06/10/09

Not your average riverwalk tex-mex!

by SAfoodie

I've enjoyed visiting Acenar many times since it opened, both for lunch and dinner; in small and large groups. Service has been excellent, and prices quite reasonable for a nice riverwalk dining experience. The food is great too, of course- Alambres and fried oysters for appetizers, mole enchiladas and carnitas for entrees, and any of the desserts. Try the strawberry margarita and the blood-orange mojito. Delicious!

That said, Happy Hour was not so happy. The bar was understaffed and incapable of handling the large crowd. Specials were relegated to a very small area without enough seating; there were no menus of specials. This wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't advertised happy hour on a sign right outside the door! Servers couldn't even tell me the specials. I'm hoping this is just a little kink they can smooth out, because I'm sure their actual happy hour specials are fantastic. I wouldn't know though- I left.

• Pros: Fun atmosphere, reasonable prices, delicious food
• Cons: Happy hour was a nightmare

12/24/08

Pretty good food at an ok price

by d9009

Coming from a native San Antonian, I can tell you that Acenar is a good place to eat when visiting, but mostly because of location and reasonable prices. Its location on the Riverwalk is great, and just at the edge of the commercial stretch, so there is actually plenty of good, spacious outdoor seating while still within walking distance of most downtown hotels. If you want authentic Mexican or even TexMex food, this is not the place to go. If real TexMex or Mexican is what you're looking for, keep walking. There are many more places, most of which are less expensive, that you can find if you just look and are willing to try even if not as fancy. Acenar is more of a TexMex experiment with some good outcomes, and some not so good. Either way, the location and menu are good enough reasons to try it out.

I work downtown and eat at Acenar every couple months and I'll continue to go back about that often. One piece of specific advice... DO NOT order the ceviche (latin, citrus-marinated fish/shellfish dish). There is hardly any seafood in it at all, mostly filler, overpriced....and stale popcorn topping??

• Pros: Atmosphere, outdoor seating, location
• Cons: light on key ingredients, lots of filler-food

12/15/08

Nothing Special

by seatlejock

The food was good, even above average, and the location on the RW is good. We went on a Saturday night and the place was about half full, and the service still had a difficult time. They probably need more waiters and the waiters they did have were high school and college-age kids, so just be prepared for that, even though they appeared to try hard, I think they were undermanned. Be wary of the drink prices - they don't list them on the menu for good reason. An 8oz. margarita for $15? Yeah, I don't think so. A glass of well chardonnay for $9? Please, this isn't a high-end steakhouse.

• Pros: Enchiladas Mole
• Cons: drinks, service