Upon moving to Austin, this was our first taste of Mexican food. I was pleasantly surprised when my mushroom and spinach enchilada was made with fresh spinach. It was superb in my book. I ordered the Mexican martini and it was ok. I tried it just to see what it was like, but I am a beer girl, so I should have stuck to what I like. We will def be coming back to try other dishes. read more

El Mercado has redeemed itself. Breakfast was served hot, and the coffee mugs were never empty. The veggie eggs are good. My family and I enjoyed our experience, but the corn tortillas were stale. read more

Shrimp enchiladas = GROSS! Over cooked, mushy shrimp. Most disgusting enchiladas I've ever eaten. I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while and gave it the benefit of the doubt because of the low yelp rating.. I think this place was rated to high. First and last time there.. read more

El Mercado on Burnet is my favorite restaurant in Austin. It has the BEST soup and salsa -- try the sopa de pollo. The staff is so friendly and helpful -- I cannot say enough good things. The shrimp enchiladas are really good, too. And so is the chicken burrito. They make a damn good Mexican martini, too. read more

My oh my how a little time can change things. It had been a few months since I have been able to stop by and enjoy all of my favorites. Well, over the last month I have stopped by twice and each time I was very disappointed. The staff has turned over (which is not surprising) but the drinks were watered down, the food not as fresh and I left feeling a little dirty. I thought it might have been a bad day, so I waited two weeks and tried it again.....sad to say - same story. Not sure what happened, it will be a while before i come back. read more

We've eaten here twice and been pleasantly surprised both times. This isn't 5 star dining by any stretch, but if you want some good, simple Mexican food that is cheap, then El Mercado is a good choice. Also, when I'm meeting my contractor hubby for dinner who has been working in the heat all day in scruffy clothes, it's not a problem! Last night I had the combo plate (a cheese or beef enchilada with a crispy taco and guacamole salad for $7.99). Hubby had the shrimp tacos- think those were $8.99. Mine was really fresh and tasty and hubby said twice how good the shrimp tacos were. Chips were good, salsa was a little runnier than I like it, but ok. Waiter was attentive- no problem keeping drinks and chips full. Parking was a little tough on a Friday at 7pm, as the lot was pretty much full. We'll definitely be back. read more

First time back in 6 years as the last time the fajitas were so mediocre there was no incentive to return, especially considering the sides which were just as undistinguished. When I first pulled in, the parking was overflowing onto the side walk. Wow, things must have changed! Had to wait for my dining companion, so I ordered a small guacamole side. It was 99% green and fresh, but basically unseasoned. No onion, cilantro, salt, tomato nor citrus fruit had sullied this version. Not bad, but neither remarkable in any way. I had the fajita enchiladas with black beans, my companion one of the special combinations with chile relleno , beef taco, and maybe an enchilada. The fajitas were obviously marinated, but in what? Worcestershire? The natural beef flavor from grilling was absent. Worse, the texture was not far off any reconstituted fast food burger. No texture, no grain of the meat, perfectly mashable into gruel by the tenderest of gums. Not pleasing at all. The chile relleno was, well, mediocre. A sorry and weak red sauce on top of an overcooked poblano with little to no egg batter nor white cheese inside. The black beans were not bad, just dry and flavorless with perhaps a hint of cumin. Consistency was perfect for building a replica of the Berlin wall if you so desired. So dry you had better work fast as they were set in a very few minutes. The waitress was very helpful and friendly and responsive. My difficulty was understanding why so many people would eat this mediocre food with so many alternatives nearby? read more

The food is mostly average, but I have had a couple dishes here that I was less than thrilled with. My advice would be to find a dish you like and stick with it. The service is quick and call me lame, but I really like all the colors. read more

Clean, nice, polite, and the food is consistently good. This is Austin, where else do you get good food AND good manners?? Nowhere. One star off, because the salt content is a bit high. As it always is with tex-mex. Check out the vegetarian enchiladas with mushrooms and spinach. Excellent. I order mine with no cheese. read more

Gross. This is why I say Austin has no good tex mex. I've been taken here twice in 8 years and led to believe both times that this would really hit the spot. Nope. Sorry. Gross!!!! Peeps need to venture out of Allandale sometime, y'know?? read more

I love their happy hour. You can get margaritas on Thursdays (and I think Tuesdays, too) for like $2. My favorite drink is the Playa Martini. Second favorite is the Mexican Martini. I always get the tortilla soup, which is delicious, cheap, and filling. The service is great and they're always welcoming. I don't think I've ever had bad service here. We've never had to wait for a table even when it's really busy. There's usually plenty of parking. It's a really casual, inexpensive place to have dinners and drinks. read more

