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

I got the chili steak and enchilada plate. Loved the chili and the ribeye was cooked medium and delicious! Very reasonable price for it all! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Enchilada and steak plate - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you're in the mood for a hearty bowl of chili in a classic divey setting, this spot delivers. Stopped by for a weekday lunch. It was busy but not tough to find a table. Just grab a menu, pick a seat, and settle in. The chili itself? Small size, medium spice, no beans, and VERY CHUNKY. Seriously, the meat pieces are huge. Good portion, super filling, but at $9, it's a bit on the pricey side. Comes with crackers, jalapeños, and onions at no extra charge. Cheese, however, is an extra buck (wasn't mentioned when offered). They have a decent beer selection. Texas staples like Austin Amber and Shiner, plus the usual suspects. All cans and bottles, no drafts. Austin Amber will run you $5. The service is slow and sparse but friendly. Expect a slower pace, so don't come in a rush. Located super close to the Capitol, so convenient if you're in the area. Would I come back? Probably. Would I recommend? If you're craving a meat-heavy, no-frills bowl of chili, definitely. read more

Texas Chili Parlor is great. Comfortable ambience. Great service, fast, outstanding customer service. And the food is really good. So glad I stumbled into this place. read more

Oh my gosh I ate too much. If you're staying in downtown Austin it's an easy walk. I stayed a few blocks away and thought it would be a small cozy place. I did not realize how packed it would be. Just so you know, don't make the same mistake I did -they do have a host that will seat you or take your name if you have to wait for a table. The entire staff was friendly. Pleas be patient as they are busy. I showed up around 6ish so I hit the dinner rush. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Jury duty. Day 3. Another 2 hour lunch. I haven't been to the Texas Chili Parlor in years. It's still a dive. The food is still great. Opted for the Frito pie...haven't had that in a while. It's still great! read more

A pronounced habanero heat, marked by mild perspiration and a runny nose, made an immediate impact but commendably did not linger. While this intensity somewhat masked the sausage chili's underlying flavors, the chili itself was enjoyable, featuring substantial meat and a well-balanced distribution of ingredients. Prospective diners should note that cheese and sour cream are add-ons with an extra cost, which was an unanticipated charge. Service was on the slower side, however, our server's proactiveness in providing samples of the habanero and 'triple xxx' heat levels to gauge tolerance was a commendable touch. The restaurant is very dimly lit someone in our party needed to use their phone light to read the menu. Overall it was a good experience. . read more

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FINDING FRITO NUMBER 4! So as it was or is Shana's birthday month she picked the place this time. She went old school dive bar, fantastic vibe, not something I mention much in our Finding Frito quest but should as it counts and could mean the difference between 2nd and 3rd place. We came right near opening, there were already people coming in, including several motorcycle cops and more cops later, a popular place for them. The decor and vibe is pure dive bar, less restaurant feel and has some unique wall art and various things. The way their chili works is for the Texas Red Chili, NO BEANS as it is Texas chili you pick the spice/heat. Then for the Frito pie you can pick several types of chili to go on top. The others like Venison tell you if it is mild or hot, no options so pick carefully. I went with Red Chile and medium heat, it sneaks up on you and was perfect for me. Added flavor and spice without overwhelming the food. But first things first. We had a very friendly server, we tried the queso and the guac. Shana being the guac person. The queso was good, the guac as Shana puts it was a B- for Austin but would be an A just about anywhere else. The chips were fine. I usually try whatever frozen alcoholic drinks they have and they had a Rum Runner but it was not ready, even by the time we were getting ready to go. We stayed awhile but sadly no luck. It was a disappointment. But really since it was the worst thing that I can say that's not too bad. SHANA SAYS: The bathrooms are tiny and not really that clean, even right at opening but they do have fun graffiti! The food was legit and cocktails were great. They have so much fun and cool decor and the portions of the food are generous even when I got the smallest size. The meat in the chili on both of ours was large and plentiful and it tasted good. So far this is overall number 2 for the Finding Frito, Frito pie search but it is right on the heels of the first. Glad we gave it a go and we should go back one day to try other menu items. Finding Frito #4! read more

