This place keeps hanging on. It used to be one of my go to's when I lived down the street. Last time I was here was probably pre-COVID. It hasn't changed much. This is interior, not TEX-MEX. Mexican martini is worth the $. Caldo Xochiti is the bomb. It used to be my lunch favorite. Chili Colorado is the best. Get the corn tortillas. Always nice folks and reasonable prices. read more

Amazing food and service with a down to earth atmosphere that feels rare in downtown Austin

The snapper is a 5 star dish without a doubt. Fresh fish sauced beautifully in banana leaf Salsa / guacamole good Service super nice and helper read more

See all

The rudest workers and staff I have ever encountered. They even brought a knife outside when I accidentally parked in their area and I was terrified as a young woman by myself. read more

Sazón - The rude worker out front - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Old school Tex-mex... This is classic Austin Texas-mex, the interior is pretty much what it used to be back when, as is the menu, and quite probably the prices too. Nothing that'll blow you away, but all happily satisfying. read more

See all

Service was touted as amazing and it was not. Empty restaurant and still a long wait for food. Prices okay. Quality was lacking. Parking lot is bad. Not particularly memorable, but Yelp promoted me to review read more

I've been coming in for years with a group of friends. Owner very nice to them. I came in during the pandemic for to go to help them with business. Love the waitresses and bus people. Food mediocre. I come in with friends to visit with them, not for the food. When I come in alone during the week, to help their business, I am practically ignored by the owner. I sat at the bar alone today while he was behind bar. He didnt acknowledge me. I left after 20 minutes. He has seen me over 100 times. read more

Old man was super rude when I picked up food from here. I misheard him and this caused me to repeat myself and this angered him greatly.... Snapped at me rudely. Get a grip girl. It was not that serious. Be kind. read more

Best Mexican food in Austin. Been here a few times and every time is so good. Great chips and salsa also.

Was a nice simple meal for lunch getting pork tacos with traditional rice. Manager was attentive

Our favorite Mexican spot in the neighborhood. Excellent food and Margarito's is one of the few places that is still fully kicking the old South Austin vibe. We frequent this place and love how many other regulars we get to see with every visit. One of the best molé's in town and the pipan sauce on a classic cheese relleño is to die for! Pair any of the dishes with the "Pink Cadillac" top shelf rita and you will be in heaven. Here we are always enjoying a great meal with family. Our Sazón familia! :-) read more

Sazón - Margarito deservedly proud of his Pastor tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

I had the conchinita pibil with rice and beans, it was good and came out fast. Homemade corn tortilla were a plus. Patio seating with fans and shade helped with the warm temperature outside. Fast service and good food, Worth another visit to try something else on the menu. read more

Sazón - Conchinita Pibil. - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love this place. Real hole in the wall with old Austin vibes. Their food is incredible especially the enchiladas verde. Everything they serve is so fresh and just so so good. Also the guy who owns it is super nice and friendly. Just an overall great place. read more

I definitely think this is more of a happy hour and nosh moment, but if you have no set expectations and just simply want to catch up with your friends then this spot will definitely cover your needs. The menu is pretty concise but they have a few solid contenders. Every item I sadly ordered came to me wrong and to the point I just decided to not even make a fuss because it wouldn't get resolved. Service was a bit slow but the team seemed to not be as communicative with each other. There were a few times were we were idling waiting for drinks, chips for our queso, and napkins. The entrance for me was a tad confusing but if you're facing the outdoor patio from the front, the door wraps around on the left hand side. A few folks love to watch the games here so it's a bit of a restaurant meets sports bar. read more

Best Mexican restaurant in town! My girlfriend and I haven't had anything on the menu we don't love and their hidden gem is their coconut margarita. It's amazing read more

Sazón - Coconut Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

We walked in around 6:30 and it was completely empty, no waitress or hostess to be found - we thought it was closed. The waitress popped out from the back and got us started with chips and a delightfully spicy salsa. Everyone enjoyed their drinks and food, including the best dish (lucky me), beef medallions. Every bit of it was a surprise including the garlicky rice with bacon sprinkled on top. It was ridiculously priced at around $14. I don't know how they stay in business with such low prices but I will come back. Note: it's a little divey but in a good way. More for a casual dinner than a date. read more

Sazón - Beef medallions - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Beat fajitas in Austin, awesome patio, perfect vibe! Go to spot. Love Sazon so much!

