I've been a regular at Jacalito for a while. It's always my go to Mexican food place in Austin, and in my opinion is an undiscovered gem. It's authentic, relaxed and great food. Excellent service too. We've had almost every dish and all are excellent. True comfort food and among the best real Mexican food in Austin, without all the hype or pretense. If you're looking for the real deal, this is it. And trust me, I've eaten at almost every Mexican restaurant in austin over the last 30 years, both old and new. My personal favorite is the homemade guacamole, queso and the verde chicken enchiladas. But everything is amazing, including the barbacoa plate, carne guisada, and fajitas. Bonus if you love margaritas because this place has a whole range of tequilas and their house frozen is just right - not that sugary confection at other places. Go! read more

Its getting harder and harder to find places we haven't been too, but this was a great find. Service was good. Its an older place, but clean inside....Started with the usual Chips, Salsa and queso....Salsa helped out the queso with a bit more spice. Chips were fresh. Wife had the beef enchiladas with Chipotle sauce, no beans double rice. Not a fan of the $1 upcharge for sauce sub....makes zero sense for this. I had the Enchiladas Bandera with 3 sauces, beans and rice. Everything was super hot and very flavorful. Overall a great visit. read more

See all

They've been around for a while and the new management is doing a great job. The wait staff are very attentive. The food is great...I prefer the enchiladas verdes. The liquor bar lets you know it's party time! read more

Great food, great service. The waitresses learn your eggs and tortilla preference fast. I usually so breakfast here. Tonight I had dinner, the guisado salsa verde. Never had it before - tender pork chunks in a very spicy green sauce. I love heat, so this has that good burn. Next time I'll be a little less adventurous, but I love trying new things. Big portions for a good price and close to my apartment. Love this place! read more

El Jacalito - Guisado salsa verde with charro beans. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I recently asked my sister-in-law, "where can I get the best Menudo in Austin? " She immediately replied " El Jacalito on Oltorf! It was my father's favorite Menudo place! " I finished a little early this afternoon, so I thought I would give it a try, and I was not disappointed, it's my favorite kind, the Menudo is extremely spicy & flavorful with lots of tripe. And of course it came with the perfect onions, jalapeño and lime garnish. Of course I had to try the shrimp cocktail, which was also excellent, and huge lol! The chips and hot sauce were lovely. Finally , the Mexican martini, for me a little too sweet and mild to qualify as a Mexican martini, but it was actually absolutely delicious and I would definitely order it again. I am definitely returning back here again, next time I want to try the enchiladas or the fajita platter. read more

See all

This place used to be good and decently priced. Now it's 10 dollars for a small queso that tastes like plastic. Gross! read more

El Jacalito - Queso - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Beef soup 8/10 -hits the spot. I miss my mom's caldo de res so much and not going to say this was on the same scale, but it's good and I enjoyed it very much. Generous chunk of meat. I suggest adding lime and some of the table salsa de bring out to the table for your chips. Trust. Menudo 2/10. Unless you ask for a bucket of limes to set off the strong flavor of menudo, I would say maybe don't. Pastor taco 2/10 Service was excellent, staff was friendly/ welcoming and restaurant was clean. read more

See all

Great food and down to earth atmosphere, it's been out regular spot for ten years! Highly recommend!

On a visit to Austin and once again El Jacalito delivers. It's pretty amazing to say a drive FROM San Antonio to get quality Tex-Mex in Austin is necessary but this place is a model of consistency. A+ read more

Food was perfectly served, both hot and delicious. Service was above and beyond with good suggestions. The house margarita was tart and strong. All in all a great meal and very reasonably priced. read more

El Jacalito - Combo meal with one crispy taco, guacamole salad, one enchilada, one tamale, rice and beans. The fresh onions were a server's suggestion. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Solid restaurant. Service is good, portions are reasonable, prices are affordable. I think there are better Mexican restaurants in the area, but if you're in the area you could do worse. Salsa is solid and I'm a sucker for mole. You won't be disappointed read more

