Awesome Tex Mex! Their queso with taco meat is probably my favorite I've found. It's packed full of delicious ingredients. Great brisket tacos and enchiladas. read more

My favorite Tex Mex restaurant in Austin. Their shrimp tacos and frozen margs are the perfect antidote to a rough work week.

So so good! We so enjoyed our time and meal there; especially with Alex as our server that we went back two nights in a row! Living in Connecticut, I don't get good Mexican food -- so El Mercado was a special treat for me. And boy oh boy--this was just great; and just loved it both nights. And Alex is a great server and made sure that our food came out hot and in a timely manner! Things could not gave been better from the chips and salsa; the sangria margaritas and the chimichanga's. What a great time! read more

Agree that this place is under-rated.... This service is great. The food is authentic. And the salsa.... delicious!! read more

This is a staple in Austin Tex-Mex. I am from Austin and was finally able to give this a try when I was extremely hungry, had a long day, and just needed some cheesy enchiladas. Our server was attentive and kind, the atmosphere was great, and the food was filling and tasty. They allow smoking on the patio. Overall, really good Mexican food, but not quite the best in my opinion. I would still recommend making a visit to try it for yourself. read more

Thanks for being open, you guys rock we have enjoyed our take out meals almost as much as hanging out in your restaurant. Can't wait till this passes. Stay safe and we will be ordering again soon read more

I don't like Tex Mex. There are some exceptions to this rule. El Mercado is not one of them. I was there recently with some friends and ordered the shrimp tacos and a frozen strawberry margarita. The tacos were OK. The shrimp were really small and I'd say there's about a 99% chance that they arrived at El Mercado already peeled and frozen in a big bag. They were battered and fried, because Tex Mex rules require one to consume as many carbs as humanly possible in one sitting. The tortillas similarly had that "fresh from the bag" taste. I will say that I did get a pretty large portion of the tiny shrimp with my tacos, and I liked the chipotle ranch that came with them. I did sort of wish the sauce hadn't been served in a plastic to go cup, though. The tacos came with charro beans (meh) and rice (meh) and cost $8.50. My small 'rita was $4.99 and didn't give me the slightest buzz. Either all the Yelp DYL events have increased my tolerance, or these babies are _weak_. I did like the chips and salsa fine, as evidenced by the fact that I ate so many that I felt like I had a brick in my stomach after my meal (sexy, eh?). That said, it's hard for me to resist salty, crunchy, spicy anything when I'm sitting around starving, waiting for my food. Decor is of the gaudy, colorful, Ameri-Mex variety. There is tons of seating and a large patio, so it easily accommodates large groups. Personally, I can think of about 1000 other restaurants in Austin I'd rather eat at than El Mercado, including Taqueria Arandas and Elsi's, both of which are a stone's throw away. My vote: skip it. read more

Warning: Turdy smell entrada! It always smells like a nasty pile of turds when you walk through the front door here. (Then the smell goes away as you get further from the front door.) Always has. And I guess always will. WTF? Turds aside, this is a very casual Tex-Mexicana fix where the food is pretty good. The drinks are pretty good and the service is pretty good. Pretty chill outside patio, too! Too bad for EM there's no such thing as a pretty turd. read more

I was driving on Burnet on my way to an appointment. I was hungry and craving Mexican food. I was looking for another restaurant but I ended up going to El Mercado. Hell I wasn't going to Taco Hell (Bell, get it?). You drive into the parking lot and see a variety of tropical colors and you go inside it's the same thing. I look down and see a plate of food. I think to myself "HHHMMM, FREE SAMPLES" the food they had look so real. At the same time, I thought to myself it was fake and only for decoration - a way to make you more hungry. Don't want to end up like that one episode in "I Love Lucy" where Lucy was really hungry she ate an apple but had it stuck in her mouth because it was actually a fake apple. As usual, I eat a lot of the chips and salsa. I decided to have the beef taquitos and chicken tortilla soup. Needed something light for lunch. Taquitos were decent but I wasn't too keen on the the chicken tortilla soup just because it was too much of chicken noodle soup. I've had it with mostly with tomato sauce (or soup?) mixed in. The tortilla soup was somewhat watery and salty. So just stay away from the tortilla soup. Maybe I will come back. Just depends. The service was good and that's why I'm giving it three stars. read more

