Rosie's Tamale House

Rosie’s has been here for more than 50 years, and decades ago. I used to come here when I was in graduate school. It felt a lot different back then, back then it was a way out in the country and 71 was a two lane very quiet road, instead of a big highway with tons of traffic. It had a certain hole in the wall, country charm, the way the original Salt Lake barbecue did back at the same time. It is traditional Tex-Mex food, like a lot of Tex-Mex restaurants, but the appeal of driving out into the country to go here, Just like it used to be to drive to the county line. Restaurants is different now. I think that has slowed down their business a lot.

The food was bland, it had a terrible, unappealing presentation. The tamales tasted like those that are sold at supermarkets and pork filling had the seasoning and texture of coming from a can. The enchiladas were dull, the same canned flavor with an extraordinarily nasty presentation in which the same shade of brown was the predominant color. The kid's menu was also, for sure, made of frozen fries and a low quality sausage that has been on a warming machine for a few days. The ambiance was stalled in the 80s. It seems that repairs everywhere are urgently needed as well as someone to pay attention to their senseless decoration. Please avoid paying for something that will disappoint you. And don't pay with card because they will pass the fee to the customer.

I loved the cafe atmosphere and the service was amazing. Unfortunately, since prior visits, the food was really not good. Tamales had very little flavor, the chili rellenos had celery in it, and the chicken fried steak batter did not stay on the meat at all. With a little more attention to the food, this place could be great.

We used to enjoy Rosie’s monthly, always had authentic tasty Mexican classics. Stopped for breakfast this morning, the server told me they did not have the Barbacoa. Pastor, or Carnitas despite being on the menus. I tried the beef fajitas, and they were lacking in flavor. It appears the restaurant changed ownership and the food variety and quality has gone downhill. I’ll give them another try, but a massive improvement is needed .

I cant believe I've never been here. Greeted immediately walking in the door. I love the atmosphere and I love seeing the memories of family photos on their wall. I will 100% be coming back here. Im not in to all the flashy new places. Places like this make you feel at home! Easy to miss but it will be hard to pass up from now on.

Not JUST TAMALES! Excellent Mexican Restaurant. Rosie’s Tamale House is located on Highway 71 near Shops at the Galleria andBee Cave Sculpture Park. It is not very impressive to look at from the outside. We have seen the place as we drive by and decided to stop for lunch. It is a very large and clean establishment with very friendly staff. Joe who took care of us answered all questions and was very helpful. They have a lot more items than just Tamales. There is an extensive menu including most Mexican dishes and children’s menu as well. The chips were crisp and not oily. Salsa was nice and spicy. If you want even more spicy salsa, just ask 🌶️😊. The Tamale plate was flavorful. Rosie’s Sampler plate had a variety of items and was quite enough for me. It was very tasty. We would come and recommend this restaurant highly.

Lisa G Bought tamales on 12/24/23 for that evening. They were sold to us cold, not fresh. I took them out of the refrigerator that evening to warm (in the steamer) they were watery, mushy, I steamed them and only about 5 were decent enough to eat. The rest were mushy and falling apart. So disappointed. $17 per dozen plus tip. Would not ever recommend. I drove all of the way from Liberty Hill. They ended up in the trash!!

An Austin classic. I can't say enough about Rosie’s. I grew up eating in it with my parents and now take my family. We always leave happy, full and satisfied! Staff is always happy and helpful. Even when they are busy they check on you. You never feel ignored here. And reasonably priced for a family dinner.

Love the fajitas here. Marinade is something else, highly recommended! It's a place that has a different feel to it, like you walk into a Willie Nelson song or something. You won't find another place like it.

