I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the tacos at Garrido’s (360 Nueces St.) may just be the best I’ve ever had. Maybe it’s because they are so much more than your basic tacos–Chef David Garrido’s gourmet twist on this Austin staple will quickly put his new* restaurant on the map (*prior to opening Garrido’s, David worked as head chef at Jeffrey’s, widely regarded as one of Austin’s best fine-dining establishments) .
Situated on the ground floor of the new 360 condos on Nueces between 3rd and 4th, Garrido’s has an organic atmosphere that is both chic and comfortable, well-suited to the chef’s modern Mexican menu. The semi-circular bar at the front of the restaurant provides a great place to sip latin-inspired cocktails and people-watch while you wait for a table.
One slightly negative note: the bartenders seemed a little disinterested (either that, or they were too busy trying to score with the scantily-clad & seemingly underage girls sitting at the bar)–it took a good 10-15 minutes to get even a sidelong glance from one of the two (male) bartenders, with no more than 15 people in the bar area (our group being five of those). But once we were served, it was damn near worth the wait. The raspberry mojito was excellent, and not nearly as sweet as I expected; the Mexican martini was also a hit, served with jalapeno-stuffed olives.
We waited in the bar for about 25 minutes before our table was ready–not bad for 8:30 on a Saturday night. We could have been seated right away inside, but we opted instead to wait for a table on the patio. And I’m so glad we did!
Facing the creek, the patio at Garrido’s has a very comfortable, yet elegant feel, with strings of lights cascading gracefully away from the building, and lots of greenery hanging overhead. Water features accentuate the natural, “green” feel and make for a stylish, yet soothing atmosphere.
When the waiter brought out our menus, I have to admit I was a little shocked. First, because it was so, well, small. A couple of salads and soups, some starters, a few desserts, and 6-10 different tacos, available a la carte or as a “plate,” which comes with two tacos, rice and beans. But even more so, I could not believe how resoundingly reasonable the prices were. Most of the a la carte tacos run in the $3-4 range, with the plates coming in around $9. This may not seem like a huge bargain, but consider the ingredients: coffee-rubbed sirloin, mahi-mahi, and lobster to name a few (lobster being the night’s special–and yes, it was incredible, though a bit pricier at $8). All in all, a few cocktails and three tacos (plus tip) cost under $40–not bad for a great meal downtown.
Each taco is truly a gourmet experience, from the meat (or veg, if that’s how you roll,) to the perfectly-paired slaws, sauces and other fixin’s, to the homemade corn tortillas. Seriously–fantastic.
I’m pretty confident that Garrido’s will become one of my regular haunts, and I look forward to adding more to this blog as my love affair with this place continues to develop. In the meantime, get down to West 3rd and give Garrido’s a try–you’ll be glad you did.
Garrido’s Menu (available as PDF download)
Hours:
Sunday through Thursday 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
*The website has a footnote saying they open at 9:30 am Saturday & Sunday for brunch.
Happy Hour:
Daily 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
