Food was great. I ordered two shrimp tacos on maiz with a side of rice and charro beans. Only downside is I wish they served borracho beans. Otherwise the staff was awesome and the food was great. The downtown location is definitely preferred over the South 1st location. It has a upscale vibe and would be great for a pre-clubbing food option.
Best fajitas I have ever had. Each time I went back, I've tried a new type of fajita and they have all been great. Meat is seasoned beautifully and the tortillas are spectacular. They are big enough for 2 to share and are a good price.
First time I went, the wait was quite long so we had a pitcher of margaritas (bit pricey) while waiting. The other times, we went on saturday afternoons and there was no problem getting in immediately.
Pitcher O Margarita's.. yup, they got those and haven't seen this in a long while and they go down way to easily. They also serve them at breakfast time on a saturday..yes they do. They also have a funky, weird decor and a salsa bar. A SALSA BAR, which is noice, since you can pile on whatever salsa you want. They are bit laid back and for 9.99 I got the trash can plate egg dish. Perfect with the bloody mary I had on my second trip in. Staff is always friendly, was nice when I asked for a new basket of chips which were a wee bit on the stale side. I like the oldness of this space. It reminds me of the old Salsa De Mexico back in the 80's on Manchaca Road. I feel like I'm in an Puerto Vallarta or somewhere down on the border. I haven't tried lunch or dinner yet, but I would imagine it's pretty decent.
Arrived for breakfast at 9:30 AM ; Bathroom sink was clogged, water all over the floor in the restroom and wait staff very apathetic, and only came over to deliver meal, neither communicative, nor attentive & the food is mediocre and chips are free, but salsa is $1.99
Rachele Garcia-Ritter
+4.5
Hands down my favorite frozen margarita in Austin!! They know whats up! Their queso is really good too! The only thing I didn't like about this place was that their service was just ok. The food was great though and thats all that matters!
Visiting Austin and I decided to try this place out. Exceptionally good. My waitress was friendly and did a good job. I ordered an enchilada and a beef fajita taco. The chicken enchilada was very good but the taco was simply amazing. I will be sure to make this a stop whenever I visit again.
Oh so good! Started with the chirizoqueso and the tortillas were so fresh. I then had the combo taco enchilada plate. Cheese enchilada with ranchero sauce and a carne guisada taco. I am now in one of the best good comas I have ever had!
Good Food, not very good service. Loved the salsa bar, which is in the middle of the restaurant. Different salas to try and the relish (Carrots, Onion and Jalapenos)...loved it. I had enchiladas and they tasted great and freshly prepared. The service is very slow and not attentive at all.
Lots bad, some good. Our host took us here a few weeks ago, loving on the fajitas. We sat on the patio which consisted of Costco tables and chairs arranged in ways where we were constantly bumping into people. Our service out there wasn't very good and I didn't like the concept of getting our own salsa inside in this crowded environment. The chips were half crumbs and getting another basket was a process. We had 3 pitchers or margaritas between 4 people and none of us tasted any tequila in them (or felt it). This was the making of a bad experience and review until we got our fajitas. I ordered the cerveza beef fajitas and, without a doubt, they were the best I have ever had. A plentiful portion that I could not finish; rare for me. Lots of pretty girls in the place so it must be a happening joint. I'd return for the fajitas but would stick to beer for my drink of choice.
Good food, terrible service. Fun S. Austin vibe!
Very good fish fajitas and good variety of salsas, good portions
Fun Place!. The wait can be long, especially for long parties, but you can wait on the patio and have some drinks (if you can get a waiter's attention). When you do get seated, there's a great serve yourself chips and salsa bar. The food isn't the best out there, but it's good!
Great Food and Atmosphere. Ask for the Chicken Tacos Dorados...they are not on the menu...also, probably the best Ceviche in Austin.
LOVE. We love Dave. Plain and simple. Great place for good ritas and good company.
Cheap and GOOD. Cheap $5 margaritas and the food was really good. Place gets packed sometimes with a huge wait but well worth it. Lots of chicks hanging out there with the cheap drink specials on the patio.
Fish Fajitas enough said...new favorite Austin meal
Great salsa. Their smokey, roasted salsa is great. the rest of the food is quite good, too.
