Review El Mercado - Austin

A classic tex-mex staple for South Austin. They have a uniquely tasty salsa. Very nice attendants and waitstaff. They also have a music hall out back with frequent live music offering.

Great tex-mex!! Took my family for dinner, had a great meal and the service was top notch. My server was very friendly and attentive, didn't have to ask for anything, he was right there before we could even ask. Will definitely be a regular at this spot.

Stopped in here for dinner this evening. When I entered, the host noted I was walking with a cane and told me to sit wherever I'd be comfortable. I appreciate this as many times I get walked all over the restaurant to be sat at a table. In this case I did choose to sit in the main dining room. For 7:30 on a Friday evening, this place wasn't super busy, but active none the less. When the waitress came to my table I ordered the El Grandote margarita. I typically don't drink flavored margaritas, but I opted for the strawberry one. The drink was quite tasty. While deciding what to order for dinner, the waitress brought chips and salsa. I found the salsa to have an excellent, peppery taste to it. While some reviewers said it was too watery, I found it to be a decent consistency with an appropriate amount of liquid in it. If all I had was the margarita and the salsa it'd have been a good dinner. When it came time to order I was torn between the brisket enchiladas or the shrimp enchiladas. I asked the waitress for her recommendation, she quickly responded that i should go with the brisket enchiladas. Once my food arrived and I got a taste of the enchiladas I knew why she recommended them. The brisket was incredibly moist with a nice smokey flavor to it. I found the rice on the plate to be seasoned well and was light and fluffy. The refried beans were also seasoned well. I did mix some salsa into both to give them a bit of a bite. Overall my meal was excellent and hit the spot. The drink was tasty as well. Customer service was excellent from the host to the waitstaff. I will definitely be back to try more menu items! Hats off to the kitchen staff for some amazing brisket which I was told is made in house. The host did tell me they do carnitas as well so I'll be sure to try that next time.

Me and my brother had lunch here. Service was fast, queso was delicious and the enchiladas were sooo good. Got a large strawberry margarita it was picture worthy and hit the spot on a hot Texas day. $10 lunch combos until 2pm

This place is always good. I have never had anything here that was not tasty! And, their margaritas are awesome.

The gravy on the enchiladas was fantastic, you really couldn't go wrong. (And I would know, between myself and every other member of our dining party we were able to try them all!) My personal favorite was the queso and Tex mex chili cheese sauce atop a beef enchilada, Yum! Service was swift, friendly, and attentive. Presentation was beautiful, food affordable, nearly perfect....I just wanted a fluffier, drier rice. If they find a way to make the rice as fantastic as everything else, this is a definite 5 star. We will be returning.

We got here a little before they were scheduled to open and they welcomed us in anyway. We opted to sit outside, since it hadn't gotten hot yet. The back patio was cute and colorful and most of the tables were in the shade. Our server, Gabriel, was so attentive and friendly! He brought out the breakfast and regular menus, which we ended up ordering from both. Everything came out super fast and tasted GREAT! The kids ordered from the kid's menu and we ordered from the breakfast and regular menus. We also ordered a few beers. I highly recommend this place, for breakfast, lunch, dinner or with the kids. We all loved everything we ordered. They also had good music playing too.

We had a good lunch today! The chips and salsa are very good. They have great gluten free options. They are dog friendly and the waitress even brought my dog a bowl of water. Some of the best margaritas ever!

The beef fajita tacos were amazing!! The meat was delicious, cooked perfectly. Chips were warm, salsa was spicy, and the black beans were a good flavor. Excellent service!

We had a wonderful experience tonight at El Mercado. We were sat and waited on quickly and enjoyed the best frozen margs in Austin, large portion sizes, and stellar service. We will be back to this neighborhood establishment!

The food was good, just not slap my mama good. I had the Chicken Soup. The soup lacked flavor but was very easy on my stomach so that was a plus. I recommend the chicken soup for anyone like me with Crohns or another stomach problem. Chips and salsa were very good. They did not have sweet tea, only unsweet. My boyfriend had the tacos and a margarita, he enjoyed both.

My wife and I are US expats living in Yucatan, Mexico and visiting Austin for a few nights. Yucatan cuisine is different and we had been missing/craving US style Mexican / TexMex food so we decided to give El Mercado a try Even on a Tuesday evening the the restaurant was 1/2 full, we were seated right away and brought chips and salsa along with some tasty and potent Texas martinis (like a margarita but with a splash of orange and olive juice). My beef enchilada and crispy taco combo was pretty good and our waiter seemed to appear at all the right times when we needed more salsa, more drinks, and when it was time to ask for the check

This is a solid option for getting drinks and food with friends. Margaritas are good, service is okay, food is a hit or miss (although the enchiladas were pretty tasty). There was live music going on in another part of the restaurant too. Overall, nothing particularly amazing but definitely a solid option if you’re looking for Tex Mex and drinks.

The best day parties during any SXSW Music Fest. Food and fun!! It’s great TexMex the other 360 days a year. I had a pulled-pork omelette for brunch and it was very good. I shared it.

Newish music space at the back of El Mercado has a nice stage set-up, backdrop and decor. The killer sound system might be a little too much for a room that maybe holds 175 max but that's a good problem to have for a live music venue. They even have a smoking patio adjacent to the room with views of the stage.

Best listening room in South Austin, hands down. Enjoyed seeing Michael O'Connor with Ernie, excellent Tex Mex dinner and wait staff. Thanks for effort!

The Backstage is one of the coolest places in Austin, and therefore the world.

As a photographer specializing in capturing musicians in action; this is a wonderful stage with great lighting! Makes my job way easier!!! Loved the staff and service; they really took care of us! I'll be back!

Amazing listening room and great Tex Mex while you listen

It's a great indoor venue with great Tex-Mex food! Drinks are Delicious!

always great musicians, great food, drinks and service but seating can be awkward so get a vip table, lol

Must visit on this one. In the fine music tradition of the area, this place rocks! Great food, beverage, and vibe!

Awesome music and service. Ruben V and company are so talented.

Great Music! Check out Ernie on Tuesday with his Special Guests! Always a great show!

One of my favorite places to eat and listen to great Music!

The music, food, and atmosphere are always fantastic at The Backstage!

Gospel Brunch from 11-1 and donations to the Central Area Foodbank. Nothing better for a Sunday morning!!!!

Great south Austin music venue - top notch bands, great sound, tasty margaritas, easy parking!

Saw The Dam Torpedoes playing, they were fantastic! They got their audience up, dancing, and singing the whole night away. Will definitely go see them again! Singer, Ty Hurless has an amazing voice! 👍👍