Polvo's Downtown Central

Nice version of the original on south first. Authentic Mexican, great tacos. A little pricey, but not terrible. Other comments talk about the music volume. I think it was at 7pm they literally turned down the lights and upped the music volume. We went from restaurant to club in 30 seconds.

For me it was amazing: Great food, specially the fajitas, oh and tge queso as an appetizer, a great atmosphere at the bar with great chips and two hot sauces (red, green). A very noce taco bar with all types of sauces and stuff for whatever Mexican you ordered. Each bowl of salsa for $4 a piece. Don't get too late or the place will be totally crowded.

Veggie fajitas are giant and so delicious. The platter is huge and the flavors were fantastic - we had mushrooms and cabbage and zucchini and all sorts of things that went beautifully in a taco with some salsa. Yay! Their salsa bar is also a winner- there are many options and for a flat and affordable price you can serve yourself. I think that's fantastic. Margaritas are also good.

Customer service was amazing for the size had was 15-20 people. Isabella or Isabel was amazing with customer service and accommodations for my disabled family members. The food was delicious and presentation was wonderful. It was cool with a variety of Salsas. The atmosphere was good but it felt like a club at times with the music loud and it was at times difficult to speak to each other. Overall, they were amazing with food, service, and accommodations. I would recommend this location but be sure to setup a reservation so you won’t have to wait.

We came here for a birthday dinner with a group of 20 people. Since the group was large we ordered and paid ahead to avoid issues with splitting checks, however when we arrived at the restaurant at 7:50 for our 8:00 pm reservation we were then forced to wait over an hour to be seated at our table. The host repeatedly assured us that the servers taking care of the table we had reserved were urging their patrons to leave, however we instead watched the servers take numerous additional drink orders and make zero effort to ask their tables to leave for the next party to be seated. At one point the manager of the restaurant tried to make our group wait outside in the pouring rain with no cover, as we were apparently inconveniencing the entrance to the restaurant. After over an hour of waiting we were finally seated at disconnected tables at 9:30 pm, our food was cold as it had been prepared over an hour and a half earlier and we did not receive even an apology from the staff for the wait. I understand that a restaurant sees a group of young adults and assumes that we are not well paying customers and doesn't give the same quality of service as a group of adults in our situation would have received however, it was extremely disrespectful that even when our group made an effort to go above and beyond to make the restaurant's job easier for them by making a reservation, calling the day of to confirm the reservation, ordering and paying ahead and arriving on time for our reservation we were treated with such disrespect. It is a shame that the food is so delicious at this restaurant but none of their staff is equipped with basic service skills. When one makes a reservation they expect the staff to honor that reservation and have their table prepared. They do not expect to have to wait over an hour, be berated by staff and encouraged to leave a restaurant we had already ordered and paid for food at because they decided to take too many walk-in tables on a busy Saturday night and could not manage it. This was absolutely unacceptable and this was not the first time a similar situation has happened to both myself and friends. This location needs to be under new management immediately, or else this lack of professionalism will seriously damage the reputation of the chain.

WARNING MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR BANK STATEMENTS AFTER YOU VISIT I dined here over the weekend and the food was decent but in reviewing my bank transactions, I noticed that the charge was $4 higher than what I had signed for on my receipt. It seems that whoever entered the total added a little (unauthorized) something extra. I’m very disappointed that this happened and I will be cautioning anyone who wants to dine here what happened.

Food was great but misses the mark for the dining environment. The house beef enchiladas were great. Everyone enjoyed what they got. There were pricy options on the menu but we were all happy with our $18 plates. Generous portions, good flavor. Now for the atmosphere… the music was fine at first and then all of a sudden they started blaring it. My husband asked them to turn it down at least while we were there and they did honor the request. But I’m not sure why they turned it up that much, especially seeing others here in the reviews complaining about it, too. Another issue was how hot it was inside. It was uncomfortably warm and even worse in the bathroom. The bathroom was painfully loud with music and felt like there was no air conditioning at all. The waitress was fine but not really all that friendly. Maybe just having a bad day? Unsure. We want to eat here again but we wish management would make the dining experience more pleasant.

Polvo's has been serving solid Mexican food in Austin since the late 1990s at their S 1st location and I've been going since they opened. Yet when I happen to be here in this downtown area and in need of food, I can't go wrong at this location. It has the same amazing salsa bar and fantastic house-made flour and corn tortillas -- which is the main reason we visit. This morning, just after the Thanksgiving holiday, we stopped in after shopping around the downtown area and had some ceviche and their amazing sauces and tortillas. The plus is they have both good indoor seating as well as outdoor seating that is lovely when the weather is nice. Service was kind as always and top-notch. Regular's tip: the street tacos are authentic perfection!

