We have been eating at this Serranos for at least 1x a month for at least 13 years. The food is good--consistent, tasty, delivered quickly. However, there have been changes that make eating here unbearable. Â They have 4 TVs over the bar, with a TV in every other dining area. Â These are tuned to sports channels, but the most disagreeable one is "ultimate fighting". Â This is a particularly brutal sport, especially for young children to be watching. Â When we used to go (on Friday nights) the restaurant was always filled with families who have children under the age of 10. Â The music is loud, and the pictures on the wall have changed over to some uninspiring geometric (quilt?) patterns. This restaurant is clearly going through an identity crisis. Â Sports Bar? Â Family Restaurant? Â Make up your mind, Serranos! Â So, I give this one star for ambiance, which is terrible.
Review Source:When my boyfriend and I are hungry for Mexican, this is place we go... and we don't  mind driving from North Austin AT ALL.  We've tried other Serranos but this is the only one that is top notch. Â
Wonderful service, incredible fajitas (and corn tortillas), and awesome margaritas!! Â Also, some of the wait staff have been there for years. We always get the same server, and that's an added bonus because he's a really nice guy.
OK, maybe 5 stars is iffy, but then I read reviews with 3 stars and they liked everything about the place.
We've been to 3 different Serranos in the past 2 weeks and have never been disappointed. Â I had the Pollo Perfecto, and it was plentiful and tasty, my wife had the fish picante and she loved it.
Their mango Margaritas ($4.00 for the large one during happy hour) are delicious.
Best of all, their prices are extremely reasonable.
One would think that after living in Austin for over 2 years that by now I would have found my go-to Mexican Restaurant. No. Such. Â Luck.
Serrano's is good in a pinch and it's close to my apartment. The salsa there has a kick to it, which I love. The margaritas are pretty decent too.
The food is cheap and pretty good. Nothing really special about it though, which is sad because it has the potential to be great.
The atmosphere is eh, okay. The staff could be replaced. Pretty much all of them. ESPECIALLY the hostess. I've been here 3 times and let's just say the hostesses are less than cordial. No one is forcing you to work there honey. Go someplace else to work instead trying to ruin someone's day who just wants a burrito and a corona light.
Some times Yelp gets it wrong. No, I'm not talking about the insightful Yelp reviewer community, I'm just talking about the software. The location shows up on the map at what appears to be someone's yard abutting Barton Creek. Â I wonder how often whoever lives there has been greeted by hungry and confused Tex-Mex fans? I wonder if they have had to join the support group for mistaken identities. You know, where all those folks named Mark Chapman or people with the phone number 867-5309 hang out to share old stories....So take note of that if you just arranged to meet your prospective boss there for a drink.
Once you arrive on time, you'll be fine. This is happy chain food mex at a decent price. Good, though, for the "Fajitas with a drink and a smile" that it is. It's not worth my time to get into the details about the food. Because you're not going there with great expectations anyway. You're going for the convenience and a few laughs. If you want a reasonably quick lunch, sit at the bar and order one of the specials. Otherwise, just lounge with some drinks and Tex-Mex snacks and you will be just fine.
I like Serranos-it maybe isn't hip and new, but I love their tortilla soup and chips/salsa. Â The tortilla soup has a clear chicken broth, a chunk of corn on the cob, plenty of chicken, some veggies and fresh cilantro. Â It is really all I want after I've downed a basket of chips, which are crispy and always fresh.
Review Source:Best Tex-Mex I have found here in Austin.  Good all around food. Grilled over Mesquite coals that gives that taste of Mexico. Trust me as I used to live in a border town. Everything I have tried on the menu  has been good.  Love the fact that they give you a Serrano Pepper with each meal. I usually eat mine and my kids too.
Review Source:This special is advertised on their website but not available. Waiter had no idea what I was talking about.
BREAKFAST TACOS
Our Breakfast Tacos are Cooked to order with Hand-Made Flour Tortillas
(Served only from 9:00 am to 11:00 am)
Two Breakfast tacos with
Choice of Any (2) Items
(3) Items
Eggs, Refried Beans, Breakfast Potatoes,
Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese, Pico de Gallo, Chorizo, Bacon, Sausage, Ham
I was a little upset when we came in as it felt like we were ignored for a long time. Of course when you're hungry and all the smells are awesome I suppose time becomes relative. Â So in the end we missed happy hour prices by about ten min. However, the food more than made up for it.
