El Mercado Restaurant

This place is amazing!! I ordered the brisket quesadilla this thing was huge, and this was only a half order! The servers were all so nice as soon as I walked in they all greeted me and seated me immediately! The restaurant it self is like a little hidden gem! Super cozy and cute!

Visited this place for National Margarita day.. started off with brunch and a couple of margs.. food was good and so were drinks.. we had planned to visit other places so it was a quick stay, but nonetheless made an impression on us.. service was quick and great and food was delicious.. Will definitely be back!

Tex-Mex at its finest. Delicious, large portions, good vibes. Sit at the bar and have a good time with Mark.

I had the brisket tacos. The taste was wonderful.Unfortunately, the tacos shell kept breaking apart next time I'll ask for extra corn tortilla. The margaritas had a great taste but could've added a little bit more liquor maybe a shot and I'm not a real drinker...I use to stop by this spot years ago, at least 20 yrs ago and it's still taste good...next time I'll ask for extra corn tortilla I would give it a 5 star if my Tacos didn't fall apart

Great music, staff, quality product! I have always liked the fact that they use the best cheese!- The staff gives an attitude of ease. They help each other in making sure their guests receive the best of expectations. My thanks to Gamma,Alex,Yvonne,Karen, Erica for their welcoming me and making me feel at home every time!

Gamaliel our waiter was wonderful and courteous. He kept asking us if everything was ok ensuring the happiness of the customer. Yvonne the manager was very nice and helpful and also made sure our experience with everything was good. Oh and the food was fabulous 👌!!!

We stopped by El Mercado Mexican Restaurant on a whim, and now it’s our go-to spot for authentic Mexican food in Austin. We met Jordan Stone, who kindly introduced himself at our table, he has created something really special— consistent dishes, a welcoming space, a great bar menu. It’s a place we will continue to frequent. 🥇

This is an Austin TexMex classic. Think of it as the restaurant equivalent of a dive bar. This is where you come when you don’t want to or need to care how you look but you want a big plate of sizzling fajitas and maybe a margarita. This no frills spot will always hit the spot. Come hungry and leave with a belly full of yummy electric yellow queso.

The cheese enchiladas are the best I've ever had. Even ordered extra to take home! The last of the classic local Tex-Mex restaurants in Austin for us old timers. Please patronize them to help with their continued success!

El Mercado (North) is our version of Cheers--a place where everyone knows your name and treats you like family. The staff go above and beyond to make each visit special, and the experience is consistently excellent. My husband and I have spent countless meals here, whether celebrating good times or consoling ourselves with generous bowls of queso. The food is tasty, generously portioned, and reasonably priced. There's rarely a wait, and it's an ideal spot for gathering with a big group.

I had a good dinner at El Mercado, I enjoyed sitting on the patio and I hear it's dog friendly. The restaurant is bright and cheerfully decorated. Service is friendly and quick. The food is basic Tex Mex cooking. It came out hot!! The brisket is Smokey and tender, my husband enjoyed it. I had a basic crispy taco and one cheese enchilada. No complaints! I really liked the fresh salsa, it had a nice kick.

I went to el Mercado for the second time and enjoyed my experience. The fish tacos are good and I loved the sauce that was sent with them. It was very tasty! I also got a Paloma to drink that was refreshing. The ambiance both times I've went has been pretty mellow because I've only went for lunch/early dinner. I've never been in the evening when it might be busier.

El Mercado has been in the Austen restaurant scene for a very long time. The service is consistently top-notch, and takes very good care of you throughout the dining experience. The Tex-Mex food itself is very middle of road. They have taken a couple of the unique food items off the menu, and what remains is common Tex Mex. The salsa is freshly made, and has a wonderful flavor and it varies from day today because of the freshness of the ingredients. Nothing special about the ambience... Average food... Great service... Average margaritas, and cold beer... Not a bad combination.

Always accomodates ADA wheelchair customers! They go above and beyond. Good is legit and authentic YUM!

For many years, I had heard that the best cheese enchiladas in Austin were at Dart Bowl, and I did enjoy them. However, hands down, the cheese enchiladas with chopped onions at El Mercado are the best I have eaten anywhere! I have gotten the charro beans with my enchiladas which are fantastic, and the rice, with a hint of cumen, is wonderful! They also make a darn good margarita. The service was attentive, pleasant, and helpful. The venue is dull and old, but clean.

