Almost forgot how much I love the food here. Shrimp enchiladas,cheese enchiladas. Even made my mom a shrimp chili renello which was delicious but not on the menu anymore. Chips were the best I've had here. Nice spicy salsa too. read more

My date and I had high expectations when coming into El Mercado and maybe that was our problem. We have been so spoiled by other restaurants in the Allendale area such as Cover 3, Trudy's Northstar, and Hopdoddy's that the bar has been set really high . However, that being said, our experience at This particular establishment was far from satisfactory. Our waiter was really cute, but he was so flustered and stressed that he spilled my date's water, my tortilla soup, and our salsa (he also dropped his tray at the table next to is and broke several dishes). By the time we left our table was drenched and not by our own doing. He was really nice just extremely sloppy. The food was subpar. Our nacho appetizer was just the restaurant's chips with a scoop of refried beans, cheese, and jalapeños. It was not bad or good. A quarter of my tortilla soup was served to the table, but what i had of it was bland and at room temperature anyway. My date's fajita tacos were "disgusting." Our server initially forgot the charro beans and had to be reminded to bring them out. However, once he dropped the off at the table there was a piece of plastic wrapping in them. The margaritas were decent. Our server knew that he was not providing amazing service but did not apologize until we showed him the plastic wrapping in the beans. When the manager came over to fix the situation he merely explained that the piece of plastic was a piece of wrapping for something in the kitchen. He started mumbling and then just walked away without apologizing...it was really strange. The two of us were literally sitting at our table shocked. About 5 minutes after the manager had explained the piece of plastic wrapping our server came over to inform us that one of our meals had been covered by the manager. read more

This is my first two-star review, and I am sorry to give it. Don't eat the shrimp, it might be bad! Initially, I had a good experience at El Mercado North. I admired the decor. It was amusing to me that the art on the wall had a globe that only had the Americas, as well as a cowboy on a flying jalapeño. I thought the parrots were cute. I liked that the inside of the restaurant was so colorful. I took pictures. I had seen El Mercado on the way to work for months, but I hadn't gone, because it seemed disloyal to go to another Tex-Mex place on the same road. I figured that since I no longer worked at Trudy's, I could try El Mercado guilt-free, and nothing bad would happen. (Previously, I went to La Casa Chapala, a Mexican restaurant across the highway from Trudy's, after my shift on Día de los Muertos. I had a good experience there, but there was a huge flock of agitated birds outside, when I left; this seemed disturbing and supernatural, and I was saw this as a punishment for not eating at work, instead.) Anyway, my server was nice. She was attentive in refilling my ice tea. I had no problems with her. I ordered the Baja Plate. I thought it was tasty, but I found it hard to finish. I ate all of the shrimp enchiladas portion, and the beans and rice, but I was too full to finish the fried tilapia taco and the chips. My server had already brought me the check, but I had trouble asking for a to-go box. Then, I went to the bathroom, and I found myself puking up everything I had just eaten. I threw up four times! I think the last time that I threw up at a restaurant was at a McDonald's when I was a small child; I went on the playground right after eating (Hi-C doesn't really go with cheeseburgers, tbh, but I liked Hi-C a lot.) I had intended to give a better review, but if I throw up at a restaurant, it would be dishonest to give a good one. Please, check the shrimp. I think the shrimp is what my stomach rebelled against. read more

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I'd really like to give El Mercado three stars here rather than two. On a recent visit the service was friendly and good, the house margaritas were solid, and the atmosphere wasn't lacking. The portions were generous. The food just simply wasn't up to the standard I'd expect for a place that's something of an Austin institution. I was ravenous and ordered the largest combo plate on the menu - the "Super Platillo" - and true to the name it was all served on one enormous plate. Normally a combo like this would have a cold plate with the taco and tostada, and a hot plate with the other items like enchiladas, rice, and beans. Here a single hot plate left the taco and tostada soggy and buried amidst the other items. The sauce that covered my enchilada and relleno seemed to be a tomato-based ranchero rather than a Tex-Mex chili gravy or ancho style that would be more typical. The rice was okay and the charro beans were probably the best thing on the plate. Nothing was dreadful, it all just could have easily been better. I am happy to see an Austin restaurant thrive and be able to sustain multiple locations. I cannot, however, recommend this place to an out-of-towner who hopes to experience solid, representative Austin Tex Mex. Perhaps I'm being fussy here. Actually, I'm certainly being fussy here. But then, what's the point of being proud of Austin Tex-Mex if you're not willing to be fussy about it? I hope you enjoy yourself if you find yourself here - it's a pleasant enough place, and a soggy taco is hardly the end of the world. Cheers! read more

