The staff were very nice. I would just stay the food is mid, but everything else was good.

Food was great - service was good, and we sat outside on a great day. Really enjoyed my lunch!

Hearty soup, good margaritas. Cute homey kind of vibe. Good outside seating and polite workers. read more

Grins Restaurant - Homemade Broccoli Cheese Soup - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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Quality of food and service is on par with any Denny's restaurant. We did not dine on the patio but that looked nice I guess. Our server was rushing and spilled ketchup on my purse. These things happen, but then she handed a wet rag for ME to wipe it up. When I think about this it isn't really her fault. Most restaurants these days have terrible employee training. In N Out burger is fast food, but they bring a special crew on to train employees when they open a restaurant. read more

i don't know if Grins is under new management or if the restaurant is on a decline. We have dined here in the past when visiting my TXST son; however, tonight's experience was very disappointing. The menu selection has decreased considerably and the food was not as good as before. Although our waitress was pleasant, she admittedly got our order wrong, resulting in having to remove the plated meal so that it could be redone and another meal was completely modified. By the time the order came out, the table was practically done. There was no apology or price reduction due to her error. The chips were nothing but scraps and the queso was cold. The potato skins were just nacho cheese on the skins. Despite an empty restaurant, we had to ask other staff for drink refills. Needless to say, we will not be dining here in the future. read more

Not sure what happened today but service was not good. We got a table about 20 minutes after we arrived. Which was fine because it's parent's weekend. However, no one was outside dining at any of their 10-15 tables except one other group. She sat us at a table that had not been wiped off. She came back and sorta wiped it off but it was still dirty. All the tables were like this. So, we looked over the menu. And waited and waited for a waiter. My husband finally went inside and asked one of the THREE hostesses standing at the door if we could get a waiter. So, a girl came out and apologized and asked what we would like drink. We said we were ready to order and she said oh, I'm not your waiter. Then she said she had a good memory and took our order. Which came out perfect. We ended up having to go inside and get our ketchup because it didn't arrive until we were half through with our lunch. So, the food was good but the service and cleanliness was not. This was parent's weekend. Lots of empty tables, not enough wait staff. Maybe our experience is why the tables were empty. Seems like a management issue. read more

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Very charming old location in San Marcos, Texas. Food was good served quickly and the weight staff was very attentive.

Server was very nice. Onion rings were great. Of course the chicken fried steak was yum. read more

Grin's reopened after spring break under new management. They need to hire the previous management back. The portions are small, the prices are higher, the wait staff cannot seem to get the order right. One item on our order never even ended up on the table. Received side salad after the main course arrived, no baked potatoes, strange spice on the table, no explanation of what it was. If this is the "new management" you might want to go ahead and shut the doors because everything about this dining experience SUCKED!!!!!!!!! read more

Daya was a wonderful server, extremely nice and attentive. I would definitely come in just to sit in her section!

I was just here with my friend getting margs and my friend was upset about a breakup and our server dayana was amazing and super nice highly recommend asking for her as your server read more

We had the chicken fried chicken and chicken fried steak. The breading on both was to die for. I'm not a gravy fanatic, but their gravy... put it in a glass and give me a straw and I'd be good service was prompt, polite, and friendly. Margaritas for under $5?! Yes please. Wonderful experience, and for $15 a plate, we only ate half so the leftovers make it half that price. Cant wait to go back! read more

Grins Restaurant - Chicken Fried Steak - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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Grins !!! While looking for a place to have dinner, we found that Grins Restaurant came highly rated by YELP. A beautiful (short) drive from I35 , right across from Texas State University. I must say that from the hostess to the waitress's, they could not have been any better. Being our first time, they answered our questions and made our meal a pleasure! We had the queso and salsa for an appetizer. The chips and dip were great ! My wife ordered the grilled fish tacos for the main course with a side bowl of broccoli and cheese soup. Both were excellent! I had the chicken fried steak, steamed broccoli, (2) HUGE onion rings and a side fresh green salad. It was all very good!! This is a place you should give a try if you find yourself in San Marcos around lunch or dinner time. Go get Full read more

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Food is pretty good here. The portions are large and the service has been great every time I've been here, but there's one thing I have to dock points for. THEY DONT HAVE MAYO! What kind of restaurant doesn't have mayo?! All the dishes that would normally have mayo have miracle whip instead . Completely unforgivable. read more

Nice casual place with friendly service and cozy outdoor seating. Tortilla soup was veggie tasting and slightly spicy. My friend loved the broccoli soup. Shared the bean cheese nachos. Plenty for two...even had some nachos leftover. read more

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The food was so great! I would definitely go back to try some other things off the menu. We were also greeted and provided great service the entire time. read more

Grins Restaurant - Buffalo Ranch Crispy Chicken Sandwich and The Jalapeño Popper burger with Onion Rings! So great! - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

