I've had many a margarita in my days on this earth, and this is by far the sweetest I've ever had. Sweet as in "now I'm having a hypoglycemic attack" sweet. Yes, I have hypoglycemia, and haven't had an attack since looking into that bakery window when I was 7. Also smelled like a combination of puke and mold. Not pleasant to say the least. Didn't even bother to try the food. Won't be going back anytime soon. read more

I told Amy, our waitress that I felt like I died and gone to heaven, she was excellent and went above and beyond to ensure we were satisfied. Christy the manager walked around with a smile on her face and stopped by to greet us. Love this place, food and service was excellent!! Definitely be back! read more

My family and I dined at this establishment this evening and here is my review of our experience. Well this building has been around for a while and well, it has a bit of a run down look to it, not that this is a bad thing really. I was always told by my grandfather that some of the best food can be found in the local hole in the wall type of places. So I did not let this deter me from trying this place. The service was very pleasant. Our wait staff was friendly and courteous. They were also very quick and attentive to our needs which was very nice. Our waitress took our drink orders and asked if we wanted appetizers, and returned with our drinks in a timely manner. (only one of us ordered the margarita and I was advised it was no Maudies Margarita...) The prices on the menu were reasonable, and there was a fair selection of food items in which to try. Our orders were made, and the dinners were also served in a timely manner. The plate presentation was rather bland, nothing too exciting in that department. I ordered the mixed grill plate, to be honest I was very disappointed in it completely. There was next to nothing about this that was spicy. Actually it was very bland. The beef fajitas were tough and hard to chew and the chicken fajitas were like cardboard (and tasting like cardboard to boot.) The grilled onions were very raw, barely even seeing any real grill time. The sausage was dry and over done, and the wrapped shrimp was extremely tough/leathery and unappetizing to eat. The rice served with this plate was bland and overly done. Now the beans that came with the plate were very good. I did enjoy them, and was the only thing that I ate completely. My other family members had similar complaints about their dishes, and several of us actually suffered from some sour stomachs later on in the evening time. Which begs to question the quality of the food and preparation of our food that evening. All in all, I have to give this establishment two stars... I could not in good faith give it a single star. The wait staff did an excellent job in tending to our needs, and were very charismatic. As for the food, well I could only rate it as a single star. I cannot say that I will return to this place again after tonight. I would have to really think about it... I have read some of the other diners reviews of this place. Some of which are very mixed. Mostly though, the food is getting some moderate to bad reviews, while it seems that the service has some really good reviews. So I guess if you are looking to find a place that sells some fairly decent appetizers and have some half way decent get together time, El Mercardo would be a nice place to go, but do not expect much more than that. read more

This is a GREAT Place to stop for happy hour after someone throwa you under the bus at work and you skipped lunch to get things on track...good food ...good service...good Mexican Martinis! read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Delicious Mexican Food!! Ordered a big order to go for my work; everything was ready in a timely manner. Got back to the office to find everything was there and made correctly! (No need to call and complain/make another trip) Awesome EL Mercado!! read more

I used to work really close to here, and this was a good option for us frequently, because they could get us in and out in an hour, and our bosses were real sticklers for not being even a second late. I would get the black bean tacos and they were okay. A lot of the servers were forgetful on refills and bringing me a knife (I know, I'm weird, but I like to eat their tacos with a fork and knife), but the guy who does chips and salsa refills is always on his game, hardcore. Also, a lot of the time, you could hear the music playing in the kitchen, which would make a cacophony with the music they pipe into the dining area, so that was kind of distracting, but not a biggie. Overall, average. read more

I've been here twice now. Aside from the tacky interior and bad service, the food itself is not bad; in fact, the brisket tacos I ordered last time were actually really good. I remember the al pastor tacos being good too. However, there's no excuse for the service! Our waiter disappeared shortly after he brought out our meals and we had to wave down three different guys to get our checks and to-go boxes. I never saw our waiter again. It's not like it was busy or anything - in fact, it was during a football game so we were one of maybe five tables there. Plus I went to Tacodeli the next day and experienced TRULY DELICIOUS Tex-Mex...so El Mercado falls down the list. read more

