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    La Palapa

    3.2 (210 reviews)
    ModerateTex-Mex, Mexican
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    La Palapa Photos

    Business Info

    LA PALAPA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - La Palapa

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    Chimichanga with beef fajita
    Kayla P.

    Had a good experience here. It wasn't very busy for lunch, but the food took a little time to come out. Tried the queso with beef which was very good. The kids meals left much to be desired, but when I requested an extra quesadilla, they did make one. Super grateful to that. The chimichanga was very good. I feel like I go everywhere trying them. The lunch crowd seemed to fill a large portion of the restaurant, but it was still pretty quiet. The customer service was good. So on a quiet day, I think this would be a solid spot.

    Jenn C.

    Quick and easy place for Mexican food. The make a great cheese enchilada and a crispy beef taco. Nothing fancy just good food. I come for lunch since it's close to my office. Good margaritas too!!! It's easy on the wallet with affordable options.

    Lauren M.

    An Austin Tex-mex staple. If you haven't been here, you are missing out. Lots of good Tex mex options and alcoholic drinks to choose from. Service is quick and friendly. The place may look a little rough around the edges but the food is delicious authentic Tex mex.

    Sopapillas
    Maria M.

    Nice atmosphere, good customer service, and the food was outstanding. The prices are very reasonable for the amount of food served it was worth it. We like how the bar is separated from the main dining area. We will definitely come back.

    Fish tacos
    Mo L.

    Stumbled upon this cute place after a day playing tennis at the high school next door. Food was tasty! We ordered fish tacos and enchiladas. Food was very reasonably priced and drinks were fantastic! Service was very fast although it was closer to closing so there weren't many others there. Overall would recommend if you are looking for a good casual Mexican sit down experience.

    Margarita couldn't wait did the tacos to arrive. Cheers!
    Inez V.

    As soon as you walk in the door you're greeted by the friendly host and a big sign with all the daily specials. You can't go wrong with a margarita and some delicious tacos. I ordered the street tacos and was instantly hooked! This is my favorite place with a chill, and enjoyable ambiance where you can eat, talk and drink up! Best thing is there is a bar in the back area where you can enjoy a louder room and listen to some great music. Great bank for your buck, great value at a great cost!

    Bacon cheeseburger
    George N.

    The bacon cheeseburger from here is something to write home about. So much flavor!! The cheese was beyond imagination. I will be back and order again.

    Botana Sampler
    Amy G.

    La Palapa is the place for the best cheese quesadilla in town, or maybe Texas or the entire universe (which is basically the same thing because this is obviously the only state that matters when it comes to tex-mex food.) Sure, a cheese quesadilla is a plain thing to get from a restaurant, but when it's done right, it's absolute cheesy delight. I can never quite replicate it at home. The combo of cheeses they use is very mellow and not greasy, and the texture of the tortilla is crispy and almost flaky, without being burnt. Most other things from La Palapa are satisfactory as well, but it's hard for me to come here and not go straight for the quesadilla.

    Menu 8/2024
    John M.

    Overall not a bad visit....Place has been here forever, and we have passed by for years....yet a friend who had just moved up the street said we need to try it....for as old as it is, very clean and the up keep is great.....Salsa, Chips and Queso hit first....Salsa if very tomato forward, and I swear it tasted like Pace out of a jar...but had some heat to it. Queso was good but not a fan of the raw veggies, but was better with a scoop of salsa. Wife went with the Beef enchiladas with Chipotle, double rice...Sauce had a decent bite, beef was stand alone good...Rice was rice...I went with the Tri color Enchilada....All three were good...sour cream sauce being my favorite...Beans were good...The service definitely needs work...Huge party (20+) of city workers showed and we were forgotten....didn't even get a second water refill. We will continue to pass this place by, as there are several in the area we prefer. Onto the next adventure.

    Great salsa!
    Mary L.