I was really surprised to see some of the negative reviews for Polvo's, as that definitely didn't reflect my experience. I came here as part of a happy hour with my coworkers, and had a total blast. Our server was exceptionally kind and helpful, and was super attentive over the course of the night. The food and drinks were all exceptional, and I was a big fan of my margarita and the chips, salsa, and guac that we got. Ambiance wise, totally incredible. We sat on the patio overlooking the creek, and it was a total vibe with the trees and all. We even saw some raccoons walking way down at the creek. In the end I ended up forgetting my bag at the restaurant (wups) but the host and manager were super kind when I called to ask if it was still there, and they found it in a snap and were able to give it to me the next day. A+ on all fronts.

Server was sweet, she did as best she could. The rest of the evening was horrible. Bathrooms were not clean, no paper towels in the men's or women's restrooms. Food was ok. Took forever to receive tortillas for the fajita plate we ordered. Had to ask several times. Sad watered down margaritas. Manager was whack when we asked for assistance with multiple problems.

Live music was way too loud next to us. We didn't want them that close to us. Food and salsa was great. Good size portion. Service was good.

If you want delicious food please don't come here, I had only ever had good experiences here but I went earlier today and their shredded chicken had so much cumin seasoning an overpowering taste, gave me stale chips and stayed an upcharge of if I wanted chips from a different batch that where not stale & the flautas where so soggy from the oil still inside them - I used to love it here now it's just trash

Got fajita chicken enchiladas and was impressed by the size but the price was pretty steep for the food quality in my opinion. The meal was not that much better than any of the standard TexMex options in town (ie. Chuys) so I'm unsure as to why it cost so much. We visited for a birthday dinner and our server and food got to us fairly quickly, which was great. The overall ambiance of the place was pretty standard ... really nothing too special about this restaurant IMO but left the meal feeling very stuffed!

I will say, it is hard to get to depending on where you park. You may have to cross a dark bridge or cross busy streets. That shouldn't deter you. The tacos a la carte were delicious. I assumed there were no sides with them, but they both had sides. Clarify with your server before ordering! The salsas were in order on our table from mild to spiciest. They really were hot!!! The Mexican Martini and the Margaritas were both delicious!!! Our server was friendly, quick, and informative. The place was cozy despite sitting by the door and feeling the cool breeze.

DELICIOUS skinny margarita, especially with a tajin rim! The fajitas were a great portion and delicious, a little pricey overall, and they are NOT transparent about the salsa costing money, which it does! Don't be fooled it's not free, we were also charged extra for 3 sides of cheese when we had 1 ordered. Great experience especially to sit on the patio! The Christmas lights add to the ambiance out side!

Good go to spot downtown for margaritas, salsa bar, queso and guacamole! Nice outdoor patio. Can accommodate large groups easily. Friendly staff. Will take reservations or walk in- always been seated quickly.

My fiancé & I have eaten here a few times, and have always enjoyed it. Each time we went we showed up impromptu & without a reservation and were seated immediately anyway, which was nice. As for the food, their guacamole is delicious! Definitely recommend that as an appetizer. Their entrees are solid as well. The outdoor seating at this location is nice too. Overall, I am a fan of Polvos and we will be back for sure!

Ate food, it was okay. There was stuff I didn't want on my food, it was fine. The patio is beautiful the bathroom is messy though, my mom got pissed at the manager for not depressing the bill. I didn't pay though so I don't care.

Amazing experience and food! The service was pretty good but you can't expect every time to be spectacular. I got the chicken fajitas and it was delicious. Best in Austin and sometimes they even have amazing music. Love, Elvira T

Best Mexican food in Austin TX!! Soo yummy very friendly staff, clean restaurant kind of a loud setting

Ya las al pastor were good, fish tacos were delicious too. My mother sharing information lol. She is the best advertising for the restaurant lol. If she likes the, you would love it too!

This place isn't really what it used to be, I remember it used to get so packed and fun and I loved it. I feel like they really let the business and it's quality go down a bit since they first opened. The food is still good, a bit too greasy but delicious. Rafa our server was amazing! The drinks are strong which is another plus to coming here. Nice patio views, great location downtown.

