13 thoughts on “Austin Mexican Restaurants 1985”

1. Was El Matate still around in ’85? It was on Red River I think where Brick Oven is now.

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   • These restaurants were on a handwritten list I compiled from the telephone directory around 1984-85. I tried to include every Mexican restaurant in Austin, and ones with “El” in the name would have been very obvious and I’m sure I would have included them (thus I would guess that El Matate was not there in 1985). There is always the possibility for error, though, either on my part or in the phone book’s listings.

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2. This brought back some old memories of the Austin that welcomed me. Other great places of the era were Dario’s on east 6th, Joe’s Bakery on east 7th, Texican Cafe on Manchaca Road and El Gallo on south Congress – all great places to eat and fantastic memories.

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   • I do not know why El Gallo was not on the list. It was one of my favorite restaurants in the 1970’s but apparently I did not make a visit there during the time period in which I collected this list (about 1985). Even so, it should have been part of my list of restaurants from the phone book and I do not know if this was a transcribing error on my part. In any case, the list was meant to be a means to start a discussion, and I am glad to see people’s comments about it. I am getting to the point that I do not fully trust my memory of past events, but I remember that El Gallo frequently had a very good live mariachi band (which is one of the reasons I thought it was a special treat).

     Edit: El Gallo was on my list after all. This was truly one of the great classic restaurants, and I am sorry to see that it is closed.

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3. My Carmen’s La Tapatia story: about 1980, returned to UT for the summer after transferring out of state, chances are I was higher than a kite and only AFTER I had eaten did I discover I had no money. Carmen, herself, told me, “that’s okay; you pay me next time.” I returned ASAP with what I owed. Carmen’s was THE BEST. ❤️

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   • Thank you. This is a great story, and not at all surprising.

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     • A beautiful person of such sweet disposition. Thank you for letting me share these memories.

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4. What was the Mexican restaurant on Hancock across from the Americana theater, just West of Burnett Rd? It disappeared many years ago.

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   • This was Jorges,part of Casita Jorges,the same owner though.

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5. Carmen’s La Tapatia was the best, no doubt about it. I use to go there with my parents every Friday nite. Number 2 on my list of all time greats was La Fiesta on North Loop at Burnet Rd. Oh how I miss the hot sauce they both made, no one has ever recreated it.

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   • There were a ton of good Tex-Mex restaurants back in the day but the ones that stick out in my mind as being the best were Carmen’s La Tapatia in Austin and Karam’s in San Antonio. They seemed to be particularly driven to provide the best quality food which showed how delicious this regional version of Mexican food could be. I think they went beyond just showing how much cheese they could put on everything and brought out the true flavors of the cuisine.

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6. Gilbertos quickly became one of my go-to spots in Austin for Mexican cuisine. The variety on the menu is impressive; there’s something for everyone! I tried their enchiladas, which were perfectly zesty and came with a side of fluffy rice that complemented the dish nicely. What really stood out to me was how fresh everything tasted – you can tell they prioritize quality ingredients. The staff was also very welcoming and made sure my dining experience went smoothly. I can’t wait to come back and explore more dishes from their extensive menu!

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7. My first job was as a bus boy at Carmen’s La Tapatia in 1977 when I was 16. We wore white button down shirts, a black tie, red jacket. Three interior service areas and a nice out door patio service area. Very popular especially UT Football game days. Maragaritas were very popular especially the frozen ones.
   We had so much fun — hustling for our professional waiters, keeping customers happy and providing great service. Carmen was the matriarach and kept an eye on everything along her her husband, her son and daughter and their respective families. I worked there but they made us all feel like we were part of the family and made some great friends. It was always a good time for the customers and for me those days I worked there. Mariachi group stolling around. And the food was great. I remember rolling up to the parking lot for work one day and hearing on the radio that Elvis had passed. I also remember Earl Campbell showing up in in the section I was working in 1977 his last year at UT and the waiter served him two plates of beef enchiladas. The Tyler Rose was busting out of of the brown 3 piece suit he was wearing, a big and strong man. I remember his thighs being the size of tree trunks!

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