Local Fast Food of Texas

[Mudpuppie]

What makes Profirio’s so good?

Easy -- they're the best.

They're so good, in fact, that it's impossible to put your finger on why they're good. That's how good they are. What could be better than anything that good?

**Sigh.** I get back to Austin only twice a year now, once at christmas. They're usually closed around the holidays.

[NewYorkTexan]

What makes Profirio’s so good?

Easy -- they're the best.

They're so good, in fact, that it's impossible to put your finger on why they're good. That's how good they are. What could be better than anything that good?

**Sigh.** I get back to Austin only twice a year now, once at christmas. They're usually closed around the holidays.

It is just that the overwhelming consensus is that TacoXpress is the best. They use incredibly fresh ingredients, the condiments are made in-house and the care they put into every taco is evident with every bite.

I never even heard of the other place, so I was curious why you thought they were so great. While the definition of greatness is highly subjective, there are usually specific factors that make smoothing “great”. If you like is so much, there must be something that differentiates them.

[Mudpuppie]

I never even heard of the other place, so I was curious why you thought they were so great.  While the definition of greatness is highly subjective, there are usually specific factors that make smoothing “great”.  If you like is so much, there must be something that differentiates them.

Yep! They're better!

[Mayhaw Man]

What about Goff's in Dallas? I used to eat there all the time (Lovers Lane and Greenville Ave locations) and thought that they were prety tasty. Haven't had one in years, so maybe they went downhill. I also seem to remember that Harvey Goff was the Dallas equivlant of the "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld.

[Richard Kilgore]

"What about Goff's in Dallas? I used to eat there all the time (Lovers Lane and Greenville Ave locations) and thought that they were prety tasty. Haven't had one in years, so maybe they went downhill. I also seem to remember that Harvey Goff was the Dallas equivlant of the "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld."

Yes, I think most of Harvey's customer's would agree. He's so refreshing in contrast to the customer service oriented folks who act like they actually want you to come back. :)

[Richard Kilgore]

In Dallas I have to mention Canary Cafe, which is Mediterranean at night, but also good fast food Japanese at lunch. On Monfort, south of Beltline. Has never taken me more than about three minutes to get my food after ordering at the counter, which has a fast, short line.

Various rice bowls, egg rolls, sushi, potstickers, soups, salads and sides of Edamame, Steamed Vegetables, and rice (brown or white). The Kobe Beef Rice Bowl and the Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl are both very good, and under five bucks. But I did not care as much for the Curry Chicken Rice Bowl I had last time.

[Mabelline]

Richard, the Kobe beef bowl for under five bucks being endorsed by Kobe Bryant I gather?

[jess mebane]

In SA, La Palapa has the best quick bkfst, and Chacho's has the very best fresh salsa bar ever--they style themselves after Taco Cabana, but much, much fresher.

In Houston, try the taco shack across from the courthouse for a great, quick bite during the day--I think it's La Palapa, too, but not the same owners.

In Austin, it's Taco Shack on Spicewood for bkfst tacos and a manager with the largest face/name recognition in the known uni. For lunch, I like Dirty's DH special with a chocolate shake--the ol' gal that works the counter is mighty nice, but damn near deaf, so yell politely. Or perhaps Fran's on Congress-- try the grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese to pretend you're making a healthy fast food choice. Or go to Tom's Tabouley on Guadalupe and get a truly great-tasting thai turbo wrap that truly is beneficial to your health, and clears up the cedar fever, too. Does anyone remember Mad Dog's, just off the Drag? used to be a walk-up hamburger stand in the '80s behind the old Varsity theater that made the bestest choc. malts and shakes. It would have been where the Starbucks is now, natch.

And you can call yourself a native if you have ever once gotten in Whataburger's drive-thru line at 2:30am with a half-dozen of your friendly, drunken neighbors to wait 45 mins. for food with onions.

[nessa]

Thunderclouds in Austin, but only that fantabulous veggie sandwich with the cream cheese, avacado, olives, onions, sprouts.... MAN!!!!

In College Station: Freebirds. Puts Chipotle's to a cryin' shame. Ok so Dallas has one now too for us displaced souls. I've het to swing by.

Wings-n-more. Wait, I think thats a sit down place, but hey, its wings!

In East Dallas there is this little Mom and Pop joint called the Dairy-ette.

