Dae5ddcac898bef23d9aa4d4272cc2ef

Austin Travel Guide powered by advice from Real Travelers

 Get Real Deal alerts »

Matt's El Rancho

See more restaurants in Austin »
Matt's El Rancho
2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
+1 512 462 9333
site: Matt's El Rancho
#33 of 113 restaurants rated by Real Travelers

More information on Matt's El Rancho

Opened in downtown in 1952, this old landmark restaurant has a large, faithful body of customers. Owner Matt Martinez later moved his restaurant to south Austin in 1986, and now his son, Matt, Jr., runs the show. The restaurant does a huge business with customers seeking dependable old-school Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas in chili gravy, flautas, or fajitas. The chiles rellenos and shrimp Mexicana (smothered with peppers, onions, tomato, ranchero sauce, and Jack cheese) are perennial favorites. Or you can go for different combinations of these by picking one of the numbered dinner plates like the #1, which is very popular. (If you have a big appetite, go for the deluxe.)Although the place can seat almost 500, you might still have to wait for an hour on weekend nights, especially if there's a university event in town. You can lounge out on the terrace sipping a fresh lime margarita to pass the time. The restaurant gets a mixed crowd -- mostly families, long-time Austinites, not a lot of students. For those like me, who keep irregular eating times, the solution is simple: go on off hours. Anytime between 2 and 6pm usually works. Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Price

Main courses $6.75-$16,M

Credit Cards Accepted

AE, DC, DISC, MC, V

Reservations

Reservations not accepted for after 6pm on weekends, except for large groups

Hours

Sun-Mon and Wed-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Information by Frommers

Things to do near Matt's El Rancho

 more Austin hotels »
  • Anna's Toy Depot
    Attractions

    Anna's Toy Depot

    Distance 0.2 miles away
    Popularity #113 of 151
  • Broken Spoke
    Attractions

    Broken Spoke

    This is the genuine item, a Western honky-tonk dating from 1964 with a wood-plank floor and a cowboy-hatted, two-steppin' cro...

    Distance 0.5 miles away
    Popularity #53 of 151
  • Comics and More
    Attractions

    Comics and More

    Distance 0.5 miles away
    Popularity #239 of 151
  • Amelia's Retro-Vogue and Relics
    Attractions

    Amelia's Retro-Vogue and Relics

    Distance 0.7 miles away
    Popularity #175 of 151
  • Annual Pecan Street Arts Festival
    Attractions

    Annual Pecan Street Arts Festival

    Each year vendors and entertainers play host to thousands of visitors when this weekend festival takes over 6th Street. Once in the sprin...

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #24 of 151
  • Victorian Christmas on 6th Street
    Attractions

    Victorian Christmas on 6th Street

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #258 of 151
  • Sun Harvest Farms
    Attractions

    Sun Harvest Farms

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #32 of 151
  • Great Earth Vitamins
    Attractions

    Great Earth Vitamins

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #250 of 151
  • Champagne Clotheshorse
    Attractions

    Champagne Clotheshorse

    Distance 1.3 miles away
    Popularity #256 of 151
  • Blazer Lazer Tag
    Attractions

    Blazer Lazer Tag

    Laser tag, high tech hide & seek for ages seven to 97, is Texas's largest laser tag arena, where a maze-like collection of towers, ramps...

    Distance 1.3 miles away
    Popularity #26 of 151
 more Austin things to do »
  • Matt's El Rancho
    Restaurants

    Matt's El Rancho

    Opened in downtown in 1952, this old landmark restaurant has a large, faithful body of customers. Owner Matt Martinez later m...

    Popularity #33 of 113
  • Alligator Grill
    Restaurants

    Alligator Grill

    This laid-back happy place has been satisfying customers with great Cajun food since 1994. Sure to please entrees include Catfish Thiboda...

    Distance 0.3 miles away
    Popularity #118 of 113
  • Red Lobster
    Restaurants

    Red Lobster

    If you have a hankering for seafood this is the place to go. Red Lobster has a wide variety of good eats for the whole family. Various ap...

    Distance 0.8 miles away
    Popularity #163 of 113
  • Olive Garden
    Restaurants

    Olive Garden

    Olive Garden serves up authentic Italian cuisine. Their signature bread sticks and one-of-a-kind menu makes them an American icon. Standa...

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #78 of 113
  • Hunan Lion
    Restaurants

    Hunan Lion

    This Chinese restaurant has been a favorite for nearly two decades. Serving up healthy portions of gourmet Hunan and Mandarin cuisine at...

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #81 of 113
  • Green Pastures
    Restaurants

    Green Pastures

    Peacocks strut their stuff among wooded grounds surrounding this 1894 mansion, which was converted into a restaurant in 1945....

    Distance 1.0 miles away
    Popularity #68 of 113
  • Outback Steakhouse
    Restaurants

    Outback Steakhouse

    Take in the atmosphere of the Australian Outback while enjoying mouth-watering entrees and high-quality service. Serving dinner only, Ou...

    Distance 1.2 miles away
    Popularity #152 of 113
  • Casa Garcias
    Restaurants

    Casa Garcias

    Cabrito, Chicken Mole, Carne Asada, Pork Mole, and Tamales are names of just few Mexican specialties served here. The Mexican décor gives...

    Distance 1.3 miles away
    Popularity #134 of 113
  • Polvo's Mexican Restaurant
    Restaurants

    Polvo's Mexican Restaurant

    For authentic Mexican food, Polvo's serves the best lunch specials. Puntas de filete, carne guisado, guisado de puerco and a variety of f...

    Distance 1.3 miles away
    Popularity #50 of 113
  • El Mercado
    Restaurants

    El Mercado

    The sombreros and parrots, mixed with the Mexican music in the background, could fool diners into thinking they stepped into a fiesta. Th...

    Distance 1.5 miles away
    Popularity #23 of 113
 more Austin restaurants »

Hotels near this restaurant

Austin Travel Experiences

Traveler Photos of Austin

My first Polite in Public picture. A jedi for sure. www.politeinpublic.com Children's Museum in Austin, TX Somewhere in Austin. 1295049530dd93b3b0de7d9e9aabe21d
 See all photos in Austin »

Hotels near Austin