We came here last night, out of ideas and not willing to think too hard. It's just a block or two to this place, so we settled on the convenient option. I didn't even want to go out, so I was prepared to be annoyed. We asked to sit on the patio on a mild evening. We stuck with water (the decision not to drink happens once every million outings), so no idea how their margaritas are. I thought the salsa was very bland. But I enjoyed my chicken chimichanga. It was tasty, fresh, and the black beans along side it were noticably smoky and delicious. My man seemed to enjoy his chicken enchiladas. I had low expectations that were beaten by both the quality of the food and the speed and attention of the server. We were tired and slightly grumpy; but they got us in, fed, and back home watching TV with our puppy in less than 45 minutes. There are better places in town, but if you need a quick fix and you live a stones throw away...you could do a lot worse. read more

I don't understand the bad reviews. El Mercado is beyond excellent I haven't had better Tex-Mex since I moved out of Houston. So glad I ignored the negative yelp reviews and finally gave this place a try. I'm mad at myself for waiting so long. Excellent margaritas enchiladas queso and beans. This just might become our new have to visit weekly spot. So impressed. Excellent friendly staff as we read more

This is my favorite neighborhood Tex Mex place. Go about once a week. However, have ordered on an app service twice now to be delivered. Portions are not as big, food not as tasty. They won't give you salsa much less chips with your meal. They have not paid attention to the orders extra instructions like add jalapeños. I even called to make sure I would get salsa and the reply was if it wasn't in your original order( which I thought it was) they would not send any with my order nor could they add it for a charge. I hope the owner/ manager sees this and understands that for a good, regular customer especially you want to please them especially with something that they serve as much of as you want. Also, the food just was not as tasty. I don't think they care as much about second hand orders. Beware. read more

The Waitress was nice we ordered the Lunch Special Chicken Enchiladas one with Borracho Beans and one with refried I have to mention on the side note stick with refried beans they charge 0.50 cents for lunch specials if you sub the beans! which she did not mention when we ordered but she did took the borracho beans off but the food was alright the Borracho Beans was ok the Chips and salsa was fine read more

Ordered an El Carbon taco! It tasted sweet. Asked the waitperson and she said well that's the pineapple! Bad. I ordered 1/2 order of ground meat nachos! They were good! I thought the El Carbon was spoiled or rotten or something !!!!!!! It is Monday! I only came to this place because Enchiladas y Mas is closed on Monday ! read more

Chips & salsa are good. We had hot lips appetizer (jalapeño shrimp bacon) & brisket enchiladas. Food & service were awesome. We would come back again. read more

My family and I are often late eaters and we don't like to go places when they close in an hour but we were all set on Tex-Mex. and boy did El Mercado deliver. I had a chicken enchilada plate, it's what I use to determine if a Mexican restaurant is good, and it was SOLID. My vegan brother order from their vegetarian and vegan options, which they had plenty of, and really enjoyed his plate FULL of food. My beautiful girlfriend had the pork tacos and they were filled with flavor! Very good place to eat with prompt service and a awesome atmosphere. Come get a plate yall! read more

Burnet is nicely districted, to the convenience of many an Austin resident, whether central or North. It begins with the finest neighborhood pub in the land, extends into a hefty handful of nitty gritty-to-nice/casual eateries, and then spills into much shopping, ending in industrial and car-centric sorts of businesses. And there is no lack of Tex-Mex encasing each of the above components. If you are really in the know, you would probably head to one of the more traditional Mexican eateries for some hefty grub. Alas, El Mercado is fully-serviced, a smidgen cleaner than the run-of-the-mill taco shacks, and it is an Austin longstay. That doesn't mean it provides the best of Texican fare. On the contrary, it is actually quite disappointing. The accompaniments to your combinations of enchiladas, tacos, and the like are pretty mediocre. On this, the dishes, themselves, are often lacking in any sort of flavor complexity. The portions are small, to boot. Small, in comparison to some of the other bad boys in town. Anyway, there is not much I can elaborate on, aside from the fact that this joint cranks out offerings that are simple, humble, and cheap. read more

EH. OK. I've had better. The red sauce was great, the enchilada was good. The service was friendly. But I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. read more

I came here recently using one of those restaurant.com coupons and this place is legit! i had the shrimp taco plate. this was so memorable and made me very happy. I will def. come back here; this place was slammed and i can see why. The quality of the food was excellent as well as the service. We were treated well and constantly checked upon by the manager and staff. Great family restaurant! I will def. go back to this place!! read more

I frequent this location often because of it's location and my husband digs it. I have tried a variety of dishes here and all have left me satisfied. The cheese enchiladas, crispy tacos, fajitas, nachos and the tortilla soup are all worth checking out. They also have daily specials that are cheap and delicious. El Mercado is definitely a casual dining experience with a friendly waitstaff. I'd recommend it and will continue to go. read more

Great food. Relaxing environment. Best part though are the Mexican martinis. Yum Yum!