Best chilaquiles in Austin. I almost didn't want to write a review for fear that this spot would get blown up and lose its divey old Austin charm. Should've taken a picture too as it was plated nicely. read more

This is kind of a a reminder of old school Austin and S. Lamar. The place is no frills but provides top notch margaritas and Mexican food. The quest and enchiladas are wonderful. Chips are made fresh. Everyone in there is nice. The parking lot is small but give this place a try. read more

Sazón - Small Queso - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Stopped in for a solo lunch between errands. I haven't been here in 2 decades. Sazon hasn't changed much in that time, although the pandemic has probably made an impact. Not very busy. Margaritas are still awesome! Food was okay but there is better interior Mexican cuisine a few miles in any direction. Not sure how much longer they'll be able to hold on... read more

Wanted to give this old Austin establishment a try and we're upset we did. The place was empty when we walked in which should have sent us running in the other direction. My husband really wanted to get Mexican food and I didn't want to be a Naggy bitch wife. So we sat down. The waitress was great and attentive. They brought out chips and salsa. We ordered queso. It didn't taste like any queso I've ever had...red flag. We should have stopped there but we continued. We ordered guac which came out looking grey and tasted like it had been sitting in their fridge for months. I ordered the flataus bc how can you fuck up fried food! And my husband ordered the chicken mole. The flautas were freshly fried but flavorless. The chicken had no flavor or seasoning. I drowned it in their green salsa. My husband was not happy with his meal either. Not sure how this place is still in business read more

I die a little inside every time a local Austin restaurant closes. It hurts not necessarily because I'm attached to every place but because every one of them played a role, some tiny and some massive, in my own Austin coming of age tale that began the first week of September 1999. Its the same way we mourn celebrities from our youth, think of talents like Robin Williams, David Bowie and Betty White. Then you think of the one-hit wonders who are now playing roadside bars, singing that one song three or four times to a couple dozen people, reminiscing of the good old days while they sing it for the fifteen-thousandth time. Sazón reminds me of the latter in so many ways. It was once a decent staple, the place you'd got for a good margarita and some carne guisada. You didn't expect to get blown away but you never got disappointed. Those seem like the glory days now... I don't even feel like describing the food because it's consistent with the rest of the experience. It just feels like the folks at Sazón have given up. The food had not flavor, the obviously store-bought tortillas were Randall's quality, not H‑E‑B. Nothing, absolutely nothing, reminded me of the Sazón from the past decade. I'm sorry all, it was just beyond disappointing. This place is sitting on a prime space on one of the busiest thoroughfares in one of the hottest emerging markets in the country, possibly the planet, and I don't think they realize the opportunity they're taking for granted. read more

Best Mexican food in Austin for the price. A true South Austin gem. Can't recommend it highly enough. The pipian verde, either enchiladas or the chicken plate, is one of the best dishes in town. read more

Given all the Mexican restaurants around and even on south Lamar, I would recommend going somewhere else. I had the chili relleno with chicken and it was totally flavorless. We were here for cinco de mayo and wanted to enjoy some frozen margs but they also had no flavor. Lots of flies outside, tables were dirty. Only reason I didn't give it 1 star was because the service was totally fine and the refried black beans were the most delicious refried bean I've ever had. But unless you're coming for a bowl of that, I would recommend you go elsewhere. read more

The food is very good. Fajita Meat is tender, flavors are great, the salsa is perfect spice, snapper was perfectly cooked, everything was great. Service is a bit slow but we had a lot of people. Very nice people. Ambiance is very cute and family friendly. Colorful, fun and a good place to just enjoy good food. read more

I'm not sure where I stand with this establishment yet. I liked that the cuisine is that of Interior Mexican cuisine, much like El Meson a few blocks away is also. PROS: + mole enchiladas tastes great + rice tastes great CONS: - dubious quality ingredients? (Tikin Xic made with tilapia, instead of the traditional grouper or drum) - ambience is in need of a huge update considering the prices on the menu - Oaxaca soup caldo xochitl is too plain. As of right now, I probably would still lean toward going to the other establishment nearby, but it's nice that this place is an additional option to South Central Austin for Interior Mexican cuisine. read more

