Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill

    3.9 (106 reviews)
    Open • 5:30 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill Takeout or Delivery

    El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill Photos

    Business Info

    EL GRAN TAPATIO MEXICAN GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    More like El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill

    Recommended Reviews - El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Carne Mexicana
    Kevin Q.

    Staff are always very helpful and friendly. The food here is the best. Nothing I would change, great great Mexican food.

    After frozen margarita melted, I even tried adding ice to remix it and it wouldn't. Looks so gross!

    First three recent visits, great. This visit? Like The Twilight Zone & Punk'd merged to boggle my mind. All the empty booths I saw were dirty though it wasn't busy. I chose the one that needed a quick wipe and dry and ordered my usual frozen mango margarita. My usual server was there and knows I don't want anything on the rim. This time, it came with what looked like thick, wet tajin and/or salt, so I sent it back. I was brought another one. It was a lot darker than usual but I didn't think anything of it. It was also in a different glass but I figured they ran out of my usual because their Happy Hour is pretty popular. I was towards the end of Happy Hour, which is why I didn't make a big deal of the dirty booths...initially. The drink also came with fat smoothie straw, which I did think was strange but then I sipped it and realized that it did have a more smoothie consistency rather than the ice crystally consistency of a frozen drink. I switched the straw out and then ordered my usual ground beef chimichanga. She LITERALLY REPEATED it back to me but what came out of the kitchen, IT, TOO, looked different. It wasn't the same size as usual and I scraped the ends with my fork and they were HARD. Not crispy. Hard. When I cut it open in the middle, I immediately knew why it was smalle: it was steak. I suppose that steak is more expensive, so I understand. There was also a lettuce and tomato salad, which with the produce problems sweeping the nation, gave me pause. I don't eat any restaurant produce these days, so I sent THAT back for the correct chimichanga. The new one arrived and looked good as usual. After several bites, I went to sip my frozen margarita and it was already melting. I got to a point in the chimichanga where I pulled what I guess was supposed to be cheese but it was like string. I stopped eating at that point and glanced at my margarita to see it was completely thawed and looked like fruit slime settled on top thoughout the glass. I stirred it and it would NOT MIX. I was so impressed with this place at first. I've been a lot more than 4 times; it's just the 4th time I got a chimichanga and a frozen margarita. This was so disappointing. It looked so gross, it made my stomach turn and left a sour taste in my mouth. I probably won't return. To sum: 1. Dirty booths 2. Wrong drink 3. Wrong food 4. Stringy cheese 5. Unsettling, gross frozen-then-melted margarita And finally, 6. It was unusually HOT in the place, as if they turned the AC off or something. I have to retract all the recommendations I made. No way would I recommend anyone eat here after this. ONE of those issues might've been tolerable but ALL of them is just too much.

    Eliz R.

    Great food and fast service. It's a great spot for brunch and it's usually full, it does have a lot of sitting space.

    Dining room.
    Christopher M.

    This hole in the wall is amazing. Food was delicious and filling. I couldn't finish my three tacos. And I tried both the red and green salsa. Very flavorful and I don't want to see the calorie count. Because it was that good I didn't want to know. The service was fast. Waitress got our drinks and when she came back she got our order. Total time from order to food was less than ten minutes it felt like. So very quick as well. It's far for me to drive. But worth it.

    In front of the entrance.
    Sylvia H.

    We were passing by this restaurant to go to another one, but I saw a sign that said pork chop special. Decided to stop there, once we went in it was packed and very busy, we stood there for several seconds and they a lady said sit where ever you want. We sat by the entrance by the first window on the left side. Our waitress came up soon after we were sent and ask what drink we would like we ask her questions as this is the first time there. Our waitress name is Maryann and she was extremely friendly and so was all the other waitresses. She answered all our questions and we received our drinks really fast. Our food comes out rather quickly and it was all hot, the potion was great and I ask for crispy potato's and they complied it was all great and delicious I don't thin the photos that I have attached makes the food look great but it was. The coffee was hot and good. The tortillas were soft to the end and they tasted so good, hope they keep that person as that is what a tortilla should feel like and taste. I went to the restroom and it smell good and was clean. I recommend this restaurant to everyone as it was the best experience we had. Every single waitress was smiling and laugh and interacting with their customers. I sure hope when I.bring my family that they have the same best experience I had.

