The staff were nice and casual. The inside was very dark with all of the shades drawn. (I was there during the day.) The food was okay. It wasn't bad and it wasn't amazing. I had the sopecitos and the carnitas. The sopecitos were good. The flavor was nice, the masa patties were perfect (maybe needed a little salt), but the meat (cochinita pibil) was a bit dry. The carnitas were just okay. They were large "hunks" of meat vs shredded - which is what I'm accustomed to and prefer. The meat had very little flavor and, like the sopecitos, was a tad dry. The worst part was the "parking lot." It is basically one side of an aisle (with the restaurant on the other side). The parking spots are angled. When you back out to leave, however, there is no exit in the rear. So you have to make an awkward attempt to back up, turn around, and drive the "wrong way" to the entrance. Very strange. I'm not sure hat I would've done had another car entered as I was exiting. I would definitely give this place another try. They had so many things on the menu that looked awesome. Hopefully next time will be better and I can change my review. read more

Dear Yelp, Thank you for leading me unto temptation. I really dunno when I've enjoyed such a meal. Love, Nicole L. But really, people. You showed me a **** - $$ joint within range of the party we were trying to make it to and did not disappoint. The decor/ atmosphere doesn't really match the food and service quality, but I am not there to look at your style. In fact, if I ever go into a Mexican restaurant intending on taking interior decoration notes, you can go ahead and slap me. (OK, maybe Fonda San Miguel is pretty good-looking, but you know what I mean with the general lack of aesthetic sensitivity most places offer. I'm talking to YOU turquoise, coral and yellow walls). I digress. I will now be bringing every out of town guest wanting Mexican food to THIS PLACE. I love South Austin Mexican food, but I haven't been in LOVE-love, like this in a long time. I mean, green sauce = swoon. I'm going to share a secret with you now, Internet. You know how normally I never deign to partake in commercial meat? Well, lately, my pregnancy has been calling me to just give in to my carnal (carnivorous?) whims. I went ahead and indulged in the pork enchiladas with the green sauce. They had a fancy name to go with their fancy flavor, but I forgot it already. 'Scuse. Now. Go get it in yer mouf 'cause this little prima donna was IMPRESSED. Holy flavorsplosion!!! Succulent, succulent, little piggies. Bathed in tomatillo heaven. Want more??? You do? How about I just break it down and talk about the short-comings of some other South Austin Mexican joints to illustrate how much better this place is? I can be catty like that. Here we go. Polvo's: But why? Everything tastes the same. Margaritas, yes. Then haul your drunk ass somewhere else for real food. Or, maybe after that one frozen mango rita you are wasted enough not to care what you put in your mouth. I, for one, am muy guilty indeed of making poor food choices when inebriated. Guerro's: Seriously? I can hardly believe they're still open. Why? How? Thank you for your "cheese product" and shabby ritas, but no thanks. Pawn 'em off on the tourists, they don't know any better! Curra's: Oh, how I used to love thee. Until... well, until the service sucked and sucked and sucked some more. I just kept going back! I couldn't resist your avocado margaritas (still can't), but really, now... are you going to serve it to me in this lifetime??? And there you have it, people. I just insulted some other nearby places to make this place look better. But really, I didn't have to. I just thought you might enjoy it. Sazon uses real cheese, makes epic sauces, and I cannot wait to find out what their cocktails do to me! read more

At some point, I'll break out of my comfort zone of Tex-Mex migas and fajitas and dive headfirst into the world of genuine Mex-Mex. In the meantime, there's a certain irony realizing Rick Bayless's dogs know more about Mexican cuisine than I do. With that in mind, I think Austin has only a handful of authentic Mexican-fare restaurants, and Sazon is one of them. It's also open for breakfast on weekdays, and at 9:45am on a Friday, that's where we were. The interior of the place and its parking lot aren't much to write home about, but I knew that walking in. I didn't catch our server's name, but she was attentive without being obtrusive, and repeated my order of the Tavo, Machado, and Migas breakfast tacos as the "The Taco Tour," while my breakfast companion looked forward to her "Envuleto de Huitlacoche, on the dry side." Incidentally, they have great coffee here, and you get a lot of food. What my companion ordered turned out to be an omelet filled with corn truffle, which I've never heard of or tasted before: I appreciated her explanation of the ingredients and the portion she shared with me, because I wouldn't have tried it otherwise. Of the three tacos, I enjoyed the migas one the most, probably because of its familiarity, but also because they make great migas here - light and airy with a tangy bite of fresh salsa. I could eat that stuff all day. Right offhand, my guess is the house specials here are probably superb, but I just wouldn't know it. I think it would be worth it for me to return and try them, since I have to start somewhere. Maybe the trick is having more people join me at Sazon like this morning, when they know what they're eating, and don't mind sharing and explaining it - in return, I'd be absolutely delighted to look at pictures of their dogs. read more