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Second time visiting here! I finally got to try their famous Mad Dog Margarita and Chartreuse shots. This place is authentically awesome and has stayed the same since it opened. The prices are very affordable and reasonable. The food is finger-licking good from BBQ to tacos to enchiladas, and the drinks are great too. During lunchtime, you'll see many Capitol employees hanging out and enjoying their meals. Parking can be a hassle, but it's worth the visit for both the vibe and the taste. I also really like the ambience. Looks old but is clean. read more

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Hit this up before a concert at the Moody Amphitheatre. It did not disappoint, the chili was great. I just had it with saltine crackers. I'd you like fancy this isn't the place for you; but it screams old school Texas. read more

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We did it. Been talking about going here for a long time and finally did it during a campus orientation for my daughter. This is a 1976 hole in the wall that you should check out. My son and I loved it. Staff was great. 4.5 stars - steak and enchiladas. Yes it's cheap, but it's a solid win. Pico and guacamole was fresh. You pick your chili temp - we picked medium which has a little kick, not hot. My wife ordered potato with chili and a salad. She loved that the salad had black olives. She hated the onions. 4 stars. Pretty grungy, but it's a whole in the wall. My daughter would have hated it. No fancy pants. read more

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It's a dive bar with great chili. If you expect more than that, you're going to be disappointed. If you embrace it you will have a great time. Of course we both got chili which was fantastic with big pieces of beef throughout. We also got an app sampler that had queso, guacamole, and a sampler of their gumbo which was also surprisingly good. Embrace the slow service - it's a dive bar. If you're nice to the servers they will be nice to you. If you're a jerk you're going to wait forever lol. read more

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

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Very cool old school Texas vibe. The hot chili was HOT! Just as advertised. Honestly the taste wasn't for me but the rest of the gang loved it. Service wasn't great but it is essentially a dive so didn't bother us too much. A cool place to take visitors to give them some old school Austin atmosphere read more

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

Damn anyone who doesn't love this Place does not fit the vibe check. Classic rock, dudes at the bar drinking their mad dog margaritas. Some authentic old school Austin here plus very good and wide Chili selections in size and accompaniments. The Habanero beef and beans was lit. Has a hatch chili cheeseburger cooked perfectly. Guy Clark was on the money. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - 1st amendment ‍ - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but disappointing was my overall experience. Knowing that I'd be back in Texas for a limited time, I knew that I wanted to consume all the cuisine that I had come to know and love. Texas chili, however, was not one of those things I had ever sampled in any of my previous times in the Lonestar state. This seems to be the place, so I gave it a try. Four of us ended up there for dinner, it was a Thursday night, about 7 o'clock, and we had to wait a few minutes for a seat. OK, nothing on there. However, the gentleman who seated us, would quickly walk off, put your menus on the table, and then go perform another task, paying no attention or mind to if you had followed him, or if you moved slower than he did. Several times I saw people, confused, wondering where they were supposed to sit, with nearby tables, indicating where they were supposed to go. The chili was not really that great. In fact, nobody really had much to say about their food. I got their flagship, Texas red chili. Now I'm not sure what their spice rating is, but it followed more like Thai food, and less like chili. The medium that I got was so hot that I had to add sour cream and crackers to bring the heat down. my buddy, who got the chili sampler, commented the same thing about his chilies. But the overpowering flavor was the spice, and that prevented him from really tasting much at all. The service was OK. Not terrible not amazing. The waitress was kind and friendly, but we had to ask for refills, extra napkins, that type of thing. The menu, as you see when you browse it, is an interesting hodgepodge of things. I'm not 100% sure one thing necessarily goes with another. Perhaps it's more of what somebody really enjoys to eat, I don't know. The ambience is more of a roadhouse bar, and less of a restaurant. A real no-frills establishment. Not really an issue for me, and perhaps it's more of a stick catering to that "Texas feel". Due to its location, this place probably does a brisk business. If I lived in the area or worked up there, I'd probably frequent it, but if I'm on vacation, and we're looking for an experience, I'd go elsewhere. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Bathroom wall art - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