Jordan( owner) and Mark the bartender are great, but same, small cliquish bar crowd got really old. Food is mediocre, but kitchen staff awesome. Advise to get size large margaritas as small are exceptionally small.

Lovely atmosphere, service and charm. Definitely white people mexican but honestly that's a vibe sometimes. Will for sure be back. The Mexican martini was delicious. Many Vegetarian options

This has been one of my favorite places in Austin for Tex/Mex(mexican) I have been coming for over 7 years and it's always so good. Food- I have tried wide range of their offerings from apps to mains. I'm not a bit dessert person (sorry) Over all everything I have ever ordered has been great. Nothing major but the quality and portions are perfect. It feels like as if my grandma or a friend's mom was making dinner. Service- The staff is really really good. Typically when I would go I would have a server named Yvonne she was always so welcoming and it was always impressive that she remembered faces and folks orders. I say that because this place does have alot of loyal customers so to have someone remember so many details is very impressive to me. I have had other staff members as well and all have been great. The owner is also very hands on and when you go I'm sure you will see him around. Such a great feeling to see someone take such pride in what they have built in this city. We love to see it. Ambiance- It's such a great space. Large enough for big parties (call ahead don't be that group) and paired with a great outdoor patio it's perfect. They added some fake greenery to the wall that is nice. I wouldn't be mad if they maybe incorporated some life plants as well. (Totally doesn't effect the great space) Dog owners- I have seen many folks bring dogs as well to seat in the patio space. The only draw back with that I have ever seen there is there was one lady who took her dog (medium sized) and it was baking the whole time they were there and pulled a lot at the owners table to were the dog was basically at o their customers tables begging for food. I'm a dog owner and just don't appreciate the lack of consideration for other guests nothing on the restaurant. So if you bring your dog just be aware of others around you. All in all this is definitely a 9 out of 10 for me.

Enjoyed a wonderful lunch here! Staff was friendly and welcoming. Restaurant is a cool place with an authentic Austin feel. Look forward to trying some other dishes here!

It's been a while since I've been to this El Mercado location & while it used to be one of my favorite spots, I'm sad to report that it is no longer. I went to El Mercado on Weds. 6/16/2021 for my twins 21st birthday & we should've went elsewhere because the service was poor & the food was even worse. It was about 11:30am & my daughter wanted to order coffee but according to our waitress, they weren't serving coffee that day...seriously, no coffee on a Weds. morning...okay (insert eye roll) . The cook that day also must've been having a bad day because each of our plates were so bland w/ no taste at all. My 14 yr old son, who usually swallows food w/out chewing 1st didn't even finishing eating all his food & had we taken that food home, he would have had leftovers for the 1st time everrrrr. Our visit that day was disappointing for sure since we were there to celebrate our twins 21st & needless to say, I won't be returning to El Mercado any time soon. ~Rebecca out

This review is for take out, so perhaps others have better luck dining in. My burrito was almost inedible; I assumed the spinach would be sautéed along with the mushrooms (as it typically is) in a veg burrito, but it was uncooked. Super bizarre choice. The "salsa ranchero" tasted like straight up marinara sauce...just not good. I couldn't eat it. There are so many great enchiladas in town, but this ain't it. Servuce was excellent and so kind, but this is not good.

YUM. We stopped here on a whim after leaving another restaurant with terrible service. The host was friendly and seated us quickly. The booths still have the plastic barriers between them- love it! We were able to order quickly and we had chips and salsa on the table immediately. We ordered the beef fajita meal for 2. The meat was seasoned beautifully, it was tender and perfectly cooked. The salsa wasn't spicy but it had great flavor. The portions were great and we had food leftover to take home. We were able to get our check easily and paid quickly. From start to finish the service was flawless. The only downside was we do love when Mexican restaurants have several salsa options and we prefer Coke products over Pepsi. None of that changes the 5 star rating. Highly recommend El Mercado!

Drinks were FIRE!! And the best brisket taco! Queso was bomb as well. Definitely one of the best Mexican spots in Austin

Portions are generous, can't complain about the Margs, but everything about El Mercado was just OKAY. I ordered the El Plato Bandera, which serves 3 enchiladas with rice, beans, & queso. For Tex-Mex, I would not recommend as everything was edible, but bland.

