El Arroyo Reviews

This is a fun place. In Austin for a conference. Went twice in one week. Once when it was kind of crowded... Once when kind of empty. Better experience on the busy night. Food is average

There is virtually nothing on the menu that you haven't seen before, elsewhere, and thats part of the charm of the place. It's _old school Tex-Mex_, for good or for bad. When you sit down, they bring you a basket of chips/salsa, both of which are *exceptionally* good. Hanging out in the shade, w/ a cold beer, munching on this - hey, it's a pretty good thing! The food is ok. Not bad, not good. ok. (the pulled pork tacos, OTOH, are *good*) If you like tex-mex, the food can be *very* good. If you don't, stick w/ the pulled-pork tacos :-) Anyhow, definitely a nice place to just hang out during a lazy afternoon... (bonus - fun signs)

Hadn't been to the Ditch in a while...too long! Easy in and out at prime dinner time on a Friday, top notch margaritas, non dumbed down salsa, very good beef-chicken fajitas. Reasonable prices, too. Service funky and friendly but (most important) attentive and helpful. Good to know this Austin classic's as good as it was 30 years ago! Everyone at our table of six left happy and full!

Came across the sign online and followed for a while, laughed a lot. While visiting Austin said how about El Aroyo and was disappointed to see the trip advisor rating of 3.5– especially after tasting the Cancun Avocado Plate and the Mezcalita. Great service from Laura! Unpretentious place with good food and clever wit. I’m here to lift that rating and tell you go have fun and eat good there!

This place is great we are from California and a friend told us about this place It was great chips and salsa very fresh and flavorful We had the bowls and they were so good the el pastor meat was so good and crispy Service was friendly and good

We decided to visit this favorite Mexican restaurant in a very competitive TEXMEX city. We had enjoyed numerous meals in the past that were really good. Unfortunately this is not the case anymore. To start, the chips were extremely over salted. And the second basket of chips was not only too salty but basically chip fragments in the bottom of the basket. We ordered our favorite Mexican beer and both glasses were cool, not cold. We changed our reorder to tap beer which was supposed to be frosty. Again, just cool. My partner ordered the enchiladas del mar which she said were tasty and well seasoned. I ordered the chalupa plate and had a mixed experience. The ground beef was gooey, not crumbly as is the norm. I had to cut the tortillas with a knife. Our service, while attentive, was rushed. We felt like we were in a McDs, not a nice neighborhood sit-down restaurant. One plus, the guacamole was very tasty and generous. We will go back to our other favorite restaurant in the future. Too bad because this place is in our neighborhood and the other restaurant i is 8 miles away.

Ate here and enjoyed the food. Chicken and beef fajitas were flavorful. Sides of rice and refried beans were good but not great. Guacamole was fresh and not overly spicy. Will go back we need aTex-Mex fix. Servers were pleasant.

this place also known as the ditch ias an all time fav. we always eat a meal here. great mexican food with amazing drinks and open till late. very reasonable too

It was a slow Sunday afternoon so we were one of 4 tables? Had great service. Ordered platters. We tried to clean our plates but food is so filling! Delicious though! I had seafood and boyfriend had meat. Parking was street parking but on sundays it’s free.

I am a University of Texas alum and have been going to the El Arroyo on fifth st. for many years now. We visited 9/1/2012 while back in Austin and they had the Longhorns pre-season opener on a large projection screen which was nice to watch while we drank and ate. The Mexican food here is consistently good and reasonably priced (approx $10 for an entree, $5 for a house rita). I dare say it's great simply b/c Austin (and Texas in general) is chalk full of Mexican/Tex-mex food and competition is fierce. I had two margaritas and was definitive feeling the burn. They have great sitting areas outside which can be utilized most of the time during the year and the location is close to bars, particularly the Mean Eyed Cat which is directly across the street. All in all, a good place to start the night or have a bite to each during the week.

Ate lunch there with my adult son. I'm not a true vegetarian (I eat coldwater seafood) but I ordered an interesting looking vegan dish. It was awesome! They took a fully ripe avocado and covered it in delicious black beans and pico de gallo. To the side were sautéed fresh spinach and sautéed fresh mushrooms. Wow!

We wanted a fun spot for some Tex-Mex with an Austin flair and El Arroyo fit the bill. Their queso is really good and you can add all sorts of goodie to it. Their mixed drinks are margaritas. The margaritas are good and they will add a floater. I had to ask what that was and basically it is some flavor. I had a frozen margarita with a sangria floater. It was GOOD! The food was good, but nothing special. But two thumbs up for the queso and margaritas. A fun place to hang out with friends!

This is probably my 3rd visit to El Arroyo. Previous visit I had Migas and they were delicious. This visit I ordered the same and it was OK. However, the low rating on this post relates more to the service than to the food. We waited for drinks refills for a ridiculous amount of time while we waited for food. After a while we ask an employee to find our server. Luckly we were able to keep ourself entertained watching birds eat food of the tables while employees walked around and did nothing to clean the tables.

Just dropped in and food was great. I had the breakfast tacos and they were so good I couldn't put them down.

