I'm a native Austinite and my family has been coming to Manuel's for ~15 years. I've explored the Austin Mexican food scene far and wide. There're lots of options, but this is the one I always want to go back to. Perfect frozen margs, the food is always fresh and done just right, everything on the menu is great, convivial atmosphere for visits. Whenever my out of town friends ask where to get Mexican food in Austin, I tell them Manuel's. read more

I held my birthday party at Manuel's in mid-December 2025. The party was seamless, from initial phone contact to when I walked out at the end of the party. The bar area was reserved for us. The party included an open bar, hors d'oeuvres (many to choose from), and a dedicated waiter. There was plenty of parking for guests. The food was attractively presented and decorated for Christmas. The waiter was superb--he kept track of what everyone was drinking and kept everyone's glass filled. All in all, the party was festive, comfortable, (not too loud!), delicious and EASY!! I strongly recommend doing special events at Manuel's. read more

Great food, great service, great ambiance. A bit of a drive for us, but well worth it. Plenty of parking, good seating area to wait for available table. Food is tasty!! read more

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Manuel's is one of my FAVORITE restaurants in Austin, TX. I have been going there for 30 years, but within the last year, at least once a week for lunch. Their menu of interior Mexican food is by far the BEST around. Their Spinach Epinacas salad with wild Drum is out of this world, as are their crab nachos, and ALL their soups, especially their tortilla soup (which is the BEST of ANY tortilla soup I have ever had)! Their MARGARITAS ARE TO DIE FOR, especially the prickly pear margarita. Everything on their menu is fantastic!!! This is NOT Tex-Mex; it's the real deal with the finest of ingredient and fabulous blend of spices and taste that are OUT OF THIS WORLD! Their wait staff is professional and attentive. There is nothing they will not do to make your meal and experience a delight. Their atmosphere is also extremely inviting, both inside and outside on their patio built around a 300 year old live oak tree. You will NEVER regret having dined there! read more

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Mole for the win!! wonderful dining experience. Homemade chips and tortillas too. The real deal. Owner Jenn is the best! read more

The food is Oustanding!! Explosion of authentic Mexican cuisine. The service is super friendly The have such a gorgeous pstio.where you can enjoy the bites or dining g al fresco with your friends & family. This is the Perfect venue to have your special celebrations. The y margaritas & Martinis are the Best on ATX. And I am huge Fan of their seafood!! Need to get the parrillada. Vhile relleno , mole and ceviche.grilled tuna. Their salads are spectacular!!​ read more

Mario provided our family with excellent service and the food is consistently good! Family friendly and the patio is great on a nice day.

The food is delicious, you can taste the quality of the ingredients! The service is always great, and the food is always cooked perfectly. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for a quality restaurant. read more

food was great! service was outstanding. Mario was attentive and offered suggestions. he even brought out a couple of the sauces so we could decide on our dinners. the restaurant has a nice atmosphere so we could enjoy our meal and have a conversation in normal tones. would highly recommend this restaurant to family and friends!! Pat read more

On a nostalgia trip, we popped into Manuel's for a quick date night meal and a couple of margaritas drinks. While the décor and ambience were as lovely as i remembered, with nice art and fixtures, the experience fell flat overall. The food, an order of steak fajitas for two, was tasty but not a stand-out in any way. The drinks were a disappointment. My "maraca" Manuel's version of a Mexican martini seemed to come out as a really short pour. It barely made half the martini glass, and there was certainly nothing left behind in the shaker. This drink was gone in a few fleeting sips. Not ideal for a $14 cocktail. My wife did not enjoy the rocks margarita, and the frozen that I tried was ok, but with one unpleasant, off-putting flavor note that I haven't tasted in a margarita. I won't describe it here to avoid getting gross, but I don't really know where such a flavor would come from in classic margarita. I'll always hold a fond place in my heart for Manuel's with past memories of happy hours, date nights, and other celebrations over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, there are probably better options in north austin in this price range for this type of food. read more

I'm not sure why people get hung up on the price here. You pay for what you get. If you want cheap Mexican food go to Chuy's! LOL. My family and I have been eating here my whole life, and I can confidently say this is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is always top tier. Everything is made with high-quality ingredients, and you can truly taste the difference. The service is consistently great: the servers are kind, quick, and attentive. The overall atmosphere is intimate and relaxed. My favorite place to sit is out on the patio with all the plants, especially during this time of year. If you're looking to eat at a high-quality restaurant, I highly recommend Manuel's. read more

