The Alcove Cantina

If you’re looking for affordable drinks to pair with tacos, this is the place to go! I came for Taco Tuesday and was impressed with the great specials and excellent service. Definitely a great bang for your buck!”

Lizzie our bartender was so cool. We just walked in for a cooler place to get a drink & found they have wonderful food options. The beef fajita quesadilla was yummy, we were able to share. Salsa was great! Good smoky flavor & nice heat. They had all the flavors of Deep Eddy's & found that, with Lizzie's recommendations, I love the pineapple!

Went here for the firrst time for a TexMex dinner on a Sunday evening. It was busy, mostly with 30 - 40 year-olds at the bar. There are a few tables to sit at up front. Our server was a super nice young man who waited on us promptly and who was just wonderful. We had the 3-pick mix and match tacos and enchiladas that were all very good.

Only reason I come here is to see Tish and The Mizzbehavin band. She is awesome and the music is great. The food is also great here. Definitely stop by if you are in the downtown area. The food is wells priced too.

Visiting downtown Round Rock and stopped here for lunch. We were not disappointed as the Nachos and Margaritas were fantastic. Great service as well. This is a hole in the way but don't let the looks fool you as the food is really good.

OUTSTANDING neighborhood cantina with great drinks (Happy Hour all day!), delicious food (the barbacoa tacos were amazing!), and friendly, helpful, courteous service. Adolfo, one of the bartenders, was the perfect host and reason enough to return to his watering hole. If you're in Round Rock and trying to pick a restaurant, look no further than The Alcove Cantina. And it's the perfect place for an after-work happy hour!

WOW! Best Mexican food in Round Rock I've had to this date. Price was great! Came during lunch. I can see why it's always crowded! Updated in June 2025, stopped in with the Mrs. for the Grande Nachos and a Drink. Still one of our favorite places after living here 10 years.

Alcove Cantina in Round Rock is a gem! Their taco salads are absolutely amazing—fresh, flavorful, and packed with all the right ingredients. The greens are always crisp, the toppings are generous, and the seasoned meat adds the perfect kick of flavor. What really sets it apart is the balance of freshness and heartiness—it’s not just a salad, it’s a full, satisfying meal. The atmosphere at Alcove Cantina is lively and welcoming, perfect for a casual lunch or a fun night out. The staff is friendly and attentive, and the service is always quick. Whether you’re a local or just passing through Round Rock, Alcove Cantina is the spot to grab a delicious taco salad and enjoy great vibes. Highly recommend—it’s one of those dishes you’ll crave again and again!

Best margarita I've had in years and lunch was AMAZING! I had (molcajete??) and the serving was big enough to bring home an entire lunch for my husband as well. The restaurant is cute and clean, and the service was excellent. I will definitely be coming back for more!

Visited The Alcove Cantina and enjoyed the beautiful patio--a good spot to hang out, especially with live music. The staff was friendly and welcoming, You order at the bar, and the vibe is laid-back and casual. The drinks were the highlight: the mango margarita was inexpensive and delicious. Definitely a good place to come for a drink and chill. As for the food, large portions, but unfortunately bland and underwhelming. The guac and other sides lacked flavor. Great for drinks, music, and atmosphere, but I'd skip the food next time.

This was my first time here. If you sit outside at the patio, you order at the bar. They do deliver the food. It's a nice sized patio, and the live band was good. The prickly pear margarita was delicious and refreshing. My chicken taquitos were a little overcooked, and I couldn't taste any cheese. The salsa needed salt. So good drink, good ambiance, only okay food.

What highly recommend this place? The bar has inexpensive drinks. The bartender was super super nice. Had one small problem with my meal. They added cheese when I asked not to he took it back. No problem sent me out a new chimichanga. With no cheese, no problems at all has few t. V screens, they have a setup in the back for live music. They were having a wedding there. Ambiance was just perfect. In the heart of downtown round rock, I would highly make recommend this place quick little bite to eat with good food

Had a great late lunch here! It's a seat-yourself setup, and we chose to sit outside on the patio such a nice spot. The bartender provided excellent service, super friendly and attentive. I went with the pick-two tacos, and they were fantastic. Great drink selection, and the prices were reasonable too. They also have a solid lineup of live music advertised, so I'll definitely be back to check that out. Overall, a great spot with good food, drinks, and atmosphere.

