Santa Catarina - Lakeway

Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $10–20 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $20–30 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Cousins Francisco Cortez and Jesus Hernandez opened the first Santa Catarina restaurant in 2010 in Lakeway, then expanded to Cedar Park in 2016. The extensive menu is authentic interior Mexican cuisine, built on recipes that have been in their families for generations. Here are some things you should know. Almost everything I 've tried has been excellent, but I could have only the chips and salsa and be happy, that 's how good they are. Then there is the Botanas (appetizers) menu, beginning with the first item, Queso Fundido, which is so good it should have its own menu. Cheese, roasted jalpenos, tomatoes, and onions, served with handmade corn tortillas, flour and/or gluten free tortillas. Pure bliss. You can add shrimp, mushrooms or venison, but it 's pretty perfect as it is. My advice is to eat it while it 's hot and stringy, and be prepared for drips and drops. Bibs, anyone? Lunch specials are served Monday through Friday from 11 3pm. Who does that? Till 3pm??? But that 's not all. The Happy Hour prices are amazing. Everything on the Botanas menu is half off. Seriously, all appetizers half off? So that 's Queso Fundido, Cazuel on Pollo, Quesadillas, Totopos, Guacamole, Gorditas, Totopos Catarina, Sopes, Huarache, Ceviche, and Coctel de Camarones!!! And the drink menu looks beautiful. Off the regular menu, I 've ordered various shrimp, fish, and vegetarian items including their tacos, enchiladas, salads, and rellenos. The food is plated beautifully, there is enough for two meals on each plate, and their rice and beans are delicately prepared. I spoke with Robert Revilla, the GM, and asked him what he liked about his job. His response was immediate and to the point The customers. I like that we have a chance to get to know our customers and to create relationships. We continued to have a pleasant conversation, and by the end of it I decided I definitely need to try their Cedar Park location as well. You need to know that the restaurant is in a shopping center that has a seriously annoying entryway from 620 if you 're headed from 71. Basically, you drive past it because there 's no left turn, then come to a light which has no left turn but you can do a U turn if your car is so built, but if not you have to go to the next light... You can see where I 'm going with this. I 'm including a photo of the center 's marquis in case that it might be helpful.

What a pleasure to stop in for a Sunday late lunch! No wait, quaint location with plenty of parking, it was very easy to wander in and enjoy a meal here. We had the nicest waiter who helped us and kept our waters full on a hot hot summer day. Chips and salsa arrived very quickly the salsa is a little different than other Mexican restaurants (but remember, this is a Mexican restaurant not as much a Tex Mex restaurant). A bit more spicy and watery than other salsas. However, the soda was SO GOOD and well mixed I don 't know how they did it but it was a great drink. We got enchiladas to eat, I got the vegetarian ones with verde sauce and my boyfriend got chicken with queso on top which was very very good (especially for a place that 's not known for queso in this form). The vegetarian enchiladas were spicy due to the sauce, but I ordered it slightly custom with both spinach and mushrooms and they accommodated so well. It was a lot of food, so much that I was able to talk half home. Thank you to the l staff and we were glad to dine here

This restaurant came highly recommended from several of my patients and I can see why. The service first off, was top notch. Brian was courteous, kind, and efficient. Second, the food tasted like authentic Mexican food. The sangria was amazing, definitely homemade. And the shrimp cocktail and the flan YUM. I’ll be back for sure, 5 stars well deserved.