El Mirador

I ordered the guacamole salad and it didn’t taste anything like avocados. The salsa was also very bland and tasted sweet. This is definitely tourist type food.

Have been here 3 times in the the past 8 weeks, and have found this place reliably good Tex-​Mex each time. We have never had a problem getting a table, even when seats are limited due to sporting events nearby. The first time (mid-​December 2015) was my favorite but I haven’t been able to find the same option on the menu ever since. I guess they’ve changed their menu! The waiting staff have been courteous and friendly, and their portions are filling without being overwhelming. Frozen margaritas were tasty too. Still waiting for my favorite dish to come back on the menu.

The favorites have enjoyed for the past 20 years have changed. Went back to give another try ended up leaving the meal behind. Not the old family as before.

What happened to this place? Seems like new ownership is driving it into the ground. Came here for Saturday breakfast. Place was mostly empty. Bad sign. Used to be packed. Food was bland. Didn’t taste fresh. Beans tasted canned or made a few days ago. Tortillas were poor. Coffee was awful!!! Like motor oil. No excuse for a place that serves breakfast to have horrible coffee.

This used to be a family staple for over 30 years. we would visit every Saturday for soup and have recommended it to hundreds of people. It seems that now they use soup base in their soups, have made their margaritas smaller, and the service is lacking. I hope they can figure things out, but until then, I will not be visiting.

Came here for a tamales event last week and was terribly disappointed. 8 $ for 4 tamales and a small 4oz portion of beans. The vegetarian tamale was by far the best they had and might even be one of the best tamales I have ever eaten but to consider paying that much for them leaves you scratching your head. The beans were terribly under seasoned and very bland. Will prolly never return again

I have been a loyal supported of El Mirador for 10 years. Unfortunately, the service, selection and the quality has gone severely downhill since the were bought out by a new owner. First, their wonderful cook, Meche, who cooked everything with love, was not hired back after medical leave. Then they started monkeying with the menu, which greatly peeved the long-​time clientele. They deleted many of the favorites.
I took my mother there yesterday for her 78^th birthday. We found a hair in the salsa. The waiter made a face. That was it. No apology to speak of. No freebie of any kind. Nada.
Unfortunately, I am not planning to return. There are too many other great Mexican restaurants in the area.

Took my sister Kiya here cause I think they have good menudo. She did not like honeycomb. Oh well. I enjoyed my chicharrones.

I eat here fairly often since it’s close to work. There are some good things: great unsweetened iced tea, great corn soup on Thursdays, good carne guisada, good coffee, good enchiladas (with the exception of the potato enchiladas which are served in a sickly sweet balsamic sauce with a salad drizzled with another sickly sweet raspberry vinaigrette), and the salsa is much better since the change in ownership. Stay away from the Tuesday fideo which is basically really soupy spaghetti– fat spaghetti noodles, tomato broth, and no beans or meat.

Pointless! This is the worst Mexican food I’ve had in San Antonio — honestly I would have even preferred Taco Cabana because at least they use salt. I didn’t think it was possible to have a plate full of things that all lacked flavor, yet El Mirador manages to pull this off. Old, tasteless beans (no salt or fat to be found), bland rice, and the green chicken enchiladas… How incredibly disappointing. Not a hint of char or spice or salt to be found in the tomatillo sauce. Most canned green sauces have more flavor so I was baffled. The chicken was under seasoned and the corn tortillas were gummy to the point of making me think they must be premade, frozen, and then reheated. I suspected this even further because when my food arrived, the plate was hot but the food was not. Portions were appropriate for lunch, service was alright, but the fact that this passes for Mexican food in San Antonio AND that they claim so many accolades is appalling. Stay away.

Excellent home style Mexican food with great service and hospitality! Not too far from the river walk and much, much better than any of the tourist places there. Strongly recommended.

Was alright had the steak with veggies and had a piña colada it was good There were a whole bunch of us an everyone got what they wanted. The chips were good also said they had complimentary beans but they didn’t hv them this time. Maybe next time

Waiters not there when you need them and there when you don’t. The walls paint was peeling, the booths had cracked and the vinyl had peeled off, the tables and menus were dirty. While there was food on the ground, it wasn’t the worst of it.
As a vegetarian I was really uncomfortable there but sometimes I get that. One of few vegetarian dishes was not too bad but not good. The menu was written in comic sans too, which I think says a lot about the place.
I went there when I was a child and it was pretty good actually, and packed. Something happened to that place though. It’s bad don’t go. You’re better than that, reader.

