1. Food for the money- my wife and I got the fajitas for two with shrimp. The entre came with a small fried bowl of black beans, a small bowl of white cheese, a small bowl of guacamole and the fajitas came on a griddle sizzling hot. Portions were SAD! My wife is a petite woman and she made two fajita tacos and I made two fajita tacos and that was it. We sat there looking at each other like IS THAT IT? For $36!!! 2. Atmosphere - the atmosphere was really nice! The service was excellent from the hostess to the guy serving water. Top notch in my book. 3. Mixed Drinks - Well the drinks were ok. For $10 a piece, they were not that packed with alcohol. The martini glass was smaller than regular martini glasses. The frozen margaritas were good but not awesome for that price. If you are going to pay $50 for a meal you better off going to Pappasitos or heck even El Fenix. read more

I had a wonderful experience at Manuel's in the Arboretum this month. The food was fresh and wonderful and menu had great selections to pick from. Jennifer helped to pre-select the right amount of food and beverages with a good mix of choices for my guests. I especially enjoyed the Maraca - Mexican Martini, Manuel's famous Fresh Yellow Fin Tuna Ceviche, the Mushroom Quesadillas, Chicken Flautas, the Guacamole and the delicious Coconut Flan. The service was great too. We had dedicated wait staff that were very attentive to the needs of my guests and friendly and courteous. I couldn't have asked for a better venue for my party. And as the hostess for my party i was treated royally. Everyone at your party seemed to have a great time, and Manuel's food and service exceeded all of our expectations! I highly recommend Manuel's and would plan another party there anytime. read more

Manuel's is not your typical Tex-Mex. food is a little higher end, salsa was pretty good. The restaurant is in a great location, and the feel of the place is what you want in a nice Mexican food restaurant. I will definitely be returning to Manuel's during work lunches. read more

Margaritas are weak, tacos were soggy, and there isn't queso on the menu. Taco Cabana woukd have been a better lunch spot.

The atmosphere is lovely. The food is lacking, in my opinion. The menu has great options, although not as many as most places, the options are Mexico-centric. read more

Fantastic food and service, beautiful patio setting!! Our server, Ben, could not have been more informative or helpful - Will be back again when visiting Austin, for certain!! read more

Really enjoyed my visit here. Sat at the bar and the bartender Kindra offered me some great suggestions for vegetarians. Will definitely come back! read more

We absolutely love coming to Manuel's! We start off with nachos fresca and then finish with the beef fajitas every single time, as well as a minty tea(yum). We always ask for Savannah when we go and we go so often that she has our order memorized by now! Manuel's is an Austin staple and we hope they stick around for years to come, we live right down the road so it's in the perfect spot! read more

Can we say "YUM". Taco bout a good Tex-Mex happy hour! They have half off apps and $2 off cocktails. Plus their bartenders are TO DIE FOR. so sweet so amazing. Especially Kendra who has become such a good pal I try to see her as often as my liver will allow ;). read more

At $9, desserts should be exquisite. I joined two friends, post movie at the nearby Arbor Cinema, for coffee and dessert. We shared the baked chocolate pudding and the coconut cake. Both were awful. The chocolate pudding (billed as a chocolate bread pudding) was anything but. No subtlety to what was essential a chocolate sponge laced with ill-tasting nuts and gussied up with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. A+ on presentation; F on taste and texture. The coconut cake was salty and dry. $18 down the drain. Never again. read more

I've heard so many great things about this place but I can't really say the great things were true. I love fajitas but the shrimp fajitas lacked everything - from spice to presentation. My husband had beef fajitas and he absolutely disliked them. My margarita was less than fabulous. I thought my husband was going to laugh until he dropped when they brought his bottled beer accompanied by a whiskey glass. He entertained the thought and poured himself 5 glasses - of 1 bottled beer. The guacamole was the only good thing about the place. I don't necessarily have to return. Try this place at your own risk. read more

