Matt's El Rancho
Tex-Mex restaurant · South Lamar
2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Highlights
Iconic Tex-Mex institution known for Bob Armstrong dip & margaritas
Iconic Tex-Mex institution known for Bob Armstrong dip & margaritas
"Matt’s is the full monty of classic Tex-Mex experiences, set in an enormous restaurant with multiple dining rooms, a sprawling patio, and seating for 500 people. Even then, there’s almost always a wait for a table. It’s pretty kitschy, but that only contributes to the theme-park-ish experience. Will the sizzling fajitas and boozy margaritas change your life? Almost certainly not. But they’ll guarantee a fun evening." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs
"This is the full monty of classic Tex-Mex experiences, set in an enormous restaurant with multiple dining rooms, a sprawling patio, and seating for 500 people. Even then, there’s almost always a wait for a table. It’s pretty kitschy—with an outdoor fountain and giant metal suns hanging from the walls—but in an endearing way. Head to Matt’s after an afternoon at Zilker Park up the road. Order a margarita and the Bob Armstrong dip—it’s a mix of queso, beef taco meat, and guacamole—then close your eyes and point anywhere on the menu. Rest assured that you’ll end up with some glorious mess of tortillas, meat, and melted cheese." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"The margaritas at this iconic South Lamar restaurant are always a good choice, especially the Cactus Pryor, a prickly pear frozen margarita. Matt’s is a longtime Austin favorite hangout and beloved Tex-Mex joint, so stay awhile and pair that margarita with the enchiladas. Are you even in Austin if you didn’t eat on the patio beneath the iconic red umbrellas?" - Kayleigh Hughes
"This is the full monty of kitschy Tex-Mex experiences. Even though the building seats 500 people and has a giant patio, there's almost always a wait for a table. Regulars know the servers by name, there's a dramatic outdoor fountain, and everyone drinks margaritas. Order one of those, plus the Bob Armstrong dip—a mix of queso, beef taco meat, and guacamole—then close your eyes and point anywhere on the menu. Rest assured, you’ll end up with some glorious mess of tortillas, meat, and melted cheese." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs
"The long waits for a table on weekends suggest that for some, nostalgia, tradition, and Bob Armstrong dip outmaneuvers haute cuisine. The Tex-Mex icon has been an Austin classic since 1952 in the South Lamar neighborhood when Matt and Janie Martinez opened it — he was the face, she was the chef. Today, their daughters own the place. Folks come here for grilled quail stuffed with cheese, the many iterations of chile rellenos, mesquite-grilled steaks, and Mexican martinis." - Melanie Haupt
