Anastasia

Fantastic experience. Fun atmosphere. Friendly and efficient service. And the menu was outstanding! We started out with guac and queso which were both great. For tacos I ordered the al pastor and chicken tinga and they were delicious. And I can’t forget the cocktails— my favorite was the como la flor!

SethBM

Amazing food and experience! We had zero wait at lunchtime on a Saturday. I got the shrimp enchiladas with the tomato chipotle sauce and they were amazing. Their chips are also some of the best I have ever had. Highly recommend!

Came here for a quick lunch on a warm, sunny Saturday in February. We sat on the patio, which was a nice change from where we normally sit (inside). We both got different versions of enchiladas - I got the mole with the shrimp and cheese and it was excellent. Their frozen margs are always good, too! Overall this is a good place with a different type of menu from other similar places (they love their duck here)!

Wow! El Alma was great in Julianne rocks! The area is packed with people for the Austin marathon and yet we walked straight in and got a seat outside. Julianne was excellent. She even fixed a drink order that was messed up with a smile. Food was great service was great and stuff was great. We highly recommend El Alma.

WOW! I normally order pickup for El Alma, but stopped in for a visit tonight and I do not regret it! Dalia was amazing. So attentive and friendly. Coming from a former waitress, she did an amazing job and I felt the need to shout her out in this review! Loved the pork chop and Don Quixote martini! Must try both.

John T

Delicious and innovative flavors, fun atmosphere, and great service! My friends and I found this place for dinner while visiting Austin. We lucked out last minute because a reservation canceled, so we got seating on the rooftop - that was a fun experience. We ordered the queso blanco y rojo (great!), the ceviche (great!), the ahi tuna ceviche tostada (I was so happy with this - lots of flavor!!), the sweet potato relleno (yum!), and the enchiladas (great!). We really enjoyed this meal - I love flavor combos, and they delivered! The ambiance inside and out is fun. I highly recommend, and I’ll be back for the sho tuna ceviche tostadas!!!

+6

Queso dip was soooo good. I got the redfish with cauliflower which I enjoyed-especially the cauliflower. Was only moderately crowded-we got right in and food was out quickly! Would recommend.

Queso dip was soooo good. I got the redfish with cauliflower which I enjoyed-especially the cauliflower. Was only moderately crowded-we got right in and food was out quickly! Would recommend.

Most awesome atmosphere with a patio outside overlooking Downtown Austin....food was spectacular and the service was great as well!

Most awesome atmosphere with a patio outside overlooking Downtown Austin....food was spectacular and the service was great as well!

My son introduced me to this restaurant today. The food was delicious. We had chicken enchiladas with a soft taco that was probably the best I have had in a long time.\nI highly recommend El Alma.

The Food is good, we had super fast and friendly service, bur we went for late lunch. Prices are decent.

The Food is good, we had super fast and friendly service, bur we went for late lunch. prices are decent.

The food was amazing, the atmosphere inviting and the service was outstanding I had the salmon taco which was prepared to perfection. The location is convenient and parking is plentiful.

The food was amazing, the atmosphere inviting and the service was outstanding I had the salmon taco which was prepared to perfection. The location is convenient and parking is plentiful.

For a unique TexMex adventure try El Alma's next to Terry Blacks. (Heck, they have easier parking!) In our quest for REAL Austin TexMex, we should have come here long ago. Their Saturday - Sunday B…

Had great drinks and food at Elma. Our waiter Ryder L. was extremely personable (showed us a yo-yo trick) and made our dinner special. We appreciate the experience and attribute our service to our …

What an incredible experience. My five friends and I came to eat an early dinner on the outside patio. We found a parking spot right in front. Hostess Emma and Server Ashley were both so helpful an…

This is the best tasting, healthiest mexican food I’ve had in Austin Texas. Today we had the grilled chicken Padilla with grilled cheese sticks and the chicken tinga enchiladas in chipotl…

The Margaritas were the best I have had in Austin and I had Chicken Tinga tacos and al pastor tacos Gotta say I am in love. Anthony and Carmela were great.

We really enjoyed eating on the rooftop, kept cool with the misting fans, and enjoyed the large portions and great service. Loved the duck dishes. Really appreciate the hostess Shannon, who chased…

Excellent food. Great prices. Fun vibe. Friendly staff. No wonder this place is a favorite with locals. Make a reservation or you might be waiting a while.

Fun, high-energy atmosphere, cheerful servers helping each other out. Delicious flavorful food.Will definitely return here.

My husband and I really enjoyed the Mexican food here. The frozen margarita was delicious. Guacamole and chips were very fresh. The duck enchiladas and the crab enchiladas were scrumptious. Would …

Exceeded our expectations, delicious food and friendly service. And the terrace is a plus with low music in the background.

Avocado margarita a true gem!!!! I rarely like margaritas in restaurants unless only fresh lime juice this exceeds all expectations.

