Taco Jalisco on I-35 in Hillsboro. Casa Falcon in Camp Wood. Both have good food. Spanish is the most commonly heard language in jaliscos

Reviewed this whole thread. Still didn't find what I hoped to. Starting vacation tomorrow with one afternoon/evening in San Antonio.
Have not done the Riverwalk thing in years. Thought of trying La Margarita or Mi Tierra at El Mercado (never been there) but hought it might be nice to have a bite on the Riverwalk. Any suggestions. I know anything there will probably be "touristy" but that's what I am in this case. Hopefully not too $$$.

Everything I've ever had on the Riverwalk
is just "touristy"
and $$$$$$.

Look for some little dive on the edges.
Keep it real.

51eleven wrote:
> Reviewed this whole thread. Still didn't find what I hoped to. Starting
> vacation tomorrow with one afternoon/evening in San Antonio.
> Have not done the Riverwalk thing in years. Thought of trying La Margarita
> or Mi Tierra at El Mercado (never been there) but hought it might be nice
> to have a bite on the Riverwalk. Any suggestions. I know anything there
> will probably be "touristy" but that's what I am in this case.
> Hopefully not too $$$.

As said before, Riverwalk would be somewhat touristy. La Margarita is kinda my favorite downtown, I never was real fond of Mi Tierra. Ask some of the locals around downtown for a "real" place they would go to; La Fonda (which has three locations all independent of each other; there's one on N. New Braunfels north of Austin Hwy, another just outside Loop 410 at Fredericksburg and I think the third is on Main at Woodlawn) isn't too bad; there's also the Los Barrios which I think is on Vance Jackson -- I know Food Network has been there.

And there are the dives ... again, if you're only spending a day or night, I'd want a pretty solid thumbs up before heading into a dive ... there are some gems but there are some that a starving dog would pass up.

Thanks lifegate, you changed my mind. La Fonda Oak Hills is about 1/2 way from our hotel to the riverwalk. 75 years & very good prices per their website. I've never seen the walk at night, would like to see it lit up. Think we'll catch la fonda for an early supper then walk it off on the walk. Pause at 3-4 different spots for A libation. Figure if I keep it down to that & walk slow, check out a few shops, we can see it transition from evening to night and be legal/ok to drive back to the motel.

51eleven wrote:
> Thanks lifegate, you changed my mind. La Fonda Oak Hills is about 1/2 way
> from our hotel to the riverwalk. 75 years & very good prices per their
> website. I've never seen the walk at night, would like to see it lit up.
> Think we'll catch la fonda for an early supper then walk it off on the
> walk. Pause at 3-4 different spots for A libation. Figure if I keep it
> down to that & walk slow, check out a few shops, we can see it
> transition from evening to night and be legal/ok to drive back to the
> motel.

You'll enjoy the Riverwalk at night. When my dear Irish momma was alive and would visit me, we would always have to make a trip to the Riverwalk and spend most of the night at Durty Nelly's Irish Pub in the basement of the Hilton Hotel singing Irish (and other songs). Haven't been in the place since she died (1994), but still fondly remember taking momma there ... and she had two replaced hips and used a walker ... it was a chore getting her in the joint, but we ALWAYS got a table real fast.

You probably will take a stop at Dick's Last Resort. Little story about the place ... it's the basement of the Nix Hospital. Seems about 20 years ago, one of the hospital administrators realized that the hospital morgue was prime real estate on the Riverwalk. It was quickly decided that the dear departed really weren't that interested in having their mortal remains spend time in such high dollar properties so the morgue was moved and the space was leased out to Dick's.

Also, something I learned about 30 years ago or so when I was involved in a group having a convention in San Antonio (and got to eat at lots of nice hotel restaurants while choosing a site); had lunch with the sales manager of the Hyatt Hotel (then under construction). I had been at a number of Hyatt's and told her that I could see that something was missing in the plans of this then-new Hyatt. She reminded me that most if not all Hyatts at the time had rooftop restaurants, but this one did not ... reason why -- under San Antonio ordinance, the shadow of no building can fall on the Alamo and if they had added the restaurant, they would be in violation of the ordinance. If you walk out from the Hyatt toward the Alamo, you'll see a part of the original Alamo walls under glass. While they were building that plaza from the Hyatt to the Alamo, some doofus whacked the wall with a backhoe, so they had to stop everything and protect what they could find.

A stop at the LaMansion Del Rio for a pop wouldn't be too bad, either.

SAN ANTONIO has tons of places, but my fave and a place I believe is CLASSIC San Antonio is on Vance Jackson (La Fogata, 2427 Vance Jackson). It is a place almost 100% known only to locals and Texans and a few weirdos and artists, but it is, in my view, true San Antonio. La Fogata sits in an old residential neighborhood and has the feeling of the complex cultures of South Texas. It is NOT Tex-Mex, it is NOT Central Mex, it is not latest Trendy-Mex. It is NOT Turista, never has been, never will be! Like going to Wrigley field in the afternoon and watching the Chicago Cubs play, you will not be sure what year it is but you will know you are in for an experience. Sit outside under the vine covered arbors, have lunch and then just sit with friends for the rest of the afternoon. An authentic experience, authentic food, it will add a few years, or at least a few good hours, to your life. Every true Texan (no matter where you grew up), must have at least one meal at La Fogata.

I am a fan of El Mirador in San Antonio. It is on S St Mary's just about 50 yards south of Durango (southern edge of downtown). La Fogata is good. Actually saw a sign saying it was something like their 35th anniversary this year... used to be in an old gas station on Blanco Road back then before they moved.

There is a little out of the way place on the riverwalk called Dolores Del Rio. It is Italian and run by this crazy lady I've known for years. I think this is the longest she's been w/one restaurant. Tell them you are willing to eat in the kitchen if possible.

There used to be a burger named the Granger at the Lone Star Cafe on the Riverwalk. Doubt they still have that. Not even sure if the place still exists... long story for another day, but yes it was named for me.

Oh and about the Nix Hospital... I was born there...

granger wrote:

>
> Oh and about the Nix Hospital... I was born there...

You and about half of Alamo Heights. And I think at least one of my brothers-in-law.

PS Durango Street won't be Durango St. much longer. City Council just renamed it Cesar Chavez Blvd., but the Conservation Society has already filed suit to keep it from going into effect.

NEVER been to El Mirador on South St. Mary's, will try that one next time I am in SA. I LOVE the local places, thanks for the tip. Speaking of which, but not Mexican food, is the infamous Liberty Bar still there? Or did the building finally lean over so far that it fell? Have been to the Restaurant on the west side of the building a number of times, I love that place, great homemade bread!

alan wrote:
> NEVER been to El Mirador on South St. Mary's, will try that one next time I
> am in SA. I LOVE the local places, thanks for the tip. Speaking of which,
> but not Mexican food, is the infamous Liberty Bar still there? Or did the
> building finally lean over so far that it fell? Have been to the Restaurant
> on the west side of the building a number of times, I love that place,
> great homemade bread!

There is a Liberty Bar on the southside of downtown (http://www.liberty-bar.com/home/) but I think it's a newer location of the original bar which was on Josephine Street, which closed about a year ago.

That is right, the original Liberty Bar was on Josephine. Too bad it closed, I guess that building finally fell over! Next time I am in SA I will check out the new location. THX for the heads-up.

Don't know if these have been mentioned, but my favorites are:

1. El Camino in Tulia - best chile rellenos on the planet.
2. La Popular in Abilene - best carne guisada on the planet.

And La Popular has the best corn tortillas

On the planet?????