Taps y Tapas

Delicious Brunch!!! Their bottomless mimosas will keep me coming back for sure. I had pulled pork with polenta and a fried egg on top. The porks smoke was overwhelming as first, but overall it was a really delicious plate for about $ 7 bucks! The mimosas are serve-​yourself so I happily did! I would definitely recommend this place for a laid-​back afternoon or breakfast outside in this awesome Texas weather.

I have to, unfortunately, agree with Marie B.‘s review from a few days ago. Had high hopes for this place after reading the reviews, so invited some friends visiting from Vegas to meet us there for brunch. I appreciate the effort that was given (mostly towards the end, after mutiple mistakes on their end), but cannot give more than two stars. I will, however, give this place another chance when I’m out there again – the venue is super cool, and their Sunday brunch concept is spot on… albeit poorly executed this time.
So the idea for Sundays is a «Brunch Kitchen Takeover», this time featuring Chef Dominic Juarez. The concept is to bring in food truck chefs to create their own menu for the day, meanwhile they have a dj spinning pop hits on the back patio. The menu yesterday included the «Dirty Bird» (fried chicken with mashed potatoes), «Running with the Bulls» (some sort of vegetarian dish), the «Papillon» (french toast with peaches and syrup) and a few others that I can’t remember – mostly because by the time we got there and *AFTER* we ordered we were informed that only the Dirty Bird and the Papillon were available. It then took 45 minutes to even get the food, only to discover that after we informed multiple staff members that came up to take orders/​deliver bad news/​take an hour to bring a sweet tea that one of the members of our party couldn’t eat pork, both dishes indeed came out with pork sausage on them. Aside from that, the food was great and the manager tried to rectify the situation by voiding the food items from our check. The bottomless mimosas were great, and we were even given our own bottle of champagne to top of our drinks because the restaurant was closing within the hour. I think I’d rather come back during regular business hours, because the venue itself is great and the food we had was fantastic – just very limited.
Venue: 4
Food: 3
Staff: 3
Service: 1
Comfort Level: 1
Again, I hope to have the opportunity to come back and review with a higher rating.

Delicious, cheap food in such an interesting environment. I had no idea that Taps y Tapas was in an old house (built in 1860 I think?) when I went there, but was so happy to try out this great Mexican restaurant while in SA!
My friends and I ordered at the bar and got a table outside. It wasn’t very busy for being 7pm on a Saturday night, so the service was quick and friendly. We shared the chips, warm salsa, and guacamole for starters. The chips were sooo good, and we had to order another side of guac because we gobbled the first one up so fast. I had the chicken BLT salad for dinner — I liked the dressing especially (it was spicy!), but was a little disappointed to see my lettuce was a little wilted and brown on some edges (which is why I’m giving 4 stars). My friends both had tacos and they said they were delicious (slightly small — order 2 – 3 each).
We also got the churros for checking in with Unilocal,but couldn’t finish them because we were too full from all the tasty chips! Definitely worth checking out if you are in the SA area!

This bar surpassed my expectations, which were pretty high after reading previous Unilocal reviews. The food was crazy good. I ordered the street tacos (thanks to the a la carte special I was able to try the fish, al pastor and carne asada) and the Chori Queso. Everything had a perfect combination of ingredients. All of the meats were seasoned to perfection as well. The hot sauce that is served with the food is spicy, which is a very a very nice change in comparison to the bland hot sauces typically served at similar modern Mexican restaurants.
The beer selection is very impressive. They host not only a good variety of beers from Texas but also maintain a good selection from the entire U.S.
Service was excellent. Leslie Ann was very attentive and just plain cool. Beer to go (in bottles) is also a great option here as I am taking a local beer home to share with my friends.
Overall my experience here was awesome. If I am ever in San Antonio again this will be a must stop. Do yourself a favor and check this place out.

Cory was awesome with his beer recommendations and small talk. Love the vibe the food was great but not too filling. The churros though were freaking delicious. Would definitely recommend churros and the tinga quesa.
If you’re wanting a great local beer come here.

Overpriced tapas and I don’t like to sweat when I eat. Nice people and pretty cool atmosphere.

Everything was very flavorful, fresh & authentic. I will be back many times in an attempt to try everything on the menu.

Everything was fresh!!! Authentic Mexican Tapas!!! Can’t wait to try more! Got the chicharron, carne asada tacos, and chicken tinga and everything was full of flavor! Coming back for sure!

