The duck carnitas taco is LIFE-CHANGING!!! Every time I'm in town, I make it a priority to get a taco from Nixta. Nothing compares to the flavor of both the carnitas and the masa used for the tortilla. It is legit my favorite taco in the world. Although on the pricier side, this taco is LOADED! So much meat and flavor ***** Highly suggest getting the salsa flight with your tacos******* I will warn you: their habanero salsa is EXTREMELY SPICY, but flavorful My second favorite item on the menu is the tomato salad. Their salad incorporates tomatoes from their garden located on their back patio and is drizzled with Chileatole dressing and costeno chili crisps. Even my tomato-hating friends enjoy this dish. The tomatoes' freshness is unmatched, and the presentation is absolutely beautiful. This is a seasonal dish, so get it while you can! If you plan to get the Tuna Tostada, make sure you get it with salsa macha! It tastes way better with the salsa macha; without it, I feel the dish is missing something. The pieces of tuna they use are FAT and they do not skimp on the avocado. If you want to sit inside, reservations are required. Otherwise, you can order outside and be seated in the back. They give you a number to set at your table. Not only is the food delicious, but the staff is so friendly, omg! Even the owner, Chef Edgar, takes the time to say hello and make sure everything is great. I absolutely love it here read more

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Made a reservation for lunch on a Saturday, and were quickly seated in Nixta's comfortable dining room. We placed orders for our tacos and enjoyed a Mexican Coke while we waited. I was surprised by how long it took for our tacos to arrive. Here's what we ordered: 1. Bean & cheese tacos - these were my favorite. The Panela cheese, the beans, the freshly made tortilla - chefs kiss. 2. Tuna tostada taco - this was fine but nothing special. 3. Duck Carnitas - I don't eat duck but my partner ordered this and said that while it was good she didn't understand the hype. Limited vegetarian options as most items contain duck fat in some form (including beans). Overall I think this place is pretty good but ridiculously overpriced. Glad I tried it but I don't think I'll be back. read more

Nixta Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Fabulous--that is the one word that best describes the food at Nixta, and it is no wonder they went from James Beard recognition to earning a Michelin award. If you simply drove by, you might think it was just another East Austin hole-in-the-wall, completely missing the hidden gem inside. Their website mentions that reservations are typically only available for the tasting menu; however, during the summer, they also accept reservations for à la carte dining. After our first visit, I will definitely be back to try the tasting menu! We enjoyed the duck carnitas taco, tuna tostada, chips & dips, esquites, and masa tempura potato taco. We happened to dine on a Wednesday and were pleasantly surprised to discover that bottles of wine are half off! The food and service were impeccable from start to finish. One thing to note: if you need to contact them, email appears to be the best--and possibly only--option, as I could not find a phone number listed. Definitely a hidden East Austin gem worth seeking out! read more

Pro tip: Happy Hours from 5-6 PM, chips and salsitas (multiple house made salsas) and drink specials. Chef knows what he's doing here. You're coming here for the fresh ingredients that come straight from the open garden, and the nixtamalized heirloom corn tortillas and creations. A la carte tacos and tostadas are what you'll enjoy most and easiest, but there's also the opportunity to plan for a reservation-only "masa omakase" tasting menu. Looking forward to checking that out in the future!! The star of the evening was the masa custard dessert. Wow. I've never tried something like this before and the pairing between textures and other flavors (caramel, cacao nibs, creme Fraiche)...literally melted in my mouth with each bite. Be adventurous and give it a try!! Added plus? Relaxing bathroom with such a cool vibe (including music) Donation fridges for the community! read more

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Came here for brunch with my bf. Make reservations if you don't want to sit outside in this Texas heat. Favorites were the duck taco, tuna taco, and the specialty potato fish roe taco. The beet one was good but quite pickled so not for everyone. All in all, a great brunch! read more

Nixta Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a really good spots to try unique flavors. The chefs wife is Persian so there are for sure Iranian flavors in the dishes. Heads up they don't have inside sitting if you are not doing the tasting menu so it's hot. They do have plenty of fans but it still can get hot and stinky. By our waiters recommendation we got the following: Carrot tostada : for sure try this, it's such a unique tostada but the flavors were amazing. Tuna tostada: this was yummy as well duck carnitas: they were great and flavorful Tomato salad: this was very fresh and right on with flavors for hot summer day. Chips & dip: the bean dip that comes with it is yummy and the salsa is smoked and has a kick to it. Cheese quesadilla: if you have kiddo ask for suave on the sauce as our son was not fan of it but i tried it and it was good. Enchilada potosina tacos: it's a nice vegetation dish " Sholeh Zard": this is a staple Iranian dessert and the way they i for paired both Persian and Mexican flavor was amazing. read more

