We come here for great happy hour drinks and authentic Mexican food. Lingua, bone marrow to die for. The food is amazing. The salsa they bring is perfect mix of spicy and sweet and Smokey so dip them together. read more

I dig this place! I've probably driven by 100 times without noticing it was there, but it has definitely caught my attention now. We were hoping for a spot on the great outdoor patio/ yard on an unseasonably warm January afternoon, but the inside was actually really cool. As much as I love a good queso and sizzling plate of fajitas, the interior Mexican cuisine was a refreshing and delicious break from your typical Austin Tex-Mex. I went for happy hour, which has a great variety of $5 items, including plenty of tasty drinks and delicious food. As a fan of horchata, the only thing that can make it better is to mix in a healthy dose of booze. That's exactly what they do with the Bonita and serve it with a spicy cinnamon rim. I actually wasn't a huge fan of the spicy cinnamon, but the rest of the drink was good. The food items I tried were all great, with my personal favorites being the mole con pollo huarache (flatbread made with corn), the tinga de pollo sopecito (think like an extra thick tostada) and tocinada quesadilla (we all know quesadillas...).Also, the red salsa they serve with the chips was really good and had a smoky flavor that kinda reminded me of bacon(?!?). read more

Couldn't snag a reservation, however was able to drop by with a party of four and be seated after a short wait. Had the Ceviche, street corn and Scallops appetizers followed by Biria and el pastor tacos. Also had Paloma cocktails. All the above exceeded expectations and resulted in four very full and happy customers read more

First time coming here and it has been the best Mexican food I have tasted in Austin so far! Great service great music and delicious food and drinks! Must try the enchiladas potosinas! Definitely recommend for any out of towners like myself who want some great Mexican food and atmosphere! read more

I LOVE Lichas! On a nice sunny day their patio is so lovely. Great cocktails, we had several including this straight up hibiscus creation straight out of sex and the city! Significant other got pork tacos and I got a fish. I thought the guac could have used some lime and more salt, I just squeezed the lime out of one of our drinks. Problem solved! Lichas is super cute, highly recommend checking it out! read more

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Came in with a large party for a birthday, the atmosphere was nice whoever the service was sadly just not there. It was hard to get our server's attention as she focused mainly on her smaller tables so we sat there finished with our food for a while waiting on our check and boxes and even tried waving her down but was ignored and eventually had to go to the front desk for both. I sadly think attention to large parties was not prioritized since they get automatic 20% gratuity regardless of how well their service was. She only dropped by every 20-30 minutes and we had clear the table ourselves just to have room for the birthday cake we brought since all dirty places were left the entirety of the 2 1/2 hours we were there. Food was good at least, I'd say it's a little pricey for the quality but a majority of our group really pleased by their meal. Last the margarita pitchers are amazing, definitely strong enough to split between multiple people:) read more

Would probably go back to Austin just to go to Licha's again. We decided to stop here on a whim during a long weekend in Austin and it's pretty much the best whim we've ever had. It's very, very fun and cool inside. Small, like someone's house, a little kitschy. Service was great. Margaritas were greater. The chips were fine, but the salsa was literally the best salsa I've ever had. They set you up with a little bit of red, and a little bit of green. The green has a wonderful late heat, and the red has an incredible chipotle smokiness to it that drove us wild (in the best possible way.) She ordered tacos, I ordered the Campechano Huaraches. And this was after we had an incredibly unique and full-sized Ceviche. Just...amazing all across the board. Some of the best Mexican I've ever had. And despite having like 4 margaritas each (don't worry, we're smart enough to Lyft when there's booze involved) the tab was significantly less expensive than we thought it would be. It was a wonderful, wonderful experience and we couldn't stop telling people about Licha's if they hadn't been there. If you're going to Austin, go here. It's incredible. read more

