4. Restaurants

El Faro Taco & Cafe

1779 Wells Branch Pkwy,Ste 108, Austin, TX, 78728
  • (512) 252-3430
  • Store is closed

El Faro Taco & Cafe Menu

  • Appetizers
  • Stews
  • Tacos & Tortas
  • Entreés Anytime
  • Bueno Burgers
  • Side Orders

Healthy Meal suggestions for El Faro Taco & Cafe

  • Appetizers
  • Stews
  • Tacos & Tortas
  • Entreés Anytime
  • Bueno Burgers
  • Side Orders

Visit below restaurant in Austin for healthy meals suggestion.

Pizza Hut ( 12636 Research Blvd )

Visit below restaurant in Austin for healthy meals suggestion.

Pizza Hut ( 12636 Research Blvd )

  • Refugio O.

    I found El Faro when I first moved to Austin a few months back and was not disappointed. The family here welcomes you as their own and greets you as soon as you walk in. It's a small family owned Mexican Restaurant with many options that I'm sure anyone would be pleased with. Keep an eye out for Don Pepes specials (which are displayed on the wall). They serve anything from chorizo breakfast to enchiladas for lunch. Ask for the Mexican Coffee or Café de olla this is a must have when you visit but only available on the weekends! Don't forget to get here early because they are only open from 8 am to 2 pm. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Bryan L.

    For what this is, it exceeds expectations, thus the 5 stars. El Faro is one of those great little hole in the wall dives that we are all constantly looking to add to our rotation. El Faro boasts a variety of authentic mexican dishes, and adds to thier appeal by offering such amerian favorites as bacon cheese french fries and a breakfast plate of pancakes, eggs to order, and bacon. The owners Aricelle and Jose are as cheerful and welcoming as the mexican coffee is on a cold weekend morning. Speaking of, the mexican coffee is so dark, that even 2 creams cannot significantly lighten the color. I haven't asked what's in it, but you can definitely taste notes of cinnamon, and either brown sugar or molasses. Things I've had so far that are incredible include the Chilequiles, Migas, Machaca, caldo, caldo de pollo, pancakes, and they were all excellent. They have 4 or 5 flavors of salsa, and they are all incredible. If you are a fan of authentic Mexican food and incredible service, you've got to try this place. And, I've got to make it by for the lunch buffet some day.

    (5)

  • Greg D.

    The breakfast tacos here are amazing and surprisingly large for the cost. If you don't eat a lot then 2 of the breakfast tacos is enough food. I highly recommend egg cheese and bacon on one.

    (5)

  • Marcial S.

    Great hole in the wall spot. The couple that own this place are also the staff, very attentive and friendly. Always willing to make what you want how you want no matter the request. The place is small, and maybe not the cleanest lol, but food is always good. My usual order: Tortilla soup, this is by far the best tortilla soup in Austin. The serving size is in a 40oz cup (I always order to go). If you're feeling under the weather, have one of these and it will get rid of whatever sickness you have. I have had the breakfast tacos here as well, fresh ingredients and pretty tasty. Only thing I would suggest as an improvement is the hours. Closing at 2, sucks when I'm craving a tortilla soup on a cold night and cannot get one!

    (4)

  • Wendel V.

    They have the best breakfast! I love the breakfast tacos too. Good variety at lunch. Authentic!

    (5)

  • Lindsay M.

    This is really a great find on Wells Branch right near where I work. Cute little friendly Mexican restaurant. I love their potato and egg breakfast tacos and the Horchato (rice milk). Come early - they close at 2.

    (4)

  • Jesus Y.

    The owners are very nice the food is pretty good but this last time I was there the beans and chicken didn't taste as fresh as the time before I was there and that was a more then a couple years back I remember the buffet menu used be a bit better place is pretty small for a big guy like me and disable people ... Price is good for the buffet.

    (3)

  • Josh G.

    The food was good, but the price was wrong. Went in for lunch and the lunch buffet was $8.99. ($11 after tax and tip). Walked away feeling that for the money I could have had much better mexican food. Good service, but a low value.

    (2)

  • Joanna M.

    El Faro continues to impress. I have never felt so at home when walking into a restaurant-- eating here feels like I've come home to my parents. Wonderful people, great service and excellent food. I have been coming here since I was pregnant with my son, he is now 2 and eats here with me all the time. We absolutely adore this place, and will continue to eat here as long as we're in Austin! 5 stars isn't enough for this place!!

    (5)

  • William M.

    My wife and I love this place. Food is good, it's not expensive, parking isn't an issue and the service is always great. I usually bring my 1 yr old with me and the family that runs this is so pleasant they always scoop him up and are just a sweet to him as can be. Makes it easy for the parents to get to eat when the owners babysit! Very friend, very nice people. Tacos dorados are awesome. This is the sort of place people should eat. Family owner and operated, they live in the neighborhood and they are good honest people.

    (5)

  • Bradley T.

    Wonderful food and wonderful service. Breakfast tacos are awesome. Carne Guisada are my favorite. Highly recommend for people who enjoy small mom and pop places with good food.

    (5)

  • Matt M.

    Still making awesome food with great prices and the nicest people. Get the lunch Buffett. Homemade stuff! If you've not been here and you are near by just do it!

    (5)

  • Harrison H.

    Good authentic feel to this restaurant and the food is delicious! I had enchiladas with also a few of their tacos and all were good, the only reason I bumped to 4 stars is the times they are open for business. I've been back twice and both times were closed at strange times of the day for a restaurant!

    (4)

  • Greta J.