    After driving past this place for years, we finally checked it out for lunch the other day. We found good, solid Texmex lunch specials, and a sprawling menu that lures us back for further exploration. The Happy Hour looks tempting as well, with drink and appetizer specials. I ordered the lunch Chicken Flautas, which were excellent. The two were bigger than I expected and tasted fresh from the fryer, and the rice and Charro beans that came alongside were very good. A few TexMex places have started upcharging for Charro beans instead of Refried, but La Palapa does not. My guy ordered the Chile Relleno. He's from Chicago and refuses to pronounce "relleno" properly, but our server did not hit him over the head with the chips basket, and was kind and friendly throughout. He has a weird idea that the fried chile shouldn't be flattened before cooking, but said it tasted fine. I liked the interesting architecture of the building and the friendly vibe. We'll be back.

    a colorful christmas tree in a restaurant
    Katherine A.

    Goto appt for a last minute dinner. Lots of choices. There's always a daily special so that's really nice. They have things on there like enchiladas, pollo, caldo all sorts of yummy stuff so it's always a good idea to go for the special

    Taco Salad shredded chicken  perfect

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Soooo good . Make time for a nap after you eat! They make sure you get pleanty of food

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    3 years ago

    Nice atmosphere for happy hour after work. The food wasn't anything to write home about.

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    3 years ago

    All I'm gonna say is nothing like the one off of 290 , we ate at new location and if you want good drinks and good food don't come here.

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    5 years ago

    First meal out after the snowpacalypse. Super yummy mole chicken and great drinks! The flan was wonderful too!!

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    13 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Debbie M.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great food and drinks and the staff is super friendly!! It has a dine in area and a bar area so it's a great place to go! Great manager Rosa

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    7 years ago

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    Mama Betty’s

    Mama Betty’s

    4.1
    (386 reviews)
    12.3 mi
    $$

    Love the queso and margaritas are a hit! Service is…read moreusually spot on with food coming out fairly quickly. I usually sit inside, however sat outside on an occasion and there was a big group truly enjoying their company's party.

    Went on Sunday after Easter service because we were craving something a friend brought us during a…read morerecent meal train but felt it a bit lacking. First, the menu needs a rewrite for content and clarity. For example, buying fajitas doesn't list guacamole and based on size, single, for two and family you get more sides of rice or beans. There's no definition of how much actual meat you get and our server couldn't provide that information beyond a rough estimate. Second, the fajitas we got of family size and for two portions for 7 were not consistently cooked. We asked for medium rare and got about 25% at that with the ones in the center at a more well done. Again, the multiple tiny sides were more obnoxious than anything as it's legit beans and rice unless you want to upcharge. The cilantro lime rice tastes like nothing so skip that and go for abuelita rice which has a hint of flavor. Overall, the butter/gravy that go on the fajitas is the real winner but again a menu where you overbuy and misunderstand (that doesn't even list extras like guacamole or a simple small queso) was beyond frustrating. I would stick to them for one to possibly get a better cook.

    Photos
    Not so Private event space
    Not so Private event space
    Chilli relleno and blood orange margarita (Notice the rice looks orange red, it wasn't it was normal Spanish rice color)
    Chilli relleno and blood orange margarita (Notice the rice looks orange red, it wasn't it was normal Spanish rice color)
    Mexican martinis

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    Mexican martinis
    Suerte

    Suerte

    4.3
    (1.4k reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$$

    Food and service was amazing. I'd recommend buying food for the table and sharing with everyoneread more

    Best meal of the Austin trip: upscale tacos and housemade masa in a welcoming space…read more Food: 5 Service: 4.5 Atmosphere: 5 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - Waitress Kelly was wonderful and so professional. She noticed I was ordering dairy items on side and asked about if pesto in guacamole was ok. So astute and kind of her. Also on my friends second drink remembered she didn't want salt or her rim without even asking - Everything tasted so fresh and high quality - Brisket tacos: packed with flavor--maybe it was the wagyu meat or the black magic oil. Freshly made corn tortillas were awesome. Usually corn ones and pretty throwaway meh, but these added to the greatness of the tacos. 5 stars - Duck flautas: crispy covered in mild mole. Loved the mashed potato addition inside for some mellowness and texture. 5 stars - Guacamole: so fresh and that dollop of pesto on top was lovely. Served with crispy masa dippers were impressive almost a 8x11 page size. It was fun to crack off into pieces, but hard to stop eating it. 5 stars - Sweet potato: friend loved these long charred wedges. 4.5 stars - Cocktails were stellar. I got the Don Dario which was a play on a marg and delightful - $12 of a few drinks during lucky hour (Mon-Fri 5-6pm, Sat-Sun 3-5pm) - High energy vibes in a clean, open, tan colored space - Had their bottle water on the table in a champagne bottle which speaks to my heart Midlights: - In East Austin so have to Uber if you are staying more central - Tacos come in orders of 4. Wish it was less so we could've tried more variety. Lowlights - No food discounts for lucky hour - Didn't have time to try the choco taco which looked amaze - Large gap of time between items first few items coming out and the rest