My absolute favorite in Austin for Mexican food which I'm not even a huge fan of! Lots of people seem to flock towards Matt's and I used to be one of them but after discovering Licha's there's only one Mexican restaurant for me! This place has everything! Super authentic, always buzzing and lively with fun and friendly people! Great wine pours, free chips and salsa and just the cutest decor and most positive vibes! The food was delicious we got the hibiscus flower quesadilla if u love quesadillas like me than it's a must! Was quite a small portions so suggest u get it as an appetizer and share it! Please please come and experience this magical place! read more

Licha's Cantina - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Out of the Mexican restaurants in Austin, this is one of the ones you should go to for a full sit down style. The tacos are extremely good and it comes in a small pan with sautéed vegetables soaked in sauce along with the meet. Very good. The drinks were also very good and they definitely give you a good pour of alcohol in your cocktail The only item we were not huge fans of, were the chips. They were a bit stale. However, the salsa was absolutely tasty. The ambiance is a lot of fun, it is always busy and you definitely need to make reservations if you can (especially on brunch Saturday), and the service is very good. Will definitely be coming back here again. Dogs are also allowed in the front patio as well as the back patio (just not the small area within the restaurant). read more

Unfortunately, this was a very bad experience and could've been much worse. We went out on a group function. The first indication that we noticed was that the waiter seemed like he didn't want to be working. From the time we sat down this waiter seemed annoyed. Anytime one our group members ordered anything, he would role his eyes. Second, after I ordered a drink from the bar the waiter brought my drink to another table. After the person drank from the glass he brought it over to me to have. My co-worker pointed out what he had done. Needless to say I returned that beverage. Lastly, was that after ordering sopes, the item I found in my meal was shocking. I was so lucky that it missed my teeth and didn't go down my esophagus. read more

Licha's Cantina - Metal hook. - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came here for a nice dinner craving some authentic Mexican food and heard this was a good spot to check out. The entire restaurant is super cute and cozy - it's literally a house transformed into a cantina. When we arrived on a Friday night for dinner around 8pm the entire restaurant was packed. We were immediately seated, however in a seating area on the outside side of the house. There must not have been tables available but we would've happily waited for an inside table, as it was December and the outside patio was freezing. Unfortunately there were no heaters or heat lamps and it made the dinner experience quite uncomfortable as we were sitting out in the cold. We were pretty hungry so we ordered the fish Ceviche and Choriqueso as appetizers as well as the Alambre de Pescado Y Camaron tacos and the Carnitas Gorditas as entrees. The food was delicious and we especially loved the Choriqueso. I would highly recommend ordering this dish, and I typically am not even a fan of queso. The fish and shrimp tacos were also a favorite, especially since they came out piping hot on a skillet and were nicely seasoned and packed with flavor. We were slightly disappointed by the ceviche as it was not what we expected - instead of the lime marinade I am used to, it came in a black spice and citrus marinade which was interesting. Not bad but definitely different. Overall, very much enjoyed our experience and loved the food, but what was a good night could've been a great night had we been seated inside where it was warm instead of outside in the cold. read more

I was extremely disappointed with Licha's Cantina after all the raving reviews that I had read about it on yelp. The wait was an hour on a Friday evening which seemed reasonable to our group especially since they have an outdoor bar with free chips and salsa. We ordered 5 margarita-ish cocktails and they were alright, nothing too special just decent cocktails that you would expect at a regular bar, the Lupita was our favorite. The salsa was ordinary, you get better salsa at half decent Mexican restaurants. After an hours wait we were finally seated. The service was terrible, we had to wait for about 20 mins after sitting at our table to get water. We ordered a variety of food options some referred by our server , but none of the dishes were outstanding. The beef tongue tacos were probably the only dish that was good. The ambiance and the open kitchen were the only good things about this place . They have nice art and a cosy outdoor space which is nice to hang out on a Friday evening. I would not recommend this place for food but it's a nice place to hang out for quick drinks before dinner on a weekend read more

Great cocktails - lots of mezcal options. Amazing service. Best fucking lengua I've had in my entire life. read more

