(More like 3.5 stars) While in Austin multiple people recommended Matt's. Given the hype my boyfriend and I had to check it out. We started out with cocktails: burnt orange margarita and the cactus Pryor. The burnt orange was just ok but I liked the cactus. We're served complimentary tortilla chips and salsa. The salsa was spicy but good. I ordered the green enchiladas, one beef and one cheese and my bf had the steak nachos. My meal came with a guacamole salad; a scoop of guacamole over a bed of iceberg lettuce. Unfortunately the guacamole tasted like the premade kind from the grocery store. My enchiladas were also just ok. The rice that came with it was good and the refried beans were ok. My bf's nachos were pretty good. The steak was really good but I wish they had more toppings. It only came with the tortilla chips topped with melted cheese, black beans and steak. Onions and jalapeños came on the side. Pico de gallo and sour cream would've been a nice addition. The restaurant has a great ambiance. Service was fast and the servers are very nice. I really wanted to love this place but sadly I don't understand the hype. I was expecting authentic, flavorful Tex-Mex food and was left a little disappointed. I've had similar if not better Mexican food here in NJ. Our meal was ok but given the hype I was expecting a lot more. read more

In the area for short vacation trip to catch up with friends and looking for lunch on this day.. Matt's was in the prime location. Walked in and was greeted promptly. Ordered with Jorge and waited while it was made fresh. The order was delivered in a timely manner and all flavors were delicious. The combo cheese dip was decadent! The lobby was clean as were the restrooms. The cost was reasonable and the food was piping hot. I had a chicken tacos platter - it hit the spot....Its a pretty good location and I will return when in the area. Thank you team & (Jorge) for being patient as I scrolled the menu multiple time before deciding and for getting the kids plate out first.. the chips and salsa - so TASTY!!! Team should be commended! Respectfully, Bryan OKC We need a Matt's in our area!!! (Justsayin) read more

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The food was really great. The service was quick. The ambience is fun. It is loud but it's fun and family-friendly. It's a large place.

Loudest restaurant I've ever been in. Restaurants really need to consider the safety of patrons hearing. I think I legitimately have hearing damage from going here. read more

I get this is an Austin institution but their food is a total hit or miss. The cocktails are their saving grace but I wouldn't have dinner here unless you are lucky enough to order the few good items on the menu (I can't tell you because I still haven't gotten lucky yet). Til then I'll stick to my Mexican martini and make my friends drive me home. read more

Another overpriced Austin restaurant. Plenty of delicious Mexican/taco restaurants to support but this one is not it. I was sucked into the asadero tacos with the claim that it is one of the best 120 tacos I need to eat before I die. Clearly whoever made that list has never been to Mexico. Worst of all the chips were stale. 3 stars for decent service, staff seemed nice, and food was brought out promptly. Drinks were very strong. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Super stale chips - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The food is just basic Tex Mex. The service is just ok. But the hostess stand - wow are they incredibly rude. Like. Beyond rude. Enough to not eat here again. Also love that the response was contact a manager in the future. How about something like oh no, let us address this with our team. read more

This place was packed when we came and our local friends told us that it is typically like this especially on a weekend and all for good reason. To start, theres plenty of parking and you should have your friend jump out to put your name in line at the host. Then while you wait, you can have a drink at the bar while also trying to avoid the massive amount of people. The vibe was great and definitely the spot for some great food and loud scenery. People are talking and having a great time - great pregame spot before a night out. Steak was fabulous and i cannot forget that queso - mixed with avo and meat. read more

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We ordered the Number 1 combo plate for dinner and it was quite good! Their to-go was the way to make it happen on a busy Friday night. My partner went to pick it up and said there were lines and people everywhere! I didn't have a chance to experience the restaurant in person but I did get to enjoy the food. I loved the to-go containers! They were perfect for keeping rice and beans separate and the main entree in the middle. Flavor of the food was good and not a place I would wait hours to go to. read more

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Lived up to the hype. Grilled shrimp fajitas had an incredible seasoning, fresh and hot! Margaritas were also fantastic and excellent friendly staff. read more

