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    Vaquero's Cafe and Cantina

    4.0 (465 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Tex-Mex, Bars
    Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Vaquero's Cafe and Cantina Photos

    Business Info

    VAQUERO'S CAFE AND CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Vaquero's Cafe and Cantina

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    I hosted my wife's surprise 70th birthday party at Vaqueros on Cap. TX Hwy. From the very beginning of planning it, Izzy and Mark, the managers, were very accommodating and showed a genuine interest in making it an enjoyable evening. Mark was in on the ruse too when my wife and I walked in the restaurant and told him that we had a reservation. He said "the front of the restaurant is pretty booked up so how about a table in the backroom". The backroom was where our friends were waiting for us to arrive. My wife opened the door to the backroom and was absolutely shocked with 40 or so of our friends standing there. The food was great and the margaritas were terrific. The service was great too. A number of our friends commented on the waitstaff being so attentive. Everyone had a fantastic time. Also, I happened to mention to Izzy while I was planning the party, that I liked shrimp brochette. She actually brought me some shrimp brochette at the party......really! I can't wait to go back and I guarantee you that a number of friends in attendance will be back soon too. I HIGHLY recommend Vaqueros on Cap. TX Hwy.

    The buffet line
    Josh C.

    We saw a video on tik tok and had to come out to check this place out. We walked in and the wait staff was super friendly even with how busy they were at 11am when we went. My family was seated and we went to go check out the selection which was massive! If you are craving traditional breakfasts they have them all and then they have a large amount of yummy Tex Mex foods! The tres leches pancakes were especially delicious and so was the French toast(loaded with tons of butter). After all that yummy food we dived into their fresh fruit and then the kids got to play in their playground. The decor was super typical of a Mexican restaurant with a fun cowboy theme, they have a new location that looks super modern. One fyi is that the first coffee is free but if you get a refill they will charge you for that. The price tag of $25 for adults is well worth it and will happily return. I think the 4 star review they already have is deserved.

    Outdoor play area
    Garrett O.

    Solid first visit to Vaquero's, and appreciate the staff's flexibility hosting a few families with kids of all ages. We were happy to enjoy a table near the back door (where there's plenty of space for kiddos to play outside on the playscape and in the backyard mulch). House margs, both frozen and on the rocks were great! Probably would not order the queso or guacamole on the next visits. All of the food (fajitas, enchiladas, and carne asada) was great and well portioned! Left with a few boxes of leftovers, so hope to enjoy later in the week too. Plenty of parking, and would stop by next time we're in the area.

    Stuffed French toast and tres leches pancakes

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Had a great visit! Fun ambiance, great food. Especially enjoyed the tacos and quesadillas

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    1 year ago

    Service from start to finish was amazing as always!! Nyx was right on point with my order and service, thanks Nyx!!

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    1 year ago

    Nathalie was great! I never had to ask for a refill once. My order came out quick and hot and the white salsa was yummy!!

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    1 year ago

    Nyx was very personable and the food was delicious as always! Huge portions for great prices and free ice cream as you leave!

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    1 year ago

    The food today was exceptional. Karina gave us wonderful quick service. The vibe of the restaurant is great.

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    1 year ago

    Incredible food! And, our waitress Karina was wonderful! Highly recommend!! This place never disappoints.

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    1 year ago

    Second time eating here this week. Great food and atmosphere. Jorge was amazing. Highly recommend

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    1 year ago

    Lunch with coworkers. Great service by our waiter Jorge. Food was good too. Will be coming back.

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    1 year ago

    Food and service is great! Perfect spot for lunch or dinner! Our server Jorge was fantastic!

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food was delicious. It was great place to celebrate a birthday. Alejandro was a great server.

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    2 years ago

    Sunday brunch was well received by the family with a unique mix of tres leches pancakes, migas, beans, and then shrimp cocktail.

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    2 years ago

    Been there twice, both times good food and decent service. Only downside was the tortilla machine was not going and I didn't get to try one

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    Page 4 of 12

    Vaquero's Cafe and Cantina Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Vaquero's Cafe and Cantina

    Do you have a playground?

    they do! Out in the back of the Restaurant they have a lower and upper deck next to it there is a playground. It is a beautiful area to hang out and enjoy a drink while the kids are playing.

    Anyone go to their Sunday brunch? How was it? Do you know the hours?