    Lengua taco
    Maria L.

    Food is great and the service attentive. The restaurant is not too crowded but busy with takeout orders. High gloss tables and chairs a little too close together but I'm sure theres a few accessible seating options. The Fideo has steak instead of ground beef. Homemade corn tortillas. Complementary chips and salsa include a small cup of melted cheese.

    Their new name
    John C.

    Was famished early in the morning and didn't want hotel food so opted for DoorDash and did a breakfast mini spread. Had the mixed 3 taco plate, and the Huevos Nortenos plate which was huge! Had leftovers for lunch and was pleasantly surprised how delicious the food was. Next time I am in San Antonio will go to the restaurant in person and eat inside.

    Stephanie G.

    Delicious!! We are wowed! We ordered delivery through Uber Eats, and we were so happy with how tasty and good quality this food was. The food was still very warm by the time we received it- so the service was quick and fresh. I'd recommend the Quesadillas and Mini Tacos! We will definitely be ordering again.

    Charro Beans
    Maria T.

    I was looking around town for barbacoa tacos-to-go and found this amazing place! We almost got off becuz we heard live music today Sunday but decided to do the drive-thru instead. We ordered the barbacoa mini tacos and horchatas. We werent disappointed! These tacos were sooo good and very filling! They came with a cup of charro beans, chopped white onion and cilantro, red and green salsa, radishes, two slices of lime, slices of cucumbers, small grilled onions, and a grilled jalapeño! Very well served! Even the tacos were double tortilla and w/ lots of barbacoa. The horchata was a large horchata and was delicious too. Very pleased with our order, we paid under $25 for two orders and two horchatas. An employee brought it out to our car and was very nice. They took maybe 5-7 minutes to bring it out:) I will definitely go there again!

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Super tasty and great prices. I'll definitely be back! The place was super packed first time we went. And they seated us almost right away.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kevin Q.
    23
    109
    55

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M G.
    5
    428
    2

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eliz R.
    84
    73
    172

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 3
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    The food was great and they have lunch specials that include a tea. You can't beat that price anywhere.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Good food but a bit expensive. Employees are nice place is always clean. So other than the prices it's a great place.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maria T.
    30
    60
    89

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    enchiladas verdes were delicious! The ground beef tacos were good as well! Yum I will be ordering from there more often

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    This place is fantastic! Service, the food and atmosphere were all great! Will definitely revisit when in the area.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim B.
    7
    37
    68

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Michele C.
    126
    57
    78

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Everything was great! Service, food, and the prices are very reasonable! I will be back every chance I get.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ed S.
    0
    256
    26

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sarah P.
    17
    266
    69

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ana B.
    0
    49
    31

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Mexican 44,763 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery - Flautas de Pollo

    Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery

    3.7(4k reviews)
    5.7 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery in operation since 1941 is a signature restaurant in San Antonio, TX…read more Historic Market Square. Having grown up in San Antonio, I have literally been to Mi Tierra's 100s of times. When you walk into the restaurant you experience immediate sensory overload (so much to see where it is hard to focus)...papel picado strung everywhere...in different colors...in different textures...metallic and paper...wow wow wow!!! In addition, there are artful configurations clustered with lots of color and spiritual references highlighting the Mexican American culture. Also, there are pinatas strung from the ceiling in metallic colors, which is a bit unusual for pinatas (usually made from paper). The restaurant also has stained glass windows and a mural. On this particular occasion, I was in the restaurant for bakery goods. Mi Tierra specializes in Mexican pastries. It looked like it would be a quick in and out, however, with so many sweets, every customer asked questions and deftly decided on their sweets de jour. Since I waited for a bit, I decided on three...peanut brittle (the hubs said he had not had any since childhood), pecan praline (for me) and a pecan pound cake (split between the hubs and myself). All were incredible delicious. Yep, we ate them all in one day. It is important to note that the prices in the bakery are extremely reasonable. Excellent sweets experience...

