Great casual spot in Austin and super convenient, easy walking distance from my hotel, which made it a perfect go to. It's not formal at all, you order at the bar and then grab a seat, which keeps things relaxed and low key. The standout for me was the carnitas tacos, they were fantastic. I highly recommend getting them on flour tortillas, they really pulled everything together. There's also a great large patio that adds to the whole experience, especially if you want to enjoy the Austin vibe. Overall, a solid laid back spot with great food and an easygoing atmosphere. read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I eat a lot of Mexican and when I was invited to dinner here while I was in Austin for a conference, admittedly I wasn't thrilled. The thought of "Tex Mex" just doesn't excite me. However...I liked this place more than I thought I would. We had a party of 6 and although we had a table reserved inside, we were asked if we wanted to sit on the patio outside and we said yes! It was a lovely night and this enhanced the experience. We started with chips, guacamole and margaritas. A colleague and I both ordered the margarita flight which gave us 4 different margarita samples and was delicious! I ordered one of the platters with two flautas, mini quesadillas and bean and cheese nachos. It was the perfect amount of food and very good. Everyone seemed to enjoy and even though we were there over two hours we weren't rushed. It was a fun evening! read more

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This was my first time at Pelons, and unfortunately, will likely be my last. What looked like a fun, casual Tex-Mex spot quickly turned into one of the most disorganized, unpleasant dining experiences I've had. I walked up with a group of four on a Saturday night and was told it'd be a 30 minute wait. They have a bar you can order food and drinks from which is nice, but any food ordered from there took a ridiculously long amount of time, taking 30 minutes just to get chips and queso. Once we were finally seated, it took over 20 minutes for a server to come to our table. We were told the kitchen was behind and nearly an hour later, our food would've been ready but was mistakenly delivered to a wrong table that arrived after us because they ordered similar items. When our food eventually arrived, we had to stack empty cups, chip baskets, and salsa containers on the ground just to make room on the table because no server ever came by to clear anything or check on us. The service was extremely slow, unorganized, and lacking and every single staff member seemed to be in a bad mood. There was zero sympathy or acknowledgment of the delay, inattentiveness, or mess up with our food, and no attempt to make things better. read more

I've eaten here a few times to catch a bite to eat with friends before seeing a show at Waterloo Amphitheater or Stubbs since the restaurant is in easy walking distance to both venues. I think the food and drinks here are very average, but not bad. I usually get one of the taco plates, and the tacos are very tasty, but the rice and beans aren't my favorite. The service is pretty good. The interior of the main restaurant is fairly dark, maybe a bit moody. The upstairs bar area is brighter, but pretty small. As of July 2026, the restaurant is undergoing renovation, but bar and patio seating is available. This is fine for small parties, but not great for a larger group. read more

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This is a really cute Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin. They have a very large patio and dining room. I had some fantastic nachos. They also serve great margaritas. It gets busier on weekends and at night, but you can also go here for a quiet late afternoon lunch read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Pelons Tex-Mex in Austin. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Wonderful food! However AC was out and that made for a rough meal both for us and the staff. They handled it like champs, and I'm thankful they were open. Food was good. Very large portions and good flavor. Only downside was the sweltering heat in the dining room. I felt most for our servers that were working hard despite it being an oven. I hope the AC guy comes out soon. Thanks for some great nachos and enchiladas. Good home style place. Would try again on a better day. read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Big Ole Nachos - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Pretty mid food to be honest, but I get it's right in the heart of Downtown so the convenience factor wins. My buddy was staying at Hotel Indigo next door so I picked up brunch for us one day. The food was pretty mid, but major shoutout to the staff as they were closing up but still got my order in. Almost gave 'em 4* just for that! read more

Pelons was right near my hotel when I visited Austin. I stopped in for an early dinner and sat at the small bar as a solo diner. I tried a quesadilla, a fresh salad, and chips with salsa, in addition to a couple of cocktails. Everything was tasty, service was prompt, and I didn't feel rushed despite how busy they were. Cool vibes all around. I probably would've stayed longer had I been with friends. read more

