Today we visited the Capitol building in Austin, Texas. Of all days to visit, it had to be the day we came for their AC to go out because they closed the building and canceled all tours or any entry into the building. Because of the closure, we decided to kill some time in the city as our son was meeting a friend in DTA, so I yelped for some cold restaurants to eat at in Downtown Austin. I came across the Texas Chili Parlor, which brought some cool Texas History vibes. I love Chili, but recently I've been limited to eating it because most add beans in their chili and unfortunately, beans can trigger my gout. Fortunately enough, Texas style chili is traditionally prepared with large chunks of beef and no beans. So I had to try the Texas Chili Parlor baked potato with chili and no beans. The potatoes was so big, I could not finish it all. They also had some delicious salsas and queso dip which was so good I over ate on chips and queso dip. The food was very reasonably priced. It was so reasonable they were less than my single cocktail drink order. Our service was great. Brook was so on top of things, she was so good at plus selling ad-ons to our orders. The place was so nostalgic and very much like how I imagined a long time standing bar and restaurant in Texas would be. The only thing missing were the swinging doors like in an old western saloon. read more

See all

Welcome home! That might as well be what they're calling from the host stand when you walk in, since it feels like a cozy, well-lived space that could easily double as your nostalgic mid-west living room. Anyone saying that staff here are rude must have done something terrible to offend them because I got nothing of the sort. Kind, ready to chat, and supportive of a wide range of regulars, everyone was clearly happy to be here. The food is equally comforting. The vegan option (5 Bean Veggie Chili), while more like a veggie stew than chili, is rich and flavorful in a way that can only be achieved by a long, slow simmer. Portions are generous, prices are low, and service is fast. In the heart of downtown especially, what more could you ask for? read more

Possibly the best cheese enchiladas (I got Friedas with chili poured on top) in Austin. It's a tie between Enchiladas Y Mas... I do wish chili parlor would add a tad more salt to all their chilis though.. We really enjoyed Brandon at the bar and his service was outstanding. Great plain and simple margaritas!!! Loved that they were not sweet!! I'll try the chili burger next time! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Friedas cheese enchiladas AMAZING!!! - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

An icon and legend. Have to tip your hat to guy Clark and get the mad dog margarita. It was spicy but delicious. The chili. Not the marg.

Exactly what you'd expect - no frills, just a cool spot to grab the "State Food" of Texas. Totally casual. They've got any kind of Chili you can think of- something for everyone- mild to hot. Meat, or meat & beans, beef, sausage, venison... Full bar. We ordered the Frito Pie, and the Trio sampler. Service was great. read more

I took a chance on going to the Texas chili parlor this trip to Austin. I enjoyed the vibe. It's definitely got that hole in the wall atmosphere. I got the chips and queso to start. Love the queso. It was spicy, but really tasty. I got a burger and it was just OK. For me, the main event was the chili. I really enjoyed the habanero beef and hot chili. I thought that they were excellent. They were extremely well seasoned and cooked. I was not a fan of the one with sausage and beef. It was more of a white chili and just didn't have the flavor I was looking for. On a whole, I really enjoyed the chili and the queso. I will definitely be back. read more

See all

The food was just fine, a bit of a let down to be honest. The ambiance is very fun and charming and the service was quick. The servings are a bit small for what I was expecting. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Sampler chili - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Texas Chili Parlor hits all the right notes for anyone craving a hearty bowl of authentic Texas chili with personality. The chili here truly kicks ass rich, flavorful, and satisfying, but what's great is the variety. Whether you can handle a fiery kick or prefer something milder, they've got you covered with options for every palate. The vibe is exactly what you want from a classic Austin spot. Laid-back, welcoming, and buzzing with character. The full bar keeps the drinks flowing, and the staff knows how to make you feel right at home. For movie buffs, this place is also a cool slice of cinematic history fans of Quentin Tarantino will recognize the bar area from Death Proof, his gritty, high-octane slasher flick. It's worth giving the movie a watch before you go; it'll make sitting at the same bar feel that much more iconic. Bottom line. killer chili, cold drinks, great crowd, and a touch of Hollywood flair. A must-visit Austin staple. read more

See all

Classic Austin Dive! Greatness. It is what it claims to be - does what it says on the tin. Packed on a Thurs night, and had to wait outside for 10 min to get a table. Indicates a thriving business in the middle of a ton of street construction. McConau Haze IPA in a can Habanero Chili over cheese enchiladas w/ veggies No complaints. read more