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Good food and friendly service characterized our visit to Nixta Taqueria. Really loved the tuna tostada with sushi-grade fish and flavor profile. Recommended read more

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I will be thinking of the tuna tostada for the next 5-7 business days. It was honestly so so good. Tried a couple of tostadas here and honestly all of them were the stuff of dreams. The waygu was a special and absolutely delicious. The beet tartare was also so unique. Everything here is amazing. You truly won't be disappointed read more

Nixta Taqueria - Tuna Tostada - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

A group of friends and I had a celebratory meal here on Saturday. Most of the seating was outdoor and the decor and ambiance was as if we were having a backyard bbq. They even had their own garden for their vegetables. The music playing in the back was a great classic hip hop playlist. The staff here was very welcoming, warm and accomodating. Since it was a special occasion, we gave Sara and Chef Edgar control of the wheel to cook us up a menu for the night. Oh boy did they deliver. Everything from the chips and salsa to appetizers, entrees, desserts and drinks were spectacular! A few standouts were the tuna tostada, duck carnitas tacos, duck cooked two ways and the wagyu steak. I will have dreams about those dishes. Best meal of the weekend by far. Oh and their bathroom is a vibe! Sara and Edgar, if you guys get to read this, on behalf of our group, thank again for the hospitality and amazing food. Hope to visit again! read more

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My nephew reccomended this spot while visiting Austin. The owner/chef has a list of accolades and the menu looked delicious! This spot has an indoor restaurant and casual outdoor seating with a laid back vibe. We placed our order at the outdoor counter with a staff member who was so patient and helpful in working with our group on dietary restrictions. She also provided reccomendations and popular items. Once you order, step through the gate and you'll see covered outdoor seating and a vegetable garden. It felt like we were sitting in someone's backyard. The staff was so friendly and the food arrived fairly fast. No need to get back in line out front if you want more food. They'll take your order at the table. The table ordered a variety of tacos. The Duck Carnitas Taco was reccomended and those that ordered it loved it. For vegetarian/vegan options, we tried the Beet Tartare Tostada and Cauliflower Taco. The Cauliflower Taco was made Vegan. The ingredients on all the tacos were flavoful, fresh, and plentiful and the homemade yellow and blue corn tortillas were delicious. The vegan/vegetarian options were delicious as well. One Taco that was not particularly a favorite was the Enchilada Potosino Taco made with potato, chorizo, duck fat refried beans, and too much shredded cabbage. Overall, great service and delicious tacos! There is parking available in lot adjacent to the resteraunt. read more

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After trying Michelin's Bib Gourmand, I felt like their take on tacos/tostadas was very interesting. The beans were really good, surprisingly their bean and cheese taco was the star for me. 5/5 However, I felt like this might not have been my favorite restaurant, each item individually was like ~$6-10. The quality of the food seemed great, but it didn't deliver flavor nor was it anything out of the ordinary. The corn tortillas were good, handmade for sure. Their salsas could include a habanero, tomatillo, and chipotle/bbq flavored sauce (unsure), but I wish they included a more authentic jalapeño Serrano salsa. The enchiladas potosinas, were not good in my opinion. I've had enchiladas from San Luis and not even close to that flavor. Overall, a nice experience but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it unfortunately. read more

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Our son surprised us with our last meal of the day...dinner at Nixta. I noticed this place was well recognized on YELP and also had a Michelin Star. I was very curious to try their well known tacos and tostadas. We stood in a line, in a covered area outside to order. Noticed there weren't any menus to look at, until it's your turn to order. Highly recommend placing easy access menus to browse while waiting. Once it was our turn, the girl behind the counter was so patient and helpful. She answered our questions and wanted to make sure we had a great experience, especially since some of our group had dietary restrictions. Seating outdoors was plentiful behind the restaurant. They have a beautiful vegetable garden adjacent, I imagine they utilize many of the greens for the menu items. Excellent service table side outdoors- servers brought the food to our table, provided water, and cleaned and boxed up any leftovers. We ordered a variety of tacos and tostadas- the most popular amongst the group were the duck carnitas taco and the tuna tostada. I ordered and absolutely loved my beets tartare tostada. Totally non dairy and there was a generous portion of beet tartare and the crema salsa was delicious. Soooo fresh!! And the micro greens were perfect. A little pricey, but my beet tartare tostada was plenty enough. Fresh food, excellent service! read more