I have to preface this review with the fact that they do not have very many vegetarian options. I ordered the two chalupas (bean and cheese and the compuesta) only difference was a dollop of guacamole that was $ 1 more. The chalupas were very bland and basic. The shredded lettuce on top was freshly washed but was still very wet so it made the taco shell a bit soggy. The Mexican rice was also bland. I added some salsa to give it a little flavor but didn’t make much of a difference.
The service was pretty good. We had a large group and the server was very accommodating, prepared 12 separate checks and had us in and out in about 1.5 hours. Pretty decent for a large lunch group.

The salsa and chipotle refried beans were delicious. The service was very attentive. I asked the waitress to recommend me the best thing on the menu and she suggested the «Diane’s Favorite». She said it was very popular and a lot of food. I said «I didn’t ask what was the largest or most popular, what was the best? What does the chef like to cook? And she said «Diane’s Favorite». I said «I’ll have that». Food came out toot suite and it amounted to beef fajitas with a mole covered cheese enchalada on top served with tortillas, rice and beans. Not very exciting but well done. Flavors were all there (except for the rice and beans… bland, nothing special) but the skirt steak was a bit chewy. That is really expected and it didn’t stop me from eating it all.
This it really a great mom and pop place. Although I only handed out 3 stars, there is potential here. Certainly worth a try if in South Town and Rosarios is packed out.

Great breakfast meeting spot — here’s why:
Inexpensive plates: My large Chilaquiles plate and OJ cost less than $ 7, and most dishes were under that price.
Three dining spaces: there are two marginally separated spaces just beyond the entryway, and a back room was a more private space. The bar is in the back, as well.
The service was a team effort for our 20-​top, and each server/​food runner was attentive to needs such as water and coffee refills (no one ever had to request service).
I say a three because the food was forgettable. However, I plan to return for another meal simply due to prices and great service.

I have been coming here for years (back in my college days;) and it always consistent and delicious! I always order the Fiesta Chicken and the hubs orders the Beef Fajita plate. The service is quick and friendly. They cater to the business lunch crowd so they get you out fast!

I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Just as a heads up; they close at 2pm but if you come in before then you will be politely seated and you can hang for about an hour and a half after they close to enjoy your order.
My wife and I ordered a couple frozen margaritas, the guacamole salad, chicken puffy tacos and mixed fajita plate. AMAZING! The margaritas were probably the best I’ve had in years, if not ever and the food was awesome!
In addition to great food, the service was great! The waiter was polite and well organized and seemed to know exactly when we were in need of something.
Also, El Mirador Restaurant is in the Southtown area of San Antonio. This area has several nice bars and restaurants; as well as several historical homes and buildings that have been restored/​renovated over the years. Many of the homes have been turned in to small museums. While out and about in SA, take some time to learn about the people and places that forged the foundation for what the city is today.

This was such a horrible experience. My husband and I tried to have a romantic lunch, but it was anything but. The food was just okay, the patio was nice… but…
You want more than a tiny basket of chips? That will be $ 1.
You want a refill on your coke? That will be $ 1.95.
You want an extra tortilla when they only gave us 2 for an order of fajitas? That will be $ 0.25.
You want queso on your cheese enchiladas instead of red sauce? That will be $ 4.95.
Also, we were charged prices different than what was on the menus (apparently we were given old versions). When we told the waitress that was unacceptable, she smirked and walked away. Apparently she thought we were joking.
This place was like the Spirit Airlines of restaurants. We definitely won’t be back!

Great sleepy Mexican restaurant but the food didn’t knock me out my chair.
I ordered the chorizo in scrambled eggs and the chorizo was really missing that usual spice bite that I’m used too. Very bland.
What wasn’t disappointing was the minuscule check and the extremely friendly waiter.
I’d give it a shot with the expectations of a really cheap average Mexican food experience and you might get lucky and find a better dish.