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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Tex-Mex in Austin Austin, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Matt's El Rancho
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Matt's El Rancho (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
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.