    Fantastic buffet! My new work peep took me there! Lots of yummy food for a good price! People so nice. Will be going back a lot!!!

    (5)

  • Bryan T.

    Stopped in for a quick bite on the way out of Austin and was blown away by their breakfast tacos. Chorizo and egg was the best. It's a small place, very busy on Sundays at noon, and the service is a little slow, but if you're looking for good breakfast tacos, look no further. I'll remember this place the next time I'm driving down this way again.

    (5)

  • Zifeng W.

    I have been here for a few times and the owner couples are the best owners I've ever met! Sure this place is a 20 minute drive for me but the Delicious home-made style Mexican buffet is something I cannot turn my back to. Although the selection is relatively low compare to a standard Chinese buffet, the quality of food is superb. If you want to try some traditional and Legitimate Mexican food, here is the place. For only 8 bucks You can eat a delicious and balanced meal! What else can you ask for? The place is slightly crammed during rush hours (noon) but the owners are always going to try to find space for you. Everyone dining there are very friendly as well!! A VERY nice place to dine for lunch.

    (5)

  • Darren B.

    Nice hole in the wall Mexican dinner buffet. Not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but really good and best of all is it has a home cooked quality and taste to it. Plus the owners are super sweet. Have been there twice; the first time was packed and the second was pretty slow. Based on the first time though I would advise getting there early. Other people have mentioned the buffet being small, but I don't mind it at all for 2 reasons: one, all they have is good and two, the smaller amount/portions allows for fresher food with quicker turn over rather than stuff that has been sitting there all day. I would like to try other dishes on the menu like their mole, but the buffet is hard to pass up and is a great deal. I also love giving business to good people.

    (4)

  • Sherene A.

    I hip...a hop...a hippity hop between good ole Dallas and Austin. I spend half my month in Dallas and half in Austin and I love it. So, when I'm driving out of Austin one morning...my pre-menstrual cravings essentially created a sort of gravitational pull on my stomach that was SCREAMING at me..."FEED ME TACOS WENCH." Enter...El Faro Taco. Seriously....this place is too cute. Family owned and operated. I walked in just as they were opening. A grandmother was sitting at a table and sipping cafe con leche....and the husband and wife duo was busily prepping. Being a vegan...there are 5 essentials that I NEED on my breakfast tacos: 1) vegan friendly beans 2) onions 3) Avocado 4) BOMB ass potatoes. Nothing on the menu fit this and the one type of vegan friendly beans they make weren't ready yet. But then....enter the angelic "momma" owner. She told me they could do whatever I wanted. So, I asked for all of the above and the husband set to work creating my breakfast concoction. She even found some beans on the stove that were just boiled beans with no stock or rendered fat in them. So, she hooked a sister up with that. When I got my tacos, I asked the owner for the spiciest salsa they had and she said that she could only give me one little ramekin, bc they had to make more. But the little that I had was PERFECT. Seriously...I know it's up north...and Most Austinites would rather gnaw off their hands than use those hands to drive far up north----but, give it a go. Support this family owned business. There's a little bit of their heart and love in every bite. And you can tell.

    (5)

  • Ana Luisa G.

    Best place ever! I tryed the buffet and I love the enchiladas & meat balls...they are the best!! The owners are incredible to me and I just hoping for this place to grow because its so good!! real mexican food in Austin people!!! is there at the Faro!!

    (5)

  • Ryan A.

    This place is just awesome. Good cheap mexican food and they will remember you after only a couple of visits. They have extra spicy sauce if you ask for it and the barbacoa tacos are extremely delicious. You will not find anything bad here. The owners are very nice as well and always greet you with a smile!

    (5)

  • Luis G.

    The food is excellent! Nopales ( prickly pear cactus), re-fried beans, and salsa to spare. Why would you go here instead of a larger establishment...great food and old school full service! The flour tortillas are not great but they are good enough to use as a spoon replacement to soak up all the yummy broth off the pork stew! It reminds me of my grandma's cooking, so nostalgia is very rich here. The owners are so willing to make you fresh anything they have in the kitchen too! Barbacoa and corn tortillas with some limes and green salsa remind me of Mexico street tacos....All in all you would go here if you enjoy low key, great food, no flash and advertising, with a love of great authentic Mexican eats! Don't tell too many people as it is always full for lunch...JK share and share alike!!!

    (5)

  • Calily B.

    Tip: Load up on the salsas! But be judicious with the salsa verde, that stuff is slap yo mama spicy. The breakfast tacos are good but would be greatly improved if they added more seasoning (salt and pepper mainly). The eggs in the huevos a la mexicana were overcooked and the potatoes on the plates lean towards the frozen variety (can someone tell me differently?). The beans are good though! Tortillas were generic as well. While the inside of the restaurant is quaint and cute, the smoke from the billards hall next door seeps into this place. No Bueno! Overall, a decent family owned joint but not a place I would go to regularly.

    (3)

  • Caroline R.

    Nice people. Good salsa. Slow service. Breakfast tacos were decent, but there are much better tacos elsewhere in Austin.

    (3)

  • Brian T.

    The service was good but the food was mediocre and I did not like the cheese they used on the burrito and in the queso.

    (3)

  • Ann L.