Food was great as always. Visit every time I come into town. Tea costs $2.00 now which used to be free. Chips and salsa are $2.00 now which used to be free. My favorite waiters Joe and Juan were not working. Credit card machine was down. Good thing I had cash on hand.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE! I live 45 minutes away from Rosie's, but still, every Sunday after church, our whole family used to make the 45-minute commute to eat at Rosie's after church. As we have grow our family doesn't do this as much bur still when I drive down hwy 71 or just get in the mood for Mexican food, I'll not hesitate to make the 45 minute drive to go to Rosie's and get some Soft Tacos with Rice and Beans.. and you can't forget the Hot Sauce, which I'm convinced is the best anywhere.. The atmosphere is perfect, the waiters are super friendly.. And who knows who you might run into here... Willie Nelson, perhaps?? Maybe!!! A little hack: put some butter on your chip and dip it into the Hot Sauce and then into the Queso.. heaven in your mouth.. But I absolutely recommend this place..

This is my 2nd review and sadly, Rosie's loses 1 star for their new policy of charging 2.00 for chips and salsa!!!! When we saw the sign on the door, we almost left... and we are HUGE Rosie fans!! It's just not right!!! Raise every menu item by a buck if you have to... but charging for chips and salsa is a real turn off and not what we expected from our favorite Mexican restaurant

A classic dive Mexican restaurant off Hwy 71. The best Tex Mex in Austin! The enchiladas, tamales, and crispy beef tacos are legendary. The salsa is amazing and I order a quart with chips to go sometimes. Outstanding friendly service. Be careful leaving the parking lot to get on Hwy 71.

Look if your looking for the best cheese enchilada around here this is your spot ! Be sure to get them with onions and side of sour cream! I've been coming here since I was a kid in the 80's back when Rosie use to be there but she's got the cameras on at home and she's watchin'! Some people like to give Rosies are hard time but you go here to eat! Nothings changed since the 80s that's what we love about it ! The tortilla soup is delicious & the crispy tacos & street tacos & don't forget about the Willie Plate! It's BYOB ! We love it he vibes and the food and the staff! I'm telling you the tortilla soup saves the day! Rice and breaks original Rosies style & of course the chips & salsa good ! This place is the original blue print of real local 512 food & vibes !

Best tamales in Austin. It has that unpretentious attitude as soon as you walk in. All the tables seat 4. It's a large area just perfect for a party. The staff are nice.

Cinco de Mayo 2023 is in full effect and every Mexican place is packed. We tried to get into La Popular at 5pm but they put us on a 2 hour waitlist. After being unable to procure drinks at the bar, we decided to go somewhere else. We decided on Rosie's Tamale House. We couldn't deal with another long wait because our friends had young children. So with 2 young kids in tow we made our way to the opposite end of the spectrum of the Mexican Restaurant experience. We traded the flashy neons for gothic stanchions against wood paneling. We optioned for the crushed velvet portraits of conquistadors over flat screen tv's. We passed on the packed buzz of a brand new scene to revisit the old staple. A photo wall, two claw machines & a bubble gum dispenser greeted us where a rock garden in an industrial planter would have been at the previous location. Mexicans don't celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It's just some drummed up holiday to get us to consume. So in this spirit, we bought a 12 pack of Pacifico, a bottle of Dolce Vita, and plopped down at a family owned Tex Mex joint and ordered the basics. Every single bit of it was exactly what we wanted and needed. You see, Tex-Mex is part American, just like this holiday. So it made perfect sense that we were all guided here to Rosie's; the absolute right place at the right time. There was no fanfare, no marketing, not even a "special" to commemorate the Battle of Puebla. It was the same refried beans, Mexican rice, queso, guacamole, salsa and sizzling fajitas whose flavor has stayed the same for decades. We ate our fill and won some prizes at the claw machine. We took photos, shared conversations and shots of tequila (cause true Tex Mex joints are BYOB). Best part was we were home and settled long before we got the text message alert that our table at La Popular was ready.

The best tamales this side of the border; it's not the classiest of joints but if you notice one trend in the one star reviews it's that none of them mention TAMALES. All you need is salt and you're set, the prices for a dozen increase a bit much on the weekends but they are more than worth it.

Perfect and classic Tex-Mex place with the bomb tamales. Fast and efficient service, hot plates with large amounts of great food. Did I mention the tamales? DELICIOUS.