Been more than a few years since I'd been to this El Mercado. It really hadn't been on my radar for awhile. However, the homie and yelper extraordinaire Rebecca R. had been singing the praises of their brunch offerings. The past weekend my bestie and I finally got to check it out. Brightly colored decor greets you as you walk in. They were doing brisk business at 11am on a Sunday. However no 2 hour waits here, and for that I was glad. Our service was friendly and efficient. Kept our coffees and waters filled, and we got our meals quickly. Got to watch some NFL as we enjoyed our meal. Salsa has heat and the chips extra crispy. I had the green Chile pork omelette plate. It was massive, as you can tell from the photo. Bestie had breakfast tacos and was pleased. We left happy. Definitely will be back. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Green Chile Pork Omelette - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a hole in the wall Tex Mex restaurant. They have all the typical fare, enchiladas, tacos, etc Queso was good. Frozen margs we're great. I got a chicken fajita lunch salad. It was the perfect lunch sized portion. we were celebrating our friends bday and they brought out sopapillas on the house. It was delicious. Soft pillowy deliciousness. The service was wonderful. The waiter was attentive and friendly. I'll definitely go back just for those sopapillas. read more

Back to four stars! Their post pandemic service issues have all resolved and they are back to being a stand by for dependable great Tex Mex. So glad to be able to update my review!! read more

One of our favorite places. Food is always great. Margs are COLD and FROZEN. All the way through. The staff is wonderful and sweet. They always remember us and say hi. I just wish they'd bring back the burger on the kids menu. read more

Delicious food and super friendly, efficient staff. The waitress even offered to take a picture of my date and me. Stay as good as you are! read more

Great food! Has been around for as long as I can remember in Austin and the food has remained great. I love the queso and the verde chicken enchiladas. Yum! read more

Great food at a reasonable price. Solid classic TexMex. Good service with a really positive atmosphere.

I ordered their shrimp enchiladas with this certain cheese sauce (can't exactly remember the name)... and I have to say... wow. Very delicious! Their margaritas are decent, but with their cheap prices it's pretty good. Their chips and queso were fresh and tasty as well. Nice staff and good service. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Shrimp Enchiladas pictured in front, ENCHILADA DINNER PACK in back - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

My parents have a tradition of eating here Sunday mornings while their car is at Genie car wash next door. The staff are always so nice and welcoming and the service is fast and friendly! All the versions of Migas that are served are excellent! I also really really enjoy the salsa! Last time I got Huevos Borrachos- yummy- veggies and eggs and cheese! The tortillas are fresh and delicious! The prices are very reasonable too! read more

The food here is very plain. They charge $6.50 for a small queso that taste just like velveta box cheese it was super thick and had no flavor. The chicken in the enchiladas Is the sams club canned chicken. This food taste cheap. Not going to be coming back read more

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

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One of our neighborhood favorites! Really good food with true TexMex flair. My favorite is the Veggie Tacos the come with delicious grilled vegetables, black beans and cheese in wheat tortillas! The decor always makes me smile! So many bright colors and fun elements! While the place is usually hopping, we never have to wait to be seated like some other spots in Austin. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Fun, colorful decor & ambiance! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I'm here at this location at least 3-4 x a month, the service is always rad the food never disappoints. We went yesterday and the lunch crowd was there but we were never at a want for anything, service was expedited quickly and efficiently and the back of house fulfilled our lunch order to a T. We almost always get the Philips queso too, fresh onion, jalapeno, ground beef and guac.. party for days!! read more

This place is a solid, cute, cheap austin-y place. The el grandote margarita comes with a million fruit flavors and comes in a pint class for $10 with a yummy and classic taste that will totally F you up. Be careful if you think you can put down a few, also great cheap shots. THE FOOD TOO- try the 1/2 order of the El pastor tostadas (it's an appetizer but a super solid portion for a cheap yummy meal). Great to hang with friends or for a quick bite. 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

I used to like this place. Looking back I'm not sure if it was because of the Mexican Martinis or the lack of an experienced palate or if they really deserved that four star review from my "Freshman Days". Whatever the deal, what I liked then, I'm not liking now. We were on Burnet and decided to pop in here for lunch since we hadn't been in for so long. I ordered the crispy taco with cheese enchilada lunch plate. The rice was dry and the re-fried beans were cold. As for the taco, it was ground beef in a hard shell. Shell was old and lacked of that fresh snap. Wasn't quite stale, but definitely borderline. The meat mixture was as bland as dog shit is smelly. Seriously boring taco. The cheese enchilada was just as dreadful as it was nothing more than a rolled up tortilla with meat sauce and queso dumped on it. What's worse is when I was ordering my food I asked for charro beans instead of re-fried. I was told that would be a $0.50 upcharge! I've never encountered this anywhere. Not that I recall anyway. This is place is nothing more than your average low end MEH Tex-Mex place. Happy Hour with drinks may be the better way to go here. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Taco & cheese enchilada lunch plate - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