Good service, chips and salsa and the plates very reasonable served, good Tex Mex, a must stop for An Austin Visit super close to Town Lake just off Mopac JMan

I visited 2 other restaurants in Austin area and this was by far the best! The prices are good, the beans and rice delicious (for me that makes/brakes a restaurant) there are several options, margaritas were yummy too. I did not like the chips or salsa but is not a big deal. We watched part of the super bowl and enjoyed a good time. I recommend the chickens enchiladas with salsa verde. 😋

Used to be one of my favorite places to eat! Great hangout for locals with wonderful Happy Hours. Excellent food and service!

basically mexican bar food. not bad when you're drinking, but not good when you aren't.

This place is known for its sign. Come take a pic with it. Sit on their pat and enjoy some food. Our skillet fajitas were burned unfortunately but everything was fine. Service got better as more helped showed up and the chips and drinks started flowing.

Met my friends here to reminisce about our college days. Service was terribly, margaritas and food extremely mediocre and there was a weird gummy substance on my fajita plate! Will not return.

Eat inside or outside and you won't be sorry you choose this great restaurants we always drove by and finally stopped and now we regret not stopping sooner. Our new favorite for Mexican and great $2 margaritas for happy hour. Try this place or you will be sorry you missed it

As a native Texan now living in Austin, I take Tex Mex seriously. We thought we would give this a try as we had seen it downtown and it had the funky look of a great hole in the wall TexMex place. First sign of warning was that it was deserted (during ACL?). Service was OK, but they were slow (even though dead) and got a number of our orders wrong. I have fonder memories of the location in Round Rock from years gone by, but if this is where they all are, something has happened. Would rate it Average if it were anywhere but Austin, but there is a higher standard for TexMex here!

Staple Tex-mex it has been here forever and don't you dare forget about that sign. Good queso there.

We stopped to have dinner since our out of state friends had seen pictures of the sign on social media. We arrived at 6:30ish in the evening and the restaurant was not busy. It appeared there was some interior remolding that occurred but not complete. The inside seating was in a small area with the bar. It didn’t have a very comfortable feel and lacked decorations but serves me its purpose. The waitress was bubbly and helpful taking the drink orders and then food. The alcoholic mixed drinks were VERY EXPENSIVE and certainly not worth $15 but they tasted good. The queso, chips and salsa were very good but again, $9.99 for a small cup of queso is overpriced. I had the Cowboy Burrito which was enormous. It was stuffed with fajita beef and covered with queso and salsa. The burrito was cheaper than the drinks at $14.00. The takeaway from this is the food was reasonably priced, good quality but the drinks not so much. They certainly need to finish the remodel to make it more appealing to eat there.

Excellent seafood enchiladas! Love the atmosphere.

Over the past 20 years I've probably eaten here 40-50 times. While it's never been great, it has gotten so bad now I don't know if I'll ever go back. I went with a party of six - first time for four of us - they were from out of town. I'm bummed I didn't take them somewhere else as it was there only night available and they wanted Tex Mex.Started with queso and it was absolutely flavorless. We added some salsa which made it barely edible. The Cozumel and Santa Fe enchiladas were always relaible choices in the past. Not any more. I had the Santa Fe enchiladas and they were flavorless. My Aunt had the Cozumel on my recommendation and the steak was overcooked, dried out and tough. I felt terrible. My wife ordered tortilla soup and it was so bad she sent it back. She ordered nachos and they were terrible too. My beer wasn't even cold - and you know the waiter knew it and served it anyway. If I could give a only half a star I would!

30 minutes ... Still no food. Our salsa is empty and there are hardly any customers in the place. Don't bother. Try another place. Will not ever go back.

Every trip we make to Austin [about once a year for the last 30 years] has included a meal at El Arroyo. This past weekend was no different. However what WAS different was the menu. The former 8 pager was reduced to 4 pages and many old favorites were no longer present. Most glaring by its absence was the Federale--a combo that featured an enchilada of choice, a taco of double choice [filling/shell or tortilla], a chalup of choice, a tamale along with rice and beans. Oh and it also came with a beer. Want to eliminate the beer? Fine. But why get rid of one of your iconic dishes. I guess the good news is that I can still get the BBQ Chicken Enchiladas that I've been having on the Federale for the last 30 years. Only now, that's all I get with the rice and beans. There's not a combo that includes the BBQ Chicken Enchiladas. Don't get me wrong, they're still tasty. Very tasty in fact. But this was a bad change.

Been eating Austin Mexican food since 1968, but never dined here before since there was no need (I was always satisfied with other joints). Their salsa is excellent, and the chips never stop comiing. The cheese enchilada gravy was awful, and the cheese even worse. They use a cheddar that resembles bubble gum when you chew it. One small bite, and I was finished. The rice and beans were average, although my wife said the rice was not good. The guacamole was pretty dead; it needs a lot of help. Her chicken chalupas weren't bad, but I thought the chicken was weird tastin'. The iced tea was terrible. It tasted like dirt. Ya gotta use filtered water this time of year. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the service though.

great meal, especially after a 10 mile run at the Town Lake trail. the green iguana margaritas were very tasty!

