20+ Mexican Restaurants in San Antonio to Enjoy
This will probably be one of the most controversial posts on my blog and if you’re going to hate-read then just exit the blog right now.
Now that that disclaimer is outta the way— We all grew up with a version of Mexican food whether it’s authentic or an interpretation of it. We can have a conversation on how the word authentic is actually damaging another day but for the most part Mexican food comes in different forms, including Tex-Mex and Cali-Mex (which is what I grew up with).
If you’re expecting me to find restaurants with a couple Abuelita's cooking in the back. I’m not. The idea of what Mexican food should look like or a stereotype of what’s authentic is something that can be problematic (maybe we should have that authentic conversation now). I’m going to list places that have taken Mexican food and given it the respect it deserves. If you didn’t know, it’s currently the only Latin American cuisine on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage’s list on par with the gastronomic meals of France (it’s complex, well rounded and you gotta respect it). It’s a cuisine that has influences from pre-Colombian times and that has survived years of colonization and war. So when you enter these humble restaurants understand the years of tradition and also understand the passion these people are sharing through their cooking.
Since this is strictly Mexican food- I’m not going to list all of them- instead, I’m going to focus on regions of Mexico so you’re able to try specific regions. We’re going to focus on the following locations are represented: Coahuila, el DF, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Puebla so you’ll know.
I’ll be dividing the places by restaurants, tacos, seafood, tamales and sweets (pan dulce + paleterias). So bear with me. This will be a journey.
Restaurants
The best part of this part of the list is you’ll see a range from humble Mexican food to elevated Mexican gastronomic cuisine.
Cuishe- a new concept opening late 2019 or early 2020
Elevated Mexican Cuisine covering several states in Mexico
Price: $$$
Parking: lot, paid lot, street parking
Address + hours:
St. Paul’s Square
Stone Oak
I can’t really tell you much- but it’s going to be amazing.
Tlahco Mexican Kitchen
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
6702 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, Texas 78216
Mon-Wed 7 am- 3pm Thurs 9am-10pm, Fri-Sun 7am- 10pm
Carmelita’s Mexican Restaurant
Price: $$
Parking: lot, street parking
Address + hours:
2218 Broadway St San Antonio, TX 78215
Mon-Sat 5am- 3pm
Chilangus Grill
Price: $$
Parking: lot, street parking
Address + hours:
8603 TX-151 Suite 204, San Antonio, TX 78245
Mon-Sat 5am- 3pm
Carnitas Don Raul
Price: $$
Parking: lot, street parking
Address + hours:
3303 Broadway St. San Antonio, Texas 78209
Check social for hours and place
El Jarro De Arturo
Price: $$$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
13421 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, TX 78216
Sun- Thurs 11am- 9:30pm, Fri- Sat 11am- 11:30pm
Marioli Cuisine
Our Rec: Go on Taco Tuesday- all you can eat tacos.
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
18730 Tuscany Stone San Antonio, TX 78258
Mon- Wed 11am-10pm, Thurs- Fri 11am- 11pm, Sat 6-11pm and Sun 6-10pm
Guajillo’s: The Shortcut to Mexico
Our Rec: Get the Birria
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours
1001 Northwest Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78213
Mon- Thurs 11am- 9:30pm. Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm, Sun 12pm- 8:30pm
Wapo Taco
Our Rec: Birria Fish Tacos
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
7907 W Loop 1604 N San Antonio, TX 78254
Mon- Fri 6am- 10pm, Sat and Sun 7am-10pm
Loncheria El Popo
Our Rec: The Jamon
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
6557 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, Texas 78216
Tues- Sat 12pm- 10pm, Sun 12pm- 8pm, Closed Monday
Pollos Asados El Carbonero
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
619 South General McMullen Drive San Antonio, TX 78237
Tues- Sun 11am- 9pm, Closed Mon
Las Quesabrosaz
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
909 S Ww White Rd San Antonio, TX 78220
Mon- Sat 9am- 9pm Closed Sun
Mixtli
Price: $$$$- Reservations are required
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
5251 McCullough Ave San Antonio, TX 78212
Tues- Sat 7pm-11pm
Paloma Blanca Mexican Cuisine
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
5800 Broadway St San Antonio, TX 78209
Mon- Wed 11am- 9pm, Thurs-Fri 11am- 10pm, Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am- 9pm
Ro-Ho Pork and Bread
Our Rec: Get extra salsa
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
8617 N New Braunfels Ave San Antonio, TX 78217
Mon-Wed 11am- 4pm, Thurs-Sat 11am- 9pm, Closed Sunday
Pollos Asados Los Norteños
Price: $$
Parking: lot, street parking
Address + hours:
4642 Rigsby Ave San Antonio, TX 78222
Tues- Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am- 8pm, Closed Sun
Checo's Mexican & American Grill
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
5999 De Zavala Rd San Antonio, TX 78249
Mon- Thurs and Sat 7am- 9pm, Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 8am-3pm
Vida Mia Mexican Cuisine
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
19141 Stone Oak Pkwy San Antonio, TX 78258
Sun- Thurs 7am- 3pm, Fri- Sat 7am- 9:30pm
El Chivito Tortas Ahogadas
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
204 Crossroads Blvd San Antonio, TX 78210
Mon- Sat 11am- 7pm, Sun 10am- 4pm
Nicha's Comida Mexicana - Southside Location
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
3119 Roosevelt Ave San Antonio, TX 78214
Mon- Thurs 7am-10pm Fri- Sat 7am- 11pm, Sun 8am-9pm
Birrieria Estilo Jalisco
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
13327 Nacogdoches Rd San Antonio, TX 78217
Tues-Fri 10am-3pm, Sat- Sun 8am-3pm, Closed Mon
La Capital Del Sabor
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
502 Bandera Rd San Antonio, TX 78228
Mon- Sat 7am- 10pm, Sun 8am-3pm
Las Sabrosas de Guanajuato
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
6825 San Pedro San Antonio, TX 78216
Mon-Sat 6am- 9pm, Sun 6am- 4pm
Cascabel Mexican Patio
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
1000 S Saint Mary's St San Antonio, TX 78205
Mon-Fri 10am- 3pm, Sat 10am-3pm
Tacos Chagos
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
11827 Perrin Beitel San Antonio, TX 7821
Tues-Sun 11am- 10pm, Closed Monday
Matamoros Restaurante Y Cantina
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
12844 W Ih 10 San Antonio, TX 78249
Mon- Thurs 11am- 10pm, Fri- 11am- 1 am, Sat 11am- 1:30am, Sun 11am- 9pm
Panchos and Gringos
Price: $
Parking: street
Address + hours:
900 Nolan St San Antonio, TX 78202
Daily 8am-2pm
Restaurante Mexicano El DF
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
4119 Culebra Rd San Antonio, TX 78228
Mon, Tues and Thurs, Fri 6:30am- 10pm, Wed 6:30am- 4pm, Sat 7:30am- 10pm, Sun 8:30am- 7pm.