I'm so sad that it's come to this. Sazon, you've been the one constant in my life for over a year now. Ever since the day you proclaimed Marla and I GJs two mommy's (you were wrong, by the way), I loved your eggs over easy on my chilaquilles plate with green sauce and corn tortillas. Ever since Marla and I took our friend Jimmy for lunch and discovered ceviche as big as Marla's head (HUGE!), and Conchinita pibil, you have been my number one. My amore. The place I eat the most, even though I swear up and down I don't really like Mexican food that much. Even when we brought some co-workers and I tried the enchiladas, which weren't great, and the service was spotty, I stuck by you. I read review after review saying that the service sucked, but I soldiered on, thinking that it never sucked for me! And the food was so good that I just didn't care. But Sazon. We've come to a major crossroads. Sunday was the last straw. Service was all but non-existent. The food? Well, I'm sorry, but I could have enjoyed myself more that day at Taco Bueno. My arracheras were cold. I had asked for medium-rare. They were black and blue. I would have sent them back, but I was dying. I needed substance to soak up the vodka fueled night before and I couldn't wait to send them back. The choriqueso was so greasy that the baconator had to spoon out the grease. THE BACONATOR, SAZON. Do you realize what that's saying? I love you baby, I truly do, but I'm starting to feel like I'm the only one in this relationship that cares any more. And that makes me sad. It hurts to have to say good-bye, but I think it's time. We're going in different directions...you in the direction of greasy food and bad service, and me in the direction of El Chile, even though it's so far away. We had some good times, and maybe one day, you'll get your act together and we can give it another try. I'm leaving you with two stars for all of the good times we had together, and I hope, one day, you'll let me give you more. Until then, good bye my love...good bye. read more

Torture me. Do your best. Tie me down with moist spicy pulled pork, drip some of the best queso I've ever had in the middle of my forehead, force feed me Conchita Pibil and spank me with the best corn tortillas I've EVER had. I won't talk. You can't make me tell anyone about this place. Its horrible. Don't every try it. (No, that's not my car parked in front... must be some other guy's black 1998 4runner with a brush guard on front and snowboard racks on top. Its not me.) read more

I've visited Sazon dozens of times in the past 2 years and have to say that the experience has been on a steady decline. I used to swear by Sazon as a great little hidden secret in my back yard. I can't say the same anymore. Last night was the straw that broke the camel's back. Our party of 5 arrived around 8 to a half-filled inside & patio. We were seated out on the patio. Within a few minutes, a small band erupted. One hint: Don't stick guys with bongos and guitars directly next to your patrons. Especially when you have a covered patio. Reverb fail. Also, tell the bongo player to stuff a towel in the open end to keep the sound at a reasonable volume. He drowned out not only his band mates, but also the group of customers. Many left when they started. The server was mediocre to say the least. Twice forgetting drink orders, failing to bring more than one 3oz side cup of salsa for a table of 5 when we asked for bigger servings three times. When she first came to take our food order, she noticed she had no pen, said she'd grab one and be right back... 10 minutes later. I ordered the enchiladas de pipian and my beans were cold. Not at that perfectly torched, fresh from under the salamander hot. Not warm. Cold. Then we get to the check. 5 people, 4 cards, $90 tab. We each write our names to match our cards and the amount to be paid on the back of the check. Pretty usual thing at a restaurant, right? About 15 minutes after presenting our cards to our server, she returns. One card was run for his correct amount, yet also for an extra $30. Mine wasn't run at all, and was written on the check to be charged $9. Yup. I had a $9 tab. Just food. No drinks (shocking for anyone that knows me). We tell the server the error, hand over our two cards, and ask that she run mine with the $9 as written and also correct his extra $30. Time goes by and she finally returns. Hands me a receipt for the $9 charge and tells my friend his extra charge was refunded... yet presents him no receipt as proof. We blow it off, thinking all will be fine. This morning arrives. I check my account. The server seems to have not only run all of our cards last night as instructed, but also ran mine for the whole tab in addition. WHAT?! Seeing that it's an authorization, I know my bank can't do anything until it posts. I call the restaurant to see if it has been batched and processed, and figure a manager on duty can help. Too bad one isn't there. NOT A SINGLE MANAGER. How do you operate with no manager in the house? What if someone needs a refund or a comp? What if the health department comes by? Imagine what they would say. The server from last night happens to be on the phone with me, so I ask her to help. Not only does she inform me that she can't, she insists it's my fault since my group made it so difficult to run our check. Umm... Re-read the above part about how easy we made it. She tells me that a manager will be in at 2, and that I should call back then. Sure. No problem. I call back at 2, and she answers again. Still no manager present and she says he won't be in until 5 now. I'm livid at this point. I leave my name and number, ask her to call the boss and to have them call me. At that point, I tweet them, leave a message on their Facebook wall, and even email the joint. Over an hour later, no response. This is why I've written such a long review. In short, I'll never be a patron at Sazon again. read more

