13 Best Restaurants in San Antonio, Texas

Laying claim as San Antonio's oldest Mexican restaurant, La Fonda opened in 1932 and has had an ardent following ever since. The robust menu offers traditional Tex-Mex plus some dishes from the interior of Mexico. Tex-Mex fare includes appetizers, tacos, enchiladas, and oak-grilled fajitas. The family-friendly spot features a beautiful dining room that opens onto an inviting outdoor patio. Desserts include vanilla bean flan and house-made pralines. The vibrant, welcoming bar delivers tasty margaritas. This is a very popular and often busy place. Reservations are highly recommended for dinner and weekend brunch.

You can't get too far in San Antonio without stumbling into a Tex-Mex restaurant, but when you need something that relays the authenticity of true Mexican cuisine, La Gloria is the place. Inspired by the street foods of Mexico, chef/owner Johnny Hernandez has created a vibrant taqueria-style restaurant celebrating the bold flavors and classic offerings you'd typically find with Mexican street vendors. Tacos Alpastor (marinated pork) and Tacos Torre de Mariscos (fresh tuna, Gulf shrimp, white fish) are top picks, but you can't go wrong with any of the selections from the fresh ceviche menu or with an order of quesadillas, tostadas, or enchiladas. Non-GMO corn tortillas are made daily in-house. Tequilas, spirits, and beer round out the beverage menu. 

The heart of Market Square boasts one of San Antonio's most venerable culinary landmarks, part of the notable Cortez Family of restaurants. Opened in 1941 as a three-table café for early-rising farmers to get breakfast, Mi Tierra ("my land") is a traditional Mexican restaurant, bakery, and bar that serves its hallmark breakfasts all day; the chilaquiles famosas—eggs scrambled with corn tortilla strips and topped with ranchero (mild tomato-based) sauce and cheese—are alone worth coming back for again and again. Yes, the Christmas decorations stay up year-round.

Big and bold contemporary design creates a lively atmosphere for this exciting collaboration by restaurateurs Lisa Wong of Rosario's fame, Pete Selig, known for Biga on the Banks, and executive chef Richard Sanchez. The modern Tex-Mex spot sits astride a less-traveled section of the River Walk and offers excellent libations such as the cucumber jalapeño margarita and handmade mojitos. guacamole made table-side, and fresh ceviche. For the main course, move onto grilled fish tacos or a host of seasonal fare. The outdoor dining area is small, but worth the wait for views of the river. Reservations aren't required, but think about making them for busy weekends or holiday times. Note: The patio is not pet-friendly, except for service animals.

A perennial favorite with locals for four decades, Alamo Cafe is far from the actual Alamo, but you'll still remember it for its fresh tortillas and no-frills approach to Mexican dishes. This is a good place to try fried jalapeño starters, sizzling fajitas, quesadillas, and puffy, soft, or crispy tacos. Alamo Cafe is extremely family-friendly, with a very good kids' menu featuring Tex-Mex and All-American favorites.

Since 1975, this family-owned restaurant has been a 40-year favorite for innovative Mexican cuisine. It's tough to choose from the ample menu, with standout specials like chicken mole, portobello mushroom enchiladas, and sizzling shrimp fajitas. Start with the botana (sampler) platter to get a taste of all the flavors.

Nuevo Mexican and traditional Tex-Mex flavors collide at this family-owned restaurant, a much-loved King William–district mainstay since 1967. Owner Dona Marie's mole enchiladas shine here, with the extra-sweet but smoky sauce designed to be sopped up by homemade corn tortillas. Shrimp and fish play a major role, bringing new life to tacos, nachos, and chiles rellenos. And if you've never had a breakfast taco, this is the place to try one in any of almost a dozen ways. A full bar during dinner and an outdoor dining patio seal the deal on a quintessential San Antonio eating experience.

La Fogata's rambling, hacienda-style indoor dining areas plus its lush, tropical outdoor patio put you in the mood for the authentic Mexican dishes to come. A top-shelf margarita helps you relax and enjoy an enormous selection ranging from spicy shrimp enchiladas to a rich, flavorful calabacita con carne de puerco (pork stew with squash and corn). The expected Mexican cornucopia of tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas is kicked up a notch with fresh ingredients and attentive service. Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend dinner.

It may feel like you're walking into a centuries-old hacienda at this enormous outpost just outside Texas Loop 1604, but the tacos, nachos, and enchiladas have a modern twist. Try the enchilada assortment—five delectable takes served with guacamole salad. Entrées include El Mofofo Grill, a specialty combination of marinated beef and pork and served on a grill for two or more diners.

Chef/author Diana Barrios Treviño—a frequent guest on TV food and talk shows—oversees the kitchen at this family-run restaurant, known for its authentic gourmet Mexican dishes since 1979. Try the enchilada dinners, beef steak ranchero, or breakfast chilaquiles.

A warm, almost clubby atmosphere lets you know to expect more than the typical Tex-Mex fare at this Alamo Heights mainstay since 1997. Tempting offerings as varied as enchiladas verdes (covered in green tomatillo salsa), tacos de Cameron (grilled shrimp), and pollo con mole (chicken breast in authentic mole de xico sauce) are sure to please. For dessert, the tres leches cake alone is worth the trip.

A longtime popular Southtown mainstay, this vibrant, colorful, contemporary space is just one of the restaurants launched by notable restaurateur Lisa Wong. Dubbed Rosario's "Forever Home," the 25,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor dining areas feature the popular made-fram-scratch Mexican favorites that have delighted locals and visitors alike since 1992, including chicken chipotle, enchilidas, tender tips of beef tongue, fresh fish tacos, and some of the city's best margaritas. Check out the restaurant's 24x69-foot mural by Chilean-born artist INTI.

If you've never had a breakfast taco, this is the place to try it in San Antonio. Newbies may pause at the number of possibilities, including chorizo and egg, chilaquiles, and migas (eggs scrambled with fried tortilla strips, cheese, and peppers), but first-timers really can't go wrong with a basic potato and egg taco. Breakfast plates, appetizers, soups and salads, and substantial lunch plates round out the taco extravaganza. Don't be afraid of the long lines out the door, as the morning crowds move quickly.