One of the great things about the United States is that it’s such a diverse melting pot of different cuisines and culinary traditions. In Texas, it doesn’t get much better than Tex-Mex, which is a combination of both Texan and Mexican food, creating something that feels both familiar and unique. If you’re trying to re-create what it was like for the first Tex-Mex aficionados, you’ll need to go to the Downtown Dallas restaurant that invented the cuisine, El Fenix. However, no matter where you go in the Lone Star State, Tex-Mex is practically around every corner.
And that brings us to San Antonio. The home of the Alamo is also home to some of the most exceptional spots for Tex-Mex food in the area. With so many options, it’s hard to pick one that stands above the rest, so we chose five. This collection of restaurants offers a little bit of everything, including stunning scenery, historical significance, and culinary options that lean toward either the Texan or Mexican side of the equation.
So, whether you’re a Tex-Mex fiend, looking for a new spot to feast, or you’re just in town and want a taste of authentic Texas-style food, here are our picks for the five best spots in San Antonio.
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La Fonda on Main
Yuccas in front of La Fonda on Main – rlgizsunshine / Instagram
If you were to ask any self-respecting foodie in San Antonio to list their top five spots for Tex-Mex in the city, almost all of them will likely pick La Fonda, although they might differ as to where it ranks on the list. This restaurant bills itself as “San Antonio’s oldest Mexican restaurant,” having been serving locals and visitors since 1932. La Fonda leans hard into its history and culture, as everything from the architecture of the building to the decor inside harkens back to its opening days, giving a delicious glimpse into the past.
That said, being the first and most noteworthy Tex-Mex restaurant in San Antonio is something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, everyone recommends it, so it gets crowded quickly, especially on weekends. According to one reviewer on Tripadvisor, it’s not worth waiting over 90 minutes for, particularly when there are other excellent Tex-Mex options nearby. Having a reservation can help, so plan accordingly. On the other hand, having such a high profile means the restaurant has to deliver exceptional food every day to maintain its reputation, so you know you’ll be getting a great meal once you finally sit and eat. On Google, La Fonda has a 4.5-star rating with almost 4,000 reviews.
The other great thing about dining at La Fonda is that it’s close to one of Texas’ trendiest riverside destinations, the Pearl District. At less than 10 minutes away, you can enjoy a Tex-Mex meal and then wander through the riverfront district, which comes alive with lights at night. Or, you can visit La Fonda for brunch on the weekends and then tour the boutiques and vibrant events of the Pearl, and the rest of the city, during the day.
La Hacienda de Los Barrios
Puffy taco plate from La Hacienda de Los Barrios – officialthehotelguide / Instagram
First things first: If you’re looking for Tex-Mex in San Antonio and use the keyword “los barrios,” you may come across this place and another spot simply called Los Barrios. Fortunately, they’re both part of the same restaurant family, so no matter which one you go to, the cuisine is just as delicious. However, we chose La Hacienda Los Barrios because of its atmosphere, which is similar to La Fonda in that it leans hard on the traditional Mexican pueblo architecture and decor, which can enhance the overall dining experience. Also, La Hacienda is on the north side of town, past the airport, so it’s not as crowded or “touristy.”
One of the great things about this restaurant is that it offers a wide variety of specials, so you can indulge in different dishes depending on the day. For example, on Tuesdays, you can order the carne guisada, an enchilada plate, or crispy tacos for a low price. Alternatively, on the weekends, you can order $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas.
Some of the hallmarks of Tex-Mex cuisine are the addition of melted cheese (or queso dip), flour tortillas, puffy tacos, and ground beef. All of these elements are on full display at La Hacienda, as well as loaded nachos, sizzling fajitas, and Tex-Mex-style breakfasts. La Hacienda bills itself as a “continental” Mexican restaurant, which features fish, shrimp, and house-marinated beef and pork.
Rosario’s
Colorful calavera at Rosario’s rooftop bar – xo_mrslbl / Instagram
While restaurants like La Fonda and La Hacienda harken back to the past, Rosario’s reflects San Antonio’s present and future. What’s even more remarkable is that the restaurant has been around for over 30 years, but it seems just as chic and stylish as anything that has opened post-pandemic. Situated on the South side of downtown San Antonio, Rosario’s is perfect for those who want unfussy yet gourmet food in trendy ambience. And yes, in case you were wondering, there is a rooftop bar with a happy hour.
The menu at Rosario’s is both elegant and simplistic. Just browsing through the appetizers (or antojitos, for the uninitiated), you can find shishito peppers, seasoned cauliflower, white fish ceviche, and Mexican street corn. For the main course, the menu runs the gamut from loaded nachos and quesadillas to trendier items like relleno de cauliflower, guisado de lengua, and albondigas con arroz. Rounding out the selection are enchiladas, Tex-Mex tacos, and parillas, which are grilled plates with your choice of meats and sides.