I am very sorry to have to write this review, but even after having inspiring food and excellent service, I will never again return to this restaurant. First the good. My buddy and I had received several recommendations so we tried a variety of appetizers and entrees. The food was very good - from the queso fundido to the verde mole. Even the salsas were unique and the right mix of spicy and flavorful. Our waitperson had answers to everything we asked, was friendly and prompt and had great recommendations. At one point in our evening, though, I saw one of the owners/managers addressing one of the waitstaff in such an appalling and inappropriate manner, that it ruined the entire experience for me. When I gazed in awe of what I had seen he actually faced me down in an attitude of wanting to fight me. It was a bizarre and alarming experience. Sadly, given the quality of the food, I would not recommend visiting the restaurant and am confident you do not have a great amount of time to visit it before it inevitably fails. read more

Came for brunch not all that long ago. There was no wait, but still lots of folks around. Looks like a nice patio, but I sat inside. Choriqueso was fabulous (thanks, Mr. Waiter for the suggestion!). Salsa was delicious. I had breakfast tacos. They were just okay. I also think I over-indulged in the salsa and queso. But if that's what you're gonna fill up on, then at least it's good stuff, right?! I'd love to go back for lunch or dinner. Maybe then I can add that last star of deliciousness. read more

OK, I have to rain just a little bit on the Sazon parade. I thought it was good, but not stellar. I had the mole enchiladas, and I thought the mole sauce was a little too spicy and not rich enough. I love spicy food, but I like my mole to be ultra-rich and to *almost* taste like chocolate - kind of like if you melted one of those popular chocolate-chili desserts available these days, removed much of the sugar, and poured it all over your food. This mole didn't really convey the chocolate-y flavor that I look for in a mole. Also, I thought the salsa they served with the chips was a little watery and the flavor just didn't do anything for me. To be fair, I had just eaten my weight in chips and salsa during happy hour at Nuevo Leon shortly before our visit here, but still... I should mention that the fare was very reasonably priced - my enchiladas came with rice and beans and only cost $8 at dinnertime. The service was pretty good once we got going (seemed like a took a while before we got to order). We had a large party and everyone used credit cards - our waiter was cool about that and gets major bonus points for that - but I thought it was a little weird that we had clearly overpaid and he didn't mention to us how much had already been left over for the gratuity (when we finally asked, he said it was "about six dollars or something"). Minor beef, but worth mentioning. I'd definitely go back and try some of their other dishes based on other Yelpers' raves, but I wasn't blown away this time. read more

I was not impressed with the decoration but I was very impressed with their dishes.. my belly was full and happy. My main dish "Puerco in Pipian" was really good.. seriously, it was really good. I was very impressed. The carnitas was really tender and the flavor was outstanding. Everybody was happy with their dishes and saying that it was really yummy Too bad that I don't live in Austin, otherwise it would be my regular spot to make my belly happy. For sure, I will be going soon to Texas and I will make sure that I will stop by this restaurant. Nota para "Sazon": Muchas gracias por tener una comida excelente! read more

Great neighborhood spot. I loved the Cochinita Pibil. I think maybe the best pork I've ever had. Queso is also great, and the salsa has a good kick to it. Great alternative to the crowds of Polvos, if you're in the neighborhood and don't want to wait in line. read more

After finding an hour wait at Vivo and an hour wait at Polvo we held our breath and found...Sazon...no wait. That should have told me something. We had taken the visiting nieces out for Mexican food and passed on two of our favorites. It would have been better to have stayed at Vivo because, frankly, by the time we got to Sazon it had been a freakin' hour...and I was not impressed at the end of the meal. First, the service was friendly and helpful. Our server replaced the two baskets of chips and salsa when we asked (but, we had to ask...). The salsa was just so-so being very chunky and the chips--meh--thick, room temperature and not salted. The "Gringo Queso" was just that. I detected the flavor of evaporated milk. I didn't waste the calories on this dish but the nieces LOVED it and scarfed it right up. Niece One really enjoyed her masa cake appetizer but Niece Two found her fajita meat nachos to have fatty, tough meat. My order of stuffed squash was impressively mediocre. The squash was tough, the corn was not grilled as the menu described but, I believe, from a can and the sauce--canned tomato sauce with a little spice. Topped with 3 shreds of white cheese. I did like the black beans. The mister enjoyed his enchiladas carnitas and the teenager ate his 3 breakfast tacos (if on the menu he orders BTs any time any where). Going without reading the yelp reviews was a mistake and I do plan on returning for the concinita pibil which seems to be a favorite as well as the Choriqueso appetizer. It seemed the prices were a little high for the quality. read more