See all

Waitress was great, great service. We sat at the little patio and it was pretty good. I had pastor tacos and they were delicious my wife had chicken caldo and she said it was real good and the prices were reasonable. Definitely coming back! read more

Small menu but excellent food. Recommend the pastor with corn tortillas, they are homemade. Finally you can go from with there Mexican martinis. read more

I came here with a big group of friends for a birthday dinner, a few of them were hyping up the food and I ended up very underwhelmed. My frozen coconut Margarita was the best part of my meal and was actually really good! I ordered the chicken flautas(one of my favorite dishes) and it was very dry and bland , even with the sauce and extra garnish on top. Out of 9 people, there were 4 who felt the exact same way. Regardless, the staff were amazing and very accommodating. I would definitely stop back in for a round of margaritas, but that's about it. read more

Sazón - Chicken Flautas de Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Food: terrible Value: terrible Atmosphere: ok Service: good Wow where should i start. chips are fried in old rancid oil, two teaspoons of non mixed guacamole with no seasoning - $8, Tasteless non seasoned chicken, and meh enchiladas with cheap cheese and no depth in salsa with two mediocre drinks - all for $75 never again So many better Mexican options in Austin! read more

Sazon is not fancy, but this South Lamar 'old Austin' holdout serves up strong margaritas and delicious interior Mexican food. As the pandemic grinds on, and more Austin original restaurants are blotted out by rising rent and a million mid-rise condo developments, places like this need our support. For really delicious food (standouts include the Cochinita Pibil and the house made mole sauce) and absurdly fair menu prices, please give Sazon a shot. Don't be alarmed by the small parking lot or the interior that is maybe a little worn and in need of updating. This little restaurant is worth your time. read more

My husband and I stopped here with a few of our Yelper friends for dinner. I had made reservations prior to coming here on a Saturday night. However, it was clearly not necessary (at least not on this particular Saturday or anytime??? Not sure on what is what). Most people who were dining/drinking were out on the patio area but we opted for inside seating. We were given chips and salsa and the waitress took our drink orders. Over half the table went with Mexican martinis. The Mexican martinis were okay but nothing compares to Trudy's. The chips seem store bought and my chip basket I was sharing with my husband had smaller pieces (end of chip bag pieces). The salsa was okay but honestly nothing to write home about. Now the meals were pretty good. I ordered the Tacos Al Pastor which is described as "Guajillo marinated pork is grilled with pineapple and topped with cilantro and onion. This Mexico City classic has its roots in the middle east." The tacos were decent and flavorful and the side of rice was amazing!! Note, I like rice but usually, I am never wowed by it. However, this rice was white with peas and carrots in it. My husband ordered the ENCHILADAS VERDES - Choose from cheese, chicken, veggie, or carnitas to fill two enchiladas which are topped with a tangy tomatillo sauce and jack cheese. He had chicken and had refried beans and rice. He thought it was decent and he also raved about the rice like me. If you want a cheaper meal with decent food that is not wow-worthy but tasty I would recommend coming here. Note the parking can be an issue since there is not a lot of parking on the side. This place could definitely use an update, especially in the bathroom. read more

Amazing pastor tacos & refried black beans! The mango margarita was just okay and the guacamole was a small portion, but there was great service. read more

I went to Sazón years ago, and it was amazing, left a great impression on my significant other and I. We decided to check it out again and met here with our out-of-town family. We came on a Friday evening right after 5pm, and it was (thankfully for us) not packed yet. The menu is condensed to one sheet, I'm sure it's due to Covid related changes. I took it as a good thing, the less options led to easier decision-making. I went with mole. What I can't recall at the moment is if they had both red and green mole (sauce) available. I remember that being something memorable to me the first time we went. I couldn't decide between the pipián mole (green) and the Oaxaca mole (red) and the server brought out a little sample of each with chips so I could try the mole before selecting my entree. Due to that memory, I decided to go with the Oaxaca mole chicken (I don't think they had the green one unless I missed it). It was delicious. Everyone enjoyed their food and the laid back atmosphere. Since it was not busy we were able to enjoy our meal and catch up, and it felt like we were visiting family. Those atmospheres are hard to replicate so come support this business. read more