So - I had a retirement party here and what a great way to start my new life! We had 50 people out on the patio (it can hold more than that) and every aspect was perfect - the staff, the food and drink, the atmosphere and the music. It could not have gone better. Manuel's has been one of my favorite places for Mexican food for decades in Austin, but I'd never thought about throwing a party there. I was retiring and thinking about where to have a party, when by chance I was picking up some take-out and spotted someone else's retirement party out on the patio (and I checked it out). I asked about having my own party, and then I was introduced to Jen, the events manager. Jen is great to work with, and we went through the options and the next thing I knew, it was party time. The patio is so nice - very attractive and the layout is conducive to mingling, with tables and couches, and the atmosphere is just laid back. The food was great - we have been eating at Manuel's for decades so we had a good idea of what to expect, and they delivered. We went with the fajita buffet and of course, the guacamole (the best in Austin), IMO. In addition to the buffet, they had some great flan (and baked goods from Jen!). I had to get my own order in for the flan because all of it had been gobbled up by the other people at the party :-) Everyone working the party was friendly and efficient - I never had to worry about anything during the party. At Jen's suggestion, we had Rey Arteaga / Son y No Son perform - and they play a really cool Latin beat that just gave that Austin feel to the party. read more

The restaurant is wonderful. Food is fresh, excellent, service impeccable, friendly staff, Every time I am in the area (from Westlake) I eat here. read more

One of the owners messaged me personally with a follow up and I appreciate the 1:1 message. I will give them another try next time we are in town. Thanks for making it right. read more

I really tried to like this place. The food and service were good. We sat at the bar and ordered a frozen house margarita and for our entree we ordered the mole enchiladas and enchiladas rojas. The margarita didn't have much flavor so it was ok. The food was great, it came out hot and was delicious. The main reason for my 3 stars is because this place is overpriced. The decor was a miss and not very welcoming, for me. I've been to pricy Mexican type places were the food quality matches the prices and decor is modern but still feels like a fancy Mexican restaurant. I'm glad I finally tried this place out but don't think I'll be coming back. read more

Amazing food and service! I highly recommend the sopes, get all three topping options! Hopefully, you get to sit in Mario's section for an outstanding dining experience. read more

The food was not terrible, and the environment was nice and moody. However, for the price paid, the food just had no significant flavor. I ordered the ceviche and it tasted only of tuna, no zest or acidity. The shrimp tacos were also not bad, but not "out of this world". The waiter and service was great. If this place was a couple bucks cheaper I would have added another star, but for the price I could have gone elsewhere. read more

I've been a loyal customer of Manuel's for what must be 20 years. During that time, the food has been consistently delicious, the staff gracious and welcoming, and the ambiance, as my wife says, makes us feel like we're on vacation. The drinks are always well-made, and in a world where good service is a luxury, Manuel's consistently delivers. Just the other night, I asked for a white sangria, even though it wasn't on the menu. Marco, the manager, said, "No problem, we'll make one for you," and Antonio brought it out, perfectly capping off a relaxed, tasty, and enjoyable dinner. If you're looking for fantastic food, great service, and a relaxing time--especially under the magnificent patio tree--give Manuel's a try. In Austin, a foodie town, this place is a gem. --Mike read more

What a great experience at Manuels! I went a little while ago but I am sure the experience is still the same. The staff was very helpful in helping me decide what to order. The food was definitely not lacking and the margaritas I had were excellent! I definitely recommend! read more

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We hosted my husbands birthday party at Manuel's and everything was fantastic! Jennifer and her team did a stellar job from helping me plan the menu, beverages and space for our event. The food was fantastic from my husband's favorite chicken mole enchiladas, shrimp Veracruz and pork tenderloin. The servers were incredibly attentive delivering bloody Maria's, margaritas and other beverages and attending to every attendee's needs quickly and efficiently. We were lucky to enjoy a beautiful day on the outdoor patio.Thank you so much to the amazing team at Manuel's for delivering an unforgettable experience! read more

Manuel's - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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$29 for shrimp enchiladas. Seriously? Food costs are high but this is as absurd as it gets. Food quality is somewhat higher than other mexican joints but I'd much prefer going elsewhere. 3-stars is generous! read more

Excellent service and music. Mario was fun to deal with and got all food and drinks delivered quickly and correctly. Will be going back again. Ceviche was delicious. read more

Been throwing coins in the fountain for as long as I remember, great spot for special occasions. The food is damn good 100% of the time.