Full disclosure: The most appealing feature of this El Mercado's location is that my wife and I can walk there, eat, drink, and walk back half or more tipsy without incident. BUT, this convenience does not detract from El Mercado's many other outstanding features. For example, they have attractive door handles and air conditioning. Just kidding . . . Probably the best thing about El Mercado is the big portions. I saw one slim lady come in last week, and she came out 30 minutes later as a 350 lb. tubby dude. Wow! That must be good queso! In addition to a very extensive menu of traditional tasty Tex-Mex offerings, they also have a nice assort of vegetarian and seafood options (and I don't just mean cheese enchiladas). Try the spinach/mushroom variety, fish tacos, and several shrimp dishes. It's a funky joint with a parrot theme. If you don't like exotic birds or loud talking funny people, stay at home with the Lean Cuisine. The waitstaff is reliably kind, competent, and jocular, and I frankly look forward to rapping with them. The ambience is oddly "South Austin" even though it is located squarely in Crestview. I've never been disappointed with the entertaining, even shocking conversations I manage to overhear there. Yes, Dorothy, there are weirdos in North Austin, too. El Mercado also offers a great selection of domestic and Mexican beers, as well as much-lauded margaritas. I tend to stick to Corona, so I can't speak to the frozen drink selection. One final note: They prepare the food PRONTO! One time, I could've sworn they brought out my order before I told them what I wanted. Damn psychic waiters. El Mercado: Un buen lugar. read more

My thoughts as i walked in was trying to figure out what it was many years ago. Staff was friendly ,kept asking me if I was okay all I wanted was a relaxing time to myself have a beer The food must of been good ,did not eat but they had a lot of people in there, i did find it strange that the bar was all women sitting on the stools having a drink after work not even one guy every stool was taken, great air smelled clean, seem to provide quick service. i will be back when I want to eat. I may end up there soon. read more

I have had this place bookmarked for quit some time, and when we were on our way I browse the reviews and was quit shock at some off the thing I read were not true. After all I do trust my Yelp family and would hope that the joint reads what people write. Service was good as were promptly seated. Chips and Salsa hit the table. Chips were mid grade, but fresh none the less. Salsa lacked any other flavor but tomatoes, with some spice at the end. Queso is always a must, for the first time we also ordered a second appetizer, The Mini Chimis. I have to say they have a bigger selection of Apps then some places. The Mini Chimis were seriously good and came with 3 sauces, Chipotle, Verde and Garlic Sour Cream. Chipotle had a decent kick, and was more chunky and a scoop of that in the Queso was the perfect add in. Verde was Verde, but the Garlic Sour Cream was good. The pork in the Chimis had a great flavor and was super tender, and the outer shell was more like a fried bread, thick with a light crunch on the outside. Wife went the Beef Chiladas, double rice. Rice was good, but dry. Beef had a OK Flavor. As for me...Brisket Enchiladas on Deck. This was a first time in this direction. And was wowed by the smoky flavor of the brisket, and it was fork tender. You kinda get you BBQ/Mexican fix in one bite. Charro Bean were OK as well. So to sum it up, simple 3 Star Yelp rating...A-OK...I would be back again for the brisket chiladas alone. read more

