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    Santa Catarina Restaurant

    4.4 (819 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    SANTA CATARINA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Santa Catarina Restaurant

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    Camarones veracruz
    Mourad F.

    I love to come here. Food is amazing and the service is fast and friendly. The place has very relaxing vibes. I like their happy hour menu as well

    Pablana Enchiladas
    Kaylee H.

    Very nice outdoor area with a place for kids to play, the inside is very nice too. The chicken pablanas enchiladas were absolutely amazing. The chicken was moist and the pablanas sauce was so delicious. 10/10. The service was a tad slow on a Saturday at 3pm. They weren't super busy. But it wasn't terrible. The waitresses were nice. My only complaint was the rice and beans weren't very good. Or like normal Mexican rice and beans you expect. The black beans tasted just like canned black beans. But again I didn't even care cause the enchiladas were the best I've had no lie. Queso was amazing. Salsa and chips were great.

    Wendi K.

    Seriously such delicious Mexican food! We came on a Monday evening for dinner. There was a little bit of a wait so we grabbed some margaritas at the bar. Delicious chips and salsa (salsa has a kick!) to start. I tried the shrimp enchiladas ($18) and camarones poblanos ($24). The shrimp enchiladas were divine - the chipotle creamy sauce was rich and flavorful, and the handmade flour tortillas had a delightful bite to them. The Camarones Poblanos was beautifully plated - 5 jumbo shrimp nestled in a pile of rice, avocado, and poblano sauce. The staff were so kind :) All around a wonderful experience. Located in a strip plaza.

    Lunch fajita tacos
    Caroline N.

    I was seated pretty soon after arrival. I did not have a reservation and it was around 1:30pm. The service was very prompt and looked really beautiful but my food was cold and under seasoned. I ordered the tacos de carne which comes with 2 tacos, rice, and beans. I will say that the beans were very delicious. I had limited time so I took everything else to go and re-seasoned and everything tasted so much better. I also had a prickly pear margarita with a tajin rim. The margarita was delicious and once seated, you are offered chips and salsa, which were also delicious too. I will definitely be back during a happy hour just for the margaritas!

    Gina H.

    This time I have to give a 5 star rating because the nachos were out of this world including the enchilada suisses which was incredible very pleased with my visit and my dining experience was absolutely incredible. The one negative thing is that the restaurant was a little bit warm in the restaurant so it was uncomfortable but other than that it was a 5 started writing that I'm giving the food was very delicious. I also recommend the margaritas or to die for I love the consistent taste of the Margarita is well made so I was happy as a lark. One thing that I had to correct with my waiter was the fact that when they serve into a lot of swisses it has to have enough sauce instead of a very dry enchilada but other than that they corrected the problem and it was absolutely out of this world I thank you for that very very much as I will let them know that the next time I come in I will expect these inchiladas sweeces to be made absolutely with enough sauce to make the perfect enchilada's suizas

    Nachos
    Delanie K.

    Found this place after a boat day, thanks to Yelp. A pretty solid Mexican/ tex mex option! Service was friendly and we didn't have to wait long for a table. We went next door for a cookie as we waited lol. The walls have some pretty cool art, they offer inside seats and a few seats outside. I loved the nachos, having everything spread on 1 big chip is so smart. The queso fundido was also a crowd favorite. My friends split the combo fajitas and said it was pricy for what it was, meanwhile my other friend got a big platter of the chefs special and it was cheaper than the fajitas. I did not get a drink but I heard the margaritas were just okay. I really enjoyed my crispy shrimp tacos though. Really good place overall!

    Eric G.

    We came here for brunch on a weekend and there was no wait! It's kind of a random strip mall location in Lakeway, but surprisingly nice inside, and some outdoor seating too. There is bar seating and tables inside. We ordered a chicken fajita plate and huevos toluqueños. Free chips and salsa came with the meal, too. The chips and salsa were good, not the best, but I ate plenty nonetheless! The chicken fajita plate was good, but somehow I felt like there could've been a bit more food for the money. The chicken was super tasty though! The huevos toluqueños were my faaaavorite and would absolutely order again for brunch. Had enough to heat up again for lunch the next day, and it was still good! Would absolutely recommend for Mexican food if in the area.