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This place serves many functions. It's dark violet and crimson lighting, cool jams and al fresco seating make it ideal for a lazy date night, group parties, or even a quick solo meal for you loners out there. It's counter service, allow that to affect or not affect your gratuity payment, as you see fit. They have a medium sized garden, which provides some, but not all the kitchen's produce (I'm guessing). There's a real Robert Rodriguez, Dusk till Dawn atmosphere pervading the premises, nowhere moreso than the bathrooms: think an altar of a North Mexican Catholic Church where violence is foreboding. For the food, I had two things, so not a very comprehensive review of the menu. One was a stellar blue fin tostada. The raw fish seasoned perfectly with salt and lime to make it taste more of blue fin tuna than if seasoned any less. Sort of an alchemy in that. A chili aioli drizzled over that, then micro herbs placed on top. Tortillas made in house. They're like a Harvey Dent Two Face: half yellow corn and half blue corn. Or better still, they are crafted in the manner of the hostess/cashier's hair. That very welcoming young girl wore her hair parted in the middle. One side bleached blonde, the other black. So I suppose she is the official tortilla muse of Nixta Taqueria. The other thing I ordered was a confit duck taco. To be honest, it was a little cold and didn't taste much of duck, though it certainly was. I imagine this had something to do with the fat used for the confit. read more

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Really enjoyed our lunch visit to Nixta Taqueria. They delivered on what we were looking for - innovative, tasty tacos. We arrived just before opening on a Saturday (afraid of long lines), and were the 3rd group seated. The patio is nice and Dog Friendly. We made the trip to Austin with our little Vizsla so it was nice to find places she could be comfortable. We ordered the Special Brisket Breakfast Taco, the Beet Tartare, Chips and Salsa, Bean, Cheese and Chorizo taco, duck carnitas taco, tuna tostada, and the "Enchilada Taco". All were tasty, but if I was going to rank them we probably wouldn't get the Enchilada Taco on a return visit. The others were just too good. The Beet Tartare was outstanding and the simple Bean Cheese and Chorizo taco might have been the overall favorite. Very attentive service. We are glad we visited!! read more

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Everything was full of flavor. We started out with a basic few tacos and oh my... they were so delicious our curiosity took over. We ordered another round. We wanted to try them all. What made the 5 star was not just how delicious the food was but the fact that we were able to meet both husband and wife Chefs who were out and about serving and meeting the customers! That was so cute and such a refreshing vibe! Love it! Will come back to check out the special reservations they have with seasonal menu! Thank you Sara and Edgar! You made our small birthday celebration special! Rach and Ceci read more

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A unique take on tacos which my husband and I enjoyed! A simple, outdoor, and relaxed vibe food place in Austin where the staff is awesome and the service is pretty good! The taco dishes are served fresh and are good!!! We loved the chips as well. Here are some photos but forgot their names. If you ever find yourself in Austin, check out this place! P.S. There is a pastry shop that also serves coffee beside the place (I did forget its name). I was not able to get any pastries because they ran out at the time but their café de olla is on point. It's not that sweet but just right and still strong! read more