A wedding party of around 25 people visited Matt's El Rancho for dinner on a Saturday night around 6:30pm. To me, that was a big mistake, but Matt's agreed to seat us. We were told they could accommodate us in 2-2.5 hours, so we drank at the bar until closer to the time. As it got closer, we had multiple rounds of the hostess telling us table(s) were available, us trying to round up the group and then it becoming unavailable. By the time 9pm rolled around, they sat half of us and 10 minutes later sat the other half in another room. I think they tried to get us altogether, but the hostess was not friendly and it was just a sh-t show. The knockout martini is a good price for what you get. We shared the Bob Armstrong dip, and I ordered the fish tacos and subbed for redfish. Food was decent; but nothing absolutely different than elsewhere I'd say. I think this restaurant is overhyped, but it was definitely affordable so I would still recommend coming as a casual Tex-Mexican restaurant. Wish I could rate 3.5 stars, but I am putting 3 instead of 4. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Fish Tacos (sub Redfish) - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Completely serviceable and runs efficiently - food was fine, sign was a fun photo op. I would probably look for something a bit more interesting when I am in town next but was happy we gave this a go! read more

Tourist trap. Below average Mexican food. Tex mex has so much to offer and this place does not showcase it. Better off going somewhere else for good Mexican or Tex-mex. read more

Always good.. for 50 years since the restaurant was on 5th neither the quality of the food or the service has suffered

The wait is usually really long, but if you're willing to wait a while it's a pretty worth it. On the weekends, this place is super crowded, it almost feels like a club. The frozen margaritas (specifically the sangria margaritas) are really good. Good place to go before a night out. read more

Visited the restaurant on a busy Saturday night. It was pretty packed and we were told there was about an hour wait when we arrived. I was told I had to try the Bob Armstrong dip so we put our names on the list and walked over to the bar to grab some Margaritas. The margaritas were so so but the vibe in the bar and restaurant was amazing. The restaurant is pretty large and nicely decorated. The parking lot was full, thankfully we took an Uber from our Airbnb. We only waited a little over half an hour. But the wait was well worth it. We were seated in their beautiful patio area and the weather was amazing. We ordered the Bob Armstrong dip and it was delicious. We also shared the chicken & steak fajitas. Fajitas were also very good. The service was also top notch. We will definitely be back the next time we're in town. read more

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Matts El Ranch is an Austin staple. When someone comes to town and wants to know where to eat good tex mex this is where I send them. The food is great, the drinks are great. The service is great. I love that some of the meals come with complimentary pecan pralines. My favorite thing here is the Bob Armstrong Dip, its basically a queso compuesto but theres just something about their cheese that makes it extra special. They also have to die for Mexican Martinis and hella good margaritas. I'm giving them an easy two thumbs up. Make the trip to Matts you wont regret it. read more

Celebrated my adult daughter's birthday there for lunch today. There were ten of us in the group, five different families. Noisy place, freezing cold, BAD food, bad service, tea only unsweetened, and would not split the check. I'll never be back. read more

Food was great. Service was great. Margaritas will sneak up on you. Three is one too many.

Solid Tex-mex and excellent margaritas. I'm a big fan of the enchiladas. The chips and salsa are good and pretty addictive. This is kind of an institution in South Austin. I eat hear a few times a month and always have an enjoyable experience. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Beef enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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An Austin institution. Never fails to deliver the goods. Good food, good margaritas, good service.