That said, while Rosario’s is great for lunch or dinner, it’s also the perfect spot for sipping cocktails and margaritas, especially during happy hour. From Tuesday through Thursday, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., you can enjoy small bites like queso, ceviche, or street corn, or imbibe with house margaritas and sangrias. The rooftop bar is excellent for any occasion, particularly if you’re toasting with friends as the sun goes down.
Acenar
Scenic outside of Acenar at San Antonio Riverwalk – theschradergroup / Instagram
Outside of the Alamo, San Antonio’s most famous attraction, is one of the “most overrated tourist traps in the world,” the Riverwalk. While the Riverwalk itself may have its share of downsides, it’s still an impressive part of downtown, and it’s also home to one of the best Tex-Mex restaurants in the city, Acenar. So, if you’re going to explore the Riverwalk on your visit to San Antonio to experience the highs and lows for yourself, you might as well enjoy a nice meal next to the water while you’re at it.
Part of the appeal of Acenar and its part of the Riverwalk is that it’s been around since 2005, long before the area became overcrowded and overpriced. As a result, the restaurant has the largest patio overlooking the river, so you get excellent views with your food and cocktails. It’s also a great place to rest if you’ve been on your feet in the hot Texas sun all day.
At first glance, Acenar’s menu seems like it’s not trying to reinvent the Tex-Mex wheel, but there are some notable highlights that stand out. Just a few examples include jicama shrimp tacos, steam-roasted goat (cabrito), adobo-style snapper, short rib tacos, oyster tacos, and Acenar-style bread pudding. Then, of course, you can choose from enchiladas, queso dips, grilled meat platters, and fajitas. Best of all, Acenar features two happy hours from Sunday to Thursday. The first is between 2 and 5:30 p.m., and the second is from 9 p.m. to close, so you can sample different drinks and appetizers while sticking to a more modest budget.
Ray’s Drive-In
Puffy tacos with cheese from Ray’s Drive-In – mutsumi_nyc / Instagram
Typically, when comparing Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican cuisine, the differences can be subtle and hard to notice. Also, many of the items you’ll find on a Tex-Mex menu have direct counterparts on a Mexican menu, with just a few changes in ingredients. However, one of the most unique and memorable parts of Tex-Mex, which you can’t get at every restaurant, is the puffy taco. In fact, this dish is part of the reason why San Antonio is one of the most underrated foodie destinations in America, according to travelers. And you can thank Ray’s Drive-In for that.
So what’s the deal with the puffy taco? According to legend, it all happened by accident when an abuela was making tostadas and got distracted, allowing the dough to expand. However, what really made it notable was the fact that the abuela in question, Maria Rodriguez Lopez, used a stick to keep the tostadas from touching. That stick fell into the dough, creating a distinct pocket, and the puffy taco was born. It wouldn’t become the unofficial food (and mascot) of San Antonio until the 1970s, when Ray’s Drive-In, founded by Maria Rodriguez’ son Ray, started serving them, based on the old family recipe.
Since Ray’s was originally founded in the 1950s, it featured carhop service, and the building still feels like it did back in the day, complete with a jukebox in the corner and flashy neon signs. While the menu is extensive, the main reason to come is to try the signature puffy taco, which is better here than at most other restaurants serving it. Since Ray’s is the original, it’s had decades to perfect the practice. It’s hard to describe what it’s like to bite into a fresh puffy taco, so you’ll have to experience it for yourself.
Methodology
Tex-Mex fajitas – David Miller Star/Shutterstock
Because food is a relatively subjective topic, picking the “best” restaurants is always a challenge. For this list, we chose spots that run the gamut from traditional Tex-Mex cuisine to modern gourmet, and those that offer varying glimpses into San Antonio itself and its history. We wanted to include the city’s oldest currently-running Mexican restaurant, as well as the place that is considered the inventor of one of San Antonio’s unique Tex-Mex staples. We also wanted to include a Tex-Mex restaurant along the RiverWalk since it’s such a large part of the city. For the remaining two, we looked at other roundups of the “best” Tex-Mex in the area, aggregate review sites like Yelp, and social media like Reddit to see what people were saying.
So, while the menus at these places may seem similar, each restaurant we chose has its own deliberate style that differentiates it from all the others. Basically, you can visit all five restaurants in a single trip to San Antonio and not feel like you went to five versions of the same place, even if you get identical dishes at each one.
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Read the original article on Islands.