You've heard of dive bars, but have you ever heard of a dive chili parlor (I just made that up, but seriously). Texas Chili Parlor is a hole-in-the-wall from the moment you lay eyes on it. It's rough around the edges kinda place, and that includes the food. You might have an inkling of what Texas Chili Parlor serves... I ordered a Chili Cheese Hot Dog, because seriously, chili belongs on a hot dog. Unfortunately, I was disappointed-- and this should have been an easy one! The flavor was lackluster and the whole thing tasted cheap. Service is slow and super laid-back, which adds to the vibe... read more

Service was good. Menu selection was good. Grilled chicken sandwich was very dry. I was hungry but only ate half. Auto 18% tip for group of 5 and no split checks tipped me from 4 stars to 3. I wish them well though and the rest of my group seemed to enjoy their food. read more

In the world of chili, Texas is known to have their own style of chili, Red Chili, made without beans. Knowing that I was scheduled to spent a short time in Austin, I sought the Texas Chili experience. Through my research, both online and from a coworker, I discovered the Texas Chili Parlor and made it a point to visit prior to my departure from Texas. With over 1k reviews on Yelp alone, I figured this was the place to go. Texas Chili Parlor dates back to 1976, so with nearly 50 years of being in business they have continued to be a destination for a reason. This establishment is located in downtown Austin. They have no parking lot so expect to most likely find street parking, possibly paid parking, nearby. This bar does not shy away from being divey and probably never had any intention to. The storefront is clearly marked with "Texas Chili Parlor" and the front of the building dons an iconic neon Chile pepper, clearly marking their identity. Inside, you will find a dimly lit, kitschy decorated bar with tables to sit at where you will either order drinks, food or both. Upon entry, we were greeted and invited to choose a table of our liking as well as to take menus with us that were next to the entrance. Please be aware that not every empty table is available to sit at because certain tables require a minimum party count requirement to occupy. After we chose our table, it was not long before we were greeted by a friendly waitress who took our drink orders. Our drink orders arrived quickly and I then had the opportunity to ask details about their chilis. Yes, they offer their Texas Red Chili (in three different heat levels) but also five additional Chiles that do not follow the Texas Red Chili formula. There are two chilis on their menu that were identified by our server as being spicy and I had the opportunity to sample both to help guide my order decision. While their menu offers way more than just chili, this dish was the sole purpose for my patronage this evening. Customers can choose what chili they want and what size portion they desire. Fortunately, they offer a Chili Sampler option which includes a choice of any three "taster" sized portions. This is what I chose and my selections were Red Chili XXX (hottest), Black Bean and Elgin Sausage, and the White Pork Chili. Roughly chopped onion and sliced jalapeños are served on the side of all chili options and you can opt in to also include shredded cheese and sour cream on the side. Caveat Emptor: both the cheese and sour cream each incur their own additional upcharge... something I was not made aware of at the time of ordering, rather when the bill came. Abundant saltine crackers and napkins are already at each table. When my chili flight arrived I decided I would start from the mildest then eventually progress to the spiciest one. Each chili provided its own experience, both texturally and flavor-wise. I feel like the White Pork Chili and Black Bean Sausage were the most familiar to my previous chili experiences, despite them being different simultaneously. The Red Chile was new for me and not only did I appreciate the larger chunks of beef but it developed into an accumulating level of heat the more I ate it. While the level of heat did not violate any of my pallette's limits, it certainly packed a punch that made me feel warm inside and create the beginning of some perspiration. Overall, I would return here if I was in Austin again to try the chilis I did not get to experience this time but maybe to try other items on the menu. Although it is a dive bar, they have existed half a century for a reason. Don't go there to expect fine dining or a pretentious crowd. Go there for the experience at an affordable price. I can't speak to any of the other servers there, but our server was friendly and attentive which carries a lot of weight in my book. read more