Austin is notorious for its low-key Mexican eateries. There are a handful of amazing Mexican eateries on the East side, plenty of taco joints sprawled out along Cesar Chavez, and an abundance of awesome restaurants on Lamar. Sazon fits right in, but it lacks a bit more in execution than its neighbors. Nonetheless, the menu offers more than enchiladas and queso. There are some hardcore Mexican dishes here, and I am thankful for that. For one, any joint that puts huitlacoche on the menu is a winner. Though expensive at $10 for 3 empanadas, the pockets of joy were chockful of the wonderful corn fungus. Earthy and tender on the inside, and crisp and light on the outside. Also, chile en nogada is certainly a rare dish in America, so that is a clear choice when it rears its ugly head. This one had a plate sized smear of the creamy walnut cream sauce, and the pork, apple, peach, walnut, and raisin interior had a great texture. The meat was tender, the fruit added moistness, and the walnuts provided the perfect crunch. A touch pricey at $16 for simply a relleno, rice, and a few slices of honeydew. Dine at Sazon if you are tired of the Matt El Rancho offerings, the hefty Juan in a Million, or the cocktail and small plates of the Mexican eateries to the East of 35. It is pricey for the grub, but it certainly fills you with unique food. read more

To Dillar: your review is a disgrace. It's a shame that this single employee didn't follow protocol, but the food at Sazon is anything but horrible, and your review of the restaurant comes off as lazy. Sazon has some of the best Mexican food in Austin. It is not Tex-Mex. You'll find some great interior offerings here. The mole is great, for instance. Even their Texas-style queso is better than most Tex-Mex joints in town. However, their queso flameado is far superior, unless you're opposed to clogged arteries. Both the food and drinks here are fantastic. Sazon is among the elite. read more

Yes, I probably should have gotten the corn tortillas since this is a more "interior" Mexican restaurant. But, still, I would not expect to be served store bought flour tortillas that were not even evenly heated through. I wish the waiter had completely forgotten to bring them. Margaritas on the rocks was decently strong, though not overly compelling in flavor (didn't even finish my second one). Puerco en pipian was real fatty, and again, lacked any sort of compelling flavor. I will say our server was way on it for our large group. I should have gotten the Chile en Nogada but I knew the portion was going to be ridiculously huge so I figured I would try their "tender carnitas Michoacanas smothered in a roasted pumpkin seed sauce". So the plate comes and I see that the cubes of pork were about one inch square and each had a huge piece of fat affixed to it. Leaving all the fat on the meat seems like laziness on the part of the restaurant, or maybe I need to ask for it lean. But I have definitely been to "authentic" Mexican places and not been served a serving of meat that was essentially half fat. Oddly enough, the best part of the restaurant was the women's restroom which featured a double toilet and no stalls. Totally reminded me of the Hole in the Wall. Oh, but the water in there was Catholic-school-punishment-cold. Yow! Definitely will not be back unless someone else is paying and for some reason I cannot convince them to go elsewhere. read more

Gross. The guy who sat us down, had just cleaned the bathroom, he set down the toilet brush, grabbed menus and sat us. Then he never changed gloves, went to the mens bathroom, cleaned, and we watched him seat another couple. A few minutes later he was sitting at a table doing something with the water glasses. GROSS. The food was horrible and this review isn't worth my time. the end. read more

I have mixed feelings about this place. However, I like it enough to give it another couple of tries. My man and I went here for an early dinner a few days ago. It was mercifully uncrowded, probably too far down Lamar for the SXSW people to walk to. We ordered the corn truffle empanadas appetizer, a tamarind margarita, mole enchilada plate and the conchita pibil. I was really curious about how corn truffles would taste, but the empanadas were so greasy, all I noticed was the oil. We even cradled the empanadas in our napkins for a while to soak it up, which made it a teensy bit better. I was really excited about my tamarind margarita since i lurve tamarind, but it didn't taste anything like tamarind. It just tasted like sour. However, after a few sips, I was too smiley to notice. The sauce for the mole was pretty tasty: chocolatey and bitter. My conchita pibil was nice and tender, but lukewarm. It was strange because the waitress said that our dishes took a long time since she wanted them to cook my pibil more, but wouldn't that mean that my dish would be hot? Strange. I don't like lukewarm dishes. However, the flavor was good and the refried beans and plaintains were very tasty. read more

I was there on a date for brunch. The date didn't turn out so well and neither did the food. I was hoping for 50/50 but if I had put money on this. I would have lost. a.lot. I felt like I was sitting in a dirty parking lot, inhaling fumes and eating cold food. I wasn't impressed with the salsa which seemed like it was Pace picante. The poor service that really took forever and their migas weren't anything to say about. No flavor and the tortilla strips were soggy & stale like a dried up noodle on the side of your pot. Need I say more? read more