We came here for a bachelorette party mostly because it's one of the only places that did reservations for 10+ people. Overall the food was OK, but I just have a major issue with paying $50/person for margaritas and enchiladas with a self serve salsa bar and where they put our group at plastic picnic tables and chairs. If you're going to charge prices like that you have to either have amazing food, a unique ambiance, or something special offered and this didn't have any of that. Mediocre texmex at best.

Food is decent. But they'll nickel and dime you...charge for everything lil thing; it's annoying. Like I said the food is decent but check your receipt! They have a tendency at this location to over-charge your bill. Adding extra drinks or things that weren't ordered. Meh...

Used to love polvos portions are worse than chipotle wayyy too expensive too queso is also a 4/10 margs are good and a decent price

A great place in downtown Austin. Definitely come here for the drinks, they're a bit pricey but the amount of alcohol in them and their taste is so worth it. I had the puntas de filete with chicken and that was amazing and also a pina colada that was both strong and delicious. I highly recommend sitting outside, as it's so much more lively and nice.

I ordered the shrimp ceviche and it was more than enough to split as an appetizer for 4 people. I thought I made it half way and I still have a decent size to go. At the bar is a little too loud for me with the music, but the main dining looks very nice with a little bit of fun. All the staff seem to be very tentative and the bartender was on top of it.

If you're looking for a tex-mex(y) spot in downtown, then this is it... if it's not a chain or a Mexican restaurant that is more upscale that you're looking for. Polvo's I believe is a local restaurant with two locations, and I prefer this one because the wait is far less then their south one. You can also call this location for reservations. It's casual but can also be dressy with a great indoor ambiance. The patio area is okay, but it may be more fun in the summertime. For a vegetarian, it's perfect because they have a great veggie enchilada dish and their sauces are very tasty. It's not amazing, but it was good. Usually your only option is cheese enchiladas at other places so it's nice to add something different to the mix. Their drinks are also on point. I've had alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and they're both amazing. A little pricey, but the virgin pina colada hit the spot!

Fajitas Al Guajillo Sizzling chicken, beef or al pastor, sautéed with sun-dried peppers, pecans, raisins, peanuts, grilled onions, and peppers. Served with guacamole and sour cream.

Like many other reviewers, I had my credit card mischarged (twice!) after dining here once. The manager insisted on refunding via Venmo rather than canceling the transaction, which suggests to me that they are trying to hide the frequency of this issue from their payment processors. We actually had two issues: 1. They increased our tip by an extra few dollars. Fortunately I took a photo of the original receipt. 2. They randomly charged our card $50 two days later. Food was fine, but I'm avoiding until management changes.

We walked in, were seated, and then were promptly ignored for 15-20 minutes. Another table was seated nearby and immediately had a server, who then proceeded to walk by and not acknowledge us, so we left. South first location is way better, go there.

I miss the old Polvos :( The food decreased in value. Reservations required? Not at the Polvos I've been to in the past. I wish the menu didn't change either.

One of my new favorite TexMex spots in Austin. Stopped by hear for a quick appetizer and chose the Choriqueso and was super thrilled to find out that it was fundido style. Highly recommend getting this and immediately stirring it up!

Food is ridiculous expensive and quality/flavors not there. Two appetizers and two drinks was $72 for lunch! $15 guacamole that had no flavor so we had to order jalapeños which were $2 so a $17 mediocre guacamole. Makes no sense. Cocktails don't have prices on the menu and we're $17 each! Place was freezing since their heat doesn't work (hint: close down) atmosphere and view were non existant as they have white plastic covers on the terrace that block the view. Service was average. Never again!

Enjoyed the food, but nothing over the top! The service was great, we had a big group of people and they exceeded expectations. I'm quite the quesadilla snob, and this was pretty average. I think the portion was great, filled to the brim and not thin like many places get away with but there are other places in town I'd grab one from over Polvo's. Will have to go back and try other options!

TLDR: Bad for big parties, go somewhere else!!! I made a reservation for 15 on a Friday night for a birthday dinner. I called multiple times to confirm it was the right location & that my table would be outside. We got there and the hostess said they never got the reservation. I showed her the number I had been calling to confirm and she rolled her eyes at me and said we don't have room outside but I guess we can fit you inside. Once we got sat, we had a nice waiter that never checked on us. We watched all of the workers sit in the kitchen and talk while we sat with empty water glasses waiting to order. I personally work in the food industry and would never ever accept this type of service and then slap an auto grat on when they did nothing :) The food is also just very mid level but the drinks are strong i guess. POLVOS DT IS A SWING AND A MISS!!!

