There’s an unspoken checklist for great hole-in-the-wall dining: an unassuming exterior, a small but mighty wait staff and a cash-only policy. In Evanston, most restaurants check off one, maybe two.

Tucked away on Guadalupe Street in Austin sits a white stone building that’s been serving up authentic Tex-Mex longer than most Austinites have been alive. El Patio isn’t flashy or trendy – it’s ...

Available raw on the half shell, steamed, or baked in various styles (the Rockefeller version, with spinach, bacon, fontina, and parmesan cheese, is particularly indulgent), these briny treasures ...