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    Santa Catarina

    4.1 (420 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Santa Catarina Takeout

    Santa Catarina Photos

    SANTA CATARINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Brandi M.

    We went on a Sunday and there was no wait. I've been to both locations and this one had a very similar look on the inside. There is also a green area for the kids to go outside and play. The food and service were good, even when the food wasn't out yet our server checked on us and acknowledge it was coming.

    Totopos Catarina
    James C.

    We stopped in with a couple of friends expecting a casual drink and maybe a few bites but we got so much more. Let me be clear: this is not your run-of-the-mill Tex-Mex joint. The flavors were bold, authentic, and absolutely delicious. We started with just drinks and a plan to share a few appetizers. The margaritas? Spot on. Perfectly balanced, not too sweet, not too strong and dangerously easy to enjoy. But the real surprise? The appetizers. These things were massive. We ordered three to split and ended up with enough food for the next day's lunch and dinner. Rookie mistake, but no complaints here. Service was a bit on the slower side, both with food and drinks, but the laid-back atmosphere made it easy to enjoy the company. Trying to pronounce some of the dishes was like a throwback to Spanish class, which gave us all a laugh and added to the fun of the evening. Bottom line: great food, excellent drinks, and generous portions. I'll definitely be back, next time with an emptier stomach and maybe a Spanish cheat sheet!

    Pescado a la Talla, black drum grilled in corn tortilla
    John B.

    Very nice and welcoming restaurant we stopped in for a quick lunch. Seated quickly, and Maria (our server) was friendly, helpful, and efficient. Had the Sopes appetizers, and the Hop Queen had tortilla soup. Ordered a cup, and she got a very generous portion of soup, almost a meal size (unless you're starving). She opted for the chicken enchiladas, and I got the black drum grilled - everything came out in an appropriate time for it being prepared fresh, and it was all very tasty and presented nicely. The Hop Queen did sample their margaritas and pronounced them excellent. Had enough food for to-go boxes, Maria even took care of that, either excellent service, or they'd seen me scrape food off my plate before (lol). Highly recommended, we will be back!

    Mexican martini
    Michaela M.

    The food was ok. I felt it was overpriced for a meal that doesn't even come with sides. The drinks were great. Can't go wrong with a Mexican martini. I sat at the bar and the bartender was great. There weren't a lot of people there on a Thursday evening so not sure if that says something. I used to eat here a lot years ago and the whole menu seems to have changed. I'd go back and maybe try during lunch or something.

    Rice and bean
    Soseh P.

    I have yet to find an authentic Mexican spot in Austin with that said this was probably one of the better Mexican spots i have tried so far. The complimentary chips that they give is fresh and not salty at all. The guac appetizer was also yummy and with fresh ingredients. Husband tried the poblano with Pibil - even though this was fresh ingredients they used a bit too much cinnamon in the meat sauce that killed that zesty tangy flavor it should have. The shrimp fajitas were good and fresh The taquitos were good. I did not care for their rice but the chicken was good. I do wish it had a tad bit more sauce on it but overall it was good. It has a very cozy ambiance inside and our server was amazing. We may go back to try other menu items.

    Cochinita Pibil
    Mark H.

    (Francisco: sorry I will not give you my name and email address on your contact form. Not much to discuss unless you rethink your menu prices or at least keep the portion sizes the same as before. New prices are high - you've lost me as a customer). Update: Good place but recent menu price increases make it too expensive for you get. Paying $20 for smallish beef quesadillas with jalapeño salsa is absurd. I can get the same quality quesadillas (and other dishes) for half the price at Taco Palenque. I've generally enjoyed my dinners at Santa Catarina. The cochinita pibil is solid and they have a wide range of margaritas. Appetizers are in the $13-17 range (example is $13 for guacamole). Apps are half price during happy hour but that ends before I leave work so not very useful. Nice interior. Friendly staff.

    Enchiladas
    Heather B.