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

The Texas Chili Parlor is one of Austin's most authentic restaurants! Located on a side street (where you can find parking), next to the Capitol, you not only get a great selection of chili as hot as you like it, but their Tex-Mex enchiladas, tamales, tostadas, hamburgers, and nachos are served in mixed and matched plates of your choice, with some of the best homemade salsa and chips in Austin! Plus, it's a local's bar, with great margaritas, frozen, and otherwise, and your choice of other beers and drinks. It's also a sports bar with several games on TVs, all served by friendly and longtime servers. Home of the Mad Dog Margarita made with Mescal in lieu of Tequila - see Guy Clark's song - Dublin Blues! Bucket list Austin hang! read more

Went in recently for the first time in several years. The chili is now terrible. Service and drinks were on point and it still has a good local dive atmosphere. read more

The food is ok but they are too lazy to split a bill. Don't go if it's larger that a party of one.

This was recommended by our Lyft driver and man o man was he correct! We weren't ready for a full meal, but after our day of walking around downtown, this was worth it! It's a short walk from the Texas State Capital, so we did work up a bit of an appetite. Happy Hour drink prices made this "snack" stop worth it! You walk into the bar area to grab a menu and pick your seat. The décor is so random with signs and pictures and gives off the local dive vibe (which is totally my jam). The LYFT driver suggested we go with the chili sampler, which he was not wrong on this idea! This gave us the ability to try almost all the Chili. Although, there were so many items on the menu I wanted to try! NEXT TIME! List of Chili in order of flavor and YUM: Habanero - it is hot, hot, hot, hot, hot however, the flavor was just bold and came thru amazing and wasn't so hot that you couldn't find the flavor. XX Spicy TX Beef Chili - I feel like this one was hotter than the habanero, but the meat was chunky and so good Black Bean and Sausage - super flavorful, sausage was crispy and worked perfectly Venison - this one fell flat for me, I do love deer meat, but I didn't get much flavor out of this one. You must order cheese and sour cream (much needed for the hotter chilis to give your mouth a bit of a break). We were served with an entire basked of saltines, which again, PERFECT! Our waitress was so kind and was on top of it the whole time. Although they had run out of Shiner, due to the race and football weekend, I still was able to get a good local Amber. My newly 21-year-old niece got a bomb drink and loved it. The waitress said she was impressed that I wasn't crying eating the XXX hot chilis, hey, I live in New Mexico, our Christmas Chile is no joke. I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Delish!!! We weren't sure where to eat and this place popped up on my Maps. Decided to check it out and so glad we did!! Great atmosphere, friendly servers and workers, food was phenomenal. Will absolutely recommend and visit again! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

See this guy! His name is PePe and he is lazy and rude!! Our last 2 visits happened to be on his shift. He tells us we can't sit at the bar because people are sitting there. Both times, we sat at a table by the bar to eat. And both times the seats were still empty when we left. I hope his imaginary friends continue to enjoy this place becuase this paying customer will spend my money else where! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came to Austin for the first time and wanted to try Texas chili and this place was great! The chili is so hearty and the medium was the perfect level of spicy. They were busy but still service was good. The hatch burger was also very good read more

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

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Saturday April 25, 2026 The place was busy, the waitress was friendly, the food was good. We all had the Hatch burger with a bowl of Texas Red xxx. plenty of flavor in the chili and the Burger was very good. I had the mad dog and it was strong and tasty. No complaints from us about the service or the food and the atmosphere was just what we expected from the Chili Parlor. Will return. read more

The Freida's enchiladas with XX are the best cheese enchiladas I've had in town. I also love their queso with taco beef.

