For many years, Tex-Mex restaurants have been a feature of American cuisine. As a result, it should come as no surprise that San Antonio’s dining culture is diverse when it comes to Mexican cuisine.
If you’re in the mood for a wonderful Mexican lunch, there’s no shortage of options in San Antonio. Not sure where to begin? Continue reading to discover more about the most active and energetic Mexican restaurants in San Antonio, as well as the most popular Mexican meals.
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The Greatest Mexican Restaurants in San Antonio for the Finest Mexican Cuisine
You can’t go wrong with any of these restaurants, and I can tell you that they will make your trip in San Antonio even more enjoyable, given that this list of the greatest Mexican eateries was compiled based on the restaurants’ ambience, cuisine, and service.
Let’s start with our list of the greatest Mexican restaurants in San Antonio:
Tito’s Mexican Grill
San Antonio, 955 N. Alamo St., 210-212-8226
Titos Mexican Restaurant in Downtown San Antonio is well-known for its superb fajitas and scrumptious tacos. The Rodriguez family, who have been in business since 2003, owns and manages Titos. The warm and beautiful atmosphere elevates eating at this restaurant to a new level. It belongs among the restaurants in San Antonio that offers the greatest Mexican cuisine.
On the menu, you’ll discover innovative delicacies like the Hatch Queso and Los Tacos Favoritos. This popular eatery also provides enchiladas, quesadillas, and nachos. The Shish Kabob de Arrachera was unlike anything I’d ever eaten. Feeling thirsty and in need of a drink? No worries, Titos offers a broad range of refreshing and delectable margaritas.
- Special Diets: Vegetarian options.
- Cuisines: Mexican, Southwestern, Latin.
Mexican Restaurant Acenar
San Antonio, 146 E. Houston St., 210-222-2362.
Acenar is the place to go if you want to unwind with good people while eating delicious food. This well-known Mexican restaurant is well-known for its big outdoor patio and wide menu, and it serves the greatest Mexican cuisine in San Antonio, if not the whole state.
Acenar also offers one-of-a-kind family-style meals to go. The Enchilada Dinner, Taco Dinner, and Fajita Dinner are available all day and come with chips, charro beans, salsa, and Mexican rice.
My particular favorite was the Enchilada de Mole; I couldn’t get enough of its unique taste for days. The basic evening menu includes classic and traditional items such as vegetarian enchiladas and fish tacos. For those coming with children, the restaurant also offers a special kids menu.
This restaurant’s Mexican style, vibrant colors, and outstanding Latin music all contribute to a wonderful eating experience.
- Special Diets: Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free options
- Cuisines: Mexican, Southwestern, Latin
Rosarios Mexican Café Y Cantina is a Mexican cafe and cantina.
San Antonio, 910 S. Alamo St., 210-223-1806.
This incredible restaurant, rated the finest Mexican restaurant in San Antonio in 2020, is a must-see while visiting San Antonio. This vibrant restaurant offers it everything, whether you like fajitas, fish tacos, nachos, or sweet sweets. The Enchiladas Suizas were unlike anything I’d ever eaten before.
10 would suggest. Overall, Rosarios is a great spot for a drink with friends or a good quiet meal with family. Rosarios offers unique cocktails and scrumptious desserts in addition to its extensive lunch and supper offerings. The Margaritas are quite refreshing and tasty; 10
- Special Diets: Vegetarian and Vegan options.
- Cuisines: Mexican, Spanish.
Mexican Restaurant Fidelos
San Antonio, 10929 Nacogdoches Rd., 210-655-8737
I suggest Fidelos Mexican Restaurant if you want a more quiet and tranquil ambiance to have a lunch with your family or friends. With the correct ingredients and true taste, this gem in the rough provides all of the classics from the Mexican cooking.
Fidelos’ delicacies, particularly the handmade tortillas, will fill you up and pleasure you. Everything is made from scratch, and I really appreciated the barbacoa, pig carnitas, and chicken mole. The staff is quite nice, and despite the fact that the restaurant was completely packed, all of the food was produced quickly. The tea and coffee were a perfect complement to the fantastic lunch.
Fidelos, on the other hand, is only open until 3 p.m., so put it on your restaurant bucket list for breakfast and lunch only.
- Special Diets: Vegetarian Options.
- Cuisines: Mexican.
Paloma Blanca Mexican Food
San Antonio, 5800 Broadway St., 210-822-6151
Paloma Blanca Mexican Cuisine is well-known for its elegant interior design and welcoming atmosphere. This restaurant has a vibrant and active atmosphere, with a wonderful gluten-free and paleo cuisine!
The food of this restaurant is inspired by Mexico’s interior and coast. Ceviche, Tacos al Pastor, and Grilled Snapper are their most popular dishes. In addition to its lunch and dinner offerings, it offers an attractive weekend brunch menu.
The pig tips in a slightly smoky red sauce served with refried beans, chilaquiles, and tortillas were the absolute highlight of the night. The Mango Margarita was the most delicious and refreshing way to end the meal.
- Special Diets: Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Options
- Cuisines: Mexican, Southwestern, Latin.
Mexican Restaurant Jacala
San Antonio, 606 West Ave., 210-732-5222
Do you like soft but crispy tacos, delectable enchiladas, burritos, and other Mexican treats? Afterwards, pay a visit to Jacala Mexican Restaurant, one of San Antonio’s oldest family-owned establishments! If you love a lively and exciting environment with good service and pleasant employees, this is the place for you.
