Best Tex Mex Spots in Austin

Hey guys, this is my comprehensive guide to Tex-Mex in Austin. These are all the spots I grew up eating and still love today. As someone born and raised in Austin, I can say the food scene here was heavily centered around Tex-Mex. That meant a lot of dishes loaded with beans and cheese, which really defined what many of us grew up eating.

While I’ve personally come to appreciate more traditional Mexican cuisine over time, Tex-Mex is still an essential part of Austin’s identity. This guide is for anyone visiting the city who wants to experience it properly, or for locals looking for the best fajitas, enchiladas, and everything in between.

Without further ado, let’s get into it.

ELDorado Cafe

Eldorado Cafe is my go to if you're looking for my favorite Tex Mex in Austin. They’re the full package. The salsas are all made in house and consistently excellent, and while the queso isn’t the best in the city, it’s still very solid and worth getting.
Some must orders here are the dart bowl enchiladas, inspired by a classic Austin dish that’s no longer around. They’re stuffed with cheese, topped with a rich short rib chili, and finished with two fried eggs. It’s indulgent in the best way. I also really enjoyed the chicken mole enchiladas. The mole leans a bit on the sweeter side, but it pairs well with the tender chicken and is still worth trying.
In my opinion, they serve my favorite enchiladas in Austin, and honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. They’ve recently revamped it with items like ELP style tacos, so there’s something for everyone.
If it’s your first time, I’d recommend starting with the salsa sampler so you can try everything they offer. And don’t skip the alambre street tacos, which are perfect for sharing.

To avoid long wait times, it's advisable to make reservations online. Otherwise, be prepared for a one-hour wait during peak times. Click their website here.

Habanero Cafe

Habanero Cafe is a classic spot that’s been around for years and is known for its breakfast plates. It’s one of those places that locals have continued to support over time.
If you’re going for enchiladas, I’d recommend keeping it simple with their regular enchiladas. I usually go for the chicken enchiladas, which are always solid. That said, what most people come here for are the beef fajitas. They come as tender strips of skirt steak served over grilled onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, along with rice, charro beans, pico, guac, and tortillas. They’re also relatively affordable compared to a lot of other spots in Austin.
One thing to note is that the steak isn’t cooked as a whole cut and then sliced. Instead, it’s pre cut, seasoned, and cooked in strips, so the presentation is a bit different. If that’s something you care about, it’s worth knowing ahead of time.
Other than that, it’s easy to see why this place is so loved by locals. It’s almost always busy, and for good reason.

Click here for their website

Enchiladas y Mas

If you're looking for Tex Mex, another Austin classic you have to try is Enchiladas y Mas. This is where you go when you want that old school Tex Mex, smothered in refried beans and cheese.

Parking can be a bit tough, especially during lunch since it’s always popular. As for what to order, I recommend the beef enchiladas with beef sauce, onions, and cheese. The enchiladas here are completely covered and almost melded into the cheese, so I’d suggest getting a side of tortilla chips to scoop everything up.

I also tried the fajita nachos, which came with guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, jalapeños, and onions on the side, and they really hit the spot. Another solid option is the huevos rancheros, with two eggs topped with ranchero sauce over beans and corn tortillas.

I wouldn’t say the food here is necessarily amazing, but it absolutely satisfies that Tex Mex craving when that’s what you’re looking for.

Click here for their website.

De Nada

De Nada Cantina is one of the go to spots for frozen margaritas, and it’s especially popular with tourists for tacos and Mexican food. I’ll be honest, it leans more touristy and isn’t necessarily authentic, but there’s a reason it stays busy.

That said, there are a few things they do really well. The pollo verde enchiladas are a solid order, stuffed with chicken and topped with a poblano cream sauce. I also really like their crunchy beef tacos, which come loaded with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. It gives that nostalgic fast food taco vibe, but elevated a bit. It might feel a little “healthier” than something like Taco Bell, but you’re definitely paying about double.

If you go on Mondays, they run a deal where the tacos are only $4, which is worth taking advantage of. And if you’re planning to visit during peak hours, I’d recommend making a reservation since it can get pretty packed.

Click here for their website.