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I'd been once before, last year, and had some fish tacos that were really good. So I had high hopes going in there last Monday to try out some cheese enchiladas. I got seated and served right away, so I have no service issues, but the food was iffy. I ordered the Enchiladas Queso (two cheese enchiladas topped with chile con carne and chile con queso), along with a Mexican martini. The enchiladas were wonderfully cheesy enough to get a gold star in my book, but then I made the mistake of tasting the chile con carne. What dreck is this?! The chile con carne tasted exactly like Wolf brand chili. Hey, I like Wolf brand chili when I'm eating... chili. Or Frito pies. Call me crazy, but Wolf brand chili and enchiladas belong on two completely different platos. The refried bean paste was decent, but the rice was better. The salsa, however, was disappointing. Personally, I think salsa should have vegetable chunks in it. Y'know, something to prove it's actually salsa. This salsa looked and tasted like it only had tomatoes and cilantro in it, and it wasn't the least bit spicy. And the Mexican martini? 'Twas too sour, somehow. I don't know what they did -- or didn't do -- to it, but I've never had such a sour Mexican martini before. But I drank it anyway, 'cause I'm a trooper like that. Okay, okay... so why three stars, you ask? After all, this sounds like a definite 2-star review, does it not? Well, those fish tacos I had last year were primo, and the service I got both times was wonderful. So I'll go back to El Mercado for fish tacos, but Camino Real still holds the key to my enchilada appetite. read more

El Mercado is one of those places I've passed a hundred time and thought "One day I should eat there"..... well I finally did eat there and I was pleasantly surprised with my meal. It wasn't the best Mexican food in town, but if you live north and don't want to drive to downtown it's a good choice. I will be visiting again! read more

I use to love this place we would go at least once a week. Until one of there rude waitresses decided to be mean to my mom when she ordered coffee. She said that she doesn't know why she orders coffee because they only make it for her to drink and then have to throw it away since no one else wants it. She then called over another waitress and they both started being rude to my mom. Umm excuse me but it's not like we aren't paying for the coffee, and it's not like you own the place. So how about you get better staff that can keep there stupid remarks to themselves. Because as someone who was a server for 5 years and lived off of her tips you should be nicer to your guest. You should just be nice to people in general. But I will tell you this we will not be going back and we have also let our St. Louis Parrish friends know as well so a lot of us will not be stopping by anymore. read more

It had been many years since I dined at El Mercado and it will probably be many more before I return. I spent many Sunday nights at the South 1st location when I lived in Austin and now that I think of it, maybe I only thought the food was good because I was liquored up on margaritas. Two things kept me from giving El Mercado a single star: the Phillip's Queso, which is still the best queso around, and the service. The restaurant was dirty and really needs a good cleaning and/or a fresh coat of paint. The chips weren't homemade and my chicken was tough. The spanish rice was really bland and come to think of it, so where the beans. Sup par all the way around. It was a Saturday night, the parking lot was empty, and now I know why. read more

Went for happy hour; my friend had brisket nachos and Mexican martinis. I wasn't hungry but had a mango margarita, then a Tex-mex (spicy) margarita. Our server was slow and very unenthused. The drinks were syrupy and weak. I had one bite of the brisket nachos and...I was done. They were greasy and not flavorful. I'm used to seeing nachos that are displayed in one layer on a platter; this was not, it was a big heap of chips with stuff put on top of the entire heap. Not eater-friendly, not pleasurable to eat. My friend ate about half because she was starved, but it's not something either of us would get again. Matter of fact, there are too many other good Tex-mex places to visit in Austin to consider going back to El Mercado. read more

Wow - I didn't think it was possible to have a bad TexMex experience in Austin, but then I visited El Mercado. The margaritas were not good at all - basically tasted syrupy and sweet and totally not worth the extra calories! I ordered the burrito and have no way to describe it other than horrible. Let's just say I don't plan to return, EVER... read more

Very fast service. The waiters there make sure that ur attended and that you get out as quickly as possible. I liked that aspect. The food here was very good as well. The tacos we had were interesting. They were biscuit tacos which comes with some kind of barbeque sauce on the side and you can put lettuce, pico, tomatos, beans, and/or rice in it which you are given on the side. It was quite cool. We'll probably be coming back here. read more

Definitely not the best Tex-Mex in town, but if you're in the area, or happen to live near it, and are hungry, and crave Tex-Mex, El Mercado is for you. The food is alright, but nothing to write home about. El Mercado is more about appearance than quality. Should just stick with the chips and salsa rather than ordering anything off the menu. At the end of the day, it's Taco Bell on a plate. But then again, Taco Bell doesn't try to be anything that it's not. read more