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I've walked past Pelons more times than I can count and have attempted to check them out but it was always during times they weren't open or times they're packed with folks pre-gaming before shows at Stubb's. Since we did a staycation next door at Hotel Indigo, it was finally time to try them. It's such an interesting restaurant with ample outdoor seating as well as an indoor restaurant with a bar. The restaurant structure and the upper, lower, side patios are made for exploration and enjoyment. It's as though guests have been transported to a desert destination. The kitschy, rustic, and old world decor stretches as far as the eye can see. Since the weather was absolutely perfect for December (80 degrees) we opted to sit outside on the patio. We chose seating that aligned with Red River Street to people watch through the gothic iron fence. As it turns out we were the only patrons and arrived for happy hour. Complimentary chips & salsa upon seating. The salsa was rich and thick with a smoky chipotle flavor. I liked it so much that I dipped my food in it. I had a happy hour beef quesadilla which was comparable to something I'd make at home. It was good for what it was and the price was right. The frozen marg (also on the happy hour menu) knocked my socks off. My boyfriend got queso from the same menu, yummy. He also had cheese enchiladas (not on the happy hour menu) and he said the sauce was some of the best he's ever had. He really liked the entire dish. He also had a Mexican Grasshopper and that was one delicious and potent cocktail. Perfect holiday season drink. Our server was super nice and attentive. He brought Sir Benjamin (our dog) a table-side bowl of water. Good experience all around! read more

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I can't believe I've overlooked Pelon's for so long! There's still a casual restaurant with character hiding downtown! The best part is their upstairs patio built nestled around a giant ancient live oak. The lighting makes the atmosphere perfect at night. The next best thing is their food. It's classic tex-mex. We've gotten fajitas both times we've gone there, and I like there flexibility with side options with things such as street corn. The servers have quite a hike to get from the kitchen to the top level, but they did their best to get us what we needed to have a satisfying meal, and shared concert stories when they realized we were headed to a concert at Mowhawk after the meal. Every time we go to a concert on Red River, we'll have to get dinner at Pelon's first! read more

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Charming Tex-Mex restaurant! We enjoyed our food. The outdoor seating area is pretty, but we dined inside since it was raining. Service took a long time even though they weren't very busy. read more

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Pretty good Tex Mex. No real complaints. The margaritas were strong but don't have any salt and the one marg pictured didn't have lime but grapefruit or something in it. The service was fine. We didn't have a reservation but were seated after a short wait. Food was better than expected, this restaurant is next door to our hotel, so it was convenient. read more

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Honestly this place is pretty mediocre. We went there because we were going to a show down town. I guess thats what they are counting on, the food is nothing to write about and the service was just as lackluster. read more

$6.50 for a single soda is insane. Everything is overpriced outside of happy hour, yikes!

It was a little chilly on this day but we had our pup with us so we had to sit outside on the patio. The sun was still out so we were able to stay warm for a bit. The server was very gracious and accommodating! We ordered House margaritas and Queso Deluxe to start. The queso was so good we decided to order Beef Fajitas. Delicious The sun was going down and the wind picking up so we packed up the rest of the fajitas to go. They were good for a snack and lunch the following day. Good food, great service! read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Queso Deluxe - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Hidden gem in Austin with classic Mexican food options! Cool vibe and wonderful service! read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - The three amigos - enchilada, flauta, and chicken taco. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

I came to Pelons with some co-workers for lunch on a Wednesday Afternoon, around 12 PM. The restaurant wasn't very busy at that time so we got seated quickly. Our server was nice and attentive to our needs throughout our meal. The place is pretty spacious with plenty of seating options, both inside and outside. It's a good place for larger groups as well. For lunch I ordered the Carnitas Enchiladas--2 enchiladas filled with pulled pork, and topped with hatch chilis, poblano crema, cheese and salsa verde. The enchiladas come with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans. The enchiladas were delicious! Would definitely order them again--carnitas were tender and moist and the flavoring of all the enchiladas were topped with made them taste even better (not spicy or anything). Had a good experience. Would definitely continue coming back, especially for lunch. I hear good things about their Happy Hour too, so will probably check it out as well! read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Carnitas Enchiladas - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Johnny was our server who was EXCELLENT! Although it was a super busy night, he took time to talk to us after they closed. We had a picture of Strawberry Margaritas, Big Ole Nachos and Queso Deluxe. The food, drinks, atmosphere and service was EXCELLENT! I highly recommend coming here! read more

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It's Wednesday, mid-August. My friend and I stopped in here for some drinks/eats prior to the 311 show at Moody's. We posted up at the inside bar and were served immediately with a couple of beers; plenty of beer option which were cheap since it was happy hour. That made us happy. Food-wise, we went with some chips/guacamole, then some tacos; I went with the baja pescado (fish) and the verde (black beans). Food came out fairly quickly. The guacamole is alright, good consistency with the avocado but felt it needed more seasoning, maybe a bit of cayenne or garlic/onion salt. As for the tacos, the fish was my favorite, cooked nicely and good slaw with the cotija cheese. I went with flour for that which held up well. The verde taco was filling but ordering it on corn was a bad idea, it started falling apart midway through eating it. Next time I'll do flour for that or get a different taco. Food here is a bit pricy so happy hour will be your best friend here. The bartenders are nice and it's a chill area to stop in to pre-game before a show or have a quick date night. I'll probably be here again when I'm in Austin for a show/event and it's near the venue. read more