Pretty good for a place where you can almost miss it! Sour cream enchiladas leave u wanting more sauce somewhere on ur clothes! Haha only thing is I wish they didn't run it like it was only a bar read more

Michelada was really good and the service was great. They have a nice little patio that's dog friendly. The food was OK.

food is killer....brisket tacos are the bomb..phillips special queso is great. monday and wednesdays they have 3.99 mexican martinis...that should be enough to get you in there. all around great place...try it read more

I think their food is great. They have a veggie chili relleno that is NOT stuffed with cheese. Yummy. My husband loves the burgers. The wait staff all have good manners! They make you feel right at home. Service on the poorly lit patio is slow in the evenings. But oh well. I'm not in a hurry. read more

Excellent service, margaritas and food! My wife and I had margaritas and the brisket tacos...ooohhh sooo good!!

Great salsa, average food. No adult non-alcoholic beverages.

The food is awful. I will never return nor recommend El Mercado restaurant. The worst queso ever. Just melted Velveta I guess. No spices. I had the special, poblano enchiladas. Tasted like canned dog food. I ate about half. My wife's crispy tacos were lame too. Again, tasteless. We were both disappointed. I have a stomach ache. The tostadas were delicious though ;) Hot and crispy and plentiful. constantly replenished. One more thing, being charged for a side of jalapenos is pretty petty. read more

Lotsa chips and good salsa. Food plates were pretty good. Outdoor seating is great.

The chips are often broken to the size of your thumbnail. A few good ones on the top, but the rest is corn detritus. I complained to the owner once, and he said that was the way they came in the bag. But I don't find that at Flores or even Enchiladas y Mas. The service is attentive. The food so-so. read more

Went there on The 13th of may @ 18:00. Saw On web site cheap Mexican martini. It was undrinkable. I called waiter To order food for family and stated that wife did not drink because it was sour/spoiled. Waiter said " everyone else Is ordering and drinking it" really? I gave her full drink back and asked for Magarita . I watched as bartender Used well drink To make margarita. At least she was honest and did not charge me for top shelf. When i received my Bill, it had both drink on it. I asked about it and she stated " i did not notice, i cant remove drink from Bill but can see if Manager might". Hmmm. No thanks, payed Bill and will not return. I tried To call customer service but no number Is listed on web site, only email contact. Server Diana742 time 18:53 table 1 read more

I love the food here. Good price, Friendly atmosphere, Great staff and manager (Ryan).

I was a bit surprised when I read the other reviews for this restaurant. My meal there on a recent Thursday lunch hour was simply the worst TexMex food that I have ever had. The substance in the cheese enchiladas had the taste and texture of warmed-up CheeseWhiz and the carne sauce tasted like Wolf brand chili from a can. The rice had a very strange flavor that conjured up fears about food poisoning. The refried beans were okay. I would rather eat a million Banquet TV dinners that ever eat there again. There is also an absolutely horrible, old mop water odor that permeates the entire restaurant, which would make it hard to even enjoy good food. Atmosphere was bland and the service was impersonal. I give it one star simply because it was, technically, food. read more

The food is ok here. The smell is a real turn off. Cool atmosphere and decent prices.

Mexican Martinis are the best. Food is decent. Brisket tacos are very tasty. Great atmosphere, and the bartender, Joseph, is such a great guy. Looking forward to going again. read more

This was a very disappointing experience. The wait staff only served half of the table (of 7) at a time and never returned to serve the rest unless reminded. This happened three different times. The food is nothing spectacular, especially for how pricey the meals are. Very bland, especially for Tex-mex. read more

I went to El Mercado for the first time tonight. A friend and I got together for dinner and I suggested El Mercado. She's been there before and liked it and we decided to go. And I LOVE EL MERCADO!!!!!!!!!! =) The queso is some of the best I've ever had! =) We shared chicken & beef fajitas for 2 and they are delish! =) I have enough left over for 2 meals! =) I can't wait to go back! =) read more

Sometimes we eat here twice a day. The food is always fresh, the salsa is one of my favorites, and the beverages are excellent. They even fix things for me that used to be on the menu but are not any more. They have great vegetarian selections of you just don't want meat that day. They are very family friendly. read more