Parking is almost impossible but once you’ve made it indie you won’t be disappointed. Order at the counter and as you wait for your food check out the cozy place with lots of fun art and live music. Stop by the bar for a craft style drink. I suggest the chicken and waffles!

Great service and amazing atmosphere. I was pleased to find they had carne asada fries! Which is a souther California staple. Although it was more of a gourmet take on the California plate it was still amazing none the less

You need to go here. Trust me. Great beer and even better food, and our tab was reasonably priced. We had the empanadas and chori queso tapas. Pretty damn good. Diverse beer selection that you can’t find at most local places.
Staff is great, and makes you feel like a regular. Looking forward to going again. Highly recommend.

10 STARS! the flavors are spectacular & pay tribute and are true to the Latin roots! The staff is wildly enthusiastic and have that style /​personality that I wish EVERYONE had! This is the BEST hidden, local gem in SAT!

Cute house transformed into a restaurant! Staff is welcoming and friendly. Food is tasty and bottomless mimosas are always a good thing!

Had the buffalo chicken tacos. Awesome flavor profile that’s really well balanced and bursting with flavor. They recommended it with a kolsch beer and it was spot on! There was a party in my mouth!
Also great outdoor seating options in the front and back. On the inside its like a house with a bar and different dining room seating options.
Good service and friendly people.

Olé for the taps!
Oh no for the tapas.
This Spanish-​style restaurant and tap room is pretty cool. They have a great beer selection, with awesome beer specials. The bartender knows his beers, and was quite helpful.
I enjoyed the décor here. Lots of local artists, with a dog theme. The outside was imaginatively decorated with a cool outside patio with lots of plants, a shack made of wine bottles, and a small stage for bands to jam out on!
I wasn’t blown away by the food. We got an order of the chicken wings. They were advertised as being ‘lolly-​pop’ style. The chef didn’t lolly-​pop them. That’s when they run a knife up the bone so the meat is all at the top of the bone like a lolly-​pop. Nope. The wings were served warm, like they’d been sitting out on the order-​up place for a bit. It did take an extraordinarily long time to get the food. I had to go back in to make sure they didn’t forget us. The mole sauce was just a drizzle on there, and tasted like it came from a can. Goya, if you ask me. Four wings for $ 10. Not worth it.
It’s cool that they have regular events. They just had one where you can eat on a whole BBQ’d pig for $ 18.
Come for the beer! Stay for the atmosphere. Show up already fed.

The food was okay, my waffle was very dry and the kids didn’t enjoy the food. We had to order more plates because they weren’t satisfied.
The atmosphere is cool and they place was clean which I liked. It states good for kids but I have to disagree. This is not a family friendly place, even if they did have a changing table I would not bring my family back here.
They do not serve alcohol but do have champagne and of course beer. On Sunday’s they «only» serve brunch… womp. We were hungry and the only meat was chicken and waffles/​biscuits. This is place is definitely over priced for the small plates. I doubt I’ll be back.

TOTALLY HIDDEN GEM.
SON, that Mole sauce is to die for. Please dont be confused by the name as the menu is plenty diverse and they really aren’t playing around with the quality here.
Beautiful setting both in and outside, great venue for events as I attended one for Beer week 2015. Speaking of beer, not only do they have a tremendously knowledgeable bar manager, but the entire staff and ownership is really in the know and very well respected within the craft beer community.
Cant wait to go back.