We have been regular customers since the original Manuel's replaced Piggy's on Congress Ave. in 1984. Once the Great Hills location opened with the best patio dining in Austin under a magnificent centuries old live oak, we have mainly dined there. We did so once again today Sunday @ 1pm during the Covid19 pandemic with occupancy limited to 25% capacity. We felt safe on the patio with our temperatures being taken at the door, masks required except while eating & drinking, all staff wearing masks, and tables spaced far apart. The food, drinks and service were excellent as always. Our one complaint which we hope will be resolved before we return: the ambient recorded techno-disco thump thump thump English language music today was horrible and a serious distraction from an otherwise perfect experience. What happened to the relaxing Spanish lyric music we have enjoyed every other of the literally hundreds of times we have enjoyed Manuel's over 36 years?! Please return to music appropriate to a fine Mexican restaurant. read more

To get to the point: WAY over priced for tiny portions, for bland, uninspired food! Service was good but that was the only thing positive from our dinner. House margarita was fair, date's chicken was a miniscule size for a whopping $19! I can't imagine why any Austinite would go to this restaurant with so many other better, cheaper, tastier, authentic options. Sorry, we will NEVER go back. Complete waste of $$$. read more

Dinner was OK. Not terrible, but certainly not worth coming back for. I understand this place has been around for a long time. They need to realize that the dining scene in the Arboretum/Domain area has exploded and they need to step up their game. I would love to see this restaurant receive a "restaurant makeover". It wouldn't take much to bring back the shine to this place. Our waiter (dark hair/wonderful voice) was very good. read more

Wonderful! Food fabulous. Service was smashing with Walton suggestions. Really, it was a stressful day turned into a very needed great dining experience out. Thank you! read more

Worst customer service I have ever seen. Hostess is so snooty. Never going back. Denied a booth because we didn't reserve online. What a crock! read more

Austin classic. We've had many of the Austin classics close. I hope Greg and Jennifer can find a way to keep it going And then pass it to a worthy successor. I was fortunate enough to know Greg and Jennifer in the mid-80s. Haven't seen them in decades but I lived one street over from them back in the mid-80s. They only had the Congress Avenue location at that time. I've never had a bad meal and I've never had bad service there and I've been going there for 35 years read more

We just hosted our company holiday party at Manuel's and it was a hit! Our food was wonderful - everyone especially LOVED the classic ceviche and the beef tenderloin! We tried some new menu items too that were yummy and dessert was decadent. The servers were quick even though we had over 60 people and the patio was comfortable and inviting - the new lounge furniture was perfect. All of the recent renovations and make-over of the menu were well done. The BEST part about Manuel's is that they actually care about the quality of ingredients - they locally source almost everything and bring in meats & seafood that aren't farmed and full of hormones. It is so nice to know some restaurants owners care about quality and not just cheap ingredients to improve the bottom line. Keep it up Manuel's - we'll be back for our party next year - and a few happy hours in between! read more

Came in for a late lunch on Sunday afternoon. I chose to sit at the bar even though there was plenty of seating in the dining area and outside on their amazing patio. I was served promptly and had the steak fajitas which were excellent! They have a good happy hour with half price apps and drink specials. $2 off sangrias!!! The bartender was really sweet and the manager Nicole was very friendly and welcoming. Everything was wonderful and I will definitely be returning! read more

Food's always good. Staff has always been attentive. It's never been bad here, I've just had a little bit better food. The food is very cosmo fusion, etc. It tries a little hard sometimes, but mostly succeeds. Prices are fair enough for what's presented. I'm not a big "drinks" fan, but they're actually interesting here. I'll go again, and that's what really matters. read more

Manuel's has been one of my favorite go to spots in austin for over 10 years now! Regardless if I'm going for Happy Hour on the patio, dinner during the week or brunch on the weekends, the food and staff are excellent and have the type of consistency that keeps me coming back! read more

