Tarbox & Brown at Kissing Tree is one of the true standouts in San Marcos. Although Kissing Tree…read moreis a 55+ community, the restaurant itself is open to all -- and thank goodness, because the food and service are simply too good to keep behind any gate. The kitchen consistently turns out high‑quality dishes made with fresh ingredients, and you can taste the care in every bite. The chef has clearly built a knowledgeable, confident staff who deliver a smooth, top‑tier dining experience from start to finish. I've eaten here many times, and nothing anywhere has matched their "Par 3" plate -- chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad served on crisp lettuce. Simple, fresh, and absolutely unmatched. The staff is always pleasant, attentive, and genuinely enthusiastic about the menu. They're not afraid to tell you what they personally enjoy, which makes the whole experience feel warm and authentic. San Marcos is incredibly fortunate to have Tarbox & Brown. In the two years I've been a regular, they've only continued to raise the bar -- and that says everything.

Wonderful menu options. Very creative and inspired options from appetizers to dinner entrees…read more Always great service and attentive staff. Be sure to check the website for dining schedules and features during the week. As a resident in the community built around this venue, we are "regulars" and have always enjoyed our visit.

We had a large company dinner here with about 35 people. It was a great venue and the food was…read moreexcellent as well as the service. The location is right on the river and atmosphere was excellent. In addition they worked with us on price and drinks and the service was excellent.

I have to wonder how anyone can review 5 stars. Met a friend for lunch. We shared the brisket…read morepoutine appetizer. Teeny tiny. My goodness, the 'beef' gravy tasted like flavored cornstarch, and the cheese curds, well they were melted, hard to find and no well-known 'squeak'. I have had poutine across the US, and Canada, and this is by far the worst tasting, not even close, poutine ever. It was really bad. So disappointed. I then decided to go with the blackened chicken spinach wrap that was very dry chopped chicken with no flavor whatsoever. The chips that came with it tasted weird. If my friend did not insist on paying the bill, I would've sent the food back. The place was busy and probably a hang out for some that may have been there tubing in the river and needed someplace close to eat, or definitely do not know what good food is. Our server didn't seem to know what he was really doing. Definitely will not be going back as this seasoned cook, and retired very successful chef, would not recommend this place if you want good food.

Came to drop our daughter off at Texas State and stopped here to eat, it was delicious! We decided…read moreto come for the 2nd day to eat! Definitely on my top list of restaurants to stop at when we visit.

I tried the Let's Do Lunch menu and decided to go with the Grilled Avocado Chicken Sandwich--and…read moreI'm so glad I did! I opted out of the fries and chose the vegetable medley instead, which was absolutely delicious. The sandwich was completely loaded with avocado, pesto sauce, melted cheese, and two perfectly cooked pieces of bacon on a soft, heavenly bun. Every bite was packed with flavor and perfectly seasoned. The cheese was melted just right, and that bacon was cooked to perfection! And let me tell you about the vegetables--zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli--so good! I would definitely order them again. The service was really good, and of course, you can't go wrong with the atmosphere. I absolutely will be ordering this sandwich again! I highly recommend trying the Lunch Special! Delicious food, great service, and a wonderful atmosphere.

I hesitate with this review, because then you'll know. You'll know what I know; one of our…read morefavorites in San Marcos. You'll experience the inviting ambience we've enjoyed the minute you step along the courtyard then encounter welcoming and accommodating hostesses. You'll discover the same unique, rich, warm interior we discovered; an elegance to be appreciated, which bows to unpretentious Texas hospitality. You'll again be greeted by a helpful, charming, engaging waitperson. Our latest waitperson was Sami, a delightful young lady who tended to us as if we were her only table. You'll discover a menu with great selections with Chef Monty's personal flair and reasonably priced. If he can free himself, you'll most likely meet Monty, both owner and chef. It's hard to imagine a nicer guy unless it's Kyle, the manager! Palmer's atmosphere is suitable for casual conversation over a meal, for Sunday brunch, an anniversary, or a romantic date night. One of our favorite activities is evenings in the courtyard with wine and appetizers. Also, it's difficult to resist their desserts, by the way! Reservations are accepted on a limited basis, but "call ahead" is always available. There, I've said it. Against my better judgement, you now what I you know. The rest is up to you.

I came here for my graduation dinner, and overall the atmosphere was calm and relaxing, though I do…read moreagree with my family that the lighting was much too dark. The food portions were surprisingly small for the price -- honestly small enough for a toddler. However, i prefer the Graduate plate and I will say the mashed potatoes were incredible and probably the best I've had anywhere but the pot chop tasted like turkey and had no flavor. Unfortunately, the service was the biggest disappointment. Our waiter never really welcomed us or made us feel appreciated as guests, especially for such an important occasion with a party of 13. As the graduate and guest of honor, I felt completely ignored the entire night, which especially upset my mother. He mainly interacted with only one family member the entire evening and came across as cold and uninterested. I understand he may have had a broken wrist or was having a difficult day, but it still felt disrespectful and lacking basic hospitality. I might consider returning someday to try the regular menu instead of the preset graduation menu, but I definitely would not want the same waiter again.

