The mainstay of this growing Texas Mexican chain is its namesake Michoacán-style carnitas, where the braised, shredded pork is served as part of little tacos, tortas, and more. Diners can also find pozole, quesadillas, and fresas con crema, a creamy Mexican dessert, on its short but sweet menu. Find locations in North Austin, Windsor Hills, and near Franklin Park on Stassney Lane and Windsor Hills. Takeout orders can be placed in person.

Founded by the late chef Miguel Ravago and Tom Gilliland, this Allandale restaurant was one of the first places in Austin to focus on classic Interior Mexican food starting in the 1970s. Must-orders include the cochinita pibil, a Yucatan dish made with slow-braised pork covered in banana leaves for rich flavor and served with a vibrant almond pepita habanero salsa. Fonda also rellenos, including a version stuffed with lentils, plantains, pinto beans, and a jitomate sauce; chicken; pork; or stuffed zucchini. Plan to dine in: The restaurant features stunning artwork and lush greenery.

This longtime, casual Hyde Park Mexican restaurant specializes in easygoing plates, featuring enchiladas, carne guisada, chalupas, tacos, and breakfast items, including migas and French toast. The rotisserie chicken offerings, which include a whole chicken, salsa, and tortillas for $17, are a steal. Complement any meal with one of its signature margaritas, and end on a sweet note with the homemade flan.  Takeout orders can be placed in person, and both indoor and outdoor dine-in seating are available.

The Blackland restaurant’s approach to Mexican coastal cuisine works twofold. The pricier menu is full of excellent Mexican seafood dishes, from the umami-y tuna tiradito and the oh-so-decadent seafood towers to the standout trout a la pulla, where the pan-seared fish is paired with a creamy sesame pulla crema sauce and trout roe. The space is casually fun and bright, featuring a wraparound patio and a charming outdoor area. Find a less-seafood-centric menu at its older sibling restaurant down on East Sixth Street at Suerte.

The Chestnut counter-service restaurant is all about fun, new-school Mexican cuisine amid its vibrant space. Food-wise, the top-notch tortillas serve as the building blocks for what have become iconic dishes, such as the duck confit carnitas taco or the beet tartare tostadas, which are laced with avocado crema, salsa macha, and horseradish. Look out for specials from chef and co-owner Edgar Rico, such as tortas, and cool down with one of its seasonal paletas or the classic Coco Rico, a coconut popsicle made with coconut milk and cream, sprinkled with toasted coconut chips.

This lively East Austin restaurant makes for a great patio hang, which is all the better for enjoying the food and drinks menu inspired by Mexico City. This means tacos al pastor, where marinated roast pork is paired with pineapple, pumpkin seed green mole enchiladas, and tlacoyos, blue corn masa stuffed with fillings. Visit during happy hour, when cocktails, appetizers, including loaded street corn, huaraches, and quesadillas, are just $8.

At this restaurant, co-founder and executive chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas focuses on pan-Mexican dishes in a casual setting that features a great rooftop. Discover sopa azteca, a soothing bowl of tortilla soup, choose-your-own enchilada adventures that are both delightful and filling, and an array of grilled dishes cooked a la plancha. Visit this location in Bouldin Creek or travel further South to the outpost in Westgate.

The longtime casual Zilker Mexican restaurant highlights Interior Mexican cuisine through its moles, including a Oaxacan-style dark mole that’s paired with enchiladas or chicken, and the pipian, or pumpkin seed rendition, used to smother carnitas. In addition to lunch and dinner, diners can also satisfy their Mexican cravings during breakfast, when plates of migas, chilaquiles, and huevos motuleños (eggs, black beans, diced ham, peas, and fried plantains) are available for under $11.

Even though co-owner and chef Iliana de la Vega’s Mexican restaurant is located in Texas, it is through and through Oaxacan. El Naranjo has undergone various iterations over the years, beginning as an actual restaurant in Mexico before transitioning into a trailer, a restaurant on Rainey in Austin, and ultimately, a more upscale table-service restaurant in the South Lamar neighborhood. Of particular note are the Oaxacan moles — especially the mole negro paired with duck breast.

The casual Dawson restaurant is a wonderfully delightful place for comforting daytime Mexican food. Expect incredibly solid dishes, including plates loaded with chile relleno, barbacoa, and picadillo; alongside breakfasts, tacos, enchiladas, and much more. The menu leans budget-friendly, with combos like the Nikki Wikki, which includes a crispy taco, a side of rice, and queso for $7. There are also $13 enchilada plates and $15 combos that typically come with three items — a mix of an enchilada, taco, tostada, and/or a flauta.

The name of this humble Dawson Mexican restaurant translates to “the golden sheep,” which is fitting given that its house dish is the birria plate, made with juicy, tender lamb. But it doesn’t stop there. El Borrego de Oro also serves up standout barbacoa, carne guisada, and heartwarming bowls of menudo and cabrito soup. Looking for some of its best deals? Check out its lunch specials, which are offered on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and run under $12.