    Susan C.

    Stopped in for lunch with my buddy. Food was good and service was great. New to the area and exploring to find new places to eat. Coming back here with my family so we can try this as a family.

    Some wild decor up in here
    Nicole S.

    Posting a more recent review to just state they continue to be our favorite in Lakeway! The Pescado Empanizado (fried black drum) is my favorite lately. Hubby loves the cochinita pibil but enjoyed the delicious Mariscos chile relleno this time. Excellent service every time we go, bartenders and drinks are on point.

    I don't remember the name of this dish, but the meat was a delicious pulled pork.
    Steffie S.

    The biggest drawback for me at Santa Catarina is that it lacked ambiance. It was just too loud inside, and not great on the patio either. That's a big reason I go out- otherwise, I feel I might as well eat at home. With the negative out of the way, our waitress was very pleasant, attentive and informative. The prices were reasonable (maybe a little high). The food quality was above average. It was a "good" evening out, but not exceptional. If you're in the area, give it a try on off-hours when it's a little less crowded. That may make all the difference.

    Ceviche

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    1 month ago

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    1 month ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Great authentic food and the service was wonderful as well. Very friendly staff. Try street tacos

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    Page 1 of 21

    Santa Catarina Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Santa Catarina Restaurant

    What is a good dessert to order here?

    The flan is excellent. Was made in house and fresh.

    Does this location have a play ground for kids?

    No. It's more for adults, but children are very welcomed.

    View All 4 Questions

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    It's like Where's Waldo...kidding. I have followed Don Mario to three different B&M locations over…read morethe years, each a little bigger and nicer in my opinion. When they took over their current location (used to be a divish bar) in 2022, they really transformed the place into something special. Arguably one of the best patios in the Lake Travis area. Lots of choices of types of seating from standard tables and chairs to comfy sofas. Complete with a fire pit, full bar with TVs, lots of fans, QR code orfering and checkout an option...super chill, spacious, and inviting environment (especially since it's located directly off of busy 620). The inside is really large, including an oversized bar area seating. Offers a very nice dining option (or just for drinks), but if the weather's nice you'll "catch me outside." Don Mario has always offered traditional Mexican cuisine. If you're looking for boring Tex-Mex, you might be a little bit disappointed (albeit they do offer quesadillas, fajitas, flautas+ but kicked up a notch). Some of my personal favorites are the Mexican street tacos (seven different proteins to choose from), ceviche, albondigas, cóctel de camarones, and more; great chips and salsa. Another favorite is off menu, but it's just a basic refried bean and cheese burrito. Magically flavorful and they are not shy with the cheese, which is a very good thing in my book. A great inexpensive and indulgent option to get in protein for the day. Always receive very friendly and prompt service from both wait staff and kitchen. They're always amenable to any special requests, including creating off menu items as previously mentioned. If you're in the mood, they do serve some pretty tasty house frozen FRESH fruit margaritas (strawberry, pineapple, cucumber, or mango). They have a limited happy hour available Monday through Friday from 3-7pm. Save a buck is a buck is a buck. ;) Overall, sí por favor. :D ¡Salud!

    Okay, so I figured, a divey Mexican restaurant in Austin, Texas. What could be better? Well, I…read moreordered their upscale margarita. Yuk! Sour and bitter tasting. The manager even agreed. Oh well, it's only THE SIGNATURE DRINK OF EVERY MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN TEXAS! But really, we went out for dinner, not drinks. So, we got the shrimp enchiladas. Oh wait , what kind of enchiladas would you like? Let me order directly from the menu. "Enchiladas Camerones" Oh, you mean the shrimp enchiladas? Well, they were very good. So were the black beans and rice. I would order them again. You think we're done? Uh-uh.. Then came the mariachis!! The place is noisy as it is with a hard floor and large open space. Add 6 guys blasting brass, strings and Spanish at the top of their lungs and you'll get the jist. 165 dB would have been welcome. My water glass was spurting out the top. My hearing aids were feeding back. It almost felt like my last Rolling Stones concert in row 13. But, in all seriousity, everyone around me didn't seem to mind the noise, the music and the inability to communicate with anyone farther than 6" from you without having to yell. Having only been to a couple of Mexican restaurants in this area, I don't know if this is the standard or the exception. Stay tuned.

