Juan in a Million

Austin, TX (The Joy of Food) — Austin loves the food puns. Coat & Thai, Thai, How Are You?, Bananarchy, Pho King, and of course, Juan in a Million. This is dining by Mother Goose.

Juan in a Million is a hole-in-the-wall purveyor of traditional Tex-Mex cuisine, easily rating as some of the best of this type of food in the city.

Open since 1980, Juan in a Million is best known for its extensive Mexican breakfast menu. From the get-go, its founders sought to revolutionize the Austin breakfast scene. At a price of $5.95, the massive Don Juan taco is the claim to fame here, a heaping plate of bacon, potatoes, eggs, and cheese served on a warm tortilla the size of which could feed a small country.

I’ve only seen pictures and heard stories, but everything points to this being a dish that can stave off hunger for a week. Apparently that idiot on Man v. Food tried to eat several of these in one go and failed.

For lunch, I recommend the quesadilla plate, a large flour tortilla griddled full of delicious American cheese with the typical accompaniments (sour cream, pico de gallo, and guacamole). Although the flour tortilla is not made in-house, it has a subtle flavor. You can add beef or chicken if you are so inclined, but the heaping gooey cheese alone is happiness galore.

The queso here, while easily heart attack-inducing, is a must-have in this neck of the woods. This is delightfully thick and hot and pairs perfectly with the chips and salsa offered for a small fee ($1.99). This same queso gets poured over many an entree on the Juan in a Million menu.

It’s clear the majority of items are made to order, and whatever is pre-made, like the queso, is kept properly warmed. A smaller establishment like Juan in a Million has the advantage of swift and efficient kitchen-to-table delivery, in turn benefiting the patron with a ‘fresher’ experience.

From the outside, the place looks like a fast-food truck stop in a seedy part of town, including the neon signage and bars on the windows and doors. Don’t let this deter you. The delights you’ll find inside are both tasty and affordable and have a loyal fan base of locals.

Juan in a Million is located east of the downtown city center on E. Cesar Chavez St., easily reachable by car, foot, or with one of those scooters that have become a scourge across many cities in the U.S., Austin included. Only open until 3 p.m. daily, there is normally a line out the door so plan accordingly for your breakfast, lunch, or hangover fix.

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Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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