How many people does it take to seat a party of four (two of whom haven't arrived, yet) at an outside table which you knew was available when you walked in? Three clueless teenage airheads enlisting the help of an adult female, apparently. And I'm not kidding. I've been here twice now, the first time assuming that the terrible service was due to the party of 20 that I was with. Today, with a party of 4... not any better. Waitron greeted the two of us and after the rest of the party arrived, didn't return for at least ten minutes. When he DID return, he was prepared to take our orders, without actually offering to take our orders. He just kinda stood there, with his notebook open, not saying anything. My partner and I ordered queso and I had a cucumber lime martini. The other people had meals, a margarita, and a beer. Since when does anyone bring tasty adult beverages WITH the food? Seriously, everything was brought to us at the same time. It's not like we were sitting off to the side, either, our table was in a pretty well trafficked area... next to the computer to order, even. He never came back to check on us, and, as the two of us were in a hurry, we had to flag him down to pay for our portion. Martini left a lot to be desired, especially with the $7+ price tag. Queso was pretty good, made with REAL cheese, not the velveeta crap you get anywhere else. I think that may be the only upside to this place, that I've seen so far. Not gonna go out of my way to visit again, that's for sure. read more

Good drinks and an upscale setting made this a nice place to meet friends for dinner on Friday. Unfortunately, Manuel's service and food did not pass muster. We called ahead for a table at 7:45, and we were seated immediately upon our arrival, which was a pleasant surprise. The maize colored walls and nice sconces gave the place a warm but sophisticated feel. We sat on sort of a convex booth, and the table was curved, which was unique and visually appealing. Though we opted against it, the outdoor seating looked very inviting, with a fountain and attractive plants. My friend and I ordered the pomegranate frozen margaritas, which were excellent ($7). The chips weren't great (sort of tasted like white corn Tostitos), but the salsa was unique and flavorful: spicy, but not too much so, and with a bit of a citrusy taste. A girl came to take our order; she never said her name, perhaps realizing that she could later be held accountable for her ineptitude if we could have identified her. **When we placed our orders, the server smiled, then said "What would you like?" Um, we just told you. You nodded. What did you think we were talking about? **My husband inquired about getting something that wasn't on the menu and the server got extremely confused then a bit petulant. I understand if the kitchen can't vary from the set menu, but you can tell us that in a friendly way. **My husband never got silverware even after he asked. I finally got up and retrieved a roll myself when his request was ignored the second time. By then his food was getting cold and his temper was getting hot. **When we asked if it was possible to do separate checks, the server looked at the bill, divided it by two in her head (which took a little while) and told us that amount. Then she walked away. Thanks!!! Issues unrelated to the server: **Slightly spendy. Entrees $15-25 **The menu didn't seem that "interior" to me. It wasn't tex-mex either, but it didn't have what I expected. **Parking was a real hassle, probably due to the theatre next door. We would have started off on a happier note if we hadn't circled the lot for what seemed like 10 min. looking for a space. A valet option might have been nice. (Disclaimer: I can't have shellfish, and this place served a lot of seafood, so my choices were somewhat limited. This may have influenced my assessment.) read more

Seriously good tortillia soup! It's the real deal with a rich, dark, spicy chile broth and fresh avocado. It's perhaps the best in town. The pomegranite margaritas are also good and they have nice decor. Those are the best things I've found at Manuels (they tend to omit the apostrophe). The dinner menu is way overpriced and I would expect much better sides than black beans and white rice for what they are charging. They do have some creative interior-inspired brunch items so it's nice for a change of pace, but skip it for dinner or just get the fabulous tortilla soup. read more

"Deep within my heart lies a melody, a dream of old san antone" I'm jetting back to work on my noon break, and I just realize that I passed Fujiyama. Damn, I really wanted some fresh fish. Now I had just been down at Manuel's on congress a couple nights before, so when I see the sign on jollyville, an old mexico surf memory pops in my head: Ceviche! Bustin' out a quick left, I pull into the beamer packed lot, luckily the rock star spot is there for the old ford I was drivin'. I am impressed by the feng shui stream fountain on the way in. A beeline to the empty bar scored me a quick order of ceviche. The bartender fixed up some fresh chips and salsa as I admired the colorful Pink and Orange walls. Booths fill the perimeter of the main dining room, with sit down tables spreading the center. The room was packed with cheerful professionals on a Friday afternoon. As I made my way to lounge on the leather rotundra by the bar, I noticed 3 more personal booths to the right of the bar. A chill place to keep it low ley, I thought. Outside is a great patio, it was closed at the time. My ceviche came quick and I rolled back to the campus, with ten minutes to spare. Now this is where it gets somewhat brutal; and perhaps I am biased from years of great ceviche on the mexican pacific, but I felt like Manuel's could learn a few things from Dos Hotos in Ticla, Michoacan. While it was a nice attempt, and I did get my ceviche fix, I felt like there could have been less lime, and fresher substance. Then again, it's not the mexican riviera after all, but the closest thing we gots. I'll give Man's some other shots............... read more

