more fulfilling experience. I might give it another go, but I'm not ordering chicken, when and if that happens. read more

yeah. I typically have a rule: you can just a Mexican place by their chips and salsa. Manuel's if the exception to that rule. Wow. This is the worst salsa I've ever had. Despite that, I really enjoy this place. I've primarily been here for happy hour and brunch, both of which are great. For happy hour, you MUST try the crab nachos. Mmmmmmmmm. The queso and sopes are great too. The main dinner menu though is a bit overpriced. 3 stars for dinner/salsa, 5 stars for happy hour/brunch, averaging to 4 stars. read more

Family of 18 adults and 6 children (18 months to 10 years) enjoyed the kick -off to our family reunion at Manuel's last Friday evening. It could not have been more perfect! As per our request, they sat us in a special area of the patio so everyone could walk around to visit those we haven't been able to see in 2 years of COVID. Plus the kids settled in one area and didn't bother the other diners. The food was delish, the drinks fabulous (I am now addicted to the pomegranate cosmo), and the service excellent. Everyone loved it, and can't wait to be there again! I really can't say enough good things about Manuel's and the people who work there! read more

My boyfriend got food poisoning from eating here. The food was delicious, but definitely not worth the aftermath.

Came here for a lunch with my team at work, so like 8 people. Waitstaff did a pretty good job handling it. You get started off with some free chips and salsa, as much as you can eat! For me, it turns out it's quite a lot, since the food took some time to arrive. I had the fried fish tacos, which was good, but closer to average than great. The rice is okay, and I didn't care for the beans. Maybe there are other menu items that are better, but from what I had, I'm not terribly impressed. I don't think I'd bother coming back. read more

Manuel's - Tortillas and rice - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We stopped in here for lunch on a Wednesday. My wife and grandmother had the fajita taco special and I had the grilled chicken special. It's a bit expensive, but it's enough for two meals. It has great flavor! We love it! read more

First: People seem to be confusing Manuel's with TexMex, which it isn't. It's more of an interior Mexican restaurant. If you want something smothered in chile con carne and colby jack, this is SO not your place. There's a reason they don't have $4 margaritas, queso made from cheese food created in a lab, and $6 mystery meat enchiladas. The food is very high quality. Ritas aren't made with nasty mix, but with fresh limes. Enchiladas are made with shredded, poached chicken breasts. Everything is made fresh, not dumped out of cans or thickened with cornstarch. If you look through the kitchen, you can see the refrigerators in the back, full of big bins of produce. Homemade tortillas and chips! Happy hour on the patio is lovely. If I pick you up from the airport and the timing is right, we'll probably come here for a snack and drink. The prickly pear margaritas and guacamole and campechana and ceviche are divine. The pomegranate cosmo makes me swoon. Super-friendly, professional waitstaff. Oh, and if you ask, they've even worked up a sort of gluten-free menu. They're very accommodating for requests in this area. Sadly, the corn tortillas are dusted with wheat flour and are not safe for the allergy crowd. read more

This is the second time I've been to Manuel's at great hills and the experience has been consistently weak.. I ordered a small queso, so the lady hands me a melted bowl of shredded cheese. The queso was some type of warm soup. If your a mexican restaurant and you can't get the foundation of mexican food right consistently... Your time is limited. Manuel.. You are not the father- read more

Manuel's is now officially the worst formally great place in northwest Austin. I usually sit at the bar and enjoy the great margaritas or wine. Now, the bar is usually super bright... Like starting into the sun bright. They've also added steel curtains that clamor loudly every time an employee enters the bar. Ouch, my ears! As most know, everything is generally overpriced, but tasty. Unfortunately, they also changed the taco recipe so now you have to assemble your own. In short, this once great place now habitually let's me down. I'll see you there. read more

Manuel's - Loud steel curtains at Manuel's. - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

I judge Mexican restaurants for two things - fajitas and margaritas. Those are the two things a Mexican restaurant had BETTER have down pat. Fajitas were great - lots of flavor. Drink was stout and flavorful. Quick, attentive service. Not sure why the bad reviews, but it was fine. Not loud or kitschy like too many Mexican places. They let you order, eat, and drink in peace and at your pace. read more

I came here for lunch and thought the lunch menu was mediocre. I had the Chicken Fajitas Taco. I've definitely had better. Hubby had the Lomo de Res and we both agreed it was a very boring dish. Since the food was boring and bland, I'm very apprehensive to pay more just to try the regular entrees. Overall, the lunch seemed like "water-downed" Mexican food. But, hey, service was great! read more

The manager here has served us a couple times the last week. He is absolutely fantastic, such a delightful guy and made our experience wonderful each time. The food here is soooo good and the drinks are awesome. Will continue coming as long as this place exists. read more

If you like Mexican food, real fresh regional Mexican then Manuel's is the place. I really like their outdoor patio it was a hidden gem that we discovered after arriving. Being only a few minutes from the Domain this was a great venue to go to. We started with different mixed drinks that you could tell were fresh made and not pre-mixed, I really appreciate that. We then had our appetizer, the ceviche- wow was that delicious we actually ordered another one! Our main dishes were also very tasty particularly the tortillas you could tell were just made. The service was on point and very friendly. I learned that this was a family business and that the owners are passionate about provide quality fresh food rather than squeezing every penny out of the customers- much different atmosphere then most of the chains in the area. I will definitely be going back for brunch as I hear they have live music! read more

