El Arroyo

[zosostein]

What the hell happened to this place? They used to have some of the best tex-mex in Austin in the 90s, and now they can't even make good salsa. The atmosphere has gone way downhill too - they have enclosed the entire patio into an ugly glass house.

$2.50 HH margaritas is the only reason to visit there.

 

[TheFied]

I'm a fan still. It is what it is -- inexpensive Tex-Mex.

 

[bluto]

went there for happy hour, table of 4 took 35 minutes to seat - not necessarily their fault but still frustrating. sit down and guy comes by, gets our order for round of waters and marg's. drops them off and we tell em to give us 5 minutes to get our orders. no ********, 30 minutes pass and nothing at all after making eye contact with him. we left, **** that place and their parking.

 

[iamtigerwoods]

I am convinced it was never actually good, it was just that I was in college and was not an experienced foodie. As soon as I was out of school for a few years and had a little more perspective, I realized it was a bottom tier Tex-Mex joint.

 

[scottsins]

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[jbentley0813]

I agree with the people that say that it never really was that good. Booze made it seem tolerable.

 

[GakFoo]

it was never good

being wasted just made you think that it was

now that you're older and are sometimes sober, you know that it sucks

just like el patio

well, not that bad, but same idea

 

[TheFied]

I like it b/c it is unpretentious, inexpensive, I never have to wait for a table (but then again I am not going at peak times) and I have had good times there in the past.

But is it great Tex-Mex? No.

Honestly I grew up in SA and used to think that Alamo Cafe was the best Tex-Mex around. I went there a few weeks ago for a friend of mine's rehearsal dinner. The food sucked big time. I was shocked. I was just broke before and didn't know better.

 

[led224]

Their standard stuff (enchiladas and taco's) aren't very good. The Chicken Gonzales on the other hand is awsome and is the only thing I ever order.

 

[Benson32]

dollar margs ftw!

 

[BDog]

their margaritas are ****. enough sweet & sour to make you vomit.

 

[LovinTheAtx]

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[longyak]

It was never good. Its' business was built on $1 ritas.

 

[accuratehorn]

They BBQ the chicken in a big smoker out back, and it is good, so get the BBQ enchiladas, or BBQ chicken in other dishes, and it is definitely edible.

 

[unpaintedhuffhines]

agree that it never was that good. I never went there for the food anyway.

i did enjoy me some enchiladas del mar. So good and terrible.

 

[Salmon Winnebago]

never that good. agree with the bbq chicken dishes as edible, best thing they have going for 'em on food. i had the enchiladas del mar one time and it was great, the next two times, awful, real fishy bad.

 

[unpaintedhuffhines]

which is funny considering there is no fish in them

 

[Salmon Winnebago]

not fish, dude, fishy. crab, shrimp, seafood. can all go fishy.

 

[unpaintedhuffhines]

fishy non-fish is the worst

 

[unpaintedhuffhines]

oh, and it's not real crab either

 

[UTEE]

If it's not real crab, but instead the fake "krab" then it is indeed fish after all.

El Arroyo isn't as good as the people who love it remembering it being, and it isn't as bad as the haters always say it is. Their specialty dishes like the BBQ chicken dishes and del Mar are actually pretty good. The standard fare by which all Tex-Mex joints should be judged, like tacos and enchiladas, are below average, and I don't ever order them.

But on Hornfans, everything has to become an extremist argument, especially subjects involving food in Austin, so there ya go.