    We dined on a quiet Thursday night. There were only two other tables of diners the whole time. After seeing positive reviews, this seemed sad. I was dining with a friend I hadn't seen in a while, so we talked a lot before looking at the menu; our server was very patient with us, and didn't outwardly show irritation. My friend really enjoyed his enchiladas. My soft tacos tasted good but failed as tacos. The restaurant prides itself on its tortillas. They taste good but are too weak to be a taco. My tacos fell apart. I think a double tortilla not only would be tasty, but it would then be structurally sound. I had a monthly drink special--the Como la Flor. It was delicious! Hibiscus and tajin in a drink? Fabulous! We stayed until they closed. They didn't rush us out, but we noticed them quietly start to clean the other side of the restaurant, so we got our check and left. In all, I think all go back and see if they will double up my tortillas on a taco to give them another shot.

    Camarones
    Joey N.

    Visited family in Texas and wanted to satisfy a craving for Mexican food! We stumbled upon Santa Catarina and decided to head on in. Seated very quickly and the servers were very friendly! They provide complimentary chips and salsa that weren't too salty and were fresh! Not pictured, but my family ordered beef and chicken fajitas. I ordered the shrimp platter and it was a perfect amount of food. Had a great spice kick! The fajitas were delicious and had a great flavor profile. Margaritas here were also great to have! Highly recommend getting the prickly pear flavor if you prefer a sweet taste! Overall, a decent Mexican joint in the area!

    Taquitos Dorados with pulled pork
    Ken B.

    We went to this place because Serrano's is closed on Mondays. We sat the bar and ordered dinner. I selected the Taquitos Dorados with pulled pork based on the bartender's recommendation - it was delicious. Essentially, they're enchiladas but instead of being covered in sauce and cheese, they're grilled and quite flavorful. If I lived in the Austin area, I would certainly return and order this dish again. It's a nice atmosphere with good food and service at a reasonable price.

    Jesse D.

    Best margaritas in CP, best Mexican food in CP, worst WiFi. Personable and aesthetic . Kid friendly and adult approved

    Exterior decoration
    Susan E.

    We recently had lunch with several family members at Santa Catarina. This is a charming restaurant serving primarily interior Mexican cuisine. It was chilly inside the restaurant when we arrived, so we decided to eat outdoors on the covered patio. The atmosphere was quite nice there, and we enjoyed the decor. Service was excellent. We had water and chips and salsa delivered almost immediately, and our entrees didn't take long once we ordered. We did not feel rushed to place orders or vacate our table. The place was definitely not crowded. Everyone in our group had something different. I had the lunch portion of Tacos del Mar and chose the shrimp. The 3-4 shrimp in each taco were beautifully grilled and nicely presented in a thin flour tortilla with lots of tasty goodies atop. The thin tortilla made it nearly impossible to eat the taco hand-held, but I didn't mind. The seasoned white rice and black beans were tasty and plentiful accompaniments. My husband enjoyed his enchiladas suizas. I wish this restaurant were located nearer to our home, as I think we'd become very frequent patrons. The food is very good and very reasonably priced, so would be worth the trip regardless.

    Flan. Divine. Carmely.
    Monica L.

    This is more of an upscale Mexican place. Sure, there are margaritas, tacos, enchiladas, but there are multiple shrimp and fish entrees, and there's a chef's specialty pork entree my husband found to be flavorful and abundant. I enjoyed a relleno chile stuffed with shrimp and fish--something I haven't enjoyed before; I ate every bite. The Mexican rice most certainly doesn't come out of a box. The decor is Mexican-style--artistic and sophisticated. Even the plating is pretty. Our drinks were tasty but not strong. In other visits, we enjoyed tequila shots (for real 'men who want to get drunk quick JK). I loved the salsa--pretty sure there was tomatillo in there. My husband found it tart. The guacamole was chunky just the way I like it (but I added salt). The chips are standard (but free like a good Mexican place should have). For some reason, we always find ourselves here in mid-afternoon so service has always been efficient. Friendly, too.

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    6 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    22 days ago

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    3 months ago

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    15 days ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Nice atmosphere and good service. The food was disappointing and hated the aftertaste it left. I don't think we will be back

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 months ago

    Beautiful restaurant with good service & selections. I enjoy eating in this upscale place.

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Food was tasty and service was great. Pleasant ambiance. Happy to go back. Also a nice cocktail menu.