    Sue, Our hours for Sunday brunch are 10am - 2pm with live music on the patio. Here is a link to our Sunday brunch menu: https://www.vaqueroscafe.com/events.

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    Moonshine Grill - White chocolate bread pudding

    Moonshine Grill

    4.4(6.4k reviews)
    4.7 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    Don't sleep on Moonshine Grill! We've been here a number of times and recently returned for dinner…read moreafter an event at the Fairmont Hotel. We somehow snagged nearby street parking and a table for two with no wait despite it being a busy Saturday evening after a UT football game. Make a reservation if you have a large party or are on a tighter schedule. It's a bit loud for those seated in the lobby/entrance area, but totes a vibe. For food, we ordered the blackened catfish, brisket burnt ends quesadillas, and harvest bowl to share. Everything was delicious and served quickly, even with the aforementioned dinner rush. 10/10 would order the same items again. I was so appreciative of the server splitting the entree over two plates without us asking. Did I mention the complimentary popcorn and cornbread? Twas a FEAST. I'm already thinking about the next time we're going back! If not for Moonshine, definitely for the speakeasy downstairs.

    We were in Austin for a conference so I did some research and stumbled upon Moonshine Grill. I made…read morea reservation a week in advance. We arrived and in a few minutes we were seated at a table and immediately given water in mason jars and asked for our drink order. I opted just got an Arnold Palmer but the drink menu had some cute cocktails and mocktails, as well as a nice selection of beer and wine. Instead of bread, our server brought us a basket of seasoned popcorn. The popcorn had almost like a Cajun flair, but it wasn't spicy. It reminded me of the Ground Round chain from when I was a little girl. We decided to try the corndog shrimp appetizer. I couldn't decide on an entree because everything looked so good, so I did the Parmesan chicken and my coworker did the steak salad. The shrimp arrived so quickly with four large pieces of shrimp on a stick wrapped in corn dog batter and fried to a golden brown, with a blueberry mustard dipping sauce. The shrimp were delicious and while I didn't get much of the blueberry in the mustard, I enjoyed the sweetness it provided. My Parmesan chicken was a crispy and juicy breaded chicken cutlet with a lemon cream, artichoke hearts, and what appeared to be prosciutto on top. It was served with a side of pesto couscous with grape tomatoes and cucumbers. I wish I had ordered mashed potatoes on the side, because I wanted something to soak up the lemon cream sauce, which was the highlight of the chicken. We also were served 3 mini cornbread muffins with honey butter. My coworker said the salad was just okay, and was a little on the small side. The desserts were definitely a MUST and if you visit Moonshine and don't save room for the Espresso Brownie or the Peanut Butter Pie, you're going to regret it. The brownie was so fudgey and warm and served with ice cream. It was decadent. The peanut butter pie was the biggest slab of PB pie I've ever had with a thick Oreo crust. I wish I had someone with me to share it, it was huge. Overall, if I lived in the area I would definitely be back to try other things.

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    Moonshine Grill - Dining area

    Dining area

    Moonshine Grill - Garlic appetizer

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

    Mama Betty’s

    4.0(400 reviews)
    15.2 mi
    •$$

    Dined in for lunch party of 3. Avery was our fabulous server. We were welcomed and she was very…read moreknowledgeable. We had Kristen tacos entree and the quesadilla entree. Everything was so delicious! A+++ What great ambience and fun restaurant.

    I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley where Tex-Mex has no equal. I'd heard this place was good and…read morefinally made a trip out of my way to try it. I should've reacted to my first impulse when I walked in. Leave! Now! The booming, loud and annoying music was almost unbearable. I stayed and ordered the #3 lunch combination. The chips were good, but I much prefer a thinner white corn chip. The red salsa was very good; the creamy stuff was bland. The rice and beans were above average. The guacamole was a mess. It was bland, and the whole tostada--with guacamole, lettuce and chopped tomatoes--was slathered in something sweet and weird. I just pushed it aside. Excellent crispy taco shell, but the carne molida was dry, overcooked and disappointing. The cheese enchilada was awful. Wrong cheese. I prefer (correct) American, not cheddar. But it was good quality cheddar and not that stringy, bubble gum consistency stuff I run into occasionally. There was only a trace of what I assumed was supposed to be the chili con carne gravy (per the menu) so I requested more gravy which was thin, bland and somewhat tomato tasting, not chili con carne sauce. I ate the rice, beans, taco and a couple bites of enchilada--and left hungry. The service was outstanding.

