Las Manitas Avenue Cafe

11/14/2009 Updated review

They're closed now??  How disappointing--now I can't go back on my next trip!  (sobbing)  

Maybe some Austinian who sees this can tell me of another good place to go for Migas!

9/24/2009

I'm really sad this place is gone.  it was a great mexican diner.  Great owners.  Agua Frescas, mole, tamales for christmas, cinnamon coffee.  It didn't get much better than this.  

VERY SAD.  REOPEN PLEASE.

I saw Ann Richards here once.

4/4/2008

Getting a seat in this place during lunch hours is like finishing the marathon.. takes a while but once you get there its all worth it..

I managed to get out of class early and get in there before the mad noontime rush. Service was as quick as the NYC soup nazi.. about 30 seconds after I ordered the food was in front of me. The refried beans.. they look like any other, but don't be fooled. These are laced with ambrosia and after the first couple of bites, you'll want to wear it all over your body. (Note: getting arrested for public indecency by way of refried beans is a legendary story to tell)

7/19/2009 Updated review

Ok...I know they're closed, so this probably is too little too late.  But here goes:

For those of you that didn't "get" Las Manitas, here's what you probably didn't do:

1) venture through the kitchen to the back patio,

2) order something other than the Tex-Mex fare you'd order at other schlocky restaurants (like Maudie's or Taco Cabana), which will be just as bland here as it is in the other venues,

3) try something bold, like their mole sauce or anything with heat & spice.

I did not "love this place as a child" because I didn't grow up in Austin.  I did not "look at it as an Austin instutition" for the same reason.  I was taken here by a business client, and was blown away because I DIDN'T order safe-as-hell-everyone-makes-it Tex-Mex bullcrap.  And whenever I returned, I made sure that if it could be on the Taco Bueno menu, that wasn't what I was ordering.

So if/when Las Manitas re-opens, which I'm hoping they will, I will be happy for them, although I will still lament the loss of the wonderful space they have been forced to vacate.  But to those of you who panned this place, and who's reviews I'm re-reading,  that didn't get it, all I can says is that based on your comments many of you likely don't branch out when given the chance.  That's ok.  Just understand that if your benchmark is what kind of nachos grande a restaurant delivers to you, maybe you shouldn't actually be too critical.

Just sayin'...

6/24/2008

Time to get legit.

This place is one of the best places downtown for lunch.  The counter is a great place to sit if you need to get in and out quickly.  

The albondigas is killer.  

You find any other places that are authentic, fast and family run in downtown.

Don't half step.  Get a cool glass of horchata on a hot day.

3/12/2008

As a testament to how great the food is, there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. It was nice and sunny in Austin and we had an hour and a half lunch break, so we decided to wait.

After maybe a half hour we were seated at a table near the door. The decor inside Las Manitas is simple, with some local art on the walls. There's a counter one one side and some booths on the other and some tables in between. The food is pretty simple, although they do have many items on the menu. Prices range from $5 - $8 for lunch entrees. How did it taste? I thought it was great. Matt and I each had a combo plate, Justin had enchiladas, and John had the chalupas. We were all happy with the food and were talking about going back for breakfast one day, but sadly it didn't happen.

I really liked Las Manitas and would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Austin who wants high quality food for a low price.

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• See all photos from Rachelle B. for Las Manitas Avenue Cafe

12/5/2006

Go eat there right away, as often as you can, because it will soon have the same fate as Maria's Taco Xpress...and perhaps worse.

Its 1930s subtle art deco interior makes you feel like you've stepped into a John Fante novel - and very well, a waitress named Camilla just might serve up your coffee and beans.  Even if her name is not Camilla, you will still enjoy sitting at the lunch counter.  That's the best seat in the house.

The menu, just by including certain ingredients and dishes such as Huevos Motulenos and Enchiladas Zacatecanas, pulls off an authentic flavor (and without the froo-froo of nouveau interior Mexican cuisine).  

It's always bustling during breakfast and lunch - a true downtown cafe (started by two sisters in 1981 who still run the place).  I cannot believe that one day soon, a high-rise hotel will be in its place.  They've been promised a new location, but you can't replace history with compensation.

