There's often a wait at the East Side staple Joe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop, and that’s because of the exceptional Tex-Mex/Mexican diner food, especially the breakfast tacos made with fluffy house-made flour tortillas. Order the migas with tortilla chips that are still a little crispy, the super tender carne guisada, and the crispy bacon that somehow defies the very laws of pork belly physics. Joe’s is also a bakery with a huge variety of pan dulce.

A Tex-Mex institution that dates back to 1952, Matt’s El Rancho is enormous, with multiple dining rooms, a sprawling patio with a fountain, and seating for 500 people. And even then, there’s almost always a wait for a table. The legendary Bob Armstrong Dip, the original mashup of queso, beef taco meat, and guacamole is reason enough to make the trip to Matt’s. But the strong margaritas, homemade tortillas, textbook enchiladas, and the fajitas are also reason enough to get in the car and go.

Habanero Cafe, the old-school working class Tex-Mex/Mexican diner in South Austin, has been around for over 20 years, but it feels like it’s been there forever. Fittingly, the grilled fajitas are so good they transcend time and space. Here you’ll find some great no-nonsense Tex-Mex food, including a seriously spicy habanero salsa, fries on nearly every plate, and the delightful huevos gringos, where two over-easy eggs get covered in queso alongside carne guisada.

The exterior of Enchiladas Y Mas might not look like much, but the long line of people waiting outside is the first indicator that through those doors is a lively, always-bustling restaurant with enchiladas, fajitas, and strong margaritas. The inside is about as bare as the outside—don’t expect any theme park level decor—but it’s the food that has given this place a cult-like following of locals. We like to get the cheese enchiladas topped with more cheese and a side of beef fajita meat on top.

La Mancha leans fully into the playful, almost kitschy image of what it means to be a Tex-Mex restaurant, and that’s what makes it so much fun. Don’t expect to leave with a new outlook on life after eating their enchiladas (and if that’s ever happened to you anywhere, please let us know where it was). Instead, expect a large menu of solid food that serves equal parts as a tasty dinner and a means for soaking up one too many potent margaritas.

We often go to Tex Mex Joe’s for brunch on the tree-lined deck out back because of the great breakfast plates like chilaquiles and the huevos rancheros, as well as an enormous menu of Tex-Mex hits and nearly every combo plate imaginable. When we’re feeling particularly indecisive, we’ve come to rely on the “Tacos Locos” menu with more out of the ordinary combinations, like a breakfast taco that combines carne guisada, scrambled eggs, and cheddar cheese.

Simultaneously functioning as a dive bar and Tex-Mex eatery since the 1970s, Texas Chili Parlor is probably one of the only spots in town where you can sit back with a Mad Dog margarita and order a plate of enchiladas covered with a giant scoop of Texas-style chili. Walking into Texas Chili Parlor feels almost like entering a cave—it’s dimly lit and chilly inside—and there are usually a handful of people sitting at the bar that look like they’ve been there since the restaurant’s inception.

The casual and family-owned restaurant Eldorado Cafe self-styles itself as “Mexican comfort food,” but it occasionally veers wholeheartedly into Tex-Mex territory. The broad menu includes queso, burritos, crispy tacos, carne guisada, and enchiladas (even Dart Bowl-inspired enchiladas, RIP). It’s extremely popular for its bold flavors and big portions—and there’s almost always a wait during peak dinner hours. There are heavy Old Austin vibes, with a colorful, low-key, and kid-friendly space.

A Tex-Mex staple that’s been around since 1990, Mi Madre’s is not a fancy spot by any means, as the whole building kind of feels like it’s being held together by some duct tape and string lights. But there are two air-conditioned dining rooms and a small, comfortable patio populated by some hungry grackles who have very good taste. While Mi Madre’s is open for lunch and dinner, our favorite time to go is during brunch hours for the enormous breakfast tacos or huevos rancheros and migas.

Hula Hut serves Tex-Mex with a Hawaiian twist, and it’s probably the only place in the known universe where you can get an order of sizzling Hawaiian fajitas, coconut shrimp, and dessert nachos all in one meal. The drinks are about what you’d expect from a tourist-friendly space that caters to large groups—cheap, sweet, and not particularly noteworthy. But you’re here for the views of the lake (try to come at sunset), the better-than-average food, and the lively energy that surrounds it all.