I went to Sazon last night encouraged by all of the good reviews here on Yelp and also because it is right down the street from my Monday night gig. Perfect. I was glad to finally have the opportunity to check it out. When we got there it was very, very dark inside. I like "mood lighting", but this was more like the power had gone out or something. Later on they brought a tea light to the table, but they need to put in something over head that can be dimmed. It was just too dark. I couldn't see my food! The margarita I ordered was about a 5 on a 1-10 scale, but I wasn't there to drink, I was there to eat. And eat I did! The queso gringo was fantastic, though the salsa didn't knock me out. ( my friend loved it, though...) The homemade corn tortillas were hot, chewy and delicious. We got the Pibil, because everyone says it's so great, and it was great. I loved it. Especially with a bit of the pumpkin seed sauce we ordered on the side just to see what it was like. That stuff was fantastic! We also go crab enchilladas which I never got to (on is in my fridge right now) but I was told they were good. The rice was soft and fluffy and the beans were perfectly seasoned. Our waitress (Rhonda?) was very sweet and seemed genuinely glad to be there regardless of the mad rush we'd just missed. She's a big fan of the food and says that the owners are great folks who do all the cooking. The atmosphere at Sazon is strangely lame. Quite lame indeed, which is confusing because with just a little effort it could be so much nicer. They even had 2 hanging star lights that they were hiding in a corner by the bar! Why aren't those out among the people? Ah, I don't care. I'll be back and I'll stuff my face. read more

Had a late lunch today(Thurs 1:30)... walked in, great service, seemingly good people(very important to me)... got a very nice fresh mango agua fresca and then ordered the Cochinita Pibil with their wonderful corn tortillas... Pibil came with good black beans, rice, and fried bananas... Flavors were all to my liking and the pork was very tender and tasty read more

So, the food was pretty darn good. While the decoration was decidedly low rent (which is not always a negative for Austin Tex-Mex), the service was snappy, the owners attentive, and the food wasn't half bad. By which I mean it was pretty good, but honey, it ain't no Polvo's. Get the margarita (damn good), the michelada was on the better side of good, and the portion size was good. Watch out for the enchiladas - mine had that overcooked tortilla crust (obviously reheated) - but they tasted decent nonetheless. I tend towards more savory or at least very strong flavors these days, so it's not surprising that I felt the pork was a little bland and that there weren't enough pineapple pieces, but the cilantro was fresh and I could tell some effort went into the dish. I think I just hit a bad spot for them, and I look forward to an improved review soon. read more

This Mexican restaurant doesn't get the hype as some others in town, but definitely is well worth the visit to come try their tasty food selections with their genuine service. First off it was 9:40 on a Wednesday night when my friend I showed up not knowing they close at 10:00. The waitress told us not a problem and she can keep the kitchen open for us. I wanted the queso but my friend was on a diet and opted for the Ceviche instead. I was very surprised how rich and fresh the ingredients to the Ceviche was and ended up eating more than I thought I would. I ordered the Cochinita Pibil and got to taste some of the juiciest slow cooked pulled pork I've ver tasted. I suggest the black refried beans as your side as they are homemade and not from a can. Overall this is a Mexican restaurant you definitely need to try! read more

The inside looks like a depressing outskirts-of-town bar. The outside is just plain loud with the sound of bikers roaring by. But it's no secret that I have a soft spot for that "old Austin charm". Check out their men's bathroom if you want to know what I mean...absolute crap! There are flashier and more popular options only blocks away on south Lamar, but Sazon holds its own with the food. It's fresh and tasty. We enjoyed Enchiladas Suiza and Calabasa Rellena. The sour cream in the suiza was more of a lumpy mixture than a smooth, even and inviting sauce. I wonder if that adds to the authenticity more than it subtracts from the aesthetics. Who knows?.... The table salsa was very smoky and interesting for a brite red version, though the chips were passable. Unlike recent reviewers, we found the waitstaff to be accommodating and timely. Maybe they're taking pains to step things up in that department. read more

This place is really freaking good. There are soooooo many Mexican/Tex Mex choices in Austin and particularly on South Lamar that you may drive by Sazon and never see it. The restaurant is small but the food really packs a lot of flavor. For $5 you can get their margaritas that aren't too sweet but aren't too sour either. This is probably my Best Buy margarita in all of Austin (sorry Matt's) because of the cost vs the flavor. The salsa and cheeses are really good and the corn tortillas are home made. This would be the perfect place to take out of town guests wanting real Mexican food as it is local, affordable and yummy. read more

Salsa: 4 stars thick lots of flavors very spicy - a bit much for me personally but most people would like it Chips: 2 stars thick instead of thin and light pretty generic Soda: 5 stars nice BIG glasses that they did a good job refilling for me Mole Enchiladas: 4.5 stars yummy in my tummy, especially the cheese one Black beans: 4 stars better than your average bear (or bean) Service: 2.5 stars took forever and we had to ask for chips and salsa to be provided and refilled but the waitress was nice and none of us ever lacked a drink Atmosphere: 2.5 stars great if you like that seedy hole-in-the-wall feel Average rating = 3.6667 stars read more

