Maudie's Tex-Mex

 Maudie's Tex-Mex (for me) sets the standard for Tex-Mex restaurants, and is one of the first restaurants my wife and I visited when moving to Austin. We were regular patrons of the North Lamar location for many years; taking our kids there for breakfast most Sundays and catching Monday Night Football and sharing drinks there for our weekly date-nights. The North Lamar location is small, intimate, and very authentic-feeling. Maudie's Triangle is far more modern and spacious, with a youthful and energetic vibe.

 For National Margarita Day, it is easily my go-to spot.

 My favorite drink at Maudie's is the Mexican Martini, a sweet and spicy variation of the margarita. Most of the Tex-Mex restaurants in Austin have some version of this drink, but Maudie's raises the bar.

 Maudie's is also the source of my favorite breakfast tacos, served all day with several options on the menu or you can have them your way (I'm a sausage, bacon, egg, and cheese guy myself.). Paired with the Mara's Bean Dip, you get a huge bang for your buck.

 When not dining on the wonderful breakfast tacos, my favorite item on the menu is the Nachos Compuestos. Again, there are several versions of this item at other Tex-Mex restaurants, but Maudie's sets the pace. The appetizer is more than a meal for two people, and great to enjoy while watching the game on one of their televisions.

 There are some caveats to the high praise I heap on Maudie's. The Austin-Bergstrom Airport location is practically a different restaurant, much to my disappointment. Save your money for a Maudie's in town. Carry-out at Maudie's is good, but not as good as dining in. I am not certain why, but the care in preparation and even the portion size seem to be different (less) when ordering to-go. To enjoy Maudie's, dine-in is recommended.

Price: about $10 a plate.

https://www.maudies.com/

North Lamar
10205 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX, 78753
Phn: 512 832 0900

The Cedar Door

 The Cedar Door on 2nd (Willie Nelson Blvd) and Brazos has been an Austin Original since 1975.  What drew our attention is its claim as the "Home of the Original Mexican Martini".  In my review of Chuy's, I point to their Mexican Martini as one of the best in Austin, so it only made sense that I needed to try the original.

 Recently remodeled, the Cedar Door has an impressive outdoor seating section overlooking Brazos, banquet rooms, and glass garage doors facing 2nd St.  The interior was spacious, with large flat-screen television within easy viewing distance in any direction you looked but also not everywhere you turned you head.  You could watch the televisions or focus on the conversation at the table with equal ease.  

 The staff was friendly, and it seemed like the servers make a point of letting you enjoy your food and the atmosphere while themselves not getting in the way.  Our waitress did not hover around our table or her section of the restaurant, but kept our drinks filled.  The check came a little more slowly than I would have liked, but then it is the kind of place that encourages you to sit and relax.

 The menu, which also recently changed, included what I would consider common sports-bar fare.  For example, we ordered fried mushrooms as an appetizer and I had the chicken-friend chicken.  The fried mushrooms were similar to those you get at Cheddar's, and the chicken-friend chicken was a step below Applebee's.  Price-wise, though, these same items were slightly less expensive than from the two places I mentioned.  We went with the top-shelf Mexican Martini, and we didn't like it as much as its counterpart of Chuy's.  It was good, maybe even a little smoother than Chuy's Mexican Martini, but it lacked the same spicy-kick.  

 If you are not a fan of spicy food, then you would probably favor the Cedar Door's drink over Chuy's. 

 Over all, it was a cool place to eat; just a couple of blocks from 6th St, good food, great atmosphere, and a competitive price.  If you are looking for a place that everyone can afford to hang-out at before hitting the bars on 6th St, then check out the Cedar Door.

 The Cedar Door

 2nd and Brazos

 Austin, TX

 512-473-3712