They are well known for the sign out front that changes regularly. But, they are a restaurant and cantina. Margaritas are good - happy hour has a double for $6 served in a water glass. The place offers a full menu but, Monday through Friday has a menu for happy hour. The inside dining area is small there is patio but winter months may be a little cool even with the tree heaters. Note to out of towners traffic in downtown Austin is a disaster and a lot of construction especially 6th street so be aware. The Picante sauce is a bit spicy so be warned. But it was good as was the meal.

I loved stopping here, getting a few tacos and some nachos to share, coupled with a small margarita, which I really enjoyed. I would highly recommend going to El Arroyo if you have the opportunity.

The food was very good and the prices very reasonable. Very friendly staff made our visit most enjoyable.

I love to go here before going out on the town. Their drinks are good and the food and atmosphere are great!

I feel like I’m at “home” every time I’m fortunate enough to get back to the original El Arroyo on 5th -- the "Ditch." Quite simply, there is nothing not to like about El Arroyo. The menu is sassy but self-deprecating, and the “cultural center of the universe” never takes itself too seriously, other than being darn serious about the quality of the food and service. While I tend toward the Federale (giant Tex-Mex meal which comes with a non-light beer), on this occasion my wife and I both enjoyed beef taco plates, which were, as always, very good. Be sure and try the delightful Rosa margarita made with cactus juice. (You can thank us later.)

I have only been here a few times. About once a year for a few years. The first time it was with a big group, that made the restaurant aware a week ahead they would be there. Every thing was great. then last year I was in alone, and it was not the same. This time, it was poor. My son and I got a seat immediately, but the table was not clean. The staff took a while to give us menus, But the food was not a long wait. The enchiladas were not good and the rice was tough or hard mixed with well cooked product. The tamale plate (pork) is usually pretty reliable, and the charro beans? Really good - better than average. Salsa and chips are free, but week. They have a 99 cent margarita deal on Thursdays, but I have never been there for that. Seating inside is for diner customers, so if you are only having aps and drink, sit outside in the summer heat.

The tex-mex is original and really tasty. The margaritas are yummy and cold. The service is amazing. Great location, although parking can be tricky, and great interior space.

I became an Instagram fan of this place, and the sign of the day was a winner. We stopped for inexpensive margaritas and enjoyable sauces. Not disapointed.

Great location for downtown after work happy hour - crappy parking. Good food, good service - nice outdoor patio during the spring/fall.

El Arroyo is a happening fun place. The food is good but not the best in town. There are several fun places to eat, the covered hut which crosses the arroyo, an uncovered patio, inside the old house or an open air room addition.

Upon arriving the hostess said there would be a 20-25 minute wait because the restaurant was short on staff. El Arroya has been a favorite dinning spot for 10 years so we decided to wait. Once we were seated the experience went downhill fast. Knowing the staff was short handed we were patient because of our prior experiences at this establishment. Two of the three meals came out. After 30 minutes the third meal never came out and the waiter never came by to ask how we were doing. We asked for the bill. Upon receiving the bill we notified the waiter only 2 of our 3 meals were delivered. Waiter response "cross it off the bill and eat it next time you come". We said we've been eating here for ten years and have always enjoyed the food. Waiters response "well don't come back". The establishment was full of upset patrons.

LOVE In the Time of COVID19 ~ called in but no answer showed up, cause I knew they were there cooking great Mexican Food and making Fresh Lime Margaritas. They were slammed busy but it only took 15 minutes We stood 6 ft apart I felt great and so happy everyone Austin ~keeping safe! Love my Austin. Quarentine Saturday nite deliciousness Chips and Roasted tomato Salsa and hands down A favorite Margarita in Austin. Best medicine for my soul.

Never understood the attraction. Margaritas? Co-eds?

As tourists from South Africa, we really just visited for the signage. I enjoyed reading all the different ones that they had and taking a picture with the current one. The food was decent, well priced and had some good local beers. We went when it was really quiet, so could not get a feel of the ambience. It may possibly be because it was mid-week and the day before July the 4th. Overall we enjoyed it.

Warm, cozy, colorful El Arroyo was the perfect destination for New Year's Eve. It was loud and exciting and comfortable both inside in the booth and outside on the heated porch. We had a fun time and had way too much food to eat, served on gigantic plates. Oh well, the to go boxes were delicious again on New Year's Day!

This is a quirky restaurant with funny quotes. You will want to look up the quotes online. We went for a weekend lunch and got a table quickly. The service is prompt and the chips and salsa was good with the a nice heat to the salsa. We ordered a couple dishes. One of the dishes was switched with another diner so it had bacon in it. The wait staff recognized on their own that they had made an error and apologized profusely and offered to it right by bringing out the dish made without the bacon. It is rare to have that caring and hospitality any more in casual dining. I was super impressed and would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. The food itself was very good. And, yes their quotes on the walls and boards are funny.

We visited around 6:00PM in the evening on a Saturday. Plenty of outdoor seating available, but it was July so we asked for a table inside. We were able to get seated right away, however it was super noisy inside and I felt like we were swatting flies away almost constantly. The skinny margarita was good, and the food was decent. Fun atmosphere, especially checking out all of the pictures they have inside the restaurant of their "famous sign". Parking seemed to be a little limited.

The sign is hilarious. The location has two patios and an interior dining room. Lots of open air seating for those concerned about disease prevention. The menu is typical tex mex, with some surprises. I really enjoyed the green mole and enchiladas. Zoe was helpful, efficient and eager to be of assistance. The prices were very reasonable for downtown Austin.

