Jacala Mexican Restaurant

Recommends

bippy59

Joined 3 years ago

Excellent service, so-so food. Out of a family of 5, no one was impressed with their food. The cheese was not real cheddar. The chili rellano grease tasted old. The service, chips and salsa were fine.

Recommends

pigletpuff71

Joined 5 years ago

I've Been Going There Since 1974. I've been going since 1974. Have ordered the same meal all these years, the #7 or "Ladies' special." This would be the last meal I would ask for if I was ever on death row. However, they are not the best place for grilled meats. Therefore, get your fajita fix someplace else. Any special event in my family, college graduation, somebody bought a new car, we went to La Jacala. It's simple, a true "greasy spoon" type of place, nothing fancy, don't have to get dressed up, but if you do, it's ok. Sometimes the wait staff doesn't live up to the reputation; if you go often enough, you'll notice that they don't last long.

Doesn't Recommend

Maximilian

Joined 4 years ago

Worst dining experiences. The experience was embarassing, awkward and humiliating to me and the lady I was with. When I complained the waitperson went to get the manager but the manager never showed up. The food was highly salted to the point that it was inedible and unhealthy. My companion also ordered some sides that at first were not served with the entree and when asked for them were served in rude and sultry manner. I paid for my food and I cannot express how glad I was to get out of that restaurant.

Recommends

CKRene

Joined 4 years ago

Will drive from Houston for their tortillas!. This was our first visit to Jacala. My boyfriend and I came to SA for the weekend and stayed on the River Walk. By the time Sunday came we were tired of the commercialized restaurants and blah food on the River Walk.

As a person who loves to cook and has a deep appreciation for food, I was impressed with everything at Jacala. We were seated immediately and drink orders taken right away (Sangria and House margarita). We ordered the Mole Chicken and the Jacala plate but not before tasting the mole sauce as suggested. The mole sauce ranks on my top five list and the chicken was falling off the bone. The cheese enchilada with carne, puffy taco, and queso were quite tasty. I am not normally a fan of refried beans but wrapped up in one of their homemade corn tortillas with some salsa they were perfect. We liked the flour tortillas so much we asked for some to-go!

Our service was spot on. We didn't have to ask for anything and our chips, salsa, and drinks were always full.

I can already tell you I will be craving the chicken mole and the tortillas, so we'll definitely be back! Thanks to the Jacala family for a great dining experience.

Recommends

joe1080

Joined 5 years ago

Best family Tex Mex in San Antonio. Tried it for the first time after reading the reviews to form my own opinion. Family loved it. We found it moderately priced and extremely tasty and family oriented. Best kept secret in San Antonio! Ask for the flour tortillas because they won't bring them unless you ask. Try the platter! Best deal.

Recommends

KaydenceNoelle

Joined 5 years ago

Simply The Best. We are 3 GENERATIONS of Jacala diners and the food is simply the best we have found anywhere in San Antonio. Living here gives us the opportunity to try many different Tex Mex eateries but we ALWAYS return to Jacala. The flour tortillas are made fresh everyday (in fact you can watch them being made at any given hour) and the puffy tacos may be petite but don't let their size fool you,,,,they are delicious and filling. The chips and salsa are always fresh (the salsa can be shipped anywhere in the continental US) and at Thanksgiving and Christmas we always order our TAMALES (our favs are chicken tomatillo, pork, bean & cheese) from Jacala's own kitchen. Super Bowl just would not be the same without Jacala TAMALES. The cheese enchiladas are my personal favorite (nothing else compares) and the Green Enchiladas are excellent and the sauce is awesome. In all the years we have been dining at Jacala we have never ever had a bad meal. The waitstaff is always friendly and there is almost always an OWNER on the scene to ensure you have the best dining experience possible. The ladies go way out of their way to accomodate their customers (reservations are appreciated but not required) and large parties are welcome. Weekends can get busy but with some of the best Margaritas in town to drink, it makes the wait worthwhile. It just doesn't get any better!!!!

Recommends

harrysbc

Joined 5 years ago

Best in San Antonio. I read the reviews posted and could not believe some people did not like the Green Enchiladas. It is a required taste, but I have to have them at least once/week. I have been eating there for over 30 years and come in from Bulverde just for the Green Enchiladas! My wife loves the cheese enchiladas with the # 4B. I can't get that cheese anywhere else and I 've tried lots of Mexican restaurants. It is busy sometimes, but it is authentic and "old San Antonio". If I ever have a problem, they are ready to fix it. Try not to sit by the kitchen doors, just like any other restaurant. When you look around, you realize most of those people have been eating there for years because they usually know what they want. It has to be great to survive that many years!

Doesn't Recommend

tamara38

Joined 5 years ago

Stay Away!. I have never had Mexican food this bad. I am new to San Antonio and I was expecting to get great Mexican food here. This place is not it. I chose this place because I wanted to try a puffy taco & the description on CitySearch was appealing. We were seated right away but the Customer Service was not impressive. They were not rude, but not welcoming or friendly at all. I ordered the chicken enchiladas with green sauce & an order of puffy tacos. The chicken enchiladas were not edible. The green sauce was very sour, even bitter. The puffy tacos were a disappointment as well. I was looking forward to the fresh tortillas but was surprised when I opened the warmer to find corn tortillas. The corn tortillas had an odd smell as well. My son ordered chicken enchiladas with chile & was also disappointed. I informed the waiter that I did not like my food & he offered to bring me another plate...of the same dish. I explained that I did not like the taste of the sauce & the taste would not change with the next dish. He apologized but never offered to replace it with another dish or comp my dinner. I have never been to a restaurant that made me pay for a meal that I could not eat before. Not good business; I won't be back.

Doesn't Recommend

ccnmo

Joined 5 years ago

Bad seating & Bad food. We used to dine at this restaurant maybe once a month, forgiving the tasteless beans 'n rice, and greasy, mushy "puffy tacos" because the cheese enchiladas w/carne were so delicious. We started ordering ala carte. But the last time we visited on a weeknite, it was a little busy so we ended up seated right in front of the swinging kitchen doors. Bad start. But we were hungry enough to stay. Bad decision. My date ordered the cheese enchiladas & I ordered the chile relleno. Bad choice. The cheese enchiladas were the same, at least they have that part right. My dish however was overly greasy, the picadillo needed salt or more flavoring as well as those same tasteless beans 'n rice. I wish they could get that Mexican restaurant staple down. Thank God for their hot sauce! That nite we were also so distracted by the swinging doors, I don't even know why they put a table there in the first place, that our total dining experience was terrible & made it the last time we visited this place. Even our server seemed to be sympathetic w/our seating arrangement but the owners comfortably seated at the register could'nt have cared less. We no longer live nearby & this is San Antonio so there are plenty of really good Tex-Mex restaurants (and bad) to visit.

Doesn't Recommend

jm1773

Joined 5 years ago

I don't know what is with all the great reviews..... Thanks to citysearch, my boyfriend and I wasted a meal on Jacala. The food was tasteless and gross. The enchiladas were disgusting, the meat tasted like it had been sitting in the back for days. The only cool thing was our waiter. He was entertaining, but not enough to EVER go back to this terrible place.