My wife and i work at home and own 4 businesses . One thing we like to do is get out and be social at the end of the day. We pick places with atmosphere but the big secret is we will go back to places that have a great team in place who is inviting kind and friendly. Tonight we meet Aaron who was truly a heart warming gentlemen. He tried really hard to please and went out of his way to be friendly. People like him are hard to find and because of people like him we will be back ! Truly thank you Aaron ! See y'all soon salsa was amazing, skinny like margarita was also good ! read more

It was decent food don't get me wrong but when there are three other tables in the whole restaurant and it takes you ten minutes to get me a sweet tea refill that is a problem. I asked for more salsa and good luck I never got that. PISS poor service for sure. read more

I have been to La Palapa many times over 15 years. I have never had anything to eat that I didn't like. The service is always friendly and prompt. During covid19 the takeout service has been very reliable. I highly recommend La Palapa if you want really good Mexican food. read more

I will give this place no stars and if I could give a negative star I would. If you like good Tex-Mex keep driving. All of the spots around town and judging by the small amount of patriates that do go it's obviously the last option on everyone's list. The food is lack luster and the customer service is in the trash all the way from the TOP. Jearl is the manager and he is rude, rude and RUDE. They treat their customers different based on nationality and I have witness it first had. I will never spend my money at that $@it show of and establishment and as a Austinite and foodie I promise you that you are not missing anything. If you are care about quality food and service this is not the place for you. If you order a to-go you better make sure it is right because I was given the wrong food; offered a replacement and when I went to get it they told me I would have to pay extra to remake it. I was told that it would be replaced by the manager Catherine. I went the following day to pick up my order and spoke with Rosa the "manager" and she trying to charge me to make the corrected plate in which I refused. Never have I every heard of such a policy and was not advised that at the time. When I spoke to Jearl "head manager" he called me a liar; stating that I was never told that I would get a replacement. He accused me of just wanting a free meal which I did not. I was asking for what I was told I was owed. He told me to take my business elsewhere and hung up in my face before I could explain the situation. I've been nothing but respectful anytime that I have dined here. I dine out regularly and have never been treated so bad in my life. I am shocked and offended. I have tried to support this whole in the wall establishment because of my grandmother for whom I was picking food up for. Honestly despite my most recent experience the food is not good enough and the traffic proves this. The management is terrible and that is why the service is poor. It starts at the top. You have been warned do not waste your time or money. They do not appreciate it nor deserve it. I am a hardworking woman and carry myself in a way that does not say untrustworthy. This is a very honest review. I could go on and on but you get my drift. Please drift right past this drab!!! read more

So sad James and karaoke are no longer happening here. That's THE only reason I frequented this spot over the years because the food and the service are just ok. Their drinks are also not great. Very very sugary margaritas, so the only think that's worth drinking is draft beer. Wonder where James ended up? He was amazing and could find just about any song you could possibly think of. His karaoke was so much fun!!! Too bad he is no longer here. I won't be going back as there's just no reason to anymore. Rats in the cantina, a bathroom that usually floods, Nope! No reason at all to go now. James if you ever read these: THANK YOU for so many years of great times. read more

Went there the other day with hubby and kids. Not at all pleased with the food.. and VERY disappointed with the service. I had to call the waitress over 4 times...had I never called her over, she never would have came. Waited and waited and waited.. then call her again. Ridiculous, especially being there were ONLY 3 tables being dined there! That's right, you heard me. 8 people aside from my table. They were sitting at 3 other tables. Uncalled for. When I pulled in the parking lot, I asked my husband "Are they open"? lol... should have told me something. But we were hungry, kids were fussy... it was time to eat. I will NEVER do it again. Luckily between the 4 of us, we only spent $25, so that was a plus. But the food was not appealing at all. And, while I would not typically complain the food arrived too quickly, I will now. It arrived within 5 minutes of ordering it. When he brought the food out, I was thinking... was already plated? How in the world did it get here so FAST?! Absolutely could not believe it. I mean, it takes 20+ minutes to get your "pretty good" food at La Morada and on piping hot plates nonetheless! Unfortunately; however, the quality of the food was equal to, I'd say Taco Bell/Cabana. For starters, the corn chips were too thick and not crispy enough. We didnt even finish a basket (which isnt normal). The salsa... we the first bowl brought out was mild, my kids enjoyed it... when I asked for more to go on my chimmichanga, it was so ridiculously spicy, I could not eat it. Talk about being inconsistent. The queso tasted like melted velveeta.... disgusting. Thick and gooey, no authentic flavor at all. The chicken in my Chimmichanga COULD have been the highlight, except, it was too dry! The serving size of beans and rice were questionable, knowing every other Mexican Restaurant covers the plate with the them. Overall a terrible, will not go again, experience. read more