I've been going there for many years. It's conveniently close to my apartment. The food is very good. Never have had a problem. Service has always been on point. The staff addresses me by name. They certainly appreciate their customers read more

I'm always a bit nervous about trying new mexican food places simply because there are so many amazing options that everyone knows about in Austin. I'm glad I gave El Jacalito a chance! The food was so fresh and so tasty! Excellent fajitas. Excellent enchiladas. And the salsa, while quite hot (yay!), was delicious! Everything I'd hope for from a texmex place! Yum! The ONLY reason they get 4 stars and not 5 is because they failed to include tortillas with the fajitas. Fortunately I ordered extra and it was probably an honest mistake on their part. Curious to try a new place? Don't hesitate. You won't regret it! Mmmmmmmm! read more

Amazing food, fideo and customer service. 10/10 will return here again and highly suggest this to everyone!

When people love what they do and love each other, it shows in the quality of their work. It seems odd to me that I have had to try virtually every Mexican (tex-mex) place in a ten mile radius to find basic food done well. I have found no more than 3 places that really hit the spot. This is one of them. Great enchiladas, good nachos, good tacos. They do their picadillo correctly. Full bar with good happy hour prices. Salsa with a spoon! I almost always have to ask for a spoon but they are ahead of the ball on that. Little touches like that make me happy. The environs are unassuming and clean, very laid back and there's a nice mix of people of varying backgrounds and ethnicities. But I really do have to highlight the service. This place gets pretty busy, but the servers treat you like a human being (even if you're arguably not), they pay careful attention to what they're doing and they work together with dignity and enthusiasm. I can tell this is just a great group of people that take care of each other. And it shows. You can taste it. read more

Andale... what can i say? ummmm...that this is the best northern mexi food place in Austin? well, yeah, it is. i started going here when I was a student at UT and for a few months i lived in the awful apt complex/compound right behind it. someone stole my 80's izod windbreaker and a pair of perfectly worked in 501's from the laundry room, i was soooo mad... back to El Jacalito---the food is delicious, homecooked food. like eating at my grandma's house. love the guisado and love that they open at an ungodly hour so i was able to get something to eat waking up at a california hour. the eggs were cooked perfectly (over-medium) and the tortillas were mouth watering goodness. i am usually not a food mixer, but the guisado, egg, and bean in a tortilla was a little symphony in my boca. and the waitress was nice and quick. everytime i ordered something or she asked how my meal was she replied with an "Andale". so nice! read more

El Jacalito - carne guisado and eggs breakfast. perfect hangover food. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

El Jacalitos - has the Best food, Best prices and the Friendliest staff, along with Great service! You can only find this All at El Jacalitos read more

Can not tell you how much we love this place! Come and experience it you will not be disappointed!! and we loveeeeeee GABBY!

So a friend of mine and I have decided to start searching for the best tacos in Austin. We call it Tacoquest2016 and it will only be about the tacos, not anything else in the restaurant. Your feedback is welcome. Today we went to El Jacalito, mostly because its in our neighborhood. The tortillas, both corn and flour were good but not great. The barbacoa was average size and not too greasy with good texture and mildly seasoned. Their pastor was a bit salty, dry and sparse. Salsa is important to the meal and their green was thick and spicy but the red was thin and very mild. Neither of us was disappointed but we aren't planning a return trip for the tacos either. El Jacalito gets a C+. #tacoquest2016 read more

El Jacalito - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is my most frequent delivery spot. When I'm wanting crispy tacos, this is where I'll be ordering from, no question; they package everything very thoughtfully, with all ingredients separated out, so I can assemble the tacos on my own. I'd much rather put in that effort myself than end up with tacos that are soggy on arrival. Everything I've tried from the menu is solid and the quality is consistent -- I am confident that what I order will be exactly as it was the time before. To sweeten the deal, it rarely (if ever) takes more than half an hour for me to receive my food after ordering. I love having this place nearby! read more

