About this vendor
El Chile Group Catering is a full-service wedding caterer based in Austin, TX. Their talented chefs offer versatile menus to suit couples’ unique visions. This friendly team strives to provide a five-star service. They will bend over backward to deliver an unforgettable dining experience.
The team at El Chile Group Catering builds its service around each couple. These skilled culinary artists meet with clients to come up with a concept. From here, they will begin crafting a mouth-watering selection of dishes. Flexibility and attention to detail are the pillars of this business. The team knows just how important personal details are on the big day. They use their talents to create a catering experience that is just as special as every other element. The team’s talents range from Latin American and Mexican cuisine to Italian and Southwestern dishes. Some of their specialty creations include goat’s cheese tartlets, spicy enchiladas, and delightful salads.
This catering team’s superpowers include delivering breakfast tacos to the wedding party bright and early. To-be-weds and their loved ones can fuel up for the day ahead with a delicious crunch. Before the celebrations, the team schedules a consultation with the happy couple. They will visit the venue before preparations get underway. The team can talk menu options, rentals, and more. To-be-weds can select dishes straight from the team’s repertoire. Alternatively, these experienced chefs are more than happy to come up with a signature creation. Once the menu has been planned out, couples are invited to a complimentary tasting. On the day, these experienced caterers will take charge of delivery, setup, and cleanup. The team is also licensed to serve alcohol. Guests can wash down each tasty dish with their favorite drink. An on-site event manager will oversee operations. This ensures that the food service runs as smoothly as possible.
Details
Business Attributes
- Hispanic or Latinx-owned Business
- LGBTQ+-owned Business
- Woman-owned Business
Cuisine
- French
- Italian
- Latin American
- Mexican
- Seafood
- Southern
Dietary Options
- Dairy Free
- Gluten Free
- Halal
- Kosher
- Nut Free
- Organic
Food & Catering
- Buffet
- Catering Clean Up
- Catering Delivery & Setup
- Chef Stations
- Family Style
- Menu Tastings
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.7
out of 5.022 reviews
Review photos
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We used this catering company for our wedding and, while everything was ultimately delivered as agreed on the day of the event, the overall experience was mixed.
The service staff...
were exceptional. Every server was kind, attentive, and genuinely caring toward our guests. One server in particular, whose name I believe started with a T, stood out for her warmth and professionalism. The service team made a very positive impression on our guests and played a significant role in the success of the evening.
The food itself was good, with well executed flavors, and the chef did a great job overall. We did receive some guest feedback that tortillas may have been better served on the side to prevent them from becoming soggy, which could be a helpful adjustment for future events.
The more challenging aspect of our experience was the planning process, especially in the days leading up to the wedding. While El Chile was responsive, many of their replies were vague and did not fully address the specific questions we raised. This often required us to follow up multiple times to obtain clear explanations, particularly regarding staffing needs, service structure, and associated costs. As these concerns were raised, communication began to feel increasingly difficult, which added unnecessary stress during an already busy time.
For an event with 90 confirmed initially and 80 final guests in attendance, the level of staffing felt disproportionate to the scope of services being provided, particularly since this company was not handling our appetizers. At least two staff members appeared to have no clear tasks throughout much of the event, which was noticed not only by us but also by several guests. This created some concern and reflected poorly from a guest perspective, especially given the significant service charges.
Additionally, from the appetizers from our other catering company to be used later in the evening. Some trays were left unused in the kitchen, and we later learned that two trays containing appetizers were missing by the end of the night, which was disappointing and we are unsure what happened, my event planner and wedding coordinator looked for them but apparently only a couple appetizers were left from earlier which no one knows what happened.
On the wedding day itself, the team executed what was promised, and we appreciate that the event ran as planned. However, compared to our other vendors, this company required the most follow up, clarification, and advocacy on our part and contributed the greatest amount of stress during the planning process. With clearer communication, greater transparency around staffing decisions, and more flexibility, the experience could have been much smoother.
We would recommend that future couples ask detailed questions early, request clear written explanations for staffing and service charges, and ensure expectations are fully aligned well in advance.
We had the pleasure of working with El Alma Catering for our wedding at the Wildflower Center, and it was an incredible experience. Mayra was a joy to work with, answering all my q...
uestions and ensuring every detail was perfect. The food was outstanding, and we received so many compliments from our guests. The flavors were bold, fresh, and the buffet is beautifully presented, making it a perfect fit for a Texas wedding. The bartending team was professional and efficient, and the house margaritas were a huge hit. Mayra even tracked down large cubes of ice for the old fashions! I highly recommend El Alma Catering for any event, especially at the Wildflower Center because they really understand the venue and make the transitions between spaces seamless. Their work ethic, amazing food, and top-notch service with our guests made our wedding day a blast.
We are beyond thrilled with our experience with El Chile Group, and especially with Mayra, who went above and beyond to make our wedding food unforgettable. From the very start, Ma...
yra was incredibly generous with her time, guiding us through the menu options and offering a tasting experience that truly blew us away. The flavors were exceptional, and it was clear that every dish was made with care and attention to detail.