I feel confused. My fault though. I came in with great anticipation. I have been seeing this place and heard about this place for years. It stood the test of time. It had to be great. so.... hmmmmm.... I got there, no one was inside, customers i mean, oh well. Staff was nice polite but i think the person that waited us was new. so forgiven. chips/salsa good. Margaritas bang. Menu had Vegetarian selection, so points bam! I got spinach quesadilla: to much spinach not enough cheese. i bet Skip used all the cheese on his freakin' kay sa dila. Service was polite. So...... Nothing that really made me go "AWESOME POSSUM!" I felt like i did when i lost my virginity, thinking, "thats it?" blah. ok the score we start at five stars. minus one because it just was not Big Bang enough. chips and salsa good so keep star. margarita good so keep star. food, ok, but nothing spectacular so minus one. that gives this place three stars. service ok so keep star. they had a veggie menu. so plus one. so i give it four. its a weird joint but it stood for years. so cant argue. read more

Best place to eat in the area on lunch!! No wait and I always get fast good food and service. Food is always good and consistent! The manager must train the employees really well or just knows how to pick em lol . I love the grilled veggies and the salsa and chips is good read more

La Palapa - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I dined at La Palapa for lunch on Tuesday, December 22nd. I arrived early for a client meeting, and the waitstaff allowed me to sit in the dining room and wait until my client arrived. My waiter was very friendly and attentive, and kept stopping by asking if I needed or wanted anything. Once my client arrived, we ordered lunch. I had the Tex Mex Enchiladas which came with a choice of beef, chicken, or cheese enchiladas with a sauce of my selection, and was topped with Tex Mex queso. The plate was also served with rice and beans. I'm a big eater, so I opted for the three enchiladas and ordered one of each. All the components of my meal were served piping hot, and the enchiladas were really good. The amount of beans and rice to compliment the enchiladas were perfect! Everything tasted really good, and if and when my travels bring me back to Austin, I would eat here again! read more

"Is draft from a bottle ok? I'll give you a glass." The service was beyond subpar. I wouldn't call it terrible or miserable, instead just plain bad. The only thing that had to get sent back was the check for not having any of the happy hour pricing on it (6pm on a Friday and they were only one third full). The salsa was chopped raw onions and jalapeños put in canned spaghetti sauce. Atrocious. My friend and I shared an appetizer platter. It tasted like it was prepared days before and just microwaved to warm it up. The queso was pickled peppers and Velveta. The guacamole wasn't fit to be pawned off on people I dislike but feel socially obligated to invite to parties. The manager was too busy staring at the ladies as they exited to building to be of any real use to any of the staff. Which is frustrating, as he was the only one able to run the till. It's definitely not the worst restaurant I've ever been to. But, I will not be coming back. I'd recommend Costa Del Sol for El Salvadorian food that's just up the road at Cameron and 183. read more

This place was okay. It was nothing to rave about. We went to this place for a work happy hour and dinner. One big draw that pulled us there was that they supposedly had free food during happy hour. But when I saw it, it wasn't exactly as it was portrayed. It was more like a tray of nachos under a hot lamp and you could go dish it up as you pleased. I passed. Instead, for dinner I ordered a Corona light (thumbs up for having Corona light) and the chalupa plate. Although, when it came out, it looked more like a tostada than a chalupa. Whatever. It was still good. One annoying thing I found was that they charged different prices for my beer at the bar, than they did when I ordered from my server. It was more expensive at the bar. Annoying. We went on a Thursday night, so they had "The Newz" playing. They were alright. They took al our requests. Although, if we weren't there, I wonder who they would have been play to since we were the only people in the cantina. The restaurant seemed oddly slow. Bottom Line: I won't suggest that we go back there, but if I end up there again out of happenstance, it'll be okay. read more