Delish.... cool salsa bar, great enchiladas (shrimp pablano margarita sauce), and margarita pitchers!
So good!. Their fajitas and margaritas are fantastic... and definitely inexpensive!!
Not Tex Mex... Thankfully.. Polvos hasn't always been my favorite Mexican restaurant until I started eating some of their seafood dishes. By far, they make some of the best authentic Mexican seafood dishes in town for a reasonable price. I would recommend trying the pescado al mojo de ajo or the fish fajitas... So good.
If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, and not Tex Mex... Then you should definitely give this place a go.
Tasty, fun, cheap. The food was good - not spectacular, but certainly good. I'm not experienced enough with the dichotomy of "real" Tex-Mex vs. "real" Mexican to comment on it, even though I do know that "real" Mexican isn't covered in Monterey Jack cheese. The Salsa Negra and chips were very good (I know, I know, chips and salsa? But they were good!), and the service was friendly and engaged.
Delicious!. One of my favorite choices for lunch! Great burrito!
Great Food. The enchiladas and salsa bar were great, maybe the best I've had in both cases (and I've been to many many Tex Mex restaurants in this area).
The service wasn't that great, though, and my soda came in a 12 oz. can (for $1.75)
Love it!. Me and my husband come here for dinner when its just the two of us. Margaritas are sooo good, but dont have too many. The food is so really good too. Great atomsphere.
A personal favorite!. I love this place. The poblano shrimp enchilads are to die for. Everyone is friendly and always great service. I frequent this place often and have NEVER had a bad experience. Thank you Polvo's!!!!!
Best top shelf mexican martini's in town. Try the fish fajitas, espadita tostadas, ceviche or the enchiladas. Not Tex mex, expect more Mex tex. Funky South Austin vibe and awesome patio. Dave is the best server by far. He won't forget you or what you like to eat or drink. Cheers!
Amazing AND fun!. I always bring out -of-towners here. for the perfect Austin experience. The fajitas are untouchable and the atmosphere is great. The salsa bar is nice too. Another great Austin experience is hippie church at Maria's Tack Shack. Check out their youtube.com clips.
Everything I've had is good. The fish is awesome. Wait staff is über friendly and helpful with recommendations. Try the fajitas with ancho, pecans and peanuts. Just ask Lindsey or Mike.
I go to Polvo's as often as possible. I've had many dishes from the menu and loved every one. Pescado al Mojo is highly recommended! Service is good, salsa bar is delicious, and food is unmatchable. Go now!
The fish fajitas here are one of my favorite dishes to eat in Austin. It’s always excellent even after the 10 years I’ve had it. Everything on the menu is amazing! I highly recommend!!!
Been here a couple of times and have tried other locations as well. The food is pretty good as compared to other restaurants nearby. Giving a 4 for this visit because the fajitas were very dry today so it was a bit difficult to have it without any extra sauces to compensate for the dryness.
Had a great dinner Monday night with my family. The chips and salsa were great, and I loved the enchiladas. The waiter was really accommodating and helpful for us.
Went right before ACL for a little dinner. The fajita salad was $30 yikes. So had a steak taco and tortilla soup. We had two spicy margaritas. Too much jalepeno sediment in mine.
This is one of our favorite places in austin. So happy to report that not much has changed in flavor and quality of food since before the pandemic. Quality and food is still just as wonderful as it was before. I will say this isn't the greatest spot for beverages, they don't really make margaritas the way I feel they should be at a Mexican restaurant. And the frozen ones have lower quality tequila. Their Mexican martinis also are pre-batched and not my favorite. Martinis really aren't something that should be pre-batched. I wish they did them better. I will say the one disappointing thing to see is the charge for the salsa bar even when purchasing meals and drinks in the past this used to be complimentary, same goes for the tortillas. Service is pretty average here but that's also not why you go. We love the food here, it's always so delicious no matter what we have. A must try if you have not been.
Food was good. It was over priced but it was good. Service was ok. I just feel it should be a bit nicer for the price. Love the environment.
If you love spicy, you'll definitely love the Shrimp Diablo. Also, burrito can feed 2 people and absolutely delicious. Strawberry mojito amazing, but I will say depending on who makes it. Overall, you need to try this place.