As a Californian trying tex mex for the first time I had really high hopes! After hearing a lot about Matt's El Rancho, we decided to give it a try. Here's what we got: El Rancho Skinny Margarita - really good! All the margs here are good and definitely worth it Bob Armstrong Dip (no meat) - basically queso with beans and guac, it was good but basically just tasted like chunky queso. Couldn't really taste the guac because they put like a really tiny amount in a big bowl of queso. I will say though that I really liked the chips! They were thin and crispy and they kept them refilled through the duration of our meal. Spinach Poblanitas Enchiladas - I decided to go with the vegetarian enchiladas. I wasn't a fan of these. Though the filling tasted really good, the outer tortilla was really tough and the suiza sauce was bland. It basically tasted like just sour cream on the outside and I wasn't a fan. I would recommend going verde instead if you decide to get these and ask for them extra hot. My assumption is the tortilla was tough because they just weren't warm enough. Overall, this place was ok. For apps and drinks it's pretty good but the entrees are pretty average and overpriced. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Bob Armstrong Dip (not meat) - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I personally do not get the hype. Maybe it's because I didn't come here all of my life or I am just the kind of person who doesn't find the headache of poorly designed parking lots and long waits worth it for mediocre food. It is just not my kinda place. It is overly crowded and loud and the parking lot, although huge, it a nightmare with it's teensy spots and everyone driving around searching for a spot they can squeeze into. Once you make it past that, you have to weave through the crowd of people, all holding drinks and practically shouting, standing around waiting 30+ minutes to hours for a table. If you are mentally prepared and willing, then by all means proceed. The chips and salsa, as well as guac and queso (from my husband's experience) were all delicious. I myself thought the salsa was really good and had nice heat. I also thought the frozen margs were very delicious--I had a frozen mango swirl and ended up getting one more. It was a very good margarita. Our server was also top-notch. She was super friendly and went above and beyond to ensure my food was made safely and correctly, all gluten and dairy free. They are able to accommodate well. The sad part is the food itself was pretty bland. I got the chicken enchiladas with ranchero sauce and it was quite flavorless; even the Spanish rice and refried beans weren't really that tasty. I was pretty bummed. My husband got a combo plate and said it was not too great either. So for people who hate crowds, waits, and the parking catastrophe, probably avoid this spot. I am one of those people but would probably be willing to come back at a less hectic hour for a marg and chips. read more

YUM. I could just drink the Bob Armstrong dip. Can we talk about how well seasoned the fajitas are? So delicious, so tender, and the flavors were amazing. The beans were delicious- I'm not a huge rice fan in general so I didn't touch much of mine. I also ordered a Paloma, and it was so refreshing. Service was excellent. Our chips were replaced without us having to ask. Water was always in our cups. Our server was kind and quick! We were also seated in under ten minutes. Dreaming of queso until next time. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Bob Armstrong Dip - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The food is awesome, a the Bob is one of kind appetizer, thats great.A must in Austin,to eat .

Are you kidding me? Who the heck closes on Tuesday? I've never in my life seen a restaurant that is closed on Tuesday. We drove all the way from Leander and pull up right at 12:00 PM and they're closed up tighter than Dick's hat band! Not sure what that means exactly but that's what my dad used to say! Seriously though, what the heck? Great response from Matt's El Rancho. Instead of saying, we're sorry you drove 30 miles to get here only to find out we're closed on Tuesdays, they respond by saying "we've been closed on Tuesdays since 1952". Wow!! read more

Skip those food trucks and come here for lunch. $11.95 specials and any are a great choice. I had a foot long enchilada with rice and beans. The fajitas were also good. The waiter was great and there were plenty of locals eating here. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Menu 1-23 - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love going to a restaurant and instantly getting a homey feel. Being really far away from my family and my home in Mexico, I love this feeling that I get when I visit certain restaurants. Matt's El Rancho made me feel at home and I am so grateful for that. First off, there is ample parking and I went during lunch hour which I was a little worried about since this area can get pretty packed. We were seated pretty quickly and only had to wait about 5 minutes to get a table. The interior of the restaurant is so pretty. Definitely paying homage to the Hispanic culture with the brown brick and colorful displays. We got seated in their main area which was perfect. It was pretty packed and a little loud but I did not mind that. One of my favorite foods are tex-mex enchiladas so I knew that's what I wanted order. Their enchilada plate comes with a side of red rice and beans. The enchiladas were perfectly stuffed with American cheese and topped with their meat sauce. The tortilla was also nice and not overly crunchy or fried. The rice was pretty good but I added a little bit of extra salt just to get it to my liking. The beans were on the lighter side (which I prefer) and paired amazingly with the enchiladas. The plate was huge and I had leftovers. Perfect portion for the price. Their salsa was also so delicious, especially their green salsa. Practically filled up on chips and salsa before the main entrees came in and I was not mad about it hahaha. I would definitely recommend Matt's El Rancho to those who appreciate some homey Tex-Mex food. Take advantage of their lunch specials! read more