Everything was decent, nothing spectacular, except for the chips and salsa which were really good. The michelada had too much Tabasco and the ceviche too much tomato. I got the grilled chicken and it was a bit bland. Thank goodness for the extra salsa I ordered to give it some kick and flavor. Service was good, parking can be tricky and upstairs patio doesn’t have heaters for cool days or nights. My wife enjoyed the pastor tacos, both the regular ones and the shrimp pastor.

+3

Atmosphere was absolutely fabulous. Downstairs versus upstairs gives a total different vibe and different from the outside of the restaurant as well. It all mixes into a good mash. Food was pretty good, prices were okay. Service could have been a tad quicker. That said we enjoyed ourselves.

Prince Clarise Perimbie

A little gem great for a cozy ambiance and relaxing day, amazing service little nice back rooftop. Nice inside view. Little but overall impressive.

+6

Lexie Nicole

Recommend… they have a great happy hour! The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because the table my party was sat at was dirty when we were seated and it wasn’t busy at all so it was just a little gross but after it was cleaned off the rest of the experience was great!

Marc Kleinmaier

Great Mexican food, drinks, and ambiance. A little pricey for what you get, but the experience makes it worthwhile. A beautiful winding rock stairwell takes you up to their rooftop deck where you can watch the birds, listen to the Cicadas, and enjoy the Austin weather near the river, while sipping on a Clásica Margarita or a delicious frozen Mangorita with a Chile rim (I had both, just to be safe). Food and service get docked one star because there was silver skin on the steak, which shouldn't happen at this price, and our appetizer (Ahi Tostadas, which were great), didn't come out until the rest of the food had arrived. Otherwise, it was yummy and the staff were very friendly. We'd definitely go back!

Had dinner on the upstairs patio at this spot and would recommend waiting for a table there. The Margarita could've used more kick, felt like it was just for show. But, the crab queso is a must-try - it's legit good. The chicken enchiladas and tacos? Absolutely killer. They know what they're doing in the kitchen. Service was on point too, super friendly without being over the top. Cool atmosphere, kind of a unique vibe that works. Had a short wait around 30 minutes to get seated on a Saturday night, so not bad but recommend grabbing a drink from the patio bar upstairs while you wait for a table. Overall, solid place for a casual night out.

+6

Kate Rimolo

Cute Mexican food spot. I went with a large group of about 20 people. They sat us at two large tables. We got the queso and guac as appetizers. I ended up getting a mocktail and the mail quail dish with mole sauce. The service was absolutely fantastic. Sometimes with groups of our size service is slow and the food takes forever, but they seemed to be well-staffed, as the food did not take long to come out and the waitstaff made regular rounds to check on drinks, take orders, etc.

+4

Kelly Taliaferro

Great taco spot. We were playing at the park and lucky to score a table here. Only con was not having a heater near us. Otherwise, we loved our tacos and our waiter! There are some unique taco options, including lamb barbacoa and red fish. There’s a free parking lot which is helpful considering the parking options are limited in the area.

+6

I stumbled upon El Alma by complete chance. My friends wanted to go to Terry Black's for BBQ, but I am vegan, and I didn't want to go to a BBQ place. El Alma is two doors down, and it was literally p…

I stumbled upon El Alma by complete chance. My friends wanted to go to Terry Black's for bbq, but I am vegan, and I didn't want to go to a bbq place. El Alma is two doors down, and it was literal…

Waaay overpriced for food quality, service, etc. Service was inattentive, and the restaurant was not busy at the time. Margaritas were expensive, the taste was nothing special, and they took foreve…

Waaay overpriced for food quality, service, etc. service was inattentive, and the restaurant was not busy at the time. Margaritas were expensive, the taste was nothing special, and they took fore…

Waaay overpriced for food quality, service, etc. Service was inattentive, and the restaurant was not busy at the time. Margaritas were expensive, the taste was nothing special, and they took fore…

Great taco spot. We were playing at the park and lucky to score a table here. Only con was not having a heater near us. Otherwise, we loved our tacos and our waiter! There are some unique taco …

If you're looking for good Mexican food with flavor... sorry but this ain't it. Tacos lacked flavor big time. The drinks and atmosphere is what is saving this review. The mangorita was fresh and ra…

If you're looking for good Mexican food with flavor... sorry but this ain't it. Tacos lacked flavor big time. The drinks and atmosphere is what is saving this review. The mangorita was fresh and ra…

Happy Hour. Service was on point. Creat margaritas at good HH prices. Get the ceviche - it's awesome. \n\nAlthough the food and service are comparable to the original on Barton Springs, this locati…

Slow service despite only two tables to attend to, had to ask for drinks, server did not introduce himself (not a big deal, but also not the norm). \n\nVery overpriced for bland food. I guess it is…

Creative menu, simple yet unique vibe at this Mexican style restaurant. Certainly isn’t the standard Mexican food as we had Shrimp & Crab Relleno, duck enchiladas, white Queso and a bowl of Guacamole…

Creative menu, simple yet unique vibe at this Mexican style restaurant. Certainly isn’t the standard mexican food as we had shrimp & crab Relleno, duck enchiladas, white Queso and a bowl of G…

If you can get a seat outside on the roof, do so. We enjoyed our drinks on the roof. Food was good too. Nice place on a good day.