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Rating: 3.7/5 [take out] We came on a Saturday about 10 minutes before opening (5 PM) and were the first ones there. People began lining up behind us shortly after. At 5:01 PM, someone came out to start setting up, which took about 5 minutes, and our order took roughly 17 minutes to prepare. Nixta looks like a ghost kitchen since all seating is outside. They recommended we wait in their outdoor patio so they could find us when our takeout order was ready. Nixta makes their own tortillas and masas using heirloom corn from Mexico, and what makes them especially unique is that their tortillas are half blue and half yellow which makes them beautiful to look at. Duck Carnitas Taco ($10): The duck confit was extremely greasy. The flavors were okay, but the texture wasn't pleasant. I was the most excited for this one but wouldn't order it again. Tuna Tostada ($15): Huge slices of yellowfin tuna that were fresh enough with good flavors. This was my friend's favorite. Beet "Tartare" Tostada ($9): I misread this and thought it was beef, but it ended up being a pleasant surprise. It was the best-looking item, with lovely piping of avocado crema. They gave a generous portion of beet and seasoned it very well. This was my favorite of the four items we tried. Wagyu Tlayuda ($32): This was a waste of money. I looked up what a tlayuda was and it's supposed to be like a Mexican pizza, but this came out more like a quesadilla. It was barely filled, with lots of empty spaces, especially around the edges. There was far more cheese than meat, and the wagyu didn't shine at all. It was one of the most underwhelming things we ate; even Taco Bell's ground beef has a more prominent flavor. The best thing about this entree was actually the sauce. Nixta is great to try once, but there's nothing that makes me want to come back. While they have unique tacos and tostadas, they're overpriced for what you get. read more

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Delicious done right. When I was recommended nixta Taqueria by my cousin, she told me that it was one of the best spots that Austin had to offer. I did not know that I was gonna be getting myself into one of the best meals of the trip. We waited in line, maybe 20 minutes, which wasn't too terrible for a Friday night. After ordering from the friendly staff, we grab seats in the heated tent, which was nicely set up. Because the menu looked super good I got an assortment of things to try! My favorite was the camote taco -- the sweet potato had a delicious smoky flavor and was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The tortilla was so unique and fresh-- usually I'm not a corn girly but their heirloom corn flour was making me reevaluate my life choices. A solid bean and cheese taco. I like the cauliflower as well, but by that point I was pretty stuffed. It has been repeatedly shown that humans have a second stomach for sweets so when the sholey zard rice pudding came, I was ready for round two of the meal. The rice was really creamy with interspersed notes of pistachio. I love cardamom and I wish it was a little bit more cardi forward but nbd. Overall, super worth it and highly recommend !!! read more

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This Mexican place? A whole vibe. The décor alone had herbs everywhere, kinda makes you feel like you're sitting in a garden eating tacos, which honestly love that. The food was great. The tuna + beets tacos were both amazing. sweet potato and cauliflower were surprisingly good as well Heads up the Chips and dip, you'll finish them before you realize it. Great outdoor seating too. If you're nearby & plan a fancy taco (little fancier than usual), don't skip it. Seriously, go. read more

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Nixta was recommended to us as wee were told they have unique meals and a duck taco. We stopped at lunchtime on a Friday and it was not that busy. Its kind of tucked away in a residential-ish area, but they do have a small parking lot otherwise there is street parking. We got the chips n dips, duck carnitas taco, and a quesadilla with chorizo. To drink we got horchata and the seasonal (cantalope) agua fresca. The chips and dips were good, the salsa morita has a nice smoked flavor with a good kick and the duck fat refried beans are the perfect pairing to help cool it down. The quesadilla was smaller than I thought but still good and the chorizo had a nice kick. The dining space is covered and there are a variety of tables and beautiful colors throughout. read more

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The duck confit was absolutely amazing. Unbelievably tender and dripping with flavor. The Enchilada Potosina Tacos were pretty good too, but I wish there was a little more salsa to wake up the potato purée. read more

Nixta Taqueria - Duck Carnitas Taco - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Nixta is such a cute, colorful spot with a strong veggie forward menu that feels exciting. There are tons of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options, and nothing feels like an afterthought. I had the beet tartare tostada and it was so good. Fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. I'm still thinking about it. I also love that they have a community fridge on the side. It adds so much heart to an already special place. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to! read more

Went on a Friday for lunch and it wasn't too crowded yet when we arrived around 12:00p. I've heard that it gets really crowded on the weekend though so try to get there early and hop in line or go on a weekday if you want to avoid the line. The seating is outdoors so arrive early if you want to get the shaded tables. The duck carnitas taco was soooo good, very tender with fresh ingredients and veggies on top. The tuna tosdada was also very good, crunch tortilla, fresh tuna, with a not overbearing aioli. The tacos aren't huge but they aren't small either, so probably get two or maybe three if you're hungry. Overall food was much better than expected from just reading the menu! Would definitely come back to try their other options! read more