Nothing special, but nothing wrong with it either. Get the stuffed jalapenos as an appetizer and save room for the vanilla flan. Those are far and away the two best things on the menu. The salsa varies day to day, but is never spicy enough. The food and bar is nothing special. Service varies, but it's tended to be not bad. There's always a bunch of turnover there, I don't think I've ever seen a familiar face. read more

DISCLAIMER: 4 stars IF you live nearby - otherwise 3 stars El Mercado is within easy walking distance to my house. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday they have $2.99 margaritas. To be honest, I had written off this restaurant due to an extremely mediocre experience when we first moved nearby. However, one Sunday night I was strong-armed into coming here, because "its so close to the house". I was quite pleasantly surprised. Margaritas were $2.99 and the Veggie Nachos are actually really good. I've also had the Queso Fresca, which isn't the best in town but its pretty tasty. I don't usually order an entree when I come here - just appetizers and drinks. In general the food isn't the best Mexican you'll get in Austin (or even the neighborhood), but the appetizers are good for splitting with friends over cheap margaritas. Also, they have salty chips, which I like but just wanted to warn those that do not. read more

The rice is nice and garlick-y. There are way more vegetarian options than other Tex-Mex places, and they don't depend as much on heavy cheese. I really love the adobo sauce. The margaritas taste like real lime juice, instead of a sweet-and-sour mix. I'm confused as to why so many people have written bad reviews about this place! read more

After my terrible Chekos experience the other week, I was still craving a chile relleno. My friend had offered me lunch if I would take her to Savers to pick up a chair she wanted to buy. After we got the chair, we decided to just cruise north on Burnet to find some food. I saw the sign and remembered having a tasty lunch at El Mercado when I had first moved to town, and we decided that this seemed as good a place as any. What a refreshing experience. Fresh warm chips with awesome salsa that was just the right amount of both spicy and sweet were brought quickly to our table. The server was fast, friendly, and assured me that the chile rellenos here were roasted and not fried, so that was what I ordered. And wow, does that $2 price difference make a huge difference in taste. Our drinks were always full, the food was fresh, tasty, and made from decent ingredients, and the total check for two came to under $20. This one's a winner. read more

I can't remember eating food in a sit-down eatery that had a worse oder than El Mercado. That is, unless you count my grandmother's kitchen who happened to live on hog farm. The food wasn't much better. I'm pretty sure the chicken was simply microwaved cubes from a frozen Hill Country Fare bag. You may as well save yourself some money and stop by HEB to pick up a 12 oz can of refried beans for $.50 and couple frozen burritos for another $1.99. The service was fine and they do have $2.99, very strong, Margaritas for happy hour so I guess that is worth something. read more

I love El Mercado and probably would eat there once or twice a week if my wife would let me. (She hates Mexican food and I guess the possibility of my heart failing, so that's why she won't go.) This place has good Tex-Mex along the same vein as Maudies, but you don't need to dress up and pretend you're a Dallas Queen or San Antonio Senorita to go there. Their chips and salsa are quite good, nice mix of texture and slight spice. The enchiladas have been excellent in every variety I've tasted from there. If you're really starving, go for the El Mercado Plate. Its got an "appetizer" of queso, guacamole, salad stuff and a crispy taco, followed by a plate of enchiladas. The drinks have always been fantastic each time I've gotten them. They do happy hour specials, and I believe its Thursday night that they do $4 Mexican Martinis. Not quite as tasty as Trudy's MMs, but they do the trick quite nice while being a few bucks cheaper (and they're really cold!). Their service is exceptional, and I dare you to try and drink your ice tea dry or eat all your salsa before a refill is delivered. Pros: Pretty good food all around, outstanding service, good booze. Cons: Its not "authentic" Mexican, whatever that is, so if you're looking for spicy hot or cabrito, keep rolling down Anderson lane till the signs aren't in English anymore. Bottom Line: Better Tex-Mex than Maudies, without having to bump into douche bags bragging about their Saturday Lance Armstrong wannabe bike rides. read more