There was a little mix up with my appetizer order but more my fault I suppose. I asked for cheese nachoes and got bean and cheese. Those were whisked away and cheese only presented in mere seconds.
I had the cheese enchiladas with their cream sauce. I would put that sauce up against anyone's as the best. I've had a lot of cream sauces in 41 years and it's hands down the best I've ever had.
Their sodas do suffer a little from the icky Austin water syndrome that plagues so many places here. If they have a filter, it's time to change it. If they don't then it's time to get one. Diet coke deserves to be awesome.
In the end I recommend this place hands down. It is definitely a place to visit for your tex mex cravings.
Best experience in Austin this trip. I stopped on the way to Mom's for a take out dinner. I was told to order at the bar, well if I must I might as well relax from the flight with a margarita. There were two ladies ready to see the drummer from the Grateful Dead sitting at the bar, I have never seen senior deadheads. Â They raved about Serranos and guided me to the Tulum Pork tacos. While the tacos were being prepared, I had a top shelf margarita and great chips and salsa. My new found deadhead friends offered chili con queso and caught me up on Austin gossip (I am a 6th generation Austin girl). Great service, good food, great clientele, And a special thank you to the hostess who grabbed me a few creams for my morning coffee. You will be my first stop in Austin from now on.
Review Source:had lunch here during sxsw
the patio was nice and there were a lot of tattooed attractive people to look at
there were some bands playing and due to some promotion, free orange juice/vodka test tube shots
efficient/friendly service
chill as eff, but definitely not the healthiest place to eat
I live around the corner and had never tried this place before. Â I am hungry and lazy so I placed a to go order of chicken/beef fajitas. Â Both meats were undercooked and the beef was questionable. Â The tortillas and salsa were the only bright side. Â So basically I just paid 14 bucks for a few tortillasand some salsa. Â Nice.
Review Source:What can I say about Serranos?
This is our favorite Tex-Mex place and yes it is our go-to undecided dinner night out lol!
My favorite is Chimichanga or Pollo Perfecto. They have good but not best Mex house martini. The chips n queso's always fresh. The server is ok most of the time except if you go to the other one (southpark-maybe bec it is fairly new). We live closer to southpark but we still go to this one on 290W bec the service is better.
Serrano's is not the Mexican restaurant I frequent the most but it is definitely good Tex Mex.
The queso is good and the chips were warm and crispy. My enchiladas were tasty, but they use that cheese that's kind of stringy. The rice and refried beans rounded out my meal. The food here has a bit of a smokey (for lack of a better word) kind of taste to it, maybe that's the "mesquite" part of the name of the place. I like it, its a bit of a different twist on Tex Mex, I ate ALL of my food.
My waiter was nice and attentive.
Being that it was Labor Day and about 2 ish in the afternoon, the place was not very busy but in the past I have always received good service and the prices are pretty average.
This is a nice change of pace for Tex Mex.
I'd give the happy hour 4.5 stars and the food 3.5 stars and we will call it a wash at 4 stars.
Serrano's has a very underrated happy hour that we happened upon by accident. They cheap margaritas which were surprisingly strong but very flavorful, and I found the size of the glass very reasonable for the price. The $2.00 domestic pints, although limited to Bud Light and Shiner, were good, as well as $3.00 imports but I do not recall what they had on tap. A real star of the show is the $1.50 appetizers I mean really I can get beef burritos, jalapeno rellenos, cheese quesadillas, and been and cheese nachos for cheaper than a beer?!?!?! I am sold. Although for future reference I will avoid the cheese quesadilla it just wasn't very good but I am not a fan of meatless quesadillas.
The chips and salsa were pretty good, the salsa had a bit of a lime kick which I really liked as well.
Our waitress did a phenomenal job with 7 people and was the biggest highlight of the day. Drinks never went unfilled and she was very attentive. All the while she seemed to be working the entire restaurant. IMPRESSIVE.
Well worth the trip for happy hour and was actually enough for me to consider going here for dinner.