Cute little local mexican place, but considering there are a million of these type places in Austin I can't imagine going here again anytime soon. We went for happy hour and got drinks and dinner. Margaritas were good, and the food was decent. The problem was the service, which was the worst I have experienced in a very long time. I hate to be too rough because the lady who tried to take care of us seemed generally nice, just in over her head at this job. She took our drink order, came for our food order, forgot our drink order, delivered the food to the wrong person, never came back for more drinks, never checked on us, and then disappeared when we were finished. A second waitress took our plates away and delivered the check after 15 minutes of waiting and looking very bored. The initial waitress told us she was new, and looked extremely frazzled the entire time we were there. I left a tip because my gf is one of those people that believes even the worst serive on earth deserves 12%, but I would have stiffed her completely. If you're that bad at your job you need to find something else. I hope the rest of Austin has a better experience than I did, but for my money I'll be at Amaya's. read more

When deciding upon a restaurant for my 40th birthday dinner, it was a no brainer to choose El Mercado on Burnet Rd. I have frequented this location for some time, bringing my brother once a week, who has disabilities, to enjoy the great TexMex food, the fun casual ambiance and the amazing waitstaff. I can not say enough about this location. The attentiveness of my favorite waiter, Gama, is nothing short of pure joy for me each time I come in. He was my chosen waiter for my birthday dinner and he exceeded all expectations. All of my guests were simply impressed by his impeccable manners and how he handled a large group's orders of food/drinks. The overall consensus was what a great place to enjoy TexMex with some of the best restaurant staff in Austin!!! read more

There's not many or any restaurants that I have been to that makes reservations these days. I have dinner here quite religiously but its now the perfect spot to have a small birthday dinner party and have a quiet dinner. Not only did they accommodate us last minute but they were able to reserve our party of 20 the same day with only a few hours in advance. We walked in with our table set and the service was wonderful. Our waiter and the manager Joe were overly helpful and provided all we needed. I now have my family addicted to el mercado on burnet rd! I will always recommend this place for a great dinner, kids menu options, happy hour and customer service! read more

My wife loves this place. I also enjoy the atmosphere and great food. The service is always spot on and the patio is comfy and cool. Our new regular place. read more

The food was just ok. I wouldn't drive any distance to eat here. The whole restaurant smelled like a MENS ROOM in a dirty truck stop! The stale piss smell was nauseating. Maybe the food would have tasted better if I hadn't been gagging from the smell!!!! I will not go back read more

Mediocre Mexican food. The salsa is OK. Some of the lunch specials are acceptable.

If you live near by this place is great, been there dozens of times never had to wait. They have a good Mexican Martini & great menu prices. The waiters are always super nice, nothing pretentious about this place. read more

I do have a soft spot for this place. It's where my wife and I had our 1st date. That being written, this restaurant has theeeee blandest Tex Mex!! Outside of the Latin Kisses,the rest of the menu has bland and some what odd items. Example,the chipotle shrimp tacos. Cabbage with shrimp? Not cilantro? Brisket tacos with some odd tasting bbq sause? Odd as in very tasteless. It's like they're afraid of spices. And again what's with the cabbage?? The chicken and beef fajitas, tacos, chimichanga etc are dry and sometimes chewy. I've never had a problem with the chips and salsa tho. The service has always been excellent. Quick and attentive. I will give the food 1 star and the service four. read more

Ok, so I've eaten here lots of times and their food is nothing to write home about. You know the old saying, "if you go to a Mexican restaurant and their are lots of Mexicans eating their, then you know its good"? well, at El Mercado I didn't see anything but caucasians. But that's ok. Staff are usually friendly and they make excellent drinks. There's a patio and ample parking, unless you go on a Friday/Saturday night. Again, if you want great food, then this isn't the place; but if you need a stiff drink and some chips and salsa, and you don't mind 2nd rate mexican food, then give it a try. read more

My wife and I frequent this place and I think it's completely under-rated. The food is good but the service is fantastic. You can always get a table here and we are always well taken care of. Very easy to bring kids here. read more

It was a nice place to sit and wait for my tires to get fixed, but as a place to eat, I would not recommend this to anyone with a taste for Mexican food. I ordered a couple of migas tacos, it was covered in cold (unmelted) cheese and tomatoes. They used raw and strong onions, which is not a surprise, but jeez they smelled. The tortillas were barely warm and were obviously the ones you buy from the store. Truthfully, I can't understand how home-made tortillas are not the status quo here in Austin yet. read more

I began a mission that lasted six months--to find the best fajitas in Austin. The El Mercado oat 7414 Burnet Road is the go-to restaurant. It's not fancy, and I love that. It's not overpriced, and I love that. The caramelized green peppers and onions are superb, and if you want them extra-caramelized, just ask your waiter. The tortillas aren't homemade, and I would recommend to El Mercado they consider this, because the chicken and beef fajitas are the most tender and most flavourful in town!!! read more