I had a 2 for 1 coupon and went there for dinner one night. Thanks for the 2 for 1 because we only ate portions of each. This place is the worst I have ever encountered.
Austin, TX
Lunch at Halapeno Harry's
Ted S. wrote: > > David B. wrote: > : Case in point, El Patio on the Drag. This place has been around for years, > : and always seems to have business. (snip) > : Now, with so many good Mexican restaurants around, I simply cant understand > : why anyone would eat at this place, yet they've managed to stay in business > : for probably 20 years or more. Go figure. > > I heard it is Lady Bird's favorite. Quien sabe? > There are a few places around Austin that -- I promise -- predate anyone reading this list. The lure of El Patio -- if not the food -- is the tradition that surrounds the place and the people who frequent it. El Patio was dishing it up when Austin largely stopped at Koenig Lane. How many generations? I don't know. All I know is that if your father and grandfather ate there (as did mine) you will indeed be drawn back. If it's not to your taste, don't worry. But I can assure you that long after this month's feature restaurant in Texas Monthly or hot spot on West 6th has been turned into an oriental rug mart, that El Patio will still be there. Mike Nassour
KNix2568 wrote in article ... > >El Patio is absolutely TexMex: the old "Austin Style" (read 50's goo) > >Tex Mex. A restaurant in Houston years ago touted their "Austin Style" > >TexMex...it was El Patio style. IT IS AN AUSTIN INSTITUTION. The food > >is terrible, but that is beside the point. > > Well, other than the *nostalgia* factor, what's so great about El Patio? > Sure, way back when ("...in my old UT days, er in my old <insert > fratenity-sorority name> days etc") El Patio was the hip place to hang, > but the reason all these "AUSTIN INSTITUTION" places closed down was the > law of supply and demand. Their food sucked, and "the good ole days" can > only carry you so far. Yeah, maybe they are a caring crowd and will hope > that you enjoy the food. But, why not put a little effort into the menu, > the atmoshpere, the salsa (for god's sake!), or better yet, fix up the > old-as-the-hills place that looks like it's seen a thousand better days? The looks of the place add to the charm for me and "fixing it up" would only cost them money they don't need to spend. > The restaurant business is extremely competitive. Have any of you > "old Austin" folks gone to El Patio recently? If ya'll really Love them as > much as you say, you might want to spend your lunch dollars there. I work > in the UT area, and every single day their parking lot is nearly empty. I > never go. Personally, I didn't care for their food. (however, they were > very friendly). But, the UT area is changing, and without adapting (or the > support of the crowd that wants everyhting to *always* stay the same) > their days are numbered. > I'm sure El Patio loves to get the college crowd (especially the frats ;-0) but they certainly shouldn't change to meet some current eating trend of that group. They let all the other trendy restaurants do that. From my observations El Patio seems to be as busy as ever. If their "days are numbered", as you put it, they must be numbered pretty high. I personally like the food at El Patio, it is the Tex-Mex I grew up on. My whole family likes it also. If you want far out Tex-Mex go to Chuy's, if you want traditional Mexican food go to any of the number of places in Austin that serve that (both dives and upscale). As I said in an earlier post, if you don't like the food at El Patio don't go there! That will leave that much more room for the rest of us. ;-) ___________________________________________________ Fred Nemecek (512) 458-1112 x19 Intercim Corporation [email removed]
EL PATIO IS GREAT! Do not let some of these quite uninformed people steer you away. Great food and, most of all, nice friendly owners and staff who WILL remember your name, your kids names and give them a candy sucker when they leave. It is also EXTREMELY affordable. Being in business over 35 years- they MUST be doing something right!!! Larry
Juan T. wrote in article ... > On Tue, 08 Jul 1997 10:08:41 -0500, IMC T. wrote: > > :>El Patio is simply good food. I have never had a bad meal there, and to > :>top it off, anytime anyone in my family comes to town they always want to > :>eat there. Now since we are Hispanic, they must be doing something > :>right. Not to say there aren't better Mexican restaurants, but I'm just > :>wondering, what is your idea of a good Mexican restaurant here in Austin? > > Whoa, now. I won't try to impugn your hispanicity, but it is *nothing* like > what anybody in *my* Hispanic family would choose to eat. We may > have regular white bread on the table to eat with the red chile if nobody > felt like making tortillas, but *saltines*??? And that cheez whiz.... This is exactly my point. I've eaten Mexican/Tex-Mex all over Texas, and grew up in San Antonio, and El Patio is nothing like what I've come to associate with Mexican/Tex-Mex food. It's more like what I've found in places like Oregon & Colorado. Granted, I've only been there once, and that was about 7 years ago, but that was enough for me. I might have gone back & given them a second chance (I did with Halapeno Harry's...they don't get a 3rd chance) had I not been told similar stories by several friends. Obviously, El Patio has it's loyal clientel who enjoy the food. Otherwise they wouldn't be in business. It's simply my opinion that they ain't "all that". <snip> > I'm moving to Oregon to teach college in a month or so. I may try > again there if I can even *find* a Mexican restaurant. You can find them, but you don't want to eat at any of them. And it's kind of difficult to find the makings for good Mexican food also. Dont even try to find tomatillo's. > > So what makes a good one? > > Good chile sauce. Fresh tortillas that are not red or any other funky > color--preferably hand-made. Cheese that is from ingredients that > originated in a cow, not a west Texas oil well. Beans that are not > too dry, yet not too larded out. Fluffy rice with a light tomato > flavor and maybe those little bits of corn. Some variety on the > menu--I'd like to see some of the pasta dishes and soups that > are so very typical of everyday Mexican cooking. Chef Ravago's > Sunday brunch menu is the best I know of in town. I hope that > things are going well in his new location. Mmmm. These are the types of things I look for also, especially the hand made tortilla's. Someone in another message asked what Mexican restaurants I liked in Austin. Unfortunately, my favorites have all closed. I used to really enjoy Peso's, when they were on S. Lamar, across from Compadre's. They had the best Chili Relleno's I've ever had. But, they moved over to Barton Springs in that place that used to be the Majestic Diner, started catering to the college crowd, and the food went downhill fast. I used to also eat at La Parilla, a little hole in the wall place on N. Lamar & St. Johns that was open 24 hours. But, sadly, they've closed also. If I'm looking for true interior Mexican, I usually go to Jalisco, though I haven't been there in about a year. There's also this little family owned place on E. 1st just past Pleasant Valley that's really good, but damned if I can remember the name. El Arroyo is usually good, as is Las Manitas. I sometimes go to Guerro's for breakfast taco's, though I really prefer Ken's Sub's Taco's & More. I also go to San Antonio occasionally, and eat at Casa Rio, Mi Tierra, & La Fogata. La Fogata has gone downhill a bit in recent years, but they still have the best empanadas around, made when you order them, not before. Pumpkin & cream cheese wrapped in pastry, fried till the crust is crisp & bubbly, then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Mmmmm.