El Mesón Tequileria

What an experience! You arrive as strangers and leave as friends, the Godinez family made our dining experience an unforgettable one. We thoroughly enjoyed their authentic mexican cuisine, hospitality and decor. We will definitely back when we are next in Austin.

The absolute worst food I've ever had on S Lamar 😫 also $10 to park in a restaurant parking lot is mind boggling. The staff was super friendly. Edit: was not enjoying the buffet options, only trying to find what could like. Not one option was tasty.

Very happy to have found this restaurant. They have authentic Mexican that is prepared in a very polished, but not fancy, way. I can’t wait to go for breakfast and try their pancakes!

The interior Mexican food here is excellent! Prices are very reasonable. It’s a locally owned and operated restaurant. The owners are often there, friendly and welcoming , as are the wait staff! If you like to support excellent local restaurants, they’re the best! Their guacamole is great! I love the mole verde, it’s so good and not on other menus! Homemade corn tortillas, hot sauces, and we’ve never had anything that wasn’t great!

Nice place with lots of seating options. Parking is a bit tricky but you get validations on the parking. The margaritas were nice and pretty stiff, for my liking. The pastor tacos under seasoned for me however they were very well cooked and the tortillas were fresh. The queso fundido was spot on and the chorizo absolutely delicious. The Tortillas were fresh, soft and delicious. I liked the dining experience and I would come again try out their other dishes.

Everything was amazing and service was fast and attentive! So happy we found a new restaurant! The Borria tacos were amazing, queso, and drinks were good!

Came for a quick dinner and was interested in the new VEGAN Items. I had a Jefe and totopos y salsa. Great experience with perfect service. Keep up the great work and next up Vegan Queso checkout Rebel Cheese or Peace Cheese for options. Back for a weekend Mexican Martini, guacamole and the Vegan Pastor♥️

Absolutely loved our experience here! The food was authentic and delicious; every bite felt like a warm embrace from Mexico. Chef Marisela and Yves Godinez are not only talented but also genuinely warm and hospitable. They made us feel like part of the family. If you’re looking for the real thing, incredible flavors, good people, and a welcoming atmosphere, this is the place. Highly recommend!

Gosh, I love this place! They get everything right. The food is delicious, they make service look effortless, and the patio is spacious and you can bring a dog! I usually get Enchiladas Mole but tonight I tried the Enchiladas Suizas. What a good decision that was! Not only did the platter look appealing - the sauce and cheese on top had been beautifully browned under a broiler - but the Suizas sauce had a welcome vinegar tang to it. I've never had Suizas like it and it made for such a great change from the usual. My partner took some of the sauce for his Beefsteak Tacos and declared that he'd be ordering the Suizas next time we go.

Penelope's cafe has amazing food with great service 10/10 recommend. The croissant concha was delicious!

Waiter didn't put my meal in and everyone was done eating by the time I got it. Husband got Barbacoa and it was all fat. The guacamole was the smallest portion and you had to pay for salsa. The margaritas also tasted like sour mix. When the check came, the waiter didn't know how to divy out the entrees so we asked to split evenly and he charged to one card by mistake- also provided us with no pen to sign the receipt.

Fabulous brunch buffet! There are not a lot of places that still do buffets and they are not really my thing anyway, except for two places, Dimassi's and El Meson. The brunch buffet here is done exceptionally well, with aguas frescas, salads, breakfast items like potatoes, eggs, bacon, interior mexican items you don't normally seeat all the tex-mex restaurants around here, even paella. Don't even get me started on that dessert table. I could just buy the buffet and have the arroz con leche and I would be happy. The staff is super nice and attentive and hey, they have REAL guacamole (not watered down) on the buffet and you know how pricey avocadoes are!

I wanted this place to be perfect. It wasn't quite perfect but it sure was good. Excellent drinks, a nice flight of gauc, and queso just shy of the best in Austin -- but larger than other places so maybe that counts for a lot! And they have freaking REAL tortilla chips, ie, chips made FORM TORTILLAS and not just he mashed corn meal silliness that so many other places pass off as "tortilla chips." In general, the portions are large, which is great. If you are looking for value for your dollar, this place is better than most. Friendly wait staff, and a nice atmosphere make this gem worth returning to. Is it the best of its genre? Nope. But is it worth the visit, the time and the expense? Yep.

Terrible food terrible service do not come here. Nachos somehow came out burnt and cold at the same time.

