My husband and I have lived on the north side of Austin for 2 years now and we looked for months before we were able to find a Mexican restaurant in this town with a lot of flavor and spice. We eventually found Cantina Laredo and now it's our favorite Mexican restaurant ever! It's well worth the drive into downtown. There may not be a place to park for free during the day, but on evenings (after 5:30) and weekends, you can usually find a metered spot (which are free during those times). Their warm salsa has a unique, smokey flavor, but it still has a spicy-ness that goes well with Mexican food. If you like a more traditional salsa, you may prefer their cold salsa. Both are brought to the table, but we usually ask if we can get some of the warm salsa to go. We haven't tried their guacamole yet, but we've seen others have it prepared at their table and it looks good! The portions are large and I'd recommend the quesadillas (on the appetizer menu), any of their salads, or the fajitas (my favorite). Their rice is a little bland, but it doesn't taste loaded down with butter like some restaurants. I also love their sizzling apple pie/ice cream. Try it out for yourself!
Pros: Excellent Chips & Salsa, entrees, and desserts
Cons: Parking, and it's a little pricey for Mexican food (but worth it!)
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