THEY CHANGED THE MIXED GRILL. :( The Mixed Grill fajitas was the only reason I still went to this El Mercado, with their mediocre service (I had to get up and go to the bar to get tea refills) and terribly uncomfortable booth seats. Now that they've removed the sausage from the mixed grill and added a bunch of weird veggies that don't really work (carrots and zucchini? Really?), I don't know that I'll be back. And this is after years of being a regular customer. Really disappointed. Only reason they're getting a two is because the food is still somewhat decent, but there's a whole lot of somewhat decent Tex-Mex in Austin that doesn't include limping once you get out of the booth. read more

We love this place. Yes, their Tex-Mex selections are mainly the normal tacos and enchiladas along with some chicken, fish, or shrimp dishes, but they're done well. But the surprising item is their hamburger. My favorite burger in town. They're not piled high with odd add-ons, but the meat is tender and flavorful. Maybe they cook it on the same grill as their fajitas. Fries are crisp and plentiful. Our go-to spot for Tex-Mex and burgers. We also enjoy their weekend brunch. No fancy American-style brunch dishes, but the the Tex-Mex ones they have are delicious. We eat here once or twice a week. Staff is super friendly. read more

I'm not really sure why this place keeps bringing people in. The food can range from good to mediocre, the service is terribly lacking, and there is a particular place in the restaurant that smells like urine and mold. Perhaps people are so inebriated with margaritas that they can't notice these things. I went to El Mercado on a Saturday afternoon when the place was less than half empty. After they seated us, it took forever just to get someone to take our order. When the waitress finally came over, her response was "oh, I guess I'll take your order." As we waited and waited for our food, no one returned to refill our drinks or freshen up our chips and salsa. My friend actually went over to the where the salsa was kept and refiled our bowl. Again, the restaurant remained half than less full. When our food finally arrived, we were pleasantly surprised that it was tasty. Great food on this particular visit, however, this isn't the first time the staff seemed aloof and unresponsive. Reading over some of the past revues, it seems that others have experienced the lack of service as well. read more

This was my favorite place to eat Mexican for the past 4 years. It was at first because it was the closest to my apartment, but over the years it came to be for many reasons. While it might not be the fanciest establishment, it's real. The servers are down to earth, quick, and always remember to take care of you. I go here for regular cheese enchiladas. Nothing fancy, just a hankerin' for some Tex-Mex. Great queso, yummy guacamole, and most importantly CHEAP Mexican Martini's! I got sick of going to Trudy's and spending so much for one when I realized that the regular price for one here is the same as the special low low price on Monday's only there. They get the job done just as well for me! The patio ALWAYS has seating, fun colorful lights, smoker friendly and semi shaded. Beware of the birds though, they will stalk you so don't feed them chips. This isn't real mexican food to get all up in arms over, but it's still the quickest Tex-Mex for the craving. We always left here, full, tipsy and with barely any dent in our bank account. read more

I headed here for dinner last night with a few friends. Overall, I was pleased with the food, atmosphere, and service - not the most amazing place I have ever been, but I would not object to going back. Service - sometimes a little slow to bring out drinks/refills and sides, but very very friendly. Atmosphere - Bright pinks, yellows, blues, and greens everywhere. Food - I had the chipotle cheese enchiladas and the chipotle sauce was delicious! The rice was good, not overseasoned like some Tex-Mex places tend to do, and the beans were okay. Overall, good food (although a little pricey at $7.99 for the size of the plate). read more

This Tex-Mex restaurant is really popular among the locals apparently, since it was lively and well-occupied with a packed parking lot during a Happy Hour. The prices seem fair. I had a veggie burrito for $7 or $8 and it was pretty good but nothing memorable. The atmosphere had Mexican-themed decor and the cheerful crowds of people relaxing, laughing, or talking loudly made me want to come and hang out there as well. This was my first out of two Happy Hour experiences so I may be overstating the cheer of the Happy Hour crowd--maybe most Happy Hours have really cheerful crowds of people. El Mercado was easy to find--it's on Burnet Rd on the southwest corner of the Richcreek intersection a few blocks south of the Anderson Lane intersection (north neighbor of Genie Car Wash). Parking in its crowded parking lot was the challenge! I had to park in the back of the restaurant in an unmarked parking area and other poor cars who drove in there had to back out or maneuver awkwardly to get back out. They had a decent-sized parking lot--I guess it's just that popular of a restaurant. I came for a post-Travis County Democratic Convention get-together and probably won't come again (simply because I'm not a big fan of Tex-Mex and the prices seemed high for my frugal tastes). read more

