Polvo's Mexican Restaurant Reviews

The building is “charmingly ramshackle” but the food was outstanding. Their salsas are some of the best I’ve ever had and the chips are terrific. My wife had a Tostada and I had two very good tamales. The service was most amiable. We’ll be back on our next trip to Austin.

We found this one on our last night in Austin and it was the best we had. We had to wait a bit but it was totally worth it. Finally, there were some nice veggies in the dish and it was also hot/ spicy. At other places, hot/ spicy wasn't really hot and if I wanted veggies I had to order a salad. In my dish, I could get some nice veggies. The first time for me at a taco/ Mexican place in Austin. It amazed us what we got for the price we paid. Absolutely recommended.

This is a nice Mexican Restaurant with salsa bar and freshly made tortilla's, good food and an outdoor patio area.

My wife and I went to Polvo's on a Saturday night based primarily on their reputation for serving good margaritas. I got the shredded chicken goliath burrito and she opted for the carne guisada, both were good, but not great. As for the margaritas, expectations were high and quickly dashed when the house margarita tasted very similar to lemon-lime Gatorade. We both went with ours on the rocks, so I suppose it's conceivable that the frozen ones are the reason for Polvo's good reputation.

We came here for our final Austin meal before returning to the Great White North and very much enjoyed a taste of Mexico and a warm reception. Our enchiladas were flavourful (and filling) and appetizingly presented with traditional accompaniments. Server was attentive - considerate of our time constraints (a flight to catch!) while never making us feel rushed. Would definitely revisit.

polvo's offerings hit the spot for recognizable tex-mex plus newer variations such as fish fajitas. the salsa bar can't be beat, the frozen margaritas are properly stiff and the crowds are steady.

OK, was visiting Austin and rented a Casita just down the street. I had loaded up on all the great food of the town and had a lot of great Tex-Mex and was looking for something I couldn't get at home. Seeing this on the menu gave me an opportunity: Fajita al Guajillo --Tender, sizzling Chicken or Beef or Pastor, sautéed with sun dried Peppers, Pecans, Raisins, Peanuts, grilled Onions and Poblano. Served with Guacamole and Sour Cream, Rice, Charro Beans, corn or flour Tortillas. Lots of food, great value, cold beer, and good service even during the evening rush. So, next time I am back in town, they are on my list

The wait for a table inside on a hot summer night, was about 20 minutes. The food is SO good, it was worth waiting to sit inside. Mostly this a patio restaurant. Either place you sit, you will not be disappointed in the food quality. My chicken chile relleno was delicious and so stuffed with the most tender chicken, that I couldn't eat it all. They have a salsa bar, with 3-4 salsas, for $1.99. Chips are free. All of the salsa were unique and so flavorful, that we possibly filled our bellies before our meals were placed down in front of us. MY dinning companion had carne guisada and ate every bit, I thought he was going to lick the plate. Next time I will order that!

We make it a point to eat at Polvo's whenever we visit Austin. It defines our Mexican food experience! The salsa bar has several to choose from and I'd recommend them all. I've tried various dishes and love them all. My better half always gets the fish with the garlic sauce. He begins craving it as soon as we book our trip to Austin.

We highly recommend the fajitas! Great salsa bar and quest too but skip the guacamole. Our food came out lighting fast.

We met with a friend here for brunch-lunch We all had something egg-based. I had an egg dish with bananas. The eggs were done correctly. The bananas were very good The chips were nice, they serve a creamy green salsa that must have avocado in it that is really good. The other two folks at breakfast seemed to enjoy what they were eating. They make homemade tortillas here which were pretty good. beans and potatoes on the plate were pretty soupy and not my thing.

Really good food. Nothing fancy, laid back and good prices. Margaritas were good, not great but the food and service will bring us back if I find myself in Austin again.

This place is more interior Mexican than Tex-Mex. It is our go to place and have been going weekly for about 10 years. The food is consistently good (though there have been a few off nights). Servers are friendly. My only complaint would be for the owner to spend a little money on building improvements. I love the funky decor but would kill for decent AC in the summer.

I thought the food here was excellent. The restaurant was noisy and not from the crowd of patrons, because it was busy, but the music was just a bit too loud making it difficult to hear my companion. The queso was fantastic, I could have eaten the whole thing. The salsa was excellent, chips crisp and plentiful. Service was good. I will definately be back and if it's cooler, enjoy the patio.

Service and website need some dusting! I haven't been here too many times but I remember not great, but better service than what we got this week. We had to flag our server too many times to get basic service or items: chips, more drinks, napkins, you know, the usual stuff that most servers check. I hope it was just a bad day for them. Also, when we got the bill. Drink prices for Happy Hour didn't match what the website states. We questioned our "fabulous" server and after a few minutes having to explain that the discrepancy in prices was not fair, nor professional on the restaurant's part and that she should let management know. We were told the price on the check was the correct one and the one we had to pay, and that management had been informed in the past due to previous customer complaints but that it has not been corrected. Management, could you please correct the discrepancy? If not as a courtesy to your customers, because it is the law according to TDPA. BTW, your fajitas are delicious.

Felt like this was more of a local place ... went in and was IMPRESSED with food and location Great marg too! Would return again for sure

I went for breakfast to Polvos on a recommendation. Over all its a bit cheesy but that was fine. I like local joints. Food was ok though. Had the Heuvos Rancheros. Refried beans were great. Potatoes were tasty but a bit oily. My biggest disappointment was with the actual eggs. No taste to them whatsoever despite been covered in spices. Could just be me though as the others in my group really enjoyed the ceviche. So I would give it a try again. But not for breakfast.

The dark salsa was so delicious that I could have eaten only chips and salsa. The migas, mushroom, and egg taco on a freshly made big corn tortilla was delicious! Everyone has happy with their choices. My friends liked their home made flour tortillas.

Polvo's is a hiden gem the locals are keeping to themselves. So don't tell anybody it just between us. The food is great and good service to boot.

We enjoy the outdoor dining at Polvo's every time that we visit Austin. The food is delicious, and the service is good.

If you love fresh salsa, tortillas, and margaritas then you. Need to get on over here soon. The menu has a wide variety of interior mexican dishes and it took a while to decide. The server reccomended pescado a la plancha (grilled fish) or chili relleno. I had the fish (see photo). It is grilled on a 500 degree grill and seered then a garlic sauce gives it a great flavor. So many dishes to try. I will be back, and I'm bringing my friends.

Place was packed, the food was incredible & the service rocked. authentic feel. Parking is tight but neighborhood allows for street parking

Our server Janeth was rude and wouldn’t bring a menu would not refill drinks unless you could catch her attention and ask. The food was definitely not worth the money paid! She didn’t tell us the salsa bar was extra money not did she tell me it would cost extra for making it one beef and one chicken enchilada. We only ordered enchilada plate because she refused to bring us a paper menu! Would not recommend this place at all of ever go back! Bad service and overpriced!