Was really hungry and hot ready to eat we were greeted at the door and sat promptly was after 1500 .
We ordered what seemed to be a small fajita and rice beans with peppers on the side,
Tortillas were freshly made. was really surprised that they were home made.
I must be craving salt cause everything seemed just under salted,even though my Husband did not think so.
The Hots sauce was hot like burn your mouth hot, chips were crisp and light as if they made them there.
Will i go back , yes i will seems like the happy hour not to bad either like 1.50 appetizers and 3 dollar drinks for 3pm-6 pm
will see  if next trip to Best Buy will i end up there again.
Came here for a wedding rehearsal dinner with a party of roughly 30, and they didn't have the table ready because they misplaced the reservation. Â Although I wasn't the one who spoke with the manager, from what I could gather, a gesture of compensation wasn't made. What a way to make a poor impression. Â Hence, the 2 star review.
Food: The portion size is HUGE. Â I ordered a kids meal and it was enough for my dinner meal (and people wonder why America is obese). Â So, if you're looking for hearty meals and a bang for your buck, Serrano's can fit your bill. Â The quality of the food was good and it was fresh.
Service: The wait staff were good in keeping our waters filled (and were kind enough to be aware that I asked for ice with no water even when refilling). Â The waitress forgot part of my order, but I imagine that it's difficult to juggle so many orders. Â
Ambiance: Â It's a very crowded, lively place. Â They have a bar area and a more intimate dining area, so has enough space to cater to your needs. Â Given how many people are in the restaurant, flagging down a waitress/waiter can sometimes be challenging. Â
Pricing: Reasonable pricing given how large their portions are. Â
I was very unimpressed with how our party had to wait a long time out in the heat given that the reservation was made at least one to two months in advance. Â The food is what you'd expect at a chain Tex-Mex restaurant, and come in large portions.
I dined here Sunday afternoon with my usual crew...my sister-in-law and my two boys. Â It was really crowded but that did not hurt the service we received at all. Â Our server was very attentive and we never lacked for beverages or anything else. Â I had a bowl of tortilla soup and it was gigantic! Â I didn't get close to finishing it but not because it wasn't good. Â The broth was very tasty and there was just the right amount of vegetables, shredded chicken, tortilla strips, and cheese. Â No tortilla soup is complete without adding rice. Â The rice here was much more of the "traditional" Spanish rice (tinged with tomato) Â than I am used to but it was good and balanced well in the soup. Â
Not this far south too often anymore but I will tuck this location into my mental rolodex.
The waitstaff here is very attentive and want to please you. I have nothing but good things to say about the staff. They work hard and they look like it.
The food is good. Really like the rice. But unfortunately...
There is something about this place though. Maybe its the chaotic way they setup the food trays right in front of you. Or maybe it's the waitstaff having to ask other staff around to get their tables food ready, right in front of you. Someone may have thought this was a good idea, but I don't get it. Nor do I enjoy it.
Tex-Mex places, particularly chains, are an acquired taste...and for Serrano's, I've acquired it.
Yes, it is not my favorite Mexican food in town, and we all have places / hideaways that are more authentic. Â But I grade places by their fajitas, and this place has really good ones. Â Beats the hell out of Maudies.
I think the Chuy's has really hurt this location's business, but I prefer Serrano's (particularly on a weekend evening) merely because I can nearly always walk in and get a table now except at extreme rush times.
The Fajita and Enchilada special/plate is my favorite if I'm eating for one, but their mixed grill is great to share with my lovely bride. Â Lots of great seasoned meat on a plate, and I love the flour tortillas. Â I don't think the tortillas are as good as they once were, but they are better than most other places.
It's not a mind boggling experience, has almost no ambiance, is strip mall Tex-mex, but it has an adequate sized bar, decent margaritas, good queso, decent salsa and some of the better fajitas for this kind of place.
One of my major con's is the booth size...some of the booths are just too tiny, and only very tiny people can fit (and many are non-moving). Â But there are usually tables.
And another bonus? Â Adequate parking, unlike Chuy's South.
