Matt's El Rancho
Best Tex-Mex in Austin · TX
The King of Mexican Food since 1952.
Matt's El Rancho has been Austin's original Tex-Mex since 1952, when Matt and Janie Martinez grew a 40-seat café into a South Lamar institution now serving some 500 guests a day. Generations order the same things: sizzling fajitas, cheese enchiladas, and the legendary Bob Armstrong dip — queso layered with taco meat and guacamole, named for a regular.
Still family-run after more than 70 years, Matt's is the 2025 Centurion Award winner in Austin.
What they're known for
- Sizzling Angus fajitas
- Bob Armstrong dip
- Cheese enchiladas
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Matt's El Rancho met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Austin since 1952 — 74 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Austin.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Austin has kept Matt's El Rancho busy for 74 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Austin regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best Tex-Mex in Austin for 2025 for more than 70 years of the Martinez family's kitchen and the Bob Armstrong dip Austin refuses to live without.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Tex-Mex in Austin Austin, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Matt's El Rancho
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Matt's El Rancho.
- Legal / trading name
- Matt's El Rancho
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1952, Austin, TX
- Founders
- Matt & Janie Martinez
- Location
- 2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
- Centurion Award
- Best Tex-Mex in Austin — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Matt's El Rancho against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Matt's El Rancho?
Family-run Tex-Mex landmark founded by Matt Martinez in 1952, home of the original Bob Armstrong queso dip.
Is Matt's El Rancho award-winning?
Yes — Matt's El Rancho is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Tex-Mex in Austin, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best Tex-Mex in Austin for 2025 for more than 70 years of the Martinez family's kitchen and the Bob Armstrong dip Austin refuses to live without.
Where is Matt's El Rancho?
Matt's El Rancho is in Austin, TX.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.