We got to go food here today because it's close and it's covid. It's been hit or miss in the past, but today they nailed it!! Ground beef tacos a la plancha have always been my go to here. They did not disappoint. Y'all, they are so good. Cheese enchiladas were exactly what I was looking for. The carne sauce was amazeballs. Wish they added fresh onions, but that was my bad for forgetting to ask for them. Chicken flutes were nice and crispy and stuffed with meat!! We will return!! read more

Hole-in-the-wall places are always hit or miss. This restaurant is walking distance from my apartment so I thought I would try it, after a few months of living in the area. The waitress walked up chewing gum, was very friendly, took our drink orders (water) and walked off. Another gentleman walked up to us and asked "Agua?" And then he brought us our waters. We started with chips and queso, I'm glad they were able to accommodate and not add meat. The queso was fine, nothing exceptional, I'm pretty sure it was a combination of velveta and rotel. The chips were also nothing special, but they weren't stale (which happens from time to time at places like this) I got the cheese quesadilla for the main course, the vegetarian menu was lacking. Again. It was just ok. TlLDR; Not good, not bad, just ok. read more

El Jacalito - Cheese Quesadilla. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

We went for the first time yesterday and it was amazing! The food was so good. A good mix of authentic taqueria food and some Tex mix classics mixed in. The inside was clean and adorable too. We well become regulars here. read more

Great food and super friendly staff! The frozen margaritas are good! The beef nachos were also great. The fresh salsa is spicy The queso isn't the best, tastes like processed cheese or velveeta. Tacos are good, the burritos are good, the tortilla soup is tasty and the sopapillas are delicious. Can't wait to go back! read more

Manager was so disrespectful and completely messed up my order and hung up on me as well as replace/refund my money. Highly recommend going to any other of the hundreds Mexican restaurants in this town that show and provide proper etiquette and respect. Food is also not so great too. If I got give this restaurant a zero, I would read more

Man, it's a sad day. Been coming here for years. But the service has always been slow and today the food was unacceptable. They make the food in the morning and then microwave it for you that night at 730pm. Microwaved breaded chili relleno is soggy and chewy and not what I would want to represent my brand. The refried beans were so burned and baked onto the plate, completely inedible. Ever microwaved leftover rice before? It turns to this dried out hard confetti type stuff. When I sent it back the manager tells me the food is fine. They don't microwave food but she told me they make it the morning so how did it get hot at almost 8pm? I told her it taste bad and she replies "it's fine, it's just how you tasted it." read more

I love this place!! The staff is always friendly. And as far as drinks and food goes their servings are very generous. I wish I found this place sooner as it is in a shopping center and I was a little skeptical at first but don't let that fool you. They have a bar to sit at or tables. I highly recommend this place. It's true Mexican food with the original Austin vide rather than over priced Tex mex. read more

The best green sauce hands down! Had to open with that. Been visiting for over a year and love the food and staffing. Not only being convenient with the location only steps away from my residence but the deals for happy hour are superb. Truly a win if you visit and have the right waiter/waitress. Mine was named Chayo serving a hell of a Mexican martini which I never knew about until his suggestion. Even though im moving this will give me reason to come back in town read more

El Jacalito - Always makes sure im 100 before I leave - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Sooooo good. el jacalito is where it is at. After i took my friend in hopes of satisfyign his memories of mexico, i couldnt stop going. in fact, while i lived in austin i went one to two times a week. Fish fridays are bomb, and the I always order crackers and avocado on the side. the waitress may seem unfriendly but its more because they are reserved and nervous. the decor is funny, mainly because they keep decorations up year round. nonetheless, their food is good: enchiladas satisfy me, so do the legit tacos (avoid crunchy beef tacos), chile rellenos, breakfast tacos yes, fish fridays yes, and um in general the food is delish. hope u enjoy. read more

First place I ate at after moving here. Have been back a few times. It's decent, good but not great. Tastes authentic and is pretty spicy overall, but I'm no expert. Never been too busy and service is speedy. read more