    How on EARTH have I not yet reviewed this gem? I first went in on a lark with my now ex-husband at least 5 years ago and while I don't go in often anymore since I no longer live in the neighborhood right across the street, I'm regular enough that the last time I was in the Wells Branch HEB, the owner tapped me on the shoulder and told me in Spanish how many days until my birthday. :) For the record, I share the birthday with his wife, so that's how he knows what mine is. :) Anyhow, the salsa here is great, and I've made my way through most of the menu though never had the buffet. For me, the standouts on their menu are: chilaquiles (I always add chicken), faro nachos, pollo piki piki, and the farochanga. I've never had a bad meal there, though - even if just grabbing a couple of breakfast tacos to go (knowing how small this place is, I forgive them not having the room to make their own tortillas), or having a couple of chicken, onion, and cilantro tacos delivered next door while playing poker at Rack Daddy's. The service is awesome, just make sure you're not there when the church across the street lets out on Sunday morning. Every seat at every table (IIRC, there are 4 booths, maybe 5... and then three two-top tables and then two sets of combined two-top tables in the middle) is filled when that church lets out. My older brother is also a regular there, and it's neat to be greeted by name when I walk in even if it's been six months since my last visit. Right now, my mouth is watering because I just decided I know what I want for lunch if I can swing it on my birthday this week...I may just have to go in on Saturday. One cool thing about thi is that I've seen their two sons grow up into awesome young gentlemen over the last few years. I jsut wish they could expand and be open more hours, but I get that ti's a family joint, so I won't ever eat there on a Monday or after 3 pm on a weekend day... José and the Mrs. need some time off work on occasion. OH, SNAP! I just realized I almost finished this without telling you about one VERY AWESOME item on their menu - the tres leches cake. The Mrs. makes them at home then brings them in. And they're by FAR the best tres leches this native San Antonian has ever encountered. Anytime I get a slice to go, I get one to drop at my brother's house and he gets ALL kinds of happy when I show up with it. :) And while I don't usually get it, they do have coca mexicana bottles available in addition to the standard US Coca-Cola on tap.

    (5)

  • Martin S.

    I went here today with my family since we got a Groupon for this place recently, and the Yelp reviews looked pretty positive. It was a little hard to find at first because it's so small. It's not just small outside, it's also small inside. While I hope the place does well, I wonder how they will cope. On to the review. Overall, we were very happy with the place. I deducted some points for service and the cramped space. The menu has a lot of options on it, and I hope that the quality of each dish won't suffer for it. The food: We had a little bit of everything at our table. My wife had the taco salad, but she's sleeping right now and I can't wake her up to find out what she thought. My son and daughter had the Tejano enchiladas, and they were pretty good. Not the best enchiladas in town, but better than from a lot of other places. My mom had the monster burrito, and it really was a small monster. I think you can get it with beef fajita meat for no additional charge, and it's served covered in queso; it was a pretty good burrito. I decided to go on a limb and order the "Al Alambre", the description of which reads like this: "A traditional mix of beef and chicken fajita, pastor, bacon, chorizo, onions and bell peppers, covered with mozzarella cheese." Let me tell you - it was awesome! The addition of the extra meats really kicked this dish up way above your standard fajitas. Not only that, but the whole plate was filled with meat! The rice and beans were served on the side. It was the most expensive dish on the menu at $12.99, but it was well worth it. I think smaller appetites could easily share this dish. Speaking of rice and beans: I place a lot of value on these "forgotten sides". They're part of every Tex-Mex dish, but nobody really pays attention to them. The beans were good, the rice was so-so. Overall, I'd say the beans are above average, while the rice is slightly below average. You can easily see into the kitchen, and the owner cooks all the food with some help. He also personally delivered it all, and made pleasant small-talk. His son was the server, and his wife (I'm guessing) also works there. It's definitely a family-run place. They do have a buffet Tu-Fr during lunch and Friday night for dinner. I might have to check that out; the labels on the buffet server indicated they had a good cross-section of foods available. Overall a very good experience and I'll have to try this place again in the future. [ETA] I forgot to mention the "salsa bar". With your chips, you can get your own sauce to go along with it. They have a chunky roasted salsa (pretty good), a smooth salsa rojo that tasted strongly of pineapple (Meh), a very good salsa verde, and a squeeze bottle of a creamy looking green sauce the server called "macho salsa". That stuff is lightning in a bottle. VERY spicy with a long afterburn, but VERY good as well. I suggest a bowl of the salsa verde with a healthy dash of the macho salsa to augment it! [ETA2] About the fajita meat: The beef was more gristly than most flank steak, but it was also more reasonably priced. The beef fajita plate was $8.99, so it's up to you whether you prefer better quality beef for more money or to go the cheaper route. [ETA3[ I'm going to lower my rating to 3 stars due to the quality of the buffet. It was not the best overall.

    (3)

  • John M.

    If you follow my reviews, you KNOW I love mex/tex mex food. This little place in a strip mall setting was clean with a super friendly staff that kept everything full. The food is, well good. Wife had the beef Enchiladas Tejanas, with the meat sauce on the side. Everything was tasty. A first for us to have peas and carrots with in the meat..it added a nice flavor. My wife always get the "sauce" on the side, since they vary so much place to place. And she was a fan of this for sure. Myself, took a shot at the beef Enchiladas Suizas..Im really starting to like the suizas sauce thing some places have going on. The beans had a good flavor and consistency and the rice, was standard mexican rice. But was fluffy and fresh. This place offers a great value with the buffets they have Tuesday thru friday for lunch and a dinner buffet on friday nights, which we will be back for.

    (3)

  • Bill K.

    I have passed by this place countless times on my way down Wells Branch. I had seen a sign that said "Lunch Buffet". I figured I would give this place a try. This place is a tiny little restaurant. I had gotten there after 1pm and had thought perhaps I had missed the buffet. I placed my order with the owner's wife and sat down. I was amazed at the selections you could get. The food was fabulous. It was very flavorful. I liked the face that you could your choice of salsas depending on your taste. My only complaint was that the flour tortillas were not home made. I was offered my choice by the owner, who brought me 5 of them. The service was excellent. My drink was always full. Both the owner and his wife constantly came to check on me. This place is a gem tuck in the Wells Branch shopping center. I only wish I lived further north so I could eat here on a regular basis.

