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Overrated Austin restaurants?

Chet Steadman

By Chet Steadman
in Food and Travel

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scottsins
scottsins

Took this picture at Y Mas 10 minutes ago just to say “fuck your opinion”.

Bill Brasky
Bill Brasky

Chuys 

jimmyjazz
jimmyjazz

Yes, same goes for TacoDeli.

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futureman

futureman 22691

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

 My crusade against the $5 taco is a known thing.  It's an affront to the core value of tacos and Mexicans -- handheld grub should be cheap.  I'm not saying their tacos are bad (although Torchy's tortillas suck -- I actually like Taco Deli tacos), but they are WAY overrated, because LOTS of places that aren't as gleaming, shiny, and California-friendly serve kickass tacos.

I cant speak for tacodeli lunch tacos as I’ve done that only a handful of times, mainly because of the price, but the standard bacon egg cheese on corn is under $3 and those scrambled eggs are unbeatable.  with tier 1 bacon and white cheese.  and 2 roja + 2 doña on the taco is unbeatable.  with extra roja on the side to drink after each bite.  unbeatable.  not $1.25 from a truck, but not $5 either.

 

9 hours ago, phdhorn said:

I wish you had a similar crusade against your very namesake - years ago, and not all that many, Brisket (and BBQ) was "cow leftovers" that were cheaply spiced up and smoked.  Shit, you could get a pound of them thar cheap cuts for 5 bucks.  Nowadays with all the explosion 'round here, BBQ is way too fucking expensive and nowhere near "handheld (or at least "scrap partz ) grub" core values. 

Yeah yeah do it yourself but sometimes you just want to get a quick, good bite of 'cue, but it's the same thing as tacos... years ago I could go for a nice plate for like $7-$10 - and that's with at least 2 sides.  It's all getting "nouveau riche."  Fuck all of that bullshit.  Cheap meats 'posed to be cheap meats.

yeah every time I get bbq it always strikes me that I’m spending what I would at the steakhouse. 

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troph

troph 25198

Posted
Posted
And Veracruz

for cheap big breakfast tacos up north, Silver Grill Cafe has good chorizo and barbacoa. Ask for strip bacon not chopped. Spicy green salsa is great too. 

Their bfast tacos are horrible but their chicken taco is the tits and it’s under fighdolla. Just saw someone else use that term, ha. It’s a good one.

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Gardner Barnes

Gardner Barnes 1579

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The problem, like with everything else here, is all the Californians. That shit is mediocre at best to us, but it's probably about eleventy-bazillion times better than anything they have back home, so they overrun the place.

Dude.

 

They have some pretty incredible tacos in SoCal. Don’t blame the Californians for the suckiness of taco deli.

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Gardner Barnes

Gardner Barnes 1579

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These.  My crusade against the $5 taco is a known thing.  It's an affront to the core value of tacos and Mexicans -- handheld grub should be cheap.  I'm not saying their tacos are bad (although Torchy's tortillas suck -- I actually like Taco Deli tacos), but they are WAY overrated, because LOTS of places that aren't as gleaming, shiny, and California-friendly serve kickass tacos.

 

 

Again. SoCal street and taco stand tacos, especially in LA , are as good as anything in Texas. The Mexican food in east LA and Inglewood is fucking off the charts good.

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Jack Straw

Jack Straw 2955

Posted
Posted

tacodeli isn't really overrated for what it is - white people tacos - and some of them could be bordering great if they made their own tortillas

torchy's is completely overrated and is subpar even for what it is - white people tacos

of course there are tons of better real tacos than both places to be found in gas stations, taquerias, trailers, etc., but they are completely different categories really.  and there are none of those very close to where i work or live, so i'm happy to eat tacodeli when i don't have a lot of time.  and i'm glad there are places like torchy's and tacodeli for the soccer moms and families to flock to and away from the real taco places in any event, if those folks would ever even go there in the first place if torchy's, tacodeli, etc. didn't exist 

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Eskimohorn

Eskimohorn 5682

Posted
Posted
And Veracruz
for cheap big breakfast tacos up north, Silver Grill Cafe has good chorizo and barbacoa. Ask for strip bacon not chopped. Spicy green salsa is great too. 


Silver Grill Cafe is one of the most disgusting places on earth. Salsa bar and drink station smells like rat droppings.
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Jack Straw

Jack Straw 2955

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I had a lamb shoulder and mushroom taco at Tacodeli this this morning.  It was pretty damn good -  but there are no trailers or gas station tacos in my hood or really anywhere close.    Never seen a taco like the one in the pic above at Tacodeli.  But I also wouldn’t ever order plain egg and bacon taco there either lolz

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utee94

utee94 16079

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Just now, Hook1997 said:

Come on, you have had a bad meal at Jefferey’s, Uchi and Odd Duck?!?!   

I don't think you have to have a bad meal at a place, to believe it's overrated.  For the pub and prices those three places command, expectations are going to be extremely high. If they fail to meet those expectations, then "overrated" would be a common, and potentially appropriate, reaction.

Personally I don't think Uchi or Odd Duck are overrated at all, every meal I've ever had at both has been outstanding.  I haven't been to Jeffrey's in many years, since before the closing and reopening, so can't really comment on it in its current incarnation.