Its an old fashopned drive in burger bar kinda deal. Fabulous burgers and rings, cheap and pretty fast.... They even make their own root beer!

I'm new to Dallas but I'm keeping my eye out for neat new places.

[foodie52]

Mad Dog and Beans....on 24th street, before that location was gentrified into a Starbucks. Yeah: I had their shakes once in a while. They were so thick that it was hard to suck them up through a straw!

UT students are missing out on great food experiences. Also, what was the name of the cafe right next door? Seems to me it had a French name? Once in a blue moon I'd go there for coffee. Couldn't afford it often.

There was also, in the 70's on the Drag, a vegetarian place that looked like a shack but had great fried mushrooms. I remember them being cited by the Health Department! And talk about cheap food..there was an "Italian" place across from Dobie that served All You Can Eat spaghetti that had a disgusting red sauce. No meat. Just that vinegary sauce...Above that was the icecream place that had black walls so that you couldn't see the dope smokers...only smell them!

Aaarrggghh! Somebody stop me!!

[memesuze]

Les Amis - one of the fireplace-endowed restaurants that I miss, like Senor O'Brien's for stone soup

but I don't remember the name of that ice cream place upstairs across from Dobie - too stoned myself - had my first jalapeno ice cream at Ice Cream You Scream over near the Posse

[Mudpuppie]

Sniff. Remember the real Quack's? And the GM steakhouse? (The one across from Whole Foods is still hanging on, god bless 'em.)

I don't remember the ice cream place across from Dobie.

[woodford]

I have no idea if it's still around, but I have fond memories of the "Catfish King" in Waxahachie. The hush puppies, specifically.

How about Brahm's? They used to make a good hamburger.

[Mudpuppie]

I have no idea if it's still around, but I have fond memories of the "Catfish King" in Waxahachie. The hush puppies, specifically.

How about Brahm's? They used to make a good hamburger.

Catfish Plantation? The haunted one? It's still there. (I grew up next door in Midlothian.)

Braum's had good cherry limeades too.

[Steebles]

Nothing to add really... maybe Dan's on N. Lamar in Austin. Good breakfast.

Or Wok N' Roll on Burnet.

There was (maybe still is) a gyros place on Burnet we used to frequent.

Ditto on Les Ami /sigh

Ditto on the Egg Roll carts on the Drag

Ditto on Dirty's.. noone mentioned Hut's?

[woodford]

If I remember correctly, Catfish Plantation is an upscale, sitdown sort of place. "Catfish King" was by the highway, a drive-thru joint with a limited menu of greasy-but-good fried catfish and accompaniments.

Can't get that kind of food here in Canada.

[Mudpuppie]

Nothing to add really... maybe Dan's on N. Lamar in Austin. Good breakfast.

Or Wok N' Roll on Burnet.

There was (maybe still is) a gyros place on Burnet we used to frequent.

Ditto on Les Ami /sigh

Ditto on the Egg Roll carts on the Drag

Ditto on Dirty's.. noone mentioned Hut's?

Are the egg roll carts gone???

Please say no.

[Richard Kilgore]

The ice cream place across from Dobie was "Nothing Strikes Back" -- second story walk up to black walls, black light, day-glow posters and the Jefferson Airplane blaring. Don't remember smelling smoke when I was there, but wouldn't be too surprised. The story of the place as I recall it, was that around 1969 they opened "Nothing Is Real" and were so elated to have made a profit at the end of the month that they decided to celebrate by --of course -- driving to Chicago to have breakfast. On the way back in their hippy van, they were busted in Kansas for marijuana, spent two years in jail, and rolled back into Austin to open as..."Nothing Strikes Back" which closed in the summer of 1977. As I understood it, the place was run by two hippy families, who took turns -- six months on, six months living in Mexico. Parts of this may be Austin legend, so take it with a grain of salt.

[lovebenton0]

Great breakfast tacos downtown Austin, at 10th & Brazos in the bottom of the Jefferson Bldg., name is eluding me now. But you can walk in to the counter order up your tacos, point to your fresh ingredients right off the short "cafeteria" style line, grab their own salsa, juice, milk, etc. out of the cold case, pour yourself a cup of java, grab a piece of fruit at the register, and feast for under $4.00. The tacos, big as it gets, 4 ingredients, run $1.75. They make 'em really big, really fresh and oh so good!