Good food, definitely a chill & relaxing place for lunch. excellent service. our waitress was so nice & attentive. I had the burritos with pork and they were great! the salsa is just right! need to go back for the tacos al pastor! prices are good & there's plenty of parking. read more

I am very disappointed in the food and quality assurance aspect of this restaurant . I have been coming here since I was a child and always enjoyed it but I ate lunch here last week with my toddler, my friend and her toddler and we all got sick from the food. I understand that this happens sometimes but when I called to complain about it the next day I was brushed off. I was supposed to receive a call back from the general manager and never heard from him/her. The wait for our food was also very long, even though the restaurant only had a few others patrons at the time. I will not be back. read more

Accomodating and friendly wait staff. Delicious Queso Enchiladas and great Fajitas. Delicious Sweet Tea, Queso and Salsa Top Shelf. This is our favorite place. read more

The food is always decent. The fajitas are tender with good flavor. The combo plates are worth a trip, and prices are reasonable. Parking can get tight if it is busy, but I have never been unable to find a spot. Overall, great Mexican food, and a nice comfortable hangout. read more

I ate here about a week ago, and overall, it was pretty good! Food: I had cheese enchiladas, and they were ok, nothing to write home to mom about. Wait Staff: Our waiter wasn't really on-top with the refilling drinks, or bringing us more salsa, but he was nice, at least. Price/Portions: Overall good! It was only $25 for me and my mom to eat, and she had a Grandote Margarita (it was on a Tuesday, when they have their $5.95 special!) read more

Here's why they get 5 stars: Consistency. That's right. Give me the same ol' same ol' and I'm happy as a clam. I've been coming here for a few years now and not once have I had a bad experience. The service is consistently good and I've never had a long wait for my food. Is the food amazing? Not really... but I know what to expect. It's good food for the price and it's good for the type of place this is. Know what I mean? They do have a veggie chile relleno that is probably my favorite in town, though. Rather than serve it fried, they do a fresh version that's smothered in a delicious tomato sauce. You also can't go wrong with the Achiote Tacos or the regular beef/chicken crispy tacos! I love the decor here as well. It's really bright and colorful. TVs are mounted in a few locations so catching a game here is pretty easy without having to strain your neck. read more

I will have to say this place has very tasty margaritas. I am a fan of their brisket tacos but the have done something different to the recipe and it has made me sad. Saying that, I would still order them but they used to be a bit life changing and now I would just call them good. The tacos have a delicious pickled onion on the side that makes me dream about this dish. The restaurant is a bit cluttered and dark but is clean. The staff is always great! I would call this restaurant average but I keep coming back. read more

Worst service ever. The server decided we were done with our meal and brought us the ticket before we had finished eating the entree. Then when we asked to see a dessert menu, she spouted off what desserts they had, and denied us the pleasure of reading it for ourselves, never mind if we wanted an after dinner coffee or a drink of some sort. The server left the table for a couple of minutes to process the ticket and the credit card. When she came back to the table, she brought a bowl cherries for my nieces. The terrible server gave them to them without asking their mother if they could have the cherries, not knowing if they were allergic to them. We felt completely insulted and disrespected. The manager's apology is the only reason why we might consider stepping back into this restaurant. read more

Came here while I was getting my car washed, I loved this place. I just had queso but the staff was so friendly and the vibe was great. I at tht the bar and Robert waited on me. I was so impressed at how he ran around that restaurant so efficiently during lunch rush waiting tables, greeting new guests and checking on people. Great service and on point! :) read more

I came here for the tres leches. It was actually amongst the best in Austin, but was covered in chocolate syrup... The chocolate syrup majorly damages the deliciousness of this dessert, please don't add it on top next time, the cake is fine as is. read more