Licha's Cantina - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Every time we come into town, we always hit Licha's for lunch or dinner. The food is amazing and the cocktails are excellent. It is always packed with locals and visitors, so we typically make reservations. If you are in town, you must check out this East 6th gem. read more

Licha's Cantina is an A-OK spot on the East Side. They have a great outdoor area, a fairly good happy hour, and a friendly staff. It's a good place to grab a bite if you're in the area, but I wouldn't make a trip out of visiting. I have had almost all the food on their happy hour menu, this includes tacos, quesadillas and basically every alcoholic choice. Nothing has ever blown me away. The presentation is beautiful, like almost everything Licha's does, but the taste isn't anything to write home about. I'm pretty sure Happy Hour last until 6PM and includes $2 tacos and $5 quesadillas - not bad. My biggest gripe is the lack of AC at all. They have fans going inside, but on a hot Austin day, they do almost nothing. Come in the "fall" and sit outdoors, that's the best way to enjoy Licha's. read more

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When I walked up to Licha's I remember coming to a house party at this very spot back in the 90s. Everything around it is gentrified but I'm happy that the proprietors have kept the house in tact and turned it into a great Mexican restaurant. It looks tiny on the inside but it's really more cozy and there is a huge backyard patio for more space. Staff and service were top notch as were the drinks. We ordered the Mole and the Alambre plate along with a side of Licha's guacamole. I am a Mole snob. I order Mole where ever it is offered and compare it to my abuelita's. Licha's was a perfect combination of chiles, cumin seeds, peanuts, and chocolate poured over a pan fried chicken breast. The plate came with grilled calabazas and white rice. The alambre was a taste explosion of grilled beef and veggies served with corn tortillas. Licha's has much more to offer. It's not Tex-Mex but more traditional interior Mexican food that everyone should try. read more

Licha's Cantina - Mole Con Pollo - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Raucous, fun taqueria. Good al pastor and delicious drinks - especially the spicy mezcal margaritas.

Was excited to try this place, but everything was SO overpriced and the flavors were just not it. Literally a side of plain white rice and black beans were $20. Very over hyped and will not be returning. read more

The place is very charming and warm. Initially I was a little take back because it looked like someone house. We sat in the cover side yard with dirt floor. It had a laid back vibe. We came for lunch so it was quiet. The guacamole was great. Taco soft and fresh. Pork was a little dry. Beef was good. Champiqueso was great The portions were big. read more

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The MOLE CON POLLO was incredible and the mole Sauce is one of the best I've tasted. Great spot in Austin! read more

I rarely write reviews, but this is one of the worst service I've had at any restaurant. The hostess (fairly tall & long hair) made us wait hours for us to not even have her put us in the queue. I saw tons of people getting seated before us when we came before them. The hostess barely acknowledged us and kept chatting/laughing with another employee (also fairly tall & long hair) in front of us. I made eye contact with both but they continued their conversation and disregarded me. When we did get seated, it took so long to get our check and utensils (at that time it wasn't busy anymore). Our waiter only check-in with us once and had to find someone to get what we needed. The restaurant looks so cool but it's a shame the service was not there. Please go elsewhere. read more

Fun date night on a Saturday. Street parking was not a problem. We arrived during a busy time, but our wait was fairly short (20-30 min). We sat at the bar in the meantime and enjoyed a couple of drinks. I had the Lupita and it was delicious! So delicious, I ordered another 2 while I was there. ;) The chips (homemade) and salsa were fresh and tasty. We had the Al Pastor and the Alambre tacos. Both very tasty and each were served on a personal skillet paired with fresh corn tortillas and pico de gallo. Sooo good! I definitely recommend this place and look forward to returning for a good happy hour! read more

Licha's Cantina - Lupita - watermelon infused tequila, combier, agave, lime, jalapeno - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Sadly I found this Mexican spot to be below average. Al pastor Tacos came out burnt black and tough. Queso chorizo came out just warm so the cheese wasn't pulling apart or as melty as it should be. The cochinita pibil sandwich was average but I was confused by the choice to soak the bread in salsa and cover the top of the bread in crema, it made it difficult to eat. Horchata was above average not overly sweet or gritty. Paloma was not well balanced read more