If you can get a seat outside on the roof, do so. We enjoyed our drinks on the roof. food was good too. Nice place on a good day.

If you can get a seat outside on the roof, do so. We enjoyed our drinks on the roof. Food was good too. Nice place on a good day.

We went there for a late light lunch after our half day tour. We didn't want a heavy meal at their next door neighbor " Terry Black's Barbecue". The view on the deck was really nice. Service was go…

A good upscale spin on TexMex food, with a good atmosphere. Slightly noisy inside, but tolerable, and a creative use of outdoor space for dining. We had adobo grilled shrimp and chicken enchiladas…

A good upscale spin on TexMex food, with a good atmosphere. Slightly noisy inside, but tolerable, and a creative use of outdoor space for dining. We had adobo grilled shrimp and chicken enchiladas…

The restaurant looks small from the outside. Don’t let that fool you. The ambiance is low key where you can chat, unwind and relax. The food was delicious! Most of the tables were reserved, but we …

Who designed this menu?!? How can anyone read this? This 4-point-font requires a magnifying glass and surgical lighting to read. \n\nI'm 43. I have 20/20 vision. I'm not old. Yet. However, this is il…

Cute plate decorated with stairs leading to the rooftop. Ate downstairs as it was cold that night. \nThe meats in our tacos were well prepared but on the bland side. Would have liked some salsa to …

Good, but nothing special. I have no complaints, but in an area rich with Mexican restaurants it doesn't stand out either.

LL

Interesting choice to hire two hostesses for the front desk when both of them are on their phones basically the whole time. On the positive side, the chips and queso starter was tasty, and our server was nice and diligent enough, especially for a busy holiday. But the food was overall mediocre—the prickly pear margarita was undrinkably sweet. As for the enchiladas, the tortillas were weirdly raw underneath the sauce (which was fairly bland). The cheese enchiladas were just a chunk of cheese that quickly cooled and concealed - unappetizing. The vegetable enchiladas that my friend got had NO cheese. And the white rice that comes as a side also has peas and corn interspersed throughout… be forewarned. She said her white sangria was a little too tart. Drinks were not good, food was disappointing, service was just okay. Most of all, the atmosphere was a strange crowd of young millennials drunk on margs and going outside to take vape breaks. Just not the ideal dining atmosphere. I can’t say I’d recommend this spot. Oh, and the table was sticky. Maybe spend your money elsewhere.

Christopher Hinojosa

Terrible service. Had to ask things at least two times to get them delivered to our table and worst of all, my friend got sick after eating her only meal of the day. Would not come back.

Mike SaVa

Very disappointed experience to say the list! Atmosphere is nice Cool place BUT food… please owner read what people say! Ordered lunch taco plate See photo Taco on the right is Lamb and on the left is duck. Duck was just OK But land was inedible It had so much seasoning that you have no idea what you eat. By the way salsa Sucks! Thank you for your attention to this matter! Adios

The meal started off good with great salsa and white queso. I ordered the shrimp and crab rellano Which unexpectedly was not battered and fried like normal. The filling did seem to have any flavor. The black beans were not seasoned at all. My wife ordered carne adada taco and adobo shrimp taco, The be.\nEf was a little dry and the shrimp was cold. The rice lacked flavor and had a fishy taste. I expected for the price.The meal would be amazing. I get better food at my local hole in the wall. I would not really recommend the place.

Wrangler Wells

Took my gf on a date night last week and I’d heard of this place so decided to try it out. We didn’t set a reservation because it didn’t seem like we needed one with the amount of available reservations, well when we got there we had a 20 minute wait. The restaurant isn’t very big, so I guess it could fill up quickly. The flautas and enchiladas were good, tacos I would steer clear of especially the carne asada-was definitely overcooked chewy meat, the taco wasn’t even eaten. The main thing about our visit is the frequent visit of ROACHES 🪳, shortly after being seated there were a pair of roaches connected that was scurrying around, our waiter squished it literally a foot from my gf. He then apologized and said “that never happens”. Then our service was pretty bad, I’d assume he was embarrassed which is understandable. Then after we finally decided to stay and order food, there was another roach scurry by the gable behind us, I know because another customer was trying to squish it-needless to say it kept scurrying. After all of our roach encounters at the end I expected another apology from the waiter and/or possibly a visit from a manager to apologize. It never came. Definitely disappointed, I’d honestly steer clear of this place. To me it will always be the roach restaurant with bad service.

+1

Samantha Haro

If you go to El Alma, be very careful with their stairs, because literally your life is at risk there, and it hurts all the way to your soul. They need to repair the stairs; they are really in very bad condition. I suffered a second-degree ankle sprain on Sunday, January 11, due to a fall on their stairs. I have been in pain for five days now, and this injury has prevented me from being able to work during these days. Thank you.