They set up a lunch counter too, two or three entrees a day and sides. That's OK, but the tacos are great.

Anyone know this place? I used to work around the corner on 9th, haven't been there in over a year, just can't remember the name.

Porfirio's are good too. I could line my throat w/asbestos and drink their green sauce. They had a cart that brought tacos every morning to our building. Smaller, but hot, cheap, and good.

[foodie52]

The eggroll carts? I'm surprised you haven't heard this...

About a year ago, the families who ran them were shut down and some of them arrested because they were fencing stolen goods...the whole familyl had been doing it for years around campus. Kids' stereos, etc. had been disappearing.

King of a shame. I ate enough of those greasy eggrolls in my time. Two for a buck...

By the way, Tom Abdenour of Tom's Tabouli is still going strong. He supplies my Central Market with his products, still, so we chat frequently. Now there's a hard-working man.

[Mudpuppie]

The eggroll carts? I'm surprised you haven't heard this...

About a year ago, the families who ran them were shut down and some of them arrested because they were fencing stolen goods...the whole familyl had been doing it for years around campus. Kids' stereos, etc. had been disappearing.

King of a shame. I ate enough of those greasy eggrolls in my time. Two for a buck...

By the way, Tom Abdenour of Tom's Tabouli is still going strong. He supplies my Central Market with his products, still, so we chat frequently. Now there's a hard-working man.

Nooooooooooo! No, I hadn't heard. I moved to CA three years ago and haven't been back while school was in session. I figured their absence was just because of the winter break.

How sad!

Also, kind of funny.

There were two families that ran two different cart businesses. (The one by the Littlefield fountain was my favorite.) Were they both into this?

I'm shocked. Must go google....

[jess mebane]

Les Amis - one of the fireplace-endowed restaurants that I miss, like Senor O'Brien's for stone soup

Holy crap, Les Amis is dead and I never got up the nerve to go in! Damn, but that place had the gallic 'tude to spare, and since I flunked five hours of French my freshman year, I half-expected the anorexic waitstaff to spit upon, rather than serve me. . . Damn, I say, damn! I'm old.

See, you just can't expect progressive state initiatives in a capitol city where a little subversive coffee joint cannot coexist with the SYSCO mafia. Where have you gone, yella dog politicos, a city turns its myopic eyes to you, woo, woo, woo.

[jbftx]

In Austin (some are in other cities too):

Good to Great:

Culver's (actually great for fast food)

Fire Bowl

Dan's

Sandy's

Texadelphia (not really very fast though)

La Madeleine

Awful & Disgusting:

Taco Cabana (some of the worst food you could think of producing)

Thundercloud Subs (if the workers start wearing gloves and they start using something other than brown lettuce, I'll reconsider)

[nessa]

Sniff. Remember the real Quack's? And the GM steakhouse? (The one across from Whole Foods is still hanging on, god bless 'em.)

Oh my. I grew up in Austin. What about Dirty Martin's?

Both Dirty's and the G&M were around when my Dad went to UT. Every now and then when I was young, Dad would take me to Dirty's for onion rings and a burger, or to the G&M for one of their steaks and their salads. Not great food but it brought back such good memories for Dad, and they were special times for me.

I remember Quackenbush's back in the way early 90's when I went to UT. Ah, the crowbars. I guess after more than 10 years its changed, and not for the better?

MD&B, what great shakes they used to have. I'm sad to hear they have closed/relocated.

Edited January 14, 2004 by nessa (log)

[FistFullaRoux]

Someone else mentioned Hut's in Austin. I remember there was practically fighting in the street around 1992 with all the burger places standing up pounding their chests. Quite funny too. Almost like the great salsa wars. Hut's is damn fine chow though. I still prefer Dirty's.

And I can't believe I forgot to mention my favorite place in Austin... Magnolia Cafe on S Congress. I was there a couple of years back, and not much had changed. I still have dreams about the Chicken CCCP (Grilled chicken with an olive/herb/cream cheese topping - amazing). The Martian Landscape (Home fries - loaded), the jalapeno corncakes, the funky iced tea flavors that change around, and one of the best chips and salsa baskets in Austin. Kind of a hippy vibe to the place, but not in a bad way.

I also have to admit a soft spot for Bill Miller's fried chicken. Not the BBQ, so much, but the chicken is something else.

I hate this. I went and made myself hungry again.