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    Matt's El Rancho

    3.6 (2.1k reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex, Seafood
    Closed Closed

    Matt's El Rancho Photos

    Business Info

    MATT'S EL RANCHO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Reviews With Photos

    Fish Tacos
    Iman Z.

    Not sure if I understand why this place is so busy all the time. I was able to put myself on the waitlist before getting there so that helped us not have to wait 2 hrs at the restaurant. Be prepared to fight to find a parking spot if you decide not to valet. Overall I was disappointed with the food. I ordered the fried fish tacos on the server's recommendation and they were bland and not crispy at all. The table also agreed with me that the fish had no flavor even after I added the coleslaw and sauce to it. The rest of the meals that arrived weren't anything to rave about either. We left disappointed with the food and wait time. You can find a better Tex Mex restaurant in Austin for half the wait time.

    Deluxe Dinner
    Loni M.

    We came in on a Sunday evening and even though it was busy we got seated right away. This was my first time at Matt's but I understand it's a very popular place. The space is beautifully decorated and is much bigger than I thought. We shared the knockout martini and it was strong and delicious. Also a very good size so very shareable. I then ordered the deluxe dinner and that was just ok. I was confused by how it was presented. I first got the guac salad with a crispy tortilla with some cheese on it? Very confused by that. Then the other portion came in a separate plate. The rice, enchilada and pork were good I just wished it was served warmer. Overall, for the price point I would not say it's worth it expect for the drinks but I'm glad I got to experience it.

    Knock out martini
    Airon A.

    I am a regular at Matt's El Rancho and it consistently delivers exactly what you hope for from a classic Austin institution, consistent flavorful and delicious Tex-Mex food, amazing cocktails and great service. Matt's is known for their scratch-made Tex-Mex classics and legendary house specialties, prepared fresh daily with the same recipes they have used for over 70 years. The new waitlist sign-up has been a game changer. I can now sign up for the waitlist in advance and be seated quickly upon arrival. The wait could sometimes top over an hour due to the popularity and crowd size. Sometimes parking can be a challenge to find. I usually order the KnockOut martini for my beverage and add peach purée for additional flavor. It comes with Milagro Reposado Tequila & Cointreau. Starting the meal with the Bob Armstrong dip is a must, with queso cheese, taco meat, guacamole. It is the perfect combination of ingredients for a dip and is great for dipping with their fresh made tortilla chips. Their salsa is a bit on the spicier side and is a little too spicy for my taste. For my entree, I usually get the Asadero Tacos with Beef tenderloin with grilled asadero cheese, onions, rajas in corn tortillas, served with frijoles a la charra and guacamole salad. I usually sub rice for the beans and get sliced avocado. My other top choice is the Janie's Combination Salad served with bell peppers, cilantro, celery, tomatoes, radishes, and sliced avocado. I add the Al carbon beef tenderloin meat for the protien and the queso fresco cheese. It comes with a cilantro vinegrette which brings all the salad flavors together. The restaurant has a fun, energetic vibe and can get a bit loud. They have indoor and outdoor seating options, and the bar is a great place to sit if you want to watch a sporting event. Overall, it's a great spot for a casual night out when you're craving traditional Tex-Mex food and don't mind a busy scene. Not the place for a quiet dinner, but definitely a staple for Austin comfort food.

    Kim S.

    We first tried to go to Matt's El Rancho at dinner time on a Saturday but there were 132 parties ahead of us on the wait list! We tried again on a Monday at 6:30pm and we were seated immediately. The staff at the hostess stand were super friendly, as was our server. The patio has huge table umbrellas as well as some shade trees, so even in the heat it's comfortable. Big props for having an actual healthy salad choice! My salad had veggies, avocado, and grilled chicken but wasn't topped with all the fattening, unhealthy items that are typically heaped on restaurant salads. It was fresh and delicious!

    Brisket enchiladas
    Alison L.