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I'm honestly really frustrated with my experience here(4/8). I spent $44 on a salad with chicken and two sides, which is already pretty outrageous for what it is. When the food came out, my salad was missing. When they finally brought it out, it seemed like it was just reheated, and unfortunately I ended up getting sick later on, which makes me seriously question the food quality and handling. On top of that, the service didn't help the situation. Our server never refilled our waters, and overall it just felt like we were overlooked. Definitely not worth $44. Server also didn't mention how the gratuity was included already so she definitely cashed out on us. read more

We came for dinner Sunday night with a couple of friends and were able to get seated quickly! The decor is very cute inside and the patio is nice as well! Service was great, our served helped our table of 9 and everything came out quickly and she was on top of it. My fiancée and I split the steak fajitas and a side of large guacamole as an appetizer and two drinks and were very full at the end! The fajitas come out sizzling and have tortillas and all the fixings on the side with rice and beans too. Great deal for around $27! I got the Paloma as well and it had a really nice flavor - around $14! Overall it surpassed my expectations since we always pass it on our way to a show and never think to stop by but it was great! read more

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It was ok. Not great. Not bad. Ok. The ambiance was cool. Very Tex Mex feeling and the inside was very cool (temperature). The food was good. Not too spicy. The people helping us were friendly. I'd go back for lunch. But again it's not great but definitely good. read more

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Great place for drinking! Came with a friend and drank quite a bit. Would recommend to a friend. Great ambience and friendly staff. read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Hungover, Indecisive, & Thirsty $15 - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

The little hole in the wall looking place with an awesome vibe. The waitstaff was attentive, if a little underwhelming on their knowledge of the menu, but the food came out quickly and our drinks were never empty. The carnitas enchiladas were delish and I definitely recommend the black beans. read more

The beef fajitas for one were very good. They came with good portions and plenty of toppings and beans. I got them as takeout. read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Beef Steak Fajitas for 1 - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

This was place wasn't great. The ambiance was nice but service was awful. Took 15 min to get water and chips. Then we put in our drinks and food order at the same time. The food came out about 15 min later and clearly was either premade or microwaved. I asked the gentleman who brought my food about the drink and he seemed annoyed and said it would be coming out soon. My enchilada was semi cold in the middle and the food did not taste fresh. Our drinks didn't come out till 20 min later after we got our food and the server did apologize but didn't comp anything. Then we waited another 20 min to get the check and nothing was comped even though we were there for nearly an hour and couldn't enjoy the drinks with the food. The place has potential as the drinks were good but overpriced and the service was awful and the food was 5/10. read more

One of very few spots open for coffee on a Friday morning, we dropped into Pelons after seeing a sign advertizing hot drinks outside. The host stand sent us to the bar to order, and unfortunately we weren't particularly welcomed by the bartender, who didn't seem to want to take our order. Only after completing the transaction did we ask for milk in one coffee; this was an up charge of .50c, for which we had to run a second credit card transaction. Decent coffee but not a great experience, and definitely not a $5 + 50c coffee. read more

If I could give zero stars, I absolutely would. From the moment my wife and I walked into Pelons, it was clear that this place had no regard for the most basic standards of hospitality or hygiene. First off, as we entered, we were greeted not by an enthusiastic staff ready to serve, but by a group of employees slouched against the wall, each engrossed in their cell phones. I get it, things can get slow, but that's hardly an excuse for the utter lack of professionalism. It was a huge turn-off, to say the least. We were seated at a wobbly table in the back of the restaurant, and to our surprise, it was sticky. I'm talking about a grime that's been building up for who knows how long--definitely not something I want to touch, let alone eat on. Our server briefly greeted us, and then disappeared for what felt like an eternity. I found her later on her phone in what I assumed was some sort of "server station." Very professional, right? Now, onto the food--calling this "Tex-Mex" is a slap in the face to any Tex-Mex enthusiast. The food was bland, tasteless, and honestly disgusting. I can't even describe the flavor, because there was none. It's as though someone made a half-hearted attempt to recreate Tex-Mex and completely missed the mark. The restaurant itself? A nightmare. It was dirty, dusty, and smelled like it hadn't been cleaned in months. The bathrooms were in an equally sorry state, and the flooring was coming up in places--seriously, what kind of establishment lets a place fall into such disrepair? It looked like they were one step away from being condemned. Then there's the drink menu--utterly uninspired. For a place that's supposed to be serving "cocktails," offering $18 drinks that are as dull as a glass of water is just insulting. No effort, no creativity, just another reason to avoid this place at all costs. But wait, it gets worse. On our way out, we spotted dead cockroaches in the corner. Yes, you read that right. Dead. Cockroaches. At that point, I was beyond done. Do yourself a favor--avoid this trash heap of a restaurant. There are far better options out there. If you're in Austin and craving Tex-Mex, go to Matt's El Rancho or Maudie's. Pelons is hot garbage, and I wouldn't set foot in it again if you paid me. Save your time, money, and stomach--this place is a disaster from start to finish. read more