9/3/2008 Updated review

Without you, there's no sun in my sky,
There's no love in my life,
There's no world left for me,
And I, oh Baby, I don't know what I'm gonna do,
I'm lost downtown since I lost you.
Ever since you left,
Baby, you took away everything real in my life,
And tell me now,

How do I live without you?
I want to know.
How do I breathe without you?
Since you had to go
How do I ever, ever survive?
How do I
How do I
Oh, how do I live?

9/10/2007

The food is perhaps a 3 out of 5.  The quality/price ratio is very high, however.  The ambiance gets 6 stars.  The people who run the place (Cynthia) are the best!  Every time I visit Austin, I come here at least once.  Multiple trips during the day are not out of the question.

LM is going to be moving down the block to an upscale gentrified building.  I wish them well, very well.

9/30/2007

Picture lunch on a weekday: tons of people already enjoying their Manitas products. They could be tourists, politicians, or just your everyday, working-class hero. You start feeling the familiar anxiety of "should I stay or should I go?" since you're not entirely sure that they have room for you at the moment, even though your belly is telling you how much it needs friends to cure its solitude. But the friendly waitress waves at you and beckons you to follow her.

You wander farther and farther into the sea of lunch-goers until you reach the kitchen door. Watching the staff prepare food and wash dishes as you stroll by, you end up in the back patio area, complete with picnic tables covered in colorful tablecloths. Ah, relief washes over you, and euphoria takes over as you realize that you didn't have to wait at all for a seat at the table of Manitas.

Okay, back to the first-person. The horchata is tasty but relatively small; I was able to down it quickly, partially because of the size of its container and because it was hot outside. I gravitated immediately to the enchiladas rojos because the menu touted the use of ancho peppers in the sauce. Awesome! And the refried beans leave you without a doubt that bacon did its magic with the beans. The portions felt large for what you paid for, especially in the downtown area. Also, I could tell why so many people eat lunch here: it's tasty, and it's very fast.

The verdict: I hope this place never dies. It's become a staple in the downtown area, and just because the City of Austin wants yet another hotel, Las Manitas shouldn't suffer because of it. I want to go back during the weekend to try the menudo.

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  Yes/No kitchen traffic system.

  Yes/No kitchen traffic system.
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  Combination platter (so much food!)

  Combination platter (so much food!)
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  Enchiladas rojos: complete with ancho sauce.

  Enchiladas rojos: complete with ancho sauce.

9/4/2008

Really?
I ate at Las Manitas alot in my perpetually recurring residence in Austin. Never thought this place was that great. More than anything it was average at best.

And i got even more pissed that the owners backed off after the hoopla they raised, not to mention the taxpayer cash they were offered. I call shenanigans.

Food was mediocre anyway, but some old dogs will eat if they get fed the same schlock for 30 years.

4/27/2007

Everything I've ever had for breakfast here has been mucho delicioso!

Migas con Queso...mmmmm...drool. Veggie chorizo tacos...mmmrph. (That's the sound of me shoving mouthfuls, upon mouthfuls of food in my face.)

Also, they make it their business to get you in and out in an timely manner (especially on week days) since they cater to the downtown workers/state politicians.

Sadly enough the evil corporate empires are forcing them to move - a move which will make it lose it hole-in-the-wall feeling, I am afraid. (I've seen the plans!) Go and enjoy the ambiance while you can.

5/4/2008

Five stars for breakfast, which is served until (I think) 11am on weekdays and until 2:30pm on weekends.

If Las Manitas served their breakfast over weekday lunch hours I'd probably eat there 1-2 times a week. I don't find their lunch items to be standouts -- good, but not great and generally not worth a lunch wait for -- but the breakfast is phenomenal.

I love the migas especiales con hongos, and the breakfast tacos are great too. They make very good bacon, their tortillas are phenomenal, and the service is no-nonsense and fast.

During hot months, this can be a bad place to go to; if they seat you in the back patio area it's like a freaking heated greenhouse back there. Like so hot I don't enjoy the meal. Even in the main restaurant it gets pretty hot.

1/2/2008

Can I have my Austin card now?