    (5)

  • Freddy R.

    Just went there this morning to fill a breakfast taco craving my girlfriend and I had, and we were both completely disappointed! We ordered the barbacoa and carne guisada tacos, they weren't at all what we expected. Pretty pricey for greasy tacos, And then they messed up on the order. Sweet people but not what everyone made this place out to be. It's so hard to find genuine Mexican food around here, definitely won't be returning.

    (1)

  • Crystal L.

    Pros: Family owned (they are so sweet and awesome!), the food is AMAZING, i love those tacos and that tres leches cake is..... i think i'm in love! I loved the chips and salsa and the fajitas that I got, droooool! I got a groupon with them and that's how I discovered their amazingness! Cons: Small on the inside, but not too big of a deal since we came during a less busy time. That parking lot is also slightly shady with a few characters I'd sorta worry about.

    (5)

  • Angela R.

    When you're here your with family for sure. Yummy good and it's like your visiting relatives they are so friendly and wanting to make your dining experience perfect. Yum yum

    (4)

  • Carole S.

    Oh. El Faro. How i love thee, let me count the ways... 1, you are a stones throw from my front door 2. your family run business is delightful 3. your salsa bar?!! omg! loooove it! 4. everything i have ever ordered has been delicious 5. tonight, you stayed open just to make me tortilla soup. /love Yeah. it's hard to believe a little Mexican restaurant in a shopping center is awesome, but it IS. Forgive their location and don't be a snob. Go Here. NOW. From the awesome family that runs the place, (OMG, the son had me rolling with laughter the entire time i waited for food) to the previously mentioned salsa bar, this place is soooooo worth your time. Tonight, i felt like crap. It's rainy and cold outside and all i wanted was soup. I asked the Bf to go by El Faro to pick me up some Tortilla soup on the way home, i would call it in. He picks it up on the way home from work. He was down. (He is pretty awesome like that. annnnyways...) So, i try to call.. no answer. But! But! the website says you're open til 10. i wanted to cry. I had been thinking about that soup ALL dang day! i sent the bf a text, all pouty about how i couldn't have my soup. Next thing i know, I'm getting a call from the Bf. He went there anyways, just to check if they were still open. They weren't. But they opened the door for him, listened to his tale of woe about his sick Gf and LET HIM IN SO THEY COULD MAKE ME SOUP! That's right people. A closed restaurant OPENED JUST TO MAKE ME SOUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *and it was delicious. I have yet to have their buffet, which intrigues me, and clearly has good reviews. But everything i have ordered a la carte has been awesome. I need to get to the buffet soon. Who doesn't love a good buffet? All i know is that I am so happy this place is right next to me and i look forward to going there many many many more times. AND thanking some one in person for making me soup. *oh! and the time thing. they are in the process of changing their website to update the hours they are open, they explained all this to the bf. All is forgiven

    (5)

  • Susan H.

    I am a fan. I wish I lived closer. I wish there were more of these in town. The lunch buffet is so awesome (except when the selfish people from "little d" down the road come in and pile everything so high on their greedy little plates the juices and cheese ooooozzzzeee of their plates- splash on the floor- and causes a hazard to where the staff has to come clean up their mess- and delay restocking the bar (news flash "d" your mom doesn't work here either) - Oh those little greedy peeps... the rest of us have to sit and wait for the kitchen to restock - then their friends do the same thing - Definitely not going to chastise El Faro for those greedy little nerds. The food is so good it makes you want to be greedy but you know what people - you don't have to pile the entire buffet on your place the first round. Didn't your momma teach you anything? Seriously - the food is great, the buffet is small but oh so good - the service is wonderful - and I am a fan!

    (4)

  • Jen H.

    The food is awesome. The staff is awesome. Its a buffet with the nicest people you will ever meet. They take great pride in their restaurant and will make sure you enjoy it.

    (5)

  • Corinna G.

    I just tried this place last Thursday, (4/12), and I was pleasantly surprised! I live just a few blocks away, and I've driven past this place numerous times, but never gave it much of a look. Last Thursday, I looked over and noticed their "11am-2pm buffet for $6.99" sign on the front of the building, and figured I'd give them a shot. So glad I did! It's a small buffet, and a small restaurant. Very much a "hole in the wall" type of place. However, I *love* hole in the wall restaurants. There's maybe a dozen tables total. Our server was nice, and kept my drink filled and removed our empty plates when we were finished with them. I liked the small buffet - they had the usual items, such as cheese enchiladas, mole chicken, pork chops, meat and cheese and veggies for tacos, menudo, etc. They were constantly refilling the buffet, so the food was fresh and hot. As a previous poster said, the salsa bar was a nice touch, too. I was stuffed when I was done with lunch, but I decided to try the tres leches cake, since a previous poster, (Crystal L) said it was worth a try. It was delicious - I was bursting from being so full when we left. It wasn't too busy when we were in there, (around 1pm), but I can see how El Faro's could get packed in an instant. I'm going there again tomorrow - looking forward to repeating last week's experience! P.S. Their $6.99 buffet is 11am-2pm, from Tuesday - Friday. On Friday nights, they have a $7.99 buffet from 6pm-9pm.

    (4)

  • Edith F.