The ambiance of this restaurant is spectacular. I really enjoyed the live band they had - I would follow that band to another spot! The food was just okay. it's tex mex bar food which is what I expected but everything was super bland + the menu was limited/confusing. our server also told us he was going to be too busy to refill our waters so we could refill them ourselves... uh okay. I would visit again for a margarita, chips and salsa + if I received real service -- that's probably it! if you're looking to just get a drink, enjoy a band on a patio + maybe needing to order something just to put something in your stomach, this will work.

Great little spot in downtown round rock. Margarita made fresh and was well balanced. The tamales were scrumptious and I look forward to having them again soon waitstaff was friendly and attentive. Good food, good service, fair price... What's not like if you have not checked them out you need to do so soon.

Hours on safari/google aren't accurate pulled up at 9:30 and they were closed. Pretty unfortunate

I was in RR with my husband and we stopped in for dinner. I'm gluten and dairy free. I worked with the staff to be able to eat a meal here. I wouldn't recommend for someone with an allergy. I ordered the barbacoa tacos. I did end up with cheese on my beans. I didn't eat it and they got me a separate cup without cheese. My husband got the beef enchiladas meal. The meals and drinks were just okay. Nothing amazing except I did like the salsa. I don't recommend the stale chips though. Our serve was good and attentive.

Stopped here on the way back from Austin to Dallas. The inside was full, so we sat in the outdoor area. It's pretty cool out there. They have live music most nights. Tonight (Tuesday) was karaoke night . I had the chimichanga with queso, my wife, had a pork taco and elotes. All the food was fantastic. The service was also very good. We are for $25. If you are in the Round Rock area, give this place a try

Terrific drinks and pretty good food. Service was friendly, but (perhaps because we were on the patio?) nearly non-existent. We were a party of seven plus a dog--were told to head outside to the patio with the dog, but can me back inside to the bar to order. No problem. We ordered multiple apps to share but no official meals. On a Saturday lunchtime, there were only a handful of customers indoors and more than one person working the bar. Disappointing that once food was delivered, no one came out to check on us. We WOULD have re-ordered drinks all around--maybe more han twice! But left on our own, no one wanted to go back inside to do so. Apps were sizable and tasted fine. Chips seemed fresh but maybe the oil in which they were cooked wasn't? They were okay, just not GREAT! Would we do it again? Sure. But would hope for better patio service.

Adolfo was very sexy 10/10 definitely going back for him. Makes a fire ahh drink and looks thick while he does it.

Dog friendly patio. But the seats are so tall, it's not a great option with a dog. I do wish there were some lower seats. I would be here much more often if that were the case. It's not a problem when not with my dog. The food here is very good. The drinks are good and cheap during HH. The only real drawback is the service. You have to order at the bar and sometimes it's chaos. Sometimes there is live music or karaoke. Karaoke is always entertaining if not quality, then humorous.

Saturday at noon with a four top and two patrons at the bar. Not busy at all. Great nachos! Horrible service from bartender but she sure didn't mind chatting it up with a bar counter patron as they shared a vape. Bus boy was pleasant. Ambiance is meh. Sorry I wasted my time & money here.

I was surprised when we found this restaurant in downtown Round Rock and it had BOMB barbacoa tacos(which I'm really picky about). The back patio was nice, open and had a separate bar outside; overall the atmosphere was very enjoyable and the margaritas were super tasty and fruity. I'm happy to say that the staff do a great job of enforcing the current COVID restrictions and social distancing. I'm making it a point to go back soon for Tacos!

Our order was based upon our waitress's recommendation. Food exceeded our expectations. Definitely a step above "bar food".

Quiet happy hour Session today on our Unplanned pub crawl. Bartender was sweet and genuine Beer was great Wine was good Chips and salsa were great actually Better when there is live music on The patio but alas, we were there in middle of the day!

