mon,tue,wed,thu,fri, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM ยท Downtown Austin, Austin
$5 margaritas, half-price nachos
Six chili heat levels run from approachable to waiver-required, giving Texas Chili Parlor one of the few menus in town with actual consequences. Frieda's Enchiladas (two cheese enchiladas smothered in your chili of choice) are the place to start, ideally alongside a mezcal-based Mad Dog Margarita. Dark, noisy, and packed with Capitol staffers at lunch, it feels like the kind of Austin institution that never needed to update itself.
Fritos piled high with chili and melted cheese. Messy, cheap, and exactly right.
Two cheese enchiladas smothered in your choice of chili. The definitive TCP order.
Mezcal-based house margarita, invented by regulars. Strong, not too sweet.