Food was mid, service was slow, and we were charged full price for drinks we got during happy hour. You might have better luck with their non-vegetarian dishes as I can not speak for those

Located on Lamar, this place is a bit further from Zilker Park than your run of the mill Mexican restaurants (I'm looking at you, Maudie's!) but the extra walk/drive is worth it. The chips are my favorite! It's thick and a bit sweet. It also comes with two types of salsa and pickled veggies. They also have an amazing tamarind cocktail! Their flautas de carne was delicious. The flautas de papa was excellent by itself or dipped in the chicken soup. P.S. They have outdoor seating that isn't too noisy, given that it's right off of Lamar.

El Mèson is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant in Austin. Their ceviche is the best I have had anywhere, and when I lived for a year in Puerto Vallarta (where ceviche is widely available and inexpensive), I used to fantasize about someday returning to El Mesòn. The owner/ chef is so wonderful and super sweet, the staff is attentive and awesome, the ambiance is lovely and the food is soooooooo gooooooood!!!! ¡Yo El Méson!

I went to El Mesón for a work dinner, and I was blown away by how amazing the food was here. Literally everything I tried was amazing, perfect, and flavorful. A few of my favorites were the pork tamales, the potato flautas, the chicken mole, the green chicken pozole, and the barbacoa. The rice and beans were so good along with their flour tortillas. The chips (thick yet crispy) and salsas were perfect. I ordered a Paloma and was very impressed. I really loved their tres leches cake, which was perfectly moist and not at all soggy. We found the service to be so helpful and kind. I loved how welcoming and warm the ambiance was. I can't wait to go again and try their Sunday brunch.

EXCELLENT BRUNCH. So many fresh choices. Mexican food sampler is the best I have ever seen. Along with the pancakes and desserts! Definitely coming back!

This was my first time here and I've been wanting to try it for years! The food is all central Mexican. It shares parking with the other restaurants/bars in the complex but we were able to find parking pretty easily on a Saturday evening. We tried: - queso- more like a fundido, it didn't have a ton of flavor. I wouldn't get this again. - taquitos carne - these were delicious, especially the cheese/sour cream sauce on top. However, it was a super small portion size for the same price as other larger plates. - bistek tacos - my friend loved these and said they tasted authentic - enchiladas - these were the crispy kind. They were very good but I think would have been tastier with some sauce on top or available to dip - stew - soo good! I'd get this next time. I'll definitely be back to try more!

I don't know why this place doesn't have better ratings. We went this morning and everything is so yummy. Our server was quick and pleasant too. We had Yucatan style breakfast, chips and salsa and Barbacoa tacos. Their salsa is spicy and tasty, different but really good. Their tortillas are different, we are definitely not in Texas anymore. We came here highly recommended for their Mexican food, not Tex-Mex. And we are not disappointed! Would love to go back for their mole.

If i could give this place no stars i honestly would. First let's start with the waitress we were given, she didn't know what she was serving us when asked and barely came around. ALL of the tacos were either bland and nasty or drenched in fruit and still nasty. The pork tacos were bland, the bistec was probably the only decent taco, the birria was bland and the chili con queso was like MoZerlla cheese (flavor wise too not just texture) to top it off when we got the bill we then found out the chips and salsa that's usually free at Mexican restaurants.... THEY CHARGE YOU $7.50. The waitress could've at least told us this when she brought it out. You are better off at a taco truck or Taco Bell then going to this place. I do NOT recommend it to anybody. It's definitely not worth the $200 spent or the time. I mean just look around when you get there and you'll already know you need to leave.

Best Queso Fundido I've ever had. Amazing atmosphere. Great service. Tacos were so good. Find this hidden gem on South Lamar and try it. We'll be back!!!

For some reason, I thought El Mesón was a super trendy restaurant with pricey fare. But this wasn't the case when my husband and I went last week armed with a generous gift certificate. We went early because we had both skipped lunch and we were hungry. So when we got there around 5p, there weren't many people at all. We opted to eat at the bar because that's what we like to do. We started with their guacamole and chips accompanied by really tasty salsa. The guac was prepared very well. I ordered the flautas de papa (potato Flautas) which were prepared exactly to my liking with corn tortillas. They paired well with the guac and the dirty martini. Derek had their shredded beef enchiladas with ranchero sauce. First, I must mention that he demolished the charro beans before I even had a chance to sample them. I've never seen him do that before. I suspect it was the bacon cooked with the beans that made them irresistible. The enchiladas were good and the ranchero sauce had a lightness and freshness that I have not experienced before. It makes me want to go home and duplicate it. We splurged on dessert, ordering tres leches cake. It was delicious though I've had better. Next time I'm giving their flan a try. Overall, we had a lovely time in this old stone building which they had decorated tastefully and sparingly. And each day, they put out a huge batch of fresh flowers which grace the corner of the bar. So I would say that El Mesón is classy in its own humble way. It doesn't need to scream "look at me! I'm so cool" but instead, lets the ambiance and food speak for itself. The servers were attentive, gentle and gracious. And though it's not cheap, the prices are super reasonable, especially for the quality of food. If you're looking for TexMex, go down the street to Maudie's or Matt's El Rancho. If you want something a little different off the beaten path, we have found it for you. It's a quiet space in the hubbub of South Lamar and ATX in general. Bonus: We have money left over on the gift certificate, so we will be back!