    This is a great place to eat Mexican food. They have a small menu and all their food is made to order. I've eaten at this place and also ordered takeout. Everything is fresh and tasty. I love their salsa. The only reason I didn't given this place 5 stars is because they serve packaged tortillas. If this place made fresh tortillas - OH MY GOOD it would be the best dive for Mexican food. Menu items I recommend: Chorizo/Egg Plate, Chorizo/Egg Omelette, Machacado a la Mexicana (w/ Pico de Gallo) P.S. I have not tried their buffet yet

    (4)

  • Carrie W.

    I've been to this place many times over the past two years and I always receive super friendly service from the owners and their son is very charismatic and fun to talk to. I usually get their breakfast tacos and barbacoa which is some of the best tacos in town and their salsa compliments it deliciously. I have yet to try the buffet, no reason I'm just usually there in the morning! I'm sure it will be just as tasty.

    (5)

  • chrisie C.

    This Place was SUPER good!!!!! Nice cute little place, VERY good food! They have a lunch buffet which I've never seen before in a Mexican restaurant which was great, you can also order from the menu.. Very affordable.. can't wait to go back :) The service was Awesome too!!!

    (5)

  • Rachel P.

    Solid buffet, reasonable entrees. Always super friendly service. But where they really stand out are their breakfast tacos. Amazingly delicious and served all day. We frequently walk over to get tacos on the weekend. So glad to have solid breakfast tacos in Wells Branch.

    (4)

  • Brock S.

    I heard about this place because they often have a booth at the Wells Branch events at the nearby park. Their tacos were excellent (esp, the barbacoa and guisada) so I decided to check them out one weekend for lunch. I had the Torta Especial and it was excellent. The service and food are great and the menu has plenty of options to choose from.

    (5)

  • Joe K.

    I don't understand why the reviews are so high for El Faro. I have been there twice, once during the lunch buffet and once not. The lunch buffet ended at 3pm I think, I showed up at 2:15pm. There was literally no food or items in the line, and each item I wanted to try I had to ask for. They didn't actually make any of the food I requested, but decided on bringing out a tray full of enchiladas instead. I ended up paying for a drink and settled for some dried up shredded chicken wrapped in corn tortillas. I asked for flour. The food is average. I make better at home and that is where I will eat tonight instead.

    (2)

  • Erik W.

    The food here is okay, not amazing. But you can't beat their lunch specials very easily. $5.99 Mexican food lunch buffet! WHOOOOOOOOWHAT? The buffet had quite a few options for the price as well. One of my buddies said it best, if this place wasn't an all you can eat buffet, this wouldn't be anymore then 3 stars for the food. The owner is a pretty funny guy. We walked in and he started speaking Spanish to us. There was only one guy in the group of 5 of us that spoke any Spanish so we're all looking at him like idiots. I'm thinking "seriously, you own a restaurant and don't speak English"? Anyways, he does speak English, but just wanted to give us a hard time. When I asked him if any of the plates were vegetarian he looked at me like I was fit for a straitjacket, haha. Yes, they do have some vegetarian options if you were wondering. The salsa bar was also pretty decent. The place is the size of a shoebox, but you don't go here for the atmosphere. This is a great, inexpensive, lunch joint with fairly high quality Mexican food for the price.

    (4)

  • Angel H.

    This place is the sh%t. Pros: food prices atmosphere service family owned fresh food real Mexican food Cons: small place (but being family owned its fine if its small cause it's GREAT!) We need more places like this one.

    (4)

  • Xuan R.

    Great tasting, cheap food, FAST. Really good smoked salsa and ask for a Mexican coffee - YUM! Made with brown sugar and cinnamon. We mostly get the awesome tacos ($1.45 each) They also have a buffet which is nice for families. Family owned and very friendly.

    (4)

  • Michael H.

    [Rating: 3 1/2] Next to my favorite crawfish restaurant: Crawfish Shack and my cheap Thai meal for lunch: Chon Som this little nugget happens to be in the same lot as the previously mentioned locations. I was pretty skeptical because looking from the outside, it looks like a very suspicious place with possibly a horrible dirty kitchen. We winged it based on reviews before heading on in of course. Last minute thing heh. We were immediately seated and the owner(?) greeted us and got us our drinks. My friend wanted something off of the menu but instead the owner recommended the $5.99 All-You-Can-Eat "buffet" that had that item in the bar already including other stuff you could potentially grab as well. They were all steaming hot too. I opted out because buffet doesn't sound pleasant at all to my ears since most of the ones in Austin suck. I was craving for an enchiladas but my past experiences said I should pick something else. This time I threw away my logical thinking and winged it. The enchiladas eventually came out and omg, it melts in your mouth and not some rough flour wrap that other place uses. Enough cheese, meat and soft wrap made the whole meal so delicious. Although when I ordered spicy, I expected spicy... it wasn't even remotely spicy. Even those spicy cheetos were spicier than this and I'm not a big fan of spices. The kitchen cooked spare pork steak or something but the owner went around the restaurant and asked if anyone want it fresh off the stove. Now I'm not the type of guy to say no to free food especially if it's hot. It was yummy and warm to the tummy. Everything on the mention seems to be authentic Mexican food so if you don't want Tex-Mex or whatever fusion Mexican food, try this place out.

    (3)

  • Robert S.

    I am usually dubious about tiny restaurants tucked in strip malls but allowed a friend to drag me there. I walked in and saw a dining room smaller than my living room and a limited option buffet. Had I been alone my first instinct would have been to walk right back out. Boy am I glad I stayed. Almost everything on the buffet was excellent The cheese stuffed relleno had a light batter and great sauce, the beef with three chili's was flavorful with just a little kick to it. Even the posole was delicious. My only caveat was the rice was somewhat dry as if it had been on the buffet too long but they had just opened. With this kind of quality and attention to detail I can't wait to go back and order off the menu. One final thing. The restaurants theme is lighthouses. They have dozens of all shapes and sizes. i had to check but the restaurants name "El Faro" is lighthouse in Spanish.

    (5)

  • Sarah M.

    Great, great, great neighborhood Mexican restaurant. We've done carry out once and dined in once - both experiences left us full and hap-hap-happy! They don't serve beer/wine, but let us bring in our own - love it. I had different kinds of enchiladas both times - both the enchiladas suizas and verde were delicious. My sister is utterly devoted to their chilaquiles. Friendly staff - warm atmosphere. Great buffet. Win!

    (4)

  • Sheridan H.

    We LOVE El Faro! The staff is super friendly, and they work really hard to make sure everyone is beyond happy. We like to go on Friday nights for the buffet so that we can have a little variety of choices. Now, don't go expecting a HUGE buffet, because the restaurant itself is pretty small. However, don't let the size turn you off... El Faro serves great flavor with great prices. Everyone should definitely give it a try! OH...and the flan and Tres Leches are very tasty!

    (5)

  • Mara M.

    I've been here for lunch (haven't made the buffet yet, but that's soon to change), but never breakfast. I stopped by on my way to work after deciding bribing with breakfast tacos sounded like a good idea. Here's my co-worker's review; there's no way I could say it this well*: It was delicious, definitely in my top 10. Salsa was great. Good blend of heat and flavor added to the bacon-greasiness, stuffed to the brim without being TOO much. Eggs were an almost smoky, camping-esque flavor, and the potatoes were fully cooked. It was as if I were being seduced by a middle-aged senorita at some cantina in the Sierra Leone...I'm already drunk so I'm enjoying the attention. Flavorful, unapologetic, and direct. My mouth is happy. Yeah. It's that good. *Not because I can't write well, mind you. Only because I'm pre-coffee and not nearly that witty before caffeine hits my system.

    (5)

  • Randy M.

    Very friendly service, but the food just wasn't that great. We had the fajitas & barbacoa torta. Neither of us finished our food, the barbacoa is very very sweet :( Also, the salsa bar is super tiny with only 3 different types. We weren't really fans of any of them. Finally, the main reason we went was to try the 5 star rated tres leches cake and they were out of it.

    (2)

  • Jennifer H.

    Came in to try their dinner buffet. The family running the business was courteous, friendly and such to seat you and get your drinks and plates out if the way. The Salsa bar, pretty much consisted on lettuce, cheese, and several salsas mild to hot, the green one had a very nice kick. Then, for the buffet train...they have crispy tortillas and tostadas that you can top with anything you want. The rice and refried beans are very average. The chicken was dry, but the three sauce pork was delicious. They also had picadillo and carne Asada sitting with grilled onions nice. The flautas were medium rolled tortillas stuffed with some chicken, nothing to it...the Chile relleno had a very soggy outside, and couldn't tell what if the relleno was there was. The enchiladas were in an unflattering condition... The pozole and Charro beans on the other hand were both very nice. Very mixed feelings. For dessert, Flan or tres leches cake. We tried the tres leches, it was very moist, packed with milk. Good. Next time I will most likely want to stick with menu items.

    (3)

  • Allison B.

    Awesome! I love they are in our neighborhood! Family run/owned business. Excellent food. Next time we go we will dine in.

    (4)

  • Big S.

    Food decent buffet is never filled so get there early or you just pay buffet price for scraps. Staff is very friendly so that's always a plus

    (3)

  • Jessica H.

    My standard test for Mexican food in Austin is Tortilla Soup. El Faro's version was likely the best I have had. Period. My husband ordered beef fajitas. His favorite beef fajita plate in Austin is Juan in a Million's. El Faro's is now ranked second to Juan's, if not a very close tie. Their queso, rice, beans and tortillas were all quite good. I have only been once but look forward to going back again soon to see if round two will be as pleasing as our first visit. The owners came by our table several times to see how everything was. They enjoyed speaking in Spanish to my 4 year old and oohhing and aahhing over our baby. The only reason I am doing 4 stars instead of 5 is I would have expected prices to be a bit lower for the typical hole-in-the-wall spot.

    (4)

  • Mary Helen M.

    This place has had awesome Chilaquiles both times I've eaten there, but their Beef Quesadilla ranged from incredible to just OK during both visits. During our last stop my hubby opted for the buffet. He wasn't too big of a fan. He said the food was a little greasy, not too fresh, and that many of the dishes were empty. On the other hand, when we had ordered takeout two weeks prior he had loved their Stewed Beef Burrito. The good news is that even when the food wasn't great it was still pretty good, and sometimes the food is awesome. Another plus is that they'll let you BYOB, an option I am always a big fan of.

    (3)

  • Gary H.

    So we heard about this place through a friend and was curious about the food. I really wanted to try their Mexican buffet but unfortunately it is not offered on weekends. My wife, 6 yr old son and I went for lunch and we now have a new favorite mexican restaurant. My wife ordered two breakfast tacos and she said them melted in her mouth. I ordered two pastor tacos and they where amazing. We also tried the tortilla soup and it was literally the best we have ever tasted. The family that runs this place are so nice and personable. They were out of dessert when we went...apparently someone had come in earlier and ordered all the flans and tres leche cake. We definitively will be back soon and this time not leaving without some desserts :).

    (5)

  • Jose G.