After living here for more than a year I finally made it to Las Manitas Cafe. Unless you work downtown this place can be hard to eat at since it's only open for lunch.

A couple of Saturday's ago I was hungry, and on Congress.... Yes! I finally get to visit this Austin staple.

It was pretty dang good! Since it was windy that day it felt like the makeshift roof they have over the patio was going to rip off at any moment.... but that's really my only complaint.

I ordered my food, and what seems like seconds later, it was delivered to my table. Super fast service.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and proclaim that Las Manitas has the BEST re fried beans I have ever had. period. I'm sure they have every kind of animal fat mixed into them.... but I don't care, because DANG..... those were some good beans.

This is an Austin staple that's worthy of it's reputation.

5/5/2008

So, I am completely dissapointed in myself for not finding this place earlier. Finally some good mexican cooking in Austin. I say that because I remember when I used to live the places I used to visit were not all that great. But looky here this place will have you coming back and asking for more. Very traditional with homeade corn and flour tortillas, great tasting tacos, beans rice and best of all the Menudo and the pozole taste great. Check this place out and enjoy a good place to eat.

As side note if there is no seating in front. just walk through the kitchen to get to the back area of restaraunt where there is plenty of seating, especially for larger parties.

1/2/2008

OMG, I want to swim in a pool of their tortilla soup. It's the perfect blend of chicken stock, cheese and tortilla strips. The broth has a nice texture, and the dish gets better as you get closer to the bottom. Too bad, they only serve it on Wednesdays.

But during the rest of the week, plan on enjoying their guacamole, refried beans, corn tortillas, chorizo and eggs, fruit bowls, veggie tacos, and pozole. These are a few of my favorite things. The BF loves their salsa, but it's a tad too spicy for me. At first we thought it strange that they don't automatically give you chips and salsa, but I got over it pretty quickly. I'd rather save my appetite for the meal.

The restaurant is cute and classy. I love their "sit anywhere" attitude. There aren't any gimics, upsales, or schmoozy servers here. They let the food speak for itself.

3/5/2008

If you don't love this place, you need to have your head examined.

One of my two favorite places in Austin, I've been known to almost miss flights trying to squeeze in one last meal here.  Hangover curing, home made, Tex Mex fantasticness served up quickly and cheaply.

I love the breakfast tacos, the migas, the chilaquiles, the soup....oh dear god, the soup...it's a thing of wonder.  I also love walking in near death, snagging a table on the patio, sucking down a coke, eating my breakfast, and walking out about $6.00 poorer and minus the hangover.

I'm so glad they prevailed in the real estate battle, it would have been a sad day if this place went.  Great staff, cheap as hell, veg and carnivore friendly and locally owned ~ if you haven't been, get thee to Las Manitas, pronto.

8/25/2008

This place has kind of a diner feel to it, which was perfect for breakfast.  It's got fast service, easy to-read menus with exactly what you'd expect on them.  

And of course, you should seriously consider the Migas...  tortilla chips, which have already been deep fried once, go ahead and saute them with some scrambled eggs and other goodness.  Serve with tortillas and refried beans?  How could that not be amazing?  It can't not be amazing.  For whatever reason I can't find a place in Denver that serves Migas.  If I were not so lazy, I'd fix that.  But, everyone I know who moved to Austin gained 20 pounds so maybe it's best this way.

6/4/2008

Strolled over her for breakfast this morning on the recommendation of the hotel concierge.
I got 2 tacos - bacon & egg and potato & egg. Both were pretty good, but I enjoyed the bacon more (of course I did, its bacon) - the tortillas were excellent.
Cheap, fast and tasty. Sounds like a winner to me.

2/24/2008

Best Mexican breakfast in Austin.
The place is super busy. The kitchen is in the middle of the place so in order to go to the back, you go through the kitchen. This is good, because the kitchen is sparkling clean. The food is very good. If you're hangover, eat the chilaquiles (either red or green) with an egg. You'll feel like a new person. The staff must be on something (coke? lots of coffee) because they are  FAST.
Prices are really good.

IMPORTANT: Watch out for the sink in the kitchen for you hand-washers... the hot water will give you second degree burns.