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    Mama Betty’s - Not so Private event space

    Not so Private event space

    Mama Betty’s - Churros slathered in sticky sauces

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    El Alma - Chips salsa and queso

    El Alma

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    3.7 mi•Bouldin Creek, 78704 (South Austin)
    •$$

    I love taking new people to a place where I have confidence it's gonna be a great experience and…read moregreat food. El Alma has always one of those stops for me. And yesterday was no different. I was worried we might not get a table quickly, but we arrived at the perfect time on a Saturday and were seated immediately. We ordered a couple drinks, perused the menu and ordered the ceviche and street tacos and chicken tacos and everything was fresh and delicious. Our server was helpful, Attentive without hovering. My friend visiting had nothing but great things to say. Look forward to going back for brunch. Which is my typical go to there.

    I've been coming to El Alma for nearly 5 years now (according to my first review, I first came here…read morein November of 2026). During that time, it has easily become one of my favorite restaurants in all of Austin. I absolutely love the food and the rooftop patio that overlooks downtown/the park, and it will forever be somewhere I continue to go, especially during happy hour. I have tried every vegetarian item on their menu, and while everything is great, my personal favorites are: - cheese enchiladas with mole verde (I get this 99% of the time because they are my favorite enchilada in town) - the chile rellano (it's listed in the sides, but I promise you that it can be a meal in itself) - their rice (comes with many of their plates or inside of their enchiladas) is actually soooooo good and one of the things I look forward to - queso (nothing different about it, but it's just a really good standard queso) - flaquita (spicy watermelon margarita; I don't need to say more) - sangria blanca (super refreshing) Up until a few months ago, I would have given this place five stars, but I've noticed a decline in service that is making me knock it down to a four. For example, they used to give free chips and salsa the second you sat down, but the last three times, I've had to ask them for it (pro tip: ask for chips and salsa!!). I've also noticed slower and less attentive service. Overall, I still love El Alma, and when it comes to food and vibes, it has withstood the test of time. Everyone I introduce to El Alma falls in love (my sister visits me once a year, and El Alma is always on the agenda). Not only have I been coming here multiple times a year for the past five years, but I know I will be coming for as long as they are around.

    Photos
    El Alma - Busy on a Tuesday

    Busy on a Tuesday

    El Alma - Queso blanco

    Queso blanco

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    Pueblo Viejo - Mini taco  Lamb quesadilla

    Pueblo Viejo

    4.4(672 reviews)
    6.0 mi•Oltorf/East Riverside
    •$

    Tucked away in a building across from Popeye's, this charming little restaurant doesn't have a wide…read morevariety to choose from--but what they offer is pretty special and definitely worth a visit. I ordered 2 steak tacos and horchata, both very delicious. The horchata is milky and sweet but not crazy sweet, and topped off with cinnamon. The steak tacos came out pretty hot, fresh from the grill. I got them on corn tortillas and I'm glad I did: idk if they make them in house but somebody in some house is making these because they definitely aren't store bought, and if they are I want to know where! I tried the orange habanero and creamy serrano salsas. The habanero was spicy off the bat, while the serrano had more of a lingering burn. Both paired well with the steak. They have a little bar, too, though I did not imbibe this time. Seems like they have a decent selection of agave spirits, and even Campari behind the bar (iykyk). Give them a shot, and thank the ladies in the kitchen.

    I personally don't eat breakfast tacos usually, but the breakfast tacos here are delicious. Out on…read morea whim, happen to drive by and saw this place. Decided to come in and the cashier greeted us and was really nice and patient because of questions with the menu. The Taco Bueno is what I had ordered and requested no potato. Sat down and after a few seconds, chips & salsa was delivered. Then after a few minutes, the food came. Quick service for sure and the food, AMAZING. Anyone reading this, try this place out and if u like it, come back! Cuz we are for sure =D

    Photos
    Pueblo Viejo - Dining Pueblo Viejo ~ Riverside

    Dining Pueblo Viejo ~ Riverside

    Pueblo Viejo - Steak Burrito

    Steak Burrito

    Pueblo Viejo - Delicious pineapple cucumber agua fresca!

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    Vaquero's Cafe and Cantina - mexican - Updated September 2026

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