In the area, so I stopped to pick up a dozen tamales. I can only hope they are good, because the older gentleman behind the counter is a grumpy ass. If this is the way he treats all customers, I wonder why they have any business. Life is too short to be such an ass to people! Update, the tamales were disgusting. Not sure what happened to what used to be the best! But these get a zero on a 1-10 scale!

Me and my wife have visited this place several time. It's a Austin area institution. It is not pretentious and nothing fancy. They don't don't do a lot but what they do, do they do it well. We enjoy the enchiladas. Stop in and give it a try.

JAN 07, 2021 was looking for a place for early morning breakfast with a friend, and Rosie's Tamale was open. The doors open at 6am There is plenty of seating and "Fox" happily met us to take care of our breakfast get together. They have a dedicated breakfast menu. First off the coffee was decent, typical diner style , but not your $5 cup of joe from the named joints. Was not bitter and hit the spot. I ordered two breakfast tacos one being Egg and Chorizo and the other Egg and Bacon. First off, I just needed one Taco. Two definitely filled me up. The Chorizo and Egg was salty. I know the sausage is normally salty, but this was a little too much. The egg and bacon was perfect . The hot sauce (red) was good. Just enough bite, and good flavor. Would I go back again, yes, it is perfect for those early morning breakfast needs, a place to sit down., And based on the amount of to go orders , it seems to have a decent working man's following. Plenty of seating Good distancing Servers do wear a mask Food was good, but the Chorizo was overly salty

Pricing has definitely gone up and I recommend bringing drinks (it's BYOB) because their water is not delicious. Been coming here for years to get fajitas and cheese enchiladas. Servers are usually on top of it, and Vincent is always so friendly at the front! If they have them the pralines are SOOO good!

Always a favorite. This is a quick place to get some home cooked food. Extremely casual. Try the Willie's Plate.

I'm giving it 2 stars but honestly I'm doing that so you read this. 1st. I called in ahead to order. The man who answers is the same man who "greeted" me, if you can say that. Someone called him "grumpy" and an "ass." I'm sure this man was the same person. He told me when I called that he could not take a phone order. Ok. BUT when I get there the customer after me tells him he called in an order and was there to pick up and no, the customer was not food delivery. He was just a regular customer. So I guess depending on how this man "feels" he takes phone orders and sometimes he doesn't. Well enough of the below one star rating for customer service. The restaurant is a "tamale" house? I honestly have never had worse tamales than this. Grocers do better. 1. Masa is greasy and flavorless 2. Color of the tamale is brown..literally and running in grease. 3. Pork is mush and so greasy. It is not shredded pork roast..you cannot tell it's meat and cannot taste the flavor. It's got to be very low quality pork. Hot dog quality. Horrible. These are the absolute worst tamales I've ever had. Central Market, if you can believe it, does better. These are not your mom's tamales for certain.

Tamales are great. Chips are very fresh and good. Salsa is hot but good. Take out is always ready when I arrive

Best Mexican good in Bee Cave! My in-laws stopped by to pick up some food to go. They were welcomed in and Rosie's son offered them multiple samples to see what they would like. The food was excellent and we can't wait to go back. We are already planning on returning on Saturday for the breakfast tacos and fajitas on Saturday night. This is now our go to Mexican restaurant. I had the burritos compuestas. Flavor was great. Just the right amount of spice. Ate the food so fast that I forgot to take a picture.

Food is excellent, plenty of seating, very clean. Car parking is tight get there early.

The Mexican Food was delicious. Service was great and with a smile! The atmosphere was lively and fun. We will definitely go back. I wish there was a Rosie's near my house in Austin.

Okay food catered, but it isn't as good in person. It's usually quiet when u eat there.

True and authentic Tex-Mex. Been around forever and still the best. They don't sell alcoholic beverages so bring your own. They don't mind. Prices are great for what you get.

I ordered to-go for our family. It was delicious, packaged well and the staff was very kind. I'm a fan of their beef fajitas, crispy beef taco plate and tamales! (We had to order extra for a snack tomorrow.) I hope you enjoy as much as we did.