This was one of the first places I had Tex-Mex in Austin, and its the place that I think of first when I want Tex-Mex now. I love their salsa. If there was no other reason to love this place it would be just the salsa alone, its full of spice and garlic, not too tomato flavor. But since there is more here than just salsa, let me go into my favorite things about El Mercado. The rice, its light, and full of garlic, it goes good with all their saucy dishes and on its own. Best with beans and always consistent. The charro beans, are like a soup filled with love, and that love is bacon, chillies, onions and beans. Taco salads are one of the things I try everywhere I go in town. When I think of a taco salad, this place does it right. I don't have a big crispy shell, I just have all the wonderful guts. The decor is fantastic, it reminds me of being at a beach restaurant or resort in Mexico. There is always a tv on near the bar with some soccer on, and speaking of the bar the margarita specials here are fantastic. When you come to El Mercado don't expect the fanciest looking plate of food, but expect a great plate full of flavor and freshness. It wont dissapoint. read more

This, to me, is what Tex mex should be! We eat here quite frequently and love it. Some of our go to favorites are the Mercado plate, the combo plate or their taco salad. Both the Mercado and combo have their delicious cheese enchiladas and beef tacos. This is my absolute favorite. Another thing, you MUST get their queso...so good. I've always had a positive experience with all of the staff there. Its our go to for Friday evenings. My favorite drink on the menu is their cucumber mango martini ... Simply divine. read more

Looking for huge amounts of indifferent Mexican food? . El Mercado has your back. Well, maybe not totally. The chips are worse than indifferent. They taste stale even if they have been under the heat lamp. But the rest of the food is no worse than what they serve in Iowa ... and people survive eating Mexican food in Iowa. They serve lots of margarita variations and nearly everyone else in the house was having margaritas. Maybe with enough margaritas in you, you just won't care. read more

I love the brunch here!! Migas, refried beans, bacon, lots of chips and salsa. You may have to wait a bit but it's so worth it. Homemade food, good service, parking and the bloody maria is fabulous! Add a strong coffee if you are driving! Not my favorite but it's in the mix and it's good and cheap! read more

Not great. There are so many good Mexican food restaurants in town, I would pass this one. The food is super "meh" and the prices are a bit high quite honestly, especially for meh food. read more

This is my local, go-to Tex-Mex joint. And it's incredible! Literally the best margaritas I've ever had. The staff is so wonderful and hard-working. I've never had bad service here. The salsa is great. I love their shrimp tacos. My husband and I both love the fajitas. I will be honest-- the tortilla chips and queso are just okay. But their guacamole is out of this world, and so are their drinks and the smiles they are served with. I go here about once a week and am never disappointed. Order a halfie Margarita (half rocks, half frozen), I recommend strawberry if you like it a bit sweet or just their house lime. Peach Margarita is also good. Go here! The prices are reasonable and the food is always fresh. 5++++ stars over many visits and from a life long Texan. And as other reviews have noted, the drinks are quite strong. This is where I bring everyone from out of town. Whoa! read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Halfie strawberry margarita, grandote size - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Peace in the world through TexMex is their slogan and I certainly believe people would be happier if they came here once a week. We had the Baja enchiladas and the tilapia and shrimp were cooked perfectly. We started with queso (salsa is amazing) and ended with sopapillas. Brilliant experience. Gama is one of the best waiters I've ever had. read more

Wonderful take-out service here! The greeter, Landon, was really excellent and super attentive considering we were just getting some food to go. Landon: you are a great employee! I will say it is true that this location is not exactly the cleanest smelling or the newest place, but man, they have plenty of happy customers - the place is always looks pretty busy. The food was just slightly above average Tex-Mex. That said, it could have something to do with taking out vs eating in, so we'll come back and I will update my review after we try some dining in. read more

This place is so cozy and quaint. I absolutely love the food.The food is not greasy very healthy but still delicious! As far as the drinks go. So yummy! And Happy Hour is just the best! read more

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Really like this place, especially with family and friends on a Friday night. The service was excellent and the atmosphere really kicked off our weekend. The food is excellent and the prices are reasonable. read more

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Keep those Great frozen margaritas coming!! I ordered the tacos al pastor, which turned out pretty darn greasy .... I wouldn't have minded had they been tastier but unfortunately they WEREN'T!! But I will say, they're Nachos were freaking AMAAAAAAAZZZZZZING!!! Loaded to the gills. So if I were to recommend anything I would say Order the Nachos & Frozen Margaritas!! read more