This is my favorite restaurant in Austin. I've come here for ten years and the food and service are continually excellent and the price is always right. I recommend going to the salsa bar and trying a variety, including the escobeche. The seafood fajitas are not to be missed. For meat eaters, I recommend the carne guisada. The fresh tortillas are the stuff dreams are made of. Go to Polvos!

Stopped in to take home food and after ordering and getting a margarita I noticed there was a salsa bar in the middle of the dining room. Everyone was coming up with bowls to get one of four different kinds of salsas in large bowls. There was also picked carrots and jalapeños. We got chicken quesadillas and queso with beans and corn tortillas. The queso was phenomenal and honestly it comes with a lot of side stuff like onions, jalapeños, beef, and tomatoes but none is needed. It's fantastic as it is. The corn tortillas were broken in the middle because they were folded - roll please like most Mexican restaurants. Staff seemed very nice. Only downside is no bar to sit at.

As Austinites, we go to Polvo's quite often. It's a great change of pace from the traditional Tex-Mex restaurants as most of the menu items are "interior Mexican" fare. The salsa bar offers up a selection of hot sauces from which to choose. Insider tip: Upgrade the your margarita choice - the standard one is only so-so. BTW - the food portions are BIG!

The food was awesome and the portions are huge! Homemade salsa and tortillas. We enjoyed the margaritas too!

Consistently good (and crowded, which speaks loudly). Salsa bar in the middle for you to select the kind that best serves your palate and what you order. Good drinks, too!

Love many choices on the menu and they have some unique dishes made with seafood and three interesting stuffed pepper dishes. They can get crowded and sometimes service is not as attentive as it could be, especially during busy times. They have a nice salsa bar with 5 or 6 varieties of salsa available self serve. The interior experience is pretty loud, south Austin junky/hip but definitely worth the visit. Margaritas are tasty with several interesting combos to try. Prices are reasonable. Recommend.

It had been a while since our last visit to Polvos and we were disappointed again. The food was average and this place it ridiculously loud. The music blaring at a degree were you walk out and your ears are ringing. Maybe it is attracting only very young people who already have damaged hearing at 25. Always liked this funky place and Austin vibe but event the House margarita, usually real yummy was not doing it for us.

Very bad food! I had a shrimp taco and they were so small like a salad shrimp. Service was bad too. I don’t write reviews but people really need to know so they don’t waste there money.

We walked for about an hour on the river trail then did a little thrift shopping. Son-in-law suggested we find a place to eat dinner and hang out while we waited for rush-hour traffic to die down. Who wants to sit in that for an hour or more when we could be stuffing our faces, instead? There wasn't a wait. They had a nice selection of salsas at the salsa bar. I wasn't overly impressed with my dinner, but it was OK. Not bad, but not memorable, either.

Very tasty food great service the inside looks very fancy and their patio has a great feel at night time. Pet friendly and very reasonable price.

We made a reservation at Polvo’s Downtown for 16 people on the porch and had a great time! There was no food & beverage minimum, but we did have to split one check. The waitstaff were patient and helpful and we really liked the vibe of the restaurant. The porch was super cute, with lights on the ceiling in some areas and lights on the trees, and it was right on the river. I got the fajita chicken quesadilla and it was amazing - their fajita chicken is SO good! Would definitely recommend this place, especially if you have a big group!

This was the first place I ever ate when I moved to Austin, and I haven't stopped coming back since. Polvo's served a strange hybrid of TexMex and traditional Mexican dishes. Their margaritas are super strong, and their salsa bar a cool experience for newcomers. Their fish fajitas are the best ever (ever!!). It's chill, it's tasty, it's perfect.

I love this place - A must every time I am in Austin. The salsa bar is great and the margaritas really hit the spot. The fish fajitas are the pick of the bunch. yum.

Nothing to write home about, it was ok food and not a place I’d seek out on future visits. At the end of the service I was super surprised to find a charge of $3.99 for having served myself a small bowl of salsa from the salsa bar (there was no signage of the extra charge posted on the salsa bar or menu...it’s not about the $3.99, it’s about up-front pricing). Had ordered a side house salad that said was blue cheese with pecans and apples. No blue cheese, pecans, or apples...I’ll skip this place next time I’m in Austin.

I like the salsa bar and the chips. The drinks are weak and the service is a little shaky. The palace is hectic and nt somewhere to sit and talk r bring kids. Parking is a problem due to the popularity of the place. Actually not real bad but somehow it is off putting. It is still a staple place to go.

The fish fajitas here are plain amazing. Using a soy glaze, they make sheer perfection pairing with veggies, corn tortillas, beans, and accompaniments. A house margarita and a visit or two to the salsa bar made this an amazing meal. Make reservations if you can. This place is hopping on Friday nights!

Hoppin' place with plenty of outdoor seating. Great salsa bar - very flavorful and differing salsas. Good selection of fish and shrimp dishes, and very good guacamole. Our sever was professional and was great about communicating a delay in the kitchen. We appreciated that.

I loved the steak fajita I ordered. Good, quick service. I still occasionally think of the spicy carrots from the salsa bar.

Been here a few times and the food is consistently good. Love the salsa bar and homemade tortillas. They have a garlic fish dish that is amazing. So much garlic and so good. Most menu items come with a small salad or fruit. Love the freshness. Has a cool Austin vibe to the restaurant.

Still the best salsa bar, best breakfast tacos served on fresh home made tortillas.this is a Austin main stay choice for fabulous food

This place makes one of my favorite fish dishes ever: the Fish A La Plancha! They also do it with shrimp, if you prefer that, and it's excellent. Salsa bar has homemade tasty roja, fuego, and verde types, along with the pickled jalapenos/carrots/garlic mix. Can get noisy between the loud music, cement floors, and many patrons, but definitely worth checking out.

For a modest mexican place with a crowded setting their prices for Margaritas was excessively high! And it didn't taste like they added any alcohol at all! But their mexican food was mouth watering and I thoroughly enjoyed it... so it was a mixed bag!

Probably the worst Mexican meal and terrible Margarita I’ve had in a long time. The only reason I gave it 1 was the chips were fresh

Excellent authentic Mexican food with salsa and tortilla bars! Very much enjoyed it their Mexican breakfast

We had a large family gathering and met for drinks and dinner. We had one server who did an excellent job keeping up with our rowdy group. The cuisine is interior Mexican, a nice change from the Tex-Mex found in just about any other "Mexican" restaurant. It tasted elevated - fresh and full of flavor.

My daughter brought us to this spot as it’s one of her favorites. The food was so plentiful and sooo delicious! The atmosphere was inviting and fun! We had a great time.