Cheap food and drinks, an Austin classic.

Pat Green is one of my favorite Texas country artists. In one of his songs, he mentions going to El Arroyo so we decided to try it. We loved it! The atmosphere was great and the beer was cold. We ordered fajitas and the meat was tender and flavorful. I cannot wait to go back!

We went for the funny signs be we will go back for the great food and drink! Everything we had was great. Friendly service very prompt! Fun place

Enchiladas Del Rio thats all i gotta say.

We came on a recommendation from a friend and it did not disappoint! Server was friendly and attentive and food was fast and delicious.

We have been here b fore with a line out the door. That was a couple years ago. Now the place is empty. We got here 10 minutes before they opened and were treated like we didn't exist. Finally sit and order Migas and pancakes. 25 minutes later food arrives. It was ok but nothing special. There's just no reason to go back.

Last three times, this Austin mainstay (location off of Far West) has been bad. Time before last, margarita was an alien-lime green and so tasteless, it was sent back. Also - tortilla soup literally looked like it had been poured from a can sans veggies, etc. Tried it again...mistake. Margaritas were very cool this time but all of our group's food made Taco Cabana seem like pure Tex Mex Heaven! Beans - tasteless. Rice - tasteless without a hint of flavor. Fajita tacos - OMG, bad, bad, cold and bad. Our group of 5 did not have a single item that we would return for...so El Arroyo; adios.

I went with my brother for lunch. We sat in a booth and had a great time. It was relaxing, not loud. Our food was excellent, the waitress was a little slow. She brought our food right away, but lacked on following up on tea and water. She was actually having to work the patio and inside.

Food poisoning, big time. My girlfriend and her two brothers attended the Austin City Limits concert in Oct of 2013. On the last ACL day (cancelled and refunded due to flooding) they went to El Arroyo on 5th St for dinner. My gf had the spinach enchiladas. No meat. No sides. No other food except the free chips and salsa. The next day she flew back home to the E Coast. She felt ill that morning but thought it was perhaps flu. On the flight she started vomiting repeatedly. It was bad. The flight crew had to move her to a seat next to the bathroom. They did the whole "Is there a doctor on the plane" thing on the PA system. They came very close to diverting the flight. Fortunately, a registered NYC nurse was on the aircraft and volunteered to help if she could. She sat with my girlfriend and monitored her pulse, temperature, etc. She helped a lot. The nurse said all the symptoms pointed to food poisoning. My girlfriend arrived home OK but had to take the next day off work. So what happened? Neither of my gf's brothers got sick. They ate different dishes though. My gf ate the cheese enchiladas. She didn't eat anything else during that afternoon or evening. She didn't eat anything on the morning of her illness either. It must have been her dinner the previous night. I twice tried calling the restaurant, El Arroyo on 5th at the (512) 474-1222 number, but both times I got a hang-up. Very odd. No recording, no way to leave a message. I'm not sure what happened or what's going on with the restaurant. Anyway, that's the story. We just don't want anyone else getting sick.

I used to get breakfast tacos here every day. their tacos are delicious and their salsa is good as well. Unfortunately I only go there now if I have cash to pay. I used to leave a dollar tip on a $3 purchase but started noticing and extra $0.50 her and $1 there on my bank statements. I guess the person working the front didn't realize I always got the same think every time. Shame, I really would have liked to eat here more

This place introduced me to Tex-Mex, and nothing has beaten it yet. Great food, cheerful service, and a bright, happy place to be.

This business adapted with the troubling times. They got approval to offer margarita kits to go! Tequila, lime juice, mixer, and sparkling water all pre set per order. Take it home while you Netflix and chill. Oh yeah, and the food is good as well.

Fantastic food, great, attentive service. Check it out before Austin builds a skyscraper on top of it and ruins this classic gem!!

This restaurant accommodated our group of friends and children very well. The complementary chips and salsa were delicious, as were the shrimp tacos but the Margaritas tasted like they were made with a cheap, sugary mix. The atmosphere was good and it has a great outside patio. Staff is wonderful, prices are affordable.

Prices are average. We go hever everytime we're in Austin. It's AMAZING! My fiance always orders the avocado stuffed with chicken and I always order the chicken chipotle with bacon!! Must go here!

Good seafood enchiladas.

It's a shame when a sign in front of your business is actually more famous than the restaurant itself. Especially when you have a very nice restaurant. I will admit I came just to see the sign, which is internet-famous for its many funny and witty sayings, which get posted on the web regularly. But in the process, I found a really nice little restaurant. It's not fancy at all, but the food is good and plentiful, and the beers are cold and varied. I had an enchilada plate, which came with beans and rice, and it was delicious and very filling. If I were not an out-of-towner just passing through, I would visit here over and over to try the many different offerings on their menu.

After several years of following their famous sign I felt I needed to reward them by eating there. To be honest I wasn't expecting much so the food was mostly a pleasant surprise. Chips were pretty average but the salsa was pretty good. The Cancun Avocado was quite good and recommended as a vegetarian entree. The Arroyo Special feature a very good cheese enchilada, a very good BBQ chicken Chalupa, and a good beef taco. Pretty basic Tex Mex but nicely done. Prices are good. Service I was quite good. We will definitely go back.

