We went for an early lunch on Hacienda Vallarta and were pleasantly surprised. The buffet was very diverse and had something for everyone. The food was delish and I especially enjoyed the Barbacoa and the house made Tortias. Service was very good and the servers were eager to please and kept our drinks filled - so I could definitely dispell the reviews reporting bad service. All in all it was good and plentiful food joint with good service and a super affordable price. We'd definitely be back. read more

I recently visited this Mexican buffet in San Antonio and found the overall experience to be just okay. The food was decent, and there were a variety of options to choose from, which I appreciated. However, I was disappointed with the cheese enchiladas--they were cold, and the cheese inside wasn't even melted, which was surprising and took away from the experience. While it's not a bad place and might be worth trying once, it didn't leave a strong enough impression for me to return. read more

**Disappointing and Lacking Basic Accommodation** I had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant. I asked for a drink to be placed in a to-go cup, which I calmly and clearly explained was necessary due to a medical reason following surgery--I am not able to drink during or immediately after eating. Despite explaining this to both the staff and the manager on shift, they refused to accommodate such a simple request and ultimately refused to serve me the drink at all. There was no attempt to be understanding, flexible, or compassionate. I wasn't asking for anything unreasonable--just a basic accommodation and a bit of empathy. Unfortunately, the lack of sensitivity and poor customer service made this experience extremely frustrating. I won't be returning and would not recommend this place to anyone who expects understanding or reasonable service. read more

Don't come here for good Mexican food. It has no flavor. The view of the food looks good and then you taste it and it's awful. The dishes were dirty and broken. The other patrons are not thoughtful of others and coughing over the food and making a mess at the buffet tables. As for the staff, they are hard working and attentive. read more

Hacienda Vallarta - Mexican Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I heard about this place on YouTube and of course they make it look really good, but the food was just ok and nothing to rave about. It's $12.50 if you pay for the buffet in cash, but at that price, you can't really expect much in terms of food quality. The cleanliness of the restaurant was fair and it was not busy at the day and time I went. However, my party witnessed a child pick up a flauta from the buffet, sniff it with his nose, and put it back. Gross! That's not the restaurant's fault, so I cannot fault them for that. I wish parents would watch and discipline their children more. The service was ok. We got our drinks refilled and cutlery and napkins were provided as needed. The TLDR; Cons - Cold fish - Dry chicken - Cheap napkins that don't last very long - Cold egg rolls - Lukewarm sausage with an odd flavor - Flavorless potato empanadas Pros - Steaming hot gorditas - Hot sesame chicken The overall quality of the food was subpar in my opinion, but again, for $12.50, one cannot expect great quality. Would I recommend? Not really. read more

We went on a Saturday afternoon, it was busy, and I like that because the food does not stay under the heat lamp or on the steam table too long. Depending on the time that you go It's either $0.50 or $1 cheaper if you pay in cash. If you're 60 and over its only a $0.50 discount. It's pricier on the weekend than on weekdays. They also have some Chinese food and a tray of crawfish boil. The mundeo and pozole are good. The enchiladas and chicken mole are a fast-moving dish; wait a few minutes, and the tray will be restocked. The cornbread was amazingly moist rather than dry. Wish that they had an ice cream machine rather than scoop your own ice cream, you don't know if someone dropped anything into the ice cream. They have fried and baked fish. The fresh tortillas are good. They have camote! I was too full to even try the camote. read more

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The buffet was not all that! The choices were many but the taste of the food was poor. The banana pudding was PUDDING & COOKIES. All the ice cream was sherbert except the vanilla icream. The tres Leches cake was hard, not like soft regular white cake. The fried shrimp was overally breaded, the tamales were not from Delicious, but the BBQ ribs & the baked chicken were good. The Chinese noodles were ok, the beef & broccoli sauce was sweet, the bow tie pasta salad dressing was mayo and not Italian dressing. Overall, I did not like this buffet, but I like the other Vallarta Hacienda on Bandera Road. Everyone has a different palate, I would not return, but you might like this buffet. RECOMMEDATION: I will not be returning to this restaurant. read more

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The food itself was good and had nice flavor, so no complaints there. Unfortunately, the service didn't match. Our server never refilled our refillable drinks, which was disappointing. On top of that, most of the tables around us were dirty--even though it was still early in the morning when we came in. Overall, the meal was fine, but the experience could've been much better with a little more attention to cleanliness and customer service. read more

I have been going to this restaurant for years and now I have now been to both locations and I prefer the location on Bandera Road.