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I ordered chicken with chili con queso. I got mediocre baked chicken with a slice of melted cheese on top and almost no seasoning lol. $12. Madness. Salsa and service was good I guess? Still not acceptable. I tried my friends dish. It was more interesting but still fairly flavorless. Won't be coming back. read more

Went with a group of friends to Manuels on a weekday night and our server Savannah took such good care of us! We each had a different cocktail (mine was spicy, I think amado??) and she split our checks up for us at the end too! It's one thing to go to a restaurant and another to have a server be knowledgeable about the restaurant itself! Will def come back!!! read more

Place from the food to the service A-1 Food came quickly and presentation meet the taste. read more

We went today and it was wonderful, have always loved Manuel's. They took our temperatures, no touching, wore masks and gloves. Practiced social distancing, I felt very comfortable. They were very safe and we appreciated it. Sat outside. Going again next week read more

This is a reliable go-to restaurant for me. Great for whatever mood you're in. I've had many a late lunch, happy hour or dinner here and it never disappoints. I actually picked this restaurant by word-of-mouth recommendations without having been there myself for my graduation dinner a couple of years ago. They were very accommodating and worked with my requests [able to set a pre-fixe type menu for my group]. The dinner went without a hitch. The must appetizer is the queso. Real style queso to be spread on tortillas, none of that Velveeta-like cheese goo found here. The drink menu is great as well, my friends and family had no complaints there. Maybe spruce up the dessert menu would be a way for me to rate it higher. It seems a little mismatched with the level of entrees they offer. read more

Manuels offers a great selection of interior Mexican Food which is hard to come by. HAPPY HOUR/ APPETIZERS: They have a great happy hour where all appetizers are 1/2 off between the hours of 4-6:30. I can eat an appetizer as a meal, so this ends up being a cheap eat at a nice restaurant. They have a great ceviche which is tuna with a strong lime pico. The Pollo en Mole con queso is a shredded chicken breast in a traditional mole sauce covered with cheese- ask for corn tortillas! The Campechana is a milder version of the ceviche with lightly poached fish- not as strong on the lime- also very good! Last, the Hongos Guisadas, which caters to the vegetarian, is a wonderful blend of sauteed mushrooms, peppers, onions, and cheese- also ask for corn tortillas! DRINKS: As far as drinks go, you can't go wrong with the Cucumber Lime Martini (this actually has a REAL fresh cucumber flavor and not a "Bath and Bodyworks" Cucumber flavor like some places). The 310 Signature Margarita is also very good! read more

This is a good restaurant in a great Arboretum location, but after coming for 5 years, it's time to refresh their unique Mexican menu. My favorite items on the menu are anything with the black drum fish. It's a firm tasty white fish that Manuel's does to perfect - as a salad dish or with the spinach. Love their take on queso and their chicken mole. Portions could be a bit bigger, but their plates have lots of interesting sides. Atmosphere is wonderful - the colorful upscale decor is a key ingredient to the restaurant's success. Service here is always pleasant. I've never had a bad meal at Manuel's. Highly recommended. read more

This place is good but not somewhere I'd come back to for brunch. I was disappointed by the lack of options to order from for the brunch menu. Our group had been debating to go here or Fonda San Miguel. I think we will go to Fonda next time and try their brunch out. The food was good and the fruit was fresh but that's about it. Nothing really popped out that made me want to come back to this place. The patio seemed nice but it's way too hot to be outside during summer...Maybe they should invest in fans/mist fans? Also, the price seemed relatively high but I guess that's expected in N. Austin mexican food. read more

Brunch on Sunday on the patio was divine! We tried the fruit plate, the blue crab nachos and both types of gorditas for appetizers. I loved the crab nachos along with the mango daiquiris. For lunch, the hits were the shrimp flautas, the huevos revueltos with venison chorizo, and the flautas de papa. Very nice music provided by a latin jazz trio that strolled from inside to outside and back. The patio was nearly full so if you're coming with a big party, I'd call for a reservation. You can check out the brunch menu here: http://www.manuels.com/manuels_menu_brunch.html I hope your visit is as nice as ours... Steve read more

I like Manuel's. I eat here regularly for lunch. They are my go to when I don't have time to wait for a table, I want to be able to hold a conversation in a normal tone of voice and I want good food. Manuel's has always delivered. The courtyard here is an oasis. If you have time to linger and the weather is hospitable definitely go for an outside table. It can be a little vacation to the tropics without leaving town. My two favorites on the menu are their enchiladas mole and their spinach enchiladas. Pork is definitely the way to go with the mole. Their rich, subtle sauce calls for a more assertive compliment than chicken yet gentler than beef. Definitely stop in. read more