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    2 years ago

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    Page 1 of 11

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    Aleida’s Restaurant - Aleida's Sampler

    Aleida’s Restaurant

    4.8(356 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Have been here a couple of times and the food and service have been consistently good. So far, I've…read moregotten the Chicken Tortilla Soup and the Pabellón Plate (with chicken), and both were great. The chicken was not dry and the portions left me full. Plenty of menu options as well. The staff are warm, welcoming, and accommodating (we came with a group of 6 and they got us situated right away). The space is small (which I find very nice), there is indoor and covered/shaded outdoor seating available. And I love the decor! Overall, highly recommend!

    This place is absolutely terrible. Seriously. I never leave bad reviews for places but this place…read moreseriously needs to be avoided at all costs. Terrible service and food. The eggs Benedict that I had to pay 13 for was cold and plastic like on dry sourdough bread. The hollandaise sauce was two small puddles on the side of the bread instead of coated on top... arugula just on the side all dry and cold and didn't even look washed. It's bad y'all. I went for Mother's Day for a nice day out with some friends and I'm not a mother yet but good Lord I felt second hand embarrassment for the staff here if this is what Mother's get for their sacrifice. A hostess actually said "you should have told me" about where we sat. It was ridiculous. We literally waited 45 minutes. I could have and should have driven home in that time. It was so stupid. Seriously not good. Don't go. BleCh. Wish I could leave no stars. Negative!!!

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    Aleida’s Restaurant
    Aleida’s Restaurant - Grilled plantain with the shrimp in the arepa tropical was really great.

    Grilled plantain with the shrimp in the arepa tropical was really great.

    Aleida’s Restaurant - Grilled plantain with the shrimp in the arepa tropical was really great.

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    Grilled plantain with the shrimp in the arepa tropical was really great.

    Jardin Corona - Fajita Burrito plate

    Jardin Corona

    3.8(335 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    A nice experience at Jardin Corona last night. I had the burrito plate and a Margarita. Both were…read moretasting good! There was a short wait, but we sat at the bar and was served quickly with our drinks. When we got our table our server was over in a few seconds and ready to take our order. Our order came out in less than 10 minutes...nice! The interior is large and a little old, but this just makes the place more memorable. Thanks Jardin Corona for your hospitality and for ensuring we were fed with good food!

    We went to this restaurant for lunch after getting a very good recommendation from our trusted…read moremechanic. I must say, I was impressed. I bought crunchy chicken tacos and they are the best tacos I have gotten in Williamson County so far; They were absolutely scrumptious. The beans and rice were perfect. My husband got steak fajitas and he loved them. We also got guacamole, which was really good. The chips were fresh, thin and hot. The salsa was great! I also got a topo Chico. Upon entering the facility, the greeting was prompt and friendly and we were told we could sit anywhere we wanted to. The restaurant is done in nice warm colors and it's nice and clean and it has beautiful wooden tables. It's generally a nice relaxing place to sit. The service was fantastic. We wanted for nothing. The prices were good! I can honestly say I will visit this restaurant whenever I can -- if I am in Cedar Park! Bravo, Jardin Corona!

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    Jardin Corona
    Jardin Corona - Taco and enchilada

    Taco and enchilada

    Jardin Corona - Margarita

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    Margarita

    Texican Cafe - Lakeline - Compuesta Quesadillas looking fine!

    Texican Cafe - Lakeline

    3.4(556 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    I came to this space on my lunch break. The lady at the front a Hispanic lady gave attitude told me…read moreit would be 5 minutes I sit here and wait as I sit . I see that other people are walking up and getting sat. After I noticed I walked up and spoke to the manager to advise that hey I have been sitting here waiting to get a table as and other are being seated. I just wanted to walk out but let him be aware he advised that I do apologize but please allow me to make it up . I stated I don't even feel comfortable because I know now that I have complained I won't be give the best service. He sat me down and took my order . But darn mam why are we still being profiled when I'm still spending my money I didn't come in here with attitude. I was actually in great mood. Bobby did come over and apologize again. And discounted my order . Thanks again Bobby for being Polite and correcting the issue at hand originally I was going ok a 1 star but due to Bobby correcting immediately 5 stars it is