Birotes Tortas Ahogadas
Price: $
Parking: lot (small)
Address + hours:
3004 W Martin San Antonio, TX 7820
Mon- Sat 11am- 7pm, Sun 11am- 6pm
Carnitas Lonja
Price: $
Parking: lot, street parking
Address + hours:
1107 Roosevelt Ave San Antonio, TX 78210
Tues-Sun 7am- 5pm (or sell out)
Seafood
Mariscos El Kora
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
2367 Austin Hwy San Antonio, TX 78218
Mon, Tues and Thurs 10am- 8:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 1:30-9pm Closed Wednesday
Mariscos del Puerto
Price: $$
Parking: lot, it’s small
Address + hours:
10430 Culebra Rd San Antonio, TX 78251
Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri- Sat 11am-10pm
El Siete Mares
Parking: lot
Our Rec: Huachinango Zarandeado
Price: $$$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
3831 W Commerce St San Antonio, TX 78207
Sun- Thurs 11am- 9pm, Fri- Sat 11am- 11pm
El Bucanero
Our Rec: Shrimp Ceviche, Aguachile, Modelo preparado
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours: Multiple locations
El Marinero
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
1819 McCullough Ave San Antonio, TX 78212
Sun- Tues 11am-9:30pm, Wed- Sat 11am- 10pm
La Perla Del Pacifico
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
7911 Culebra Rd San Antonio, TX 78251
Daily 10am- 10:30pm
210 Ceviche
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
9502 Interstate 10 W San Antonio, TX 78230
Sun- Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri- Sat 11am-1am
Las Islas Marias
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
522 SW Military San Antonio, TX 78221
Sun-Tues 10am- 9pm, Fri- Sat 10am- 10:30pm
Tamales, Tortillerias and Barbacoa
I mean this is the real resource.
Tamahli
Price: $$ (order online)
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
314 Spencer Ln San Antonio, TX 78201
Mon-Fri 6am- 2pm
Sarah’s Barbacoa
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
6330 De Zavala Rd San Antonio, TX 78249
Sat and Sun 7am-2pm
Tellez Tamales & Barbacoa
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
1802 Bandera Rd San Antonio, TX 78228
Wed- Sun 6am- 1pm
Tamale Boy Tacos & Tamales
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
5300 S Flores St San Antonio, TX 78214
Thurs and Fri 8:30am-3pm, Sat and Sun 7am-2pm
Taquerias
A good taco is filling, stops a hangover or is perfect after 12am when you’re debating on going out some more or going to bed.
Erick's Tacos
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
12715 Nacodoches Rd San Antonio, TX 78233
Tues-Sun 11:15am- 4am, closed Mon
Los Balitos Taco Shop
Taqueria
Our Rec: any burrito or carne asada fries
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
Various locations around town
Daily- 24 hours a day
Que Tortas
Our Rec: Tacos al Vapor
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
7500 Eckert Rd San Antonio, TX 78240
Mon- Sat 10am- 9pm, Sun 9:30am- 4pm
Taquitos West Ave
Our Rec: Add grilled onions and grilled jalapeños.
Price: $
Parking: lot, street parking
Address + hours:
2818 West Ave San Antonio, TX 78201
Mon- Thurs 10am- 11pm, Fri- Sat 10am- 3am, Sun 10am- 12am
Tacos El Camarada
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
12014 Potranco Rd San Antonio, TX 78253
Ricky's Tacos
Food Truck
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
6576 Babcock Rd San Antonio, TX 78249
Mon-Thurs 7:30pm- 1am, Fri-Sat 7:30pm- 3am, Closed Sun
Regios Tacos A Vapor
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
2000 Cupples Rd, San Antonio, TX 78226
Tues- Sat 8am- 8pm, Sun and Mon 9am- 7pm
Tacos El Gallo De Arandas
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
3905 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, TX 78212
Sun- Thurs 9am-12am, Fri- Sat 9am- 3am
Taqueria Datapoint
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
Multiple Locations
La Maceta Tapatios
Price: $$
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
They’re everywhere! Follow them on social to find them.
Hours- til they sell out and they often do.
Ay Que Rico
Price: $
Parking: lot
Address + hours:
Follow them on social media to find out where they’re at.
All the tequila and mezcal for now. This took forever. I’m probably missing places but we’re working on it. As always be sure to follow my San Antonio foodie instagram @sanantoniolovelist to keep up with the latest.