Habanero Cafe
Mexican restaurant · Dawson
501 W Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704
Highlights
Authentic Tex-Mex with spicy salsa, fajitas, and great value
Authentic Tex-Mex with spicy salsa, fajitas, and great value
"Habanero is home to some of the best fajitas in town, and that alone makes it worth a visit at any time of the day. (But not at night—they're closed for dinner.) Get the fajitas ranchera style and they’ll arrive extra spicy with with charred jalapeños, onions, and tomatoes tossed in. It’s been around since the ’90s, amassing a following of old-school Austinites and new transplants alike. Show up during prime breakfast or lunch hours on the weekends, and you’ll inevitably find a wait. It’s worth it." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"The little family-owned Mexican restaurant in Dawson is a beloved dining choice by those in the know. For almost 30 years, the chori-migas plate and menudo have been go-tos for anyone needing to recover from a night out. The small, homey space also offers terrific enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, and more. Beware of the fiery habanero salsa — it is no joke." - Erin Russell
"Matt’s El Rancho and El Alma have flashier real estate, but Habanero is South Austin’s Mexican MVP. It’s cramped and fast-paced in an appealing way, with a down-home charm that makes you hope the food will be great. Fortunately, it is. Show up anytime—they’re only open for breakfast and lunch, though—and you’ll sense that half the crowd are longtime regulars who can recite the menu. It’s a diner-sized list focused mostly on dishes like fajitas, burritos, migas, and huevos rancheros, any of which can be topped with housemade salsas." - matthew jacobs, nicolai mccrary
"Habanero is on our list of the 25 best restaurants in Austin, so here’s the rare opportunity to get a life-changing (or at least day-making) experience without spending a lot. This is Tex-Mex at its homey best. Try the huevos gringos, our favorite breakfast combo plate. It's over-easy eggs covered in queso and served with carne guisada, refried beans, fries, and tortillas for good measure." - nicolai mccrary
"This family-run Mexican/Tex-Mex diner has been serving breakfast and lunch in South Austin for over 25 years, and like moonlight towers or grackles or burnt orange, it’s just part of the city’s landscape. It’s hard to imagine Austin without it. If you go during a prime breakfast hour, especially on the weekends, there will be a wait. It’s worth it, especially for the killer fajitas or the huevos gringos—the most perfect (and unique and absurd) breakfast combo plate in which over-easy eggs get covered in queso, and then served with carne guisada, refried beans, fries, and tortillas for good measure." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs, raphael brion