A little small and dark when we received our food it's was not great the chicken fajitas was ok and the combo lunch enchilada which had to much chile spice and the taco was ok nothing to brag about! The waiter/cook was constantly running his fingers thru his hair. So not coming back or recommending this place! Avoid this place! read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Enchilada Combo Plate - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Margaritas was good $15. Food was okay but server said it came with rice and beans but said they also had corn and zucchini as sides so I switched to that per his recommendation. He forgot to mention that it was a $2 upcharge for EACH. My $13 meal went up to $17 and of course they don't bring you an itemized bill anymore until after you pay and only then if you request. Anytime there is an up charge they should inform you, especially if they're recommending it. read more

Came here 3 weeks ago and I was super excited to try Tex Mex food. The hospitality was not there. As soon as we walked in we were barely greeted ( mind you it was empty) the RBF on both of the people that were in the front should've been enough for us to walk out. I ordered the enchiladas (red) side of rice and their street corn. Enchilada was very salty 3/10, rice 5/10 street corn 10/10. The green enchiladas were a little tastier 7/10 and their beans were actually pretty decent 8/10. Their chips and salsa were 10/10. It's true what they say, California has better Mexican food than Texas. Hopefully next time it's better. read more

QUESO DELUXE Traditional queso w/ guacamole, pico de gallo&chorizo. Curious but Lucas was very attentive and recommended great dishes, this being the one I loved the most. Thanks 4 the great service& recommendations Lucas ...YOU ROCK read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - QUESO DELUXE Traditional queso w/ guacamole,pico de gallo&chorizo. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came here as a last-minute dinner decision 8-9PM on a Thursday night; street was hopping but restaurant wasn't terribly busy so we were served immediately. We sat outside since the weather was not too cold and they had a lot more outdoor seating than we realized so we were spaced out from other parties which we really liked. Food came out quickly and everything tasted great. A lot of people started trickling in towards the end of our meal so we were glad we got there when we did in regard to a more chill dinner vibe. Honestly, the best thing I tasted all night was the cocktail. I ordered La Madre and it was wonderful (like alcoholic ice mint green tea) it was just so perfectly balanced and refreshing - I will literally be back for THIS cocktail read more

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Randomly walked around the area and found this spot at first wasn't sure what it was but as we got closer to the door we we're greeted by a hostess who was super friendly and welcoming the inside felt like I was in someone's living room and meet the lovely bartender named heaven who was just such a vibe and her cocktails that she mad us was sooooooo bomb and good the queso dip deluxe that she recommended was spot on good definitely recommend it as well as the chicken flautas and the music selection was even a good highlight with a well diverse playlist of different genres this will be my new go to happy hour spot in austin Texas thanks for everything to this amazing team read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

Very good food highly recommended will definitely be back when in Austin. This was a mother/son trip

Cute, comfy, quaint, like you're visiting a friend's house. The coffee was delicious and tacos reasonably priced at $5+ with choices for veggie and meat eaters alike. My apple butter Chai was perfect and they asked which milk I like which I love that they think ahead to ask as I'm milk intolerant. Happy hour includes food, the back restaurant looks very cozy, cute place for a date night or friends and loads of Insta pic options. read more

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We visited here Halloween week. This space has a spooky vibe! Great service and great food! read more

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It's 2025, y'all. I find it ridiculous that this establishment cannot even REMOTELY accommodate a gluten allergy. Nothing is safe, especially if you're Celiac. So uncool! read more

Came here after a long day of exploring the city. The place was packed but I sat at the bar since it was just me. I can't remember exactly what I got but it was some sort of pulled pork taco and a spicy margarita which really wasn't spicy enough for me but VERY refreshing. Loved the decor! read more

Pelons Tex-Mex - Pulled pork taco (I think) - Tex-Mex Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We came a little after they opened on Sunday (11:15am) and we were the only patrons there and a couple tables came in by the time we left. It's a big place and eclectic. Nice and cool inside. We got complimentary chips and salsa and the salsa was really good. We shared the Fiesta Omelette and it was good and filling. I'm really surprised they were able to make an iced matcha latte with almond milk and lavender syrup. It was really good! My husband had an iced latte (coffee). I'd definitely go back if we weren't on vacation. The micheladas looked good. read more

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