A couple work friends and I came here after a day of saving lives all day. (yeah, no biggie, all in a day's work you know.) The restaurant wasn't full at all but the parking lot seemed to be. hmm. I think the service was a little on the slow side, but nothing terrible. And the menu wasn't too user friendly--- hard to describe, you'd just have to see what I mean. But we came for the food, after all. The chips and salsa were good. The margarita I had was also pretty decent (I had them mix strawberry and mango). It seemed to have a little fizz in my mouth that I couldn't figure out? But moving on, I had the Alambres blahblahblah (the name escapes me). And it was awesome. It was a skewer of meat, veggies, and pineapple served on a bed of bacon rice (yes... you read that correctly), a generous dollop of guacamole with tortillas. There was also a cup of beans that came with it. I would definitely eat that plate again! Some of my amigas had fajitas (which I didn't see on the menu but perhaps I'm blind) that looked great and obvi smelled great. No one really had a complaint about their food. The inside of the place isn't much to brag about, I wouldn't recommend it for a place that you are looking for ambiance in. read more

This is authentic interior Mexican food, folks, so if your idea of a good 'Mexican' dinner includes ground beef smothered in Velveeta, you won't be happy here. If, on the other hand, you are a bit more open and adventurous in your eating endeavors, oh...how happy you will be with Sazon. Some of the best, truly authentic Mexican food I've had in Austin. The night we dined there, my dinner companion had a fish dish that he is still raving over. I opted for the vegetarian squash dish which was fabulous. Can't wait to go back and chow down on one of their yummy-sounding meat dishes. The margaritas are made fresh - ask the bartender to leave out the sugar and go for straight lime juice and tequila. You won't be sorry. read more

I usually yelp everything before I go, and in this case, I'm bummed I did. Sazon was a huge disappointment. From the reviews it seemed like there were a ton of delicious options, but upon being there we realized it was a very limited, generic menu. The only difference was some interesting sauces (which did taste good, I had Pipian). The service was also terrible. Probably one of the worst waitresses we've had in a while. We had to get our own refill on salsa, chips, and water. Also get our own to go box. We only talked to the waitress a few times, and most of them where when we first arrived asking if we were ready over and over even though we just sat down and were still reading. It was for lunch and the restaurant wasn't busy, so I'm not sure why she was getting us to order so quickly. Aside from that, why wouldn't anyone else come by and offer to fill any of our empty items, as we were obviously looking around the whole time trying to get someone's attention before we went to the kitchen ourselves. Also, my boyfriend ordered tacos carbon, and likes to try different things so he asked for one chicken and one beef, one flour and one corn. She looked at us like she hated us for that, and then he asked for some sour cream on the side, which resulted in more detest. When we got the bill his $6.99 meal was $1 more for "a combo" and $.35 for mixed tortillas?! And $1.25 for sour cream. What the f is wrong with this lady!? Is this place strapped for cash? I've never had a restaurant do that, and especially paired with the worst service ever. Her name was Carmen FYI, so if you decide to go, don't get her. Overall, we were disappointed and will not be going back. There are plenty of awesome restaurants in Austin, I do not recommend this one. read more

My friends said Sazon was similar to Polvo's, only better. After eating there the other night, I think it's similar to Polvo's, only not quite as good -- and quite a bit more expensive. My margarita was fine. I ordered the Pescado Al Mojo de Ajo, which is also on the Polvo's menu. It's utterly delicious at Polvo's, and is served with chunks of fresh pineapple and carrot and cabbage on the side, and beans, and...mmm. At Sazon, it's served with cooked carrots, which are definitely NOT my favorite thing, and buttery rice. Which is, like, "Mmm, butter" -- but not all that special. And the dish is $14? Now come on, folks. That's a little steep. The salsa was just okay. The chips were nice and crispy. I dunno, I'll try it again, but Polvo's still has my heart. read more

So, my boyfriend is an avid vegetarian and he refuses to eat anyplace that serves animal organs, so I could not eat at Olivia's or Barley Swine. He does not think it is natural for humans to consume lamb's hearts, cow/goat tongue, sweetbreads, etc. I do not know how I could possibly start dating an uber liberal, reggae/hip-hop loving guy? He actually had the audacity to blame the scrumptious pork cochinita pibil on my mild upset stomach the next day! He better be so glad that I love him and I am willing to listen and put up with his weird liberal agenda. If I remember correctly, but I do believe this was our last stop for the SoLa margarita tour. This was my second visit to Sazon since they opened several years ago, and I have to say the food tastes substantially better and the margaritas are good. Our server, Sway was attentive and seemed very cool. I plan on coming back and getting more cochinita pibil. Screw the boyfriend! I still love ya, Mark! He reads my reviews! read more