Everything was fantastic!!! The salsa bar tastes like heaven if you're into great salsa. The food was amazing. The margaritas were good. Our service was great 👍.
Oh, and the handmade tortillas are delicious and super fresh, hot whether you choose corn or flour. The handmade tortillas make the enchiladas incredible 😋.
We'll definitely be back to this location but not downtown, different vibe and service level entirely.
Great spot to get authentic Mexican food. Good deals for drinks, we got a pitcher of the Mango Frozen Margarita, complemented by delicious food. It’s pricey, but the portions are huge and definitely shareable among 2-3 people.
Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely needs a bigger bathroom area. Has live music sometimes, and a great fun ambiance. Parking is small.
Beef tacos are awesome. The difference sauces they have keep your taste buds happy! The chips were thin and light. The Black beans are perfectly seasoned. I really like the fluffy rice! Interesting decor, authentic food! Highly recommend.
![5]( "Recensione")
Polvos, on South 1st, has been a lunch spot of mine for about 15 years, and it rarely disappoints.
It has that old school, border town vibe, with a big beamed ceiling, glazed tile counter tops, bold artwork and fresh tortillas being made in the corner of the dining room. I think the only thing missing were the colorful party banners hanging from the ceiling.
As of this writing they are still using QR codes to get a menu on your phone, whereas everywhere else I've been has gone back to using regular paper menus.
One of the things I love about this place is the self serve salsa bar, and my favorite thing on it are the big chunky slices of spicy pickled carrots. And the green salsa is absolutely fantastic.
Now, to be perfectly honest about this last visit, there was a mistake with my order. But one that I am happy that was made. I ordered chicken enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce, and what I recieved was mole sauce instead. I was a bit disappointed when my plate arrived, but that disappointment was relieved as soon as I took the first bite. The chicken was tender and juicy, and there was ample cheese throughout. This mole sauce was smokey with just the right amount of sweetness and not at all bitter, like some I've tried. The Carne Guisada taco was filled just the right amount, except for the one grisly piece on the end (again not a big deal).
The portions are very generous. And everything came out fresh and hot.
My waitress Leticia was friendly and very attentive without being overbearing or making you feel rushed.
I am very proud to say that Polvos will continue to be one of my favorite lunch spots whenever I'm in South Austin.
Food was excellent. Best Mole around, I highly recommend it! The salsa bar is a nice touch, just wish it wasn't an extra charge. Atmosphere is nice, music was a bit too loud at times but otherwise it's nice to be seated inside. I used to come here a lot many years ago, but then I feel the food and service went downhill. Now, many years later again, I feel it's back to its amazing flavors and the staff were very friendly. I'll be back again very soon!
Hands down an one of the best frozen margaritas I've had. It wasn't crushed ice but rather a smooth consistency. Tacos were DELISH! Service was super nice too, our waiter switched out our chips for fresh chips during our time there!
The portions are huge, the food is AMAZING & service was great! The atmosphere of the restaurant was as awesome for a Saturday night, not boring but not crazy. This spot is definitely a must!!
I love this restaurant, the salsa bar is great. I had the chile relleno with white cream sauce. To my surprise it had raisins and nuts which were incredibly refreshing and paired well with the pepper. I love their rice, the tacos are also good but if you are not a fan of veggies you might want to ask for meat only. My only complaint was that our waitress did not bother to inform us that the menu was a QR code. We were confused as to why she hadn't come by with any menu's after she took our drink order. Luckily we noticed a nearby couple using their phones to scan the code on the wall. We are not locals and were visiting from Houston so we had no idea about the menus.
I only went here for drinks so can say much about the food. But the drinks are on point! Ordered the Mexican martini and beer/Rita. Great spot just south of downtown off 1st. Definitely will be going back and getting some food.
The food is always delicious here but the last time we were there, the service seemed quite rushed and the food didn't seem to be as fresh. They were very busy and it was terribly loud. It was late when we were there and we'll still go back again since it might have just been an off night for them. We've been many times and even though our last experience wasn't the best, it was very busy and loud because they make a lot of people happy. 😁 Oh, and their salsa bar is amazing.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes