Santa Catarina - Lakeway

Food wasn’t great and service was poor. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $20–30 Food: 2 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 1 Recommended dishes: Beef Fajita, Guacamole, Salsa and Chips

Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $10–20 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $20–30 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Excellent food and great service!!! I'll go back any time I can. All of us enjoyed our lunch.

Cousins Francisco Cortez and Jesus Hernandez opened the first Santa Catarina restaurant in 2010 in Lakeway, then expanded to Cedar Park in 2016. The extensive menu is authentic interior Mexican cuisine, built on recipes that have been in their families for generations. Here are some things you should know. Almost everything I 've tried has been excellent, but I could have only the chips and salsa and be happy, that 's how good they are. Then there is the Botanas (appetizers) menu, beginning with the first item, Queso Fundido, which is so good it should have its own menu. Cheese, roasted jalpenos, tomatoes, and onions, served with handmade corn tortillas, flour and/or gluten free tortillas. Pure bliss. You can add shrimp, mushrooms or venison, but it 's pretty perfect as it is. My advice is to eat it while it 's hot and stringy, and be prepared for drips and drops. Bibs, anyone? Lunch specials are served Monday through Friday from 11 3pm. Who does that? Till 3pm??? But that 's not all. The Happy Hour prices are amazing. Everything on the Botanas menu is half off. Seriously, all appetizers half off? So that 's Queso Fundido, Cazuel on Pollo, Quesadillas, Totopos, Guacamole, Gorditas, Totopos Catarina, Sopes, Huarache, Ceviche, and Coctel de Camarones!!! And the drink menu looks beautiful. Off the regular menu, I 've ordered various shrimp, fish, and vegetarian items including their tacos, enchiladas, salads, and rellenos. The food is plated beautifully, there is enough for two meals on each plate, and their rice and beans are delicately prepared. I spoke with Robert Revilla, the GM, and asked him what he liked about his job. His response was immediate and to the point The customers. I like that we have a chance to get to know our customers and to create relationships. We continued to have a pleasant conversation, and by the end of it I decided I definitely need to try their Cedar Park location as well. You need to know that the restaurant is in a shopping center that has a seriously annoying entryway from 620 if you 're headed from 71. Basically, you drive past it because there 's no left turn, then come to a light which has no left turn but you can do a U turn if your car is so built, but if not you have to go to the next light... You can see where I 'm going with this. I 'm including a photo of the center 's marquis in case that it might be helpful.