TV dinner Mexican food is gourmet compared to this "food" and the depressing wood paneling is like a 70's game room. Nightmarish caricatures of Willie Nelson in a bygone era. Willie ate here, the Willie plate. Before there were any restaurants out here and the parents and owners ran it. They are long gone and you can tell.

Great tamales and service. Breakfast is good too. Have always been seated fairly quick.

If you enjoy authentic Mexican food don't even walk in this door. Food is so bad it's a joke , canned jalapeños, canned cheese , even the salsa tasted like it was out of a can , ordered nachos and they were broken up hard taco shell , only good thing they have is the fast refills on drinks

You forget this place exists if you live in Lakeway or Bee caves. It's ok, I do too. It's awesome.

I ordered #3 lunch special, and Alls I can say is it was awful. I have been looking for a good Mexican Restaurant in my area for the last 3 years and again it's been disappointing to say the least. this is trash food, full of grease and no flavor. Save your money and taste buds as this place is not it.

Wonderful family owned neighborhood tex-mex joint! It's BYOB too!!! Inexpensive for a big ole plate of traditional tex mex. My husband always gets enchiladas or the willie plate bc how can you resist getting that? It's one of Willie Nelson's go to places! I always like to get tamales, I mean it's in the name, sooo you know they are good! Salsa is dang good, but be aware it is pretty hot and varies daily, as it's homemade. Again, this place is BYOB and they may or may not have a free margarita offering on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Cheers!

Try the Willy's Plate, you won't be disappointed. Fresh ingredients , very tasty. Chips and salsa great. Long time customer, not disappointed. Thanks.

We have been to Rosie's many times, and they never disappoint. The owner, Rosie's son, is so friendly and truly makes the restaurant feel like a family-run spot. Their known for their tamales, their crunch beef tacos and their enchiladas with Chile con queso. Everything we have tried is delicious including their chicken quesadillas, chips, salsa (a medium red), warm crunchy chips, and the kid's quesadillas and enchiladas. The ambiance is great if you like a funky, down home feel. We love it!! We will be back again soon!!

Awesome hidden gem! And the best place to stop and refuel after a hike at Reimer Ranch Park!

First time here while visiting Lake Travis. We were staying at the Lakeway Resort and Spa and were in the mood for some Mexican breakfast so we found this little spot a few minutes away. My husband enjoyed his huevos rancheros. I on the other hand found my barbacoa plate to be on the bland and cooler side. Barbacoa is typically served hot with onions and cilantro on the side. Instead It was served with a side of mashed potato, lettuce, tomato, avocado, shredded cheese and slightly warm beans. Service was ok. I believe due to COVID there was only one person waiting tables. The older man who waited on us seemed rude at first but as we sat there and heard him talk to other customers we realized that was the way he joked around but for a newbie to the restaurant as ourselves you would think he was rude. We did feel rushed from the moment we walked in to the moment we paid. Overall food is average, felt more like Tex mex rather than authentic Mexican food.

Food is great, you can byob and staff is always super friendly!! We love coming here.

Not the best food is okay but very cafeteria like and honestly Maudie's is better. Used to be better from what I hear

It's a shame I have lived off of Hamilton Pool Road for 2 years before giving Rosie's a try. This place has damn good Tex-Mex. We have ordered to-go via DoorDash ~10 times in the last 6 weeks. Our go tos are the queso, tortilla soup, cheese enchiladas, sour cream chicken enchiladas and their salsa rocks! They package everything so nicely and it's absolutely delicious. My only regret is not trying Rosie's sooner.

Not what it Used to be or maybe never any good School cafeteria serves better Mexican food Better yet Mexicans should protest this place.

Came in before close on a Thursday night. I really wanted a tamale but don't eat pork and that's the only option. My date had them and said they were great. I had the quesadilla and it was good. No liquor but people at other tables seemed to have BYOB but double check before going. For basic but good food, this place does the job. Staff was super nice and despite wanting to clean up they made us feel welcome.