We were pleasantly surprised how good the food here was- great atmosphere with big patios and live music on weekends. Our waitress couldn’t have been nicer. I recommend the queso!

I've been coming here all my life. The decor was better years ago, but the food remains great. You can't go wrong with BBQ chicken enchiladas, and the best fried ice cream in the world.

A Memorial Day trip to Austin, the popularity of the sign put El Arroyo on our dining list for the weekend. I would call the place a “hole in the wall” must visit. The food was good, the service was good, and we left glad we went. If you’re not a foodie... you probably won’t appreciate the place. Cool place!

Went for lunch/dinner on a Thursday, place was rather empty due to it was around 3:30 or so. We went in sat down outside and waited about 10 min for someone to come and bring menus. We ordered some drinks and waited another 10 mins. the girl finally come and brings the drinks and quickly left with out asking if we were ready to order. Waited another 5-10 mins, while waiting a couple came in sat down and the girl came in took their order and was about to leave. I caught her and told we were ready to order especially since we were there first. She took our order and then left again, we sat and waited. She brought out their food and we still sat around, I really came close to just leaving but we had already been there FOREVER. She finally came out with the food and I asked it I could get some more soda. After a while she came back with my drink. Now we live in Cedar Park so we wanted to go somewhere to eat and leave before 5pm so we would miss rush hour,nope the service was so slow we ended up leaving at 5 or so right in the middle of rush hour. Now the food was really good, I had the Chalupas which were very tasty, my partner had the Chile Rellenos and she said they were really good as well. So if you want to have lunch here, good food, nice price, but horrible wait staff.I don't think we will go here again, even for the food.

Since I live in this area, I go here often with locals but love to bring visitors here for a taste of Austin! Would recommend to anyone who loves Tex Mex.

My wife and I used to come here all the time..I loved to get the Ceviche and a Margarita ( Happy hr starts at 2pm and they are only $4.75 each) Then for some reason a last year they quit serving crackers with their Ceviche . I started bringing my own. Chips and ceviche just don't cut it in my book. Then a few months ago I was told no more ceviche......Well that did it....we found another Tex Mex place to go to.....Well yesterday we went back for after my wife convinced me I did like other things on the Menu ( She still loves her fish tacos) and to my surprise Ceviche is back, still no crackers .......All the other food is good old Austin Tex Mex and is superior to most other Mexican places in Austin....( I know this because I am a native)....I would recommend El Arroyo ( or as the natives call it " The Ditch "....now form the real good part on Thursdays it $1 margarita severed all day and night.....I will be coming back often and bringing my own crackers......its worth it......

This restaurant is called "The Ditch" for a reason. First, there is a creek running right under the building - which is falling apart, BTW. Second, there is a distinct smell coming from that creek. Third, the food is HORRIBLE! About the only positive thing I can say is their sign out front has some cute sayings at times. Don't go there!

"The Ditch" is a great place to go for a good time with friends. Margaritas and good conversation are a great cover for the fact that the food is not great--interesting, but not great. The atmosphere is really convivial.

we sometimes stop here for a fast meal when in crunch time with the kids. They like it and they are reliable good hosts.

We have been eating at El Arroyo for almost 30 years - through the two previous owners and now into a third. I can't express how disappointed we are to see what the restaurant has become. A new menu with many of the old favorites replaced by marginal (at best) items, based on those that we have tried. Their chips and salsa, previously some of best have been replaced with over-salted ones (the previous chips were unsalted - allowing patrons to add salt if they wanted). Worst yet, the restaurant's previous best items have been replaced with lower quality ones (goodbye BBQ chicken enchiladas). It is as if the entire kitchen staff quit or was let go. Our last visit was on a Saturday night at 8:30pm and the place was lass than 1/3 full; we arrived expecting a wait. We have tried three times in the last two months and left quite disappointed each time. Sadly our last visit was exactly that - our last ever.

Fun place. good food.

From earlier college days, I spent a lot of time at El Arroyo, not only for its margaritas (which are still less than $3 during happy hour) but also for its great Tex Mex selections. The atmosphere caters to college students and adults alike. Outside dining under some very large and old Live Oaks is available, and the place is situated on top of a canal/creek or ditch (hence “arroyo” in the name). This is authentic Tex Mex at its best, which sometimes I call "sloppy Tex Mex”- lots of beans, cheese sauces, along with your entree. Enchiladas are great con carne, as are quesadillas. A must-see when in Austin. Parking is scarce, though. Get there before the college rush.

Seth our waiter was friendly, knowledge, and fast! Sour cream enchiladas, chicken fajitas, pork tamales were delicious. Fun, causal atmosphere

Work right across the street from El Arroyo. I pass by and read the sign each morning if you want a good laught to start your day or to make you think, go by and read their signs! The food is not bad, have been several times for business lunches and with the wife. Never have had a bad meal and always leave full! Just wish they could get rid of the black birds!

