02/05/09

And it just gets better and better!

by LonseomeDove

Did you know El Arroyo has a special just about every night of the week?! Below are their listed specials:

Mondays- $1 Tecates 5- close

2 for 1 Half Pound, Never Frozen, Black Angus Burgers

Tuesdays: 2 for 1 Cheese Enchiladas

Wednesdays- $5 selected martinis and half priced selected appetizers 3-7pm.

Thursdays- 99 cent margaritas 2 to 6pm, and $1.99 margaritas 6-7pm.

Saturdays and Sundays: $2.50 Bloody Marys/ Mimosas/ Screwdrivers/ Poinsettias 10am-3pm

Brunch 10am to 3pm

01/10/09

Best Tex-Mex

by new2atex

I have only been in Austin now 11 months and I eat out about 5 times a week. By far I have had the best experiences at El Arroyo on 5th St near Mopac. I Have been going there on Thursdays for their $.99 margaritas. They are good! So far the service has been good. I like to try different things when I go there just as I do at other restaurants. The only thing I don't care for are the refried beans. I love their fajitas. I do recommend them to anyone new to Austin.

• Pros: Casual relaxed atmosphere
• Cons: Not open past 12 on Weekends

10/14/08

Dissapointed

by huskyduck

I had heard lots of good things about El Arroyo but I was mildly disappointed over their very average Mexican Tex-Mex food. The chips and salsa was obviously from a bag and jar respectively, always a bad sign for any Mexican restaurant. The prices are great but I guess you get what you pay for. The portions were pretty small too which surprised me. The margarita I had, however, was top notch and the bartender was obviously heavy handed in his tequila pour, no complaints from me on that.

• Pros: Great Margarita
• Cons: Small portions of average Mexican Tex-Mex

10/08/08

Ask about items not on their menu!!! : )

by arrrrrrrriba

I went to eat at the 5th street location with my girlfriend and the server offered us items that aren't on the menu but will be on the new menu coming out soon. They were amazing! I got the stuffed avacado and my girlfriend got the queso flameado as an appetizer. It was delicious! Next time you go, ask what they have that's not on their current menu.

09/10/08

great patio

by rtovar

We came in from Houston a couple of weeks ago for the game and had a great time. They used to have one in Houston but i guess not there any longer. The patio is the place to be on a Saturday night. It wasnt crazy busy like we thought. We were seated fast and our margaritas arrived just in time.(...try their fresh mango kind) Had the shrimp in a creamy sauce and my husband the steak plate. Service was good,food was delicious & portions were perfect ! overall a great experience

09/09/08

Great atmosphere and food

by goodfoodnow

I recently went back to El Arroyo on 5th St. to try the new menu I have been hearing about. I did like the change from the old menu. I noticed they also have been doing som remodeling which looks a lot better. Anyway, My server was friendly. We decided to try the shrimp cocktail. This was not like any other cocktail. It had some fruity/flavor which was delicious. My girlfriend ordered the Tuna Burger and I ordered the stuffed pork chop. The Tuna Burger was good however she really enjoyed my entree better. We looked at their new drink menu and ordered some new martinis. They were good. The one I ordered was very strong so I could only drink one. Overall it was good. The changes they have made over the years have really made the palce feel cleaner. Seems to be getting fancier on the inside which makes it great for a date. It was nice to see amanger come talk to us. He mentioned the brunch has changed as well. I keep forgetting that brunch is served on the weekends. We will have to try it out sometime. The restaurant has gone from a 1 to a 5 in my book.

• Pros: Food seems more fresh
• Cons: Could over hear the waiters in the main dining since it was not very busy

09/04/08

Far West--Great place for Families!

by gwlucas

I have been to many many Austin Mexican restaurants, and this by far has been my best experience. I went to the El Arroyo on Far West with my wife and two kids, the hostess greeted us warmly and took us to our table right away and got a booster seat for my child without even having to ask. The bar had big plasma tvs, so for sure next time I go without my family that's the place I'm headed to first. The server was very amiable and new everything about the food they served which surprised me because normally waiters I've had in the past don't know anything other than what's written in the menu. Our server even knew items that weren't even on the menu yet. This is important to me because my wife is vegan, which makes a challenging order normally. We had to take off a few things and add some more and the server was really cool about it and didn't give us the normal "Oh, you're a vegan" look, and then our food came out just as we ordered which surprised me even more. He even knew what oil was used for frying. The manager stopped by our table after we ate out and gave my kids a couple quarters to play with the little machines they have there. My wife loved it, my kids loved it, so naturally I loved it! I strongly suggest this restaurant.

• Pros: Tons of seating, and variety of food on the menu.
• Cons: Kind of dim lighting

09/04/08

Try the Patio!

by atxrebel

I just ate El Arroyo on 5th Street on a Thursday. There was no wait like I expected there would be. It seemed busy but the $.99 ritas made it worth it. Our server (Jessica I think...) was friendly, the drinks were pretty strong even though they were only a dollar and the atmosphere was casual and fun. If I could sum up Austin in one restaurant, this would be it. We sat outside on their patio (which is covered thank god!), and I couldn't say at any point I was too hot. The food was fast, and the food was cheap (I had the Cozumel Special for like $7!). I was a firt timer, but I'm DEFINITELY coming back every Thursday.

• Pros: Very fast, affordable and fun
• Cons:  Loud music

09/03/08

Good Mexican Food, Great Happy Hour!

by cmmdb

El Arroyo on 5th street has been a favorite of mine since I was in college! I was originally lured in with their '99 cent ritas on Thursday, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a pretty extensive menu and other great happy hour specials! They have great tex - mex, great burgers, and they even have healthy options like fresh fruit! It is a little rough that their costs are rising, but i guess we are starting to see gas prices affect everywhere... :( The staff is always friendly and attentive and you can bet you will see me there for dollar tecates on Mondays still!

• Pros: Patio, Music, Happy Hour, Specials, Atmosphere
• Cons: Parking

06/25/08

NEVER eat their Tacos

by reddog13

I recently purchased breakfast tacos and was completely disgusted when I found an insect in my taco. Obviously they are taking "The Ditch" a little too far. Not only are they raising their prices they are adding a little protein to boot. I will never eat there again and I hope that others will follow my lead until they clean up their act.

• Cons: dirty with rising costs