Lesson learned: order what you like. The chorizoqueso is what I know I would like and it was delicious. Served in a hot skillet and tortillas - we ate every bite. I don't normally like beef tongue and this assured me. I'm sure it's delicious for everyone else. Margaritas were wonderful - all of them. I would come here again to try more dishes. read more

Holy KAAAAPPOOOWWW, Batman! I loved the hell out of this place!!!! Papi Tino's should be embarrassed! The service was stellar! The food was amazing, as were the drinks. We sampled the escargot, the ceviche, the al pastor tacos. All were wonderful and decently priced. We also tried the Watermelon Jalapeño Rita and their version of the Moscow Mule made with Mescal instead. BAM! BOOM! POW! Loved them....hard! The waitstaff was excellent!!!!! She suggested the way they should arrive for palate maximization. For real! She was correct! I would highly recommend the back patio for extra SHAZAAAMMM! read more

Licha's Cantina - Escargot half gone...get it? - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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What a lovely and charming place to dine on the Eastside! Heather F. and I met here for happy hour and I was happy with the drinks, food and atmosphere. While the online menu does not list it they serve wine on the drink menu and there is food on the happy hour menu. During happy hour they offer a selection of cocktails and food items (some are smaller portions off the regular menu) for $5. Notably on the menu they highlight some vegetarian options. I ordered a glass of malbec, the flor de Jamaica quesadillas (happy hour portion is 2 pieces) and we shared the champinon huaraches (corn flat breat). The quesadilla had ample gooey cheese and the blue corn tortilla was a bit chewy. The highlight was the delicious flatbread full of mushrooms, freshly graded queso asadero, with a light drizzle of crema and served with a spicy peanut sauce. The quality of the food was excellent and the happy hour cannot be beat. read more

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Licha's has the first drink that I can say that I genuinely liked. I got the coco seasonal marg which was perfectly sweet! I got lengua tacos which was super juicy and tasty as well. Their salsa had a kick. The staff was so nice and helpful too read more

I'm pretty obsessed with this place - from the adorable table decorations, to the fabulous outdoor patio, to the yummy drinks, to the location, to their savory authentic Mexican dishes, to their remarkable HH menu. What I recommend: --Their HH - their menu is filled with delicious dishes + signature cocktails for $5 from 4-7P. --Love sweet potatoes? Get the Camonte - sweet potato, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds & a yummy glaze. -Their version of a Moscow Mule - only theirs has a spicy rim & made with Mezcal. --Their quesadilla - any of them! I think this place is just great & I personally think it's a wonderful place for a large party or for a quaint date night. read more

Licha's Cantina - Sweet potato dish - a must try! - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

This 5-star review is mainly for the bar, and bartenders at Licha's Cantina. I LOVE this bar, and it's currently my favorite in town. I stumbled in to this place a few months back with three very good friends, and we snagged the sweet corner spot at the bar. We all ordered tequila or mezcal drinks. I chose the spicy watermelon margarita. Since watermelon is not currently in season you won't be able to order that one for now. I recommend the regular spicy margarita in the meantime. It's divine! I won't go in to food too much, but it's very good. However the atmosphere and the drinks are the very most important part about this restaurant. I did really love the ceviche though! I will definitely start branching out because it looks like there are some great dishes. Back to the bar, my favorite part! There are two bartenders that I am guessing work there every Saturday, and I think they're both the best ever. One is a tall, good looking blonde man, and the other is a lovely and good looking brunette woman. These two make the party happen. They are very funny, very nice, and they make cocktail masterpieces! Great peeps these two. Great peeps. I love Licha's. I wanna have my birthday here this year, and possibly every year to be honest. Until then, I will continue to frequent my favorite bar, with my favorite bartenders, and I might even order some ceviche. read more

Licha's Cantina - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

We loved this place. The queso with mushrooms was awesome. The watermelon margaritas were great. The chips and two types of creamy salsas they put out were awesome. read more

