13233 Pond Springs Rd Ste 301
Austin TX 78729
250-1061
Overall Rating: +2.5/+3
Strip mall tex mex off 183.
Suggested by Mike Deans--thanks!
Poorly Structured Lunch Specials
Reviewer: Chris
Original Review Date: 11/11/2005
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
Hmm, I'm detecting a disturbing tex-mex trend here in North Austin. My last two experiences both charged extra (and exactly the same amount extra, by the way) for a side of jalapeņos and onions. Harumph. That, as noted in the other review, is a Tex-Mex Crime.
As for the meal, the chips (thin like I like 'em) and salsa were quite good. It was a promising start. But the lunch specials confused things right off the bat. I found it odd and not very accomodating that none of the lunch specials comes with rice & beans. They cost $1.00 extra. It is not very tex mexy in my opinion to structure your specials this way. Rice & beans should be standard with all the "typical" tex mex platters. The specials do include a soft drink, though (as noted on the menu, "Soft Drink Includes"). I asked the waiter if I could substitute the rice & beans for a soft drink, since I had no interest in consuming a soft drink. He checked and they denied the request. So I forked over the $1.00 extra to get the rice & beans, which turned out to be pretty mediocre and certainly not worth an extra fee.
I got the #2 lunch special for $5.99--two cheese enchiladas, guacamole salad and chile con queso. The guacamole was good, the queso was good, the enchiladas were just ok. The cheese was a bit too velveeta-y (I realize velveeta style cheese is the norm for this type of tex-mex, and I embrace that culinary tradition decried by many-a foodie, but this cheese seemed just a bit too American-cheesy, for some reason), and the chile sauce was a bit thin. I like the chile sauce to be thick and rich. This was neither.
And then the check came, indicating 75¢ for the side of jalapeños and 50¢ for the side of onions. Truly disappointing. Add that surcharge to my rice & beans fee, and the meal approached $9.00. Quite a lot of pecuniary punishment just to try and assemble a decent plate of tex mex.
The service was just fair. My dirty plates stayed in front of me for several minutes and witnessed the passing of numerous servers before my waiter came by to retrieve them. The credit card bill was given to me without a pen.
So overall, the food is not bad, but there was nothing notable about my dish, and the extra nit-picky fees for tex-mex essentials leave a bad taste in my mouth, so Crown Garden is therefore certainly not worth another 10 minute drive from my office.
Awesome Mole!
Reviewer: Michele 68.93.135.205
Review Date: 11/06/2008 03:09PM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
This is a fantastic restaurant. The parking stinks and it's in a strip mall, but the food is amazing. Try the cheese enchilada lunch special but ask for mole sauce instead. Chips and queso come with the special and two fajitas are perfect for lunch. The mole is the best in Austin, who'd have thought from this hole in the wall?
okay!
Reviewer: unname 70.122.31.102
Review Date: 10/14/2008 06:54PM
Rating: +2/+3(Goooood)
this is to da first comment...this guy is cheap and doesn't wanna waste any money on a meal...wow!! people like that need to stay home and make there own meals..that way you won't have to waste any money!! do us a favor and to the one that said about guadalajara on lamar ive been there and that food is so gross it made me sick! and why would you want them to speak spanish to you...what if the mess up ur meal?? aren't we in America??
It's okay.
Reviewer: Ly 66.45.70.190
Review Date: 09/15/2008 12:05PM
Rating: 0/+3(Ho hum)
Firstly, to the person that called Jardin's cheese not "Velveeta-y" but instead "authentic Mexican cheese", what part of Mexico is this cheese from, Victoria, TX? It is not authentic. Panella is. The food is alright; I've eaten there twice and wasn't satisfied, but it wasn't terrible. I absolutely do not consider it "real" Mexican food because I've yet to find a Mexican or restaurant in Mexico that stuffs a chicken breast with anything. However, their breakfast tacos, which I've only had once, have definitely left me craving another...constantly!!!! If you like Mexican food that tastes more like something from Mexico, rather than just Texas, try Taqueria Guadalajara on N. Larmar; they know how to make a real meal and the girls were much more friendly, they even spoke to me in Spanish!