The Carne Guisada, Fajita Chalupa, and Puffy Tacos were all excellently cooked, and the mug of beer enhanced the flavor of the meal.
- Special Diets: Vegetarian Options.
- Cuisines: Mexican.
The Barrios
Downtown San Antonio, 4223 Blanco Road, 210-732-6017
Do you and your family like to eat at family-style restaurants where everyone gets to taste a little bit of everything? If you’re seeking for some Mexican and Tex-Mex classics, I propose you swing by Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant right away! This is a family-style restaurant that will make you fall in love with its live music, attentive service, and wonderful cuisine.
You may have cheese enchiladas, puffy tacos, ground beef puffy tacos, fish tacos, and tortilla soup at Los Barrios, which were my personal favorites.
- Special diets: Vegetarian Options.
- Cuisines: Mexican, Southwestern, Latin.
Mexican Patio Cascabel
San Antonio, 1000 N. Saint Marys St., 210-212-6456
Consider sitting outdoors on a beautiful San Antonio day and indulging in some Mexican cuisine. Check out this restaurant where you can sit outside and enjoy homestyle Mexican dishes, margaritas, and so much more while taking in the beautiful weather!
This fantastic restaurant offers enchiladas verdes, tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and much more. Cascabel offers a wonderful dining experience with genuine tastes of various Mexican dishes!
- Special Diets: Vegetarian Options.
- Cuisines: Mexican.
Top 8 Must-Try Foods in San Antonio’s Mexican Cuisine
Authentic Mexican specialities contain true excellence. If you have adventurous taste buds, a stomach yearning for exquisite hot cuisine, and the bravery to live an adventurous life, you owe it to yourself to eat all of the Mexican food on this list. Enjoy!
Birria
This spicy stew, traditionally made with goat meat or mutton, may also be available at select Mexican restaurants in the United States. The slow-cooked, juicy pork is often served in a tiny plate topped with chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
To create birria tacos or soak up the hot liquid, use corn tortillas. Simply delectable!
Beans from Borracho
Frijoles borracho are pinto beans cooked with beer, bacon drippings, and spices (drunken beans). The flavor layers are wonderful, and they go nicely with any Mexican dish, but particularly those made with pig.
While borracho beans are a classic Mexican delicacy in San Antonio, they are also popular across the United States, so you should have no trouble locating a shack-like Rosarios to feast on delicious pinto beans.
Carnitas
If you’ve never had carnitas, you’re really losing out. Carnitas are jerked pork products. Slow-cooked in fat or oil, the pork shoulder roast becomes tender and delectable. Unlike pulled pork, the flesh is finished by raising the heat and gradually crisping the pig’s skin.
Carnitas are served with avocado, onions, salsa, and other toppings on corn tortillas. Carnitas may also be used in burritos or tamales.
Ceviche
This well-known Latin American cuisine has peppers, onions, and other seasonings. Shrimp, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeo are common ingredients in Mexican ceviche. To make it hotter, add spicy sauce or additional peppers.
Nothing compares eating hot ceviche while drinking a refreshing cerveza on a Mexican beach. An amazing joy with a variety of fascinating tastes.
Relleno Chile
A chile relleno is a stuffed, roasted poblano chile covered in egg batter and baked until golden. It is typically topped with red or green sauce.
Beef is sometimes included in chiles rellenos. Chiles rellenos are offered around Christmas in certain Mexican houses, along with tamales and other seasonal staples. Whatever the season, you should try this Mexican favorite at least once in your life. I assure you won’t be sorry.
Chorizo
Chorizo is a spicy ground pig sausage that is popular in Mexican and Spanish cuisine. It may be served dry (like salami) or semi-cured and soft.
Breakfast in Mexico is traditionally scrambled with eggs and served with tortillas, however chorizo may be eaten at any time of day. Chorizo may also be used to make chili, queso, or any other meal that asks for ground beef or pork.
Pibil Cochinita
A entire suckling pig is marinated in sour oranges, onions, and achiote before being wrapped in banana leaves and roasted. Historically, it was roasted underground in a pit with a fire at the bottom.
This dish is available in practically every Mexican restaurant, classified as Yucatecan or Mayan-style pork on the menu. It combines robust tastes with a genuine Mexican delicacy.
Flan
Mexican flan is a creamy, smooth custard made with milk, eggs, vanilla beans, salt, and spices. Caramelized sugar is used to make a mold for the mixture to cook in. As the flan is removed from the oven, it is turned onto a serving plate, and the caramelized sugar forms the top layer of this wonderful dessert.
If you’ve ever eaten at a Mexican restaurant, you’ve almost certainly seen flan on the menu. Yet, if you do not order it the next time you see it, you will die with a lot of flan regrets. Unquestionably the best Mexican cuisine in San Antonio.
Last Thoughts
I hope you had a good time learning about Mexican cuisine in San Antonio, TX. I assure you will have the pleasure of tasting a delicacy, whether you want to dine at one of the suggested places or prepare a classic Mexican dinner at home.
Visiting several locations in Texas? Check out these resources:
8 Keller Restaurants You Must Try | Keller’s Top Restaurants
The Woodlands’ Top 10 Restaurants – Where to Dine in The Woodlands, Texas
Midtown Houston’s Top 9 Restaurants