We walk and drive by here every day. This was our first time stopping in AND on Mother's Day. Didn't have huge expectations but we were extremely and thoroughly impressed. First, there wasn't a long wait. They were busy but it flowed very well. The quality of the food and drinks was amazing. The amount of food you get for the price was even better. Leftovers! Yessss.. Specifically, The buffalo chicken sandwich was to die for. That sauce was amazing. The breading on the chicken was so flavorful. The chicken itself was cooked to perfection. So juicy. My daughter had the spicy Cajun grilled chicken. She normally puts ketchup on chicken but said that chicken was the best she's ever had(not one drop of ketchup was seen). The margaritas were probably the best I've had at a restaurant. I'm very leary getting margaritas when I'm out to eat somewhere because the quality of the tequila isn't very good. These margaritas were yummmm- mmyyyyy. There was a strawberry puree of some sort in them not just the standard strawberry flavoring/syrup stuff. Great quality margaritas. Best thing about them,you can order beverages to go. Last but not least at all, the staff was phenomenal. Our server, Lola, was very knowledgeable and attentive. She was always positive, accommodated us as we needed and despite being super busy never acted like she was flustered or annoyed. Kudos to Grins for understanding the impact great employees make on the dining experience. Kudos to ALL the Hosts and servers who did their jobs with a smile on their faces. It was pretty busy and I didn't see anyone unhappy, staff and patrons alike. BIG BIG KUDOS to the kitchen staff for the amazing food. This was an the best end to Mothers Day.. oh.. and they gave me a beautiful pink carnation as we paid and wished me a Happy Mother's Day. read more

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The food is really good but it's here that the atmosphere is excellent and cool to.mild weather, outdoors is the pace to be drinking Margaritas and Beer. I had the Wholey Moley Burger which is my favorite since my college days here at TX State University. read more

Grins Restaurant - Texas sized Onion Rings! - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Good food great atmosphere attentive staff. Did not know this restaurant existed but definitely enjoyed it and will definitely go back.

Food quality is terrible, lettuce was wilted, guacamole didn't even taste like it was made in house, and Iv had better at Subway, and most of the food tastes like it was bought frozen and then reheated, especially the French fries. And the service was lacking, you ask for something and the waiter forgets, you remind them, and then they finally come 15 minutes later with you glass of water (no I'm not kidding). And when we sat down at our table is completely dirty and not at all fully stocked. Wouldn't recommend eating here, you'll eat a more enjoyable meal at a fast food restaurant for a cheaper price. read more

$7 bucket of beers. $1 Margs. Love went into the food and ambiance. Burger made me ***. 10/10 read more

I don't usually go to restaurants with large parties, but today we were at a softball tournament in San Marcos and decided to go out as a team for lunch. As a group of 20 they patiently accommodated us on the patio. I'll start with the service. Micah was amazing! Most restaurants give a large party 2 servers, but Micah showed she could handle us all on her own. She was efficiently and friendly. Never once did she get frazzled. All the food and drinks came out accurately. Kept drinks refilled. And had an overall great attitude. Now onto the food. Hands down best Buffalo ranch chicken sandwich. The chicken was flavorful on it own, and very large. The Buffalo and ranch did not overwhelm the chicken. The onion rings are massive and worth every penny. We ordered 4 pitchers of sangria, they weren't anything special but a good and refreshing drink. read more

We were looking for somewhere family friendly for lunch since we had 4 kids with us. The service was good. We had an attentive waitress. The food was cooked through and tasty though there seemed to be an imbalance with the salts. If you like chips and salsa, I'm sure there are a dozen other restaurants with better chips but here you can get a decent filet with some flavorful mashed potatoes or one of many burgers on the menu. I enjoyed the popper burger with its sliced jalepeno and warm cream cheese. read more

Grins Restaurant - Grilled Cajun Catfish and 10. The Jalapeno Popper burger - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Service was fine- it's a college town- she forgot our apps and avoided my table like the plague because we had a toddler. Again... it's average service in a college town at a college haunt. BUT the only have miracle whip- no Mayo- no subs. Which is absurd! I ordered something else besides a burger- it was god awful. As I sat there with an empty cup, no waitress in sight, and my yucky entree.. I realized my husband had ranch- which they make in house. IVE WAITED TABLES- ranch made in house is a gallon of Mayo, 2-4 quarts of buttered and 2-4 packets of ranch seating. So either they have Mayo.. and the cooks are forcing people to eat Miracle Whip.. OR Grins is making ranch dressing with miracle whip- which is psychotic!!!!! Either way, I'm now irrationally made about it. read more

Had dinner here last night and was pleasantly surprised ! It had been a while since I'd been to grins , but it was a super good meal! Me and 2 friends came in around 6 for .99 cent margs (2-7). We got strawberry margs , which were pretty small, but INCREDIBLY YUMMY! We also ordered chips and queso ( eh) , 2 chicken strip plates ( YUMMY) , and I ordered the thursday bacon chicken ranch sandwich special with fries . My total came out to about 15 after 2 margs, my meal, and splitting the queso amongst friends . Great quality and a great time !!! * only recommendation is don't sit outside because the flies will attack* read more