Normally I shy away from trying a new restaurant in the first week, much less the first 48 hours, but I took a chance on Licha's and was pleasantly surprised. They have already worked through some of the normal opening kinks like training issues, inconsistent food and a smooth running seating system. We started with the Lengua plate from the appetizer menu and it was the best dish of the night. The tongue was perfectly cooked and still a little crispy and topped with razor thin pieces of escabeche and avocado salsa. To share we ordered the De Pato tacos, Bacalao a La Veracruzana and Carne Deshebrada Con Chile Cascabel. All three dishes were solid but could use a little bit of work as the kitchen gets more comfortable in the coming weeks. The duck was well cooked but was lacking in the flavor department. The tortillas were great and with the crispy skin and orange and some of their fantastic salsa, they came together nicely. The vera cruz style cod was my second favorite dish and the flavor was spot on with the capers and tomato sauce combining perfectly. The fish itself tasted slightly over done and borderline tough. The brisket was my least favorite as it had a stringy pot roast quality that threw off the whole dish. Again, with small tweaks, all of these could be great and I am sure it is something they will work out with a little feedback. Our server, Lauren, was still be shadowed by a trainer but she had already mastered the menu and its complex pronunciations. The support staff was also great about clearing plates quickly and refilling water glasses in real time. That said, there were two problems that have to be worked out asap in my opinion. As folks will remember with Papi Tino in that location beforehand, space is limited. While I understand with limited real estate you have to make it an intimate setting, they have got to get some bigger tables. We had four people and when three of our plates arrived at once we had no where to put them and ended up holding our drinks while we ate. Finally, given that the cultural focus of the menu appears to be interior Mexican, I was taken aback to get a Michelada made with Zing Zang mix! On my next visit, and there will be one because overall this was a solid experience and I can see a tremendous amount of potential here, I hope to find a nice ice-cold homemade Michelada there to greet me! read more

Licha's Cantina - Licha's Menu - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Wow. This place was unbelievable. Classic 6th. My wife and family shared a margarita pitcher with some quest to start and it was amazing salty goodness. My wife and I then had a Gordita with carnitas in it. Was probably the best Gordita I've ever had! I would for sure recommend this place. read more

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Cool kitchen on East 6th. We parked on the street for free after making one lap around the block. The hostess meets you as soon as you walk through the front gate. The seating was mostly outdoors and we sat in the back patio after walking through the retrofitted house. The lighting outside was great and made you feel like you were eating in someone's backyard. The waiter was nice, but not overly helpful considering the food here is a very different type of authentic Mexican. They brought out chips and two types of salsa. One was a traditional green sauce, which was spicy and creamy. The other was a citrus tomato flavored salsa. Both were excellent. I ordered the Maria Huraches which was a corn based flatbread topped with chimichurri, queso asafetida, pico de gallo, and queso fresco. Very tasty and looked like something you would get as street food in Mexico City. Also got the esquite which was a warm grilled corn bowl with queso fresco and lime. Great spot for a nice meal with friends. read more

Licha's Cantina - The main entrance Licha's. - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place is loud. We waited an hour and a half before we were seated. Once we got our food it was not well seasoned. The chips were salty after you ate a couple. Save yourself time and don't bother. The tacos are not your traditional tacos. And not to mention I was not able to get chicken tacos. Waiter was not the friendliest. read more

Licha's Cantina - Alambre Taco - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Fresh and delicious. While it looks tiny from the street it has a large covered backyard. Happy hour is the best time to go, with certain meals and drinks on special. When your food comes out you may think the portions are small, but I left comfortably full. The salsa selections were on point and unique to the restaurant. I would definitely visit again if I'm in Austin. read more