Nixta Taqueria - Duck Carnitas Taco - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I really wanted to like this place from the rave reviews, but unfortunately, the quality of my tacos didn't meet my expectations. The duck carnitas held plenty of meat, but overall, I thought the taste was very one dimensional. It could've used some acid to make the flavors pop more and some crunch for added texture. The tuna tostada was also plentiful with tuna, but there were parts that were overly salty. I liked the addition of the avocado to contrast the crunch, but it needed something refreshing, like cucumbers to round it out. The place itself is very Austin. They only have outdoor seating, but their patio is nicely decorated, bringing a sort of intimate ambiance when dining at night. They have water stations available and the food is delivered to your table. Unfortunately, for the price ($25 for a taco and tostada), the whole meal left me feeling underwhelmed. read more

Nixta Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came here for dinner on a Wednesday evening. We had a short wait to order our food, and found plenty of seating out back. Was a bit tough to tell from the pictures, but all the seating is outdoors, with most of it covered and having a good amount of fan coverage Overall we had a really good experience and definitely want to come back and try more! I had the bean and cheese taco with chorizo and the tuna tostada. I also had the rice pudding for dessert Both the taco and tostada were fantastic! The panela cheese had a good dense texture, the beans were exceptionally rich and delicious, and the chorizo gave a nice kick and bit of additional richness The tuna was fresh and flavorful, they also gave plenty of the tuna to make it a pretty dense tostada. The other add ins complimented the tuna well, particularly the avocado. With all that said, $25 for the above taco + tostada is a hefty price to pay, especially when it's an outdoor counter service type restaurant. The quality was great and I liked how different all our dishes were from other places we've been to, but even with high quality that price will keep this spot from being a more regular option for me The rice pudding was good but a little overpowered by the powders, particularly the cinnamon. The price to quantity ratio here did bother me more, probably because it wasn't as up to par as the main courses. Definitely needs more actual pudding to make that volume of powder palatable Overall had a very good experience! I'll probably skip on the desserts in the future, but would definitely want to come back and try more of the tacos/tostadas read more

Nixta Taqueria - Bean and Cheese taco with chorizo - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

We took our son here to celebrate his graduation. The restaurant's name gave no hint that this was a Persian dining experience. Our knowledge of Persian cuisine has been limited, and the fact that we don't eat meat didn't help with the exploration. I found this restaurant by accident--it was mentioned as a Michelin favorite on one of the sites. Well, this place was unique. The dishes were both a visual spectacle and a culinary triumph. We went through six rounds of incredible dishes. This is a truly remarkable restaurant on an international scale. It reminded us of our far-flung dining adventures, except there was no flying required this time. read more

As adventourous eaters, Austin appears to be a great city to explore. They appear to have several taco haunts with loyal following that are not national chains. Tonight, we were on a quest for a local spot that was unique. Nixta Taqueria on paper looking interesting and had favorable reviews. The building is not much to speak about, but the backyard was complete with gardens, covered seating, fans and picnic benches for large parties. A bit rough on a Texas summer evening! The menu has more vegan options and is meat light. We ordered out front and moved to the backyard for seating. It was hot but the fans moved the air nicely. We ordered chips and salsa, beet tartar tostado, beans / chipolte mayo / cheese tacos, duck tacos, squash taco, and an enchilada potosina. They do have a happy hour special on a few dishes and drink discounts. The chips with two dips were very tasty and had good flavor. The beet tartar tostado with salsa macha, avocado crema, horseradish, lime and microgreens was best of night dish. It was innovative, refreshing and cool on a hot summer night. The duck tacos had duck confit, radish, salsa cruda, onions, and cilantro. It was juicy and packed with delightful flavor profile. The bean, panela cheese and chorizo tacos were fair. The acorn squash taco with verde salsa macha, whipped queso fresco, and spicy honey had a unique flavor that was not identifiable as squash. An interesting dish! Finally, an enchilada potosina contained potato and chorizo puree, duck fat refried beans, cabbage, tomato salsa and queso enchilada. It was ok, but no real flavor. We were excited to try a local, unique and rustic taco haunt. The service was non-existant other than delivering food. There were hits and some misses with our selections. My biggest problem is the prices were extremely high at $9.00 for a very small, 2-3 bite taco and virtually no service. I get that they are vastly different but a $135 bill for chips / salsa, 3 beers and 9 small tacos is over priced. I don't mind spending money for great flavor but this appears to me to be outrageous. I won't be returning but wish them the best. P.S. I went back to the website, your fees are 30% less from the charged fees. Just be honest! read more