I can't believe they call themselves a Polvo's. It was like a bad millennial club restaurant in here, nothing like the Polvo's on South First we know and love. I brought my boyfriend's 50-something aunt and uncle and 17 year old cousin because they wanted Mexican and we needed a DT restaurant. We literally walked in , got seated and walked out. We couldn't hear ourselves think let alone enjoy a dinner together chatting. Zero ambiance other than club music blasting and young people yelling at their dining companions over the music. I could not recommend more that you skip this spot when downtown dining.

Food is amazing. Love the shrimp fajitas. I crave them alllll the time. The ambiance is very nice, modern and sleek. Beautiful patio as well.

DO NOT GO HERE WITH LARGE PARTIES. Went with a large group and they served us 20 very expensive guacamoles that we didn't ask for, 8 quesos that we didn't ask for, and refused to take it back when we said we didn't order it or that we didn't want it. Polvos will try their best to scam you, highly recommend you take your parties to another kinder, more accommodating location that does not try to overcharge your party by $700.

Came here and fast seating, not even 10 min passed with 6 people we got a table. Ordered "Cantarito" well served 10/10. Food! Oh man' so flavorful and reasonable potions and price. Services very helpful and kind. I loved it. The atmosphere was also great. Super surprised how great everything it was. 10/10 thank you!

Currently here right now for my birthday. We got here and they sat us down, gave us chips and water and didn't explain that salsa was self served. They then didn't come to our table for about 15 minutes and we had to go in and ask for service while they were dancing around and talking to each other. We then got our food without silverware. Worse experience I've had. One of my friends who was here also waited at the bar for 5 mins with no one to help him even though they were all standing around. They ran out of rice at a Mexican restaurant??? Food was mid without the rice. Only good thing I could say is JAKE attended to us very well after realizing his team was failing to do so since they were too busy on there phones and dancing. Lastly whoever's on aux playing music needs to make up there mind and quit skipping songs 30 secs in.

DO NOT GO HERE THEY WILL SCAM YOU. They brought out so many things my table we did not oder and after we sent it back they still charged us and refused to give us a refund. I ordered one 40$ pitcher and had to pay 150$! I am having to file fraud because they refused to reimburse me and were very rude.

Came in around 11 am on a Friday with a party of 6 and was seated immediately. Loved that they have a serve your own salsa bar with many options. We tried the queso which to my surprise was served with a scoop of guacamole and ground beef on the side. It was delicious when mixed together. I had a watermelon margarita, which I did not care for at all. It was definitely fake watermelon flavoring as opposed to fresh. I did try a sip of a Paloma which was very good. We ordered the Goliath burrito, cerveza fajitas, and a taco/enchilada combo plate. Some friends that I was with said that the cerveza fajitas are their favorite of any Mexican restaurant, but this time when they ordered them, they came with pieces of sausage, and less beef. It evidently was just beef in the past, so they were pretty bummed. The restaurant interior was pretty and service was good.

An outdoor table at Polvo's Downtown transports you to an oasis in downtown Austin! With traditional Mexican favorites on the menu, the quality is reliably high and the portions always generous. Don't miss the salsa bar!!!

The food is mid. Service is AWFUL. I waited 30 minutes for a coke, and another hour for my food to come out. Only giving this place a second star because the atmosphere is cool.

So good!! I love the outdoor patio and the whole vibe. The food was good and the service was GREAT! It's perfect for a nice long dinner!

SLOOOOOOWEST SERVICE EVERRRRR!!! We were seated, a basket of chips was put in the table and that was all. 15 minutes later (really) we saw a gentleman walking past and asked him if we could order drinks and salsa. He directed us to the self serve salsa bar and said he would get a server. Server showed up quickly and we ordered drinks which arrived at a very reasonable time. We ordered 6 street tacos. 3 chicken and 3 al pastor. The al pastor was inedible. Dry and burnt. Salsa didn't even revive it. The chicken had a good flavor, but was also dry. After requesting the check, we finally received it after another 15 minute wait. Never again. I do not recommend this place.

I was about to embark on a long walk to Zilker on a hot, humid day and stopped here to fuel up before I passed out on my walk. We were seated promptly and our server was wonderful. We happened to make it in time for happy hour which isn't all that special. The "deals" include $5 off a pitcher of margs a couple of bucks of their guac. We opted to get the pitcher of their classic house marg (the only one that gives you a happy hour discount), the guac, and enchilladas dona clara. The drinks didn't have enough alcohol in them and the guacamole tasted a little off but the enchilladas were good! The portion was massive and we were super grateful that we had decided to split it because it is A LOT for one person. There is a self-serve salsa bar inside consisting of 4 different sauces. The red ones were weirdly sweet and I would pass on those but the others were nice. Overall, the food was okay and did the job but it wasn't anything to write home about

Polvo's, you have a lot of nerve! Your server added a 27% gratuity to my group's check without informing us ahead of time. 27%!!!!! I can understand adding a 15% gratuity for a larger group (we had 7), but 27% is outrageous. And the service and food were average at best. Our group of 7, all Austin residents who will spread the word about your shameful taking advantage of customers, will never dine here again.