I have food sensitivities to a lot of food I used to eat and being a visitor to the great city of Austin, I was desperately trying to find something to eat after a very long, hot day of no food. The server recommended a Mexican Martini, a personal recipe of the chef, which had tequila and triple sec. It comes out in a shaker and was absolutely delicious. However, as I had not eaten anything the entire day, it wasn't long before the drink took my legs out from under me. The chef kindly came out and helped me find a dish that would accommodate my sensitivities. I did order food, which came with a basket of tortilla chips, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was. I do remember corn tortillas being part of the dish. I will go back for another Martini when I'm in Austin again but next time, I'm padding the stomach first. I appreciate a place that is local and will work with my sensitivities. read more

There's a shirt hanging up over the bar in Sazon that says something like "the way that south Austin used to be" and that feels very true. Walking in here is like stepping into an old Austin that doesn't exist anymore, and these folks must own their building, and bless their hearts for keeping the place going. We went here for the first time last weekend and wanted to love it--we say that earnestly! we really did--but we're sad to report that most of the food was not very good. The frozen marg was cloying but the one on the rocks was better; salsa was super spicy, which was great, but the guac was completely unseasoned and boring. The caldo broth was basically water but we did enjoy the accompanying rice. The ensalada Mexicana was...strange. None of the ingredients seemed to go together very well and the ancho peppers were impossible to chew. Honestly, the best and most delicious dish we got was the tikin xic: the fish was well-cooked and the whole thing was super flavorful. Maybe we should have steered clear of the apps and stuck with a couple main dishes because we could have had a better experience. They were also completed understaffed since there seemed to be only one server for the entire restaurant indoors and out. Our hearts go out to this place and we want it to succeed, but we sadly don't see ourselves visiting again as of now. 2.5 stars, rounded up. read more

I'm not upset with the wait staff, I'm mainly upset at management that this place was understaffed during dinner time on a Saturday night. We sat outside because we had a doggy and the table was soaked from the water dispensing cool-down fans. The busser cleaned our table and after a couple minutes, we were soaked from the fans. By our second basket of chips and salsa, our waitress finally took our order. I ordered the flautas and the ceviche. Now I now realize that it was my own fault for not reading and seeing it was made with white fish instead of shrimp, but I do enjoy eating white fish and this ceviche wasn't too great tasting. I even had the rest of the table try it and nobody was impressed. Also I wish there were a spicier salsa!! The flautas were delicious, but the garlic rice was... meh. I asked for charo beans on the side and they were forgotten to be brought out but after I reminded her, they were delicious. The service was subpar and All I wanted to do was show my boyfriend some good mexican food from Texas as we're visiting from out of town and we ended up eating whataburger afterwards /: read more

Sazón - Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

My friend group always elects to come to Sazón for large gatherings. The main reason is the Mex marts which are served without the usual "two per person" rule. They are a real crowd pleaser but more tequila than I can handle, so I stick to my usual vodka soda. My go to dish is the Alambres De Vegetal. Beans, rice, and grilled vegetables. It's a good meal to keep things relatively light if you plan to go out after dinner. My other favorite is the Cameron Veracruz which is grilled shrimp in tomato sauce with a cup of rice. Again, not too heavy of a meal. It's a great spot just outside of downtown to gather and start your Saturday night without fighting crowds for a table. read more

Great place for good food and great hangout it isn't very decorated but plain in appearance but food really is tasty Tamarind margaritas yes I especially loved the good service quality food. I recommend for traditional Mexican food .i will return by a long shot read more

See all

My favorite neighborhood interior Mexican food spot in Austin. Perfect patio and the bar is a great place to dine too. Tasty margs, nachos, ceviche, fajitas. We are never disappointed. read more

Sazón - Carnitas enchiladas with pipian verde sauce and mole on the other. Both are amazing. Carnitas we're so flavorful! - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas