The Resy Hit List: Where In Austin You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

For almost 50 years, Fonda San Miguel has been serving authentic Mexican food, and only gotten better with age. We love hanging out in the bar area for calamari or queso fundido appetizers and the El Rey cocktail (reposado Tequila, whiskey, and mole bitters) or a margarita.

The dining room experience remains as welcoming and warm as our first visit. The cochinita pibil is among Fonda’s most famous dishes, but we also love the carne asada or any of the vegetarian tostadas. Close out your meal with the tres leches or flan and a cafe de olla made with cinnamon, brown sugar, and clove, and remember how deep Austin’s legacy of Mexican cooking runs.

For date night, Birdie’s has established itself recently as the go-to spot — whether you’re crossing town or flying in, given the national attention heaped on owners Tracy Malechek and Arjav Ezekiel. Their menu is slim but thoughtful and changes regularly. The roasted sweet potato with crispy shallots and beef tartare are favorites, and don’t miss the pastas, or the ever-changing large plates of fish and meat. (Snapper with lemon potatoes was a recent satisfying option.) Since quantities are limited and you order at the counter, come early to be sure you don’t have to wait long, or miss out on any star items. But if you hit a long line, enjoy a glass of wine while you wait, and debate what you’re going to order. It’s the Birdie’s way.

Find more info here.

Taking over the old Austin Eastciders location, this modern Chinese restaurant hails from New Yorkers chef Simone Tong (Little Tong Noodle Shop) and Matthew Hyland (Emmy Squared and Emily). With such a big menu, we recommend making a Resy for a crew so you can try items like sticky ribs, Chinese broccoli, scallion puff rolls, and black cod with miso hoisin. Tong is known for her noodles, so be sure to order the specimens with stir-fried lamb or cold sesame. Cocktails like the lychee slushy or green tea mojito match the menu vibes. Throw in a dog-friendly patio and free valet parking, and you have the perfect Austin mix.

Opened by “Top Chef” winner Gabe Erales, Bacalar serves high-end Mexican food on the quiet southern tip of Rainey Street. But Erales is there to shake things up: Though his menu has traditional dishes like tostadas and tamales, the ingredients are not what you’d expect, like the papadzul tamal with squash and soft boiled egg on the side or the castacan tacos with pork belly and salsa verde. Bigger dishes like cochinita pibil or steak with mushroom confit are great for sharing. Cocktails are also crafted with precision, like the Cocosanto that smells of palo santo or the Pariente made with sotol, lemon, bitters, lemongrass, and topped with green tea foam.

Fans of Ramen Tatsu-ya will want to make a beeline for the team’s latest expansion, Kemuri Tatsu-ya. Here, the menu blends Japanese and Texas influences with items like taiyaki cornbread, tebasaki wings, and “guaca-poke” with tuna, wasabi, and guacamole. Bright tiki-style cocktails add to the fun ambiance. But don’t let the playful menu fool you into thinking the Tastu-ya team isn’t serious; this is a formula they know how to finesse perfectly. The BBQ tsukemen brisket ramen and pork ribs are full of flavor. You’ll want to make a Resy, to ensure you can settle right into a table and spend your time poring over the menu with your crew.

Everyone in Austin has a favorite barbecue spot. Ours is La Barbecue: it’s among the best in Texas, and doesn’t require you to wait in a super-long line. Run by LeAnn Mueller of the famous Mueller family and her wife Ali, this is a casual lunch option where you can order meat by the pound or a specialty sandwich if you’d prefer. Let your eyes and nose guide you, but the brisket, sausage, and beef rib (when it’s available) are what make La Barbecue famous. No reservations here, so come early and wait in line to eat at one of the picnic tables.

Find more info here.

Odd Duck started as a beloved food trailer and quickly grew into a grown-up restaurant, now serving an ever-changing menu in a brick-and-mortar location on South Lamar. While it’s been around for 10 years, you definitely still need a Resy because it’s always packed. The menu, always heavy on locally sourced ingredients, currently features beer-battered squash with green goddess dressing, cast iron cornbread, and wagyu strip steak with roasted turnips and fritters. Finish off your meal with the chocolate and masa icebox cake with caramel corn and a nitro espresso martini.

Set on an historic property with roaming peacocks, Mattie’s makes for the ideal backdrop for impressing your parents or just a quiet meal. They are open for brunch and dinner with plenty of in and outdoor seating, but the restaurant is an Austin favorite, so make your Resy in advance. Try the little gem wedge salad, bone-in pork chop with collard greens and all of the sides. For brunch, the Milk Punch French Toast will make you feel special and the biscuits and gravy will make you feel happy and full.

Moonshine has long been serving bar patrons and diners downtown for years. But what most of those folks don’t know is that there is a library and lounge built in 1850 downstairs. Make a Resy to get a taste of what the coolest librarian ever might serve. The space is intimate, which makes for a great date spot or a locale for someone you actually want to talk to. Perhaps it’s the bootleg nostalgia, but we prefer the classic cocktails like a Manhattan, martini, or whiskey sour. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and have a wide array of spirits on hand, so you may be inspired to go with the librarian’s choice. While the main focus is drinking, there are a few snacks on the menu if you need a little sustenance with your cocktail.

Of all the Resys you might be trying to get, the Suerte Resy is among the most coveted. This East Side spot from chef Fermin Nunez serves fancier Mexican food, is equipped with a full bar, and is always packed. They are most known for the Suadero tacos made with wagyu brisket and black magic oil, but everything on the menu has been known to impress. Hamachi crudo a la their sister restaurant Este, carnitas and sweet potatoes with lime aioli are some of the other stand-outs. And don’t sleep on that brunch Resy. They serve many of the dishes already mentioned during the day, as well as a smoked salmon tostada, brisket hash and other brunch favorites.

LeRoy and Lewis has long been a favorite food truck at Cosmic Coffee. It received accolades from Texas Monthly and The New York Times for serving more than the typical Texas barbecue items. Now they expanded their menu and space in a brick-and-mortar spot in South Austin. They offer sliced or chopped beef and a variety of sausages, as well as (gasp!) smoked vegetables. Options also include three burgers all with different kinds of meat, and a smoked Italian beef sandwich with giardiniera. And while you may have had Big Red with your barbecue, they have a frozen Big Red Sangria. A full bar offers beer, wine, and many cocktail options to sip on while you wait in line to order.

Find more info here.

When seeking out the best Tex-Mex in Austin, you’re going to get strong and often opposing opinions and a range of options from a taco truck to fine dining. Eldorado is perfectly in the middle. Their Mexican breakfast is casual, but you feel like you’re in the right place for Tex-Mex. Huevos rancheros, Short rib machacado and even just the Daily Texan with eggs, bacon, hash and a biscuit — it’s all fresh and filling. We also like the crispy tacos for lunch or the enchiladas verde for dinner. Take a tub of your favorite of their salsas to-go too — they are that good. We’re not alone with the opinion of how great this spot is, so get a Resy so you can sit down right away.

A busy brunch spot can be a good indication of people looking for an excuse to drink at breakfast — or revealing their inability to flip a fried egg. Whichever it is, Austinites trust Paperboy with their brunch needs. Sweeter dishes like cinnamon toast with whipped mascarpone or the pancake with brown butter and blueberries are totally appropriate to eat as your meal. But heartier options like the hash with pork and sweet potato or healthier options like kale salad are just as satisfying. There’s a small indoor space, patio, and a big rooftop, all of which are usually full (so put your ask in early).

 Find more info here.

It’s hard to stand out in a taco town like Austin, but James Beard award-winning chef Edgar Rico and his wife Sara Mardanbigi found a way. Their tacos are a blend of traditional Mexican ingredients and flavors with a more modern American twist like the duck carnitas taco or the beet tartare taco. It’s casual, so you can walk-up, wait in a (hopefully) short line, and eat at their picnic tables out back. And if you want the ultimate experience, you can book their taco omakase to get multiple off-menu tacos and dessert.

Find more info here.

We’ll let you in on the secret that is Trona on the East Side. Start by making a Resy for an evening when you want a full cocktail experience with a plus one or crew of friends. Follow the subtle signs to this speakeasy and step into a 49-seat dark bar inspired by Oaxaca and Japan. Try the Wakata, which is made with Japanese whisky infused with coffee beans or El Kyoto made with Tequila and lychee. You can thank us later.

Officially the oldest spot on our hit list, Joe’s Bakery has been in Austin since 1962 and still is absolutely a must-hit spot. This family-run restaurant serves breakfast and tacos, as well as Mexican baked goods and has somehow managed to keep their prices affordable. Try the huevos rancheros or pork chop plate if you’re feeling more hungry. Stop by the glass case up front to get some pastries to-go and chat with the family who still works there.

Find more info here.

Fresa’s is our go-to spot for a really strong weekday meal or a more casual weekend margarita-filled one. If you don’t want to share, the Power Bol with chicken, sweet potato, chickpeas and roasted cauliflower is perfectly portioned for just you. If you want to make a Resy for a bigger group, they have a huge patio that is very kid-friendly. The sharable menu options work great for groups like the chimichurri skirt steak or the achiote chicken. The group meals come with sides of charro beans, rice and tortillas to fully outfit the meal for everyone.

Breaking news: Soup dumplings are NOT seasonal. You can absolutely eat them year-round, and Qi is our favorite spot to do just that. Beyond the dumplings, their menu is meant for family-style meals, so make a Resy for a big group so you can order more. Try the Akaushi beef with green pepper or get a little fancier with a weekend Resy and salt and pepper lobster tail or Cantonese fried whole fish.

Sprinkle Valley may sound like the land of a four-year-old girl’s dreams, but it’s actually the home of Austin Beerworks taproom and an expansive disc golf course. InterStellar Barbecue pitmaster John Bates recently opened this food truck to focus on his love of tacos. Unsurprisingly, meat tacos like brisket or smoked chicken thigh are crowd-pleasers. But Bates shows you he can do more than meat with the calabacitas taco — with squash, corn, peppers, and tomatoes, and bursting with flavor. Come back again to try the hot dog stuffed with cheese, wrapped in a tortilla, and deep fried. It’s worth a visit back to Sprinkle Valley just to focus on that crispy dog (and get in another round of disc golf).

Find more info here.

South Congress is now home to many transplants — tech bros, boutiques, and more. While some are more welcome than others (we’re not naming names) this cafe offshoot from New York provides an important coffee window for the many folks passing by — and a solid breakfast, lunch, and dinner for those who make a Resy or just pop in. Their Australian Brekky options are some of our favorites, like the tomato toast with prosciutto and poached egg, or smashed avo toast with pickled shallots and Fresno chiles. Dinner is also enjoyable, with healthier options like the miso mushroom bowl or salmon green curry. The patio is both dog- and kid-friendly, so bring your favorite small or furry companions.