It's too late.... there are no pictures of food because It All Disappeared... Coffee, biscuit and gravy, and two breakfast tacos (chorizo n cheese & egg n sausage)... GONE. It's not that I was alone, so no one came and stole my servings. But they literally vaporized. I'll be back... maybe next time there will be images... maybe. Prices- inexpensive, Portions- good, Taste- excellent

Food tasted great, was hot, and had excellent carry out service. I even had questions on what kind of sauce I wanted on my enchiladas and the man taking my order was very helpful. If "authentic" to you is raisins and almond moles, nah...this ain't your place. However, if you don't have your nose in the air and you really like great cheese enchiladas, chips, salsa, refried beans, rice and tacos....this is it. BTW... the family pictures posted all over the walls looked pretty "Authentic".

I grew up on the Southeast side is SA and I feel like I know what really good genuine Mexican food is. I found Rosies when I moved here over 20 years ago and I have eaten there ever since. The food and the atmosphere are both authentic. Many people are used to a franchise restaurant, that mass produces oversized meals, Rosies is not that at all. It is a family owned, quaint establishment with amazing food. I hope people can appreciate it for what it is. I always recommend this place!

Driven by here a hundred times and never slowed down. Silly me. Stopped in for breakfast tacos on the way to San Angelo. Friendly, fast service and awesome tacos. Get the "suicide" - it's so worth it!

We had lunch here today. The outside seems deceptively small and a bit scruffy. The inside was far better. The initial service was slow i.e. chips & salsa and beverage order. The chips seemed rancid but the salsa was good and seemed fresh. The meals arrived promptly. The portions were generous for what they were and the tortillas seemed fresh. I do not believe we will be going back.

I've eaten here for over 20 years and have to say quality has dropped off more and more. The last several ones I've ordered breakfast tacos I've eaten egg shell which is one of the worst textures to bite down on while enjoying your breakfast. Ask for a potato, egg, and cheese taco and it comes with basically all potato and maybe a third of what was one egg (so basically no egg). Same thing if I order sausage egg and cheese. Might as well not ordered sausage because nothing basically comes on it. Also every time you go to check out for a call in order where they is zero service involved the man at the register demands a tip. "HOW MUCH YOU TIP?" instead of asking would you like to leave a tip. Sometimes he'll even say, $1 today? $2 dollars. Like no, the kitchen bagged my food that I'm already paying $4 dollars a taco for. I mean I'm done going there, just basically wanna let others know what to look out for if you're reminiscing, it's not what it used to be.

This is one Austin icon that need to stick around for several more decades. Everything on the menu is great. To go portions are generous and the customer service is as friendly as Austin used to be. If you've never been here, definitely visit Rosie's!

I would give this place no stars if I could. The food is absolutely disgusting the person cashing me out the old man asked me how it was I told him it was gross and he didn't even care. Worst Mexican food of my life don't go here.

I grew up in Austin, and Rosie's delicious tamales were what set me up to love them. When I came through town yesterday I stopped in to buy two dozen. They taste just as good as I remember and are the best tamales anywhere I've had them. Thank you Rosie's for staying in business and keeping the memories alive.

Accidentally stumbled upon Rosie's on our way out of town... Oh my goodness... Best tacos either one of us have ever had. Fresh hot ingredients, perfect salsa, fresh tortillas. YUM. We will have to make a point to become regulars!?

I almost missed the location this morning while in search of some tacos. Strong coffee and the inside was clean, well spaced during this covid pandemic. We were served pretty quickly which was nice. I want to go back for dinner

Born n raised in Texas.....ordered food to go for only the 3rd time ever this eve in 15 years of living in Bee Cave. Have always heard mixed reviews on this place. Ordered a burrito with all the extras. Should've takin a picture! Simple looking taco in a folded in half soft tortilla, not wrapped and smothered, just a soft taco. When I questioned it I was asked if I was from "California!" Was too angry to argue! What difference does that make? Anyway, was not happy. Won't be back ever! And if you recently moved here.....order carefully or not at all. Great location for a better restaurant!