Let me begin by saying that the food is not mind-blowing but it's not bad either. It's your average to better than average Mexican fare. Somehow though, I ALWAYS enjoy my meal there. The staff and service are awesome. The environment is laid back and there's never a wait. It just has a certain 'je ne sais quoi.' If you want a chill, no fuss and satisfying meal this is the place. read more

I live across the street in the Brentwood/Crestview neighborhood, and my parents when they visit love this place. It is good, quality Tex-Mex that is dependable and delicious. Would highly recommend the fajitas and margs. I love beans, and the pinto beans are some of the best I have ever had. read more

El Mercado restaurant is my home for Mexican food! We live an hour out of town and we still had to drive in to town to get takeout. IMHO It is the best Mexican food in Texas. We've been eating there since the 1990s. Consistently excellent All these years. read more

OMG This place is awesome. Fantastic food. PERFECT fast and courteous service. Plenty of convenient parking. This place is highly recommended to eat. read more

The food is good, I wouldn't say anything bad about it. Sometimes service lacks but it is what it is. This is my #2 behind enchiladas y mas.

Weeknight I don't want to cook go to. We eat here a few times a month. I used to go weekly for happy hour when I worked in the neighborhood. Then I moved buildings and kind of forgot about it. Rediscovered in Oct and have gone multiple times since. Good solid tex mex. I'll be headed back to the old work building for a couple of years so I'm sure my co-workers and I will be there often. read more

Went in after the lunch rush. Seemed like they were not intersted in serving new customers. We got our food eventually and the waiter was always texting someone just when we were looking for refills or dessert order. Bathrooms were not clean and smelled, but I have been in worse. I wonder what the kitchen was like if the bathroom was like that. Eeeewwww. read more

We went to El Mercado on Burnet for dinner 6/5. We sat outside, and our waiter was awesome. The drinks were just "okay", nothing to go back for. As we sat at the table, the manager Stephanie came over and told my friends there was no smoking allowed outside. One of my friends aplogized, and put out his cigarette. The manager went inside, then came right back outside, slammed the "no smoking" sign on our table, and stormed back inside. She was completely unprofessional and rude. We told our server to bring the check for our drinks, and we were leaving. Stephanie came back outside and told us to leave and never come back. I have never in my life experienced such a rude manager at any restaurant I have ever been to. Stephanie is in the wrong line of work, and should not be inferfacing with customers. I will NEVER go back to El Mercado. read more

I've been eating at El Mercado for over a decade, and although they won't win any awards for new and innovative dishes, they do the staples well. Happy hour prices are decent and the drinks are great (try the mango margarita). The mercado plate is my favorite menu option because you get a little bit of everything. Phillip's special (queso with the kitchen-sink thrown in) is a good starter to share, and of course they have the Austin staple of neverending chips and salsa. If you're looking for a relaxed North Austin joint with a familiar tex-mex menu, El Mercado will fit the bill. read more

We went for a family lunch date and they were very accomodating of my 2 year old. We started with The Nachos al Pastor and they were pretty great. The Pescado Veracruz was ON POINT! The steak fajita chimichanga was also delicious. All of the portions were large so we DEFINITELY could have spilt just one entree, but it was our first time there and we wanted to try multiple dishes. Next time, we'll spilt something so we save room for dessert! We found the food to be super authentic and delicious. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Make sure to check out their lunch and drink specials. read more

This place is my standby when I have the hankering for a taco. The spiced beef they serve is my ideal spiced beef - flavorful, meaty, with a little bit of authentic greasiness.. The chicken tacos are much leaner, of course, but the portion is so generous and the taste and texture make me smile, so I usually enjoy both beef and chicken tacos. Once in a while (usually Tuesdays or Wednesdays) they run a daily special called "two mini burritos" which are filled with beef and chicken and topped with carne sauce and verde, respectively. Want an appetizer? The Phillip's special queso has guacamole, spiced beef, jalapenos and onions = best of all possible worlds. Want dessert? One word: sopapillas. They are made to order and dressed up with honey and cinnamon - perfect for 2-4 people. The service is amazingly attentive and personable, but I admit I usually visit during the slow afternoon hours. Everyone is genuinely nice, and the Kitchen Manager usually finds time to roam the restaurant and ask friendly tables about their meal; he's a cool guy. Their house margaritas are smooth and delicious, and their happy hour prices are "rocks" bottom. See you there! read more