I dont really like mexican food so got fajitas.figure it is a safe bet. I love avocados so got that.liked fajita myshromms and avacodas. The sour cream and flour tortillas were very good. The waitress was friendly. read more

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The great grandmother was in town from Dallas. After saying her lunch onFriday was one of the best in memory I told the manager of her satisfaction. We were told we should try the Sunday brunch, which we did, bringing about ten other Dallas visitors. When told Mammy was back with her family, the manager came to greet her as an honored guest, comped her meal and brought her a dessert. So this tells you about the service. As for the food, being long time Ausitn residents we know Manuels well and enjoy their food on a regular basis read more

Meh is what I say to this restaurant. Is anything bad? No. Is anything spectacular? No. Is this just decent tex-mex of the litany of stapes? Absolutely. Easy mexican food that I rarely have to wait for even on a Friday night. Decent margaritas, but nothing to write home about. The fajitas are typically yummy, but nothing to go out of your way for. Meh. read more

What a great place! The overall menu is wonderful. Great bar and happy hour! The patio is the place to be on summer evenings .. and they even have a band outdoors sometimes. I love the location and there's always plenty of parking. I've had several parties and events here and we're always happy with the service and the staff. Oh yeah.. some of the best ceviche ever! The only place that beats it is in Panama! read more

Manuel's... another mexican restaurant in Austin. We went there last night with family, my kids liked it mucho, a lot, but for ME, it was just okay. The food tasted very good, we had fajitas, quesadillas, chicken mole and tortilla soup. Our waiter was awesome, very friendly and had a smile all the time... nice crowd. Although I believe there should be a certain dress code, I'm suprised at how some people dress here in Austin. Please you are going out to dinner, wear something nice!!!! I don't know if I will go there again, unless...but I recommend it :):) read more

First off, the Queso. YUM! It's the kind that you dip your chip into and this long string of cheese follows along (think mozzarella on pizza). It is not that brite orange fake-cheese stuff, it Queso Blanco (sounds sexy!) I am weak for Enchiladas in green sauce. The Atmosphere is a HUGE PLUS, especially if you eat outside on a Sunday. There is live music-quartet style- and just enough sun let through to sprinkle your arm with some shadow and polka dot sun. read more

For those who are familiar with other Austin restaurants, think Fonda San Miguel type dishes and flavor, just at a better price! A few of my favorites are: Lomo de Res - beef filet medallions with poblano goat cheese butter... melt in your mouth delicious!!! Enchiladas de Jaiba - crab enchiladas.. get one enchilada with the verde sauce, the other with the suiza sauce and don't forget to thank me later Pescado con Espinacas - tuna or drum on top of spinach, tomatoes and onions. A lighter choice than the first two for sure, but your taste buds won't disappointed. If you come here with a larger than average appetite, start with a cup of the Sopa de Elote (corn soup), it is amazing.. In fact don't be surprised if you find yourself having to fight the urge to lick every last morsel out of the cup with your tongue. Don't worry, nobodys watching you.... Go for It! read more

I will need to flesh this review out later (ideally with a menu in front of me!), but Manuel's is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in town, probably second after Fonda San Miguel. It is much cheaper - though not cheap - and a notch or two less formal. It is *also* my second favorite place to get a steak, after Austin Land and Cattle - and is much cheaper, though not cheap... and also a notch or two less formal. I am especially fond of their chicken and cheese mole appetizer, and they have an excellent set of stuffed poblano dishes. Ignore reviews comparing it to Tex-Mex restaurants, this is like complaining that McDonalds doesn't make good fried chicken (if you will forgive the completely different gastronomic level). It is not Tex-Mex, it is interior Mexican. The service staff are competent and friendly, and were very helpful to my vegan dining companion in assembling a dish she could eat. read more

Love this place. Great authentic Mexican food. I love all of their enchilada selections. The drinks are outstanding. They have perfected the Mexican martini. The location is perfect. The atmosphere, especially outside, is very cool. I go here on every Austin trip. read more

This is a fancy Mexican place but the food is far away from authentic. Presentation and service is very good but they have long waiting time. They skimp on food which I do not think is justified for the price. I found the food bit unconventional and sometimes did not come out very well. Especially, the queso dip which is my absolute favorite but tastes way to fancy and subpar. read more

Excellent dining experience. Nichole was wonderful, we came to have a quick bite and despite it being very close to 9:00, and closing time, they served us. The cocktails, lemon martini's were delicious and our food was cooked to perfection. A fruit plate was brought out to our daughter (a toddler), which was great because she was fussy and cantankerous. We really enjoyed the staff and the great service we received from Nichole. Such a sweet woman, she made the visit very enjoyable. Thank you for an unforgettable evening. We'll visit again once my husband is back from overseas. Thank you for the Flan, it was out of this world. All around great experience. 5 stars. read more

I went three times and honestly, that was three times too many. Lunch was good (started off strong) and then something happened at dinner? It's so cute to sit outside and the chicken salad is really yummy but not on the dinner menu. So, we requested it and it was far better at lunch. The salsa is a bit watery and the chips were stale. Sigh. I really wanted to love it but just go for dessert and to sit outside on a lovely day. read more