Attention Austin peeps! We had lunch at Manuel's Great Hills today. My husband's truck was parked in the front, facing Jollyville. His truck was broken into and his gun, his state owned iPad and some important papers were stolen. Upon reporting this to the manager, he was told that they were losing business because of this but nothing has been done. There was no security. Broad daylight, people, on a very busy street. Stay away until they get some security in the parking lot!! read more

First, the food was good. My girl liked the $22 shrimp fajitas, with large shrimp. I have eaten at the downtown location before and had a decent experience. The only reason we didn't go to Chuy's instead was our desire for minimal children, noise, and lighting. But here, for a $75 bill, this was grossly disappointing. We sit down and receive chips promptly. It takes 10 minutes for our waiter to get our drink order. He comes back with my girl's $10 mixed drink having spilled a bit on his platter and places the sticky martini glass on her side with no napkin. He begins to pour my Bombshell Blonde beer, when I have to inform him I ordered the "Strawberry Blonde" $10 cocktail. I then wait 10 more minutes for this to be corrected. I order enchiladas asking "is the beef option ground or fajita?" He can do either he says. Then I get the tab and my plate is $2 more, with his explanation that "it would be extra no matter wherever you go". Well, I'm fine with that, I just want that declared up front, either verbally or on the menu. But it was not declared in either way. He did, however, ultimately remove that from the receipt. He had left that erroneous Bombshell Blonde on the receipt too, which I also had to catch, so he had to fix stuff anyway. Our waiter also spoke things out loud as if he were reciting his little epiphanies. "I guess I'll get you some waters" and "oh, I got you the beer instead". Verbalizing his surprise instead of: thinking those thoughts, as opposed to stating with confidence that he will be back with waters, or that he will fix the drink error straight away. It was kind of odd. BTW, an extra basket of chips will cost you $2, unlike at any other restaurant in Texas. The salsa is the lamest salsa I have had in a long time. read more

One of the best, cleanest and most DELICIOUS meals I've ever eaten. Welton gave us great service, and I am so amazed that there food is not only locally sourced, but also completely GMO Free. On top of all that they were Exceptionally accommodating to our vegan and Gluten Free needs. Probably the best Mexican in Austin, and that's saying something. read more

Mediocre and overpriced. I went with some friends Saturday night to grab some food before heading downtown, and it was unbelievably bland and very overpriced. I am not a fan of mexican food, but as I've had very good fish tacos before, that's what I ordered. For $15 I got two pitiful looking soft tacos with a lonely, extremely pale piece of fish in each, sporting a spattering of cilantro and remarkably tasteless salsa. It literally tasted like nothing. They could have put packing peanuts in it and it would have been more flavorful. The friend next to me and I both asked for extra rice instead of the beans, and the waitress brought out one little bowl of rice and put it between us, then walked off without a word. What were we supposed to do, share? Maybe if the rice was any good, I would have shared, but as it was white rice with crunchy, barely cooked pieces of carrot and peppers in it, I gave it to her without a fight. And I'm asian! That says something serious, people. The free chips were thick and crunchy, but came with watery, warm salsa that everyone at the table avoided. The only thing that I really enjoyed was my cantelope martini, which came with three cute little melon balls on a skewer. Too bad it was also pretty overpriced. For a $30 meal, I expected way more. Would only eat here again if the only alternative was gnawing off my own leg. read more

Absolutely terrible Mexican food. While the service is top notch, the food is as bland as paper. The rice and black beans are the worse in town and the over priced main entrees are just as bad. It always amazes me to see the parking lot full every weekend, especially when there's a Chuy's, Curra's, La Condesa, etc. in town. This place is an insult to the fine and tasty cuisine of Mexico. read more

