Mexican Manhattan

It was my first time to roam San Antonio on my own. I was starving and this place smelled so good. The ladies were so friendly… but thats as far as it goes for me. Enchiladas to go… w/​a coke. $ 17.43? During lunch specials? I was so hungry from all my walking and was so sad when I saw my food. I have a video of the liquids I poured out of my to go box. Tasted like an old school TV dinner. The chips and salsa aren’t good either. Like plain tomato sauce.

So yummy and no loud music. Great place for locals to go and just enjoy great food. Thank you

Below average Tex-​Mex with mediocre salsa and plates smothered in cheese and refried beans. Further proof that the downtown River Walk is NOT the place to find good food.

We held out from choosing several other restaurants on the Riverwalk (they are all pretty touristy which is to be expected given the location). Mexican Manhattan is on the end, tucked in a corner and with a more balcony terrace than ground level patio seating. There was no wait, it was quiet and shaded, and had a great view of the river without being right by the constant foot traffic and the boats (with the loud speaker guides) didn’t come down this way.
The food was just fine by me — I wanted no frills, homestyle Mexican food and that’s what they got. (I am SO glad we skipped the shinier, chain style spots to end up here).
They had plenty of lunch specials and meals that include multiple items so you can get your tamale, taco AND enchilada fix on one plate. They of course have a la carte too, and the nachos were more like 8 mini tostadas (though with a tad too much cheese; however it’s easily cut/​scraped off). In fact we came across a couple of things on the menu that threw us (Is it a thing to call enchilada sauce ‘gravy’ in these parts? What’s a cabrito?)
We asked about the tree next to our table, and the server answered so quickly and confidently (cypress) our somewhat random question that we started googling to find that we were directly in front of the famous sniper tree. Look it up or ask the server if you go :)

Should have known there was a reason that a restaurant on the Riverwalk has no line on a Saturday night. Service was fast and friendly but the food was poor. Salsa like plain tomato sauce, guacamole like you’d get from a package at the grocery store, and the rest of the food was completely bland.

The patio over looks the river walk. The staff is friendly and the food is great. It’s a San Antonio classic. I miss the old place Karam’s. Childhood memories.

20 Years ago Mexican Manhattan was my workplace little secret. We’d steal away an extra 40 minutes at lunchtime to come here. They have a nice outdoor seating right on the river walk, although a bit off the beaten path (even better). I love their fluata plate. Really anything with guacamole can get me going, so this is my go to dish. Salsa has a nice bite to it, but not so hot the visitors to San Antonio can’t appreciate it. Chips are fresh and crispy. Enchilada plate is wonderful. Treat yourself and have one of their house margaritas, one of the few restaurants with house margarita that is actually good and reasonably priced. The waiters are friendly which is always a plus. Two hours free parking across the street, which is great because this is downtown.

First time going there was last night. My brother and father are very familiar with the place however my dad hasn’t been in about 20 years. I got the Beef Enchilada dinner which was worth it and the chips and salsa were also good. I will be going back and getting a margarita along with my plate!

Gross sicky sweet margarita, salsa that tastes like canned tomatoes, and guacamole from a bag. Absolutely disgusting.
But they’ll play music for you… tips are $ 10.

The beer was expensive and the salsa tasted like canned tomatoes with a few peppers thrown in. We just stopped in for beers and chips/salsa…judging by that this is not someplace I’d ever eat a meal. There are far better places found in San Antonio, this is honestly the first Mexican place in San Antonio I’ve tried that DIDN’T blow me away.

Delicious food; excellent service. Love the ambience: we ate dinner out on the patio and enjoyed the cool evening breeze and the view of the river below. We couldn’t quite figure out why the restaurant is named Mexican Manhattan, though. A nice young waiter took the time to tell us the restaurant’s history. Entertaining story! Thanks for making some out of towners feel at home.
Loved the guacamole. Tortilla chips were not greasy (my pet peeve.)
In summary: Good food, generous portions, friendly staff. Thumbs up!

The nachos were pretty good. However they were over priced. Me and my coworkers ended up spending $ 20 on each of our meals for lunch. We work in the area and thought we would try this restaurant for the first time. We will not be going back.

Well .m the portion size s really good … but the food quality is not really !!! Spanish rice was really salty … over cooked … also the dinner enchilades were super greasy… water cup we had. had a very weird color on the cup edge. I have a pic of it general view. portion size ⁸⁄₁₀ … food quality 1.5÷10 …

Another of my favorite places. Their guacamole and bean chalupa is a must. Their corn and salsa are great accompaniments. Their crispy chicken taco was a little dry this time. They did not have the fresh shredded lettuce. Got to have your meal with a bottle Coke. Great service by waitress. Beautiful day to sit in the patio by the riverwalk.

Went to a party to celebrate a friend’s 40^th birthday. The food was amazing — cheese enchiladas, tamales with chili, beef and chicken tacos, rice, beans — all of it was so good! The margaritas were some of the best I’ve had! The server came back four times with a fresh margarita on the rocks and each one was perfect! The ambiance was perfect — we were on the patio with a view of the Riverwalk below us! Loved the whole experience and would definitely return!

