Best Tex-Mex in Austin - where to go?

Cafe Society
21

To chime in again…

There are two “styles” of tex-mex, if you will.

There’s the old-school, enchiladas in chili gravy, rice, beans & cheese style, as exemplified by Matt’s El Rancho. The emphasis is on things like enchiladas, tamales and tacos. It’s not really spicy-hot, it’s rich, and it’s filling. It’s what Tex-Mex started out as back in the 40’s and 50’s.

There’s the more modern style, as done by Chuy’s. It’s typified by a larger emphasis on grilled meats and veggies and things like sour cream, tomatillos and food with more of a kick. It’s what the old-style evolved into over time.

That’s not to say that both places aren’t top-notch. I’ve eaten at Chuy’s in Houston and Dallas and enjoyed it every time, and I’ve eaten at Matt’s before (in-laws live 5 minutes away) and thoroughly enjoyed it too.

22

Trudy’s has always been really good. They do good enchiladas and although I can’t swear by the margaritas, the margarita fans in my family do. We also like Chuy’s a lot. I’d say it comes down to the meal. We always do Trudy’s for breakfast and Chuy’s for dinner. Trudy’s breakfasts are definitely very good.