Arriba Abajo — Restaurant in Austin

1st experience below 2nd experience Friday night 4 top 7 pm with fiancés parents. Drinks and apps fantastic. Waiting 2nd round and food at exactly 8 pm music goes from unreasonably loud to around 125 db can’t even make out a single word from screaming at each other from 1.5 ft away…we asked to move outside due to the absurd BS dj levels and were assured there were no open tables outside due to a large party…after asking to move/close/or speak to The manager 3 times, manager who was quite lovely and doing the best she could assured us the level would drop, and it did…food was good, music was absurd loud but not long term hearing damage situation for a little while. At 845 volume went back to monster truck jam levels…oh yeah brotheeeer…tables outside that we asked to go to while they try out this hearing loss foundation ground zero sat empty all night. The “60 top” stayed at the bar then shuffled inside while holiday inn Reno airport dj kept pounding the hits…

Truth is food is pretty good. It feels like the hotel is trying to attract 19 year old bachelorette parties coupled with married men on business trips that would be excited to see and send drinks over without the ability to speak to them. I love good food and drinks and happily pay way too much all over the city. I wanted this to be a new regular spot but their desire to create a poor man’s bottle club/wait on a table vibe while they’re at a hotel lobby has probably made it the last time we’ll be there. Hopefully they fail soon and try that concept of the first time we went not too long ago with great food and drinks and service. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe austin really is just for bachelorette parties and dudes paying. I’m not sure. maybe im confused from the flash bang grenade dinner and show experience I had tonight. Stay safe out there. Go somewhere else…unless you’re hearing impaired and know sign language or have earplugs/shooting cans waiting to go stand 2 feet in front of a speaker stack at acl.

Got lucky and had a wait at a nearby spot. First time sat outside. Jill was incredible, from drinks to food recommendations everything was incredible. Will definitely be back. Thanks for the...

Came for brunch today and was really excited to try this place as I’m coming from out of town. I took time to review the menu and make sure it was to my liking because of my allergies.

It had a beautiful atmosphere and loved the greenery vibes. 5 stars for the aesthetic.

4 stars for the food. It was good but not my favorite. My friend and I shared the Steak and Eggs and Horchata French toast. We asked for over medium eggs, they were definitely over hard. We were informed that they only cook the fajita meat to well done (had to put my Texan card for medium rare away). The menu called for chimmichuri sauce on it, yet it did not come with any. This was the finishing touch I was hoping for when I had reviewed the menu. The French toast was just one thick piece and very sweet with all the sauce. These things considered, the food was cool.

The 2 stars goes for the waitress. She seemed very bothered by us being there. I was asking questions and making sure my allergy needs were met (nuts and some fruits. Nothing crazy). I started with the seasonal fruit and asked which fruits it was, she said whatever is in season. I’m sorry, I don’t have a fruit dictionary to let me know these things. Then she informed us that the fajita steak was only well done. That’s how they cook it. We said ok. The food came out and there was no chimmichuri on the steak and eggs. I informed her and she said it doesn’t come with it. However it’s clearly written on the menu. I said, ok may I have some. I then waited 15 minutes for the sauce to come as I watched her handle other tables requests. My friend made eye contact and she finally stopped by and said it was coming. At this point I had 3 bites left and the food was getting cold. I’d excuse it to it being busy but people didn’t start coming in until we were...

Great Atmosphere, But Everything Else Falls Short

I’ve visited Arriba Abajo multiple times, hoping for growth or improvement, but the experience remains largely the same: visually charming yet consistently underwhelming. The rooftop setting is easily its strongest asset—lush with natural light, well-designed furniture, and views of downtown that give the space a refreshing, elevated feel. There’s also an indoor DJ, which adds potential for energy, but the outdoor speaker setup is too quiet to carry the vibe fully.

Service, unfortunately, is hit-or-miss and often feels disjointed. Food presentation is always beautiful—bright, colorful, and photogenic—but the flavors never quite live up to the visuals. The dishes tend to fall flat, lacking the depth or seasoning you’d expect from a place that markets itself as elevated Mexican cuisine. The queso, however, is a solid exception and worth ordering.

Drinks are well-crafted and taste great, but the portion sizes are disappointingly small for the price. The vibrant frozen cocktails look festive but feel more like a sip than a sit-and-savor.

The interior dining space has a noticeable damp or “wet” smell that hasn’t gone unnoticed across visits, which detracts from the ambiance and could be addressed with better ventilation or upkeep.

In short, Arriba Abajo has potential—it nails aesthetic appeal and sets the stage beautifully—but it hasn’t quite followed through where it matters most: flavor, hospitality, and atmosphere cohesion. It’s best for a quick rooftop drink and snack, not a full...