Great Mexican food stop! We showed up right when it opened and had our food out within minutes! A wide variety of Mexican food choices. Were sensitive and accommodating to my wife's dairy free request! Large drink menu. I'm sure this place is a blast later in the evening.

This is one of my favorite places to go in downtown Round Rock for many reasons. They have really great happy hour specials and prices, they have an outdoor patio/bar/seating options. There is often have live music during the week and weekends. All the food I've tried is always delicious and large portions. One of my staples is the chicken taco, it tastes so fresh and yet has the savory flavor of an open flame cook on the chicken. The queso in either portion size option is delicious. Outside on the back patio you will have to order at the bar and they bring it to you but it's fast and quick service. I have not had a poor experience here yet and I've been coming here for years.

Do you love cheese? Do you want a taste of everything? The Alcove Cantina is for you! The Combo Plate is infinitely customizable. Choose 2-5 of tacos, enchiladas and tamales, choose from 5 sauces, and the food is served searingly hot and delicious. The full bar includes cocktails of which I had never heard. I chose the Alcove limeade, and a second visit would be worth it for this refreshing libation alone. The complimentary salsa wasn't spicy enough for my taste, and the rice was too salty (proving the rice is homemade). I'm betting my next visit will earn all 5 stars.

Nacho beans were bland; nothing to write home about. Pork quesadillas were delicious; pork was very tender.

Had a private party here recently and everything was excellent. Alex was our bartender and did an excellent job.

This is a hidden gem in downtown Round Rock. The best Mexican food! We have been there several times and the food is amazing and consistent. The food gives the feeling as if it served to you with love. So delicious...their chef gets it for sure. This last time, we went on a Wednesday afternoon (lunchtime). Wes was our bartender and server of the entire restaurant. Best service we have received in a very long time. This guy hustled and made sure EVERYONE was attended to. It's a must if you're ever in Round Rock!!!

Came by on a Monday night, which is all day happy hour! The inside was completely empty but we still chose to sit on the patio due to covid. The patio had 5-6 other groups on it but all the tables were perfectly spaced and we felt comfortable. I ordered the chicken enchiladas with verde sauce and was super pleased! It does have a bit of a kick, like they added some jalapeño seeds, but it was still mouth watering. My friend has shrimp tacos and seriously finished them before I could even finish my soup. I'm gonna give them a good rating by default! We did also order 5 happy hour margs on the rocks each. I will day we were pretty happy by the time we left, and they were only $4 a piece! We did sit and drink for quite all a few hours. Love this place. Will be back! Covid things to consider: - masked servers - plastic, throw away utensils - outdoor, distanced seating

I've never eaten here till yesterday.... What a shame as this food was an explosion of flavors!! The fajita's were everything we could've want and more!!! They are brought to you on your typical 500 degree sizzle plate and the aroma it creates makes your taste buds dance and mouth water!!! Tortillas both corn or flour were warm to the touch and the amenities in the side allowed you to custom make your taco! Absolute fantastic and the Bartender Megan was fantastic with conversation and always keeping my adult beverages full! I can't wait to eat here again and try the other things they have! Well done squad! Definite goto for cantina food!!!

We had a lovely lunch here! We came in and were seated where we wanted. Chips and salsa? Yes so good!! Couldn't stop eating it lol! They have a combo area where you can choose two to five items ranging from tacos, tamales, enchiladas. The combo also comes with rice and beans. I ordered the barbacoa taco and beef enchilada. I chose the jalapeño cream sauce for my enchilada. So good! I'm glad the server asked me what sauce I wanted the enchilada to come with. The barbacoa taco was good. I liked the seasoning and the green salsa they gave us. I am not sure if they do not expect many people to come in during lunch as the gentleman working the bar was working all the tables (in and out). He was rocking it. I know I couldn't do it as I would be overwhelmed. This was our first visit, but can't wait to come back to try another item!