Went here expecting a a good Mexican dinner. It took about 15 minutes to even get drink orders taken. When we got our appetizer it looked like they'd put a block of cheddar and some veggies in the microwave for 5 minutes. We then waited another 20 minutes or so to order our food meanwhile not getting any refills on our drinks. The only good thing I have to say is that their tacos were pretty good though not worth the price. You can make better at home! read more

Never had a bad experience here. Service has always been great along with the food. Good salsa. Good enchiladas and sauces, especially the sour cream! Comfortable atmosphere, whether sitting inside or out. Never terribly crowded where you have a long wait either which is a big plus! read more

New pricing is a little over the top for type of food and part of town. Queso with guac and 2 drinks rang in at a little over $40.

If you're looking for an upscale Mexican place, you've found it. Queso - best I've ever had. Yes, it's different but in an amazing way. It's not that Velveeta and Rotel mush some people are apparently looking for. Two 310s and you'll be drunk. Or maybe that's just me. I love both locations but this is the one I frequent. I may be slightly biased because my family has a House Account so I've been eating at Manuel's for free since I was five but it really is so good. Better than Matt's El Rancho and El Arroyo any day. That's probably not the best comparison since Manuel's is in a different league altogether but you get my point. Great date place. read more

My fiance and I went for lunch the other day and I would recommend trying out the lunch specials. Cory had a filet, but I guess they only give you a quarter-sized portion at lunch. I had steak fajita tacos, which were perfectly tender and juicy, minus the sizzling plate. I liked the addition of rajas and carrots with the usual rice and beans. My margaritas and salsa weren't bad, but left a little to be desired. I could see this being a great place for a date because the ambiance makes you feel like you're in a more upscale restaurant. I need to go back and try the queso! read more

Great for appetizers and drinks half priced during the weekday evening hours, the happy hour ends early around 6pm I think, so you want to get your orders in before then. I like the black bean nachos and scallops and tortillas are yum! Margaritas are strong and well priced. Salsa is hot and spicy along with corn tortilla chips freshly made. read more

I've been here only twice and got the same thing both times: beef fajitas. Wow, they are among the best I've had anyplace. The meat is tender, aromatic, with a delicious unique flavor. And the fixings are great, too. We asked for hotter sauce, and the waiter was proud to bring us some really killer stuff, and it was delicious, too. I can't really give it 5 stars based on just two trips, but I love the place so far. I will definitely go there again. I will try to order something else, but the beef fajitas are just sooo impossibly good... read more

For Mexican cuisine in this part of town, Manuels is a great choice. It took me a while to get over the look of the restaraunt from the outside - it's a stand alone, non-descript building in a strip center. However, it's always crowded. Well, we had to check it out - not bad at all! We enjoyed sitting in the courtyard under the large oak trees. The interior is nicely appointed and inviting. Reminds me of Fonda San Miguel a bit. Food is more refined and has better presentation than Chuy's, Serranos, and A La Carrera - your other nearby choices read more

This place was kinda swanky with a huge patio with some nice big oak trees stretching across the would be ceiling. My girlfriend and I sat on the patio at night and I think the trees had lights on them. Our waiter was very attentive, and so was the water guy and the chip guy. We ended up splitting steak fajitas and I had a cantaloupe martini which was amazing. My memory isn't prime bc I was pretty mashed, but overall it did really well except the prices are kinda high considering all the other Mexican options in Austin. The best part about this location is I live right across the street, so no drinking and driving for me! read more

I've been here for lunch a couple times, for dinner once, and last night for drinks. What a happy hour killer this joint is. They charge boob bar prices for beer but the waitress and hostesses keep their shirts on, if that isn't the crime of the century then I have no idea what is. The appetizer(some queso thing) was inedible due to the inability of the chips to permeate the crust that formed on top immediately upon delivery to the table. I guess the inept waitress was trying to do us a favor by giving us a cooling down period of 10 minutes between beers, but for some reason I didn't feel any appreciation. The lunches I've had here were so-so, but don't warrant the bloated price tags associated with them. I would have been more satisfied with Chipotle. read more