Just a straight ahead, old school Tex Mex resto with great enchiladas, street tacos and tasty drinks. Take some salsa home for your next round of homemade breakfast tacos. Big shoutout to Gamaliel, one of the best waiters in town. Always friendly and never in a rush, Gamaliel is that rare gentleman who makes his guests feel welcome.

I grew up in San Antonio; the worst part of moving to Austin was finding out that the Tex-Mex is Austin-style, not SA. I can't explain the differences, except to say that SA Mexican food is heavier on cumin, cheese, onion and cayenne. El Mercado is as close to SA style as I have found. Crispy tortilla chips, good salsa (included in every order delivered by Favor), menu includes all the favorites, with plenty of vegetarian options. Dos Equis on draft, robust free WiFi. This location has been here for decades, and the patio allows for table service for outdoor dining. Every employee is masked, good service and really fair prices. What took me so long?

I ordered ema quesada, chips and a margarita. The salsa had a little too much garlic other than that the food and experience were good.

Excellent Tex-Mex, very consistent, and very reasonable. One of my favorites. Get the Mercado combo plate.

Manager/owner was not accommodating to our group that arrived at 2:30 pm with only 2 tables occupied in the restaurant. We left to La Mancha that provided excellent service!

This place is a gem. Welcoming and unpretentious, we love the waitstaff and the margaritas. Almost equally. I don't get the negative reviews, I assume they are from Californians.

I went here for the first time in about 20 years. I recall the place was pretty good and the margaritas excellent. The margaritas tonight were excellent as was the service. The service is prompt and attentive. The brisket tacos were amazing! The nachos are not worth ordering. The toppings were skimpy including the beans snd cheese. And it was a large order- it was small! Didn't even compare to nachos at any other Tex Amex place I've been. Will I'll be back? Absolutely those brisket tacos were amazing!

This was my first time checking this place out. Dropped in for a quick lunch with friends. The staff was friendly, and there was no wait. We tried some of their lunch specials which were just okay. It was very typical fast food/quick Mexican restaurant type food. It was not something that I would recommend running out to try because it is just so amazing, but it is a great quick place to drop through if you are looking for lunch. I would go back if in the area and in need of a quick lunch spot.

Almost forgot how much I love the food here. Shrimp enchiladas,cheese enchiladas. Even made my mom a shrimp chili renello which was delicious but not on the menu anymore. Chips were the best I've had here. Nice spicy salsa too.

My date and I had high expectations when coming into El Mercado and maybe that was our problem. We have been so spoiled by other restaurants in the Allendale area such as Cover 3, Trudy's Northstar, and Hopdoddy's that the bar has been set really high . However, that being said, our experience at This particular establishment was far from satisfactory. Our waiter was really cute, but he was so flustered and stressed that he spilled my date's water, my tortilla soup, and our salsa (he also dropped his tray at the table next to is and broke several dishes). By the time we left our table was drenched and not by our own doing. He was really nice just extremely sloppy. The food was subpar. Our nacho appetizer was just the restaurant's chips with a scoop of refried beans, cheese, and jalapeños. It was not bad or good. A quarter of my tortilla soup was served to the table, but what i had of it was bland and at room temperature anyway. My date's fajita tacos were "disgusting." Our server initially forgot the charro beans and had to be reminded to bring them out. However, once he dropped the off at the table there was a piece of plastic wrapping in them. The margaritas were decent. Our server knew that he was not providing amazing service but did not apologize until we showed him the plastic wrapping in the beans. When the manager came over to fix the situation he merely explained that the piece of plastic was a piece of wrapping for something in the kitchen. He started mumbling and then just walked away without apologizing...it was really strange. The two of us were literally sitting at our table shocked. About 5 minutes after the manager had explained the piece of plastic wrapping our server came over to inform us that one of our meals had been covered by the manager.

One of our favorite places. Food is always great. Margs are COLD and FROZEN. All the way through. The staff is wonderful and sweet. They always remember us and say hi. I just wish they'd bring back the burger on the kids menu.

delicious Little Tex Mex restaurant nothing too fancy just straight-up good food to flavors were on point the service was fabulous. The chips and salsa were delicious I had their soup it was a little cool outside it hit the spot delicious broth with vegetables and chicken.

Back to four stars! Their post pandemic service issues have all resolved and they are back to being a stand by for dependable great Tex Mex. So glad to be able to update my review!!

Great food at a reasonable price. Solid classic TexMex. Good service with a really positive atmosphere.