Oh wow you guys. Everything on the menu is amazing. If you want normal burritos or tacos go somewhere else. This is creative with amazing tastes. Affordable with a fantastic happy hour! I really don't understand why they are not packed all the time! The best salsa and a great patio. Brunch is wonderful also. It just keeps getting better every time I go. I'm partial to the fish dishes myself. read more

There are so many great things that I can say about this place! What a great find ... my boyfriend and I live in the neighborhood so the fact that this within walking distance is the first bonus. We basically eat here 1-4 times a week, so they practically know us by now. The food - ALWAYS fantastic! I have tried many different varieties each time I visit and there is still sooo much more to try. The staff is very helpful and honest when it comes to suggestions. Try the Choriqueso - what a wonderful way to start your meal with this appetizer. It's bit greasy but so worth it! Drinks are great and yes strong! They have great bloody mary's, margaritas, and mexican martini's - and on Sundays they have a great deal on mimosa's. The price is so affordable and best in town for the quality of the food and the service. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! read more

Once I took a trip to Puerto Vallarta and at the hotel these guys made a mean tamarindo margarita. Major highlight of the trip. Sazon has a tamarindo margarita (yea! wow! yea dreams come true in america! yea! I think yea its only 11am yea!!!). Negative. This margarita is horrible. No tamarind. Lots of bitter tast. Too much lime? Marnier? IDK. But I let it slide and I'll keep dreaming of returning to Vallarta.. Chubs had arrachera which is like fajitas but with a meat much much more tender (must try people). I had chipotle enchiladas. Neither was very exciting.. the chipotle sauce was too tomatoey for my tastes not spicy. Chips & Salsa were also pretty bland again not spicy. Again Imma sucka for a patio and may hit Sazon up again for a pretty day of patio chillin with some other type of margarita.. read more

Puerco en pipian.... mmmm....I've been dreaming about its juicy tender goodness. Unique and delicious! Don't plan on knowing what half of the stuff is gonna look like (unless you are really really REALLY familiar with mexican cuisine and I'm not just talking about Tacos, Chulupas, and Enchiladas you find at Chuy's, Trudy's, and what not). Half the fun is not knowing what you are ordering! The margarita is extremely strong. The strawberry margarita packed a punch and slapped me in the face. You hardly taste the puree cause I couldn't tell the difference between my friend's mango and my strawberry. It was just too-kill-ya uppercutting you. Well worth the money if you prioritize alcohol content over taste. I struggled to drink it and barely finished...pwned. Sazon Strawberry Margarita - 1 Erica - 0 :( read more

I can't believe I'm giving Sazon -- side note: I've been here countless times, so why am I only now reviewing it? -- only two stars, considering it has some of the best, and most authentic, Mexican food in Austin, as well as a great margarita menu. (We will overlook the fact that, like many other Mexican places in town, the menu's been almost directly cribbed from Guero's.) Still, I am, and here's why (all based on my most recent dining experiences): 1. Service. While I of course understand that freshly cooked meals take a while to prepare, taking nearly an hour -- on a recent brunch day when the restaurant wasn't even half-full -- is inexcuable. (They also forgot my tortillas altogether.) Even our drinks typically took a good 15-20 minutes to arrive. Our chips and salsa, over the course of a two-hour meal today, were replenished but one time. 2. Disappearing menu sections. For reasons apparently known only to the owner, both the taco and brunch menus have been permanently excised -- which *might* make sense if this place wasn't specifically open Sundays for brunch! (never mind breakfast - do they still get a menu with actual egg items on it?) When asked about this mysterious absence, our waiter said they could still cook up anything on the old menus, and somewhere he conjured up a copy of the old menu (which btw is, as of this moment, still on their Web site, even though it's essentially been chopped in half in size). Sazon formerly had bottomless mimosas for brunch, but I assume those have been done away with as well; there was certainly no mention of them on any of the three menus we perused (new food menu, old food menu, cocktail menu). 3. Mysterious discotheque transformation. Yes, you read that correctly. Sazon ostensibly closes on Sundays at 3pm. We lingered well past that, and to our surprise encountered a large table being seated around 3:45pm. We were seated on the patio -- thank you, Austin, for delivering an 80-degree January afternoon! -- and were even more shocked when, during our departure a little after 4pm, the inside had just as many people as it did when we arrived, coupled with loud dance music that wouldn't be out of place on Sixth Street. WTF? 4. Parking. Again, the restaurant was half-full; the parking lot, in contrast, was completely full. Worse still, the adjacent body shop (closed on Sundays, naturally) has large "WE WILL TOW" signs all around, when it could easily handle the overflow parking. Any reason Sazon's owners couldn't offer to lease it out on nights and weekends, much like the Black Sheep Lodge has done with its own adjacent service station? (now a valet lot) Next to it is what used to be an ironworks facility but is apparently now being transformed into the newest branch of the Torchy's Tacos empire, so that lot's now automóvil non grata as well. There's also no nearby street parking. We finally ended up having to park at La Feria across Mary St., making sure to keep a constant eye out for potential tow trucks. Again, the food here is great, as are the drinks (though not as good as Guero's), and I've yet to encounter a menu item I'd consider subpar. It's also one of the few places in town that's entirely smoker- and dog-friendly on its patio (dogs are allowed inside the patio, and smoking is allowed even under the covered portion; I can say neither about, say, Polvo's and its notorious patio). Still, the four "black marks" listed above are seriously dissuading me from continuing my semi-regular status here. read more