I'm pretty sure it's not a good sign when a few bites in, your food brings you to tears. And I'm not talking about chopping-onions-kind-of-tears. I mean the Titanic-sinking kind of tears, only instead of feeling icy, my mouth felt like it was sitting outside on scalding concrete (today's temperature's projected to be 104, so you can imagine how hot that is.)
To start with, my boyfriend and I placed a to-go order, and the server, Alex, was quick to have our food out and to check us out. So the service portion of this experience was satisfactory.
On the way home, upon opening our bag of food, I noticed something that was glaringly missing. Chips and salsa. What kind of restaurant skimps out on chips and salsa? It's like a fast food chain doing away with fries. These things just go together. I was too hungry to go back inside to argue, so we just went home.
I deviated from my normal order of mushroom enchiladas and instead got the chalupas compuestas. The guacamole was the freshest I've ever tasted, and the sour cream was light and fluffy. The jalapeno that I bit into was good but extremely spicy, hence the aforementioned tears. It really opened the floodgates when I took a bite of the chalupas afterward due to the hint of spices on the rice combined with the flaming hot flavor of the jalapeno. However, when you're ordering chalupas, you don't expect soggy tortillas you can eat with a fork. If they had been any more limp, they would have qualified as tortilla soup made by a five-year-old, The toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and beef) were the only things that had real flavor to the chalupas. They weren't horrible, but I don't think Emeril or Rachael Ray would be impressed.
Of course, it didn't help that the entire time I was eating my meal, my taste buds were chanting:
"You should have gone to Chuy's....You should have gone to Chuy's."
Because I'm lazy, I'd phone in my order for take-out a few minutes before I left work so it would be ready for pick-up by the time I arrived.
My food was always ready by the time I showed up. I never had to wait, and even if the restaurant was busy, I was never treated like a nuisance.
Jalapenos Rellenos (fried jalapenos stuffed with cheese and served with ranch) - I could eat these all day. The jalapenos aren't small, either. Just this appetizer alone can have you feeling full. Even though they are jalapenos, they are not hot.
Chimichanga (like a fried burrito stuffed with rice, your choice of beans, your choice of beef or chicken) - I'd eat my arm if it were one! And yes, I like chimichangas.
Chicken Enchiladas - superb!
Sopapillas (beignets) - I'd shovel them in if I could.
So yes, you should go. Serranos' food is consistently good.
Happy hour begins at 3PM at Serrano's. I like the way they think.
The frozen margaritas are deliciously strong and can come in so many flavors, you'll be hard pressed to find one you don't like. Basket of chips and salsa are complimentary. I was expecting lifeless salsa but theirs is made fresh and rather spicy. By far, the best appetizer is the cheese quesadilla. The beef burrito should be renamed the beef flaquito because it's prepared identically (fried) to the chicken flaquito. The star of happy hour is definitely the drinks rather than the food.
Pleasant ambiance and comfortable seating. They have four mounted flat screen TVs in the bar area. Haven't been for anything other than their happy hour, but overall it's a good place to unwind with some stiff drinks.
I've eaten at Serranos enough times to know what to expect. Unfortunately, what I expect is just average Tex-Mex. They don't do it bad but they probably won't be your favorite spot.
They have crispy chips with a spicy salsa that is more reminiscent of pico de gallo than salsa, tasty, but not my favorite.
Generally I order either enchiladas or fajitas. The beef fajitas have a nice mesquite flavor. Placed on warm homemade tortillas and you have yourself an decent meal. The enchiladas are standard flavor/taste/and texture of any old Tex-Mex joint. Like I said it all just tends to be average.
One thing to keep in mind is the two for one enchiladas on Monday. Not a bad deal...at least they used to have that.
They are a consistent and a local chain so you could do worse.
I like Serrano's. Â It is always consistent and a good place for lunch or dinner. Â However, I LOVE their Happy Hour. Â You can get a Rita for $2.50 and appetizers for $1.50 each. Â Hubby and I can order 3 appetizers, chips and salsa and 2 Ritas and get out for $10 (plus tip for dinner). Â What a deal!
The appetizer specials include cheese quesadilla (good), chicken flautas (good) and nachos (OK). Â Also, HH ends at 6:30 pm so you need to get there quickly after work.
Four of us came in for their happy hour specials on Friday. These specials are just smallish orders of bean and cheese nachos and quesadillas for a $1.50 a plate. Taquitos were around the same price. We must've ordered 7 of these and just split them with each other. Nice way to have a cheap dinner.
Was the food 4 star quality? No way! But the price was! Â Even with my wife cheating and ordering some tortilla soup and chicken tacos the entire meal was around $25!!! Service was fast and friendly!
Another recession special! Yay!!!
When I was visiting Austin, I was trying to find an excellent texmex place. Neither IL or OH is exactly known for having many good ones. I'm somewhat surprised at the range of different reviews because my experience here was fantastic. I could not have been more pleased with the choice.
The salsa was wonderful and exactly as I like it - fresh with a nice consistency and good amount of heat. The server made sure the bowl was filled constantly. The gf and I ordered the shrimp and chicken fajitas. The shrimp was about average but the chicken was probably the best chicken fajitas I have ever had. Tender, moist, and delicious in large strips (not little hunks).
We sat outdoors even though it was quite warm. The outside dining had great atmosphere, though it might have been enhanced because we were the only ones out there. Guess I love some seclusion.
And finally, the waiter was great as well. Helpful, quick, and friendly. Asked about my shirt (announcing my favorite band) and we talked music for a bit, but he made sure not to linger too long.
I am gonna get in so much trouble with my Mexican grandma-in-law for saying this: I don't hate Serrano's. While I don't frequent Tex-Mex places as often as I did when I ate meat (there just aren't very many choices that don't completely revolve around mounds of cheese), I still love the flavors and go for it when I can. Serrano's offers a plentiful and colorful veggie fajitas for two option with mushrooms, bell peppers, squash, zucchini, and onions, served with some of the best, most homemade-tasting flour tortillas I've had in Austin-- no joke!
We happened to stop in on their free enchiladas night and were worried about how that might affect our experience, but the Serrano's people have it down to a science a, and we were never ignored by our waiter. Said waiter also agreed with my compliment of the flour tortillas and even called them "badass". Add to all of this their fresh, spicy salsa, and I'm sold.
Gross.
I'm only giving this two stars because the people who bring the chips to your table are cheerful and the chips were good.
So if you're just going for chips and a drink (all I had was diet coke so beyond that, you'll just have to discover it on your own), this is your place. Â But I'm pretty sure there's better.
I'm also giving it two stars because I don't want to risk bad karma so I'll say I didn't actually throwup. Â But a girl can dream, can't she?
Seriously. Â Stay away. Â Frat boys wearing super funny shirts that say "Quickee" across the back. Â (I saw a 45-year-old guy at Costco wearing a shirt that said "I've got a stiffy" across the back. Â If this sounds even remotely familiar, for the love of god, throw that shirt away. Â If you no longer belong to a frat, you should no longer own that shirt.)
Anyway, my fish tacos were so buried in lettuce, pico de gallo, etc. that the fish were little minnows on the bottom of my taco. Â The rice. Â If that was Mexican rice then I'm Charlize Theron. Â I do love my rice. Â This tasted like they ran to Taco Bell to grab leftovers.
Gross.
After 20 years in business you would think Serrano's would be doing things right. The food we had tonight unfortunately shows the complete opposite. My cousin used to say that every time Adam Gonzales (chef/owner) farted; he opened another Serrano's. The locations  have dwindled in the past years but this location always seems to be busy. My wife and I have eaten 2 times at this location within the year and we are sad to report:
Flour Tortilla - Cardboard (like U-Haul moving boxes) and no taste
Mushroom Enchiladas - Bland Vanilla Ice Style TO THE EXTREME!
Botana Platter - Chicken Flaquitos One piece actually had no chicken and what chicken there was just fried bland crap.
Beef Fajita meat - Â I used to think they had some of the best but in recent trips its way overcooked and their signature mesquite flavor isn't in there anymore.
Highlights - The salsa and chips are always tasty. The stuffed jalapenos seem to hit the spot and have been consistent for many visits.
Really, I'm really more close to one star on this one yelpers. I give them a'little extra for their local tenure. Another sad story, We actually overheard some woman saying she likes Serrano's way better than Chuy's...Dream on and what state are you from?