    I really wanted to like this place, but our 4:00 PM meal at Texican Cafe was a total letdown…read more - The Food: - Speed: Our order came out suspiciously fast, which honestly explained a lot. - Cheese Flameado: We ordered this as an appetizer, and it was essentially a pool of grease. You can see exactly how unbelievably oily it was in image.png. - Combo Fajitas: We went with the chicken and beef fajitas, and the beef was a genuinely terrible cut. - Guacamole: This was the biggest heartbreak. We are huge fans of fresh guac, but what we got was borderline spoiled and not fresh at all. You can take a look at image_2.png to see the sad state of it. Serving old guacamole at a Mexican restaurant is just bad vibes. - The Service: Our waiter completely ghosted us. He visited our table exactly twice: once to take the order and once to drop the plates. We sat there waiting to give some constructive feedback on the tragic guacamole, but he never returned. We received zero water refills and no extra chips. Meanwhile, the table right next to us won the server lottery. Their younger waiter was incredibly attentive, bringing them unprompted soda refills twice and keeping their chips fully stocked. We literally had to flag down their awesome waiter just to ask for our check so we could finally leave. - The Verdict: This was our first time here and it will absolutely be our last. The food missed the mark entirely, and the service was just awful. Save your money and go somewhere that actually respects the guac.

    Photos
    Texican Cafe - Lakeline
    Texican Cafe - Lakeline - Beef soft taco, chips and salsa, queso.

    Beef soft taco, chips and salsa, queso.

    Texican Cafe - Lakeline - That was a fine fine margarita!

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    That was a fine fine margarita!

    Mama Betty’s - Churros slathered in sticky sauces

    Mama Betty’s

    4.1(380 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    Listen as a self proclaimed Texmex/ Mexican food ambassador I wanted to be critical of this place…read moreand cannot say one bad thing about it other than it's always packed. We absolutely recommend coming here and getting fajitas or enchiladas or Barbacoa quesadillas maybe all of the above if you bring enough people because it's all delicious! The restaurant itself is very well kept and clean. It does get a little bit loud, but that's only because it's always packed to the doors. Mama Betty's has a really fun outdoor patio space and always has great music playing. It's an awesome establishment to bring families kids Little League teams, office meetings whatever you want you won't disappoint anybody you bring. No matter who we have gotten as far as the wait staff they have all been extremely friendly, kind and helpful when it came to choosing something on the menu--everybody here has a wonderful and warm personality. They really have put together a home run of a restaurant and I hope that they stay around for a long time. Last, but not least the drinks are outstanding, and everything is very competitively and fairly priced. If you haven't tried it and are worried about it being packed come during the weekday at lunch.

    Went on Sunday after Easter service because we were craving something a friend brought us during a…read morerecent meal train but felt it a bit lacking. First, the menu needs a rewrite for content and clarity. For example, buying fajitas doesn't list guacamole and based on size, single, for two and family you get more sides of rice or beans. There's no definition of how much actual meat you get and our server couldn't provide that information beyond a rough estimate. Second, the fajitas we got of family size and for two portions for 7 were not consistently cooked. We asked for medium rare and got about 25% at that with the ones in the center at a more well done. Again, the multiple tiny sides were more obnoxious than anything as it's legit beans and rice unless you want to upcharge. The cilantro lime rice tastes like nothing so skip that and go for abuelita rice which has a hint of flavor. Overall, the butter/gravy that go on the fajitas is the real winner but again a menu where you overbuy and misunderstand (that doesn't even list extras like guacamole or a simple small queso) was beyond frustrating. I would stick to them for one to possibly get a better cook.

    Photos
    Mama Betty’s - Not so Private event space

    Not so Private event space

    Mama Betty’s - Chilli relleno and blood orange margarita (Notice the rice looks orange red, it wasn't it was normal Spanish rice color)

    Chilli relleno and blood orange margarita (Notice the rice looks orange red, it wasn't it was normal Spanish rice color)

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    Santa Catarina - mexican - Updated May 2026

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