Have always loved El Mercado, the back porch is super nice to sit on when the weather is right. They changed the menu now I am assuming due to Covid. I really miss the Family Stater plate! The margaritas were good, better then I remembered from past visits! Brisket Tacos read more

I can't remember why we stopped going to El Mercado, but we were looking for someplace different and nearby on Thursday evening for dinner. Long story short. Pretty darned good. There's a great menu with a good selection of the various Tex-Mex options. All of the Tex-Mex classics are there and most are available in all sorts of different combinations. The chips and salsa are good. The salsa isn't too hot and is obviously their own recipe and made fresh. The queso was good, but not great. A pretty standard queso that could've been a smidge thicker and had a touch more zing to it. My tacos were very good and well seasoned. The rice is plain, but has good seasoning. My dining companion also raved about her enchilada, which looked like the classic Tex-Mex enchilada. Our server Alex was attentive and kept drinks and chips refilled. All in all, there's not much to complain about here. read more

Oh my! Im in heaven! This place is my Go-To for Mexican food! Ive been eating here since I was a little girl. It is SOO Delicious! I usually get their crazy combo plates, like the Super Platillo or something crazy like that. Their enchiladas are RIDICULOUS! Also the fajitas are too good as well. its all served up sizzling and loud!! everyone looks! I am in love with this place, please give it a try if you've never been! Oh and the waiters are ON POINT. Especially Salvador! He is such a great waiter. AWESOME Place. read more

This place makes me sick. Been here a handful of times over the years, always standard mediocre Tex-Mex. My last visit, though, pushed me over the edge. The waiter was out of control. SO rude, I get irritated thinking about it now. The food was repulsive. Check out the picture of the shrimp. I could have dug around in a Long John Silver's trash can and found more appetizing seafood. If you're not going to make an effort to at least have half-decent/slightly appetizing shrimp WHY even have it on the menu? Stick to your slightly-charred chicken and flavorless beef, please. Also, their nachos are a disgrace. They put velveeta-style cheese on cheap-ass chips... not fried corn tortilla chips (the way nachos are intended to be made), but the kind they serve you for free. You know how those get super soggy after about 15 seconds. Unreal. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Look at this disgusting shrimp. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I love these beef fajitas as much as any in town. Been coming since 1994. -Native Austinite read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Eating at el mercado waiting for Jennie to join me - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I had been to the location down south years ago when I first moved to Austin and I have to say I was not that impressed. However I go to this location 4 years later, and my god was it good. I felt like I died and went to enchilada heaven. Everything was fresh, hot, and prompt. Our waitress was a hoot, and our margaritas did the trick. Luckily we went on a Sunday night I believe it was Easter, and it was not very busy. I brought my sister here for the first time and she said it was the best Mexican that she has had in Austin.. I was like.. DAYUMMMMM girll. But yes, this location is the bees knees. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas with Black Beans and Mexican rice. SMOTHERED IN QUESO! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've eaten at El Mercado three times now. Why do I come here? Because Enchiladas Y Mas has a line out the door. Never again. Ever! The service is great and quick, the prices are low and the food is bland. Seriously lacking spices and salt. A high blood pressure sufferers delight I suppose. I'm sorry but flour tortillas, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheddar cheese will not make a chicken soft taco taste good. They really need to open up the spice cabinet here to get me to come back. The salsa is also lacking the flavor of onion and peppers. I think I only tasted tomato and garlic. Oh well, we move on. read more

I just can't think of a thing that isn't perfect...my grammar, maybe. The margaritas are great, the waiters are great, the food is great. Prices are good and the portions are perfect. read more

El Mercado Restaurant - My Margarita and it did not affect my post....it's still full - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came in for late lunch. Chips and salsa were delicious. Beef Fajitas for one was delicious. Great service and tasty food.

When the nicest thing that you can say about a place is that the charro beans are good, you know that you haven't had the best meal. We tried El Mercado early Friday evening for the first time in celebration of surviving several bureaucratic office visits that afternoon. We ordered the happy hour margaritas, which didn't seem impressive on price, but were good-sized, and certainly strong, which we appreciated. We started with the Phillip's Special queso--bleh. The cheese was too congealed and the guac tasted old, and also their chips suck. For dinner we got the spinach and mushroom enchiladas and the chipotle enchiladas. The former were actually pretty good, but the latter had a cloying sauce that we didn't enjoy (also, we were supposed to get one beef and one chicken, but ended up with two beef). Just beans and rice on the plates with none of the other typical accoutrements. Service was fine-ish. We sat outside on the patio because it was a gorgeous day and our daughter was being exceptionally well-behaved in her stroller, so it was overall a pleasant experience, but we will not be back again since it wasn't particularly good food. read more