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A cheesy queso with ground meat and diced tomatoes and onions in a black bowl.
The Diablo Sol Food queso at Maudie’s.
Maudie’s

12 Amazing Queso Spots in Austin

Oh so melty cheesy dips

by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
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The Diablo Sol Food queso at Maudie’s.
| Maudie’s
by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
2 comments / new

Queso, aka chile con queso, is the Tex-Mex fuel that Austinites need to survive. It’s the winning combination of gooey, melted cheeses and chopped peppers, along with potential other additions like ground beef, chorizo, guacamole, or beans, all served with a side of tortilla chips.

This map of the best queso found in Austin spans from the most popular spots like Torchy’s Tacos and Kerbey Lane Cafe to classic gems like Fonda San Miguel and Magnolia Cafe to newer (in the grand scheme of things) iterations from Better Half and others.

For more like-dishes, scope out Austin’s tacos (best and breakfast), Tex-Mex restaurants, and cheese and wine spots.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Eldorado Cafe

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Of course, the North Shoal Creek Mexican comfort food restaurant has queso. There’s the regular queso with optional beef picadillo, and the amped-up Supa queso, full of black beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Pickup orders can be placed online or over the phone; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

3300 W Anderson Ln #303, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 420-2222
(512) 420-2222

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Fonda San Miguel

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For classy queso, head to the iconic Allandale Mexican restaurant. The queso fundido is served with corn or flour tortillas, with options like chile strips, chorizo verde, or both mixed together.

2330 W N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 459-4121
(512) 459-4121

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Kerbey Lane Café

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Austin loves the diner chain’s daytime and nighttime quesos. First, there’s the base queso. Then there’s the house queso with guacamole and pico de gallo. And then, for a heartier take, try the Cowboy queso, mixed with black beans plus guacamole and pico de gallo. There’s also a vegan option made with cashew cheese. All come with optional veggie or pork chorizo. Pickup orders can be placed online; all locations feature indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

3704 Kerbey Ln, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 451-1436
(512) 451-1436
A bowl of queso in a tray of chips.
Kerbey Lane Cafe’s queso.
Kerbey Lane Cafe

Posse East

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The campus bar’s queso ad chips are on point and come with optional meat. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

2900 Duval St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 477-2111
(512) 477-2111

Maudie's Cafe

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The Tex-Mex chain restaurant offers classic chile con queso and the Diablo Sol Food, a version with taco beef and pico de gallo (with the option to add guacamole). Place pickup orders online; all locations feature indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2608 W 7th St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 473-3740
(512) 473-3740

Better Half Coffee & Cocktails

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This all-day Clarksville-adjacent cafe bucks the trend by offering queso with pastrami, avocado, crema, cheese crumbles, pickled onions, and beet powder. There’s also a standard cheesy version and a vegan option. Place pickup orders online; there are outdoor and indoor dine-in services.

406 Walsh St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 645-0786
(512) 645-0786

Also featured in:

El Alma

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Make a meal out of El Alma’s queso fundido, served with tortillas and optional poblano strips, onions, mushrooms, grilled chicken, or pork pastor. There’s also a queso blanco y rojo with arbol salsa, poblanos, with corn tostadas.

1025 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 609-8923
(512) 609-8923

Also featured in:

Tacodeli

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The one-two hit of breakfast tacos and morning queso is a good way to wake up from the Austin-born taco chain. Pickup orders can be placed online; most locations include outdoor and indoor dine-in areas.

1500 Spyglass Dr Suite B, Austin, TX 78746
(512) 732-0303
(512) 732-0303

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Matt's Famous El Rancho

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The iconic meaty dish is an institution for good reason: the Bob Armstrong Dip, named after the late politician, comes with a mix of queso, guacamole, and taco meat, making it stand above the cheesy fray. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 462-9333
(512) 462-9333
A pair of hands holding onto a bowl of yellow cheese dip with dollops of ground meat and guacamole on top of a placemat that notes information about Matt’s El Rancho.
Queso at Matt’s El Rancho.
Robert J. Lerma/Eater Austin

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Magnolia Cafe

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The longtime Bouldin Creek cafe’s Mag Mud works miracles at any hour of the day. The secret is black beans. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1920 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 445-0000
(512) 445-0000

Also featured in:

Curra's Grill

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The South Austin Mexican restaurant is upfront with what makes its Kelly’s queso so good: Land O’ Lakes’ extra-melt American cheese. There are also other quesos, ranging from chile con queso to the queso flameado. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

614 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 444-0012
(512) 444-0012