This place is great for an inexpensive lunch special. There are in choices to select from for $8.75. The food was delicious.

This is my first two-star review, and I am sorry to give it. Don't eat the shrimp, it might be bad! Initially, I had a good experience at El Mercado North. I admired the decor. It was amusing to me that the art on the wall had a globe that only had the Americas, as well as a cowboy on a flying jalapeño. I thought the parrots were cute. I liked that the inside of the restaurant was so colorful. I took pictures. I had seen El Mercado on the way to work for months, but I hadn't gone, because it seemed disloyal to go to another Tex-Mex place on the same road. I figured that since I no longer worked at Trudy's, I could try El Mercado guilt-free, and nothing bad would happen. (Previously, I went to La Casa Chapala, a Mexican restaurant across the highway from Trudy's, after my shift on Día de los Muertos. I had a good experience there, but there was a huge flock of agitated birds outside, when I left; this seemed disturbing and supernatural, and I was saw this as a punishment for not eating at work, instead.) Anyway, my server was nice. She was attentive in refilling my ice tea. I had no problems with her. I ordered the Baja Plate. I thought it was tasty, but I found it hard to finish. I ate all of the shrimp enchiladas portion, and the beans and rice, but I was too full to finish the fried tilapia taco and the chips. My server had already brought me the check, but I had trouble asking for a to-go box. Then, I went to the bathroom, and I found myself puking up everything I had just eaten. I threw up four times! I think the last time that I threw up at a restaurant was at a McDonald's when I was a small child; I went on the playground right after eating (Hi-C doesn't really go with cheeseburgers, tbh, but I liked Hi-C a lot.) I had intended to give a better review, but if I throw up at a restaurant, it would be dishonest to give a good one. Please, check the shrimp. I think the shrimp is what my stomach rebelled against.

I'd really like to give El Mercado three stars here rather than two. On a recent visit the service was friendly and good, the house margaritas were solid, and the atmosphere wasn't lacking. The portions were generous. The food just simply wasn't up to the standard I'd expect for a place that's something of an Austin institution. I was ravenous and ordered the largest combo plate on the menu - the "Super Platillo" - and true to the name it was all served on one enormous plate. Normally a combo like this would have a cold plate with the taco and tostada, and a hot plate with the other items like enchiladas, rice, and beans. Here a single hot plate left the taco and tostada soggy and buried amidst the other items. The sauce that covered my enchilada and relleno seemed to be a tomato-based ranchero rather than a Tex-Mex chili gravy or ancho style that would be more typical. The rice was okay and the charro beans were probably the best thing on the plate. Nothing was dreadful, it all just could have easily been better. I am happy to see an Austin restaurant thrive and be able to sustain multiple locations. I cannot, however, recommend this place to an out-of-towner who hopes to experience solid, representative Austin Tex Mex. Perhaps I'm being fussy here. Actually, I'm certainly being fussy here. But then, what's the point of being proud of Austin Tex-Mex if you're not willing to be fussy about it? I hope you enjoy yourself if you find yourself here - it's a pleasant enough place, and a soggy taco is hardly the end of the world. Cheers!

Been more than a few years since I'd been to this El Mercado. It really hadn't been on my radar for awhile. However, the homie and yelper extraordinaire Rebecca R. had been singing the praises of their brunch offerings. The past weekend my bestie and I finally got to check it out. Brightly colored decor greets you as you walk in. They were doing brisk business at 11am on a Sunday. However no 2 hour waits here, and for that I was glad. Our service was friendly and efficient. Kept our coffees and waters filled, and we got our meals quickly. Got to watch some NFL as we enjoyed our meal. Salsa has heat and the chips extra crispy. I had the green Chile pork omelette plate. It was massive, as you can tell from the photo. Bestie had breakfast tacos and was pleased. We left happy. Definitely will be back.

This place is a solid, cute, cheap austin-y place. The el grandote margarita comes with a million fruit flavors and comes in a pint class for $10 with a yummy and classic taste that will totally F you up. Be careful if you think you can put down a few, also great cheap shots. THE FOOD TOO- try the 1/2 order of the El pastor tostadas (it's an appetizer but a super solid portion for a cheap yummy meal). Great to hang with friends or for a quick bite.

El Mercado restaurant is my home for Mexican food! We live an hour out of town and we still had to drive in to town to get takeout. IMHO It is the best Mexican food in Texas. We've been eating there since the 1990s. Consistently excellent All these years.

