For some gut busting comfort food, nothing beats a small little mexican greasy spoon. Refrieds with bacon grease in them and fatty steak with some cheese and avacado!
I try to stay away from that and actually only really frequent Chuy's. Been eating there sinse i moved back for good in 91. They may boarder on being a chain, but the food is consistantly good.
For some down and dirty burrito goodness, there's really only one place...Freebirds!
IN Austin...
Taqueria Arandinas. Oh my stars, the food is killer!
They have some great nopalitos and the Taqueria Especiale is just flat out eviol with green peppers, onion, steak, bacon smothered in cheese!
Dang it... now I am hungry!
The best queso I've ever had is made by the folks at Mi Taco Village. Back in the 80s and early 90s, the Mejia family ran Taco Village. It was at 3rd st and ave R...kinda in the ghetto. It was a great place to go eat and hang out. BYOB and the best mexican food in town. They closed down for a long time and it was getting to the point that I was wondering if that queso had been a figment of my imagination. Well, one or two members of the family have now opened Mi Taco Village and the queso is exactly like it used to be. They make a mean chile rellano, too.