As a young adult who has been in East Austin my entire life (before the gentrification), I’ve gone to Joe’s VERY frequently and still continue to when I’m CRAVING their tacos and pink cakes.🤤 Their caldo de res is IMMACULATE, especially if you’re sick—it warms my soul. As the other reviews said, YES, the bacon is DIFFERENT here.🥓🥵
As for the negative reviews, in my opinion the atmosphere hasn’t changed since I was a little girl except the type of people in the area. A lot of the staff were the same until a couple years ago, but overall, having a sense of entitlement is NOT welcomed here. No one is going to bend over backwards for you. This is a very well known and BUSY establishment.
Overall, be kind. If you don’t like the food or service, go somewhere else. I promise this establishment has PLENTY of customers who love the food, environment and staff. It’s a staple of East Austin and it’s not going anywhere.☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Ashley Fischer
The flavors are bold, the vibe is cozy, and the bacon? Absolutely a must-try—crispy and unforgettable. Perfect for small groups looking to kick off the morning with something satisfying and local.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alberto Frausto
The food here is really good one of Austin best. Complemented by a grate staff. I will always come back to this amazing restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jasmine thomas
Such a big disappointment. I have not been here in YEARS and it has significantly changed. There was no greeting with hospitality. In fact the lady that introduced herself with the spiked hair was extremely rude with NO COMMUNICATION skills. The food was terrible. Store bought stale crispy tacos, beef not seasoned. Quesadillas and enchiladas chicken were very bland. The menudo was decent but they charge .75 for cilantro. Like what’s menudo not paired with onion and cilantro? Queso was entirely too thick. I can’t imagine what it does in the inside. This use to be such an amazing place but I will not be coming back here ever. We left most of the food on the plate. We spent 175.00 because it was a large group. Our server Ms Linda was nice and pleasant. She was the only breath of fresh air we encountered.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Mary Ann Gonzales
can get busy but service has always been great/friendly. It has a cozy/family feel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kevin Brown
Good eating!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashley Adams
I came in this morning to get a small cup of menudo and had the worst possible service. Regina had the worse attitude possible. I asked for a reasonable accommodation and she treated me with disrespect.
Service: 1
Vanessa R
No hospitality, server was judgmental over the food I ordered and the food wasn’t so good. I was hoping for some kind of hospitality that would’ve made my experience a good one
A family restaurant that shows the Texan American fusion in town. The best sweet bread ever.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delane Wilson
An iconic Austin must do.....
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chorizo Con Huevos Plate, Barbacoa Tacos
bella
As someone who grew up in Austin, I’d always heard, “You’ve got to try Joe’s Bakery!” I was excited to finally experience the famous homemade tortillas and baked goods for myself. Unfortunately, my visit was far from the warm, welcoming experience I had expected. Upon arriving with my family, we were asked to put our name on a waiting list. That’s normal—but what was odd was the group of about five staff members behind the counter. A few seemed to be working, while the others just stood around, looking disengaged, as if they had nothing to do.
Once our name was called, no one greeted us or showed us to our table properly. They simply pointed us in the direction of a table and walked away. No offer of a high chair for our toddler, no menus, no welcome—nothing. After sitting down, we waited a full 20 minutes before a server finally approached us with a very blunt, “What do y’all want?” No greeting, no apology for the wait, just straight to business.
We gave her our drink order and decided to order our food at the same time, unsure of when we’d get her attention again. When she returned with the drinks, I went up to the counter to ask for straws, only to be told they don’t provide them. No explanation, no courtesy—just a flat-out refusal.
For a family-owned Austin staple, I expected a lot more hospitality. The food may have a reputation, but the experience left a bad taste in my mouth—not because of the food, but because of the lack of customer service. The entire staff seemed uninterested in making guests feel welcome or cared for.