I ate here for an early dinner with family. The appetizers (chorizo queso and guacamole) were fair at best but nothing to brag about. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas and I must say it was the worst margarita I’ve ever had. The entree (pastor stuffed Chile relleno) was ok but not a lot of flavor. On the upside the service was good. I have eaten at a lot of Mexican restaurants and unfortunately this one does not make the grade.

Went here with a group of 11. The food is good but there are so many good Mexican restaurants in Texas that it's hard to say that this one stands out. The atmosphere is noisy and the tables are very small. We had to put A basket of nachos on the floor just because we didn't have room to hold all the plates. They'lI give you as many baskets of nachos to go with the salsa bar as you want, however the bottom half of the baskets always seem to be very small pieces.

Happy happy Margaritas! And good food too. Quesadillas are soo good and they have vegetarian food too! I recommend this place

Having moved away from TX some years ago, I have missed my TexMex food. On a recent visit to Austin to visit family my son recommended Polvos for breakfast. Wow!!! What a treat! Great Heovos and Migas were had by all.

After a long day of running errands, had to stop to get a bite to eat and stopped at Polvos restaurant. We had the option of sitting outdoors or inside. We chose inside dining. We were seated very quickly. Our party was there before 5:00 pm so it was early and were waited on pretty fast. Our waitress was very courteous and cheerful. I ordered the chile relleno with cheese filling. Our food came out fairly fast and our plate was very hot. Not only that but our food was great. You get bottomless chips but you get charged for the salsa. Needlessly to say we were very satisfied with our food and service. Would recommend this place for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Polvo's is one of my favorite Mexican restaurant in Austin, hands down. It's in the heart of South Austin and has a festive, casual atmosphere and excellent food and drinks. The chile con queso with meat is exceptional and the enchiladas and chile rellenos are great. I almost always get a pitcher of frozen margarita when I'm there with friends or a single rita if solo.

Great queso, the fajitas were great! Homemade flour tortillas, good margaritas! It's nothing fancy, just darn good eats!

Excellent food with wide variety of menu items to appeal to diverse eaters. I would agree with other reviewers, this is more traditional mexican food than tex/mex. That said, there are tex/mex dishes like enchiladas and tacos, with additional choices like camarones diablo and fajitas that are fresh and delightful. Everything we've ordered has been delicious, and you must try the assortment of tasty sauces they make. We enjoyed sitting outside, but the inside is attractive and charming as well. Service was terrific, and we even unexpectedly had friends join us with a need to expand our table, and the servers added the space quickly and without issue.

We had a variety of food and it was all delicious. The service was very good. Servers were polite and knowledgeable. There is no bar. Drinks will be brought to your table. You have your choice of sitting inside or outside.

We are traveling the USA and WOW what a find. We love Mexican food and this was authentic and excellent. I am a vegan and I had lots of options. My husband, raised in Arizona, thought this was so authentic and unbelievable flavors. We loved the salsa bar so we had several options with our chips. I loved the flavor in the vegetable fajitas and the homemade corn tortillas were outrageous. We also purchased two dozen tamales to take home. They had a veggie option without cheese. My husband got chicken and jalapeño with cheese. Loved the service. Loved the small quaint environment.

The food was excellent and hot, we order a picture of Margaritas that you can tell was water down. Fast service and they have a salsa bar inside to pick your own salsa.

Really enjoyed the salsa options, they were all so tasty! I got an authentic Mexican breakfast dish that was unlike anything I've had before. Muy beuno! Must check this place out!

The food is good, the salsa is good, the venue is decorated nicely, lots of colored lights but the music is too loud. Great service with a full menu to choose from. Nice seasoning. Toilets are one person at a time and parking can be a chore if the small lot is full. Fun place with good food.

The location of this restaurant is perfect and attract so many customers. But unfortunately it was so crowded that you could feel clearly lack of services. The fajitas was dried and almost 2/3 of my plate was filled with onions. I could see some dark- burnt meat. Luckily the shrimps were big enough to notice. The bathroom was not clean and required extra attention. I didn’t like this place and wouldn’t recommend it at all. Somehow they need to complete some training to enhance the quality.

Had late lunch there yesterday, and I'm still full!! We both had fajitas - one chicken, one beef. Excellent. The salsa bar is $3 and well worth it. Salsas are fresh, spicy, and delicious. The chips are fantastic, and probably why I'm still full. It was very busy at 3P on a Sunday, but our service was prompt and friendly.

Excellent breakfast. Ranchero sauce was great. The salsa bar with FRESH carrot,cabbage, onion jalapeño ESCABECHE WAS AMAZING. !! For those who like to pick out the carrots from your home jar of jalapeños, THIS is a treat. .!!!

We dropped in for Saturday lunch without a reservation and had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. The dining room is small and crowded. The food was plentiful and tasty, but typical of this type of cuisine. Service was okay. Lunch came to only $26 plus tip, so it's a great value.

It is a crying shame that the wonderful food these guys make is served in the loudest restaurant in town. OK, it's a small place and it's popular with young folks that like to drink and expound upon their interesting lives. That's actually OK. But Polvos has loud music going all the time. Thus the patrons talk even louder to be heard over the music. Polvos: just turn off the music. None of the patrons want to hear it. Only the waitstaff enjoys it.

First of all , our welcome by the folks there was warm, happy, and made us feel like we were royalty. Our waitress was the sweetest, most helpful, gave us suggestions regarding drinks, food, explaining it all. We ate outside, I sure wish I remember her name, I’m sorry about that. We sat there drinking and eating happy hour foods, then we ordered dinners and believe it or not we ate everything. I would say we all had something different and switched and tasted one another foods. Try anything and everything, you won’t be disappointed. I promise. Oh after leaving there we noticed next door a Mexican bakery, oh my we ordered one of everything there. South first street is changing, hopefully this part remains the same.... go see for yourself!

Sort of cozy, but a bit noisy. Excellent salsa bar, really good margaritas! Food was tasty, but corn tortillas fell apart...couldn't use them for fajitas.

Three of us went to Polvos on a Thursday. We were given chips (no salsa) and waited for probably 10 minutes. When no server came we asked the hostess if we needed to order some other way due to COVID. She sent our server out a few minutes later. We gave her our full order for drinks, queso to start and entrees. After another 10 minutes we asked if our queso would be out soon. She said it was almost ready. It arrived a few minutes later very quickly followed by our entrees. I ordered the Shrimp Veracruzano which was described as "large shrimp with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, cilantro, onions and spices" with no mention of a sauce of any kind. What I got was shrimp in a thick, sweet red sauce. I asked my server if I'd received the right order and she assured me I had. After trying one bite I decided I didn't like the dish at all (which is rare for me because I'm not a picky eater at all). It was just too sweet for me. I waited for the server to return so I could let her know. My sister had ordered another margarita and my brother asked for napkins, so I assumed she'd be back soon. By the time she came back everyone else had finished eating. The drink and napkins never arrived. I mentioned that my dish looked and sounded a lot like the item right below the veracruzano on their menu, the Camaron Diablo, and looked just like the picture of it online. She said I received the correct dish still and took the plate back to the kitchen to confirm that with them. She came back out and said they confirmed it was the veracruzano. She set it back down in front of me but, I told her i was finished. The only thing I'd eaten off of the plate was the side of rice. She took it away and brought our bill which included the $21 charge for my "shrimp veracruzano". All three of us at the table were servers for most of our high school and college years and are rarely critical of servers, but this experience was bad enough that I sent all of this info to Polvos as a message using their contact us feature on their website. I never heard back from anyone.

