Every time I go to Austin, we go to either Freebird's for burritos, Taco Cabana for generic, or Pappasitos for the good stuff. These are all awesome and all, but anyone got any other suggestions?
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SF Bay Area
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Yuck to all those...well, except Taco Cabana. I still really love that place.
Jovita's and Polvo's are great, as well as La Reyna, which is the BEST in Austin, IMHO.
Breakfast tacos at La Mexicana Bakery are excellent.
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Unfortunately, Tex-Mex is in a real slump in Austin these days....and it's hard to say why. A lot of great places (Jalapeno Charlies; Casa Ramirez; etc.) closed when the inexplicable excitement over Taco Cabana moving to town happened years ago. Up until a couple of years ago, though, we still had a bunch of great little dives that had good, cheap, greasy Tex-Mex. Now, even the once-mighty Enchiladas Y Mas has gone downhill. All the places down S. 1st Street are equally mediocre. Ditto with the many little eastside eateries. We're overdue for a Tex-Mex resurgence!
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How I can't recommend Polvo's enough.
Yuuummmm
pecan sauce on enchiladas... yummmmm -
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If we keep TELLING people about Nopalitos, there will never be a table for us when we go there...
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hey Kate, someone mentioned to me that Nopalitos had a change in management. Do you know? My brother noticed the Menudo being different and he calls telling me there was new managment.
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Nopalitos was originally owned by an older couple, and their daughters were the waitresses. You may (or may not) have noticed that about a year ago, the daughters disappeared and were replaced by a couple of teenagers (granddaughters). The owners divorced about a year and a half ago, and since then they have seemed to take turns working in the kitchen, and I think they had a falling out with their daughters.
At any rate - unless the new management thing has happened VERY recently (I was there two weeks ago), it's still in the family - it could just be that they're shifting around responsibilities within the family.
Yeah - I go there far too often. There was once a time when the sisters were the waitresses that I was never handed a menu - they just brought me a water and coffee and asked "Breakfast tacos or Migas this morning, Kate?"
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Maudie's is good and has locations all over Austin. Not to mention what I believe is the best - Amaya's Taco Village in the shopping center of I-35 - by Grandys (Highland ---- something I think?)
That's my input - I have been in Austin for almost 25 years now, but I have to disagree with the slump theory - it's always there - just have to know where to look ;)
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what about Chuys! i really like their food and they have some of the best margaritas! mmm. i also really like Curras but i dont know if thats classified as "tex mex" but they have some amazing food.
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We used to have a weekly ritual of migas at Casa Garcia's on South Lamar... and I still love the gorditas at the Texican Cafe!
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if you are goin to papacitos for 'the good stuff', you may consider getting on the macdonald's frequent diner plan too...
ok, papsito's isn't THAT bad, but it ain't that good.
and freebird's? i wouldn't call it tex-mex tho it is a giant pile of food for not a lot of money, wrapped in a tortilla.
taco cabana is good fast tex-mex, and is far superior to the other two places you mentioned, in my nsho.
if you want good tex-mex, hit las manitas or guerro's for sit down, or the tamale houses or arrandas for faster variety or just go east of 35 and stop when you see a full parking lot.
i am a huge fan of curra's, but their claim to fame is more central/la quintana roo-esque mexican, altho they have good tex-mexish too. and their avacado margaritas make me cry, i miss them so much. :) -
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i'd be remiss as well if i didn't mention trudy's (their stuffed avacado is to kill your abuela for), manuel's downtown (they have super tortilla soup and their tres banderas is a great lunch bargain), la reyna on s 1st has great mole, and there are a number of other places in town that have great food as well. ya just gotta look for it sometimes.
side note: anyone know if habana has reopened yet?
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I think Taco Cabana is greatness for a few reasons. Good price. Good amount of food...not too much, not too little for the typical person. Speedy service, that rarely screws the order up. Margarita pitchers and beer at a really good price. Food is good.
All in all, for what it is, you really cane beat it. -
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yes you can beat it...and FYI...theres NO TEQUILA in Taco Cabana margaritas. They only have a abeer and wine license..no hard alcohol
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alcohol is alcohol...
and at 1AM after a full night of drinking, no, you can not beat it for what it is....as I stated.. I damn sure would rather eat there than jack in the crak, or even taco hell or bueno..bleh...
those are who cabana are in competition with..fast food..taco bueno/taco hell etc..lot of good taco express does me now..they are closed at 2PM on sudays...
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Snpi: "if you are goin to papacitos for 'the good stuff', you may consider getting on the macdonald's frequent diner plan too...
ok, papsito's isn't THAT bad, but it ain't that good."
Fucking brilliant! And personally, I thinks it's about that bad.