After going there yesterday, I can see why they only have a three star rating. The food and drinks are over priced and not that good. The manager, Angela is also extremely rude and not willing to adjust tabs due to unfair pricing. They charged me $1.50 per shrimp without telling me the price and I didn't realize it until I got my tab. Because of her treatment of me and my friend and her unwillingness to adjust my tab, I didn't tip the waitress I had and I ALWAYS tip. In addition to that, people are able to walk in with no masks, take temps, wear gloves, etc. It appears they don't do anything to make sure the spread of Coronavirus will be limited. I will never go there to spendcmy money again. With that 3 star rating, I'm clearly not the only one who feels that way. read more

Decidi darle una oportunidad a este restaurant que queda de paso a mi casa, al llegar nos recibieron y desde alli supe que no estaria del todo bien. Nos dijeron que podiamos pasar a sentarnos en una mesa pero en ese momento llego una mesera diciendo NO pasenle para aca , y despues una tercera dijo alli se pueden sentar. Cuando nos pasamos la mesera llego a pedir las bebidas y traia una actitud de que no queria estar alli , despues trajo las bebidas y comenzo a tomar la orden y parecia que era nueva . Al final trajo la cuenta y se habia agregado su propina siendo que eramos 4 adultos un niño y un bebe . Talvez yo hubiera dejado un poco mas de propina siempre y cuando me hubiera atendido bien .. read more

La Palapa translates as "The Palm." Although we don't have a Palm in ATX, I'll bet other reviewers have been to The Palm in Houston. It will really make you laugh if you compare "La Palapa" with "The Palm." Most of the good reviews for this restaurant seem to focus on their margaritas. Although that's a component of a good restaurant, I really don't think that's a good indicator of how good their food is. Personally, I look at restaurant reviews for information about the food. I can't comment at all on the drinks other than to say their iced tea tastes like iced tea. I can however comment on the food. IT'S TERRIBLE!! If you stop to consider the number of really good tex-mex places within 2 miles of this place, it's hard to figure out how La Palapa stays open. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I am a true tex-mex aficionado. You will notice several of my reviews are from various Austin tex-mex eateries. This place is the worst excuse for a tex-mex restaurant I've seen in Austin. I ordered a combo plate so I could try a little bit of everything. I also ordered a small chili con queso so I could try that too. Here's the breakdown: Crispy taco - Shell was wet and limp. Meat not seasoned. Very bland. Cheese Enchilada - Could not find one bit of cheese in the rolled-up tortilla. Sauce had way too much cumin which overpowered any other flavor. Taco al Carbon - What a joke! The same crappy meat (beef) they use in their fajitas. It was tough, dry and tasted like it had been marinated in coffee. It had a really weird (not good) flavor. Queso - honestly tasted like it came right out of the can of nacho cheese left over from a football game....AWFUL! Chips & Salsa - Unlike other reviews, I found this to be the only marginally enjoyable part of the meal, although that's not saying very much. The salsa was somewhat tasty and it's fresh, but it's very, very mild. Chips were chips. My combo plate, small queso and iced tea came to almost $17. That's an insanely high-priced tex-mex meal for anywhere in Austin, especially for a place located on 290 right next to Reagan High. Not exactly the highest-rent area in town. The decor in the place is cheap and not well-maintained. You can tell this restaurant used to be a fast-food place. There's even remnants of the drive-through. The only positive thing I can say about La Palapa is about the service. Friendly waitress was fairly attentive. Since it appears everyone who works at La Palapa is Hispanic, I wonder how they feel about serving such bland, low-quality food. This is the worst dining experience I've had since Burger-Tex on Airport. Blvd. Avoid both La Palapa and the Airport Burger-Tex at all costs. read more