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Helobious

Helobious 9817

Posted
Posted

I recently had the angus mushroom burger from Hopdoddy's and it gave me food poisoning. Apocalyptic diarrhea the next day & I vomited 3 times. The burgers were overrated to begin with but add in the danger and it's a hard pass from me forever.

*Even though it was the Hopdoddy's in SA, I still blame you people. Your overrated city is fucking up the rest of the state with your overpriced mediocre food. 

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Wiler77

Wiler77 1628

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2 hours ago, sidis said:

i am fucking done with wink.  went there saturday night and did their lame ass 5 course and left starving.  they are taking shit to an extreme.  the wine pairings were brutally bad...just awful. 

That's disappointing to hear.  I haven't been there in 3-4 years, but every time I ordered the tasting I felt like they forgot it was supposed to be a tasting portion.  Every course was like 1/2 of a reasonable sized dish.  Always left stuffed.

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Wiler77

Wiler77 1628

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4 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

I’ve only been to Uchi once but the food wasn’t great and the service was below average. Uchiko has been awesome every time though. 

I don't think I've ever had anything other than exquisite service and food at Uchi.  I'm certainly not a regular, but I've been 7-8 times, which is enough to see a good trend.

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irishtexan

irishtexan 11711

Posted
Posted
Taco Dei lunch tacos>Taco Deli breakfast tacos 

Except the Otto, which is a fucking awesome breakfast taco.

 

I feel like a lot of these places are generally overrated but they redeem themselves with a couple of awesome things.

 

Taco deli breakfast tacos suck except for the Otto. Their lunch tacos are great, especially the frontera fundido sirloin.

 

Matt’s traditional Tex mex sucks but their asadero tacos are fucking fantastic (and very similar to taco deli’a frontera fundido. Maybe I just like a cheese glaze on my taco protein)

 

Vera Cruz is delicious. I can’t understand the hate for their food. The amount of time it takes for them to make the damn thing is worthy of criticism.

 

Jack Allen’s is fine for what it is and their happy hour deals are great.

 

I do think torchy’s is overrated but I still eat there probably once every couple of months.

 

Also, I think there is a distinction between overrated and overpriced. Chicken wings are not overrated. They’re overpriced. But they’re goddamn delicious and not really comparable to fried chicken you heathens. Gringo tacos are overpriced but can be delicious. BBQ is overpriced but it’s bbq.

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AustinMT

AustinMT 952

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Posted
9 hours ago, Deej said:

Fonda San Miguel. I have a soft spot for it in my heart, but damn they need to change up the menu from time to time. Sometimes it seems like it's such old hat that it gets mailed in. 

This.  Our last couple of meals there have not inspired me to want to go back.

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utee94

utee94 16079

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27 minutes ago, Enchubben said:

Chorizo stuffed chicken from Trudy’s is awesome.

Agree.  And the beef tinga chile relleno with chipotle sauce.  

But everything else on that menu has gone downhill dramatically over the past 2 decades, and it wasn't that great to begin with.   I also agree with those that are shocked at how dirty that place has become- speaking specifically of the North Star here, I haven't been to Central or South in many years.

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SubliminalHorn

SubliminalHorn 7007

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Haven’t read the whole thread, and I’m sure it’s been discussed, but my god torchy’s is just straight garbage. I saw a line down the street at the south congress location and could not, for the life of me, understand why anyone would wait for that shit. Granted, a lot of people in line had luggage so they were foreigner that don’t know better. It’s the austinites that eat there that confuse me. 

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sidis

sidis 10013

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12 hours ago, Wiler77 said:

That's disappointing to hear.  I haven't been there in 3-4 years, but every time I ordered the tasting I felt like they forgot it was supposed to be a tasting portion.  Every course was like 1/2 of a reasonable sized dish.  Always left stuffed.

it was disappointing...last two times i have been there (this past weekend and back in december), they have completely stiffed on the food and the wine pairing has been like a bad joke someone is playing.  the five course had two shaved thin pieces of hamachi, two scallops that couldn't have been bigger than u20's, a slice and a half of duck breast served over a couple of lentils (all three previous dishes tasted good, but there was a bite), and then two tiny 1/4 inch slices of shitty flank steak served on a bed of inedible sprouts.  then a joke of a cake thing that was the size of a nickel.  all for $130.

used to be a spot i really enjoyed a lot but they are just screwing people over at this point.

agreed on olamaie...super overrated.  jeffereys, uchi, odd duck have all been excellent every time i go.  went to loro opening day and haven't felt compelled to go back.

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utee94

utee94 16079

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5 minutes ago, drt said:

Has Lucy's been mentioned yet?  Because fuck what that restaurant has become, a shell of it's former self.

Pretty sure it has been.  I never got to try it when it was "good" but I'll take your word for it, that it once was.  I've been to the Burnet Road and Cedar Park locations and calling it "dry and bland" would be a kindness. Just my opinion of course.

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VolenteHawk

VolenteHawk 495

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12 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Definitely not overrated, probably closer to underrated, but does anybody still eat at Austin Land & Cattle? I loved that place. 

I said in the Austin steak thread, still my favorite place to eat a steak in town...even though some places make a better one.

 

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