Part 3 of the Austin Restaurant Hop -
An Austin Landmark, And Tradition:
Austin, Texas, USA
Cuisine Style: Mexican, Central American, Tex-Mex
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: March 2015
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Rob Lippincott
Güero's Taco Bar is a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere to get casual Tex-Mex or traditional Central American favorites in a friendly atmosphere with great service. The building that houses the Güero's dining room was built as a seed and feed store in the late 1800s. The neighborhood held onto its eclectic roots during the development boom. As the city expanded in all directions during the 1970s and 80's, South Austin, and South Congress, in particular, continued to serve the strong community now identifiable by zip code alone. On the menu cover is the picture of a woman named Adelita. She is a tribute to the brave women of the Mexican Revolution who followed their men into battle and in many cases fought along-side them.
Menu:
- Bar and light fare
- Entrees
- Specials
- Vegan and Gluten Free
- Breakfast
- Kids
- Desserts
The day was coming to a close, and this was stop number three on the what my wife and I nicknamed the Austin restaurant hop, which started with Home Slice Pizza, followed by Perla’s Oyster Bar, and now for the final stop being the Güero’s taco bar. I had been visiting Austin to meet my girlfriend who is now my wife, and I also flew my daughter into town for a tour of the city before driving down to San Antonio for a visit to The Alamo.
We began by enjoying slices of New York Pizza at our first stop on the restaurant hop, followed by some seafood appetizers at the second. As we entered, the dining room and bar were very crowded, as was the scene to most of the restaurants along this street. My wife mentioned that this was the food hub of Austin, as seen in movies like Chef and others.
One neat item was the large chandelier at the entrance being made in the shape of a cactus. There were separate dining rooms with the main kitchen to the back of one, and a smaller open kitchen to the other. We ended up being sat close to one to see the action taking place and how they were moving like crazy to keep up.
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| Cactus chandelier |
The menu focused on many unique styles of Mexican cuisine beyond the Tex-Mex label to include the different regions of Mexico like Oaxaca, an area in Southwestern Mexico. We all enjoyed a few drinks ranging from tequila, and Mexican Beer. Like most Mexican Restaurants we received the complimentary chips, except they also came with some assorted freshly made dips, a nice change from getting the bottled stuff that most Mexican restaurants offer.
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| Housemade salsa selections |
After a few tasters and great conversation, I can say that Güero’s was a nice spot with good food and atmosphere. Good Mexican or Tex-Mex, in my opinion, are a dime and dozen and even harder to find really good ones around. The American Latin food market has been saturated by restaurants that no longer even resemble true Latin food, so seeing places like Güero’s warms my heart.
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| Quesadillas |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Mexican and Tex-Mex Articles and Restaurants:
Benji’s Cantina Innovative approach to Tex-Mex cuisine in Austin, Texas
Besito Mexican Restaurant creative Mexican-blend eats chain; reviewed in Tampa, Florida
Carmelita’s Mexican Restaurant casual local chain for traditional meals in Pinellas Park, Florida
Hablo Taco Mexican-blend joint known for tacos and margaritas in Tampa, Florida
Nueva Cantina Vibrant, Authentic, and contemporary Mexican Cuisine in St Petersburg, Florida
Texas Chili Parlor Local eatery for Tex-Mex, chili, & American cuisine in Austin, Texas
Wipeout Bar and Grill Surf shack theme with California and Mexican cuisine in San Francisco, California
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Texas restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Farm-to-fork upscale local chain for Southwestern cuisine
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Eclectic global plates and sushi
(name changed to Kuneho)
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Thin-crust New York style pizza restaurant
Austin, Texas, USA
|
|
Laid-back Cape Cod-style seafood restaurant
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
|
Local eatery for Tex-Mex, chili, & American cuisine
Austin, Texas, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Güero's Taco Bar a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
|
8
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0
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Food quality
|
10
|
8
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0
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Plate presentation
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10
|
7
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0
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Customer service
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10
|
8
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0
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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7
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0
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Total regular points awarded
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50
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38
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0
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.76
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||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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3
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.06
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||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.82
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
3 of 5 Stars:
82% Rating with a 3 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded All My Expectations In A Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine style:
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Central American Mix, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-Free, Pescatarian, Vegan Options, Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Trendy, Hotspot, Great bar, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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Outdoor seating
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
|
€
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Güero’s Taco Bar:
1412 South Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78704-2435
Neighborhood:
Southern Austin
Cross streets:
West Elizabeth and West Gibson Streets
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: 30.249122
Longetude: -97.750174
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 512 447 7688
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Serving hours:
Central Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 6:00)
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Mon-Fri:
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday:
8:30 am - 11:00 pm
Sunday:
8:30 am - 1:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Rodízio buffet and churrascaria
Niagara, Canada
|
Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline
Savannah & Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
Ruskin, Florida, USA
|
Other Pictures:
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| Dining Room |
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| Fountain at the entrance |
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| Open kitchen |
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| Shawarma - very Middle Eastern!! |
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| Cheese dip |
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| Quesadilla entree |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