We keep going back to Hacienda Vallarta Mexican Buffet in San Antonio because it consistently delivers an unbeatable experience. The buffet offers a wide variety of authentic Mexican dishes, from sizzling fajitas and enchiladas to fresh salsas and sweet desserts, all packed with flavor and made with care. The ambience is warm and inviting, with a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere that makes it perfect for gatherings or casual meals. The customer service is outstanding--the staff is always friendly, attentive, and quick to make sure you have everything you need. Whether it's the delicious food, welcoming vibe, or exceptional service, Hacienda Vallarta never disappoints! read more

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It was delicious. I enjoyed everything I ate and my kids loved it. Usually my go to when I go to SA!

The food was mediocre, at best and the service was terrible. We had to get up and ask one of the women refilling the buffet for drinks and tortillas. She was kind enough to get them for us apologizing profusely on behalf of the waitress. This same waitress must have been bothered by the fact that we ousted her because she didn't ask if we needed refills or tortillas. She passed our table several times and never stopped until seconds before we were leaving to sloppily pour a refill into my husband's glass without asking what he was drinking. I guess that last move was to earn the tip. NOPE! We gave the tip to the woman who stopped what she is paid to do to serve us. I believe the bad waitresses name was "Rox". read more

Hacienda Vallarta - Mexican Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Wow! Where do I start? This place is over the top. Wear your fat pants. So many options. Deliciousness everywhere

Cero empatía para personas con discapacidades, vasos para niños no los hay, el servicio nunca regresó a ver si necesitábamos algo más, nunca llegaron nuestras toritillas, en fin, esperábamos más que el costo de el servicio, hay mejores opciones!!! read more

My dad was givien a recommendation to come here to eat from his priest in California. I've been to a few Chinese buffets but this was my first time in a Mexican buffet. I got carnitas which had a good flavor but was cold. I got their fried shrimp and normally can't mess up fried shrimp but this was inedible. I also got some other pork in chile and that was good. The ice cream was ok. I had the orange sherbet and it wasn't really tasty. The highlight of sampling food was the menudo. The menudo was flavorful. The service was good. The waitress was quick and filled our drinks and picked up our plates. The restaurant looked like a courtyard if a hacienda that gave it a charming look. read more

Building reminiscent of a Western Sizzlin. The service is very attentive. Plates and drinks felt with quickly, There is a large variety of food. On a Saturday visit there lots of fresh fruit and salad options. Soup was Manudo, Pazole, Caldo de Res and Pollo. There was a large selection of fried fish and shrimp. There were Mexican Plate favorites: Guisado, Carnitas, Mole, etc plus all the sides. For some reason there is an offering of Chinese/American buffet offerings also (sweet and sour, salt and pepper shrimp....). A bunch sweet options, tres leche, flan, assorted puddings and hard ice creams. I wanted it to be good, but most the offerings were barely warm and I doubt meet health code. Chicken and ribs I had were over cooked and dry, for some reason the Mole tasted of Chinese 5 spice. The carnitas was too salty to eat. Floutas were fried hard and cold so hard to eat. At $17 per person, perhaps turn out smaller amounts of dishes so they will be fresh and hot? If you need to feed a bunch of teens after soccer practice, it might be ok. With so many amazing Mexican restaurants within a mile I have no plans of returning. read more