Having high-quality, delicious food was a top priority for us, and El Chile Group delivered in the most spectacular way. Our guests were absolutely raving about the food throughout the night, with multiple people telling us it was hands down the best food they had ever had at a wedding. We couldn’t agree more!
El Chile Group made our wedding meal an experience, not just a service. If you're looking for incredible food that will leave a lasting impression, we highly recommend them. They went above and beyond, and we couldn’t have been happier with our choice! Highly recommend the brisket, live queso and elote stations, and for SURE the corn bread pudding. I’m still dreaming of our wedding food.
My now husband and I prioritized food for our wedding. We wanted our guests to enjoy a fantastic meal with great company - and that goal was absolutely achieved. Our guests still r...
ave about the food 6+ months later.
Working with Mayra was a fantastic experience. She is super responsive and takes the time to answer all your questions so that you feel confident going into the big day. We also had such a blast at the tasting, which was at El Alma. The Chef herself led the tasting, taking the time to describe and serve each plate to us. We immediately knew how much care and effort the El Chile Group puts into every event they cater.
I would recommend El Chile Group in a heartbeat. Incredible people, food, and service - what more could you ask for? As an added perk, we can now go to El Alma for anniversaries and special occasions to reminisce on the best day of our lives.
Mayra and her team made our wedding reception nothing short of perfect from start to finish. During times when working the room was extremely overwhelming, the team always made sur...
e our plates and drink glasses were full. They were kind enough to accommodate items not normally offered on the catering menu (duck on the taco party!). Our guests were impressed by the quality of the food, generous portions, and how well the appetizers + entrees + desserts paired together. We strongly recommend using their BYO package as the bartenders worked seamlessly with the rest of the crew. Mayra was very thorough in our initial consultation and throughout the process, helping our vision come to life.
Our food was DELICIOUS! We were so happy with how everything tasted, and how easy Mayra made the planning for us. We did fajitas, passed apps, and the late-night queso bar. We also...
used their bartending services, and their services were a huge compliment we heard from our guests.
We highly recommend El Chile group for your wedding! El Alma is one of our favorite restaurants in Austin and it was great to share their food with our guests – people are still ra...
ving about how good it was, especially the arrachera, salmon, and sweet potatoes! Mayra and Maddie were both amazing to work with. They were incredibly flexible and willing to work with us to create a menu that fit our vision. They had great attention to detail – from Maddie having a margarita ready for us after our ceremony to Mayra bringing us a full dinner plate before our family style service started for our guests. In the whirlwind of the evening, these personal touches were so helpful! The service from the entire team was fantastic. There was never a line at the bar, people enjoyed plenty of passed apps during cocktail hour and dinner service was so smooth. We can’t recommend them enough!
We had so many guests tell us this was the best wedding food they had. They were fantastic, the service was fantastic and they even went above and beyond by helping us time how we ...
were walking down the aisle when our procession plan changed due to rain. I would recommend them a thousand times over.
The entire crew at el alma was incredible!! From initial contact to tasting to rental pick out to walk through to day of. We couldn’t have asked for a better caterer and team. They...
were personable, helpful, and patient. And HOLY CRAP THE FOOD! We walked out of our tasting 10000% on board. And our wedding day was perfect with the most amazing food. I still dream of the deliciousness. There were so many options to pick from and were helpful with allergies/dietary restrictions. They brought a great team, bartenders, and handled rentals (place settings, linens, etc). Seriously, el alma, thank you!
We hired El Chile Group for our November '23 wedding and could not have been more pleased! Mayra was incredible during the entire planning process and helped us with menu selection...
as well as all rentals (linens, plates, glassware) through them! We did their buffet + bar package, with the most amazing meal: brisket, chicken enchiladas & veggie enchiladas, sweet potatoes, white rice, salad, queso bar, passed appetizers, and Mexican hot chocolate bar! They made our signature drinks (a chile salted marg, old fashioned and even a special cinnamon gin recipe we made!). Our guests loved the food and complimented how fresh and healthy it was, and the queso bar had a neverending line of excited guests! We loved that our wedding featured one of our favorite restaurants in town, and we didn't go with a company that is just a random catering big box group, like many of the ones in town. Instead we got to support local and woman owned! Now whenever we go to El Alma, we get to order the queso and enchiladas and reflect on our best day ever. Definitely recommend!
We got so many compliments from our wedding guests! The service was excellent! highly recommend!
Mayra and her crew were great to work with throughout the booking and planning stages. She had lots of experience catering at our venue and was very understanding of the fact that ...
we were on a budget. The guests were really happy with the food and drinks. Our vegetarian guests were especially happy to have such a delicious option.