Best in Austin for brunch hands down if you want an Authentic Mexican food this the place you need to be has a variety of different types of dishes.

It's been awhile since I've written a review of any kind. I'm motivated by extreme love or hate of place to actually follow through. Welp. I LOVE this place. I mean, I could go on for days waxing poetic about my dining experience. El Sangrita Margarita was soooooo awesome. Solid kick from the alcohol and balanced sweet & bitter from the mulled berries. Enchiladas de Mole + black beans + rice = sumptuous. Guac & Salas = rich and deeply satisfying. Thank you, El Meson!!!!!!!

This was our first visit back in a year or more. Kudos to the management for stepping up their game. Great cocktails / Mexican martini was delicious I do love their pickled veggies with the unique salsas they offer & homemade tortilla chips! Guac is great Al Pastor mini tacos are tasty! cochinita pibil with achiote ! So delicious a slow cooked delight Service is good. Very attentive server Sarah

Delicious! I ordered the house margarita and the Enchiladas suizas with chicken. Both very good! Not too big portions, just right. VERY friendly staff! They let us try both types of moles before deciding. So10/10 recommend

This place freaking rocks! I missed Sunday brunch and this place knows how to do it! Lordy can they make some amazing food! The pancakes are divine and wow all the food is made with such great care you can really tell they love what they do! The owner makes sure the food is not uncovered for too long and she is always adding food and making sure everything is perfect and gosh is it really worth it! She is wicked amazing! The cakes were so on point I wish I would have not eaten so much of the amazing brunch so I could have had more desserts! Can't wait to come back!!!

I try to pick different eateries when I visit Austin and this place caught my eye. The bright decor is traditional Mexican appeal. Our server was very nice and suggested some menu items and I must say we were very satisfied.

I have driven past this place for years and just never stopped. I finally did and I am glad I did; hate that I didn't do it sooner. Every. Single. Thing. Was. Amazing. Their chips are probably the best I've ever had. The queso fundido with their homemade flour tortillas was unbelievably delicious. (Note: House-made tortillas make such a big difference.)The cheese getting crispy on the hot skillet! YUMMMM!!! The carnitas looked amazing and tasted even better. I've been talking this place up since I've been and found that people who have eaten here love it and people who haven't were like me in that they've noticed it but never stopped. But they will now.

Location was easy, parking was easy. We had good Mexican food. Salsa was delicious and spicy! No sugar stuff here. Much better salsa than Matt's el Rancho. Honestly I am surprised this place is not busier!! Just as tasty as Matt's and so much easier to get it. We felt important and usually at Matt's .. we feel like just a number. The margaritas were strong and delicious! My mom had one and got a buzz! She didn't even taste the tequila ;) They charge you for soda refills but with being a prime location.. I'm sure the rent is high. So that's seems ok. I will be coming here again!

Big fan. Their ceviche acapulequeño, chile relleno de res, & carne al pastor are so damn good. Also, they were serving complimentary (seriously good) margaritas on voting day to anyone who voted, which I think is lovely. The restaurant's interior is so beaut, as well.

TERRIBLE PLACE. T E R R I B L E! If you are looking for Mexican food you might as well make quesadillas at home. I promise you'll have more flavor than this place. We ordered a meal for 4 and it was barely enough. They TOOK FOREVER to bring tortillas and it was only meat. No guacamole. No salsa. No rice. NOTHING. If you come to this place, come at your own risk. Good luck.

I was super hesitant about the food based on the reviews. First thing to note: this is more interior style Mexican (which I LOVE) versus Tex Mex. It's important that you know the difference. If you expect texmex and get interior, you won't feel like your standards are met and visa versa. I'm a huge fan of interior Mexican food. This is much like cuisine found in and around Mexico City & Juarez. Ordered the guac & salsa trio - DELICIOUS. Paloma margarita - strong & delicious. Chicken Suiza enchiladas - great. Could have been hotter (temperature), but still amazing. Green Chile pork dish. AMAAAZING. This is my new go to when I need great interior Mexican. I have been burnt out on Tex mex for quite some time! (Been in Austin for 9 years). Enjoy.