I love this place. I live nearby and usually visit once a week. The staff is very friendly. The service is prompt, the food never takes long, and the servers are always very attentive to getting refills and stuff. From the chips and hot sauce to the tilapia Monterey, everything I've eaten here has been delicious. Their chicken enchiladas are the best I've had in Austin. The atmosphere is cool, it's kind of like a thatched hut with a fountain in the middle. There's a cantina in the back. Prices are very reasonable. Portions are huge. Give this place a shot. Do not go to Tres Amigos down the street. read more

I will not be going back here any time soon. Food was meh. Not too fresh. Service...the same. And one of the people eating at our table found a screw, yes a screw in her salad. The response when this experience was shared was poor. Oh...we are doing some work in our kitchen. Something to do with ventilation or something. I immediately thought...ugh. If a screw got in, I wonder what else did. Why did no one notice things falling into the food? Thank fully her tooth was not broken. After some discussion they said sorry. No offer was made to comp the meal. Finally one of our more senior diners said, "maybe you should give her this meal and a gift certificate to see if she trusts you enough to come back." Well, they did. I am not sure if she will come back. Very strange. REally the food is not good enough to warrant another visit. read more

La Palapa has been a staple karaoke and happy hour restaurant in East Austin for years and last night the experience was the worst I have ever experienced. Don't get me wrong, its no Pappasitos but I do expect the basics. I expect to be acknowledged when I arrive and asked if I would like water or even a drink. I would like to receive flatware when you bring out the food that I have ordered and Iw oule expect a general smile here and there. When I arrived to join my party there were about 9/10 ladies already seated, having appetizers and drinks. I waited about 10/15 minutes for a waiter and no one ever appeared. Two additional ladies joined our party and within 5 minutes they had drinks??? Another lady that arrived before me said she never received ANYTHING and graciously refused to order after that point. We were the only party in the Cantina and could not understand why there was such confusion with waiting on our table effectively. I eventually received my food, with no silverware and had to call her back over after she finally reappeared after about 6/7 minutes all the while my food is getting cold. A lady with our party called the waiter over and questioned the gratuity and their policy since we all knew that they establishments stopped placing the gratuity on the bills and gave the patrons the option. However, there was no option and it was totally placed in the overall total. The waitress got upset, assuming for lack of knowledge of the policy and offended she was questioning her customer service and not thinking she deserved the tips. The waitress basically bucked at our friend and she told her that she would beat her ass for being disrespectful to which the Manager finally appeared after many of us summoned him over (and he took his time and shooed us off twice before coming) then the first thing he says is the waitress said someone said they were going to stab her????? WTF!!! Listen, if this was a joke on this older white Caucasians part, it was not funny at all because that falling upon the wrong ears could have def caused a life or death situation for our party had someone misunderstood and called the cops. This new Manager, Gerald, never once tried to understand what was going on, did not care that his waitress had been disrespectful and basically told us we were done there for the evening. Tallied all of our checks out and nonchalantly, with no words expected us to leave. Which we kindly obliged him. He will not have a successful business with this little hostile waitress on staff. They have already done away with karaoke. I see another staple establishment in our community getting ready to make a turn and no longer be what it was. I'm wide awake to what is really going on at La Palapa and will not be surprised when it is no longer visited by minorities in the community. Rishonna Kindred read more

I can only imagine the people who give this place 5 stars don't get out much. The service was dead slow, the beef fajitas were as tough as shoe leather, and the guacamole was brown. I told my wife to take a picture of it (it really was disgusting) but we were at a birthday party and she said that would be rude. I told her what's really rude was that I was dragged to this place on an empty stomach. To top things off, the waiter brought back my check and kept asking me about the business name on my card and what I did. I got a bad feeling about all his prying, and sure enough two weeks later FRAUD on my account at two local Target stores. With all the great food in Austin I can't believe this place even exists. read more

No reason to stay open after 10 if the kitchen isn't open. Only the bar was open and we didn't go for the bar we were looking for some good tacos, etc. :( read more

