South by South First

Jovita's Cantina (Photo By John Anderson)

Jovita's Cantina

Mon-Sat, 11am-10pm

In Austin, almost everyone who calls themselves a resident has come to dine at Jovita's at least once. This funky sprawling restaurant is one of the increasingly rare Austin eateries where people can still feel like they share in a small-town community. It's the kind of place where people accidentally encounter neighbors, colleagues, or out-of-touch friends; in 1993 Jovita's was named "Best New Approach to a Mexican-American Cultural Center" by the Chronicle. For over a decade, Jovita's has been serving satisfying Tex-Mex, notable not so much for its originality as for its complete and reliable typicality. Enchiladas play the dominant role on the menu. With chili sauce, ranchero sauce, mole or green sauce, ground beef, chicken, or cheese, Jovita's enchiladas go straight to the heart of deeply rooted Tex-Mex desire. Other dishes include carne guisada, fluffy chiles rellenos, and chalupas. Most nights feature Austin's number-one locally grown product -- great music. Hometown yodeler Don Walser reigns in the Tuesday night slot, while Cajun swinger Ponty Bone enlivens the stage every Wednesday. For warmer nights, Jovita's has a great outdoor seating area, where customers come to eat, listen to great music, and dance to well-known favorites sung by some of Austin's most beloved troubadours.