    Can get super busy and crowded. My brisket enchilada was extremely average. The salsa is spicy which I appreciated. The dip they're known for is decent but nothing special. I've had more flavorful queso. The fajitas are seasoned excellently though. If you go, don't get anything other than the fajitas.

    Kelse S.

    A meal on the patio in the warmth and sunshine after being in cold stl was exactly what the doctor ordered. This place is huge and is still somehow on a wait at 2pm on a Friday (props to that). The patio is really lovely, you definitely feel like you're cut off from the hustle and bustle outside of the restaurant. The queso and chips hit the spot, and for my entree I ordered the asadero tacos which came highly recommend from the regulars in my party. The tenderloin was sooo good and it was smothered in cheese. What more could you ask for?! The staff was friendly and very attentive. Looking forward to returning!

    The Bob Armstrong queso
    Dan S.

    Classic old school Austin place. The back patio is a great place to dine, the service is good in a very crowded chaotic place. The food is tasty and the margaritas are solid. Of course you need to try the Bob Armstrong Queso. Overall a fun time

    Enchiladas with chili con carne
    Diana V.

    Wow!!! What an experience. The place was hopping. Though it was crowded our wait was less than 20 minutes. The food was good, the service was good and everyone was having a good time. I was a little disappointed that I could not order from the children's menu and that there is no senior plates available. It's just a waste of food and a dent in my pocket book that I had to purchase a regular plate.

    Wendi K.

    I'm interested as to why this place is so divisive. It's solid Tex-Mex. The chips are gigantic and crispy, and come with fire roasted salsa for dipping. We also got guacamole & Bob Armstrong Dip ($10, Queso with meat and guacamole) which were both excellent. The guacamole ($13) was super chunky. The grilled fish tacos ($20 for a plate) are gigantic and wonderful. They are rolled up like burritos and have lots of protein. The flour tortillas seem homemade. You can dip them in the ranch or cilantro sauce. Between us three girls, we finished 3.5 tacos. Staff were cheery, albeit a bit slow. Margs were good as well the interior is festive and classic Tex-Mex.

    Matt's Special
    Brooke D.

    Finally tried Matt's El Rancho and I have to say that the service was fantastic! Our cups were never low on water and our server was super nice. The patio was also super cute! Unfortunately I was super unimpressed with the food though. I got the Matt's special which had green enchiladas and a taco which was actually a tostada. Both items were just very mediocre. Everyone that I was with felt the same way about their entrees as well. We were also a little surprised that they weren't willing to split our check even though it was just four of us.

    Menu
    Amber L.

    Matt's El Rancho has received what we would call legendary status in the Austin food scene. This had us coming in with high expectations, something only reinforced when we arrived to a jam packed parking lot and beautiful outdoor facade. We placed ourselves on the waitlist well before arrival and times it just about as well as we could've; something we would highly recommend. They don't seat incomplete parties which we ran into an issue with as we had 2 people missing but they made quick use of the valet parking when they arrived and we were seated quickly after that. The interior is very nice, old school in a way which adds to this staple and authentic feel. Once seated, at a nice family style round table at that, we were brought out 3 huge baskets of tortilla chips. The complimentary chips are pretty good, a bit lacking in salt, but the salsa they have makes up for it with a nice punchy spice that lingers a bit. Ordering was quick and the service was decent as well. We ordered a cheese quesadilla and the brisket flautas with tomatillo sauce. For a restaurant as packed as it was and with us having a party of 6 the food came out pretty quick. The cheese quesadilla was fantastic. It's a relatively easy dish that a lot of places manage to mess up but it was spot on here, simple and tasty. The flats were also very good, savory and filling with the tomatillo layering onto the bold flavors. The Mexican rice and refried beans were also pretty good as well. Everyone else seemed to really like their food too, although one person was not a fan at all of their tacos which came looking pretty bland and on a hard corn shell. By the end of the meal everyone was happy, some remarking about how good and strong the drinks were there. For a restaurant as popular as it is, the price felt fair and the value was decent. The truth of it all is that Matt's is good, truly, but it isn't great. There are other Tex-Mex places in Austin that match the quality of the food here for cheaper or with larger servings. Admittedly, the vibe here surpasses those places by quite a bit so that's something to consider if you're weighing up your options. We would say this is a good spot to bring friends or family visiting in for the vibes and good food alone, but if you're someone specifically seeking out the most authentic or best Tex-Mex that Austin has to offer then there may be a few other places to consider.