Good drinks, ok food.
Reviewer: Keely 70.112.23.9
Review Date: 07/05/2008 10:42PM
Rating: +2/+3(Goooood)
I've only been here once, but it was an overall pleasant experience. We went at like 630 on a saturday and only waited 15 minutes or so to get a table, which gave us a chance to get a margarita from the bar. Strong, huge, and tasty i say! I split a combination plate with one other person that came with 2 enchiladas, rice, beans, guac, and a taco. Plenty of food at a reasonable price - it wasn't anything extremely delicious but it was decent.
Great pople !!
Reviewer: Jesica 12.144.194.242
Review Date: 05/31/2008 01:47PM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
This place has the best food ever !! and Alex Almada is great he is so nice i just love everything about this place >>
Love their breakfast tacos
Reviewer: Deb 70.124.88.222
Review Date: 03/06/2008 10:01PM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
I've eaten lunch, dinner, and breakfast here and love it. Not sure what the AusLunch reviewer is talking about when he says the cheese is too "velveeta-y" for him. This is the same authentic Mexican cheese that's served at the other establishment (Amaya's Taco Village) where he made the same comment in his review. Seems like this guy prefers Cheddar; not a Mexican cheese. Anyway, Jardin Corona has excellent food. My favorites are their breakfast tacos, carne guisada, and for dinner a chicken dish w/verde sauce and cheese on the chicken breast (sorry - can't remember the exact name). Also notable is the fact they have horchata on tap. Give this place a try - you won't regret it!!!!
Jardin Corona is my favorite Mexican Food in NorthWest Austin
Reviewer: Tom O 208.45.149.114
Review Date: 01/21/2008 11:47AM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
I love Jardin Corona.
I have not had one disappointing dish at Jardin Corona. I like the taste of their food over everything else I have had in NorthWest Austin. Many texmex places seem to over-season the food, but not Jardin Corona.
Combine that with the fact that they have a drive through, and that bumps it up higher. I call in my order from home, drive through to pick it ip, and bring it home to eat still piping hot.
because it's not tex mex
Reviewer: john 70.113.90.244
Review Date: 01/13/2008 08:54AM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
If it does not seem tex mex to you that is becase it is not tex mex. It is mexican food, which is becoming rare in Austin. If you want tex mex you should stop by the grocery store and buy a can of beans and add some tomato sauce to some minute rice and enjoy!
I Love This Place
Reviewer: Sharon 158.116.158.130
http://indian_irish_angel%40yahoo.com
Review Date: 10/23/2007 01:42PM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
I have lived in Austin area 5 years and this is the best of the over 20 Mexican Food Restaurants I have eaten at. I could eat Mexican Food 7 days a week and I have had better but it was in Pueblo Colorado and served with delicious green chili sauce, nothing like the green sauce here in Austin. I also love Jardin's "Pina Coladas", and queso is very good. The one on Pond Springs is my favorite and the food seems to be better than the one in Cedar Park. The waiters are friendly and I have always been very satisified with my food and service. The place is a little small, and no beautiful scenery, but if its good food with a good price you want, I would recommend Jardin Corona. I love this place.
Great Queso!!!
Reviewer: Jared 66.69.200.90
Review Date: 04/19/2007 08:19PM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
I absolutely love this place and if you live out in Cedar Park, TX 78613 i go to the one there and the food is amazing, the atmosphere is definitely not first class, but who cares when the food is great. The one in Cedar Park does have rice and beans that come with the plates automatically and they do not charge for jalapenos or onions most of the time, depending on what waitor you have so that's not a problem, yes their chips and queso are to die for!!! : ) And their Papa Nachos are ridiculously amazing as well!!!! I recommend going there highly!
Great Food and Service!!!
Reviewer: Estrellita 168.40.82.121
Review Date: 06/15/2006 09:01AM
Rating: +3/+3(Great)
I have eaten at this restaurant a couple of times and it has become one of my favorite places to eat Mexican Food. I consider the food to be real Mexican food instead of Tex-Mex. It is an extremely clean environment and they have awesome waiters! After my first visit, I fell in love with Jardin Corona. I try to make a stop at least once a week and each time I try something new!!!