If I could give 0 stars, I would. Company lacks communication and organization. Filled out a catering questionnaire and was paired with event coordinator. She reached out stating s...
he needed to have a phone meeting to put together a proposal. I sent her dates that I was able to meet and never heard back. I then reached out again in attempt to schedule a phone meeting, sending her new dates and times, and no answer. She finally sent me an email confirming a date and time for 12/7 at 11. I confirmed via email, but never heard back so I assumed we were on for that date and time. A few days go by and I realize I needed to push back the appt time a few hours, so I emailed her. Never heard back. Emailed her again, same day, letting her know we can still meet on 12/7 just a few hours later. Never heard back. I had no idea how to get in touch with anyone, so I resubmitted an event request asking for management in particular. I was able to get ahold of a different even coordinator who then "forwarded" my complaint to the director of operations for catering. Coincidentally, my catering coordinator all of a sudden was able to email me and call me all within 15 mins of me submitting a complaint. I was told my complaint would be forwarded to the director of operations and I would "hear back soon." But alas, never did. While planning a 200 person wedding, this is the last headache I need on my plate. For a company that charges a pretty penny for full service catering, their customer service sure did not reflect it.
My partner and I had El Alma Catering cater our event at Springdale Station and we couldn’t have been happier. First off, it was super easy to work with Maddie. After we reviewed t...
he catering menu, Maddie set up a tasting at the El Alma restaurant with some of the items we wanted to try. There, we met Chef Alma who talked us through a lot of the dishes. As we tasted different plates, Alma took note of what we liked and didn’t like and provided additional dishes, customized to our liking. This was really helpful because we had a lot of dietary restrictions we wanted to accommodate. The dish modifications were no problem for the team and everything was prepared to our needs the day of the event. The execution was on point too. The team was on time, very efficient at setting everything up, and served everything flawlessly. The quality of the food was something that many of our guests noticed, too. Numerous people have asked us what type of salsa we had or for the name of one of the dishes. We are happy to tell them to go to the restaurant so they can have it again. If you do end up going with El Alma, we recommend you try the mole skewers. They are super unique and absolutely delicious.
Maddie, if you are reading this, thank you and your staff again. Everything was fantastic.
El Chile made our day so special! We can't tell you how many compliments we got on the food. Maddie was so professional to work with from the very beginning. Her and her staff we...
re so amazing on the day of as well. They were all a key part in making our day so memorable. We can't recommend them enough! Thanks, Maddie!
Excellent food, drinks and service. Thoughtful, professional, timely, and very consistent. An excellent experience from start to finish and we got so many compliments on the food, ...
drinks, and service. I would absolutely hire them for another event.
El Alma (part of El Chile Catering Group) was one of the best decisions we made for our 100 person wedding at Umlauf Sculpture Garden in April 2022. We tried at least 5 other cate...
rers in the process, and nothing came close! The food and drinks were delicious, colorful, and beautifully presented. It was the perfect fit for our lush garden wedding. We went with a cocktail hour followed by an intimate, family style service. All of the dishes - from the ahi tuna ceviche tostadas to the chicken with an incredible chipotle sauce - were flavorful. Their margaritas and garden cocktails were as pretty as they were tasty. The staff did a great job at tailoring our menu to us and they were SO gracious and responsive throughout the planning process. You can tell the pride they take in their craft and we felt like they actually cared about us, which made a world of difference...especially when planning during peak Covid! I would 100% recommend El Alma (/El Chile Catering Group) to any couple out there.
The El Chile Group team was excellent! Our guests loved the food, with multiple saying it was the best wedding food they’d ever had. The El Chile team was thorough and professiona...
l throughout the process, from the tasting to follow up meetings to the special day. They paid special attention to allergies and even took time on the wedding day to check on an aunt who had a particular set of allergies that required an adjusted meal - they truly went above and beyond! Additionally, many guests commented on how awesome the bartenders were - they remembered peoples’ drinks and were super friendly all night - something my husband and I also experienced ourselves. Seriously, top notch service all around.
El Chile was great! We love El Alma and it was so fun to get some of their food at our wedding. Sarah was incredibly professional and easy to work with. They were also very accomod...
ating to my dietary needs and figured out a way to make their mole gluten free, which was incredible! The salmon was out of this world (it got so many compliments!!) and the margaritas were delicious. They also handled all the rentals and made everything so easy. Would absolutely recommend working with them!
Amazing service and local food. Sarah was a joy to work with!!!
We got SO many compliments on our dinner with El Chile group! We had chips and salsa (several guests said it was the best salsa they had ever had), tacos (vegetarian and meat optio...
ns: both wonderful), and rice/beans. Everyone was easy to work with, responsive, and helpful! We also got their bar package, which was a great deal since it covered a bartender and all mixers. We really appreciated how El Chile worked with us to get exactly what we wanted for our wedding.
Don't hesitate to book with them! Sarah N. and the whole El Chile team were super accommodating and patient through the whole process of my booking, then postponing because of COVI...
D-19, then almost having to cancel again, then changing our headcount several times, then finally having a wonderful small wedding! The food was delicious and my guests loved it. We felt super safe and the service was great! They have pricing that will fit almost any budget as well. And finally, as a bit of a margarita snob, I can confidently say they have some of the best Margs in town--make sure you add them to your bar package!
Contact
Austin, TX
El Chile Group Catering