Joe’s Bakery might be a local favorite, but based on my experience, it’s hard to see why. I didn’t leave feeling satisfied—I left disappointed, frustrated, and unlikely to return
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Curtis Traveling
Iconic East Austin breakfast spot. Chorizo, eggs, and fluffy tortillas—doesn’t get more authentic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pete Perez
My favorite & always the best Menudo & there carna guisada the best always … ❤️❤️🙏
As a young adult who has been in East Austin my entire life (before the gentrification), I’ve gone to Joe’s VERY frequently and still continue to when I’m CRAVING their tacos and pink cakes.🤤 Their caldo de res is IMMACULATE, especially if you’re sick—it warms my soul. As the other reviews said, YES, the bacon is DIFFERENT here.🥓🥵
As for the negative reviews, in my opinion the atmosphere hasn’t changed since I was a little girl except the type of people in the area. A lot of the staff were the same until a couple years ago, but overall, having a sense of entitlement is NOT welcomed here. No one is going to bend over backwards for you. This is a very well known and BUSY establishment.
Overall, be kind. If you don’t like the food or service, go somewhere else. I promise this establishment has PLENTY of customers who love the food, environment and staff. It’s a staple of East Austin and it’s not going anywhere.☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
The flavors are bold, the vibe is cozy, and the bacon? Absolutely a must-try—crispy and unforgettable. Perfect for small groups looking to kick off the morning with something satisfying and local.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food here is really good one of Austin best. Complemented by a grate staff. I will always come back to this amazing restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a big disappointment. I have not been here in YEARS and it has significantly changed. There was no greeting with hospitality. In fact the lady that introduced herself with the spiked hair was extremely rude with NO COMMUNICATION skills. The food was terrible. Store bought stale crispy tacos, beef not seasoned. Quesadillas and enchiladas chicken were very bland. The menudo was decent but they charge .75 for cilantro. Like what’s menudo not paired with onion and cilantro? Queso was entirely too thick. I can’t imagine what it does in the inside. This use to be such an amazing place but I will not be coming back here ever. We left most of the food on the plate. We spent 175.00 because it was a large group. Our server Ms Linda was nice and pleasant. She was the only breath of fresh air we encountered.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
can get busy but service has always been great/friendly. It has a cozy/family feel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good eating!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came in this morning to get a small cup of menudo and had the worst possible service. Regina had the worse attitude possible. I asked for a reasonable accommodation and she treated me with disrespect.
Service: 1
No hospitality, server was judgmental over the food I ordered and the food wasn’t so good. I was hoping for some kind of hospitality that would’ve made my experience a good one
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Awesome spot
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Always blessed to enjoy a meal here !!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
A family restaurant that shows the Texan American fusion in town. The best sweet bread ever.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An iconic Austin must do.....
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chorizo Con Huevos Plate, Barbacoa Tacos
As someone who grew up in Austin, I’d always heard, “You’ve got to try Joe’s Bakery!” I was excited to finally experience the famous homemade tortillas and baked goods for myself. Unfortunately, my visit was far from the warm, welcoming experience I had expected.
Upon arriving with my family, we were asked to put our name on a waiting list. That’s normal—but what was odd was the group of about five staff members behind the counter. A few seemed to be working, while the others just stood around, looking disengaged, as if they had nothing to do.
Once our name was called, no one greeted us or showed us to our table properly. They simply pointed us in the direction of a table and walked away. No offer of a high chair for our toddler, no menus, no welcome—nothing. After sitting down, we waited a full 20 minutes before a server finally approached us with a very blunt, “What do y’all want?” No greeting, no apology for the wait, just straight to business.
We gave her our drink order and decided to order our food at the same time, unsure of when we’d get her attention again. When she returned with the drinks, I went up to the counter to ask for straws, only to be told they don’t provide them. No explanation, no courtesy—just a flat-out refusal.
For a family-owned Austin staple, I expected a lot more hospitality. The food may have a reputation, but the experience left a bad taste in my mouth—not because of the food, but because of the lack of customer service. The entire staff seemed uninterested in making guests feel welcome or cared for.
Joe’s Bakery might be a local favorite, but based on my experience, it’s hard to see why. I didn’t leave feeling satisfied—I left disappointed, frustrated, and unlikely to return
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Iconic East Austin breakfast spot. Chorizo, eggs, and fluffy tortillas—doesn’t get more authentic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My favorite & always the best Menudo & there carna guisada the best always … ❤️❤️🙏
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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