Licha's Cantina - Licha's, hidden in a house. Bigger than it looks - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went there with my elderly friend and my 10 year old daughter. Every time we asked for something the waitress didn't seem too happy. I understand that they don't have a kids menu... they don't need to have one but when I asked if they had something that was more kid friendly they said they had "kids" quesadillas or tacos... I ordered some kids tacos and they brought me this big plate with 4 giant tacos!... I told them that was too much, that my daughter was probably going to eat one or two and they said that that's how they order came ... so I had to take it as it is or not... so I took it and paid for those expensive tacos...also I ordered some extra tortillas and they charged me 5 dollars for 3 tortillas !... This place is not family friendly at all, they seemed bothered by us ... I guess they just like "young" people... Good food but terrible service... very disappointing... never going back... read more

Licha's Cantina - "Kids" tacos - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

I cannot say enough about the wonderful experience we had at Licha's Cantina for our son and daughter-in-law's Rehearsal Dinner March 25, 2022. We are from Ohio and our son lives in Austin. Our Ohio friends and family are seriously still talking about how wonderful the food and service was. Just last evening I was with one of those who attended. She was saying our Ohio Mexican restaurants need to "step it up!" Daniel and Malu were wonderful to work with. The set up was great for all 63 guests. Food was delicious, hot and served just as we discussed, leaving time for appetizers, socializing, followed by the meal and dessert. I would highly recommend having an event at Licha's Cantina.I f no event is in your future, enjoy a meal and great drinks in a great atmosphere! My husband and I went back for a leisurely dinner the following week. Delicious! read more

Lovely place. Outstanding food. Friendly staff. Visiting from out of town and came across this gem. Stop in if you're in town, you'll be glad you did! read more

The restaurant is set up inside an old house so it creates a crazy cool ambiance. We sat outside and was seated on the front porch. It was fun to get great service and also have a homey feel of sitting on a houses porch. I had the WATERMELON Margarits(2 of them!) Highly recommend. One of us got the gorditas which is a sandwich type taco filled with juicy pork and cheese. I got the quesidlla with bacon in it and was SO good. They make their own tortillas there so that adds to the texture. Lastly one of us got the steak build your tacos. Which the meat was so flavorful and yummy! The salsas are interesting because they aren't chunking ...more of a sauce but one had a smokey Chipotle flavor and the other had Verde vibe. Would def go back here! Waiter was speedy and nice. And they whole staff worked as a team from seating us, giving us chips , bussing our tables and getting us our food! read more

Licha's Cantina - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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GREAT happy hour! From 3-7pm daily, Licha's offers a heavily discounted happy hour with various drinks and small plates for $5 each. The complimentary chips were accompanied by two unique, good salsas. Both were creamy, one red and one green, both delicious. I ordered the Margarita, and when I vocalized that I would like a spicy salt rim they also offered to crush jalapenos in it. Now that's some service after my own heart! We ordered 3 plates to share amongst 2 ladies which was plenty: GRINGA QUESADILLA - came with two good-sized pieces and a side of guacamole and grilled pineapple, with green and white sauce drizzled on top. There wasn't much spice to it, but dipping it in the salsas that came with the chips added a lot of flavor. The pastor meat was very tender and the pineapple was a nice touch. CHAMPINON HUARACHE (flatbread) - highly recommend this; the combination of cheeses was good, and I loved the variation of the corn, almost sope-like, flatbread as an alternative to a normal tostada shell. It resembled a lot like a pizza. CAMOTE - unexpected from a Mexican-type restaurant, and extremely good. Not sure what sauce was drizzled on it but it was light and good, and the sweet potatoes were cooked nice and soft. Goat cheese + pumpkin seeds were delicious touch. We sat outside and because it is winter, the patio was covered and there were heaters. It happened to actually be a really nice night out but we were thankful for these and it still didn't ruin the patio ambience. Service was good although our busser did not know much about the menu and did not seem to care to help us figure it out, but our waitress more than made up for it. Happy hour, sit on the patio, order the margarita and request jalapenos in it. You won't be disappointed. read more

Licha's Cantina - camote (sweet potatoes) + champinon huarache (mushroom corn flatbread) + gringa quesadilla (al pastor) all $5 HH - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas