Matt's El Rancho

I had Matt’s El Rancho for the first time recommended by a couple coworkers. I preferred the half lb sizzling fajitas which was pretty good. Surprisingly the chicken was better than the beef fajitas where in my experience it’s typically the opposite. Most of my coworkers ordered the enchiladas which all of them didn’t like compared to the fajita people. Mexican food I’m Austin has been a miss for me for the most part (outside of tacos) but so for getting this dish in particular I would say order it if you come here. For everything else, it was just ok. An honorable mention to the martinis that you can pour the clear shaker in was neat.

We dined-in on a Sunday morning. They don't let you reserve a table ahead but it was a quick 10 min wait. The server was very sweet and responsive. Food was fresh and high quality. They have clearly marked Vegetarian options but they don't have a lot of options. Vegetable Chilli Relleno could have been better (I had high hopes). It was sweetish rather than savoy and was more cheesy than it should have been. Burnt orange margarita was sweeter than expected and quite diluted alcohol wise. Great fajitas and burritos though.

Terrific experience. Menu has an abundance of tempting choices. Food was lovingly prepared by a kitchen of craftspeople, delivered by top notch servers and runners. The ambiance, to me, felt nostalgic reminding me a bit of the fancier Mexican restaurants growing up in Texas ~ 50 years ago, yet diners were casual and comfortably dressed largely, with a spattering of trendy fashionistas/os scattered around the various dining areas.

I can not believe I have lived here since 1994 and did not know about this amazing GEM! The food was just beyond delicious, dare I say better than mom's... Do yourself a favor. Go eat here. Located on S. Lamar, where there's so much to do and see, the crowd was diverse, and everywhere you looked, there was a smile. This is now our new favorite place to enduldge our homemade Mexican food!

Not only the best Mexican restaurant in Austin, probably the best restaurant in Austin!! I've been going for 30 years and every single time everything is just right. The service, the atmosphere, the drinks, and the food. Always on point. A 70 plus year old Austin institution, and a must go for locals and visitors alike.

What can I say, this place might just live up the the hype. For the most part! First let me say this place is busy! The parking lot is huge and people even park up on the grass to get in. Don’t let that intimidate you! They also don’t take reservations, so yeah you might be waiting to be seated at peak hours. We got lucky and got a table right away. The complimentary chips and salsa was a nice touch but underwhelming. The chips were irregular shaped, really hard and thick, while the salsa was sparse and lacking substance. Just didn’t work. For drinks I got a ranch water and it was pretty good, not too sweet and definitely not too strong. For food we got the the combo fajitas and and boy did they deliver! The onions and roasted peppers on the sizzling skillet was such a nice combination of flavor it really elevates the fajitas. The beef was pretty tender overall, and the chicken was a little dry but had nice flavor that really worked since there was so much juiced outside from the onions etc. Not to mention the sour crème, guacamole, and pico they have on a plate were delicious. (They should be more generous with these fixings for a 1lb order) the rice and beans were great although we weren’t given any options for beans- just refried. They were really good tho! The fajitas come with only a few tortillas which only lasts about 5 minutes. Meanwhile our server was distracted and not paying attention to us. By the time we flagged him down and he put the order in, the food was just sitting there. This is an example of poor service. I’ve always wanted to come here and I’m glad I did, it was really great and was had such a good time. Might be back, but probably not!

The best seat in the house is on the patio - it is next to the fish pond in the far back right hand side. A perfect table for one or two. The view is outstanding and it is perfectly in the path of the misting fan. Matt’s has been an Austin Tex-Mex icon for over 70 years. The Bob Armstrong Dip is exactly the yellow / orange color and cheeses buttery flavor Tex-Max queso should be. I had “the Bob”, the guacamole salad (a house staple), and the “Mexican style”smothered Texas Red Fish. Make sure to ask for Josh B as your server. He is a delight. They have a dedicated parking lot that is always packed. They have paid valet as well.