So mediocre. Skip. So many good restaurants in austin and this one is solidly mediocre. The service is confused. The food is kind of flavorless. Parking is a disaster. Most mediocre to lower middling experience of my life. Spend your coins at El Alma, or De Nada, or LITERALLY ANY OTHER PLACE. Not this one.

Ate there last night. Chille Relleno del Res. Worse dish ever. Absolutely horrible. Left half on the plate. There were six of us and nobody liked what they got. Hard pass.

Loved this place!! Came on Friday night around 6 and had no wait to be seated or receive food. Excellent drinks, food, and the sweetest server. Highly recommend for great food and to support small business!

I've eaten here dozens of times and every time the food reminds me of my second love city (Austin is #1 obviously)! This particular time I went for my birthday. I have spent the past 15 years traveling, but found myself fond of Mexico City and have bonded there ever since. Seeking a good place with Chile en Nogada, which is by far my favorite birthday dish, and somewhere that would accommodate a group of 15+, I decided upon El Mesón. Not only were they organized, and the food was prepared perfectly, they also took the time to sing Las Mañanitas for me, by request of a friend. What an amazing establishment!

One star only because I couldn't give zero stars. The food was okay, the margaritas were good but service was shit. Sorry for my language but when you take forever when the place is empty.

The food was okay but its overpriced and the service was horrible. We xame in Saturday morning and they had maybe 4 other tables besides ours but everything took a while to come out and it took a while for a server to come over. I ordered the juevos con mole rojo. It was tastey but its a sweet mole recipe, it needed some spice added to the dish and they over cooked my eggs. My friend also had overcooked eggs and his chilaquiles looked unappetizing. The other two in our party ordered the barbacoa tacos, one of the most expensive items on the menu, and when it came out they only got two small tacos. No sides, they both were still hungry and agreed it was definitely not worth the cost.

Food was great. Good quantity and quality. Nachos definitely feed at least 2. They have a nice happy hour as well.

Saturday brunch was Wandered here when Snooze's wait was too long and do not regret it. Get the chilaquiles! Patio seating is nice, brought my dog. Staff is accommodating to custom requests and is friendly.

Went here for a work holiday ornament exchange lunch and it is a very beautiful restaurant on the inside. There were only two servers working though and several large lunch groups...it took forever to get our food ordered, served and then closing out the tabs. I find that the food was somewhat creative and had some potential but fell flat with delivery and taste. I got the seasonal special of the Chiles en Nogada....it was a very large portion and it was presented beautifully, but the flavors were a little dull and not inspired as compared to how it was described on the menu. I didn't like that salsa and chips were $3 and the chips were stale and tasted a little burnt...the salsas were very good though. Overall, I think everyone in the group of 12 people were not too impressed and it took almost 2 hours to get us out the door and back to work so not sure if I would return but it wasn't completely horrible.

We came here looking for brunch, but we barely missed it, so we decided to stay and enjoy their lunch. They still had $3 Mimosas and they were very tasty. We had a assortment of salsas to try at the table, which all were very good. For our appetizer we ordered queso fundido, and it was insanely amazing, the only thing I wish came with it was warmer for it Bc the queso did start to harden. We also order the enchiladas and flautas which were amazing. Over all I would definitely come back here and try their brunch!

Dining here felt like being in Mexico City! The handmade tortilla chips, salsa varieties, and craft cocktails are some of the best I've had in Austin. I ordered the flautas papas and can't wait to get them again. Our server Haley was so kind and welcoming. Best mexican restaurant in Austin!

Stopped in after moving to the neighborhood. Very disappointed. No free salsa. Small portions, esp appetizers. My main course was cold. Margaritas were good. Not too sweet. Won't be back.

Awesome Saturday brunch with ZERO wait time. We love Snooze down the street, but the 1hr wait for a table can be a bit extra. Really authentic Mexican food.