Tapas are a Spanish influenced dish, small in size used to encourage conversation over drinks. Taps is the universal word for beer drinkers that means, «pour me another one.» You put the two together and you have the small but absolutely splendid, «Taps Y Tapas» which resides in the newly bustling area of Five Points. It is the place perfect for a date or with a group of friends over drinks, quick bites and conversation.
Taps Y Tapas is located unassumingly next to a bicycle shop. There is a gateway that opens and you go into a simply decorated house with a Meso-​American flair. When you enter you will notice that there is an area where food is picked up. Inside the main room there are nicely arranged tables to accommodate any size of party big or small. Down the hallway to the right is a tiny bar that can only fit more than twelve people at any given time. Patrons wearing flip-​flops, hipsters with chucks, middle-​aged couples, college students and every demographic in between is the call of the day.
The bar area is laidback, cozy and charming. The selection for drinks is small but I think it will satisfy the most discerning palate. For example they sell wine, sangria’s, mimosas and beer. I found their beer selection to be not expansive but rather specific to taste. The bartender was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He did offer suggestions and samples to make the best informed purchase.
In addition to drinks I ordered chips, salsa and quesadillas with my drink. You can order any items from their menu at the bar where you also buy your drinks at, which I find to be a nice touch. No sooner was food ordered that it came out quickly but above all, hot. The chips were freshly made, as I could detect the presence of warm oil on top. The salsa was spicy and hot. The quesadillas were a bit on the toasty side, but with a good beer the flavors made more sense. The prices for food and drinks are reasonable and it won’t break your wallet.
I think some of the misgivings reviewers have about this place concern the overall presentation and portions of food. Tapas, in essence are like an appetizer. They are an intermediary before a formal dinner or for a nightcap. I think patrons go in with the same set of expectations they do with places such as Rosario’s or Mi Tierra and feel shortchanged. Taps Y Tapas is not that place nor should it be confused as such. The idea of tapas being somehow in place of a full meal certainly is contrary to that notion.
Taps Y Tapas is a splendid, little spot with a vibe and charm all its own. The service is good, the prices for drinks and food are reasonable. And you will enjoy the seating in the front or in their backyard patio. Whether for a date or just hanging out with friends, Taps Y Tapas is the place to go.
ps The only thing lacking are real parking spaces for patrons.

So finally made it back to this place. Again love the concept. This time my party made different food choices. Nice vibe — all tables were filled so we (4) ended up at the bar. Made sharing difficult.
We tried the 2 different quesadilla w squash flower and the houitlacoche on blue corn tortillas. Each «order» is one corn tortilla cut in half– priced @ $ 4 each– pricey, I know.
Tried the risotto, papa tacos (4 fried mashed potato tacos served with finely shredded cabbage & tomatoes). The papa tacos end up being too big — if that’s possible — tasty but they would be better if they were in mini corn tortillas. The chile Arbol sauce that was served with many of the dishes was spicy and the heat lingered which was nice. I thought The risotto was okay– my sister n law really enjoyed it.
Ordered the habanero wings– twist on the traditional wings. They are not saucy– the breading is what is spiced. These were cooked well– not greasy and again heat was represented well in the light breading.
The shrimp ceviche was disappointing– tiny baby salad shrimp– that was «e-​hhh» — wouldn’t reorder.
The kale salad is a solid choice.
Many plates but not enough food– went back and ordered the Tortas 3 way and the some other slow cooked meat dish that was served with mashed potatoes.
The service was okay but we were never offered additional plates or utensils (until or last dish was served) which again made sharing difficult.
The red sangria was really disappointing — I don’t know if it was old or what but it had this very unappetizing sediment. I could not finish it. Changed to a cab and that was a poor choice/​not the best quality of wine. The draft beer selection is nice.
I think that food-​wise it has a very high price point for the amount of food you get. One Unilocaler wrote — don’t come hungry– and I would have to agree. I have no idea what $$ the meal potion ended up being but the bar tab was $ 52 (it was almost $ 70 bc they had charged me a whole bottle of wine instead of a glass, over site? I sure hope so).
At the end it was Probably was between $ 150 – 200 between food and ETOH– worth it? You decide but I’m sticking to the 3 stars bc if the high prices, small portions & service.

Damn you Denise and Noël. Why the hell did you have to build this place? Now I’m freaking conflicted between this place and the point. I almost feel like I’m cheating.
For starters, this place is really, really cool: Cool art, cool staff, cool chef, cool owners, cool little place to eat, whether by the bar, outside or inside. It has plenty of room and the outside is definitely a place to hang out and throw back a few while listening to some good music.
This place is coming up with some amazing traditional dishes with some new twists (torta sliders, tacos three ways, black bean risotto, crab empandas, short rib and list goes on). The food is exquisite and full of flavor. Although it’s a tapas place, portions are pretty big, enough for 2 people. Because of this, my friend, Sandy and I got to sample quite a few of the dishes. Although I loved, everything I’ve tried, I keep gravitating to the Torta Sliders and the short rib-​goddam that some good stuff! My son totally loved the Tortas too.
If you’re looking for craft beer, this place is it. They carry quite a few local beers from around the area which they rotate. They also make this MEAN pink sangria (and I’m not a sangria fan)
If anything, go for the drinks but DEFINITELY stay for the food, you won’t regret it.