The El Mercado restaurants have been purveyors of cheap 'n good Tex-Mex meals for quite a few years here in Austin. I've been partial to the El Mercado on Burnet mainly due to it's proximity to my home, but I tend to like the lay out here very much. Parking is really easy and they have a pretty cool little patio area. You can't miss the restaurant, it's painted in all the gaudy yellow, pink and blues that unfortunately everyone thinks people from Mexico paint their restaurants. Where did this awful tradition begin? Anyway, what makes El Mercado really a stand out muy grande from the Tex-Mex crowd is their prices. These guys know how to serve up some pretty decent food at a really good price. Did I mention their drink specials? $3.99 Mexican Martini and $2.99 Margs on most weekdays! Their lunch specials are easy on the wallet too. The menu is pretty varied and contains most of your typical Tex-Mex standbys ranging from queso to fajitas and enchiladas. My favorite is the Chicken Chipotle, the sauce has an excellent kick to it and the Margaritas tend to put out that fire really nicely. This is not the best Tex-Mex in town, but you can't go wrong with the decent quality of food and their low prices. read more

A regular here. For good reasons: consistency, very kind team, they happily accommodate dietary requests when they are possible, and it's just comfortable. I always feel like the food is very fresh, and I can consume gallons of salsa because it's always perfect. Dine well! read more

We have been to El Mercado on south 1st numerous times, but we live in Allandale so we had to check out this spot. We came for a late dinner on a Friday and sat right down at a booth. The regular size margaritas are fairly small, so I would order a large. Drinks were strong and the service was prompt and good. I liked the salsa- a little kick to it. The queso was ok, a little thin for my liking. I ordered the app quesadillas without meat and they were great. Hubs ordered brisket tacos which he thought were amazing. They have a nice outdoor patio and I feel as if they were reasonable priced. We will be back, love the neighborhood feel. read more

FAIL!! sorry but the best thing about this place is the service and the beer. Food is bland and catered to what I would assume are people like my grandparents who cannot handle SPICY and real mexican food in general.. this is for the super blanco!! read more

Greasy, saucy mexican. I'm talking about the food, I promise. I think that's about all there is to say. Every time I've eaten here, I feel obligated to take Imodium. For many reasons. The margaritas are pretty cheap, but honestly, there are better places to get cheap tex-mex food. Just go down the road to Trudy's read more

I have always had a great time here! I think that their Monday Mexican Martini special ( $5 each I think) is what gets me. The food is always delicious, especially the cheese enchiladas. My kids can have enough fun coloring and eating chips in the outside gated in area. Occassionaly smokers will fog up the area..(but we could always sit inside, I know.) A pal will walk into the parking lot and smoke while still visiting with us in that gated area...which is rad! One warning. I always , always get too full there... you know "hurt me full." So asking for a To Go Box might please your belly ,if it is like mine! The servings are big! read more

I am probably bias since the location is very convenient to me, but I find this place to be very acceptable. I am not going to say it is the best Mexican place in Austin, but I will say the quality and the service is always been very good and consistent. I have had a about five different items from the menu, the beef fajitas and any of the enchiladas are my go to dishes. They never disappoint which is probably why I am a repeat customer. It seems that every time I go there is some sort of drink special which is never disappointing. Add that to even at the busiest times I am able to get parking, I am sold! For sure check it out if you want some great service, good food and drinks with a laid back atmosphere. If you get a chance, try the outside patio, nice, quite and very enjoyable. read more

The food here is decent for the price. Just remember, when you go in, this is TEX MEX food, not Mexican. Free chips and salsa. The salsa is nice and hot! I recommend any of the enchiladas. Sometimes they overcook their Spanish rice. I don't think I've ever had a bad Margarita here. The wait service is friendly, sometimes a little slow. Oddly, I haven't ever seen a female worker here. What's up with that? read more