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If I could give zero stars, I would. The manager Charlie was unbelievably rude and completely out of line. My friend walked in wearing a bikini top (we're in Texas in the summer, not a monastery), and instead of handling anything with professionalism, he decided to embarrass her and act like he was running a church instead of a casual Mexican restaurant. The way he spoke to her was condescending and borderline creepy -- completely inappropriate. read more

Matt's is an immersive experience. You're not here for the top tier most exquisite Mexican food of your life BUT you are here for a damn good time!!! The chips with salsa, guac or queso are all delish! I'm a big fan of their chicken flautas. Their knockout margarita OR martini drink option will have you knocked out. It's one of my favorite places in Austin for the experience and ambiance. It's a must try if you haven't been and also a great place to bring visitors!! read more

Matt's El Rancho - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

Overall great interior and decorations but the food doesn't match the hype. Meat quality is okay, but the homemade sauces are great. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

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During our Austin vacation, we heard Matt's El Rancho was the place to be. The average Yelp rating is in the middle, but our experience was great. I'd go back for sure. Started off with the Bob Armstrong dip - queso with guacamole and ground beef in a bowl. Something so simple yet super yummy! It is their signature dip, and a must have in my opinion. Perfect for the hard-crunchy tortilla chips they give you. (Hard crunchy not my fave, but the dip definitely helped.) Hubby chose the Tacos Al Pastor for his entree, and liked them very much. Good flavor all around, but the charred pineapple was where the money is. Two tacos, huge. Definitely worth it. I opted for the Vegan Bowl - soooo freaking delicious! You get a huge amount. Black beans, rice, mango pico de gallo, and avocado on top of lettuce/celery with a cilantro vinaigrette that has the most zesty lime-y flavor. Super satisfying and wonderful. I'd order this again and again. The atmosphere was nice. Restaurant sits a lot of people. A very popular hang out - our wait was 45 minutes; however, we got our table in 20. Definitely a bonus! read more

We have been coming here for years and have never had any complaints. I took my family who was visiting from Dallas for lunch, and unfortunately the hosts were inappropriate and unprofessional. When one host came to seat us, we informed him that we were waiting for a member of our party who was in the restroom. He said "f*ck him." In front of two young children. Never experienced something like this at Matt's and I hope they will address it. read more

Wow! First time going after wanting to try for a while! Everything was great! We had the queso, brisket tacos and the enchiladas! Pricey but a great special event place! read more

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Man what a disappointment, had heard great things about this place, and so was really excited to go check it out. Upon rolling up, that excitement grew even more because the parking lot is pure chaos, and it was packed, so I'm thinking, it had to have been a good restaurant for sure, with this many people swarming about......(don't believe the hype folks, it's fake news)! So the pros: 1) service from our waiter Juan was amazing, he had a big party and some other tables he was waiting on, but still made sure to check on our party of two! He was great! 2) the wait wasn't as long as they first quoted which was 1.5 hrs on a Thursday night! Can't even imagine in a weekend. But we only ended up waiting about 40-45 maybe. So not too bad, and they also text you so you can leave the area if you want to grab a drink nearby or something Ben grab a drink at the bar. Cons: 1) the thing that matters the most....the FOOD was just okay, nothing that stood out or made me want to eagerly return back. We got the Asadero and Pecan Smoked Brisket tacos, and although the Asadero was good, it wasn't amazing or anything. The Smoked brisket one fell flat for me as well. Didn't have much flavor, and only tasted good once I added some of the salsa too it. Needless to say I left feeling very underwhelmed by the food. Could've saved those calories and gone somewhere else. read more

