A long standing family tradition when I lived in San Antonio was going to Alamo Café. It is one of those places that I hold near and dear to my heart but there are times when I need to just take an honest look at a restaurant that I have gone to for years and evaluate the relationship. Growing up, Alamo Café was one of those places that was reasonable for family of four, yet you were still going to get a good meal. From my earliest memories, it has always been one of the most popular restaurants in San Antonio. There are many times when you can just expect to wait at least 15 minutes. They have two locations, one in central San Antonio and one in the Northwest side. Both are busy…always. The central location is the one we would go to the most and it is also the newer location with a nice patio area and a small “field” for the kids to run around. Alamo Café also offers many catering opportunities and is frequently used to hold big parties or gatherings.
As I have moved away from this place, I can feel my stomach yearn for its food. It calls to me. Alamo Café is one of those places that reminds me of home and family. It has many great memories. But as I think of it after our last visit and think honestly of a review, I have to evaluate a restaurant that I know I enjoy for many reasons, but is only average at best.
Atmosphere: 4 The walls are adorned with photos and pictures of Mexican and Texas heritage. The place is proud of the Texas heritage and is proud of the Tex-Mex cuisine. The central location is newer and has a cool sunrise/sunset light display as you walk in as well as a nice fountain inside and outside. The hustle and bustle of the restaurant is shown as the staff zoom around the facility like they were on the Autobahn while the patrons go at their leisurely pace. I prefer the central with the uncomfortable old world wood tables and benches that call the patron to reminisce about Texas. The tortilla factory inside the restaurant puts this over the top and is my absolute favorite part of the dining facility. Recently, they have added homemade corn tortillas to the already popular flour. You have to pass by it on your way in and it makes your mouth begin to water. This tells you that you are in the right place for some fresh flour tortillas
Chips & Salsa: 3 The chips are good and have a decent thickness to them (sometimes they are even multi-colored). They do have a tendency to break easily but can generally hold their weight on the queso and salsa. Personally, they are under-salted for me and we usually add a little extra salt to liven them up some. The salsa is decent and flows freely. It is rarely spicy nor does it have much heat. It seems to be mainly a concoction of tomatoes and onion with other flavor hints in there that make you come back for more.
Margarita: 3 The margarita is average and can be found in the typical frozen or on the rocks variety. They do offer several different flavors if you are in the mood for something different. They can also be ordered in a pitcher if you feel you will be there for a while. For a San Antonio offering, it is average. You can find better ones 10 minutes away. But if you are in the mood to have a margarita, their offering will fill the void.
Queso: 5 I love it. It is my absolute favorite queso and I measure every other queso against it. The consistency is fantastic as it is not chunky and thick yet not too runny. They serve it with a “big chip” that is soaked in the queso from the time it leaves the kitchen until the table. By that time, it is generally this droopy, gooey mess that is pretty good. The queso does not have any spice to it so all can enjoy but just beware that it will go fast.
Tacos: 3 They have a number of different taco options from soft to crunchy, regular to brisket to shrimp tacos. All have underwhelmed me as I expect more from a Tex-Mex place. There is nothing that leaves me wanting more and I almost feel that I am eating it just so it doesn’t go to waste. The classic fajitas is one of the most popular at Alamo Café. In fact they are served on the sizzling skillet to the table with all the smoke still going. They have a better than average taste and are a nice sized portion.
Enchiladas: 3 The enchilada offerings are also vast, but still only decent. The different sauces (ranchero, chile con carne) are just ok and remind the patron they are in a Tex-Mex restaurant but are underwhelming. The best option is probably the sour cream chicken enchilada as it offers a decent amount of taste and flavor.
Service: 4 Most of our visits are filled with generally helpful staff. There are times when it is hard to find a waiter as they are busy running from table to table but generally there is enough staff that most waiters don’t seem to be so bogged down with tables that you never see them.
Other Noteworthy Items: Tortillas! Tortillas! Tortillas! They are one of the best things about Alamo Café as they are fresh and hot and FREE(!) for your table (and can be purchased to take home). The tortilla soup is often raved about and many San Antonians have tried to copy the recipe. It is a nice blend of shredded chicken, broth, cheese, sour cream, and a little spice. The Chile Relleno is a nice option as it is a fried Anaheim pepper with beef or chicken in a ranchero sauce topped with cheese. It definitely offers something nice but splurge for the fajita topping. One of the most popular items at the restaurant is the chicken fried steak. This is also one of the most debated because a) its Texas, and b) its CFS. You’ll read in later posts about my quest to find the true king of chicken fried steak. Many restaurants claim to have the best CFS, and Alamo Café’s is one of the most popular in the area. That doesn’t mean it is good or even great, just that it is extremely popular and well received. It is a portion of ground beef (not the typical steak) double battered and fried served with white gravy, french fries and green beans.
Recently, this extremely popular San Antonio icon has received a lot of criticism about their food and its quality. The establishment keeps turning out the criticized food all while providing good service and good atmosphere for their visitors. Their menu is vast and offers a wide variety of options to fit any taste. They offer several combination plates that allows the patrons to taste their different offerings. If we had a category called value, this would be a 5. You can get a large entrée, free chips, salsa and tortillas all at a reasonable price. It is a nice escape for the family and very family friendly. It is popular among the high school students so if you are a foodie, a pretender, or a yuppy, go somewhere else; this isn’t the place for you. All others will be welcomed with open arms and tortillas!
Matt’s favorite part of the queso is the whole crispy corn tortilla floating in it.
When I go home to San Antonio (Ilive in the northeast now), I go straight to the Alamo Cafe from the airport. It is my comfort food. The tortillas are to die for. While I can find better Tex Mex, and usually head to other places later in my visit, the food here had been consistent for over 30 years. My teenage boys have grown to love it as much as I do!
Yes, there is great comfort in eating the food we grew up with! So happy you enjoy Alamo Cafe as much as we do, and we hope you can come back and visit Texas often!