Olive Garden:Italian :: Red Lobster: seafood :: Papsito's:Tex-Mex
In otherwords, they all pretty much blow. In Austin, as evidenced by this thread, there are a plethora of kick ass places.
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Hi,
I live on the East side....this past sunday we landed (by chance) at Las Manitas...a place i had forgotten. My vote for BEST sunday bruch is Las Manitas Downtown on Congress. An Aztec artist friend of mine Carlos (aka cosmic jaguar)is having his art opening there this fri -7.july @6-8pm ..............alisun
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Tamale House on Airport is fantastic for cheap breakfast tacos and people watching. It's mostly a morning, take to go place. The limited seating is outdoors.
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www.tacoxpress.com/
great breakfast and live music on Gospel Brunch on Sundays with Carolyn wonderland,Papa Mali etc etc
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Manuel's... Hand's down. F'ing great food. Also, should budget not be a concern, check out Fonda San Miguel. A little more authentic, interior Mexican, but is well worth every cent for the experience as well as the delicious food. Trudy's is on the list, you can get out of there for under $10, but if you decide to go that way, you absolutely must have a Mexican Martini... Bangin'
Wishing you the best in culinary delights
Peace
Beau
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Here's my list of every mexican place I have been to in town. This link www.squidoo.com/austinmexicanfood has most of the same stuff and a map, but here is the list.
Best Casual Mexican Food
Baby A's
Baby A's has five location all over town and is the home of the infamous Purple Margarita. There is a reason you can only order 2. If you order one from the bartender and drink it before you get to your table, you can still get two from your server. Be careful, have a driver if you try this plan. I recommend the Queso Compuesto too.
El Arroyo
1624 W. 5th
(512) 345-8226
The self proclaimed "Cultural Center of the Universe" is one of my personal favorites. A Red Bull Rita always helps with hangovers. Enchiladas Del Mar is also a good choice. The Monterey Chicken from the Atkins menu is my personal favorite.
Trudy's
Their three locations form the Trudy's triathlon. If you can have one of their Mexican Martini's in each location you will be well on your way to a DUI.
Guero's
1412 S Congress Ave
(512) 447-7688
Polvo's
2004 S 1st St
(512) 441-5446
Matt's El Rancho
2613 S Lamar Blvd
(512) 462-9333
Best Mexican on the Lake
Iguana Grill
2900 Ranch Road 620 N
(512) 266-8439
Oasis
6535 Comanche Trl
(512) 266-7810
Carlos and Charlie's
5973 Hiline Rd
(512) 266-1683
Hula Hut
3825 Lake Austin Blvd
(512) 476-4852
Mexican Breakfast
Cisco's
1511 E 6th St
(512) 478-2420
Juan in a Million
2300 E Cesar Chavez St
(512) 472-3872
Maria's Taco Xpress
2529 S. Lamar Blvd
(512) 444-0261
Best Upscale Mexican Food
Manuel's
310 Congress Ave
(512) 472-7555
Perfect before a night downtown
Z Tejas
3 Locations. Its not my favorite, but very popular.
Azul Tequila
4211 S Lamar Blvd
(512) 416-9667
Fonda San Miguel
2330 W. North Loop
(512) 459-4121
Perfect before a night downtown
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Okay, here we go . . . beside's my mom's food, the best in Austin are:
(not in any specific order)
1. Baby A's-BEST tortilla soup ever! Seriously. No contest. Great purple margaritas!
2. Mi madres-BEST migas tacos (great for breakfast!) You've gotta taste them. My brother's place, Jalapeno Joes (formerly Alonzo's on Airport) also makes great migas tacos!
3. This chain isn't really "tex-mex" but great Mexican food: Aranda's. May depend on which one's you go to. I like the ones on South First, Burnet, and Stassney. You can order some serious food there for cheap prices. Try having their tostada or a Torta. The avacado torta's are yummy. A torta, for those who don't know, is a sanwich, but not your regular sandwich.
4. I know Papasito's is a chain, but I must say, they have the BEST Tres Leches cake EVER. You won't find a better one anywhere else.
5. El Sol y La Luna serves really good breakfast, too.
6. This place is also not TEx-Mex, but it's really good. Try their Avacado margaritas: Curras
7. I like eating at Trudy's (try their avacado stuffed chicken and one of their Mexican martini's. In MYHO, their Mexican martini's are the best in Austin.
These should keep you busy for a while!
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Oh, the two best places for queso are not really Mexican restaurants, but the queso is so good at both of these places, you've gotta try them at least once:
Kirby Lane's queso-it has guacamole inside of it. Mmmmmm.
Magnolia's-Maggie Mud is so delicious, just writing about it makes me want to come back home just to eat some! :)