(Note: I write restaurant reviews for my neighbors in the new Buda development of Turner's Crossing.) ------------- Hi, neighbors. I have to share with you my lunch experience at an iconic Mexican restaurant I tried today for the first time. A new friend from Buda said it was probably the most popular Mexican restaurant in Austin and likely had the best food. He was on point about the food. It was good or better than any authentic or Tex-Mex food I have had in the eight months Karen and I have been in Texas. I am comparing today's food with about 20 different Mexican eateries I have tried, mostly in the Buda area. And the vast majority of them were very good. Matt's El Rancho is shown on Google Earth to be less than 10 miles from our Turner's Crossing neighborhood. It took 25 minutes in midday to get there, including some spotty traffic problems, so it is not exactly right around the corner. But believe me, it is well worth the drive. The place is on South Lamar Blvd., a very short distance northeast of Manchaca Road. The parking lot is enormous, because lots of people were still being seated at 2 in the afternoon. It was not what I consider crowded, but it was surprisingly busy after what I consider to be the usual lunch hour. Inside, there are several large dining rooms tastefully and colorfully decorated, with tables for enough apart for easy conversation. As soon as we were seated, our server brought us a big basket of oversized tortilla chips and a bowl of the spiciest salsa I have had in a long time. I immediately threw caution to the winds and gobbled down a chip with a significant amount of the salsa. My sinuses were opened for the rest of the day. The menu is extensive with a wide array of the usual offerings, plus a nice section for children. My pal and I started with a small bowl of what's called the Bob Armstrong Dip to go with the chips. It was phenomenal, and we really had no idea exactly what was in it. We each settled on entrees we spotted among the reasonably priced lunch specials. I went with the Al Pastor Plate. It was a nice-size portion of marinated pork shoulder, grilled with onions and pineapple. it was served with homemade corn tortillas, a bowl of charro beans, Spanish rice, and tomatillo sauce with cilantro and onions. Considering how much of the queso starter I ate, I had to bring home half of my lunch. My friend went with Matt's foot-long enchilada. It was an imposing beef enchilada, topped with chili con carne and cheese, served with Spanish rice and Charro beans. He had no trouble packing it all in, leaving me in awe because he looks to be in good physical shape. If you are new to the Austin area, as I suspect many of us in Turner's Crossing are, I highly recommend Matt's El Rancho if you like Mexican food. If you are not sure about Mexican food, give it a try because you will probably like most everything on the menu. The dishes are well described with all ingredients listed. read more

An Austin staple! ALWAYS crowded with a wait list, so plan accordingly. The chips and salsa are top tier with thick, homemade chips and just spicy enough salsa! I've tried a few different menu items and all were good! The latest I tried was the Asadeto Tacos that claim to be "one of the 120 tacos you must eat before you die!" And yeah they were good!! The corn tortilla was almost too thick though, so I ate the innards and was stuffed! Now, I did order a Michelada and was sooo looking forward to it but was sooo disappointed when it arrived and was an odd brownish color and overly limey. I'm certain there was no tomato or Michelada mix in it at all. read more

They got us in with a faster wait than anticipated and the service was prompt. We were able to enjoy margaritas while we waited for our table. The frozen margaritas were definitely the highlight of the meal, particularly the Cactus Pryor. The main downside is the volume inside of the restaurant; it was so noisy it was difficult to carry out conversation at times. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

The food is not fancy, more along the lines of Tex-Mex comfort food. It's consistent and it's good. I'm always amazed that they have such good service with abundant servers and staff. Other restaurants in the Austin area seem to be still struggling with staffing and bad service is common. You won't get neglected here. Margaritas are pretty good, too. read more

Matt's El Rancho - Nice dining area - Mexican Near Me - Austin, Texas

It's a staple in Austin. The food service was good for a busy Saturday with about a 40 minute wait. Parking was awful unless you pay for valet. The food was okay. I heard the tortillas were fresh and homemade but it just seemed like normal HEB-style tortillas to me. read more