Pretty standard Tex Mex food. Some of it is a little bland. I've never really been wow-ed by anything I've eaten there. The food is a little pricey for what you get, I think. But they also have specials. (Like buy one get one free enchiladas on Tuesdays. I'm not sure about this. Check their Web site.) And the drinks aren't priced too badly. The margaritas are on the strong side. A plus side is that the restaurant is open later than many, because of the adjoining cantina. I've eaten lunch in the cantina side but can't imagine going there at night-- they always seem to be blasting bad music. Even when eating at the restaurant at night, I cringe every time the door between the two sections opens. read more

I love this place, I ordered tacos and Tae ordered and Chilada's and they are amazing

This is definitely not the best mex food in town but it's passable. The carne guisada is great and the fajitas and tacos al carbon are good. Margaritas are huge although the last time we went they were neon-green which was a turn off. Service is good and they have a huge buffet around brunch-time on the weekends. From below: "Starting from tomorrow, this part of 290, between 183 and 130 will become a toll road. So I'm not driving on this road anymore." Uh, no. This is in our 'hood which is the main reason we frequent it. And to the person below who said it wasn't in a good neighborhood. . .just stick to Trudy's. read more

I have eaten a few things on the menu, and all of them are pretty good. I mean, this isn't gourmet Tex-Mex. It's beans and cheese and guacamole and salsa and tortilla and all that Tex-Mex entails. It's a restaurant on the side of a highway. Don't expect an "Iron Chef" to bring out some flaming, dry ice sort of enchilada with rare Columbia Robin eggs in it (I have no idea if those exist, but you get what I am saying). It's way better than a regular Taqueria (which I also love). So, I say try it. Good things: The salsa passes the test. It is good and spicy, but not "I don't want to sit on the toilet ever again" spicy. It's freaking good. The drinks are huge. Well, the non alcoholic drinks. They are gigantic Big Gulp sized drinks. So, for your Coke and tea needs, go here. The food is good. I like it. They pass my beans and rice test (which even some fancier places aren't able to do that). The chili relleno is scrumtrulescent. I am trying to eat my way across the city in chili rellenos. This one is good. But, really, most everything I have tried is yummy. The portions are huge. I am a fat person and not one with a thyroid problem. It's an "I eat too damn much and sit on the couch" kind of a problem. I have never been able to finish a plate of food here. I've tried! I have! Can't do it. The portions are enormous. Way enough for snacking later and possibly lunch the next day. So, take it from Fatty Boom Balatty. It's a lot of food. The Bad: It's kinda pricey for what it is. Now, that being said, they give you 11lbs of burrito. So, I probably should say that it is the mediocre. However, almost everything is over 10 bucks. So, take that for what it's worth. The place is a bit grungy, but that just means when I drop beans down my shirt, no one looks at me funny. I don't mind it so much. I think it gives it character. Besides (as I stated before) it is a restaurant on the side of a highway. The sorta baddish: The service is hit or miss. They can either be all up on you or never come near you. That doesn't bother me much. Some days I don't really want to be at work, either, and it shows. And, if you work on your feet all day, every day, you are fine by me if you go and sit down. But, I'm easy about that (please see fatty note). In shape and spry people might not like it so much. They are always nice, though! I will keep going back. I like it. Sure, it's not for everyone. But, I like things like crappy reality TV and the Food Network and Yacht Rock and crap like that. So, if you are really cool person who like super cool things, then you may not like La Palapa. Oh, and you can't miss with a huge ass tacky nonworking fountain in the middle of a restaurant. I mean, come on! And just say the name. It's super fun to say. La Palapa! La Palapa! La Palapa! See, super fun! read more

So here's the deal.... La Palapa is ok for HH with fellow employees in the area. That's about it, and I don't even do that very often. The food is just not worth how expensive it is. I ordered a queso that I paid $5 for... it was smaller than the palm of my freakin HAND! Not only that, the queso tastes like it came out of the Tostitos jar of queso on the HEB isle of chips. *this means it's nasty! Their food is no more that just barely mediocre. It's cool to catch a quick lunch there because it's close, and the veggie fajitas are ok, but it's not a place I would frequent or that I could give a good review to. The service sucks and the owners must be able to keep thier heads above water with money made by the bar, as they don't spend money on anything; decor, improvements, getting a better staff, etc. If you're pushed for time at lunch, sure, other than that, I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Tasty, quick Tex-Mex. I ate there today for lunch. Combos are not too expensive and the atmosphere reminds me of West Texas Mexican eateries. Don't make a trip across town, but if you're in the area and need a quick bite stop by. read more