I must admit I have a serious aversion to buffets. I never understood their mass appeal nor their popularity. In my experiences with them it is always a thousand food sides( salads, mash potatoes, pastas, rice and vegetables. ) next to two meats. Always accompanied by impatient patrons tailgating behind you with tongs in tow. Offset by piles and piles of desserts I somehow never get to sample, no matter how big my appetite is. However, in my next culinary adventure with Chef Don B. he suggested trying Hacienda Vallarta's buffet. Needless to say it's not hard to twist my arm with a good tortilla or great company. Again ever the wise sage Don emphasized getting there early. Arriving here by 11 am but leaving by 2pm I saw exactly what he meant. But let me rewind my review back to the beginning as a person who rewinds a cassette with a pencil. Basically you pay up front which around is $13 bucks for the lunch buffet, 15 for the dinner one not including a drink. You take your ticket to a table and a server brings: drinks, utensils and removes all plates after you are finished with them. In San Antonio there are not alot of Mexican buffets. I do remember the one at Pancho's on Marbach Road. As with all buffets your first go round is meant to survey the different stations to strategize your next serving. Here there is: picadillo, carnitas, enchiladas, beef fillings for tacos, beans made with lard, chicarones, small gordita tortillas, toppings etc. Not to be outdone along the other side is a small selection of Chinese and American Food. And across the room there is a section for desserts: flan, banana pudding, churros. You get the picture. Yes patrons maneuver around the different stations like a school of hangry fish. The thing is food is spread out leaving space for patrons to reconfigure their food strategies. Before I go on the service was impeccable. Our server went above and beyond. I would leave to fine tune my buffet strategy only to find my glass filled with another drink. In my opinion if you're wanting to sample different Mexican foods this is the way to go. The food is good. For example the picadillo and beans are greasy, right up my alley. The tortillas are thick but you have to request for them: flour or corn. And Don was right. By 1 pm. the place, which is pretty vast was brimming with patrons. Music in the background playing was Norteno, Regional Mexican which matched the fast paced but laid-back vibe. After the 100th plate I finally tapped out. Hacienda Vallarta on Bandera Street heading towards Leon Valley is a good intermediary if you want to sample Mexican Foods. The food is good, the service is excellent and the price is right. I saw construction workers, out of towners, ladies doing "Girl Talk" and everyone else in between. But food is always better in great company I'm learning. Next stop, "Hole in the wall" Chinese cuisine. Any suggestions? read more

Best Mexican buffet in all of San Antonio. Great staff and service. Real authentic Mexican food not just Tex-mex. They have steak and all the soup too! read more

Food was not good at all for the prices they charge. I went on a Sunday and everything was stalled. Including desserts. Service was good but food wasn't. I would t go back ever again. This was my first and last time. read more

There was a long line to enter so we stood in the sun while we waited. The reason for the wait was that there only one cashier and everyone had to pay before being seated. A surcharge was charged for using a card. My friend was overcharged, but was made right when she pointed this out to the cashier. The food was cold and mediocre at best. We will never go back to this restaurant. The best part of our time there was that a waitress came by our table several times to check on us. The ladies room was disgusting read more

The food was all really good! Plus fresh. Every time we went up they were either loading in new food or cleaning up. The service was really great. Our waitress was super friendly,helpful and all round a joy. They have fun upbeat Hispanic music that makes you feel at home. Everything is really clean. If for some reason you seen a mess someone is right there cleaning it up right away. Flavor was a 10/10 as was service. We will definitely be coming back read more

Hacienda Vallarta - Crawfish - Mexican Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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save your money and don't even try this place . HORRIBLE! food was COLD and the "ceaser salad "tasted off, meaning it tasted old !!!!!! you can tell they have no appreciation of how the food should taste. they just throw whatever and just serve to get your money. The deserts were stale ! I was going to talk to manager but my husband insisted to leave and just recommended we won't be coming back ! ZERO STARS IF I COULD read more

This place has definitely improved with its food quality. Plenty flavourful and hot. Only thing that was missing was fresh tortillas Ms The service could be improved as our waiter was gone for 20 minutes at a time. Place was fairly clean. read more

This is what Real Mexican Food should taste like, I'm from CDMX (México City) and I've also lived in Jalisco, Guanajuato, Monterrey and Laredo; and my Mom is an amazing cook. Believe I know good Mexican Food. Everything from the sopas, caldos, guisado, gorditas everything is great; when I came for the very first time some months ago I didn't try Asian food , the fried rice is really good (better than some Asian buffets), and the pineapple chicken is very tasty also. Mexican dessert staples were there, flan , arroz con leche, awesome stuff; and the cake treats are also very good. Great service, they are very attentive; and also great ambiance with the beautiful Mexican music. read more

Brought my family of 10 here, reviews made it seem good. It was very expensive, more than Chinese buffets and the food was not good. We are a Mexican American family we love Mexican food but this was not in any means good compared to the many options San Antonio has to offer for Mexican food. Waitress also dropped a plate on my niece, it was an accident but still thankfully there was not hot food on it. read more