Me Gusta! I like this place because they have:
1. Great margaritas
2. Excellent tortillas (lets face it, it makes or breaks the place)
3. Sizzling fajitas
4. Good prices
5. Decent waitstaff
6. Kid friendly
7.Diet conscious menu options
What more could a gal ask for? Chippendale dancer looking waitstaff. That's what a gal could ask for.
Being both a lover of good Tex Mex and a lover of a good Happy Hour, this place is definitely going to mean trouble for my diet, my liver, but not my wallet.
Their food is really great, and the service was terrific. I couldn't believe how many times I was offered refills on tortilla chips (light, crispy, and delish) and salsa (just the right amount of spicy for me, but maybe a little hot to you gringos out there), which would normally be annoying, but in this case was actually not. I got the enchiladas with verde sauce (my mainstay) and was not disappointed. Dessert was good as well. Â They also serve breakfast in addition to lunch and dinner, which I've heard is good, but I haven't tried yet.
It was in between me stuffing my face that I noticed the Happy Hour specials: $2 wells, $2 Bud lite, Miller lite and Shiners, and $2.50 Margs, as well as food specials (don't quote me on those prices, but I am no more than 50cents off). All I know is that when the Todds invade Texas this September, the town, and Serranos, will never be the same. Let the games begin!!!
Ups
Tacos al Carbon. Beef. Â Oh my! Â This beef has unbelievably good flavor! Â Wow!
Speed - from waiter taking the order to delivery this place is absolutely unbelievable. Â We joke that if we were to place our order and tried to make a quick trip to the bathroom just to wash our hands, our food would be cold by the time we got back to the table.
Downs
Margaritas disappoint.
Salsa has far too much cilantro.
Went here due to a recommendation from a business colleague. Â It turned out to be ok, because we took my father-in-law (who doesn't exactly have a high tolerance for heat & spice). Â Good thing, because both of those were in short supply.
The atmosphere is more cafeteria than restaurant, or at least more Big Boy than Mexican. Â The food wasn't bad, just nothing special. Â Let's put it this way: I could make better at home. Â And my job is to clean after dinner, not cook it.
The margaritas...well, pretty much the same. Â Great if you're coming from the midwest, marginal if you are from these parts. Â But, they were inexpensive so we all had two. Â Nothing like cheap prices to make you forget you're drinking mediocre liquor.
I have been to several locations and the food is consistent but no way near the best Tex-Mex in Austin. Â This location is close so I have been here several times for HH 2.50 Margs. They do one thing right and that is their White Wine Poblano Cream Sauce They serve it over several of the Vegetarian Enchiladas and the Chile Relleno w/ shrimp (my favorite)..
One bonus is there is never a wait like the best on S 1ST..
Went here yesterday because we happened to be at the Best Buy in the same shopping center. Â We had a wonderful time, mainly because of the Razz margarita special at happy hour -- $2.50 margaritas -- woo woo!! -- and because our server, "Big Red" was awesome. Â Its cool to see a waiter who is totally upbeat and positive and who clearly LOVES his restaurant. Â He had a ton of suggestions about the menu and seemed genuinely proud of his establishment. Â I think thats cool.
It made us so happy, that we actually sort of overlooked the fact that the food isn't really that great. Â There is a lot of it, fer sure - we got a huge fajita combo plate that we could barely put a dent in. Â But the fajita chicken was dry, the rice and beans weren't very good, Â and the jalepeno sausage wasn't really our cup of tea. Â Â The beef in the fajitas was pretty good, though. Â Â They do make their own tortillas here -- thats a good thing. Â they aren't stellar homemade torts, but they are freshly made here. Â Â I thought the queso was really good. Â Did I just say that??
((Now I know I am becoming a Texan when I actually enjoy queso, the food that, anywhere else where Latin people live, would be compared to putting a jello mold on the table, if you get my drift....)) Â Que Viva, Queso!
I go to Serrano's because it's one of the few places I can walk to. Â This translates to more mango margaritas for me!
If you go on Tuesday nights, the enchilada plates are buy one get one free. Â Since you'll be saving so much money, make sure you order a few margaritas and some flan.
The place can get a little crowded and noisy but for the most part it never has a wait and the service is quite fast.
Que rico!