Another solid Tex-Mex restaurant in the neighborhood. Good margaritas and Mexican martinis. Salsa is good, but could be hotter. Enchilada platter and the flautas are my favorite items here. Service can be hit or miss...sometimes friendly, sometimes not. Bonus points for karaoke nights...hilarious!!! read more

I work just down the street from this place and have driven by it many times, so I figured I'd take a break from my regular lunch spots and give it a try. The lunch menu had good variety but everything was in the $8 to $10 range. Not too bad, but not really in line with the selection at some of the other places in the area. Still, this looks like a nicer mexican joint, so I figured the food would justify the price. Not the case. My chile relleno was ok, but the chicken was cold and obviously reheated. The rice was just ok. The tortillas were definately not fresh, basic store bought tortillas that were reheated. For an $8 lunch, I don't expect gormet, but this was seriously not worth the money. My friend ordered beef soft tacos and was extremely dissapointed. His tacos were a crappy reheated corn tortilla and beef. No cheese or anything else on them. Two very plain tacos. I give them 2 stars simply because the portion size was good and the food was ok in flavor, despite my chicken being cold. Considering the area of town this place is in, there are far superior places to eat for less money. read more

I have been going to La Palapa for a very long time. The chips and salsa are very good. The shredded chicken enchiladas are packed with lots o' moist shredded chicken. The bean and cheese nachos with jalapenos are some of the best in town. The service is usually good. Plenty of parking. Reliable Tex-Mex at reasonable prices. The happy hour margaritas seem to be made with cheap mix instead of fresh lime juice. Bogus. read more

Update, 3/2021: This place stays great! It is now our go-to restaurant for TexMex. Highly Recommended!

If you want to get a little closer to interior Mexico type food...try this place! The restaurant is in the round building and a bar area is attached on one side. Great queso, fresh made chips, tacos that are never greasy, tamales A-ok +++. I've never been to the bar area, but on Friday and Sat nights, it is always hopping. I think they also offer karaoke. Check out their new website for more details: http://www.lapalapaaustin.com read more

Wait staff friendly and very attentive. I enjoy my mexican food and I know what's good.. This place has good food! Atmosphere is nice for any occasion! Prices are very fair! No complaints Place was clean read more

Haven't been to La Palapa in years. Decided to try again and was pleasantly surprised. Arrived about 2:00 pm on a Wednesday. They weren't busy at all. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Went to the restaurant side, not the cantina. Had the chile relleno lunch plate. Three dollars cheaper than the Tres Amigos serving and twice as large. My friends got Chicken enchiladas and a sampler plate. Their plates are the size of pizza pans. We all took home leftovers. Everything was excellent. The food came out piping hot and tasted fresh. So yummy. This will be my new go to place for Mexican food cravings. We needed some more good restaurants on the upper east side. Glad to see that La Palapa has upped their game. read more

The waitress was extremely nice and helpful. The food was yummy, BUT..... We drove all the way over from Round Rock for karaoke. My boyfriend called earlier in the evening to make sure they would be having karaoke and they said yes! It was supposed to start at 8, so by 8:30 we asked the waitress and she said, 'Well, we are supposed to have it today, but if he thinks it's slow he will leave...so he left.' Can I just say...HOW THE HECK DID HE KNOW IF IT WAS SLOW???? HE NEVER STARTED!!!! And can I say there were quite a few people in the bar. Ugh!!! Of course we already ordered and ate and drank! VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!!! I am only given 2 stars instead of 1 because our waitress was so sweet! read more