Very busy and chaotically fast paced buffet.... Real Authentic Mexican food with Robust Mexican music playing in the background.... Tasty food and constantly resupplied too..... Not the most updated surroundings or arrangements but gets the job done... The place need's a remodel and expansion too.....line's outside and constant business should give them the cashflow they need to do this..... Plenty of parking outside but inside needs attention....also the bathroom's a very sore spot! Screaming for help! Otherwise the food and atmosphere is genuine and appetizing!! read more

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This place is a little pricey. Food is okay tasting. Fries were cold Good service overall. Just little details here and there that can easily be improved read more

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Food was delicious service was good . Place was clean the music perfect volume to enjoy eating and having a conversation...BUT FOOD DELICIOUS read more

This place has an awesome buffet for around $10. Mexican, Chinese, American, and a nice dessert bar. Impressive selection. Plenty of seating inside. Large parking lot as well. This place should get 5 stars just for variety. Much higher quality food than a Golden Coral and less expensive. Music in Spanish playing in the background. Metal utensils paper napkins , plastic plates. Bathroom was pretty stinky Everything tasted great with the exception of some beef stew that was very tough. Enchiladas, crab Rangoons, general tso chicken, shrimp, fajitas, even salmon were very good. read more

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The restroom was very nice, although it didn't have more than 2 sinks which would be helpful so that other people didn't have to wait in line for 1 or 2 minutes for the person in front to finish washing their hands and it only had 4 stalls which would be more helpful to have at least 7 or 8 so that there's not such a long line and people waiting outside the door read more

Food fresh and big variety of good food. Waitress was very attentive to our needs and restaurant was clean and well kept by the staff. And the price well worth it.. read more

Went here for the first time. Saw it mention on my Facebook page and gave a try. Staff was so friendly was very impressed with the selection of food. I will definitely come back. Just can't beat the price. read more

Pleasantly surprised! Best menudo I've had in a long time. Also barbacoa and baked fish plus Chinese food. Salad, desserts and American food. Food was freash, hot and delicious. I also enjoyed the Chile Relleno plus sautéed peppered shrimp. Price was pretty good at $14.99 all you can eat for dinner. Service was great and we had a large group. They have many long tables for big groups. Also hours are incorrect they are opened on Sunday. Will be back again! read more

Hacienda Vallarta - Menudo - Mexican Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The Mexican in me gives this place . This place has everything I wanted and then some. I love that they have nopalitos (cactus)as part of their buffet line. The only thing missing is fresh Mexican queso (not the one you use to dip your tortilla chips in). They have a large selection of Mexican food along with some normal buffet food such as egg rolls. Leave the egg rolls for the kids and eat the Mexican dishes. They offer several types of enchiladas, gorditas, menudo, pozole, flautas and much more. The dessert table is ridiculous. If you do end up having room for dessert, get yourself arroz con leche or bunuelos. If you want fresh tortillas, ask your waitress. They have both corn and flour. Definitely a place to try out. Just remember it is a buffet and some of the items will not be as fresh as if you would have ordered a la Carte. read more

Hacienda Vallarta - Fresh, warm tortillas - Mexican Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

If you like cold, soggy and greasy food, this place is for you! There wasn't much options the only good thing that I ate there were the oranges. Never again... read more

Just left Hacienda Vallarta Very poor quality of food pork rid bloody the food wasn't in there right places just greasy dessert the bread for you look like somebody that put too much of water in it or something soggy soggy wasn't a happy camper with none of the items the salad was okay overall NASTY read more

Ok. Nice place, but food is just ok. Wouldn't go out of my way to eat there unless I was in the area and really in the mood for Mexican food

best food ever makes moms food look like dog shit!! service 10/10 ambience good vibes read more

Hacienda Vallarta - una tortilla con capirotada - Mexican Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Food was delicious both Mexican food and the Chinese food atmosphere was pleasant and service was outstanding great place to take family and friends authentic Mexican food and Chinese foods awesome tortillas both flour and corn desserts were great and had ice cream too for kids read more

Great variety, fast service. I recommend the carne guisada and the carnitas. The pozole is really yummy too! Nice, clean place to get a fast lunch read more