Service was amazing. Allison was my server and she was attentive, professional, and friendly! Many regulars walked in and out while I was there and she hugged most of them across the bar. Frozen house marg - it was okay. Nice size but not sweet enough for my taste. $4 during Happy Hour, would order again. Salsa - a little too spicy for me! But I'm also from the North... So take that as you will. Choriqueso was pretty good. Great size for 2 or even 3. And during HH it was only $3.89!! I would come back JUST for the service. I was highly impressed with the professionalism and friendliness - it felt like a neighborhood go-to place! read more

Rarely have I been so thrown off by a Yelp experience. I'll have to agree wholeheartedly with Stephanie J and say this place is overhyped. Based solely on the 101 reviews here that average 4 stars, we ventured into this S. Lamar hole in the wall. I can overlook just about anything cosmetic when the fare is THAT good. So sorry to report that the food was just mediocre. Because the food wasn't great I cannot help but comment on the cosmetic issues of the decor and the general ambiance of the place. The parking is bizarre. The AC was not functioning properly. The interior walls are in desperate need of a good scrub-down and a coat of paint. Trim issues abound. I couldn't help but look around before we were served and think surely the food is better than their maintenance? We ordered an appetizer (sopecitos) and and entree (cochinita pibil) to share. I was less than impressed with the sopecitos. The corn "cake" tasted like it was pre-made and warmed over on the grill. Very chewy and old. The toppings were also just so-so. The cochinita pibil was a little better. The meat portion of that entree was really actually very tasty. The 4 small pieces of plantain were also pretty good. The white rice that accompanied the entree had a nice flavor but about 10 percent of the rice was either old and hard or just undercooked. The black beans had a great flavor and the portion was very large in proportion to the rest of the dish....but they were room temp. Bummer. The chips and salsa that were served upon being seated were very good. Warm chips and just piquoso enough salsa. The house margaritas (on the rocks) were very weak. The ladies room experience was just a continuation of the poor maintenance experienced in the dining room. See photo. Overall, not a great experience. I can take the sparse decor and the rough-around-the edges feel of a local hole-in-the wall IF and ONLY IF the food makes up for it. This just didn't do it for me. Must mention that the price of the food is also on the higher end of what I'd like to pay for Mexican food. The portions on the entree were not huge but the price ($11.29) was on the deep end for the quantity and the quality. read more

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In my top three Mexican in Austin. The cochinita pibil is my favorite. The carnitas and al pastor are also good. My friend always gets the Alambres de Res, which is what is pictured on their website and I have had some of it and it is very good. I just usually prefer pork dishes. Their salsa also ranks very high in my opinion as well as their soups and queso. The inside decor is pretty dingy but the food out ways that, plus you can always eat on their patio which is very nice. The service has always been great. I haven't had a bad meal here and I will continue to frequent Sazon. read more

We came on Sunday for the brunch, which is from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The food was absolutely amazing! We had mole, pozole, corn, cochinita pibil, barbacoa, etc., etc.,Me being from Mexico, this food is authentic mexican cusine and delicious! Good service too! read more

Sazon is in my neighborhood so I thought I'd try it. Had the alambres, chilequeso (huge!), and a couple of frozen margaritas. The chilequeso appetizer could have fed four, easily. Pretty good but be aware of an immediate cheese overdose if you try to finish this dish alone. The rice that came with the alambre was studded with bacon (everything is better with bacon...) and DELISH. The alambre - a shish kabob of beef tenderloin and veggies - was OK, beef was kind of overly charred. The guac with the alambre was probably 'imported' from Sysco or another purveyor; it had that overly smooth processed flava. The chips and salsa rocked hard as did the margaritas. All in all, great menu but average execution. The person mopping the floor (it was 8:30 pm on a Saturday..) didn't add much to the ambiance of the place. I'll be back due to a lingering curiousity about some of the other stuff on the menu (pumpkin seed enchiladas, cochinita pibil, etc.). read more