    Shirley Temple
    Michelle D.

    Oh Matt's El Rancho Tried and True. Not quite sure the low reviews? This is the epitome of an Austin downtown TexMex hometown Mexican spot. You walk in and are rushed with the sensation.... this is where you bring your families to. Helping towards that ambiance, we happened to come here lunch time during the Christmas season. Large sized parties of families holding gifts galore sitting and waiting, sitting and eating. It was a welcoming sensation to feel that this restaurant gives off family vibes. Even with all the parties, our walk in of 4 was still able to be seated in say maybe 10 minutes? Barely enough time to order a beer and Matt's Knockout Martini from the bar while we "waited". Had one sip and WHAT table is ready! The service was quite impressive for how busy and packed the place was. Also guys...lunch is how you do it. How can you beat $12 for a meal? And a fulfilling meal at that. They don't play. And for the kiddos, $7 including a drink is right up their alley. Shirley Temple sure! Limeade sure! It's been quite a minute since I've been here but upon returning I can truly say this is a place I'd come back to. And if you ever need a place to bring all your extended family for good Ole TexMex - this place is just for you.

    Asadero Tacos (20). Yum!
    Julia C.

    After being in Austin for several years (and hearing mixed reviews of this place), we finally pulled up to give Matt's El Rancho a try. Glad we did! The ambiance is fantastic. What a cozy hidden gem off of S Lamar! Both inside and outside are packed with tables and lots of seating for patrons to enjoy their meal. The service was super friendly and fast. As someone told me in the line at the counter... the mine can be super long, but the service is really fast, and tables turn over pretty quick. An 1.5hr wait might not be that long. Now the food. The salsa is spicy. The super up queso is delicious. I got the chicken enchiladas my first trip, and they were good but not great. But my spouse's Asadero Tacos were incredible. Which is what I got my second visit. Excited to try more items off their menu.

    Kids meal

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    Paul C.

    please email me at paul@mattselrancho so I can look at this.

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    Hi Douglas! Thank you for your recommendation.

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    Page 3 of 52

    Matt's El Rancho Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Matt's El Rancho

    Would 3pm be a good time to go for a party of 6? Gotta couple of people who dont like long wait times.…

    No. They only seat complete parties.

    Do you all sell shirts?

    Matt’s El Rancho has 3 different t-shirt designs. My favorite is out of this world.

    Where should I eat on Tuesday?

    There are many good Tex-Mex restaurants in Austin. A short list of my favorites includes Joe's Bakery (East Seventh) Angie's Restaurant (also East Seventh), Enchiladas e Mas (Anderson Lane), and Casa Garcia (several locations). Your Tex-Mex… Read more

    Looks like from the info that dogs might not be allowed but they do have outside seating. Anyone know if dogs are allowed?

    You have to go through the restaurant to access outdoor sitting so I would assume, no.

    Is there reservations available?

    Nope

    What peppers are in the salsa? There was a whole one in my salsa bowl today and I ate it.. tasted pickled but nearly burned the tongue right out of my mouth!!! (in a good way)!! What pepper did I eat?

    I have always thought that they use Serrano’s to some extent

    Is there a private room to rent for a large group of 30-40 people?

    Yes, but the room is very large and can easily accommodate probably 70-80 persons

    Are there any vegan options available?