Solid first visit into Downtown RR for my local Austin self before my husband and I went to Dell Diamond for a game. We decided to stop in the cute DTRR area to explore the scenes and food and drinks and the area did not disappoint. First, if you're worried about street parking and notice how packed it is, say no more! There is a parking garage where folks park their cars and then walk to all the business which is what we did when heading to the Alcove. We went in and were surprised to see it was a seat yourself kinda thing and then noticing everything in the AC and inside being snagged and single seats at the bar, forced us to go outside. Luckily there was some shaded tables and bar seating outside so we sat ourselves down. There are plenty of fans that they turned on as the peak sun hitting down made the outside stuffy and with moving air made sitting out and about more tolerable. They do well with having such a good crowd to meet together after work to catch up and have fun, it even seemed there was a bar bar area behind closed doors for 21+. Husband and I got tacos and beans and rice and they were delicious. Chips and salsa, frozen margs from HH and beers on tap, what more could you ask for? I have to admit, their street corn and the tres leches cake were my highlights. I got shrimp tacos and hubs got the chicken fajita tacos, yum. Price points were a bit high for texmex but the quality was solid! Can't wait to be back with a group of friends when moseying around DTRR, yay!

The food here is extremely good! We tried one of every taco on the menu, and they did not disappoint! The charro beans are delicious, and the Spanish rice is perfect! The restaurant is very clean and well maintained. Good atmosphere for a relaxing afternoon snack or drink. Highly recommend!

Yummy food. Excellent patio. Good music. Convenient nearby parking. Friendly people. What's not to love?

GREAT atmosphere. Love the fact they have a live band and another room for hip hop. Bar area in each location. Was my first time going and I def found a hidden gem.

SHORT STORY Parking may be a issues, Small place, self seating (get there at reasonable time) they have live music atleast on the Friday I went. Drinks were decent however the food could have been better. No dress code everybody was wearing athletic clothes to date night clothes. It was also hot so dress for the weather if you wanna sit outside. There was also like a lounge next door, maybe connected because you can get to it from the outside area, didn't think to try but music seemed decent. LONG STORY Visited with a friend while I was in town. Found a good spot across the street. Place was pretty packed for around 7pm. It's very small and it's self seating. There was inside and out door seating. After waiting maybe 15 minutes for someone to get up, finally got to sit at the bar. Around that time the live music band was warming up to perform. It was Just some cover band singing some familiar and corny songs lol. (maybe the band changes) There seemed to be a lounge next door that's apart of the same place. I saw a door that connected the two places from the outside bar area. I didn't go but they were playing regular hip hop music (maybe a mixture) I got chips and queso and a frozen margarita. Friend got nachos and margarita as well. The margaritas were pretty good however we both agreed that the food could've been a lot better. Go try the food for yourself!

This is really a dive bar. Food was ok. Service was ok. The inside has a black ceiling and dark grey walls. Definitely not your typical Mexican restaurant.

Fantastic food. Great service. Good drinks. Prime location. Love it Tacos are good. Love the patio when it is not too hot

The restaurant says open until 11 but when we just pulled up, we were told the kitchen is closed. Please change the time on the website and yelp!

The prickly pear margarita was really good. The shrimp is nicely seasoned. The portions are large. Its a nice local casual spot.

Meh, I'm over this place. The food and service has gone downhill and it's clear no one cares. Our server arrived at our table with no smile, no greeting. Our rice was dry, tacos had almost no meat in them (mine was set in the refried beans and was a mess), cheese was not melted in the enchiladas, and my partner's black beans were watery and tasteless. Not that they would know this, because the server never came by our table to check. As if that's not bad enough, some patron or employee must have had a sour tummy and blown up the bathroom. The smell of human waste wafted through the restaurant followed by floral human waste from an air freshener. Pretty sad. I have the second highest number of check-ins here but have just had too many subpar experiences to return.

Great place but the male bartender in the outdoor area was super creepy with my female coworkers. Some out of pocket comments . We were gonna do karaoke there but left early because of him. However the happy hour deals were great. You can't beat $3 wells. $5 house marg was solid too. I'll definitely be back.

One of my absolute favorite places since moving to the area. The food and drinks are great and very well priced. Lots of specials daily. Staff is so friendly. My husband and I tend to go here at least once a week.