The service was excellent and the food was great…read more I would definitely recommend this place

SERVICE: table side, attentive AMBIANCE: clean, cozy,…read morerelaxing FLAVORS: short ribs (10/10) - it's only 4 slices but they are the best most flavorful short ribs I've had in a while! pork chop (8/10) - SO tender and juicy, but the topping of crunchy peppers with goat cheese and potato puree were discordant even though tasty PORTIONS: filling and hearty PRICE: $$$$ BONUS TIP: parking is $10 and not validated like with Krause.... Hmmm

Great spot! delicious food, cute environment, and friendly staff! Love to eat here when we visit…read moreour son at school

I really love this place. Me and some friends come here after we float the river. The burgers are…read moregray in the fried fish was awesome!

The onion rings are huge and awesome. The coating on them is perfect and they were some of best we…read moreever had. The Buffalo chicken sandwich was moist and well done. I would have liked buffalo sauce to coat it completely like wings. Everyone enjoyed their sandwiches and definitely recommend them. McKenna was our server. She was outstanding. I forgot to mention the Bloody Mary was excellent. A very well balanced mix that needed no extra ingredients. They still do great job at Grins!

Ive been eating at Grins since they opened in the late 70's and for many years was my favorite…read morerestaurant. Since the restaurant changed hands recently the food has been inconsistent and prices have gone way up. A burger, fries, chips and salsa and soda lunch for $30+ is just too much. The burger alone is almost $18. That's more than a full meal at Whataburger and the quality isn't that much different. I enjoy ny lunches there but at these prices and the quality variation I'll just go to Whataburger where I can eat twice for these prices

They were out of a lot of basic Menu items. The server was hardly helpful or very friendly. I asked…read moreabout specials for the day and they wouldn't honor what they had online.A lot of the appetizers were the same price as burgers or a dollar or two off. To me it was high. Maybe that's just the prices closer to campus? We did enjoy playing pool. Everyone seemed to enjoy the Texas state game that was on.

This was our first time here, and my review is mixed. So I'll start with the positive…read more We went to see our friend play, so we were excited to come here. The parking is very limited some spots in the parking lot, more on the street around the area. The place is small, but the sound was great. Small stage, but big enough for a 5 piece band. I really enjoyed the out door patio area. Plenty of space to move around. A gas fire pit. Some spots to play games. I got to sit outside and smoke a cigar. The bathrooms were clean, but no paper towels inside. Now, to the bar. Had to wait for 15 minutes to get a drink. I asked what they had on tap, and out of 8 taps, only one had a keg. So I asked for an IPA, and they told me they only had uncle dunkle, was the only IPA. I rollED my eyes, cause that wasn't an IPA. They didn't have any mint, so I couldn't get a mojito for Maria. They could make a margarita for her. While I was waiting for my drinks, there was a lady waiting for her food, she said that she has been waiting 30 minutes. While the band was playing, I got me two more beers, cause the bartenders were pretty busy. After a while I noticed the lady come back to bar looking for her food. By this time it had been well over an hour. She was told that they gave her order to someone else. Waiting for service here was the worst. Then not having stuff to make drinks.

everything was amazing. food was good, table was clean. The girl that helped us was amazingread more

Michael was our server, and he was more than great! This wasn't our first time having him, and he…read moreeven remembered us. His attitude was great he made our dining experience even better. We would definitely come back to see him again!

Easy-going sit down with a wide menu and ridiculously fast service…read more A solid option for Tex-Mex, especially for the lunch rush. I am leaning between the 3 & 4 stars. The place was clean, bright, and the food was good. However, the service, while quick to bring out food, ignored us for refills on chips and drinks, despite there only being 2 other parties. Will likely go back because the proximity to the office, but will try out the other nearby options for Mexican first.

Followed through on plans to get Mr R their 3 egg omelet, paying a small surcharge for extra…read morevegetarian fillings. It was a hit. The only thing left from his plate (which included two full slices of Texas toast and diced potatoes) was half a slice of toast. I tried their catfish plate. Found it had a lovely crunch and generous tartar sauce even by Midwestern standards. Plate contained two sizable fillets plus fries, toast, and that standard crisp little texmex side unsalad. I don't remember feeling ravenous when I ordered but I cleared the whole thing and was very happy about it. They included flatware, napkins and salsas in the pickup order without anyone requesting it. Mr R said staff were friendly and the establishment was clean classic diner setting. I don't regret a single thing I've ordered from here and will continue to come back.