See all

I found Texas Chili Parlor from one of those "Best Restaurants in Downtown Austin" lists, so I rolled in expecting a life-changing bowl of Texas pride. When I pulled up and saw it was a total dive, I thought--even better! Because where else do you find truly legendary chili other than a place with flickering neon and chairs that have seen more decades than I have? We ordered a combo so we could sample four different chilis, a taco, and an enchilada--basically a chili flight with side quests. Unfortunately, the beef chilis were about as tender and flavorful as a boot left on a grill. But credit where it's due: the five-bean chili was excellent, and the bean-and-sausage version had some kick and personality. The taco, on the other hand, seemed to be suffering from a flavor identity crisis, and the enchilada was clearly in a long-distance relationship with salt and pepper. So yeah--was it the "best restaurant in downtown Austin"? No. Was it an authentic Texas dive experience with chili that keeps you guessing? Absolutely. Three stars for character, beans, and a story to tell. read more

See all

Always good and worth the drive into Austin. Cold days call for chili and when it's about to freeze for a few days, we needed out of the house ! Chili Parlor is an Austin staple and the food never disappoints! Great company , friendly bar people , staff and the chili is always and I mean always (14 years I've been going) right on !!! I love anything spicy and on a cold day , grab a few items and you will have something to snack on for a few days !! read more

Dive Bar and a little suspect on the outside! But come in and have some of the best chili around. You will receive a friendly greeting and attentive service. There are many different items in the menu other than chili, but be prepared for many options for your chili. XXX Red chili no beans and large chunks of beef was delicious but it is HOT. Hubs had Frito pie also very delicious. I would come back read more

What a FABULOUS & Fun place to go. The food is great & the staff is wonderful! The culture of the place reminds me of Old Austin. You must go!!!!!! Don't miss the Frito pie! read more

Austin, Tx. Visiting this bar has been on my bucket list for a long time. I really like the Guy Clark song "Dublin Blues", so it was a natural curiosity to finally check it out. I was not disappointed. The chili was great, a Texas style with no beans and full of big chucks of tender beef. Also added to the mix, around the edges were Fritos and jalapeños. We didn't go for the hot version but settled for the medium and just added the jalapeños as needed. We opted for sour cream on the side to mellow out the jalapeños as needed. I ordered a house salad to start. It was small, but fresh with good tomato's. I ordered the large size on a plate, Steph had the smaller version in a bowl. Both portions were filling and we negated the dessert offerings. I heard in the 70's the Mad Dog Margaritas (Written into the Song) were horrible and people that heard the song and came in to buy one were absolutely not impressed. Not to worry, they are now made with Mescal, not MD2020, and are very very good! The ambiance is genuinely divvy but not in a dirty or smelly way. The servers are happy to seat you and answer any questions, even the ones that have been asked a thousand times. read more

See all

It's a dive but wow-y I was amazed. I had the chili enchiladas and scarfed them down so quick! When visiting Austin, I knew I had to have some of Texas' world famous chili and this was the best place to do it read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Top notch Texas chili. It's got a dive ambiance, but don't let that fool you. This place is for college kids and tourists. Waitress and hostess were both super friendly, food was great, and the guac was exceptional. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

This place is pure Austin, one of those joints that hasn't changed much in decades, and that's part of the charm. It has the vibe of a dive bar. There's no host stand or anything like that. You kind of just wander in, find your own table if you can, and the bartender might point you in the right direction if it's busy. The chili really is great, just like you'd hope. What surprised me was how good the Mexican food was, too. One of us had the enchiladas and they were genuinely good. That said, the service was slow. Not rude or anything, just kind of stretched thin. It's a small space, and I imagine it gets slammed at peak hours, so timing your visit probably helps. They couldn't split our check, so we ended up just dividing it evenly four ways. Luckily we'd all ordered roughly the same amount so it worked out, but if you're dining with a big group or everyone's ordering different stuff, that could get tricky. If you're looking for a polished or fast experience, this isn't it. But if you want to sit in a very Austin-y chili bar with a cold beer and some good comfort food, it's absolutely worth going at least once. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Outside - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

As a New Englander reviewing Texas chili, I feel a bit like a tourist judging the ocean. Technically allowed, but probably not fully qualified. Still, here we are. The place immediately won me over with its wall of witty signs and laid-back Austin charm. You could tell this was a spot that didn't take itself too seriously... except when it came to the chili. The cheesy pull stretched several inches, the kind that made me pause mid nacho grab to say "look at that." The chili itself had incredible depth of flavor, rich and layered with just the right kick of spice. I kept adding jalapeños trying to chase a little more heat, which felt like the right Texas thing to do. Portion size? Let's just say, I couldn't finish it. Final verdict, if a New Englander leaves Texas chili behind on the plate, it's only because the portion was bigger than the ambition, not because the flavor fell short. read more

