Santa Catarina Mexican Restaurant - Cherrywood

Santa Catarina is serving up some seriously bomb upscale Mexican in Austin. The atmosphere is stylish and inviting—perfect for a date night or a nicer dinner with friends. The food? Total standout. Everything we had was flavorful, beautifully plated, and clearly made with quality ingredients. Chips and salsa came out fresh and had us scraping the bowl. That said, for how quiet the restaurant was, the service felt a little too chill. We had to flag someone down a few times, which was surprising given how slow it was. Prices are definitely on the higher side, but it matches the vibe and quality. Overall, it’s a great spot if you’re craving elevated Mexican food with a side of ambiance—just don’t come super thirsty unless you’re cool with waiting for that second round.

We had dinner and a few well crafted cocktails at Santa Catarina, opting for the inner patio which felt like the most thoughtful seating choice. It offered a welcome sense of calm and shade, far more enjoyable than the exposed outdoor spots. The drinks were a highlight, the Mexican Old Fashioned was rich and balanced, and the Caipirinha had just the right bite. Both nods to a great bar team. The food was… good. Not great. We tried the Totopos Catarina with chicken and the pork Sopes. The Totopos were bold and satisfying, a strong start. The Sopes, though, leaned unexpectedly sweet, which felt like a mismatch rather than a creative twist. And then there was the salsa. A letdown. Thin, bland, and lacking flavor, especially disappointing in a cuisine where salsa should be a proud centerpiece, not an afterthought. Happy hour softened the blow with decent discounts, and for that, I’d consider coming back. But in a city as vibrant, diverse, and full of culinary pride as Austin, Santa Catarina just doesn’t crack the top tier for me. It’s a solid option but not a destination.

My daughter took me to Santa Catarina (2901 Manor Rd, Austin) for Father’s Day, and it was an absolutely excellent experience from start to finish. Every dish we ordered was prepared hot, fresh, and full of flavor. Here’s what we enjoyed: • La Picosita (x2) – Perfectly balanced spice and flavor, a great starter. • Mexican Old Fashion – A unique and tasty twist on the classic cocktail. • Queso Fundido – Rich, melty, and satisfying—exactly what you want in a queso. • Taquitos Dorados – Crispy and flavorful, generously portioned. • Camarones Veracruzana – The shrimp were tender and the sauce was outstanding. • Cochinita Pibil – A delicious, slow-roasted pork dish with deep, savory flavors. The service was also excellent—friendly, attentive staff who clearly care about providing a great dining experience. For the quality of food and service, it’s hard to beat the value here. Highly recommend for anyone looking for authentic Mexican flavors in a warm and welcoming setting. I’ll definitely be coming back—this place is a gem!

The ambiance and food were great! Our server Alex was very attentive and gave good recommendations. We got the totopos Catarina, shrimp enchiladas and cochinita enchiladas and all were fantastic! The drinks were also super yummy and well balanced.

We've been driving to the Cedar Park location, excited to see this much closer location. Happy to find the same great food, wonderful service (Jesus was our server) and a beautiful new facility. May prove dangerous having this location so close... UPDATE 10/22/2024: Once again, delicious food and excellent service, we especially love their chips and salsa! 02/28/25: Back again for lunch, consistent excellent food and service. We love this place!

Had such a wonderful experience at Santa Catarina for my birthday! We had a large party of 18 and they did such a wonderful job accommodating us. From the reservation to the actual dinner, everything was so easy and great. All of the food and drinks were absolutely amazing and we almost tried the whole menu between all 18 of us. Several of my guests had dietary restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free) and were all able to find a dish that was amazing. The service was truly next level. The whole staff was so kind and accommodating to me and my guests and even split the bill between us which was quite the undertaking. I can’t speak highly enough of Santa Catarina and I urge anyone looking for a Mexican restaurant to go, you won’t be disappointed!

I honestly don’t know how this place can have a 4.7 unless your food is drenched in salsa there is no flavor whatsoever. I ordered the chicken sopes and they were okay..the mix of beans,sour cream, cheese, and salsa help the fact the chicken was not seasoned at all. My husband ordered the filete de res and asked for it to be well done..I would have rather them tell us they didn’t know how or couldn’t cook it well done because the whole middle was beyond pink. He also said it had no flavor at all besides the butter goat cheese on top but didn’t do any justice for the rest of the steak. My daughter loves tacos and ordered 4 ala carte at $6 each and said these were the worse tacos she’s ever had. We also ordered a watermelon margarita and was only able to taste the liquor. We are here on vacation and out of all the restaurants we have been to this has been the worse.

From the moment you park and get greeted in the parking garage to the personalized tour of the restaurant before you even speak with a hostess at the restaurant just speaks volumes to their representation and innovative way to provide an extraordinary experience. The atmosphere is everything and I cannot wait to order my food- that impressed. The attention to detail is something straight from Mexico. With elegance at an affordable price. Bravo.

So pleasantly surprised with this restaraunt. Good food, some of the best service I've gotten in Austin in the last year, and casual environment. Reminds me of old El Alma!