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They have a large parking lot so parking wasn't an issue. When we walked in they weren't busy so we were able to get sat on time. Our server was friendly and let us know about lunch specials. I got a cheeseburger and my husband got a chicken fried steak. We both agreed the food was good but not great. We will go back because the prices are very reasonable for a lunch. The inside was open and we never felt tight. They also have outside seating which I'm sure is lovely during the fall or at night. read more

Across the street from my Son's apartment so we have gone often over the years. Pretty basic offerings but the staff make up for any gaps in the food. The waitstaff always makes it a fun visit! read more

Great college hangout spot near TX St that my son picked for a meal. The grilled fish tacos with catfish was tasty & the Negro Modelo washed it down good. Service is friendly & food takes a little time with more staff needed. Peanut safe for my for my son. read more

Grins Restaurant - Grilled fish tacos - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

Parking is a wild maze. Restaurant needs a serious cleaning, top to bottom!!! It is very dirty. The service was lacking. Our server brought our entrees and asked if we needed anything else. My husband asked "could we get some utensils and napkins." The server was like "sure." Um probably should've realized that was a necessity. She returned with silverware for the three of us and 2 napkins. We didn't see her again until we requested refills of our drinks and a bill. The food was just okay. I wouldn't recommend and wouldn't return. read more

So from previous dining experiences, I wasn't a fan of Grins. Just wasn't good in my opinion. I ended up going for lunch with some coworker's... we were being treated to lunch. I was so pleasantly surprised. I had a baked potato and homemade chili... really good! I went back with my daughter later in the week and got chicken tenders (with literally the best buffalo sauce I've ever had in my life) and potato skins... and a Bloody Mary. The food was so good I even took my leftovers home and ate all of it later that evening. I heard they are under new owner ship, I can't say that for sure, but I know it was definitely a different experience. I'll be back for sure!! read more

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Not all that. Waited a really long time for a table that we could see was open. They told us 10min and we'd be seated. 15min later we could see the hostess cleaning the table literally fork by fork. I got the cheeseburger and it was the quality of fast food. Fries had no seasoning and were just kinda dull. After being sat and putting in our order the waitress ignored our several waives to try and get straws. It took over 20min to get a refill on a cup of coffee because "another party was also drinking coffee" ... so make another pot? After the new pot came out it was very very evident that our first cups were old and had been sitting for a while. One of our plates, the chicken fried chicken, had to be sent back. One of the other chicken fried chicken plates was fine. The mushroom Swiss burger, frozen Margarita, Quesadillas, grilled chicken with pico was all good. The buffalo chicken sandwich is to par but is super greasy and falls apart. Overall the service is lacking and and the food is mediocre. It's a fine place to eat but I won't be back. read more

Grins Restaurant - Basket of Fries - American Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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Went to Grins for lunch today and it was great! I ordered the lunch special Chicken Fried Steak and it was so good! Hot, fresh, hand battered, seasoned, fried crispy and the breading stayed on. Nice sized portion too. Cream gravy was ordered on the side as good CFS doesn't need it- the bowl stayed full! Sides of skin on mashed potatoes and seasoned green beans along with a homemade roll accompanied my steak. I brought half of it home and the leftovers are just as tasty. Great value for $10 too. Service was really good, with then waitress being very attentive and handling my husband's silliness well as he has a big personality and can be a handful sometimes. We will be back! read more

Wonderful place - stop here every time I come to San Marcos. Potato skins and onion rings - burgers are amazing

I have been frequenting this local spot for over a decade. They have humongous onion rings, and delicious burgers. You can't beat their $1 happy hour margaritas. I also love their broccoli cheddar soup and banana pudding. Most nights they have some sort of dinner special. Check out this hidden jewel of a treehouse with home-cooked foods and college-town pricing. read more

Good food. Specials on booze is good too. Service was eh. The chicken fried steak is really good.

What a great day we had a Grins. A group of college buddies getting together for a wonderful lunch, their were 18 of us. A larger group, we had our own waitress which took very good care of us. Imagine 18 old men trying to place their order, one girl. I give her a 11 out of 10. Our food all came out at the same time and was delicious. Myself and other had chicken fried steak, and it was a large portion and super good. I would recommend Grins to everyone, size of party does not matter. Enjoy and Go Ken j read more

We enjoyed the steak with baked potato and green beans. This is a College Place so it's very casual and caters to college students . Friendly and helpful staff. The parking is free, but on a slant and behind the restaurant. Be careful of other drivers. read more

Food and service were great. Our server Riley was outstanding! Dear Grins management: You need a cleaning schedule for the upper fans and lights and decor!! It's all coated with a thick layer of dust... almost falling off some of the ceiling fans...how has management not addressed this??? I must note the rest of the place I observed was very clean! read more

I recently went to Grins and thought it was decent. I believe that the owners and the chefs should really take a look at the quality of the food. As an SWT graduate it will always have a place in my heart, but the standards may have slipped a little. It wouldn't take much to improve. My food was good. Service was poor. But, I do take into account the challenges for many businesses to hire good employees. Perhaps if the owner or a manager was circulating service would improve. read more

Kate was a wonderful server! She was very attentive and deserves to be recognized. Thank you for taking great care of me and my friends tonight, and making sure the food was excellent. read more