    If you get a veggie plate or something to that effect, but not a ton of options

    View All 14 Questions

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    4.1(1.4k reviews)
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    Duck enchiladas with mole sauce were awesome! Chips and salsa were homemade and delicious. Tacos…read moregreat and yummy margaritas. We had a wonderful server too. Ambiance very laid back but cute.

    That rush hour traffic in Austin is lethal. If it starts raining too, oh buddy, what a nightmare…read more Eventually you'll make it to your destination and if it's half as good as El Alma, it'll be a sigh of relief. I've driven by El Alma many times being in the Austin area, but I never went until last Thursday, and after surviving a brief monsoon, I was glad to get a few drinks and eat some good TexMex with my large party just before a wedding. The best way to describe El Alma is that it is TexMex that is Austinified. Everything feels a little more unique and special than your classic TexMex options. I started off with a Mezcal Margarita that put a little hair on my chest and got me going. My group ordered two of their Nachitos, which were these nice nachos. For my main entrée, I got 3 Al Pastor tacos on corn with a side of their rice and beans. Their pastor was served with pineapples, onions, and cilantro with limes on the side. They were great and I immediately crushed them all. I thought their rice and beans were pretty good as well and a step above the typical TexMex rice and beans. The server was pretty attentive throughout our whole visit, and I honestly have no complaints about what they had to offer. Pricing on the meal and drinks was pretty standard for Austin, and I didn't think anything really took me out of the experience. On top of that, for being in Barton Springs, there is quite a bit of parking. I would love to come back at some point in the future and hang out on their rooftop bar because that seems like a lot of fun. Shoutout to El Alma for being a TexMex oasis saving me from the MoPac traffic. RIYL: TexMex, but better than your average

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    Suerte - Chips and guacamole

    Suerte

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
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    had the Agua chiles , the quesadilla, the sweet potato's and there tacos !! Highly recommend…read moregetting a couple of plates ! The food was great and the service was as well. I would highly recommended a visit! The fish was fresh , the drinks were good and the desert was amazing !

    We came to Suerte for a date night. We don't eat out very often because honestly, most of the food…read morewe get out, we can make ourselves at home but better. Every single dish at Suerte was completely worth it. The family-style ordering was great because my partner and I got to delight in each dish together. The portions were clearly intentionally sized: nothing too big, but also nothing too small. And each bite had us both sitting and often closing our eyes to fully experience the food. We spent just as much time not talking as we did talking. The food did a lot of talking for us And when we were talking, it was either to one another, or to our server, Jake. Lemme tell ya, knocked it out of the park. His timing was on point. He never hovered, and he practically appeared out of nowhere when our need for him arose. I literally said to him at one point: "your timing is impeccable!" He was delightful, funny, knowledgeable, and very easy to converse with. Our visit would have been wonderful with the food alone, but Jake made the experience particularly memorable. Thank y'all - especially Jake and the chefs - for such a wonderful (and rare for us) date night.

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    4.1(844 reviews)
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    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!

    Could have been much better. Many of their dishes are very…read moresweet, instead of savory. Salsa was the best thing. Music was so loud in the back room areas that you could not even have a conversation with others at your table. When I asked to have the music turned down, I was ignored. Dishes were on the pricer side. We won't be back.

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    Inside view

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    Fonda San Miguel - Tacos Al pastor, Cadillac margarita and numero uno margarita

    Fonda San Miguel

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    6.0 miRosedale, Allandale
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    We had the best server! Could only get a5:45 reservation so we wanted to ease in to dinner, and our…read moreserver made it happen. We had a drink, delicious prickly pear margarita! He brought warm chips and salsa...he gave great recommendations and we ordered a second drink... We told him when we wanted the food and it arrived soon after, and could not have been more delicious! Duck special with green mole, and chicken enchiladas suizas. So delicious all around! Love the decor. Beautiful light fixtures, warm Mexican vibe throughout...

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    Bar

    Fonda San Miguel - Cochinita Pibil

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    Matt's El Rancho - mexican - Updated May 2026

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