This place has 3 things going for it: 1. Awesome ambiance — the patio overlooking the the Riverwalk is quaint and romantic, 2. While pricey, the top shelf Margarita is delicious, 3. Serving sizes are sure to please the biggest appetite, I mean they are frigging gigantic!
Drawbacks…
1. Not Mexican food… almost not TexMex either.
2. The guacamole while decent is not fresh made, it’s commercial, creamy smooth, no seasoning.
3. Traditional chiles rellenos uses «poblano» peppers, not green bell peppers… proof the food is not Mexican.
4. The refried beans were flavorless paste… totally missing the spices needed to call the food Mexican or even TexMex.
5. The tostada chips lack seasoning.
Pros
1. Good Margaritas
2. Large serving sizes.
3. Good crispy tacos (I can only vouch for the beef).
4. Awesome ambiance…
The only reason I gave them 2 stars is the Margaritas are good.
So if you wish to eat here «don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed»!!!

I can’t believe that anyone would consider this Mexican food. None of it had flavor. The salsa was just canned crushed tomatoes. Does this place cater to the Canadian palate? Am I in Canada? That’s not fair because I don’t think Canadians would even consider this food flavorful. Our dishes came out and the only flavor in any of the food was cumin. I told my kids that this food reminded me of 70’s tv dinners that you had to cook in the oven.
Please do yourself a favor and find another Mexican restaurant. Any Mexican restaurant has to be better than this place. The only saving grace and star was our server. She was friendly and attentive. Thank you Jessica.

Great guacamole and flower tortillas, frozen margaritas. The wait staff was vary helpful
The marachi band was cool

I enjoyed my time here, but found the food mediocre and the wine straight up bad. When the River Walk was crawling with people (and I was alone and didn’t feel like fighting the crowds) I was able to get a seat on the river here, and the service was great. But I felt my meal was only alright (I was pretty bitter they didn’t have chicken enchiladas… I should probably get over it) and my wine was really bad, though it was also really cheap so maybe I shouldn’t complain.
In sum, I recommend it if it’s convenient, but wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

Walking into Mexican Manhattan is like taking a step back in time to old San Antonio. Over the years the restaurant has experienced at least two remodels and expansions, but retains much of the original charm of the business that opened in 1958. I have a friend who is a native of San Antonio who has been eating here since he was a child in the 1960’s when his grandmother would bring him for lunch on a Saturday before going to see the Matinée down the street. He claims the food tastes exactly the same as it did when he was a child and visiting the restaurant always brings back a flood of wonderful memories.
There are any number of restaurants where you can go to find the latest and greatest exotic culinary creations, but few that are true classics in every sense of the word. This is a family-​owned business that is still run with loving care by the sons of the founder.
You may notice a few one and two star reviews on this page. You’ll also discover the vast majority of them are written by people who are visiting from out of town and don’t have any clue what Tex Mex is supposed to taste like, or they were seeking a new-​wave Mexican experience and left disappointed. The chips are too crunchy, the salsa is too spicy, the guacamole too smooth, there are no seafood options, vegetarians can’t find anything to eat on the menu, no fusion entrées, no black beans, blah, blah, blah. Let’s make a pact — I won’t go to Boston and critique the clam chowder, or to California to impugn the Cioppino — you don’t come to San Antonio and slam one of America’s benchmark original Tex Mex restaurants.
When you approach the rustic, worn, downtown exterior of this building, this should be a clue as to what you’re about to experience — don’t be surprised when it delivers exactly what it promises. Don’t expect this rare treasure of a restaurant to be something it is not, but appreciate it for exactly what it is — a classic, wonderful piece of the history of San Antonio and of Tex Mex food. And as a bonus, if you eat at one of the outdoor patio tables, you’ll experience the quiet and subtle end of the famous Riverwalk from a vantage point you won’t find at any other establishment. I don’t mean to sound defensive, but I’ve grown to love and appreciate this restaurant during my 8 years in San Antonio. If you are looking for a classic take on the American masterpiece that is Tex Mex cuisine, I think you’ll love and appreciate Mexican Manhattan too.

C’est le premier restaurant que j’ai croisé en arrivant à San Antonio et en me promenant sur le River Walk.
J’avais très faim et je venais de New York, donc le nom évocateur ma bien plus!
Positionné légèrement au dessus de la rivière, je vous conseille d’arriver côté River. Car coté rue, la façade né casse pas trois pattes à un canard. Honnêtement, je né serai pas entré dans ce restaurant si je l’avais découvert du coté rue. Bref
Côté River, on mange bien et à l’ombré.
Pour 14 $ tips compris, j’ai pris le Chile Relleno qui est un poivrons farci et pané. Accompagné de riz, de salade verte et avec des tortillas. En boisson, verre de soda (Co**-Co**) à volonté.
Le starter est offert. Ce sont des chips triangulaires avec de la sauce piquante.
Le service est rapide et les serveuses sont très aimable.
Conclusion: Pas trop mal.