The wait was ridiculous. Initially we were told there would be a 30 minute wait for a group of 5. 30 minutes turned into 45 minutes. When we were finally seated, we waited 40 more minutes for our food. We will not be back.

Fun Salsa bar - where you can choose your own salsa. Taco salad was good - not the typical one - very fresh not in a shell...

Terrible, they got our order wrong, wait time was way to long, and food was terrible. $9 for guacamole with no salt or lemon.

Delicious. Their salsa bar has 3 types of salsa and picked vegetables. Their house margarita is killer. Love their peach and mango margarita too. Food is so well made. Its delicious

This lively Mexican restaurant is a lot of fun and the food is superb. The salsa bar is awesome with plenty of unique salsas to try with varying heat factors. The margaritas are a big hit as well. Our server was awesome and went out of his way to return a phone that was left at our table. The portions are large, not obnoxiously so, but you'll get plenty to eat. Great place.

Cousins recommended this restaurant- big mistake I think mostly waiter issues but never saw the manager to complain 45 min to get food When delivered took another 10 minutes for tortillas to come One of the dishes took another 7 minutes Waiter didn't seem to really care and tip was automatically included because we had a party of 6 I would not recommend this restaurant And the rest of my group thinks I'm being objective and kind

A great little Austin tex-mex seafood joint! The atmosphere is Mexican rustic with most of the seating outside. It is very loud inside with good ol Texas country music playen. Damn right good place to eat!!! Yall will understand our way (Texas way) of goin to a feel good restaurant here. This place is great!!!!!!

We had to wait over an hour for a table. There were 10 of us and they were busy but no real effort was made to seat us. Finally we got a table of 6 and another of 4. When the table next to the 6 became available we were moved to that one. We then had to wait for the orders to be taken. Once taken it was over an hour before we were served. Our waiter was great, and of course he had no control over the kitchen. The food was definitely worth waiting for. This was an annual meeting of old friends from all over the state so a big disappointment. They did comp some of the food because of the extreme wait.

Chips/salsa were very good, margaritas were very good, food was very good and the staff was friendly! You also get the funky vibe Austin exudes. You won't be disappointed. Authentic.

Definitely good, but you have to pay for the chips and salsa like an appetizer. I have never paid for chips and salsa.

Really flavorful fajitas, good salsas. It's a bit hot inside or outside in the summer. Skip the skinny margarita.

The servers were very polite and friendly though not completely forthcoming on charges when making requests. My husband had the Pollo Huasteco and loved it. I had the steak fajitas and they only gave me a dab of guacamole, sour cream and cheese, though there was plenty of steak. Why we would never recommend this place is because of the charges not disclosed until the check arrived. When we questioned the charged they claimed there was no manager on duty to make any changes and that’s what we ordered so that’s what we owe. First, on the menu it said that soft drinks were unlimited, which they are not. I asked for a Diet Coke and my husband asked for 1/2 tea and 1/2 sprite. The soft drinks came in a can, which was my first clue we were in trouble. I asked the server about the unlimited and was told that numerous items on the menu were listed incorrectly. Needless to say when the bill came we were charged for 3 drinks and not 2. They give you a basket of chips on arrival but no salsa. I asked for queso knowing that I’d have to pay for it. They don’t have queso except on the kids menu. She explained it was a smaller serving than the adult size which came with meat. I said I didn’t want meat. The queso never came until the meal came, making it too late for the upon arrival chips. I refused it. Mistake, another charge even though they took it back without question so both my husband and I assumed there was no charge for the mid-understanding. Next while waiting for the queso I noticed people with salsa, so I asked about that and at the same time mentioned that in other Mexican Food restaurants when given free chips they came with salsa. They directed me to a salsa bar again with no mention that there would be an additional charge, just for salsa! $52 later plus tip for lunch for 2 people is not what we were looking for.

We hosted our son's rehearsal dinner party for 35 people at the downtown Polvo's. Because we're not local, we were pretty nervous about how it would go. The Event Manager, Karen Fernandez, put our minds at ease once we were in town. We met with her ahead of time to go over logistics for the Friday night event. She explained how the table would be arranged, how the drinks, appetizers and food would be served, and showed us to the beautiful outdoor setting for the dinner. When the big night came, everything went great! Karen was on hand the entire time, helping with the decorations and table setting (which looked awesome!); making sure all of our needs were being met. All the guests loved it! I would highly recommend Polvo's for a great, affordable, large group dinner outing. They exceeded our expectations.

We caught up with a few friends here for drinks. We had frozen margaritas and a few snacks (salsa,guacamole,chips). I highly recommend the margaritas, they are great but also very potent! We found the service to be great and I would go back.

Been a steady customer here for over 10 years. Was my favorite spot for margaritas and queso had nachos many times too. For dinner I usually ate the garlic fish. It's delish! However, yesterday I went for dinner and the prices skyrocketed! I can understand increasing the prices post pandemic, however Polvos is gouging you with their increase. A salad at 25.00? Most dinners from 25-37. Tortilla soup is 12.00. Ridiculous. This place is no longer my walk to neighborhood favorite. If I'm going to pay those prices, I'll keep to Music Lane. So sad to see this icon of a place fall from grace. Oh yeah, the quest yesterday was below par. Didn't even eat it.

Food was plentiful and different from normal mexican fair. Very nice added touch was the complimentary hot cider offered with a shot of tequila if requested at the end of the meal! Need to add simple tacos to the menu for those that are looking for the usual tex mex dish -- but it was a fun outing with family!

I ordered Polvo shrimp al a plancha...I was excited about trying something new, as I tend to always order Tortilla soup no matter what Mexican food restaurant I go to. I love shrimp, it seemed a safe bet. When they brought the food it smelled great...it looked a little odd to me though as there were these red pepper looking things all over the shrimp. The menu said nothing about any peppers at all. I pushed the peppers aside, as I am aware peppers can be really freakin' hot. I took a bite of the shrimp, and within seconds I was really panicking. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack or be unable to breath and possibly vomit as well. It took me at least 6 - 10 minutes to even begin to feel like I would be okay. After I could actually think and talk..I asked for the menu to make sure I didn't miss something in the description of the dish. Nope, nothing about peppers at all!!! I don't usually complain about anything, but this was horrible.....there should be some kind of indication about how hot a dish is. I even love fairly spicy dishes but this was more than I could handle after one bite. They did comp the bill for this one dish and offered another, but I was way past that. Just be aware of what you are ordering. Be advised that the rice was also way too salty.