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Food was amazing! You can taste the freshness. Staff was very kind. Their special - slow cooked carnitas taco which was our favorite dish! The Horchata was good too! read more

Nixta Taqueria - Tuna tostada, duck carnitas taco and enchilada potosina taco - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Loved the ambience as we sat outside. We ordered tacos and all of them were great. Especially the tuna and squash tacos! The breakfast tacos were ok (too much egg). The sauces were delicious too with the chips! Servers are very friendly and dogs are allowed! read more

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I would come back for the chips and duck carnitas! This place is all outdoor seating with fans, so plan accordingly for the weather. Ordering is pretty seamless, I would recommend getting 2-3 tacos per person. The duck carnita taco was so flavorful and the tortilla was perfection. The chips and dips are definitely a must get to, these were probably some of the best chips I've ever had because they are cooked in fat. Also, if you are vegetarian get the carrot taco. It was season very well. For 2 hungry people, be prepared to spend at least $100. read more

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Visited on my most recent trip to Austin after hearing great things. It's an order at the counter kind of place, not usually my favorite setup but I was determined to give it a shot. We arrived around 6 to 7 PM on a Friday and were met with a decent line, about 10 people ahead of us and it moved pretty slowly. They have signs posted along the line explaining that the pace is intentional, meant to give guests a chance to learn about the food as they order. I really liked that message and was on board with the idea. But when I got to the counter, there wasn't much of an "education" moment happening. I had a couple of questions, which were answered pretty quickly and without much detail. Not a big deal, but the signs definitely set different expectations. The menu is pretty small which I actually prefer. They also had a specials board with a few seasonal items. The drinks menu was much more extensive, mostly wine but also a few nonalcoholic options and some low abv drinks. I ordered the cactus fruit rita which was delicious and super pretty. They poured it right at the counter and hand it to you before you head out to the patio. All the seating is outdoors on a large beautifully decorated patio. I assume the indoor area is reserved for their tasting menu, which I had looked into but was already booked up. They also have a garden on site, which I loved. You can literally see where your ingredients are coming from!!! The food started arriving pretty quickly after we sat in no particular order. I had the quesadilla with chipotle mayo and avocado. It was a smaller portion but I really liked their take on it, especially with the panela cheese. I also tried a seasonal special the wagyu tetela which was incredible. It came with a salsa de arbol that was pretty spicy but it was hands down my favorite dish of the night. Given this spot's reputation I expected the prices to be high for smaller portions, and I think it was fair for the quality we got. The only reason I'm knocking off a star is because, as a foodie, I really enjoy learning about the dishes I'm eating. They advertised that kind of experience, but it didn't come through. Still overall a great meal in a cute setting! read more

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My new favorite restaurant in austin! I don't know where to start- the vibes, the decor, the food, the service. Everything IMMACULATE. The carrot tostada changed my life, and I'm not exaggerating. The drinks are also so fun. The vibe is like backyard-farm-picnic. The prices are higher than other places around, but honestly worth it IMO. The dishes and ingredients are creative yet feel grounded in real ingredients. Can't wait to go back and try the beet tostada next!! read more

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This is a lovely establishment with great service, eclectic style/flavor combinations, quality ingredients, etc. Everything about Nixta Taqueria screams five stars to me except the price. I'm far more likely to spend $25 for three beef fajitas ala carte + guacamole at any number of participating taco spots than the $40 here where my stomach is left rumbling, but I'll look forward to coming back here whenever another friend group decides we should. TL;DR: Delicious, beautiful, pricey tacos. read more

Nixta Taqueria - Three tiny tasty tacos + Mexican Coke = $40 - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place is an absolute gem! The ambiance is incredibly sweet, with a beautifully lit garden that makes the whole space feel warm and intimate. Definitely a cute date spot or catching up with friends. The most popular was the duck taco and it didn't disappoint. Truly mouth-exploding and flavorful! read more