I ate on El Arroyo on Saturday afternoon. This was my first time to eat there in years. I had forgotten about the place. I wish that I had not remembered it. The service was awful. The waitress would disappear for 10 minutes at a time. We ordered queso and it only took 20 minutes to receive it. Either the waitress or the kitchen forgot about it. There was a skim on top of it which tells me that it sat out for a while. The margarita was made with pretty cheap tasting tequila. It had a bitter taste that is usually a sign of cheap tequila. We ordered a chimichanga and chile relleno. Both were cold to the touch when they reached the table. The chimichanga was soggy. The shrimp in the chili relleno looked uncooked. The pepper was soggy. Rice tasted hard like it was leftover from the night prior. It was not freshly cooked. We ate about two bites each. The meals were awful tasting. We paid and left. I will not go back to El Arroyo. Go at your own risk.

In a city that is rapidly changing. El Arroyo has been a reliable stop for over 30 years. Stopped in on 4th of July while downtown. Usual business lunch crowd nowhere to be seen. Service was quick and food was great.

Clay McPhail started El Arroyo and he is missed. I believe he still does the signs which are great, but the food is not as good.

On our way to go south, we wanted something light and easy. This place has that. Charming little place, looks like it's been beat up but that's part of the city. Taquitos were fresh and there beef taco salad was huge. For a lunch portion. Perfect spot to grab a couple of street tacos with out the fuss and eclectic menu. Service was good and fairly clean place.

I have eaten at El Arroyo for years. The food has remained consistent, even while the seating has expanded. The layout is not exactly elegant, but it is consistent with the vibe. Laid back, casual dining of unpretentious food from Texas. I highly recommend the enchilada Del Mar. Seafood stuffed enchilada with a white cream sauce. Thursday and Friday afternoons are a hoot.

average tex-mex dive food, downtown prices... Good spot for a drink after work.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas & the Bowling Alley Burger w/ Ditch Fries.....SOO GOOD! All their food is pretty solid....great HH to!

Food great, we had good weather and sat outside. Margaritas were average, the queso and enchiladas were outstanding.

Stopped for lunch and was stuffed for the rest of the day! Huge portions, good food, friendly staff. The chicken enchilada soup was my favorite.

Big plates. Good food. Good queso. Sticky tables. Numerous unexplained upcharges on bill. Little tacky.

El Arroyo is still one of my favorite Austin restaurants. I think my first visit was almost 20 years ago and I still enjoy it to this day. I have started taking my children so they can experience a true Austin original. The Tex Mex food may be only above average, but the location, ambiance, and always cold beer make it worth the 5 stars. The prices are reasonable and you truly understand why it is El Arroyo ("The Ditch"). Worth the trip!!

$0.99 rita Thursdays

...but what is? I've been dining here for decades, and paid a return visit after a while. Sad to say the menu has changed--it is now a laminated page that was so worn I couldn't read half the words on it. The chips are horrible, but the salsa makes up for it (almost). No more fried ice cream on the menu, either. There is a small parking area, otherwise the street is your best bet. Food is plentiful on the plate--in fact, I couldn't finish mine, a rare event. One more thing: we dined at 6.30 PM on a recent Sunday evening--there was one the table besides us occupied, and a few tables filled outdoors on the patio--in other words not busy in the least. Yet, it still took us over 30 minutes from when we sat down to get our food. I may have paid my final visit to this old favorite. At least I can still enjoy their funny signs.

It’s been a minute (about 17 million of them, to be precise) since I left Austin and the University of Texas. I like to think that I’ve gotten better with time. Sadly, El Arroyo has not. The food was so bland and boring. Gummy queso, flavorless beef enchiladas. And the service was bad - way beyond relaxed - even for Austin standards. Our visit to the Ditch left me a little depressed.

My family frequents the El Arroyo off Far West regularly due to the fantastic food and friendly staff. El Arroyo specializes in Tex-Mex food, and they do it well. The sour cream chicken enchiladas are the best in town. There are other restaurants in town that do Tex-Mex, but none can compete with the enchilada's at El Arroyo. My 4 year old loves their kids cheese enchilada's because they aren't too spicy. The staff is always very attentive and understanding that we have kids and my need to move at a faster pace than a group without kids.

We've been a number of times. Today however, sadly is probably the last. What happened to the menu? And the items on the menu the have remained the same...who is cooking them? Too bad they expanded because I don't see this place staying in business much longer. Service is fair to poor as well. Waitresses sit and gab inside not paying attention of customers outside. The fried avocados, What happened to them? Queso is probably watered down American cheese. If you have no taste buds this place is for you. If you just like to sit and stare at the people driving by and eat somewhere based on a restaurant name and what they post of Facebook and Twitter you will love this place. If not Austin has way too much too offer skip it.

I've yet to get something I like here and after a half dozen times, I've given up.

Had some great pork enchiladas with a fried egg on top. Lots of flavor. Good salsa. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal. Good service.

This is literally a small restaurant with a BIG sign! Allow 30-60 min if you plan to eat. Everyone was very friendly. Note: There is no gift shop here. Just a couple of showcases with merch!

Poor to ordinary Mexican Food. YThere is so much better Mexican food in Austin that you really have to be pretty desperate to go here.

