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

Who designed this menu?!? How can anyone read this? This 4-point-font requires a magnifying glass…read moreand surgical lighting to read. I'm 43. I have 20/20 vision. I'm not old. Yet. However, this is illegible. The pink on pink color scheme actively works against any sensible comprehension of what's to order. There is so much empty real estate on the back of the menu - QR code, etc. That wasted space could easily be used for a bigger font. Please redesign this IMMEDIATELY.

So good that we ate here twice on our trip!…read more Made me a believer of cactus. I thought it was their way of catering to vegetarians. I was wrong.... Amazing!

Taqueria de Diez is a hidden gem tucked away in an alley in downtown Austin--a true speakeasy-style…read moretaqueria that's fun to find and adds to the experience. The tacos were absolutely delicious and honestly reminded me a lot of the authentic flavors back home in California, which I really appreciated. The staff preparing the food were friendly and welcoming, which made the visit even better. The only downside was the bar service--the bartender came off a bit rude and had an attitude, which took away from the overall vibe. Overall, I'd give it 4 stars for the food and the taqueria staff, but 1 star for the bar service. Still worth checking out for the tacos alone!

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

Did some shopping in Austin and a sales associate recommended this place. Cute bar with Mexican…read moredecor (currently Dia de los muertos 'day of the dead' themed) and intimate lighting. Wonderful selection of tequila and mezcal, as well as tasty cocktails and tequila flights. There is also a separate business (Asado?) located in the back patio that offers tacos - scan a QR code located around the bar or tables to order ahead because it takes about 10 mins for food. Great place to grab for drinks, but not much food options unless you're looking for a light bite - specifically tacos from Asado.

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 dined on the patio on Wednesday evening & received what was easily the best food and service…read moreI've had in ages. Our server was a tall guy with brown hair- I can't remember his name but he was absolutely lovely. Knowledgeable, fast, polite & all of his recs were 10/10. The food was incredible, particularly the chicken and the sweet potatoes. The coconut Negroni was delicious & I'll be thinking about it until next time we go. Truly give that server a raise- outstanding.

Isabella and Hazel were amazing!!! We had a large group and they took care of our party. Will be…read moreback!!! Food was great.

Cruising on a street and decided to make a u-turn and parked. Came outta the car and saw this spot…read moreand decided to try this out for lunch! Glad we came in!! The hostess greeted us and sat us down and introduced us to Justin, our waiter, and this guy is AWESOME!! We got served chips & salsa but I had questions about the menu and Justin had answers. I ordered the Quesabirria Tacos and instead of rice/beans, I got it subbed for the Side Street Corn. The food was brought to us fairly quick and the tacos, my my my - it was soft, had flavor and had a light crunch to it. I thought it was different from other quesabirria tacos I've had in the past, but this was different and perfect. I will get this again for sure when we come back again and again and again Hahahaa!! =D The staff was wonderful and the overall experience was phenomenal. And with Justin, give him a PHAT BONUS!! He's a great asset to this establishment for sure!!!

Eldorado Cafe is an Austin institution. The place is on and popping...always! We arrived at 8 pm…read moreon a Tuesday evening and there was a 20 minute wait, which turned out to be a lot less. My friend ordered chicken flautas whereas, I ordered two corn tacos (one chicken and one pork). Both dishes were quite tasty. In addition, my friend ordered a watermelon mocktail, which she enjoyed. Our server, Adriana and her trainee, Roger were very attentive and accommodating. The restaurant was busy but not chaotic. Everyone seemed to be in their own little worlds. Sedate atmosphere... Great food, service and fellowship.

Popped in here on a Tuesday night with a friend around 8 PM and I was kind of shocked how busy they…read morewere. There was about a 15 minute wait and we waited inside and thankfully the table was ready before the 15 minutes was up. Service was prompt and attentive, my friend got tacos, don't recall which ones, and I got the flautas. Next time is totally get queso or something alongside as they were a tad dry but very crispy and the chicken was cooked well. Had leftovers as well. Got the watermelon nojito mojito and man that was amazing, very refreshing and fresh!

This attractive rooftop cantina feels sophisticated but vacation-casual, indoor and outdoor, Mexico…read moremeets Miami, and I assume the vibe level goes up as it gets later. But the five stars is for the guacamole. The Chicken Pibil Quesadilla "Pizza" (chihuahua, cotija, oaxaca, smoked tomatoes, jalapeño, chimichurri, crema, epazote) was good, but the guacamole was stellar, and we are picky. It could have been the pomegranate or the pickled jalapeño or the red onion (all listed on the menu), but I really think they juiced a whole lime. It is like "try to replicate at home" good. It is like "best thing we ate in Texas this trip besides maybe those two slices of butter cake" good.

I would give this place no stars if I could. Never before have I felt so unwelcomed at a…read morerestaurant. It was a Saturday night, and my friends in I were downtown looking for somewhere to eat. We found their sign down on the street and decided to try them. Immediately upon walking in, we felt unwelcomed. We waited 10 minutes at the front desk for someone to even address us, and then were told to wait while they cleared off a table for us. Twenty minutes later, we went back up to ask about the table and were actually told by the staff that they forgot about it. Finally a table was set for us and we sat down. We all ordered drinks and asked for water at this point. The water was brought, but we waited and waited for our drinks. After another 20 minutes and watching the bartenders (who were not busy this evening) make no moves to make our drinks, we got up and left. I have never had such an experience at a restaurant before. I guess if you do not have a reservation, you are unwelcome here.

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.

ATX Cocina has one of the best happy hours in Austin in terms of food quality! The HH menu is small…read morebut curated well! Happy hour is from 5-6pm Monday through Thursday and it gets busy! I started with a strong house margarita and followed it up with a lychee martini (not on the HH menu) The martini was really pretty but tasted more like a strawberry lemonade. Tacos de Pescado and Tacos Alambre were delicious!! I also ordered Hamachi (not on the HH menu) which was the best hamachi I've ever had, seriously! The flavors were tangy, sweet and paired perfectly. I enjoyed the Tacos de Pescado just as much as the hamachi the pickled cabbage was the surprising star of the plate! Our server (Taylor?) was very sweet. She explained the menu well and made great recommendations. Parking is very tricky in the area so I took rideshare! There's a parking garage across the street though.

Pretty mixed. The enfrijolada I wouldn't get again. It had a strong lemony flavor, especially from…read morethe veggies, and it took over everything. I wanted to taste the poblano, ricotta, and mole, but the acidity was too much. Guac was really good. The small slices of jalapeño gave it a nice kick. Chips were way too salty though. Esquites were just okay. I usually like a little sweetness, but these leaned more savory, not really my thing. Queso fundido wasn't for me either. The pickled chiles didn't work, I think onions and tomatoes would've been better. Machete was the best part. Huge portion, really good, and I added corn which made it even better.

This spot get busy so come when they're open unless you call in for a reservation beforehand!!…read more Decided to come here for happy hour and sat at the bar. Greeted by Barry, he helped out on drinks and appetizers. Glad he was able to help decide on what to order cuz what was ordered was full of flavor and delicious!! Came in a few weeks later and back at the bar and this time Jimmy helped out. The staff here is awesome and the food, fan-friggn-tastic!! Going to come here again and again and again and again Hahaa!!

Thank god for valet, cuz that location is wretched…read more They run a tight ship - speedy and attentive - though some of the prices are whack. The bar staff seems a bit of a mixed bag but it's all good if you're just getting shots and beers. Margs seemed fine. Ambiance is the real winner here, but I clocked some table locations that seemed like real losers in that regard.