Where to begin? Slow, borderline non-existent service? Overpriced brunch buffet? Or the stale, dry food? This was our first visit and we came with friends who have frequented this restaurant before. At the time we arrived, 1:30pm, our friends were already seated and had ordered. We were told it's Sunday Brunch until 2pm and informed its $25/person, drinks not included. Our friends said this was a new rise in price since their previous visit, when it was $18. My girl wasn't very hungry and when we asked if it's possible to see a menu for something other than the brunch we are told the kitchen is only doing brunch until 2pm so we'll have to wait until 2pm for something else. When I asked if it's possible to just get a side of bacon or sausage, both served on the brunch, the waitress was confused and said she'd get a manager, who never came. If we hadn't been with friends, we'd have left then. We both ended up having the brunch. It's a decent size spread but definitely not worth $25. Several labeled dishes were empty and when I asked if they were making anymore, I was told no because brunch is almost over. It's ridiculous that they charge full price but do not maintain the only items available until the brunch is over. Nothing I had, coffee, black beans, brussel sprouts, gorditas, guac, potatoes, etc tasted very good. It wasn't bad but it definitely didn't make me want to return. When I made a second trip to the buffet I looked for a clean plate but none were made available. When I asked a server if we re-use our plates, she said no but she too could not find any plates. She had to go to the back and bring one out for me. Our waitress rarely stopped by our table and only once re-filled our drinks. These re-fills were useless since they don't have straws and she grabbed our glasses by the rim where our mouths go. I rarely write 1 star reviews but this place earned it. It was the most frustrating brunch I've ever experienced; it was so bad it was almost comedic...almost.

The best Caldo in the city, hands down. The margaritas were incredible too!! My husband had the green mole and it was earthy and the right level of spicy. Overall experience I would give it a 10.

I don't know what is going on at this normally fabulous restaurant but when I was asked for my name and phone number and refused to give my phone number the owner or manager not sure which later came over and began screaming at me waving a piece of paper in my face that was highlighted saying that she had been asked to get this information. I told her the waitress had said the same thing but I'm not giving my phone number. Contact tracing is unconstitutional and I will not participate in it. I mean what's next concentration camps? The woman started screaming and waving the paper some more and screaming and screaming and I kept saying I am not Giving you my phone number and she just wouldn't leave! I finally just started eating again. I think it will be a long time before I come in here again. If ever. The Smart thing for her to do would be to make up a phone number. I mean how hard is that?

Amazing food! Our favorite Mexican restaurant in Austin. Their weekend buffet is also amazing!

Wow, what a great brunch spot! They open at 10am and have a huge variety of brunch offerings. Service was very friendly and personable, the staff and cooks talked to us about the different dishes and how brunch works. In addition to the buffet, they make eggs, pancakes, and street snacks to order that are included in the $15 brunch price. $3 fresh squeezed mimosas and house made bloody Mary's to top it all off! The buffet had a beautiful spread of salads: watermelon with micro greens, kale and quinoa with sweet potatoes, greens with fruit and cheese. There was ceviche, pozole, carnitas, mole, sopecitos, tamales, rice, beans, guacamole. Even an entire desert table! Basically everything your little heart could desire. When I'm in the mood to stuff my face with deliciousness, I will definitely be back here!

Chips and guacamole were awesome. Order the chicken fajitas and was very satisfied (just wish it came with a salsa or some type of sauce). Otherwise, awesome!!! Will be back again :)

I just can't. Nope- not after that ceviche. Neva again- because the way I felt the next day could only have been from cubes of fish and not flakes in that ceviche. I won't go into detail, but I had a 4+ hour long make out session with the porcelain. Ceviche Acapulqueño Fish ceviche mixed with our Acapulco-style salsa, served with totopos. As for the rest of my experience. The pineapple margarita was amazing. delicious- highly recommend!! Service was very welcoming and warm. Great customer experience. Salsa was tasty and my tacos were cute little tiny bites of yum-o. Taquitos de Espinacas (marked as a appetizer, but i had as my meal. uuuum spinach.) Our vegetarian antojito. Sauteed baby spinach and caramelized onions garnished with cotija cheese and served with chipotle salsa on the side. the item my friends ordered were equally as drool worthy, but that ceviche experience will prevent me from returning. Mole Verde (most excellent dish- you gotta give it a go!!! ) Shredded chicken breast in our special green mole, made with pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, chile serrano, and fresh green

I love this place! The margaritas are good, and strong. They know their stuff, and have a variety of tequilas. Next time, I'll come in to drink the tequilas. This time, I spent the evening with my family on their front patio. The food is authentic and delicious ! Our waitress was awesome. So friendly, and willing to share her stories about the tequila. If you're driving too fast, you'll miss this place. But slow down, and come in. Or better, sit out on their patio. I would give this place a solid 4 1/2. Awesome ! And save room for dessert. The tres leches is delicious !

Good food, good service.our dinner was great, with, for me. Mole enchiladas were excellent. Decent margaritas also.