06/11/09

Karoke and drinking not a good mix here

by Irenept16

We had a happy hour and a great time but when it came time to pay they did not honor all of the happy hour prices they were just rude and short "no that was full price" when me and my fiance knew we had ordered all except the last two drinks at the happy hour prices and the happy hour prices are note even great prices and then to top it off when my friends were the last to leave the bar they told them a lot of people from our group did not pay their tabs and they got stuck paying other peoples tabs which everyone had paid already... I think they figured since they had plenty to drink and were last to leave they tried to stick them with more then what was really owed. So take good notes if you go (keep track of who leaves and what everyone ordered and paid for and happy hour orders - to a lot to do but you'll be sorry if you don't)

• Pros: Great Karoke
• Cons: Service and prices not so great

03/06/09

Great Mexican cuisine, entertainment

by hazyfan

I put together a birthday party for my friends and family and had it at La Palapa on a suggestion of friend who said it was a really fun place on Saturday night. She was right! We had a night complete with great mexican food (the best I've had in Austin yet) served by a courteous and friendly wait staff. About half way through our dinner the karaoke guy started and I have to say I've never been so entertained by karaoke! Not only was he a talented singer--he was truly entertaining! And he had every song we wanted to sing, and the sound was clear and NOT OVERLY LOUD. He even accommodated my kids when they wanted to sing a song. I really appreciated the family atmosphere--no vulgar language. And did I mention the food was muy bueno!?

• Pros: Excellent food, service, bar, and karaoke
• Cons: What are the drawbacks?

01/06/09

Worst Everything Mexican

by Christalclear

Horrible mexican food, Worst Service, Worst Drinks, The only good thing was the Karaoke on Friday and Saturday and they fired Big Jim!!!

• Pros: nothing anymore, need new management
• Cons: bad food, bad service, bad DRINKS and horrible management team

02/25/08

Great Prices!

by PaulGeary

I went to the bathroom at La Palapa, and I got the clap. But the food is pretty reasonably priced. Don't order the clap. It's not fun.

• Pros: They have karaoke.
• Cons: They have the clap.

02/24/08

Beware of the DJ

by Kittyeyes

My friends and I had dinner there for a birthday party and were treated very rudely. The karaoke DJ harrassed us and made bigoted comments to people in our party. He only allowed certain people onto the stage and would then for no reason break into song, exposing us to his horrible voice. The waitress was so demoralized that she asked one of my friends if his employer was hiring. The food was bland and pedestrian. What a sad and unfortunate place.

• Pros: Next to a gas station
• Cons: Predatory DJ, bland food

02/15/08

La Palapa -

by julieanne921

New Karaoke Dude is unprofessional and wont keep a crowd there

I miss the old days, and me and my friends will find a new place to hang.

Frozen Margaritas don't taste good anymore

• Cons: Some of the wait staff need to get a new job

10/22/07

Best Mexican Restaurant in Austin

by xacto

We discovered La Palapa after moving to the east side and what a find! This *IS* the best mexican restaurant in Austin and is certainly one of the best mexican restaurants ANYWHERE in Texas. Bold statement you say?? I've lived in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi. I've travelled to El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, and Houston...and I've been to mexican joints in just about every stop in between these places. I truly can't think of another mexican restaurant that puts all of the elements together like this one does. The variety in the menu is astounding (which is usually a bad sign) but at La Palapa there truly isn't a bad dish on the menu. I would try anything they offer...it's that good. Go for the food, forget about the service (not great), a silly check-out procedure, or the noisy karoke bar (dinner time).

• Pros: Menu, Quality, Price
• Cons: Service, Noise

01/23/06

Great food

by bb78723

La Palapa has great Mexican food. I eat there frequently, and am always happy with the food and service. Their tortilla soup is the best in town! You also get plenty of food for the price.

09/21/03

Your traffic oasis from I-35

by monica

I have never been more impressed with food, service, and atmosphere for a mexican food restaurant on the east side, let alone all of Austin. You just can tell it's a well thoughtout concept from the moment you walk in the cantina or the front door. For dinner, I had the Pollo Chipotle for $9.95 it was exquisite, and just as much aestheticlly pleasing. Our service and margaritas were excellent. Afterwards we went the the Cantina and really enjoyed a packed crowd listening to Karaoke.I would recommend La Palapa to anyone looking for a great HAPPY HOur SPOT!!!! or just a mexican restaurnt with authenticity and knowledge. I guess that's why they have been a staple in the community for almost 15yrs.

• Pros: MEXICAN MARTINI'S, atmoshpere, cantina
• Cons: parking

06/04/03

Not TEX-MEX!! Its Authentic!

by crazy_tejano

Ok, I can't even begin to fathom how 4 people here have rated the food as only average. Actually, I can. They think that la palapa is bad tex-mex. Its too salty, not sweet. They probably have never heard of mole.

Time for me to be cynical:

They don't have a clue because they don't know real mexican food. One cannot get beef and cheese Trudy's poopchiladas in Northern Mexico (say Monterrey or Reynosa). Mexican food, is NOT SWEET, unlike tex-mex. If you want truely delicious truly south of rio grande mexican food, come to La Palapa, its friggin awesome. If you were raised on the boring midwestern diet, or the overly sweet texas barbeque diet, don't bother.

• Pros: Food is AUTHENITIC, Food is NOT TEX MEX, Food is AUTHENTIC
• Cons: crappy waiters, beer should be cheape, its not free