    Photos
    Cool vibe
    Cool vibe
    Tlayuda de Hongos
    Tlayuda de Hongos
    Tlayuda de Hongos (mushrooms)

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    Tlayuda de Hongos (mushrooms)
    La Piscina

    La Piscina

    4.3
    (249 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$$

    Ambiance: 5/5: On the 5th floor of the Proper hotel, so you could some cute rooftop views if you…read moresit in the patio. Restaurant is clean, nice, and feels so fancy. Service: 5/5: We went for dinner an hour before they closed, and the staff was so lovely and would check on us often. Even after they had closed, they offered us another round of drinks and dessert. We did not feel rushed at all. Drinks: 4/5: I ordered the frozen margarita and it tasted pretty good. Not much different from other frozen margs Ive had. Drinks are a bit pricey here. Food: 4.5/5: You get chips and salsa for the table. The green salsa was tasty, but the red was missing flavor and spice. The Shrimp Ceviche was good, but I did expect more flavor/freshness out of the dish. The star of the show was the Chicken fajitas with cheese! The chicken was so juicy and the cheese was so delicious. Every bite I took of my taco was amazing. Probably the best fajitas Ive had in Austin. Cannot wait to eat them again. Overall a bit pricey, but would definitely recommend! Cant wait to be back.

    Real rating is 3.5. Over all food and drinks were great. But there was a random dog running around…read morethe pool area that no one seemed to have control over. Kind of irritating when you're trying to relax. A cabana is the way to go but the seating for the couch slides all over the place. Service was great for how busy they were! Update- apparently the dog's owner is a resident of The Proper.....still not okay to be doing this....but grateful for the waitstaff for trying to manage such rude people

    Photos
    La Piscina
    Lobster Quesadilla, Steak and Chicken Fajitas
    Lobster Quesadilla, Steak and Chicken Fajitas
    View from the rooftop

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    View from the rooftop
    Pueblo Viejo

    Pueblo Viejo

    4.4
    (671 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $

    Tucked away in a building across from Popeye's, this charming little restaurant doesn't have a wide…read morevariety to choose from--but what they offer is pretty special and definitely worth a visit. I ordered 2 steak tacos and horchata, both very delicious. The horchata is milky and sweet but not crazy sweet, and topped off with cinnamon. The steak tacos came out pretty hot, fresh from the grill. I got them on corn tortillas and I'm glad I did: idk if they make them in house but somebody in some house is making these because they definitely aren't store bought, and if they are I want to know where! I tried the orange habanero and creamy serrano salsas. The habanero was spicy off the bat, while the serrano had more of a lingering burn. Both paired well with the steak. They have a little bar, too, though I did not imbibe this time. Seems like they have a decent selection of agave spirits, and even Campari behind the bar (iykyk). Give them a shot, and thank the ladies in the kitchen.

    I personally don't eat breakfast tacos usually, but the breakfast tacos here are delicious. Out on…read morea whim, happen to drive by and saw this place. Decided to come in and the cashier greeted us and was really nice and patient because of questions with the menu. The Taco Bueno is what I had ordered and requested no potato. Sat down and after a few seconds, chips & salsa was delivered. Then after a few minutes, the food came. Quick service for sure and the food, AMAZING. Anyone reading this, try this place out and if u like it, come back! Cuz we are for sure =D

    Photos
    Mini taco  Lamb quesadilla
    Mini taco Lamb quesadilla
    Dining Pueblo Viejo ~ Riverside
    Dining Pueblo Viejo ~ Riverside
    Steak Burrito

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    Steak Burrito

    La Palapa - tex-mex - Updated June 2026

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