Where is the Best Mexican Food in Austin, Texas?
My family has breakfast at Elsi’s most Sunday mornings. The food is excellent and there is a good variety of choices, including American choices for my mom who does not care for Mexican. The place is clean and spacious. We have at least 5 and sometimes as many as 15 people, so far they can accomodate us easily. The service is slow but the staff is friendly. You will not be rushed, but you may have to flag down your server!Pros + Inexpensive, good parking, good foodCons – noisy
I’ve lived in Texas all of my life and have had my share of “Tex-Mex” and what I’ve found in my experiences is that places either execute poorly and sloppy, or they keep the par. What makes places stick out is their twist on the menu. Let’s face it, Tex-Mex is simple. The plates should be as well. There’s nothing spectacular about the cuisine and I think that’s why it appeals to so many people. I usually just cook the stuff at home, but if I DO go out, I go to a specific place for a specific thing. And with the Rio, I go for the atmosphere and clean, fresh food, and of course, the booze. I go there before bouncing around other places to put some grub and drink and enjoy the company I’m in. I like their beer selection–nothing crazy–the bar has what it needs to satisfy any palate. I don’t like how the liquor is limited to tequila, but hey, when in Rome…Now, margaritas are fine for hanging around in the summer, but when it’s cold out, i’ll go for the good stuff “neat” and
If you want to have a little fun with a whole lot of energy then this is the place to go. I went on a Saturday afternoon and it was packed with families and college students. The wait for a table was 45 minutes long but, it wasn’t too bad considering there was a self-serve chips and salsa bar and you could order drinks before your meal. It was fast and easy! Before too long, (or was it?) we were at our table ordering our food. The food was really good and the service was great, thanks to Jimmy G. a.k.a. “Nancy”. I was torn to get a salad and had ordered the “Chicka-chicka Boom-boom” instead and the sauce is so good! Creamy and rich but, the cilantro and lime give it a fresh appeal and cuts the creamy-richness in half. The chicken inside was lean and flavorful and without the “icky-chicken” taste. The desert I had was recommended by our server, a mexican cake, was excellent and something I had never had! After all of that wonderfully loud food, it cooled and calmed my palate