Had a nice time here ....sat outdoors and had great service. This place gets busy so it is a good idea to call and check the wait time

Freshly made salsas and tortillas, what’s not to like? More Mexican than Tex-Mex, which is a good thing. They do a brisk business (read “popular” especially weekend brunch) but the staff is friendly and efficient. I’ve liked everything I’ve had there unlike some other Austin hot spots. My go-to with out of town guests who want Mexican. Parking sucks. Almost always.

I just ended my short and very uncomfortably hot stay in Austin with a late dinner at Polvo's. Of the four Tex-Mex joints my gf and I ate at this place comes in dead-last place. Food: my enchiladas were dry and tasteless. My gf's beef fajitas were way overcooked and tasteless. Drinks: low alcohol margaritas. Service: nice helpful Russian-gal. Ambience: ratzy rundown roadside.

A+++ Interior Mexican food. Everything is great. The chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce are also the best in town. My personal favorite are the Tacos Dorados, which aren’t on the menu. The “make your own” guacamole is as good as it gets and you won’t find any fault with the Margaritas or Mexican Martinis.

We stopped in here for some chips and salsa and margaritas. The salsa was great! The service was a little below what we thought and didn't realize adding avocado and sour cream on the side of our taco would result in a $2 charge for each. Other than that, the $5 margs were great!

We came here for a birthday dinner with a group of 20 people. Since the group was large we ordered and paid ahead to avoid issues with splitting checks, however when we arrived at the restaurant at 7:50 for our 8:00 pm reservation we were then forced to wait over an hour to be seated at our table. The host repeatedly assured us that the servers taking care of the table we had reserved were urging their patrons to leave, however we instead watched the servers take numerous additional drink orders and make zero effort to ask their tables to leave for the next party to be seated. At one point the manager of the restaurant tried to make our group wait outside in the pouring rain with no cover, as we were apparently inconveniencing the entrance to the restaurant. After over an hour of waiting we were finally seated at disconnected tables at 9:30 pm, our food was cold as it had been prepared over an hour and a half earlier and we did not receive even an apology from the staff for the wait. I understand that a restaurant sees a group of young adults and assumes that we are not well paying customers and doesn't give the same quality of service as a group of adults in our situation would have received however, it was extremely disrespectful that even when our group made an effort to go above and beyond to make the restaurant's job easier for them by making a reservation, calling the day of to confirm the reservation, ordering and paying ahead and arriving on time for our reservation we were treated with such disrespect. It is a shame that the food is so delicious at this restaurant but none of their staff is equipped with basic service skills. When one makes a reservation they expect the staff to honor that reservation and have their table prepared. They do not expect to have to wait over an hour, be berated by staff and encouraged to leave a restaurant we had already ordered and paid for food at because they decided to take too many walk-in tables on a busy Saturday night and could not manage it. This was absolutely unacceptable and this was not the first time a similar situation has happened to both myself and friends. This location needs to be under new management immediately, or else this lack of professionalism will seriously damage the reputation of the chain.

We ate at Polvo's during a bachelor party trip to Austin. We had a party of 10 and had a really good experience. I wanted the Red Snapper tacos but they were out, so I went with the tacos a la carte. Shrimp - solid, but pretty much just shrimp and a few garnishments, Fish - solid but same as shrimp, Chicken fajita - Good and a pretty good flavor to them. We also got multiple bowls of queso for the table and this is the item I would give an A+ to! Mix the ground beef into the queso and leave the guac on the side, and it makes for a really great appetizer. We sat out on the patio and it was a great atmosphere. Would visit Polvo's again.

The food here is awesome! We love authentic Mexican food and this place has it. We tried a lot of other Mexican restaurants when we were in town and we thought that this one was the best. Great guacamole, a salsa bar, and very good authentic mole sauce. Give this place a try - you won't be disappointed.

Super yummy fajitas, tacos and margaritas. Great for the whole family. Small parking lot, so if you drove, you will have to park and walk.

Polvo's has been a family favorite for years. Pitchers of frozen margaritas, amazing queso and best corn tortillas I have ever had. They are free at lunch and about a dollar at dinner for 3. Pro tips- be prepared for terrible service and confusion. We got used to it. We regularly get our own drinks from the bar and get our own napkins and plates. Salsa bar is amazing but not free- unless you order the queso. More about the queso. It also comes with a plate of guacamole, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, and taco beef to add as you like. I like it all but the beef and I like to make mini tacos with the corn tortillas. The fajitas here are amazing (I love the fish the best) but we are usually too full after all the queso so we get either al a carte tacos or I enjoy the shrimp cocktail or ceviche. Watch out for the shrimp cocktail- its very spicy!

Its exactly what it should be, the food is fantastic, yes its a little bit tacky maybe? But thats part of its charm! My table shared all of our meals, tacos, burrito, enchiladas, etc. Everything was top notch. Very impressed with the service as well, and who doesn't love a Salsa bar?

I have been here many many times and feel that as of lately it has really slipped in quality. They have great cocktails, esp the Mexican Martini. BUT we ordered a large queso and it came out COLD! We even asked to send it back and warm it up since on one likes cold queso. It came but luke warm. This is highly disappointing,like they are too lazy to give us a bowl of hot queso. The place was not busy at all and I was super disappointed they didn't fix it after we asked. The fish espadita is not to be missed! really this is the best dish on the menu. The enchiladas were good but nothing to write home about. I only hope I caught them on an off day as Polvos is a true Austin staple.

Loved the wide array of authentic mexican fare in a great location. Enjoyed the salsa bar. Service was very good. Margaritas on the rocks were terrible.

Great food with homemade tortillas. The salsa bar was very good. Nice atmosphere with friendly staff.

We were driving through Austin, and decided we wanted some Ceviche and so checked online and found Polvos. The atmosphere was fun, the music was good, and the service was fine. The ceviche was delicious, all the light on the fish. The chips were good and the dollar 99 salsa bar had a good variety and was enjoyable with the complementary chips. We got the beef fajitas, and the sauces they marinate the steak in is spectacular. It's hard to ruin Mexican food, but it's only every so often you find a place that makes it shine. This was great and we will be back. If this was helpful let me know

My sister hosted a graduation meal here at the request of the graduate. The salsa bar is awesome ... the offerings are all very tasty! I enjoyed the chicken fajitas which were extremely delicious. All those around me really loved their food. My only thing I did not care for was the margarita. The house margarita was o.k.; however, I tried ordering the margarita with the tequila that I prefer and other ingredients. It seems the mix used for margaritas is not lime based so I did not care for the traditional margarita I ordered.