Nothing special. Especially the menudo. Nursing a hangover, I ventured to El Jacalito because it was close to my house. Here's why it isn't special: Refried beans were watered down. Not enough consistency and flavorless. Menudo seemed water down, not fresh, and was more of a bowl of ill-trimmed tripe. There was an absence of hominy and that lack of color that chile lends to good menudo. It was so awful, I asked for a taco. (Meat was dry. Cheese didn't appear to be "real" cheese, but some cheap substitute for cheddar.) Salsa was lacklustrous. No punch, and on the watery side. One last note....do NOT adorn your restaurant with neon-green posters that are scribbled with marker displaying specials. It's tacky. meh. read more

Been here 3 to 4 times and it's true authentic food. Spicy good traditional Mexican. They service alcohol here, but I haven't order anything yet. The food is delicious and the staff is pleasant. The atmosphere is casual and there are both booths and table seating. The wait time for food is a little long. Overall, this is a great place. There is no outdoor eating. Inside it's hot because of the large ovens they use. Any of the pork dishes are great and you get chips and salsa. read more

1st time here! This place is legit!! Will def come back. Can't wait to try something diff next time around!

This place gave me food poisoning. Definitely will be reporting them to health department because when I called to talk to the manager all I got was attitude from her as if I was lying. DO NOT EAT HERE!!!!!!!!! read more

Pretty bad that I can't remember what I had, just that I wouldn't be back. Hmpf. Proceed at your own risk but a pretty bad time was had by all. read more

I'm very picky about my mexican food, and I like El Jacalito better than those nasty bland Americanized "Tex-Mex" joints *cough Gueros, Chuy's cough*. We get there and off the bat, everyone is very nice and cordial and welcoming. We sit down, I get the jamaica and my friend gets a tea. We get our chips and hella good salsa and we order. Being Wesnesday, I get the special: chicken stew dish (only 4 bucks!!!! can't beat that)and my friend gets the carne guisada plate. It came out suprisingly fast, too. Now, everyone that knows me knows I don't ,like soups. Well, this soup had big chunks of potato and carrot, and a chicken breast and drumstick. It was so tender, I was using my spoon to take it off the bone. The broth was nice and chickeny, as it should be. My friend's dish was excellent, too. For under 7bucks I was completely satisfied. When we go and pay, the guy was extremely nice. I mean, extremely! On our way out he offers us coffee for the road. We decline, it being all 105° outisde and all, but wow, what service! They have good specials, I recommend going there on Wed. and Fri., when they have the green enchilada special. Don't get me started on those green enchiladas, they the shizz!! If you're hungrier than usual, get the queso compuesto, it rivals the Mag Mud from Magnolia Cafe in awesomeness (yeah, it's that ridiculiously good!) read more

I have not found a Mexican restaurant with the quality of this restaurant. I have had the mole' enchiladas and a child relleno. Both were excellent. The prices are very reasonable. The service is very good as well. read more

I went here today with my co-workers. The facility looks pretty nice all though they still had Christmas stuff up in July. Weird but okay, price of the food for the quality I am not sure it adds up.The chips and salsa were great! Staff did seem not too friendly in a way if you weren't spanish speaking. That kind of did make me not too happy since I am a coconut. The tamales weren't definitely fresh tamales. But over all you get a serving of food on your plate. Another thing I don't think this place is in area where you would want to be alone. read more

Only two reviews here on Yelp and both 5*; most recent 10 months ago. Posting to temper the reviews a little. Nothing special to say, it is a decent strip-mall restaurant, not worth showing up as all 5* :) So I visited on Saturday August 23 1:15pm for lunch. Random comments: Beers listed on shows domestics at $2.50, Shiner and imports $3.00. The Saturday specials were posted on a green sign mid division between the two rooms. For the price the food was fine; service was lacking, but I was in no hurry. Took them 30 minutes to clear and clean an empty table next to mine after a group departed. No bar to sit at, but tables in the bar area. Simple fresh salsa with decent flavor and a little heat kick. My main course wasn't really notable; lunch serving size (special) was modest. The rice had decent flavor compared to most. Place works. read more

Great affordable Mexican cuisine , feels like I'm eating at home while I'm here. Great wait staff!