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It was a cold day, so we sat inside the tiny and extremely colorful restaurant. It was cozy and a banquet for the eyes. Service was outstanding. I am well aware of the credentials of this restaurant and I have been there several times. Food fusion can be and often is a fun idea, except when it upsets your tummy. Corn chips cooked in greasy duck fat? No thank you. We were all having tummy troubles after lunch there. They were... "tan grasosos!" In fact, it seems that every opportunity to use duck fat, instead of vegetable, sunflower, or other oils, was taken. Duck fat was delicious in the refried beans that were offered with the chips. But I really don't want it in every course. I loooved the Morita sauce and might have to go back expressly to eat it again. The enchilada potosina taco for $9, featuring potato & chorizo purée, duck fat refried beans, shredded cabbage, roasted tomato salsa, and queso enchilado, was a culinary adventure, but it lacked the fresh salsa punch I was hoping for. I'd eat it again if it was served to me, but I wouldn't order it. The tuna tostada for $15 was fresh and exciting. Kind of like a ceviche and sashimi at the same time, served on a fried homemade tortilla with chipotle aioli, tamari and super thinly sliced avocado. Tostadas are strange concepts. Impossible to be a neat eater while consuming them, but the combo works. The duck carnitas taco for $9, with duck confit and watermelon relish, and lots of cilantro, was a delight, though served too cold. So much of the pleasure of eating it was lost. I enjoyed the staff here. They are so proud to be a part of this establishment. The prices are reasonable, considering the quality of the ingredients and the care with which they are presented. Two stars knocked off because I don't like tummy troubles. read more

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Nixta Taqueria is a solid place for traditional Mexican food and drinks. They have an outdoor garden where they grow their own food and use it within their dishes so you know everything is fresh. The food and drinks are great. Make sure to get there early as there can be a bit of a line and wait. But it's worth it. read more

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I have a list of all the Michelin rated place in Austin that I want to try, which is what brought me here. Honestly not sure how they got a Michelin Bib Gourmand. I got the duck carnitas and the tuna tostada. First I ate the duck carnitas. It was very gamy and honestly kind of foul. I tried to convince myself that it was good, but it was not, at all. And I know it's duck, but duck absolutely can be cooked well to remove the gamy-ness. This taco was one star. The tuna tostada was much better and actually really good, with delicious sashimi style raw tuna. That was 5 stars I would say. And the service was friendly overall. The one thing that bothered me was that it's a counter service restaurant, and I overheard the guy taking orders telling the people in front of me that tips are optional and that they get paid extra for service by the restaurant, but he didn't tell me that at all. And just in general, it rubs me the wrong way when they have a tip screen they flip around at counter service restaurants/food trucks. Lastly, the actual food was pretty pricey. The taco + tostada together were over $27 before tip (and I was weak this time and let myself get shamed into giving a tip, for whatever reason). So tack on another 18% read more

I stopped by Nixta Taqueria for dinner on a Thursday evening with my girlfriend. As first-timers we looked lost at the counter, but two friendly staff members could tell right away. They explained Nixta's story, from their homemade nixtamal with heirloom corn to the taco cooperative, and recommended some options. We sat out by their garden patio, surrounded by the plants and murals. It felt chill and perfect for dinner. The appetizers and tacos were great; fresh and flavorful like they pulled ingredients straight from the garden next to us. Standouts were the tostadas and tacos. I want to highlight the Sholeh Zard. Never tried it before, but I've had Indian kheer and Thai sticky rice desserts. This was similar but unique, a creamy rice custard infused with saffron, turmeric, and cardamom. The first bite hits with nutty pistachios, slight sweetness, and floral notes, then finishes with warming cinnamon and cardamom spices. Refreshing but comforting, total flavor journey. Nixta nails tradition mixed with cool twists, recommend for anyone wanting great tacos in a garden spot. We'll be back. read more

Nixta Taqueria - Chips + Beans + Salsa + Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I was recommended by a friend to try Nixta when I came to visit over the weekend! This spot blew me out of the water with the flavor profiles it brought. The duck taco is a must try (even if you don't eat duck like me) it doesn't taste like duck. The bean and cheese taco was also do different and flavorful I loved it! For vegans this is a must try taco! I felt very at home here and loved how intimate the atmosphere was. One of the chefs came out to talk to us and get to know us on a personal level which was a nice touch. read more

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It's nice and tasty and photogenic but I found the prices to be excessive. Expensive enough that I don't think I'll be coming back.