Everything here is solid, they have a nice fresh house made salsa bar, great Mexican martinis, enchiladas, fajitas, just great food. Try the Mojo De Ajo !! Or Fish a la plancha

The food was delicious, especially the fajitas. We didn't get great service and were confused about the salsa bar. Another patron helped us out. Funky atmosphere. It was great for a dinner out with friends.

If you have a party of more than four and you want to sit inside, I suggest you go someplace else. We called from another restaurant that was a 50 minute wait and they told us it would be 15 minutes to get a table for seven. We got there in 10 and were next on the list. Apparently they were not telling the truth because we had to wait outside in the heat for almost forty minutes to get a table. Then they sat us right inside the front door in front of the bar. So the people waiting outside had to come in and stand in line for the bar right next to our table. It was so noisy with the music and all the people surrounding our table that we all got hot and could not hear each other talk and my grandson got sick and had to go outside to get air. It was very claustrophobic. And yet there were two tables over by the windows on the other side that were empty that they said they were saving for a party of 25 that did not come until we were finished with our meal. We all just asked for boxes to go to get out of there. I will tell you that I will never go back there. We should have stayed at the other restaurant.

Recommended to us by someone local, Polvo’s is an independent restaurant. We came for breakfast tacos, something you just don’t see on the menu in the Midwest! The flour tortillas were being handmade fresh at a counter. The filling choices for the tacos were numerous. The chips were light, thin, crunchy, and delicious. Had an order of queso.... it was served on a plate with 5 ingredients (cilantro, onion, tomato, jalapeño, and chorizo) you could mix in to make it “your own”. Really enjoyed Polvo’s!

This is a good place to enjoy some Mexican food. Several varieties of fresh salsas are available and nicely complement the crispy and not-too-salty tortilla chips. The house Margaritas pair nicely with the tasty main dishes. The server was pleasingly attentive and did and excellent job of anticipating our need without hovering. This is a busy and lively restaurant and the noise level that comes with that can make it hard to carry on long conversations.

There is so much about Polvos that I love. I am a Mexican food junky. I come in to town to Austin frequently and I always wake up in the morning and go "I want Polvos for breakfast." Their trash can plate has a combination of all sorts of meats, veggies and salsa that creates a wonderland in my mouth. If I go for lunch or dinner I have a hard time choosing what I want because I enjoy the majority of their dishes. Their flautas are delicious. I love their enchiladas. And their carne guisada is delicious as well! Top it off with a margarita and I'm in happy land. Now I want polov's!

Great neighborhood place and close to downtown Austin offering authentic Mexican dishes that will melt in your mouth. Amazing margarita's and a great atmosphere. This place did not disappoint!

We were visiting from New York and my native Californian husband will not eat Mexican food in NY. We were directed to this place by a close friend who went to UT. It was a great call. We sat on the porch. Very eclectic crowd. They let us have our dog on the porch. Excellent Margaritas and queso. Queso where have you been all my life? The service and portions were excellent.

Polvos food was OK. The prices were right and the portion sizes were very large. I may have liked the food better if I received in in a reasonable amount of time. Sadly, the service was so poor we had filled up on chips and dip before the meal arrived. Had to walk up to the front to check out and get to-go boxes because our server was nowhere to be seen. Probably won't go back.

TOTALLY UNETHICAL!!!! If I could give this a -5 I would do so. While the food was pretty good, the waitress charged our table a 77.4% tip that should have been an automatic 20% tip for a group of 7 ppl....i.e., my $118.72 bill had a tip added for $65.80....a 20% tip should have been $23.74. (Same overcharge for three of us who shared the bill. We didn't notice until the next morning what had actually been charged.) I called the restaurant 7 different times asking to talk with the manager, Oscar to get this resolved. Either he was too busy or not there. I was promised by each person I spoke with that Oscar would call me back to get this handled....never once did Oscar call back or respond. Had to take it to our credit card company and still no resolution, since I did not have my receipt, although I could show my sister-in-laws receipt of the overcharge. Beware!!!

Great place! We walked from Congress here. It was worth it. Fresh made tortillas literally feet away. The staff was very helpful and friendly. Puerco Adovado and migas!!

You would never expect the food that you get here by just walking in and looking around. WOW, just go. If you like TexMex and Authentic Mexican this is your stop. Don't order the large quacamole if you don't have a crowd.

I found this restaurant to have great "atmosphere" and a big crowd, but I wonder why. No guacamole arrived on my ordered entrée and no warning that they had none in the place this day. My beef and onions were way overdone to the point of being tough and slightly burned. The salsa was way too hot for me (others may like it, of course) and had no medium or mild option, even on the salsa bar that we paid extra for. I liked the freshly made tortillas, especially the flour ones. The rice and the refried beans were cold. One of the entrees that my friend ordered was so salty she could not eat it. Our waitress was not apologetic about anything and did not reduce the bill either, even though we ate only about 1/3 of the meals we ordered.

We went for breakfast and the food was ok. The potatoes were more of a stew than a side. They charge for salsa!!! I couldn't believe it when I saw it on the bill but it's 1.99 for salsa. I won't be back there is much better mexican food out there with free salsa.

The food is outstanding. However, it is crowded and noisy. perhaps some people like that style. we were a group of 10 and everybody liked their plate.

We dined at Polvo's one evening after a long drive in the Texan landscape. So it was great to sit outside under the roofed patio. The waiter was polite and friendly. The food was excellent and enjoyed sitting for a good while consuming as well the lovely meal as the day's adventures.

We came here on Father's Day and were fortunate to get a table. Food was unique and delicious. We enjoyed it very much!

Excellent food,wonderful service and great decor! Stopped in on a recommendation from a local and we were not sorry to have to wait for a table. The tortillas are hand made in the store as you watch and the nachos were thin, salty and crispy. Order the Guac - it's the real deal.

Girlfriends and I stopped here for lunch or dinner; it was recommended online (yelp or something) for great margaritas and they were delish! Food was okay but decent; I have worse and I have better...I'm from Houston Tx and we have quiet a few excellent mexican food joints and I'm picky with my food. We thoroughly the atmosphere and drinks. Staff were very nice and professional!

Son and girlfriend took me there the other day. Got to seat outdoors and share a table with a woman and her two dogs! Food is yummy and the drinks kept on coming! Will return!

Visited here on a quick trip to Austin... Was craving tacos so Had the pork and beef....Meat well done. Rich flavour ...felt like I was home. :) Also had a nibble on some tacos con queso with a fajita ... Will recommend.

Went on a Sunday in the afternoon and got a table on the patio. They have large heaters outside but the day was warm. There was no wait. Chips were great-thin, crispy and hot. Salsa bar inside so you can help yourself. I got carne guisada and it was great! Large serving, tender beef spiced just right. Their frozen margaritas are also very good - not too sour or sweet and actually contain alcohol. The tortillas that came with the entree were perfect.