    Party of 2 on Monday 1730…read more OVERALL Great service, great food, great ambiance. SERVICE Seated right away. Mario was our kind and happy server. He provided great recommendations. He checked us often and refilled our waters often. CHIPS AND SALSA Complimentary. Tortilla chips are freshly made, oil it was cooked in tasted well, and the salsa was flavorful with roasted ingredients. FLOUR TORTILLA Very fresh, the right amount of salt and moisture, hot, toasted perfectly, just the right thickness, and teared apart very well. CHALUPA COMBO The chalupa was made with a typical crispy tortilla. Placed next to the enchilada so it made it a bit difficult to grab since one half of the chalupa got soggy. EL RANCHO SPECIAL Recommended by Mario. Selected beef tips. The beef was very tender and flavorful, the sauce was flavorful with spice and savory, the rice/beans were well seasoned and flavorful. The guacamole/lettice/cheese was placed into a taco shell. The guacamole was very fresh and had a great texture with varying chunks of avocado. ENCHILADA POBLANO The shredded chicken was juicy and well seasoned. The poblano mole sauce was mildly creamy, tasted of delicious poblanos, seasoned well, and added a refreshing contrast to the savory chicken filling. The pickled onions were a refreshing addition and had a great snap to them. AMBIANCE Feels like we were in a home. The place is decorated vibrantly. The decorations were also very bright and clean. The booth was comfortable and relaxing.

    Photos
    Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery - Balcony in the bar

    Balcony in the bar

    Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery - Triple Chocolate Cake. @coreyd123 on ig for all your photography needs!

    Triple Chocolate Cake. @coreyd123 on ig for all your photography needs!

    Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery - Chocolate cake. @coreyd123 on IG. Contact me with product/marketing photography interests

    See all

    Chocolate cake. @coreyd123 on IG. Contact me with product/marketing photography interests

    Domingo - Enchiladas
 Photo by Amanda Spencer

    Domingo

    4.0(931 reviews)
    5.1 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    Took a stroll on the Riverwalk and ended up at this georgous spot for a weekend brunch. Mainly…read morepatio restaurant (a small number of indoor tables and bar) ... it sits staring out and up at the unique architecture and trees. From the street, enter the Canopy Hotel and take the elevator down to the riverwalk ... or from the riverwalk come up the stairs and the hostess is all the way inside the restaurant. The outside is a great setup and pretty unique for the riverwalk. The service was super nice and attentive. The Cobb Salad was huge and amazing with a good portion of toppings. Loved the chipolte ranch kick. I had the pressed beet juice as well .. yum! The drink was okay .. mia tai mimosa ... Will definitely try something different next time as the alcohols just did not mix as well as they sounded on the menu. PS. A couple came with dogs which are welcomed on the patio. The restaurant had doggy water bowls. Cute!

    Went here for a work lunch with coworkers. The place is so beautiful inside and out. Luckily we got…read moreto sit by the river which great weather. The service was fast and friendly. Our waiter checked on us a lot and was very knowledgeable about food allergies and substitutions. Our drinks and meal came out fairly quick. The guac and chips are yummy. The guac was creamy but does have a spicy kick to it. I also tried the cucumber agua fresca. So refreshing and light. For the meal I had the Baja fish tacos. It doesn't come with a side but it does have 3 very filling tacos. It was grilled halibut, pico, romaine lettuce, guacamole and Baja sauce. It was delicious and very flavorful. It needed a spicier sauce but deff would go back for this.

