El Monumento was designed to mimic a Mexican hacienda, with a leafy, lush courtyard in the center and the windowed walls of the restaurant and bar surrounding it.

The side opposite the courtyard holds an outdoor patio overlooking the San Gabriel river. The founders—who also own Monument Cafe next door—wanted to establish a farm-to-table concept by Blue Hole Park; they opened El Monumento in October 2012, General Manager Cherie Wells said.

The core of the restaurant’s menu is Interior Mexican, but Tex-Mex items have been added over the years in response to local preferences, Assistant General Manager Alex Weber said.

The asadas (fajitas), along with seafood dishes such as grilled camerones (shrimp), are the most popular, Weber said.

“We seasonally rotate different fish dishes inspired with more Interior flavors,” he said. We also have the best queso in the Austin area.”

Wells added the restaurant has exceptional margaritas, too, scratch-made with 100% Blue Agave tequila.

Every six to 12 months the menu is changed up, Weber said. It is being altered to include more tapas.

“We’ve realized a lot of our guests in the area are wanting to have drinks and appetizers,” Wells said. “We’re also jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to dietary needs and restrictions and will be offering more fresh items that are keto- and paleo-friendly.”

Regarding making sure everyone feels included, Wells said the restaurant also added several menu items for the younger demographic, such as chicken tenders and queso macaroni.

“I think a lot of guests that dine with us utilize this space as more of a date night spot,” she said. “We want people to know we love families.”

The food is delicious; the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind; and the bar program is phenomenal, Weber added. “The overall experience a guest gets to have dining here is just fantastic,” he said. “We hope more people in the area will come and visit us.”