See all

A classic Tex-Mex, old school. A must stop in Austin. It's authentic with great music. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Front entrance. - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you're visiting Austin, this is the place to be! It's a dive place with tons of character and excellent food and service.The chili, the chips with amazing salsa and queso, the tacos, all amazing! Just avoid the tamale and you're good. Our server was super friendly and super efficient. Don't miss this place folks! read more

See all

Came here for the first time excited to visit an Austin staple. There was a line for lunch in a Friday, but it went quickly. The decor is Texas divey and very fitting. Very small interior with tables stacked in one another, but that just helps to get know your neighbor! The sampler appetizer was mediocre at best. The chili surprised me with how the chunks of meat were and the hot version is extremely hot. I preferred the medium hotness, personally. I ordered the chili potato with medium chili and it very much lacked flavor. I definitely had to add plenty of salt and pepper and didn't end up finishing it, but did appreciate it came with a salad. I was disappointed with the food but the place is historic and the place embodies it. read more

You have to have massive respect for exactly what this place is and for it's history!! I've been eating here for 30 years and am always excited to be back in Austin and get in hear again. Oh yea, everything on the menu is great!! Enchiladas are amazing! Don't expect any of the wait staff or bartenders to kiss your ass...they won't! But they are all excellent and have been there for a long time! There is something to be said for tenure!! read more

It is a dive as advertised! Fine for a lunch, but nothing special from where we sit. Not much for my GF/DF wife, but she managed with a grilled chicken sandwich with no bread or cheese. I tried their Freidas "legendary bowl of red". It wasn't bad, but nothing special enough to get me back. read more

See all

Frito Chili Pie & the coldest beer in Austin! Worth the walk from the Capital building. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Texas Chili Parlor entrance - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Chili is a joke. Ambiance is cool. Service OK. Burgers average. Better places in downtown.

Exceptional place for a variety of Chili and gumbo. I recommend the classic with no beans, habanero chili, white chili, and the venison. Order the sampler. read more

See all

The food lacks flavor and they need to reconsider their long time recipe. 1976 is a long time for Texas chili parlor to not notice that it lacks flavor and the hype about it is too much for its taste! Never going again. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Their signature chili! - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

I truly believe the owners of this place need to change the name. I visited this place for the first time expecting to try some amazing chili and what I received was dreadful. I ordered a large chili and was given a small bowl full of beans with two pieces of what I could describe as mystery meat. The bartender said to me, "this is a small, you don't feel cheated do you"? I didn't know how to react. The other customer sitting next to me whom I was carrying on a conversation with suddenly became as quiet as a mouse after witnessing what was just served to me. I couldn't believe that this place named the Texas Chili Parlor actually served me what they served me. read more

Service was better than last time But food was not Place was packed Loud as all get out Pretty "funky" and should get a cleaning read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Finally tried their Chartreuse shot and Mad Dog Margarita both were good! The food is finger-licking good, reasonably priced, and good quality which is hard to find nowadays. Lunchtime can be very busy our first visit, we waited over 20 minutes. This time, we went around 9 PM and were seated quickly. So far, I've experienced fine service with no complaints. The ambiance is decent, with TVs in the background and lively conversations. The tables are quite close, so you'll hear everything around you. I enjoy eating here but have always walked to the location or parked far away. Good for digestion, I suppose! read more

See all

Nachos were good, just a little dry. Crunchy tacos I loved!! My friend said the steak and enchilada dinner was really good. I got the taster of mild chili, probably would get a spicier version next time. Mild is very bland. Will definitely be going back!! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Nachos with grilled chicken. Really good. Next time I'd ask for some salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. They were a tad dry. - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Omg this place has restored my faith in humanity! I am a Texas native, so Tex-Mex is my heart and I've had a hole in it for the last decade while living in Vegas. In town for a bachelorette party and had some time to kill before heading back to the airport. Took at 20 minute walk over here to check out this classic Austin spot. Holy sh*t, I would have walked an hour up hill, both ways! Everything I got was exactly how I would have dreamed it to be. All the way down to the dark hole in wall interior. I got there before it opened too and sat outside, the workers came out and greeted me with just Austinesque hospitality, I knew I was home. Top winners: salsa (spicy like I love it), queso, guac, and the cheese enchilada with ranchero sauce. Mexican martini was the size of my water so that's a clear winner too! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Texas Sampler Grande - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Ambiance is fantastic. It's giving old school Austin vibes. This is a great place to down some beers and just chill. We were a big group, but they put tables together for us. Our server, Brooke, was fantastic. 10/10 service! I ordered the frito pie and got the medium chili. The price was very reasonable. The food was ok, but not great. There's so many things on the menu, so I'm willing to give it another go. I think this is a great place to visit after walking around downtown when you wanna take a load off and relax. I would be open to taking out of town guests here too. read more

