Fonda San Miguel

"The Mexican Allandale restaurant is an iconic stop for Mexican food, with a gorgeous and distinctive facade. The bartender adds a Grand Marnier foam to its Luis Miguel margarita, alongside all sorts of other margarita options, including the classic sangria swirl. Pull up a stool at the bar and sip slowly from the straw while taking in some great people watching at this spot. For those who plan to stay for dinner, reservations are available on Resy." - Kayleigh Hughes

"Fonda San Miguel harkens back to an era when a gallon of gas cost 50 cents (1975, if you don’t feel like googling), but it takes more than time alone to become a household name. They’ve put out consistently good fine dining takes on classics from Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz, and Yucatan in a dining room with a skylight, terracotta walls, and carved wooden furniture. Order the tenderloin carne asada and shredded duck enchiladas, then grab a couple of watermelon margaritas to wash them down." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs

"Co-founders chef Miguel Ravago, who passed away in 2017, and his business partner Tom Gilliland introduced interior Mexican cuisine from Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz, and Yucatan to Austinites in the 1970s at this Allandale restaurant. The place draws diners in right away with its adobe facade; the folk art on the walls brings to life the culture of Mexico and the Indigenous people who inhabit it. The menu is full of great dishes like cochinita pibil and ancho rellenos, while the queso fundido earns rave reviews. The restaurant makes it part of the mission to continue evolving with Mexican cuisine, and offers several vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free dishes." - Melanie Haupt

"For those who think a quiet dinner sounds stuffy, head to the Rosedale neighborhood Mexican restaurant. From the colorful, lively interior to the exquisite mole poblano, the higher-end establishment is a beacon of a good time. There are indoor dine-in services." - Erin Russell

"This high-end restaurant in Allandale is a classic for a reason: co-founders Tom Gilliland and late chef Miguel Ravago are credited for really focusing on finer-dining interior Mexican food in Austin since the 1970s. There are the classic regional Mexican dishes like the array of chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, and wagyu steak tacos, all to be enjoyed in the beautiful dining rooms decked out with Mexican artwork. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services." - Nadia Chaudhury, Erin Russell