This is a hole in the wall Tex Mex restaurant. They have all the typical fare, enchiladas, tacos, etc Queso was good. Frozen margs we're great. I got a chicken fajita lunch salad. It was the perfect lunch sized portion. we were celebrating our friends bday and they brought out sopapillas on the house. It was delicious. Soft pillowy deliciousness. The service was wonderful. The waiter was attentive and friendly. I'll definitely go back just for those sopapillas.

Great food! Has been around for as long as I can remember in Austin and the food has remained great. I love the queso and the verde chicken enchiladas. Yum!

Delicious food and super friendly, efficient staff. The waitress even offered to take a picture of my date and me. Stay as good as you are!

I ordered their shrimp enchiladas with this certain cheese sauce (can't exactly remember the name)... and I have to say... wow. Very delicious! Their margaritas are decent, but with their cheap prices it's pretty good. Their chips and queso were fresh and tasty as well. Nice staff and good service.

My parents have a tradition of eating here Sunday mornings while their car is at Genie car wash next door. The staff are always so nice and welcoming and the service is fast and friendly! All the versions of Migas that are served are excellent! I also really really enjoy the salsa! Last time I got Huevos Borrachos- yummy- veggies and eggs and cheese! The tortillas are fresh and delicious! The prices are very reasonable too!

The food here is very plain. They charge $6.50 for a small queso that taste just like velveta box cheese it was super thick and had no flavor. The chicken in the enchiladas Is the sams club canned chicken. This food taste cheap. Not going to be coming back

One of our neighborhood favorites! Really good food with true TexMex flair. My favorite is the Veggie Tacos the come with delicious grilled vegetables, black beans and cheese in wheat tortillas! The decor always makes me smile! So many bright colors and fun elements! While the place is usually hopping, we never have to wait to be seated like some other spots in Austin.

I'm here at this location at least 3-4 x a month, the service is always rad the food never disappoints. We went yesterday and the lunch crowd was there but we were never at a want for anything, service was expedited quickly and efficiently and the back of house fulfilled our lunch order to a T. We almost always get the Philips queso too, fresh onion, jalapeno, ground beef and guac.. party for days!!

I've eaten at El Mercado three times now. Why do I come here? Because Enchiladas Y Mas has a line out the door. Never again. Ever! The service is great and quick, the prices are low and the food is bland. Seriously lacking spices and salt. A high blood pressure sufferers delight I suppose. I'm sorry but flour tortillas, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheddar cheese will not make a chicken soft taco taste good. They really need to open up the spice cabinet here to get me to come back. The salsa is also lacking the flavor of onion and peppers. I think I only tasted tomato and garlic. Oh well, we move on.

I love the brunch here!! Migas, refried beans, bacon, lots of chips and salsa. You may have to wait a bit but it's so worth it. Homemade food, good service, parking and the bloody maria is fabulous! Add a strong coffee if you are driving! Not my favorite but it's in the mix and it's good and cheap!

Not great. There are so many good Mexican food restaurants in town, I would pass this one. The food is super "meh" and the prices are a bit high quite honestly, especially for meh food.

This, to me, is what Tex mex should be! We eat here quite frequently and love it. Some of our go to favorites are the Mercado plate, the combo plate or their taco salad. Both the Mercado and combo have their delicious cheese enchiladas and beef tacos. This is my absolute favorite. Another thing, you MUST get their queso...so good. I've always had a positive experience with all of the staff there. Its our go to for Friday evenings. My favorite drink on the menu is their cucumber mango martini ... Simply divine.

This is my local, go-to Tex-Mex joint. And it's incredible! Literally the best margaritas I've ever had. The staff is so wonderful and hard-working. I've never had bad service here. The salsa is great. I love their shrimp tacos. My husband and I both love the fajitas. I will be honest-- the tortilla chips and queso are just okay. But their guacamole is out of this world, and so are their drinks and the smiles they are served with. I go here about once a week and am never disappointed. Order a halfie Margarita (half rocks, half frozen), I recommend strawberry if you like it a bit sweet or just their house lime. Peach Margarita is also good. Go here! The prices are reasonable and the food is always fresh. 5++++ stars over many visits and from a life long Texan. And as other reviews have noted, the drinks are quite strong. This is where I bring everyone from out of town. Whoa!