Fortunately I had a friend to choose our food, as there were so many choices to be made. Everything was great, especially the Mexican Martinis!

Love the food and definitely the drinks there. This place is always busy on weekends so that tells you how good it is (to survive and be successful in that very competitive area)!!! Careful with the margaritas though. They make them so delicious and well-balanced that you might get pretty drunk before you even know it. If you like fish and garlic, make sure you try the pescado al mojo de ajo.

Breakfast was delicious! My friends love the trash can plate. I tried a pastor and fajita taco. The tacos were great. They serve large portions, large enough to share plates. They make fresh tortillas on site. My favorite was the hotchata! It's sweet, delicious, and has the perfect flavor. They also have a salsa bar that has something for everyone. Will be back as soon as I can be.

Was in Austen with friends for weekend trip definitely recommend this restaurant . The chori-queso is phonomenal especially with the hand made tortilla baked live in front of you. Everything has great flavors my favorite dish is the carne guisado or puerco. Traditional dishes are executed extremely well as well the fajita, enchilada, and chilly rilleno are all fantastic choices

Polvo's is a dive, but the food is so good you won't notice the shabby surroundings. They specialize in interior Mexican food, as opposed to the typical Tex-Mex fare. There's outdoor seating and a full bar with leathal Mexican Martinis. The carne guisada is to die for.

Got this recommendation from a server in a bar and it was spot on! We wanted real Mexican and we got it at Polvo. It's a 10 min cab ride from town but worth it. You will likely have to wait but their bar makes that a pleasure as you can get great margaritas or other drinks - I had a Mexican martini - while you wait. For our meal we had the Fajitas Guajillo and the Cerveza Fajitas - both excellent. Plenty of food for sure and all very flavorful and well prepared. Chips are brought to the table, of course, but the salsa is extra at the salsa bar, where you can pick your level of heat. All in all, a great choice for Mexican when in Austin.

Polvo's is a busy and noisy restaurant with very good food. We plan to stop here whenever we are in Austin. The select-your-own salsa bar accommodates a variety of tastes. All of the dishes are good, but the chilies rellenos with pecan sauce is excellent. It's fine for families, but a bit too noisy for business.

Polvos is LOUD! I am not hard of hearing but my daughter and I could not hear each other from across the table. Our Server was very good amongst all the chaos. I suggest that if you are having a Margarita that you order top shelf because if you don't you will get and already mixed drink out of a bucket. The night we were there the restaurant was extremely busy and I have to say that the food is very good. We had Fajitas that were authentic and yummy. Polvos has a salsa bar. They bring chips to the table with no salsa and then charge you to go to the salsa bar. The salsa bar needs to be better tended to.

This is an excellent restaurant for traditional Mexican food. There is outdoor and indoor seating. The food is excellent, as are the employees. I strongly recommend the traditional frozen margarita with their delicious salsa and chips.

I have been eating at Polvos since almost the day this restaurant opened. The deliciousness of the food used to blow my mind, now it is just OK and radically overpriced. It's a bit heartbreaking that I will likely never want to return again, I gave it many tries to see if it was a fluke, many tries and I am done.

Found this restaurant while cruising thru Downtown Austin and I must say the food is excellent. Loved the salsa bar and the atmosphere there! Our server was very friendly and recommended some yummy food! Highly satisfied with the service and the food

Best breakfast tacos in the game, and you can fight me on that. Rule #1 with any taco, always use homemade tortillas. Polvos, check! Rule #1 with bacon and egg tacos, always mix the bacon with the eggs. Polvos, mega check! Contrary to most taco places in Austin, even places with "taco" in the name, Polvos doesn't break the taco rules. Ever. And for that, I love them. Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention their stellar salsa bar and magnificent micheladas. Stop by for a taco and a cocktail or 3. You won't regret it.

When we arrived we were told to find the menu online, we did and ordered.. food was great but price of my husband's entree was different the bill....i brought this up to Andy, he was a jerk and said.. "those r old prices " Seriously?? He was a complete a** about it . Our tip reflected his unwillingness to compromise. Just saying

This is one of the few places where one can get homemade flour tortillas and they are pretty yummy! You can watch the lady cooking them up at her griddle and take as many as you need. A lot of the service is self service. That's why it gets a 4 instead of 5 star. Their prices are a little on the high side for Mexican food, so one would think they wouldn't have to get their own silverware, salsa, and tortillas, but it's all good. I enjoyed the food and the laid back ambiance.

We came in today on a Sunday afternoon. It was slow but our drinks took 20 minutes, and they only delivered one and said they were out of the other one we ordered. The frozen margarita was all sweet & sour and completely melted down. The food took over 30 mins for soup and a quesadilla. We paid $100 for drinks and overall mediocre experience. Austin has so many good places to offer, so save your money. This place used to be so good but has gone downhill.

I debated whether to give this place a 3 or a 4. On one hand it has a pretty decent atmosphere and the service was pretty good. However, I'm not sure the food was worth the more expensive price tag. The same breakfast tacos I could get elsewhere, the same size and same variety, cost me about $1.50 more per taco. ($5 here whereas most other places charge only about $3 to $3.50 for the same portions.) I'll go back only if someone else is treating.

This is a review of the downtown location on Nueces, which for some reason has not been reviewed here before.Indoor and outdoor seating,fairly standard menu and full bar.Chili con queso and guacamole a little bland but reasonable given the wide array of customers likely to visit given the location.Pastor fajitas very good and way too much for one person.Good service and good value.

Food was tasty, service was excellent and margaritas were excellent. Great value as well. Highly recommend.

One of the best austin Mexican at good prices. Sit outside if you can. Ceviche fajitas fish and enchilada dishes great, and sauces very authentic

I highly recommend the shrimp fajitas- yummy! The vegetables were amazing - Great Austin vibe and awesome margaritas! Just one more thing I can add to the list of things I love about Austin !

The time of the evening to visit is just after work. There is an eclectic staff that caters to large parties, or small settings. The food is traditional and good. The bar and Margaritas are fantastic, and there are tons of pretty people to interact with as you enjoy the South Austin Vibe!

Looking at the outside would never have stopped. It had good reviews so it was a destination. The full parking lot was a hint of the Saturday popularity. They have a salsa bar with various red and green salsa along with marinated veggies. The marinated carrots alone would have made the trip with it. Our server was outstanding with a sense of humor and full knowledge of the menu. Portions are huge so sharing might be a good idea. Everything we had was delicious. Will go again the next time I am in Austin.

Crowded and convivial, great array of salsas and satisfying standards plus a few more authentic Mexican dishes. A frozen margarita is a must!

I’ve traveled all over the US and many parts of Mexico, and this food was truly the best! Polvo’s was recommended to my husband and I from a local, and I’m so glad we went! We enjoyed the strawberry margaritas more than the lime and the fajitas were amazing! I’d highly recommend!