    I live about 5 minutes away and am ashamed to say I never tried this place. Per Facebook, I'm with a group of people who try a new place for Tacos every 2 weeks and this was one of a few places up North. I really enjoyed the attentive staff, really tasty food, and environment. I have been here a few times now, I love the Enchiladas Suizas, Drunken Fries - which will kick your butt, and Aguas Frescas. If you live up North and hate chain places for dinner, go here. Closed Mondays, but it's a hidden Gem on Wells Branch.

    (4)

  • Carlos C.

    $5.99 all you can eat mexican buffet, and the quality of food isn't terrible! While not the best tex-mex I've had, this place certainly has a great variety in their buffet. They had a selection of steak ranchero, mexican-style chicken stew, roasted pork loin, tortilla soup and your regulars: crunchy tacos, and all the fillings. They also had some delicious taquitos and creme-filled crunchy tortilla chips. In addition, they had some rice pudding for desert. There isn't anything special in their ambience, it's your typical 'hole-in-the-wall'. The owner was super friendly and inviting, and overall I had a great experience. I'll def. go again for a quick lunch!

    (4)

  • Sarah W.

    BEST BREAKFAST TACOS EVER. I'm serious. I would be willing to get fat if it meant I could eat here every day, twice a day, for all eternity.

    (5)

  • P M.

    Buffet was cold and mediocre. Waitress(owner?) was nice,but the place was dirty. I was told later by a friend that when she went to eat there,she had gone to the back to the bathroom and saw a roach on the chips. I wish I had known this before I went. This place had pretty good reviews so I expected much more than this.

    (1)

  • John L.

    A refreshingly difference take on Mexican food. Even with plenty of really good Mexican restaurants in Austin, there is a huge sameness to most of them. A lot of reviews of El Faro here seem to start by saying they hate Tex-Mex. I don't, I like Tex-Mex. El Faro is still a nice change, reminding me more of the style of Mexican food I loved in southern California. I really didn't have big expectations of the buffet, because it is, after all, a buffet. It was wonderful! And, the price is amazing; they could tack an extra $5.00 to the price and it would still be a great deal.

    (5)

  • Richard M.

    I like their breakfast tacos so I tried their enchiladas and was quite disappointed. I don't know what it was but they just weren't very good. I couldn't even say what was wrong with them but they had a funny taste that made them almost inedible. I'd like to say I'd give them another try but I just couldn't bring myself to risk it. Stick to their breakfast tacos, they do a good job on those.

    (2)

  • Matt K.

    I went here once for dinner with a few friends. One of them is lactose intolerant but loves cheese and the other orders the craziest stuff he can find on the menu when he goes somewhere new. The atmosphere was nice. It was cozy and we were waited on by a mother and son (presumably family owned). I remember the smell of vanilla because we thought it might be a dessert. But when we asked, we were told it was just an air freshener. My standard test for mexican food is chips, salsa, and cheese enchiladas with rice and beans. A good margarita never hurts, but this was a weekday, so I didn't even look to see if they had one. I don't remember too much about the chips and salsa other than the fact that they had multiple salsas. My cheese enchiladas, rice, and beans weren't bad - but they weren't great either. My lactose challenged friend ordered a combo plate and enjoyed it. I found this interesting because I thought the cheese was what my meal lacked the most and wondered if this was a coincidence. My crazy menu item friend ordered cabrito, which I've always been told no one cooks right. I don't think he was prepared for the consistency of goat meat and the red sauce that reminded us a little too much of blood. He was displeased. Here's my verdict: unless you've got a cheese hater with you, go somewhere else.

    (2)

  • John D.

    Really good carne guisada burrito. BYOB!! Tiny place, great service.

    (5)

  • Jo H.

    This little tucked away place was sooooo goooooood!!!! The buffet was not lookin' pretty at all but I did enjoy it! It was about a half hour before closing and they had some food still on the buffet and of course any good person knows that that's not exactly when you start going to a buffet but I decided ok, I'll go and try it anyway and it was good... If their food can withstand a buffet and still be tasty well then it should withstand the drive home. My Hubby had the fajitas and it was so good, flavorful and fresh. We even enjoyed things we typically don't like, me the hominy and him the beans and we liked those in our food at this place!!!!! We decided to try the Horchata and while that's really a once in a while drink for us we loved it! You could taste the flavors of the cinnamon, almond, and it was cold and crisp! Lovin' it very much!!!!!! YUM! Very MOM and POP kinda place, family run business and very very friendly!

    (5)

  • Lawrence L.

    good breakfast tacos and was surprised to see it so busy. it's a family run restaurant and the atmosphere is cozy but efficient. i like how you can see into the kitchen and you can see them preparing the food. will report back when we go for their friday night only dinner buffet.

    (3)

  • marie b.

    I never write reviews as this is my first one. I swore to myself that it would be the first thing I did when I got home. Ive eaten at El Faro's twice and I just had to write them a great review. They deserve it. Their prices are great and the food is yummy too. But Im big on service, which brings me to the reason why I love this place so much...the family that runs this place are the sweetest most friendly people. They are great. Very accomodating, great service for a small casual cafe. I will most definitely become a regular.

    (5)

  • dianne k.

    We live in the neighborhood and have had carry out many times from here but never had the buffet, Great selection on the buffet, all you could eat including carne asada and some awesome grilled chicken. For $5.99 what is not to like?? Service was prompt and attentive. The owner is so nice. Yep, he speaks Spanish as do many customers, but speaks English too. We piled out plates with the great variety and added from the salsa bar. We will definitely go back for the buffet again.

    (4)

  • Matthew K.