I've been coming here for over 45 years and it's alway been Old Austin to me. Food, ambiance, hot chili, runny nose and cold beer. Now if Jerry Jeff walked in, I'm be complete! Hope it's here another 50 years! read more

Today, my travels took me to Austin, TX. I love Austin, great food, live music, warm weather... perfect. I came across the Texas Chili Parlor on Yelp! And it was around the corner of my hotel. So I gave them a try. Upon entering, it seemed like my type of place.. a dark, dive, Texas bar with indoor seating. The bartender greeted me at the door and told me to grab a menu and sit wherever I like. At the time about 3/4 of the tables were open. The music isn't too loud and the crowd is energetic with discussions. The menu has quite a few options. It was pork chop night, but I wasn't in the mood for that. I did want to try their chili that seems to be what they are branded after! It took 15 minutes just to get acknowledged by a server. She walked by and dropped a water on the table and said she will be with me shortly. Another 10 min goes by and she came back and asked, "what can I get you?" I explained it's my first time here. She rushed through 3 suggestions, steak and enchiladas, another enchilada plate, or any burger you can't go wrong. I asked for a Diet Coke and a medium size chili with no cheese. She took the order, and brought the chili in about 5 min. The chili was a red sauce with chucks of tender beef in it. The problem is, the chili literally lacked any type of flavor! How does a Texas chili not have much flavor?! I ate half the bowl and stopped. I figured I would try a burger. She never come back to check me. About 20'min, of just sitting around, I tracked her down and asked for the bill. No questions of why I am leaving with such a simple order or was everything ok. She just handed the bill and said, "Here ya go". She walked away. I flagged her down and paid (I was ready to just give her the card when she came over the first time but was never given the chance). I can't recommend this place at all. Bland food a some of the worst, absolutely worst customer service I have experienced in a restaurant, bar, tavern, well it ranks up there with poor service anywhere. Go find a better place. read more

My husband and I visited Texas Chili Parlor for the first time, and it was such a cool experience! He's always wanted to go because it's featured in his favorite movie Death Proof, so we finally made the trip--and it did not disappoint. We kicked things off with the Mad Dog Margaritas, which were absolutely delicious. The smoky mezcal flavor added a unique twist that we both loved. For food, I went with the signature steak and baked potato, and everything was cooked perfectly. Even the house salad was fresh and tasty! My husband got the chipotle chicken, and he said it had the perfect amount of spice and amazing flavor. Before we left, he grabbed a green chartreuse shot and was pleasantly surprised by the reasonable price. Overall, the atmosphere, food, and drinks made for a great visit. We're already planning to come back tomorrow before we leave Austin! read more

See all

Texas chili parlor. I was there not necessarily the day it opened in 1976 but soon thereafter. You really couldn't wear topsiders or a polo shirt into the restaurant. When people ask me where they should eat in Austin, this is the go to place. No fancy restaurants. You can get that anywhere. The tipping sign has been there since the place opened. I get the double X chili with jalapeños, onions, and cheese on the side. They've expanded the menu since they opened up originally and they have enchiladas and hamburgers and other stuff like that. Remember this, TEXAS chili parlor, the best chili in Texas, hands-down! And when it makes the best chili in Texas, that makes it the best chili in the world. No beans! By the way, I'm trying to put a checkmark on ambience but somehow it's not working. This is a great place to go to in Austin 50 years old. read more

See all

We regret coming here. The chili is not what you expect. There aren't many options with beans in the chili (just one option). The worse part of all of is the employee, a woman she was very rude and not helpful. There were quite a few tables opened and she came up to our table, tapped, and said, " There are people waiting and we need this table". Needless to say we felt unwelcomed and it made the experience worse. She also came by a table with people that had their luggage and pushed it underneath the table and said, "I don't want to kill myself". This was also an uncomfortable comment so we left. read more

Came here after the capital tour. It's a true chili parlor. I got the ground meat and sausage chili topped on a baked potato. It was good but a little dry for me. The server was great and also the decor. It was fun to go and it looks like a lot of people who work in the area are regulars. Worth a try. read more

TCP is as much about tradition as the food. The chili is fine. Your straight-up Texas chili, which is just beef, no beans, and tastes mostly of chili powder. They have other options with beans but I always do the regular XX. Good spice level, not too hot but plenty of kick. I really like the staff here. They're always friendly. There aren't many places left like TCP in Austin, pretty much your traditional old school bar with wood walls and lots of beer signs. I like to get here at least once a year to support the business. read more