Jacala Mexican Restaurant

10/16/09

Worst dining experiences

by Maximilian at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: Nice environment
• Cons: Bad service, rude servers, bad food, bad management

10/11/09

Will drive from Houston for their tortillas!

by CKRene at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: Food, Sangria, Waitstaff
• Cons: My tummy isn't big enough!

11/11/08

Best family Tex Mex in San Antonio

by joe1080 at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: Great food
• Cons: Ask for flour tortillas if you want them

Response from this business

24257– November 20, 2008 at 10:36:19 PST

This is the best San Antonio has to offer! Thanks for the acknowledgement!

10/27/08

Simply The Best

by KaydenceNoelle at Citysearch

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!!!!

• Pros: Fresh & Hot
• Cons: Busy on weekends

10/23/08

Best in San Antonio

by harrysbc at Citysearch

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!

• Pros: Great cheese enchiladas
• Cons: Ask for a "good waiter"

09/30/08

Stay Away!

by tamara38 at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: Low prices
• Cons: You get what you pay for...YUCK.

Response from this business

24257– November 20, 2008 at 10:50:30 PST

We are sorry you did not like the food as we have been in business over 60 years and are a "destination" restaurant. Please call us and we will be happy to accommodate you another time.

09/20/08

Bad seating & Bad food

by ccnmo at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: hot sauce
• Cons: tasteless rice 'n beans

Response from this business

24257– November 20, 2008 at 10:53:45 PST

Sorry you were disappointed. After 60 years, we have five generations of families still eating there as they say it's nice to "come home to Jacala" where some things never change! I eat the Chile Relleno once a week and am never disappointed. Please call us and we will be happy to offer you a comp. meal! Thanks.

08/19/08

I don't know what is with all the great reviews....

by jm1773 at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: the hot sauce, the waiter
• Cons: food was gross, tasteless and too expensive for what you get.

Response from this business

24257– November 20, 2008 at 10:55:16 PST

Jacala cannot be accused of tasteless and gross food or we would not have been here for six decades. Fresh food everyday. The best San Antonio has!

01/25/08

best corn tortillas

by silsbee26 at Citysearch

I have eaten here since the mid-70's...I love it! The cheese enchiladas (minus the carne topping, just go for the gravy) are the best I've ever had. The puffy tacos are different and yummy. The staff is usually pretty nice and the speed of the meal from the time you order is, for the most part, very quick. I have to pace myself on the corn tortillas, brought fresh from the cooker to your table. yum!

• Pros: usually quick service, tortillas
• Cons: sometimes the wait is too long

12/04/07

Not what we expected

by jillian50 at Citysearch

We were extremely disappointed after reading all the rave reviews. We were visiting from St. Louis and could find nothing great about this restaurant. Give me the riverwalk any day. My fajita's were blah and the rice and beans were cold. It was a wasted vacation meal and out of the way. I did not even like the chips or salsa. My husband loves pork carnitas and there was not any pork on the menu. If you are vacationing- don't waste your time.

• Pros: none
• Cons: atmosphere, food

Response from this business

24257– November 20, 2008 at 10:47:04 PST

I am sorry you were disappointed, but we have been in business over 60 years and seat over 300. We could not have done that with tasteless food. Our hot sauce is sold all over Texas and we would love to send you some!