Jardin Corona

Jardin Corona is a spot I’m personally biased toward since I grew up eating here all the time. It’s that friendly neighborhood Tex Mex place with multiple locations across North Austin. I used to go to the one on Pond Springs, and no joke, the menu is massive with plenty of options.

That said, I always came here for the enchiladas. They have a lot of affordable combo plates, but my go to growing up was the chipotle chicken enchiladas, rolled in corn tortillas and topped with Monterey Jack cheese. If I was really hungry, I’d go for three. Their rice and beans have always been solid too.

My husband usually goes for the fajitas, and my sister loves the crispy taco plate and their burritos, so there’s something for everyone. Even after all these years, I went back recently and it still tasted just like I remembered, which says a lot about their consistency.

Like I said, this is definitely a nostalgia spot for me, but it’s also one I’d recommend to anyone looking for a more homey, reliable Tex Mex option. And their queso is pretty good too.

Click their website here.

Pappasitos

If you're looking for the best fajitas in Austin, I’m your girl. I spent about a month craving fajitas and went around trying five to six different spots, and this one easily came out on top as the best overall and one of the most affordable options too. Some people might disagree, but it’s really that good.

Pappasito's Cantina is actually a Houston based chain, and the move here is their beef fajitas. The food comes out fast and always arrives piping hot. The steak is tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned with a really nice lime flavor that stands out.

Another big plus is the tortillas, which are pressed fresh. Go with the flour tortillas here, they’re the way to go.

I tried a few other spots around Austin too. La Piscina was solid but pretty expensive and not as flavorful. Lupe Tortilla was a miss for me, and Mama Bettys Tex-Mex didn’t quite hit either.

I haven’t explored much of the rest of the menu at Pappasito’s, but if you’re specifically looking for great beef fajitas, this is my go to spot.

Chuys

This list wouldn’t be complete without Chuy's. I know it’s a huge chain now, but growing up, it was actually really solid.

From my experience, the most consistent location is the one on Research Boulevard. It’s been around for years, and compared to other spots like downtown or Cedar Park, this one has always delivered the best quality.

That said, Chuy’s is one of those places where it really comes down to knowing what to order. I’ve been plenty of times, and the move for me is always the burrito. Specifically, the roasted chicken burrito topped with their roasted ranchero sauce and served with Mexican rice.

And you have to get a side of their creamy jalapeño dressing. Drizzle that over the burrito, and it honestly takes it to another level.

I don’t usually branch out much beyond that here, but if you stick to this order, you’re going to have a good time.

Click here for their website

Cabo bobs

If you’re looking for a really good burrito in Austin and some excellent queso, you have to check out Cabo Bob’s. They don’t really focus on classic Tex Mex plates, but they do make your own tacos and burritos better than anyone I’ve found in the city.

I’ve been going to Cabo Bob’s since college, and I love watching them press fresh tortillas right in front of you. You choose your tortilla, then pick burritos or tacos, and build exactly what you want. For me, the fish burrito with a cilantro tomatillo tortilla is unbeatable. I load it with white rice, black beans, queso, lettuce, cabbage, cilantro, tons of lime juice, and a side of their 66 red sauce to drizzle while I eat.

They also let you make your own nachos with their fresh tortilla chips and any meat you want, which is another favorite of mine. Honestly, this is one of my go to lunch spots in Austin.

Click here for their website.

Torchy's

And lastly, if you’re curious about my favorite queso in Austin, it’s actually from Torchy’s Tacos. Torchy’s mainly focuses on tacos and doesn’t have many Tex Mex plates, but I still consider it Tex Mex because these are definitely not your traditional tacos.

They serve nachos now, but the must order here is the queso. I’m not sure exactly what they put in it, but it’s loaded with green chili, queso, guacamole, cotija cheese, cilantro, and diablo sauce, and comes with tortilla chips. It is truly elite.

Other things I recommend are the signature Trailer Park, which is a fried chicken taco, and getting it “trashy,” which means adding queso on top. I also enjoy trying their seasonal tacos and secret menu items like the Missionary taco, which is their green chili pork taco in a crispy tortilla shell. For vegetarians, the fried avocado taco is a great option, and they also offer salads and burritos.

I will say that the quality can vary depending on the location, but when I first discovered Torchy’s, it was elite.

Click here for their website.