We walked there and back in the heat to see the sign and have a drink. Personal service, amazing Bloody Mary & Margarita. Has we not had brunch we'd have eaten as the food looked great. Also good signage for the 'gram

The food varies from adequate to really great. What is most worthwhile is the entertainment gained in people watching whether it is the staff or some crazy Austinites. My kids love the fried ice cream here. I'm sure I owe them a few extra bucks for all the silverware my kids threw off the deck. The margaritas are really great. I'd make this more of a meeting place - with nachos, queso and some margs rather than the absolute food destination place for the evening.

If you know who Pat Green is, then you know to go here and have some tacos and beer!! So that's what we did!! We went for lunch. It's a cool building. Great chips and hot sauce. Nice cold beer. The food we ordered was great! Glad we finally decided to go check it out.

I liked the colorful outside. Wanted to have a good taco while in Austin. We were walking, the colorful outside and its local reputation drew us in. Well, yuck is all I have to say. The signs were fun. Service was the worst. Though they were friendly. And others at the table said their nachos were good. Tacos are better in a college cafeteria. You think you're getting a big mound of guac but it's really just a tiny bit hiding a mound of shredded lettuce beneath. Their idea of a salad is shredded iceberg and tiny bits of tomato.

I hope someone buys this prime spot and renovates. Service was very good, and salsa is my favorite. But the facility is dirty and run down, sadly.

dollar margaritas!

The food is very good but the service was average. The real reason to eat here are the signs. They sell books, magnets and more with their best sayings.

The food here is excellent and the beer is always cold. Their unique outdoor setting is quite interesting with chandeliers hanging from trees, etc. They have huge fans blowing in the summer and patio heaters for those cooler days. I love this place!

El Arroyo is good Mexican Food, but the experience of dining at this legendary restaurant is the highlight of your meal. It is a very good place to dine, drink and socialize with friends on the patio.

El Arroyo is off of my list. I've been going to The Ditch since the '80's. I've been eating there regularly ever since. The new owners have apparently decided to ride it's popularity into the ground. The menu has been trimmed, taking some of the better/higher quality items off. And the quality of the food has gotten steadily worse. One of our party ordered the Cozumel Dinner and when it came the steak had a bad odor about it. The guy who ordered it thought it was a little rank, so we all took a whiff and sure enough it smelled like spoiled beef. We called the manager over and he said 'it wasn't that bad, and he would probably eat it'. Wow. The sad part is I think he meant it. They did prepare a different meal for the guy who had ordered the Cozumel, because the manager said that if they prepared another steak 'it would probably taste the same'. The BBQ chicken enchiladas he ordered next used to be good, the ones we got were dry and the flavor was off. The rest of our food wasn't as bad as that, but it wasn't good either. Beans were over-salted. The chips had a funky smell, like they were fried in bad/burned oil, and the first basket was nothing but crumbs. Service was slow, we ran out of tea a couple of times. And the restaurant was more than half empty at noon, now I know why. We decided that after that meal, and a steady decline in quality since the buyout, everyone in our group is officially done. You can get better Mexican food than this at Taco Bell. The new owner's are apparently content to drive The Ditch into the ditch, and they are well on their way. My guess is that new lower quality suppliers aimed at increasing margins will make sure that El Arroyo will remain mired in less than mediocrity. I'll pass.

barbacue chicken tacos and spinach queso are stand outs. the only thing i missed when i did not live in austin and would go to every time i was in town.

I liked the lively atmosphere of this place and the barbeque-mex food was pretty good. Beer list wasn't great, but overall, I would go back.

Very atmospheric friendly atmosphere , great food at reasonable prices , definitely our best meal in Austin.. friendly efficient staff.. great margaritas and a beautiful setting.. first place i d go if i return to Austin

Food is outstanding...atmosphere is even better.

This restaurant was built (and rebuilt) over a drainage ditch. Excellent Mexican food and Margaritas. Specials are usually good deals. I have frequently seen local police taking their lunch or dinner break here.

I'm not usually down on Tex Mex restaurants, but after trying this several times, I just can't go there again. The breakfast tacos are greasy and the food is fair. Mainly they are known for the margaritas. So if you go, stick to those.

Best queso in town. Sour cream enchiladas are a favorite too. Breakfast isn't bad either - Flat iron steak and eggs is my usual.

Chips and cheese and tacos ..hard to Mess up in the land of every kind of taco. Didn’t live their thick yellow corn chips. Had to wait in parking lot to get in. LOVE their signs ...a recent one said if you are cold-Cruz to Cabo..loved that . I like to drive by just to read the signs and I bought a little book Of their signage quotes..some Are very clever . Cute part of the restaurants history

One of my favorite mexican places in Austin - they have a great lite and Atkins friendly selections and a great atmosphere.

This is one of my favorite places to go for lunch when I have my dog with me.The covered patio is shady and dog-friendly, the service is always friendly, and the food is reliably good. They have the usual Tex-Mex stuff, like tortilla soup and enchiladas, but they also have more unusual offerings like zucchini stuffed with chicken and veggies and stuffed avocado.

Walked to El Arroyo from downtown, really just to see the sign, but we were both overheated and had to go in for a Rita. Chips and salsa served; best crispiest nacho chips we’ve ever had. The salsa was spicier than other places (big plus for us) and the cilantro really came through, excellent service and conversation from Nick our server.