Nothing like Polvos South, environment wise, but just as good, food wise. Went on a Friday night and it was definitely more of a party scene. Busy but we were able to grab a spot at the busy bar and order food and drinks. The drinks seemed pricier than they should have been, but the bartender was friendly and attentive. Food came out quick and was really good!

Went on a HH with my group of girl friends, drank and ate, our waitress automatically added gratuity which was easy for me- checked bank account a few days later and she TIPPED HERSELF $40 On top of the $60 already automatically gratuity. Manager apologized but our waitress took advantage of a few tipsy girls. happened a few times according to other reviews. Be aware!!

Decent food but be warned, they do not split checks so this is NOT a place for large parties. We weren't told this until after we had eaten and were ready to pay which was very difficult for a party of 20. Could have been told this on the phone when I made the reservation, when we sat down, and even before we ordered so that's a bit upsetting that a restaurant in the day and age cannot separate checks not inform the guests they cannot. Molly our server was great other than that. The beef fajitas were 3.5/5. The beef was okay but when mixed with the entire platter, it tasted great. Tortillas were good too. They have bottomless salsa however it's 3.99/person.

This is the worst place ever. 1 star is too much. Had reservation weeks ahead & they tried to seat us at a fold out table. They don't care & don't deserve ANY business

I would have posted yesterday, but was feeling I'll after eating at Polvo. Have not been back for several years. Was Seated at the bar and waited for someone to clear to plates, utensils, and clean the bar. After several minutes, they recognize we were seated. The staff did not clean the the plates, glassware and glasses. To our left and right on the bar were used plates, glasses and unclean counters. Finally ordered. Took over 20 minutes to receive our food. The chicken quesadilla were cold, lacked any flavor. The enchiladas plate I ordered was cold, lacked flavor. Did I see our waitress? No. Only item good to eat were the tortilla chips. Another 10 minutes passed, we had to request our check. My tip was. No tip for poor quality food and poor staff and service. Many great restaurants in ATX. Forget Polvo.

Wow! I have been to the Polvo's near SoCo but Polvo's DT is a whole different experience you have to partake! I came here late after ACL one evening as I walked back to EA with some friends. We stopped in as it was open and we sat for some drinks. It is a whole different Polvo's. It is a fancy modern version that takes on a DT feel. I like it as I find myself seeing many businesses doing a chain feel where as this is more personal and unique. The drinks were fantastic of course nothing shocking there and the salsa bar is prettier. Chips I believe are different than SoCo but I couldn't exactly recall. I did like them for sure but that stuck in head to visit the other soon. I plan to eat dinner here soon and the outside seating will serve well when it wasn't as hot as it was that evening. Check it out and don't forget their Mexican Martinis!

To expensive for what it is. Bad service, clueless waitresses. Part of the kitchen is open and face the main dining area, so when they use the food processor you wont be able to talk or listen to the music, in addition our eyes start watering because of the onions or chiles they were cooking. We talked to the different employees but they didn't care. If yiu hate someone you should take it to this restaurant.

We were a larger, walk-in party that was accommodated quickly. We loved the self-serve salsa & were given generous amounts of chips throughout our visit. Despite the restaurants POS service being down, they already had a resolution to continue our dine-in experience. However, beyond that the service was not great unfortunately. As the POS issue was resolved, we all order individually. As I had to leave early, I asked to pay for my food & was informed that the bill must be split a minimum of 4 ways. We all ordered very differently & scrambled to figure out who would cover whom.

PSA: WORKERS ARE RUDE AND YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE A RESERVATION HERE! This employee is completely disrespectful. He yells and laughs at customers. My party made a 2 week in advance reservation he disregarded it and just sat people freely. When I went up to tell him that we were extremely upset, like any customer would be; he yelled in my face and was completely insensitive and smirking the entire time. The management shouldn't be freely seating people when there's a reservation. Any restaurant I've ever been to has never done this. This is so unprofessional and my entire party and I will never be back at this location if they continue to keep such rude staff.