When I first moved to Austin, Polvo's was a go-to place. After a few years, the visits became less often, and it has been more than several years since my last visit. We stopped in for lunch. While the service was good, and they still had the self-service salsa bar, the prices have been jacked up through the roof. The food was OK but nothing special. Full bar, plenty of off street parking.

The hotel suggested we travel a bit and head to Polvos. SO glad we did. I had fajitas (with raisins, walnuts, chilis...etc. etc.) and it was over the top fabulous. We ordered the most unfamiliar appetizer we could find. Amazing. You are not here for the decor, or the regular margarita (order top shelf, is transforming). Service was A+, even in a city where everyone is nice -- he stood out.

Yes. I'm a baby boomer. I'm not stupid, decrepit, or senile. I'm an out-of-town visitor asking about menu features. Describing a sauce by repeating the menu description or saying it tastes like a "red sauce" doesn't help me. I tip well for good service; I barely tip for poor service.

Went on a Sunday afternoon (so don’t worry about parking out front!), our waitress Molly didn’t welcome us or introduce herself.”, not sure if she didn’t want to be working or what..! Service never improved until she dropped off our check & then suddenly she was a happy/chipper young lady. Anyway…we enjoyed the queso app, the salsa bar was fun to try all 6 types! My Margarita off the menu was very tasty (it was a “short” drink) fajitas were great, these Dallasites fully approve! Stick to the drinks on the menu, we asked for another blender drink & it was so chunky, we needed a spoon to enjoy. Sent it back & it was returned a bit better. We think it would be a great place to go after work, it’s right on a bike trail, had upbeat music playing.

I went to this restaurant with friends and we had a great time. The food was good and the salsa bar was nice, but sorta inconvenient if you had a table outside like us. Also, the salsa bar cost $2.99 for the table, definitely a hidden charge. The vegetables quesadillas were good and the vegetables inside were sautéed. Very disappointed that it took so much work to get the tickets separated from the server. Food was okay, but not worth the hidden charges.

Polvo’s doesn’t take reservations but my party of 3 only waited about 15/20 minutes on a Thursday night. We enjoyed the salsa bar, mix your own guacamole, fajitas and burritos. Wish we had more time to come back for another meal on this trip. Service was great and it was non-touristy.

This is at the Barton creek location . The food and service (Miguel)was excellent ! I had the six Carne street Tacos which were out of this world... My wife had the Talapia taco , which she loved. The servings were huge... money well spent!! We will definitely be back.

Came here my first night in Austin with friends, and the food was delicious. I was told the margarita's are better frozen, but I generally prefer on the rocks. I went with the frozen and took everyone's advice, but I suppose since I prefer on the rocks, I should have just gone with that. Still good though. We ordered the queso, which was unreal. Just so many flavors. And I ordered the burrito, which could have fed a family of four. But it was so lovely and so delicious and I certainly ate a good portion of it! Fun atmosphere, good food. It was a nice introduction to Austin.

My partner and I visited the Austin area for the first time this month and I was super excited to try some good Mexican food (of which I had heard there was so much of in Austin). Based on my research, I selected Polvos Mexican Restaurant and we headed there right after we landed. •We arrived at an off hour (say like 2 PM) so the place was not crowded at all and we did not have to wait like I had read about. •The restaurant itself is nothing fancy, but it was clean and everyone was friendly and we really liked our waiter. He was super nice and attentive. •We started off with two premium margaritas which were delicious and followed up with chips and the salsa bar; which had 3 different salsas and also some pickled vegetables which were dang good. •For an appetizer we split the Choriqueso. It was served without any tortillas and at first we were not sure what was going on. But then our waiter told us to help ourselves at the fresh tortilla bar where there was a woman making tortillas from scratch RIGHT THERE. You could pick from corn or flour. We tried both. The fresh tortillas and the Choriqueso were so good. •After the margaritas, chips, salsa and Choriqueso we were a bit fuller than we expected as the portions here are large. So for our meal, we split the Goliath Burrito (with fajita beef). When it came out, it looked pretty plain I have to admit. But when we bit into it, the flavor was wonderful and hit the spot. If you are in South Austin and looking for some great Mexican (not Tex-Mex) with large portions for not a lot of money - you have to give Polvos a try. We are really glad we did. It was one of our favorite meals of our trip to Austin. BTW - 'The Greetings from Austin' mural is two blocks from Polvos and easily walked to / from.

It's Texas so you know many options exist for Mexican. This and Habanero Cafe are do not miss in Austin. Grab the 1.99 unlimited salsa bar and enjoy one of the burritos. The one covered in cheese, chipotle and verde salsa is my recommendation! It's busy and thus the service isn't great but it is not bad. Worth it!

The salsa bar is awesome, portions are ample. Some of the best Mexican food we've ever had & we've been @ it a long time! Service quick & friendly. Food not to be missed when you're in Austin.

I've been coming here for 8 years, been a few months since my last visit and BAM!!! WTF happened to the pricing! Food is good, not great, but $75 for lunch, way too high, entrees are now $18, house margaritas are up, the queso is up, no lunch specials and the salsa bar that use to have 8 different options is now down to 2. I understand needing to keep margins up so a restaurant can survive, but with these new prices Polvo's is off our restaurant rotation, too many other options for Mexican food in Austin that is reasonable priced, so sad.

Sort of up and down at this place. One had a very good dish with beef, mushrooms and corn in a spicy gravy, the other a more traditional plate. The mushrooms came through nice and earthy. The tortillas are made on-site. The sauces are not really all that good, and the mix plate was so-so. Service was pretty poor even though it was not very busy when we were there.Their margaritas are great but dangerous. Lots of lime juice even in the house margs (not that nasty syrup so many use) and two will definitely give you a buzz. Improving their service would go a long way toward making this a really good place.

We all ate the beef fajitas and/or beef flautas again, it was yummy! So was the avocado and cilantro salad. Tortillas are home made! OMG the margaritas are delicious and come by the pitcher-- beware. Great girls night! Would def go back! Huge portions and great prices.

Probably the best quesadillas I have ever had, however they were (and seem to always be) out of guacamole....and no, avocado is not the same thing!

We drove in because of the Mexican food category; however, we quickly found out it was more of an American version of Mexican food. It was a good twist to it though and we enjoyed the food. Overpriced in our opinion. To quantify that, let me explain that the area we live in sells a good tasting enchilada plate for about $6/$8-9 at a fancier/upscale restaurant. Here we paid $12. Austin is a bit pricier though. I've included this info as a precautionary warning if you're on a budget or unwilling to spend that amount. Husband paid $15 for some tasty nachos made with very thin store bought tortilla chips. You're average cost per plate here is $12-15. Very tasty food and I gathered it's a popular place given the full parking lot and high traffic.