I graduated from UT seventeen years ago and back in the day we used to come here to eat drink and be merry at a good price. Returned today with family (also UT graduates) and we all realized it's not the same. Same snarky sign out front but the food has taken quite the downturn. Good prices on mini margaritas and lunch. But everything else as just meh. Tables were dirty and we could have done without the big human hair on the second frozen margarita. For those feeling nostalgic, head to Chuys instead....

On the evening that I dined here, the food was barely luke-warm, and the service wasn't very attentive. Flavors were nothing to write home about either. The margaritas were OK (I preferred the frozen to the "straight up"), and were probably the highlight of the meal. Normally, restaurant food doesn't have much to do with politics, but El Arroyo puts various messages on an outdoor sign, and posts photographs of some of them inside the restaurant. Depending upon your political sensibilities, you may not care for the result, especially if the meal itself provides no compensation.

Our family ate at El Arroyo on Christmas Eve and it was great! The food was good, service couldn't have been better ( place was packed!). It was very friendly and efficient service- greeting us promptly to taking orders and serving the food. Margaritas were well mixed, this was a really good choice for Christmas Eve. We're local and our visiting family are all familiar with most of the Austin Tex Mex choices and everyone agreed. There aren't many places open on Christmas Eve but even so we'll return to El Arroyo before long. Ps. Noticed they have some clever t shirts!

I lived down the road from here and we went all the time. Not just because it was close but because it's so great! They have tons of options and healthy ones too, which is good at a Tex-Mex restaurant. Their brunch is definitely worth going, mimosas, one of the best bloody mary's and more!

Worse than mediocre – flavorless. Lunch special w/beef taco, cheese enchilada, refried beans & rice. Ground beef had zero seasoning and the bottom of the store-bought taco shell disintegrated. Cheese enchilada was so-so; rice and beans similarly had very little flavor, no character. Best thing was Mexican Coke, and eve it wasn't cold enough. Served as bottle only; I had to ask for a glass of ice so I could get it cold. When waitress asked how everything was, I said, "Not very good" – which I never do. She asked if I wanted something else, but if they can't get the above right, I can't imagine anything else being much better.

chips are to die for.. Just order the chips with the guac/ queso and salsa.. I could probably have just eaten TONS of these!!! The title of the place "el arroyo" means a dry creek ( yep.. I googled it!).. they have one. We were actually there on a cold day.. so we sat inside.. but a pretty day would be great to sit outside around el arroyo and eat those chips!!! The food was pretty good.. not exceptional.. But a solid GOOD. The place has hilarious signage.. whoever does their signage is a riot! there are so many places in Austin to eat.. not sure I would go back on another visit ..but wasn't disappointed. Just not overwhelmed! They need to make "better" margaritas.. real ingredients!!!

Went for a Sunday brunch/lunch. The food was good, but the service wasn't great. Our orders were taken quickly, and the waitress brought our drinks and chips & salsa. (The chips and salsa are to die for!) My husband ordered the beef fajitas, our friends had migas and chicken-stuffed fried avocado, and I had the chimichanga. We all enjoyed our meals. However, on the down side, before our meals were served, we had eaten all the chips, and were disappointed that our waitress didn't ask if we wanted more. Our waitress also never asked about refilling our drinks. Not sure what happened - the restaurant wasn't extremely busy, and there didn't appear to be a shortage of waitstaff. If we're in the area again, we would probably come here again.

Used to be good many years ago, don't know what happened. We went back recently and this place is dead. Stale chips and horrible artificial machine margaritas. The food, service, and atmosphere are knocking on heavens door. Hopefully new management comes in as this is great location.

This place was hard to beat...excellent menu, guac and queso both get top marks. Drinks were solid. And the staff were very accommodating for a large group of us!

First time my family and I tried this place. Food was delicious and reasonable prices. Our server was very polite and we had mentioned to him we weren't from Austin but from Dallas. And without us asking was is there to do around the area, he had written down some places for us to check out with our kids. He was very sweet. GREAT FOOD PLUS GREAT STAFF EQUALS MY KIND OF RESTAURANT!

I live fifty miles from the border so I know good mexican food when I taste it. This place has it all. Great food, great atmosphere and a friendly staff. I've been eating there since the late 80's and they never let me down. Parking sucks but other than that you won't be disappointed. P.S. Try the Del Mar or the spinach queso.........they kick (---) each and every time.

Horrible service tonight. Drinks are slow, water is even slow. Only half our food ever showed and some was incorrect and cold. Not their best night.

We had to come to El Arroyo for the sign. The food was great too! I had the seafood/cream cheese enchiladas. Yummmmmm! We just missed the April's Fool's joke and free Yeti by one day too! That was a lot of fun to follow what was happening on Instagram. Must do at least once, even if you just stop for a drink and a photo by the sign.

mmm crab enchiladas!

I was told to go to this restaurant and was delighted. Salsa was spicy, chips were delicious. My street tacos were good, my wife said her chili relleno was the best she has had. My margarita was delicious.

I'm a huge fan of their Del Mar enchiladas and ALWAYS order it when I visit. The filling seems "soupier" in texture. The flavor is still good but the texture doesn't allow you to distinguish any pieces of meat. I visited the Woodlawn location a few weeks back when coming through town and the filling was really runny. Hmmmmm... Bring back the old recipe!! :(