El Patio

04/12/2008 Posted by johna221363

This is our family's standard by which every Mexican Food Restaurant is rated. None have surpassed it yet. I always go for the beef enchiladas.

Pros: Best Mexican Food Anywhere

Cons: It's hard to find parking.

02/14/2008 Posted by eloon

After a bunch of 5 star reviews and some 1 star review, we decided to try out El Patio. I have to say the food isn't the worst I've ever had, but I probably wouldn't go back very often. I'm pretty sure the chicken in my chicken enchilada was canned chicken which is pretty weak. Sadly, the chicken enchilada was better than the cheese. I'm pretty sure they used all velveeta cheese which is just so strong. Their chili con carne didn't have much carne and wasn't very chili like either. The queso was good, and I liked the homemade chips (my finace did not). If people think that this place is REAL tex-mex then I'm sad for them. I've eaten mexican food in a lot of places and I would rank El Patio in the bottom tier. It would be the best mexican food in OKCity (I spent a summer up there) but I've eaten food this good in Kermit, TX (middle of nowhere past Midland). Lastly, I was disappointed that our bill was $24 for one kids plate (she eats lightly), my entree (2 enchiladas with rice and beans), one frozen marg, one soda, and a small queso. If it had been $18 for the same meal I'd be much more inclined to go back more often.

01/16/2008 Posted by ajh13

I really love this place, although I understand it is not for everyone. I can't figure out why there is such a divide between people who LOVE this place and people who absolutely hate it.

Pros: clean, quick, good food

Cons: not for everyone. have to be careful bringing first-timers

11/27/2007 Posted by guliver

Just dined (if you call it that) at El Patio for lunch. It was my first time there, and I assure you, my last. Not only was the food overpriced, but it was bland and unappetizing. Add to that the unfriendly wait staff and slow service, and one has the primary reasons for not going back.

Pros: Can't think of any

Cons: Overpriced, poor service, bland food

10/28/2007 Posted by backroads101

El Patio that they has a great business! I hope they don't pay attention to the negative reviews on this site. My family has been eating here sinece we were all in college in the 70's. Not much has changed and that is why we eat here 2 times a week. It is REAL TEXMEX. A lot of people won't understand it. If you are a foreigner (not from Texas) you won't understand, go to Curra's or Guerro's. There are a lot of different styles of Mexican food in Austin and not all styles are for everyone. I hope El Patio is around for another 50 years. It is simple, inexpensive and as good as great TEXMEX gets.

Pros: Inexpensive, Excellent Food, the Josephs are nice people!

10/20/2007 Posted by shelby14

We had a wonderful experience at El Patio, from the great food to the personal service!! The homemade tortilla chips and chili con queso are down right addictive. The nachos and the enchiladas were perfect!! We had several people waiting on us making sure that we had everything. The friendly, family service is something you just don't get anywhere else!!!

Pros: Food and Service

Cons: No Parking

09/06/2007 Posted by txex97

I hadn't eaten at El Patio in almost 7 years because I remember it being pretty bad but I couldn't remember specifically what was so bad. As fate would have it, my wife, daughter and I ended up there tonight due to a lack of other ideas. I was quickly reminded why I hadn't been back and won't go back. The people, ambience, etc, are not the problem. The problem is the horrible, horrible food. The salsa they brought out was the consistency of water, and only slightly more flavorful. I ordered the chicken enchiladas with rice and beans. Pretty simple order, how can this not be decent. Let me tell you how. Unheated Corn tortillas straight out of the package. Bland chicken. Then, the last straw: they were topped with american cheese slices, like kraft singles. I am not kidding, God, I wish I was kidding, but I'm not. The rice was hard and only seasoned with cumin. Unseasoned beans. The meal was an absolute nightmare. I came home and read reviews here and on 360 and found about half hated it, and the ones that didn't talked more about how it's an institution because they've been doing the same thing for 50 years. NEWSFLASH: Making the same mistake for 50 years is not endearing and tradition, it's just sad. Then it made sense, all this talk about how people have been eating here for all these years + about 70% of the people in the restaurant were over 75 years old = this is the cafeteria at an old folks' home. The recipes are neither authentic Mexican or even passable tex-mex. This place is merely a place that serves as a good memory to many old people in Austin. I saw several families eating there, and the common bond at every table was multiple elderly people. At EVERY table except ours. Now, I like old people, but not their eateries apparently. If you need to appease grandma and grandpa by going to this place they loved as young people then take them to El Patio and sit there and choke down something and smile. You can get through it. I did, barely.

Pros: they allowed us to leave

Cons: see review

08/14/2007 Posted by autumn123

Food is excellent. Service, on the other hand, stinks. The evening we went (Monday) there was only one waiter on the floor. It took forever to get waited on, we had to ask for water refills, never got the tortilla's we asked for, and had to ask for our check. Too bad, because the food is authentic and really good.

Pros: Good, authentic Mexican food

Cons: Service was lousy.

07/04/2007 Posted by kcee4020

I have just read the reviews on El Patio. I have to say for the people that hated it, you must be 1) NOT from Texas, so you really have no idea about what Tex Mex is. Or 2) you must be under 35 so you are only used to the really mediocre stuff that is passed off at MOST restaurants around here as Tex Mex. The majority of the high priced Mexican restaurants in Austin serve boring, tasteless food. There are TV dinners that taste better. El Patio IS the real deal. I have lived in Austin all of my (50 yrs) life, and it is one of the ONLY restaurants that has preserved the authentic Tex Mex flavor. The sauce is the BEST in Austin IMHO. It's thin, hot and runny for a REASON my young, yankee transplants! That's the way original hot sauce was made! Learn a lesson or go back east (or west) wherever you came from. El Patio IS the best...period.

06/29/2007 Posted by petim123

Who are you people that think you know something about Tex-Mex food? This place is the WORST. We had a very bad experience today. And guess what? I gave this place a shot about 6 years ago and I walked out then. Why did I come back!! Maybe my first mistake was coming for lunch, but you know, if they can't handle the crowds they should stop trying and not waste my time and money on lousy service and lousy food. We couldn't find parking, stood in line for 10 minutes then got stuck at a corner table with the flies. The chips were stale and cold, the salsa tasted like a mix of canned picante sauce and ketchup. Our waiter never even said hello to us, just took our order and then never checked on us. My friend ordered chicken tacos and got served 2 chalupas instead. The chicken on them was not even good. My two other friends ordered the El Patio enchilada dinners. When the plates arrived, the plates were hot to touch but the enchiladas were still cold like from the refrigerator. The guacamole was brown. I ordered beef chalupas and got chicken and bean chalupas!!!. Any Beaner with any heritage left knows," that just don't go!!!" It doesn't even sound good! There was enough melted cheese on them to stop an elephant's arteries. Needless to say, none of us ate much. The busboy had to bring us drink refills and the manager brought us our meals. I would have gladly taken out my frustration on the waiter and not on this website but we only saw him again when he "drive-by" dropped off the check. He never spoke to us. I am Tex-Mex and I say one star is one too many for this place. I know what tex-mex food is supposed to look like, taste like, smell like. This place is not it. I'm sorry for you if you think it is!

Pros: The building is authentically old.

Cons: Nothing about this place is worth your time nor money.

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