This was place I used to frequent often. They have new menu, so I decided to order a beef fajita torta with Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado, side of mayo and french fries. I even thought to myself, that's a simple torta, cool. It's what I was looking for. When the food arrives, it was loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, and jalapeños, none of which was mentioned in the menu because if it had I would asked for it without. When I told the waitress I didn't want jalapeños her response was, "You didn't tell me." She took it back to kitchen and brought it back that's when I got a better look at the fries. They looked kind of old like they had been sitting out for a bit and the ketchup had a sour taste to it. On my way out the door I picked up the menu to confirm the description of what I had ordered and I was right. Not sure I'm going to back anytime soon. read more

I haven't ever been to the store, but I have had take out. *Edit - because I have been there now* As Eric Cartman says... basically if a business has a fountain, it's a successful one. This place has a small fountain in the middle of the place. Actually it's kinda strange, but it's alright. I got some Enchiladas while going there and it was good as expected. There were a couple of bones in the meat (chicken). I was at first "why?" then I realized that at least I know the meat is fresh. Good. The proportions are nice and massive. Are you hungry and want lotsa food? grab some Lapalapalapalapalapas. It's plenty of fun saying that way. I had some enchiladas and my co workers had various other things. mmmmm so good. Very tex-mex. Very good. I wish I had more to say because it's been a while since I've had the food, but once I go there or get some take out again, I'll update. read more

To draught or not to draft. My server offered me glass sizes and not beer selections when asked "what do you have on draught?" After explaining the situation to him, I was told "I don't work in the bar, but I can get you a drink menu". Turns out they had schwagweisser lite, schwagiller light, and Dos Equis. Three beers = too hard to memorize. So I ordered a pint of Dos Equis. Instead I got a schooner, which for only a dollar more gets you two more ounces and a ridiculously unwieldy glass(by the way waiter: not a better deal at all). I commented on this when it was brought to the table, the waiter then offered to take it back and not to just adjust the check. As I had waited nearly 15 minutes to get this drink, I was not about to wait another, and just took it. Shortly after, our food arrived. It was standard cafeteria grade affair, most likely from bags and buckets labeled Sysco and probably rejected by the high school situated directly behind the cantina. The "salsa" tasted like canned spaghetti sauce with a can of Rotel in it, the queso was about on par of the stuff that squezes from the canister at 7-11. Afterward, the check was delivered and none of the pricing matched what was on their happy hour menu. I sent this back and had to wait for the manager who was hard at work checking out the outgoing end of female patrons rather than helping his staff. The environment was no better. The staff was constantly coming in and out of the bar area which was loudly playing music that was not the same as what was in the restaurant proper.This was quite distracting and made it very difficult to hear the others I was having dinner with. Overall this place is just sub-par. I would not waste my money here again. 3 beers and a half price appetizer platter should not be over 20$. read more

This place used to be my favorite place for pollo chipotle since 1999; but, after either change of ownership or change of chef, the food just went down the hill. Now, they don't even know how to make the chip and salsa correctly. The chips taste like cardboard. To add salt to the injury, the price had also gone up. So, you not only get worse food than what you used to get, but also charged more for the rip off. I am surprised it's still in business. read more

A perfectly fried chili relleno can be found here. Yummy and saturated with that fryin' oil. This place is A-OK. I'll usually get enchiladas without cheese and other funky substitutions for lunch and they oblige and it's good. But because I always associate this place with a work lunch and it has a really bad location I'll never go there for a feel good weekend experience. read more

Ate here because it was close and open, and man am I glad I did. I was craving mexican food, but it was hard to find some place that is open after 9pm. I was very impressed with the food, and I basically loved everything about my dish and am surprised this place only received 3 stars. Sorry Austinites, but I'm from Fort Worth and I know mexican food. This was authentic and well prepared even late at night. If I lived in the area I'd be back! read more

I ate here the other day for lunch (I was looking for another Mexican restaurant, but didn't find it). I was pleasantly surprised by the decor and food. I ordered pollo poblano and it was very good. The chicken was just a bit tough, but nowhere close to being inedible. The Spanish rice, guacamole, and pico were good too. The complimentary chips are solid and well-made. the accompanying salsa was just a bit on the hot side, but delicious! read more