In Texas, and especially in Austin, Tex-Mex food is easily found. But for great Tex-Mex — whether it’s breakfast tacos, lunchtime fajita nachos, or a dinnertime baked chile relleno platter, local foodies frequent Maudie’s Hacienda. And the lively, family-friendly atmosphere makes visitors feel right at home. Whether for an intimate meal or a group gathering, Maudie’s Hacienda has the space and resources to make all its guests happy. In fact, making people happy is one of Maudie’s core values — great food, great company and a great time.
An Austin Legend
Founded in the 1950s by Maudie Wilson Hamilton, Maudie’s original location on Lake Austin Boulevard won an enviable reputation for delicious home-style cooking. Loyal clientele routinely braved long lines in the Texas elements for breakfast and lunch.
Then, in the early 1990s, Joe Draker was looking for a home to rent on his return to Austin. As legend has it, he was investigating a “For Rent” sign on a home next door to Maudie’s house. As he walked away, Maudie’s daughter called out to him, “Hey, you wouldn’t wanna buy a café, would ya?”
As a matter of fact, he was interested and visited with Maudie, whose health was failing. Details of the sale were arranged, and Joe Draker became the proud new owner of Maudie’s Café in 1992. While Draker was determined to maintain the family-style feeling and great food, he decided to transform the menu and remake Maudie’s as a Tex-Mex restaurant. Customers loved it. Since then, Draker has opened five more successful locations for Maudie’s, including Maudie’s Hacienda near Cherry Creek.
In another strategic move to build on the longer than 50-year legacy of great comfort food, Maudie’s has become known for top-notch catering, offering their award-winning service and delectable dishes for corporate events, private parties, and weddings.
All Natural, All the Time: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner
Maudie’s prides itself on being all natural — all the time. The kitchen uses all natural Angus beef, all natural chicken, pork and organic eggs, giving customers one more reason to appreciate this well-loved restaurant. Maudie’s strives to have something on the menu to appeal to any customer who walks through its doors. So while Maudie’s is all about Tex-Mex comfort food, they have not forgotten about people looking for healthier options. The restaurant provides a gluten-free menu, vegetarian platters, veggie tacos and tempting salads.
Among the most popular lunch and dinner dishes at Maudie’s is the Enchiladas Perfecto. Enchiladas Perfecto will never be mistaken for any Tex-Mex fast food — they are the essence of authentic down-home Texas Tex-Mex cheesy comfort classics. The platter comes with three corn tortillas rolled and stuffed with plenty of cheese, smothered in a house-made special chili con carne sauce and topped with chile con queso and raw chopped onions. It doesn’t get more authentic than that. You can complement the platter with some rice and beans on request.
Many of Maudie’s loyal customers have strong opinions about which Maudie’s breakfast options are the best. Some swear by the Marfa Stack — stacked red chile cheese enchiladas with two fried eggs on top, garnished with onions and served with refried beans. Others swear by Maudie’s tacos, especially early-morning eye-opener Pete’s Tantalizing Tacos. Pete’s tacos are filled with scrambled organic eggs, natural sausage, potato, cheese, and onions, and seriously spiked with some spicy Serrano peppers.
A Full Menu of Awards and Accolades
Over the years, Maudie’s has won numerous awards not only for its exceptional food, but also for extraordinarily good Margaritas — always prepared with fresh-squeezed lime juice. Maudie’s customers enjoy great prices on prize winning Margaritas (plus Mexican Martinis, imported beer, and various other specialty drinks) during happy hour.
It seems like in any given year Maudie’s wins some type of award, whether it’s a critic’s award or reader’s favorite award. For instance, Maudie’s won the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin Award for the Best Smiling Service in a Restaurant. From 2006 to 2012, readers ranked Maudie’s tops with numerous Readers’ Favorites awards. In 2005, they received critics’ Tex-Mex “Worth Gassing Up That Ol’ SUV For” award.
And the accolades keep coming with no end in sight. As the locally owned chain grows, Maudie’s continues to serve up great food, enhancing its legacy as an Austin dining landmark one tasty meal at a time.