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    Chicken enchiladas with tomatilla sauce
    Chicken enchiladas with tomatilla sauce
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    Maudie’s - Hill Country

    Maudie’s - Hill Country

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    We visited the hill country for bluebonnet blooms and stopped here for lunch. This is a huge…read morerestaurant with plenty of seating both indoor and outdoor. There's is also a patio with some seating available which has a great ambience. We did a walk in around 2 pm. Ordered tortilla chips and Salsa, Chile Relleno and a veggie salad. To be honest, food was just okay, not so great. We also ordered the Tres Leches cake for dessert and that was delicious. Service was good.

    Absolute worst service ever. My daughter and o went in at about 2:50 pm for late lunch. I realize…read morethis is shift change time. However, at the host stand we stood unacknowledged for awhile, despite two employees within view and earshot until someone bustled up from the dining room and asked how many. I told her "two" and she walked us to a 2-top where we'd be seated across from each other and dropped 2 menus onto the table and kept walking. I looked around for a 4-top since my daughter has special needs and I need to help her eat. I didn't see any in that dining area, so I looked around for the woman who I didn't see either. A waiter walked up to The table next to us and looked at me looking lost, and I said, "we need some help." He kind of stared at me for a second then turned around to his table. So I picked up the menus and silverware and walked into the next dining room where some folks were sitting and there were tables. One employee looked confused at what I was doing there and I explained my issue, at which point she told me that that area was closed and we couldn't sit there and there was nothing available. So the woman who disappeared re-appeared, reiterated that we couldn't sit there, and so I told her I guessed we could sit outside, even though it was 95 degrees. She brought out chips and salsa and then we just sat there. And sat there. And sat there. No one came to ask for drinks and at this point I was fuming. I left my daughter at the table and went inside to find someone and I swear there were 5 people standing there, including the waiter who turned away from me, just looking at me. No one asked what I needed or if they could help me. (I had decided to leave before I did this, but my daughter wanted to stay.) Finally a guy who clearly just arrived there asked what I needed and I told him we'd been sitting outside for a long time without any service, and at exactly that time someone finally walked up to our table. I told the new guy at the host stand that our experience was really sucking. The waiter who came was friendly but scarce, and we got the spoon I asked for so my daughter could manage her own rice once we had finished the meal. We then waited a very long time for our check and I had to explain to my daughter over and over that we couldn't leave til we paid the bill. When I did, I had the options of selecting a 20, 25 or 28 percent tip, which I found ludicrous given the absolute epic lack of service. I think it may be the worst I've ever had. Not sure about training and culture there, but it was an amazing example from start to finish of an entire staff who had perfected mediocrity and ambivalence.

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    Maudie’s - Hill Country
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    Torchy's Tacos

    Torchy's Tacos

    3.4
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    Stopped by Torchy's and got the Democrat taco with barbacoa, avocado, cotija, and…read morecilantro--absolutely loaded and delicious. Had to get the green chile queso too, which is creamy, addictive perfection with fresh chips. The tacos are pricey at around $5-6 each, but the portions are huge and the flavor combinations are creative. Casual counter-service setup with paper baskets makes it easy and laid-back. Torchy's started as an Austin food trailer and still delivers on that "damn good" promise. Great spot when you're craving bold tacos and legendary queso.

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    Torchy's Tacos
    Torchy's Tacos
    Torchy's Tacos

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    Santa Catarina Restaurant - mexican - Updated July 2026

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