    I love this non-descript little mexican food place. The owners are really friendly and the food is great!

    (5)

  • Nick D.

    Everything here is just a big ball of delicious. Their homemade salsa is (dare I say the best in Austin that I've had so far?), and they can cook the best frickin' chile relleno you've ever had in your life in less than five minutes. Also, I'm pretty sure that the Ode to Joy of Beethoven's 9th was inspired by their buffet (with all sorts of stew meats, taco fixins, chile rellenos, and more. Follow it up with a very solid rice pudding for dessert and you might have to be rolled out of there like that one girl from Willy Wonka.

    (5)

  • susan v.

    I absolutely love this place!!! I am not a big mexican food eater so my opinion may be an inexperienced one, but everything that i have had at El Faro has been fabulous. For my son and I, the location totally rocks (its in front of our apt complex). The restaurant is very small, but it gives it a comfortable feeling. The staff have become friends (the owner is even attempting to infuse spanish into our vocab!). They know us by name. So very rare these days except for the local bartenders. My favourite dishes are the breakfast tacos (sorry taco shack, but el faro puts you to shame!!) and the monster burrito. The prices are fabulous, especially for a single mom. My son and I will split the monster burrito and then still have food to take home. I have yet to experience their all you can eat buffets (again pricesd awesomely) but can only imagine how good the rest of the food is. I refer el faro to everyone who will listen. A restaurant like El Faro is very rare in our world of big box restaurants. Viva El Faro!!

    (4)

  • Sam T.

    I made my first stop at El Faro today and I'll definitely be back. I didn't realize that a great Mexican restaurant was so close by! The folks that run the shop are really friendly, but not in the "we're covering up for crappy food" kind of way. The waiter recommended the Steak a la Mexicana and the Pollo Piki Piki. My girlfriend and I divided and conquered and we were both happy with our food. We were both full enough that we decided that the tres leches cake sampling will have to wait for another time, so I can't really comment on their desserts. I'm planning to make a special visit at some point to check out their buffet...the days of "all you can eat" luring me in may be behind me, but I still love the idea of checking out a variety of options at a reasonable price ($7.99 for dinner on Fridays.) If you live in the Wells Branch area, I'd recommend you check this place out.

    (4)

  • Mario Y.

    I decided to order take out from this place tonight after reading the reviews. Well, it sucked. I ordered tortilla soup and faro beef nachos. The tortilla soup consisted of a tablespoon of cat food like chicken food, a 16 oz cup of broth,tort strips and cheese. Nachos were microwave quality.

    (1)

  • Heather G.

    Great service and a fantastic buffet. This place is a little shot of East Austin up north. Everything was delicious and their sauces are incendiary and flavorful. Serious bang for your buck here.

    (4)

  • James L.

    This is a poor excuse for mexican food. We intended to go to Wokaholic, but after seeing that they were closed we decided to try the little taco cafe. The buffet was half empty and had been sitting out for a while. My friends who ordered off of the menu received luke warm food and one had her order messed up. I know good mexican food, and this is nowhere to go to get some. I will not be going back.

    (1)

  • David M.

    I just recently started coming here on Fridays and the food here is very enjoyable. I've tried quite a few things here and I have yet to be disappointed. The wait staff are great and I cannot ever have enough of the Tres Leches there, which I've been told is made fresh by the owner.

    (4)

  • Mr G.

    The food at this family run place is grrrrrreat! I've tried many different dishes of enchiladas here and all of them were reallly good. The salsa is a good starter and the service is good. They also offer tres leches cake which is addicting so if you check this place out either save some room for the tres leches or take it to go!

    (4)

  • Delores D.

    After reading the reviews here, I had to try out the buffet. Boy was I disappointed! I didn't find the quality to be "melt in your mouth" excellence (as stated by another review here). A family member or friend of the owner must have written that. There was a meat dish that had been laying there so long, it was was all dried out. The tres leche cake mentioned in the reviews is not included on the buffet. Nor was the beverage or any other dessert. Dinner buffet (a small spread) was $7.99 and the drink was $2.35.

    (2)

  • Paul M.

    I love El Faro so much, it motivated me to write my first Yelp review! Short version: a family-run, honest, and absolute delicious mexican restaurant you can visit over and over! Not to be confused with average Mexican food, the dishes here are simply phenomenal. Enchiladas Mole to die for, bad-ass migas, and amazing tacos (the Pastor (Pork) are my favorite) are just but a few dishes I frequent. Get the Mexican Coffee and migas on the weekend for instant hangover relief. Don Jose and his family make us feel like we're at home every time we come over. Don Jose tells me he uses fresh ingredients, because, "I have to eat the food, too!" Bonus: You can order El Faro food while drinking next door at the bar! Bonus 2: They have a lunch buffet on Wednesday and Thursday which is actually really good! There is also a dinner buffet on Friday evenings.

    (5)

  • Brian K.

    My wife and I were playing in the snow (yes, snow: Feb-04-2011) this morning and saw they were open! We had breakfast and it was great. I had the migas and my wife had an egg plate. Food was good, the owners were friendly, and prices are reasonable. I'll come back.

    (4)

  • John Y.

    I went there for a late breakfast and got the juevos rancheros(2 eggs, beans, potatoes) - this doesn't include bacon so I had to add that. The beans were good but part of the eggs were runny and part of the potato squares weren't fully cooked. The ranchero sauce wasn't very good. It took about 30 minutes to get my food. I could get much better and more food at Taco Cabana for $8.77! and get it alot quicker....no mas

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Mexican Cuisine

If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.

Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.

Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.

El Faro Taco & Cafe

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