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Torchy’s Tacos

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Everyone still loves the queso at the Austin-born taco chain. One Eater reader called it the queso “the one I crave, all the time.” The green chile queso comes with guacamole, queso fresco, cilantro, and its house diablo hot sauce. Pickup and delivery orders can be placed online; most locations offer indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2809 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

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Eldorado Cafe

3300 W Anderson Ln #303, Austin, TX 78757

Of course, the North Shoal Creek Mexican comfort food restaurant has queso. There’s the regular queso with optional beef picadillo, and the amped-up Supa queso, full of black beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Pickup orders can be placed online or over the phone; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

3300 W Anderson Ln #303, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 420-2222
(512) 420-2222

Fonda San Miguel

2330 W N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78756

For classy queso, head to the iconic Allandale Mexican restaurant. The queso fundido is served with corn or flour tortillas, with options like chile strips, chorizo verde, or both mixed together.

2330 W N Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 459-4121
(512) 459-4121

Kerbey Lane Café

3704 Kerbey Ln, Austin, TX 78731

Austin loves the diner chain’s daytime and nighttime quesos. First, there’s the base queso. Then there’s the house queso with guacamole and pico de gallo. And then, for a heartier take, try the Cowboy queso, mixed with black beans plus guacamole and pico de gallo. There’s also a vegan option made with cashew cheese. All come with optional veggie or pork chorizo. Pickup orders can be placed online; all locations feature indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

3704 Kerbey Ln, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 451-1436
(512) 451-1436
A bowl of queso in a tray of chips.
Kerbey Lane Cafe’s queso.
Kerbey Lane Cafe

Posse East

2900 Duval St, Austin, TX 78705

The campus bar’s queso ad chips are on point and come with optional meat. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

2900 Duval St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 477-2111
(512) 477-2111

Maudie's Cafe

2608 W 7th St, Austin, TX 78703

The Tex-Mex chain restaurant offers classic chile con queso and the Diablo Sol Food, a version with taco beef and pico de gallo (with the option to add guacamole). Place pickup orders online; all locations feature indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2608 W 7th St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 473-3740
(512) 473-3740

Better Half Coffee & Cocktails

406 Walsh St, Austin, TX 78703

This all-day Clarksville-adjacent cafe bucks the trend by offering queso with pastrami, avocado, crema, cheese crumbles, pickled onions, and beet powder. There’s also a standard cheesy version and a vegan option. Place pickup orders online; there are outdoor and indoor dine-in services.

406 Walsh St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 645-0786
(512) 645-0786

El Alma

1025 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704

Make a meal out of El Alma’s queso fundido, served with tortillas and optional poblano strips, onions, mushrooms, grilled chicken, or pork pastor. There’s also a queso blanco y rojo with arbol salsa, poblanos, with corn tostadas.

1025 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 609-8923
(512) 609-8923

Tacodeli

1500 Spyglass Dr Suite B, Austin, TX 78746

The one-two hit of breakfast tacos and morning queso is a good way to wake up from the Austin-born taco chain. Pickup orders can be placed online; most locations include outdoor and indoor dine-in areas.

1500 Spyglass Dr Suite B, Austin, TX 78746
(512) 732-0303
(512) 732-0303

Matt's Famous El Rancho

2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

The iconic meaty dish is an institution for good reason: the Bob Armstrong Dip, named after the late politician, comes with a mix of queso, guacamole, and taco meat, making it stand above the cheesy fray. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 462-9333
(512) 462-9333
A pair of hands holding onto a bowl of yellow cheese dip with dollops of ground meat and guacamole on top of a placemat that notes information about Matt’s El Rancho.
Queso at Matt’s El Rancho.
Robert J. Lerma/Eater Austin

Magnolia Cafe

1920 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704

The longtime Bouldin Creek cafe’s Mag Mud works miracles at any hour of the day. The secret is black beans. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1920 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 445-0000
(512) 445-0000

Curra's Grill

614 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704

The South Austin Mexican restaurant is upfront with what makes its Kelly’s queso so good: Land O’ Lakes’ extra-melt American cheese. There are also other quesos, ranging from chile con queso to the queso flameado. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

614 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 444-0012
(512) 444-0012

Torchy’s Tacos

2809 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

Everyone still loves the queso at the Austin-born taco chain. One Eater reader called it the queso “the one I crave, all the time.” The green chile queso comes with guacamole, queso fresco, cilantro, and its house diablo hot sauce. Pickup and delivery orders can be placed online; most locations offer indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2809 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

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