The drinks and food were great. The service was super slow and looked like a lost cat in Antarctica. We waited a while to get our food and drink order. I got the prickly pear margarita and my husband got the house margarita. The margaritas were tasty and simple. We got shrimp fajitas which were delicious but the service took so long getting extra items out and it seemed like not enough shrimp compared to what we ordered. My friend got the cheese enchiladas and was not pleased. The waitstaff took our food to the wrong table first and then brought it over to us. Everything came out separately and on several different plates with a lot of time between. Overall the food and drinks were five star. The service was three star.

Patio looks cool, but wouldn't know.... Tried to go for lunch and bar tender told me to head on out, extremely rude server told me otherwise bc she didn't want to serve outside. No worries, place looked dirty anyways.

I hate giving 3 stars so let me give you the good first. The queso is super yummy! The patio is nice! Service is always friendly! But here is why 3 stars, there's just nothing great about it. Tonight we had the fajitas and they were not good. Everything else I've ever had from here was good but the fajitas not so much. They didn't have flavor; the steak was like brisket to me with a lot of gristle and the chicken was dry. I love fajitas so I was super disappointed. I can tell it wasn't just a one time thing too, it's just the way they do fajitas. This is a good place for music on the patio, queso and drinks but for me, not a place I will return to for a meal.

The wife and I both enjoyed out visit. We started with the Tres Amigo Combo including Queso, Salsa and Guac...All was good, and fresh. I do like the idea of a 2/3/4/5 combo plates...Great chance to try multiple item, and thats what I did...Wife stuck with the basic Beef Chiladas, double rice..no beans...Sauce was good and beef had flavor...I went with one, Beef, one Chicken Chiladas and a Barbacoa Taco on the side..Charro Beans and rice as well..Everything tasted good...but food could have been warmer. There are a few more menu items I would like to try so we will keep it on the radar.

The food is good but service is atrocious. On weekends you have to clean your own table to sit down, push through a line of people to order food at the bar, then wait forever and hope a server finds your table to bring your food. Pretty sure they forgot our order.

YALLLLLLLLLLLLLL. This place exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I was just going there for the happy hour margaritas (which themselves are like 10/10) but my boyfriend and I ended up getting food as well. I'm sooo glad we did! The fish tacos, 10/10. the barbacoa tacos, 10/10. the carnitas tacos, 10/10. and the chicken fajita tacos, 10/10. We got combo plates because we wanted to try all the tacos lol. And the sides: we got rice, charro and black beans, and the street corn. they were all so good ugh. anyways. if you're looking for a good place to eat, definitely try this place!!!

You cannot beat the drink prices here on a Friday night. Not to mention their frozen margarita is so good and only $5! Tried their guacamole tonight for a snack and it was delicious. Good customer service and fun place with live music out back. Hoping to come back soon to try their entrees.

To the owner. We respect you as a council member. However, we have given your restaurant so many chances. Once again, we went today and you were closed. Maintenance. I don't think so. Probably no employees to work. We will never go back again. This has happened before.

One of my fave low key HH or dinner spots. Its becoming a very popular spot on Main Street so arrive early to neat dinner or weekend crowds. On weekends they have live music and it means the patio fills up fast. All the drinks are delish, but I recommend the mango Rita w tajin.

Giving 4 stars and would absolutely go back again. The food was amazing, atmosphere was inviting and the music at the lounge brought back so many freestyle memories; it made it hard to leave! Let's talk about the staff. The staff was friendly and nice. The downs about this place, you do have to order at the bar for your food and drinks. They will serve your food to your table. No big deal, many places do that. The con: we paid our tab and tipped in cash. It was such a good time that I added another $10 to the tab. We tabbed out because we knew we were still going to stay and wanted to separate food/ drink tab from just drinks. A bartender approached my husband and asked why we had only tipped $10? My husband told her we had included a cash tip with the tab and she made a face and said, "we normally get a whole lot more than that." Wow! Ok we still stayed and between each round we paid they must have made at least $150 off us in tips alone between all of us there. I know it's tough in that industry right now and we will go back. It was just an awkward feeling.

Pulled up at 9:00 although it said it was opened until 11pm. We sat down and we're told the kitchen was already closed. That would have been nice to know before we mapped out this spot after a 2 hour drive.