Tacos and Tequila: TNT

Tacos and Tequila: TNT

Front entrance of TnT
(photo: TnT Tacos and Tequlia Facebook)

I was raised to believe that the average person’s Sunday should consist of two things: relaxation and food.  What better way to enjoy these two entities by combining them into one activity? Thus, the birth of “brunch.” By simply merging the words “breakfast” and “lunch,” a trend was created that has shaped the lives of millions. Since moving to Austin in 2010, I’ve made it my own mission to research the best brunches this city has to offer and try them out for myself. After stuffing myself with food, I base my experience on four main criteria:

•         Food
•         Atmosphere
•         Drinks
•         Cost

My most recent brunching excursion led to me to a restaurant ranked sixth on Yelp.com’s search for the best brunch in Austin, Texas. Tacos and Tequila, or otherwise known as TNT, sits snuggly on the corner of 5th and Pressler St., Austin, Texas. My roommates and I decided to pay TNT a visit a few Sundays ago.

Buffet set up in front of open kitchen
(photo: TnT Tacos and Tequila Facebook)

FOOD: Tacos and Tequila’s brunch is buffet style and includes several made-to-order chef stations. The buffet is set up all along a bar area that gives you a direct view into the kitchen. I found the order of the buffet to be very interesting. To the far left, which many consider the start of the buffet line, was an array of desserts. Here you could find anything from chocolate cake, to flan, to ice cream and churros. I guess TNT truly believes that life is short, eat dessert first. The rest of the buffet line included heaping trays of chicken and cheese enchiladas, belgian waffles, migas and eggs benedict. My personal favorite stop in the line was a carved to order brisket station with homemade tortillas. After four platefuls of delicious food, my stomach was content. Their perfect combination of food that satisfies both your lunch and breakfast cravings earned top ratings in my book.                                                                                 

Interior dining area of TnT
(photo: TnT Tacos and Tequila Facebook)

ATMOSPHERE: Floor-to-ceiling windows help to make the stylish interior of TNT fully visible to the outside world. Inside the restaurant, the centerpiece of the room is the the rectangular-shaped bar, which features hundreds of bottles of alcohol being held in shelves suspended from the ceiling. The decoration was modern with eclectic light fixtures, lime green walls, and black and white chairs.  In my opinion, the coolest part of the restaurant was the open kitchen. I enjoy watching my food being prepared and seeing all that goes into the chaos and magic of a restaurant kitchen. There were two projection screens on the back wall of the restaurant. During the course of our meal, a series of odd videos played up on the screen that didn’t seem to match the music that was coming over the speakers. I found myself so distracted by the video that I sometimes missed the conversation going on at my table. 

DRINKS: Mimosas and champagne were included in the brunch. Yes, I repeat, mimosas and champagne were INCLUDED in the brunch. Now before you get too excited, let me warn you that a tiny asterisk at the bottom of the menu reads, “two drink maximum on champagne drinks.” Luckily, my roommates and I had a waiter who didn’t seem to be aware of this rule. We all enjoyed at least three mimosas each. Unfortunately others I’ve spoken to who have also dined at Tacos and Tequila for brunch have not been so lucky. Let’s conclude that the majority of the time, the two drink champagne rule stands. If you’re going to say champagne drinks included, don’t get our hopes up.  

COST: Tacos and Tequila brunch costs $18.95 a person. Kids ages 6-10 are $6.95, and ages 5 and under are free. All and all, I definitely think the price is worth the experience. All you can eat quality meal for under twenty bucks? I consider that one heck of a bargain.