    Photos
    Domingo - Ceviche dish
 
 Photo by Amanda Spencer

    Ceviche dish Photo by Amanda Spencer

    Domingo - Views of the River Walk 
 
 Photo by Amanda Spencer

    Views of the River Walk Photo by Amanda Spencer

    Domingo - Tequila Soda
 
 Photo by Amanda Spencer

    See all

    Tequila Soda Photo by Amanda Spencer

    Pollos Asados Los Norteños

    Pollos Asados Los Norteños

    4.7(1k reviews)
    1.9 mi•Eastside
    •$$

    We came a little after 8pm, pretty close to closing, and the grilled chicken was easily the…read morehighlight of the meal. We ordered the half chicken ($11), and I was honestly surprised by how juicy and moist it still was inside. The outside had a wonderful smoky charcoal flavor, and the marinade was flavorful all the way through. It also came with rice, corn tortillas, red and green salsa, grilled jalapeño, lime, and grilled onion, so it was a really filling meal for the price. We also tried the Bean Burger ($9.79), which was a fun combination of a beef patty, refried beans, cheese, chipotle sauce, and pico de gallo. I enjoyed it, although I personally would have loved a thicker layer of beans. The green salsa was SO good that I ended up buying an extra container for about $5 to take home. The restaurant itself is very casual and no-frills, with a big charcoal grill that really adds to the atmosphere--you can see and smell the chicken cooking. It feels much more like a local neighborhood spot than a polished tourist restaurant. Service was also very friendly and attentive. Even though we arrived late, we never felt rushed, and our server checked on us several times to make sure we had everything we needed. I would absolutely come back for the chicken and green salsa.

    This place is a small hole in the wall type place but if you are looking for great Mexican bbq food…read more- look no further. The menu is fairly simple but everything is too notch. The grilled fajitas were exceptional - meat perfectly seasoned and peppers and onions perfectly seasoned and cooked. The beans have a great flavor and even the rice (I'm just not a fan of most Mexican rice because it's bland) had a great flavor. The tortillas are the perfect thickness and are soft and warm. And of course - the green sauce - it's amazing! Our server was very friendly and prompt and the food came out quickly on a Saturday evening during prime dinner time. The true indicator of how good this place is - we were the only gringos in the entire restaurant! We will most definitely be back before long!! Well done!!

    Photos
    Pollos Asados Los Norteños - Inside

    Inside

    Pollos Asados Los Norteños - Fajitas

    Fajitas

    Pollos Asados Los Norteños - Signage

    See all

    Signage

    Iron Cactus San Antonio - Doughnuts

    Iron Cactus San Antonio

    3.4(2.3k reviews)
    5.1 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    Iron Cactus was a great find. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the food was excellent. I…read morehad the Mexican meatloaf, which was definitely not something I would normally expect at a Mexican restaurant, but it was unique and wonderful. The chorizo and ranchero sauce really made it stand out. The Mexican street corn on the side might have been even better. That stuff is seriously addicting like crack. I could have eaten a bowl of it by itself. Definitely a place I'd come back to.

    Iron Cactus sits right along the River Walk and has a pretty good-sized space. Walking in, I could…read moreimmediately tell they were going for that moody, dimly lit, relaxing atmosphere. Now listen I enjoy a good mood, but this setting went a little past moody. It was DARK dark. They could definitely bump those lights up about two settings and still keep all the ambiance. lol Thankfully, the food and service needed no adjustments. Our waiter Stephen was really nice, attentive and quick throughout our visit. Thanks for taking good care of our table! We tried the paella and steak fajitas, and everything came out nice and hot. Both were enjoyable, but we also need to talk about those spicy mango and watermelon margaritas because the drinks definitely DELIVERED. Flavor was there, and so was the pour. Overall, we had a good experience. Nice River Walk location, hot and tasty food, great drinks and friendly service. Just turn those lights up enough for me to admire the meal before I eat it.

    Photos
    Iron Cactus San Antonio
    Iron Cactus San Antonio - Hickory Salmon Salad

    Hickory Salmon Salad

    Iron Cactus San Antonio - Iron Cactus on the River-Walk

    See all

    Iron Cactus on the River-Walk

    El Gran Tapatio Mexican Grill - mexican - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...