Poetry on a Plate These are the Breakfast Enchiladas, my favorite Brunch menu item at Santa Catarina - Cherrywood, and a contender for my favorite breakfast plate overall! Enchiladas de pollo verde, coated in a smoky red salsa, and topped by perfectly cooked sunny side up egg, accompanied by frijoles negros as well as chunky red potatoes accentuated with black pepper and queso fresco. The enchiladas are K.I.L.L.E.R., and when drenched in the egg yolk, they just dance on your tastebuds. The frijoles and the potatoes add robustness to the plate, are cooked to perfection, and the slightly toasted cheese on the potatoes provides a unique spark of flavor to make the dish truly special. The plate comes with home made steaming fresh corn tortillas which are really handy to gather up all the deliciousness off the plate, as licking it off, no matter how tempering, would likely be frowned upon. As a healthy dessert, the order comes with freshly cut fruit, at the perfect ripeness. All is served in a clean and welcoming atmosphere, with attentive service, a friendly smile, and pleasant conversation. A true delight of a Sunday Brunch. Poetry on a Plate... and beyond. #GoodEats

The worst thing about this place is that I live above it and I want to eat it every single day. Super fresh food. I don't eat meat, but the veggie fajitas, beans, rice, and guacamole are so good. And the chips and salsa? I have dreams about them. I don't know how they make their salsa, but I'd be open to swimming in a large bucket of it.

Dedicated parking garage on a busy street. Excellent bar staff and excellent food! Can't wait to try their happy hour with half off items

An absolutely wonderful restaurant with spectacular regional food, a great selection of classics along with some notable interior Mexico classics that the Austin area may not be familiar with yet. The drinks are spectacular and made with great care and using only quality ingredients. It's a great place for a date night, dinner with friends or family or any occasion. Highly recommended over the sea of Tex-Mex in the city.

Santa Catarina is an expensive disappointment. They're trying to make interior Mexican dishes but they fall short. My chile en nogada was strange--with the wrong kind of beef and tasteless pomegranate seeds. Lots of shortcuts. My wife had the seafood-stuffed chile. Likewise. It had a murky taste. I'd save your money and head to Fonda San Miguel.

I tried Santa Catarina for the first time this week and was pleasantly surprised by their 50% off appetizers happy hour. I tried their hibiscus mint vodka cocktail special which was very fresh and flavorful, fajitas quesadilla (the star of the show), and a massive shrimp cocktail which was decent and a really large portion. My fiancé tried the shredded pork sopes and really liked them but also agreed the fajitas quesadilla was the best thing we tried. Service was phenomenal and there was no wait to be seated or for the bill when requested, they even helped me package up my leftovers. Very nice ambience as well. This definitely won't be my last time eating here, overall very impressed!

Had such a wonderful experience at Santa Catarina for my birthday! We had a large party of 18 and they did such a wonderful job accommodating us. From the reservation to the actual dinner, everything was so easy and great. All of the food and drinks were absolutely amazing and we almost tried the whole menu between all 18 of us. Several of my guests had dietary restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free) and were all able to find a dish that was amazing. The service was truly next level. The whole staff was so kind and accommodating to me and my guests and even split the bill between us which was quite the undertaking. I can't speak highly enough of Santa Catarina and I urge anyone looking for a Mexican restaurant to go, you won't be disappointed! You know it's a great place when someone who doesn't normally post reviews wants to shout this place out!

Came with a group of 5 and we all enjoyed our dining experience! First, the restaurant itself is elegant and well decorated. I believe it's the third location in the Austin area. Secondly, the food itself was delicious and presentation was top notch ie. food tasted as good as it looked. Lastly, the service was impeccable. From extra tortilla chips, tortillas, water refills, packing our to-go, checking in - it was exemplary. The valet escorting us to the restaurant was very appreciated too. Overall a great and well-rounded experience - highly recommend!

Authentic Mexican food in a sterile setting. We do happy hour every week. A block's walk from the house. Negra Modelo on tap Ricardo y Diana Zelada

Delicious! Beef Nachos and an Egg dish from the brunch menu.. it's a great spot near Mueller but away from the weekend crowd. Greeted right as we walked in and seated at a nice spot near the bar. Server was super friendly and helpful. The watermelon jalapeño martini was a first for me and so yummy!

I don't want to short change this place. But I wish I could do a 4.5 star! Their 7 day a week happy hour is great not very many places do it. It is very authentic and I love it I feel like I am at a restaurant in PV Mexico. Sometimes the only thing is I don't speak Spanish and sometimes the staff have to get someone to help with a questions on the menu. We live in the neighborhood and thought oh great another high priced restaurant under apartment complex on manor. Well it's not. It is very reasonable compared to pricing in Austin now. We go to PV often and the food is very similar. They make their own corn and flour tortilla right there for you. They do have parking in the garage for free. The decor is maybe Mexican mid mod. Very clean. They make all their drinks with fresh fruit.

This is a good spot. The wife and I eat out quit often and it's nice for the results to exceed expectations. The veggie enchiladas were filling and the ingredients fresh and good quality. The wife had the Del Mar fish tacos. She knows what she likes and left happy. Solid food with good service, enthusiastic staff and easy parking made for a nice meal out.

Love it here! Friendly staff, good food, nice ambiance and free parking. Highly recommend!

Delicious food and cocktails! Leo, our server, was fantastic. The gentleman who helped us from our car to the restaurant was also incredibly sweet. Free parking in the garage was an added bonus! We will definitely be back!

Authentic Mexican dishes excellent service and ambiance. Our Server was knowledgeable. Was first time at this location. Food was perfectly good. Our favorite drink was tepache, highly recommended.

This is such a cute Mexican spot! The ambiance is great, very modern and tasteful. The food was amazing, good portions and great flavor. Service was amazing, our waiter Leo was awesome and so attentive! Will definitely be coming back.

Disappointing new location on Manor Road. Soup was so salty it was inedible. Meal was very salty, cold and not very tasty. Nothing was great or memorable. Homemade tortillas were good, average. Atmosphere was cute. We may try again since it is a new location. 2 stars for this visit is generous.

Food is very good based off menu prices, the gauc was extremely fresh and ceviche was solid. The service was excellent, very friendly. This will be a great addition to the neighborhood.