First time in Austin last week, and my boss recommended this. Yes, it is dark on the inside. It does have some tacky little signs around. The wait staff was short handed the night we were there (just two working on serving tables). Food was good and nice portions. I loved the music from the 70's! Great vibe. read more

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Had lunch at the Chili Parlor today it is what you would expect from a true Texas bar and the food was damn good.Cheese enchiladas with chili on top! Our favorite place when we come into town read more

Diva bar yes! Yes, but very good service and food! A little dark to read menu that's why Steve Jobs put flashlight on iPhone. We had the hatch burger! Yum! Potato salad. Well worth the stop' no parking readily available but we found a way! Place was full of customers!!!! read more

Stopped in during a weekday lunch and it wasn't too busy. We got seated right away, but the server took a little bit to take our orders. We each got Frito pies and I posted pics of what the small and large would look like. Their style of chili is interesting - as they boast of Texas style chili = no beans. But the interesting part was that there were very large beef chunks in the chili, which was really filling The restaurant isn't the fanciest, but I'd consider it maybe on the side of divey. Either way not a bad spot if you wanted to check out different kind of chili! read more

Texas Chili Parlor - Large Frito pie - American Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I have some very mixed feelings about this place. When you walk in, it has a complete dive bar feel to it. The person greeting you is great and welcoming. Does not have a lot of sunlight in it. The food on one hand was slightly bland. I had to use some salt on it to bring some flavor to it. But they have hatch green chili. Our server was amazing. He had our food out in no time. I would definitely try this place again. They have a great menu, and I would like to try more to see if everything taste the same. Let's see what the next time brings! read more

Vibe: super casual, super loud, typical American low brow bar/hole in a wall setting. TVs blaring sports. You'll have to strain to hear yourself think. You'll get a little hoarse by the end of the night, trying to communicate with your company across the table. Food: nothing to write home about. Typical Americanized Tex Mex menu. Portions are massive, but the quality is deplorable. You are just paying to fill your stomach, not relish the food. Not counting the oversaltiness and spiciness, the food was bland. Pre-frozen everything, quickly warmed up to order. Not the type of food that nourishes your body. The type of food that you stuff yourself with before a night of heavy drinking. Burgers are massive--enough to split between two. Quesadilla steak plate is huge, but unsatisfying. The steak is bland and sinewy--could not chew or taste. Needed to be drowned in sauce and chilly to be edible. Venison chilly tasted like any old pre-frozen, canned chilly, which was sad. Service: quick and efficient. Our waitress was sweet and accommodating. Food is brought out at lightening speed. read more

Just departed the CP - 5 beautiful women who couldn't get drinks. Poor bar management! The BS rule of no-drink at the bar if you don't have a seat. The worst. You've been around for a long time but get yourselves together. Plus - wait staff with "secretly wild- Pisces" was fantastic. Giver her a raise. - followed us out and asked us to come back and so nice. Loved her!! read more

It was OK. Came in one evening. The man at the bar was a bit rude and abrupt when I asked about being sat. The restaurant is a little hole in the wall place. It's super dark inside leading to the bar fly feel. I was sat at the bar and not given an option of a table. I hate sitting at the bar but was told table are for 2 or more people. I ordered, I noticed a lot of knats flying around the bar when I sat down and the coke I ordered had a moldy taste to it. The food was OK nothing really to write home about. It did come out quick and hot. Over all it was a meh experience and I wouldn't be back again. read more

Old dark bar - kinda full of neighborhood regulars. Service a little slow. Habanero black bean chili super hot. The pork and whittle bean delicious and the chicken gumbo was a bit greasy. They gave me soooooo many saltine crackers. read more

The Texas Chili Parlor is great for local bar and restaurant. The waitress I had was attentive and helpful. I love the old bar vibe and the food was great! read more

This place is very divey, and it's a great experience if you want to have some comfort food. The food is decent. The service is great. They run the place pretty well, given it seems like it's usually busy. It's just a walk a way from the capitol building, so it's very convenient. Warning - the bathroom was really dirty and made me not want to come back. Yikes. read more

So, let start off with, the staff was legit. Prices are super reasonable. I just didn't like it at all. I got the tacos with beans and rice, the meat in tacos was weirdly salty and tasted like it had just been in crockpot too long, like overcooked meat. The chili, same thing, not for me at all. read more

Texas Chili Parlor - American Near Me - Austin, Texas