Salsa options range from mild and tangy, to slightly sweet fire sauce. Clockwise above: medium heat tomato based salsa, hot Habanero sauce, and mild tomatillo sauce.
Lunch specials include $4.99 for two tacos and an iced tea (including refills). I tried the Cochinito Pibil tacos, pork in a habenero sauce cooked in banana leaves, which was flavorful and very tender. If you are gluten-free, ask for corn tortillas. I didn’t ask if they have separate kitchen areas for the gluten-free orders, although a friend eats there on a regular basis who recently discovered their aversion to gluten.
This is one of the other lunch special tacos on the menu: Green Chile. Not spicy. Pork is just as tender as the first tacos. I removed most of the large pieces of white onion, otherwise it’s a great taco.
Also tried the vegetarian option on the lunch menu that did not involve fish, the Spinach Enchiladas, which were tasty and full of veggies. The black beans were slightly harder than I would make them.
Lastly, the carnitas rojo tacos which are pork simmered in a red sauce, probably my favorite so far.
The atmosphere is hole-in-the-wall but the staff were all pleasant. They try to spruce up the tangerine walls with art and mirrors. It lacks in high class comforts but makes up for it with authentic Mexican flavors. Evidence is on the chalkboard menu on the wall next to the kitchen, it lists “Gourmet Tacos” which are not found on the menu, you’ll have to ask if they have any of them available that day.
Molca’s is at 8127 Mesa Dr, Austin, TX 78759
For more Mexican restaurants check out my city guide post, or view the entire Austin City Guide here.
midnitechef 
I need to visit Texas soon! Thanks for the awesome post!
Yes you do! This week is SXSW (look it up on Twitter, it’s crazy) or come in the fall for Austin City Limits, but you need to sign up on the email list if there’s any chance of scoring tickets. This year ACL will be 2 weekends 🙂 Or just come for the food!
I was wondering what that was! Between SXSW and ACL which did you like most?
I like the music at ACL better, there are usually more and better bands there, and it’s all in Zilker Park, you don’t have to run around downtown trying to get in to shows. Once you’re in the park, you’re golden at ACL! But – it’s a long 2 days, be prepared with sunscreen, hat, water.
I came into this Mexican restraunt with high hopes… With two people, me and my mother, the chips came in a small bowl, hardly 20 chips and then just crushed crumbs, soon we order taco salad and drinks, and after getting my mothers drink and our salad, three things wrong right off the bat, one the smell, it smelled, and tasted, like cat food, second, I didn’t have a drink to wash down the taste and lastly, as I reach over to steal her drink, at the bottom of both our plates was a small pool of water, I do not expect to come back here short of gunpoint
Hey Brandon, sorry to hear of your experience there. I know they had some changes in staff recently, the last time I was there a couple weeks ago the server brought the wrong lunch special for my guest. They corrected the mistake immediately, no questions asked.