From my time living in Austin, Manuel's downtown location was one I'd frequent when I was in the mood for molé! I was disappointed to come back and find it has closed. When a friend found one in the Arboretum it was brainer where we going for dinner. The chicken enchiladas with molé sauce is always a top pick for me. We were able to eat outside on a large patio/deck as it was a nice day in Austin. The staff were nice but we did wait a little time for a table which was surprisingly because there seemed to be open tables available when we arrived. This location didn't quite have the same feel as the one I was used to downtown but the flavors didn't disappoint. read more

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Nice place, flavorful food and great service. Sticker shock when the bill showed $100 for two premium tequila shots. I could have purchased a bottle! No prices displayed on shots so lesson learned is to ask before ordering but expected the server to share the various prices on them. Returning for food, not drinks. read more

Firstly, I absolutely loved the place and the ambiance. The food was good too. I got some fish tacos and they were great. Food is a bit on the expensive side here but the quantity makes up for it. The staff was extremely friendly and gave us whatever we needed. The cocktails were delicious though and they have a good variety of them on their menu. Anyway, the ambiance was the big highlight of this place. It's got a very pretty and pleasant outdoor for a lazy brunch or dinner. read more

Manuel's - Chips and Salsa Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Expensive for what you get. I have been in Austin 30plus years and have never been to Manuel's before. Manuels have been there for years and they need to adjust with the times. Everything on menu is several $$ more than other Tex Mex restaurants. Austin has so many that offer better options and better quality for the price. read more

Amazing place to celebrate any occasion. Food is delicious and priced well. Not very expensive. Mario was our server and he did an amazing job. Very funny and personable. He is very knowledgeable with the food and establishment. Great indoor ambiance. read more

We love Manuel's and come at least once a week. The food, atmosphere and service are outstanding ! I highly recommend this restaurant for an excellent experience. read more

Over-priced, food flavor is ok, not commensurate to pricing. No happy hour Drinks are over priced and not that good. I tried the house margarita and it had a serious bitter aftertaste. Some of the other restaurants in the area are less or as expensive and provide a lot better quality food option. Service was ok. Bartender seemed to just be there. Not selling the experience at all. The ambiance was ok for a chain restaurant but not for fine dining as the price would suggest. I sat at the bar within full view of the kitchen, which looked to be in disarray .Sorry, but I will not be back or give my endorsement. read more

Best flautas and limeade in town! Great service (especially Mario)! Fajitas and grilled shrimp are always a win.

Very good interior-Mexican food served by friendly servers, and... they have a beautiful, shady patio. The interior is also attractive.

The worst Mexican food I ever had. The tacos were. Salty af and the chicken moladas were dry and not seasoned at all the rice was disgusting too. The mango margarita was watery with cheap tequila. The worst experience ever. If you're out of town and looking for a Mexican food a high suggest to drive 10 min or more to a better place. Manuel we will never be back! Good luck! read more

We shared a wonderful meal with our friends . The food was excellent and our server was both friendly and helpful. We are already planning our next visit read more

We had great service tonight from Mario! It was a bit too windy on the lovely patio and he moved us indoors with a smile. I had brought my husband after coming here for a girls' night, hoping the margarita would meet with his approval. We both enjoyed our drinks and food! read more

Had a delicious lunch today, Manuel's is a great restaurant! The food is terrific and has been for years!! The service is great, Mario was very helpful and attentive! I love coming here for a relaxing meal! read more

Excellent food & service. I went to the orientation downtown & loved it then. Our wait person was Mario & he was friendly, let us sample the mole sauce, & offered to take a picture of my Mother & I. It was a pleasant experience.Will be coming back. read more

This is the best Mexican restaurant in Austin. I love every single item in the menu but some of favorites are the nopales with shrimp salad and the Verde enchiladas. They always have great​ service and their food is consistently good and excellent quality. This is my go to restaurant ​ read more

Manuel's hits all the right notes! The service was warm and attentive, making us feel right at home. The food? Absolutely spot-on--authentic, vibrant, and bursting with flavor. Every bite showcased bold, well-balanced spices that truly brought the dishes to life. A fantastic spot for anyone craving genuine Mexican cuisine done right. read more

Terrible service! The food is good. We were a group of 20 friends celebrating a birthday and one of the waiters was so rude. Shame for the good food. Never again here read more