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    Iron Cactus San Antonio

    3.4 (2.2k reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Bars, American
    Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Order Iron Cactus San Antonio Takeout or Delivery

    Iron Cactus San Antonio Photos

    IRON CACTUS SAN ANTONIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Iron Cactus San Antonio

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    Marisa M.

    My date and I came here hungry looking for some good Mexican food and well unfortunately the food wasn't good especially for the price we paid. Let me just start off ... our server Rick was stellar and he made a great table side guacamole right in front of us. He was very attentive. I ordered the fajitas and they were not what I'm use to back in El Paso. The meat was so tough and not tender at all. And don't be surprised at not getting salsa because they don't bring you any and DO NOT bother on getting extra tostada chips for your guacamole because it's an extra $2 every chip bowl. We should've known better then to eat at place next to the river walk... we thought it would be great but the food was mediocre. Oh and my husbands burger was horrible it had no flavor at all. Overall we were super disappointed with the food but happy with our server.

    Fajitas for one
    Cody H.

    DO NOT GO Waited over an hour for our food. Waiter only came by the table twice in that time. After sitting there for 45 min or so we finally asked a passing waiter if we could get some water. And maybe our food. He said he would go find out. After about 10 min he came back with refills and part of the food. The rest followed shortly. All of the food was cold. The fajitas are like 31 dollars. Wayyyyy over priced for what you get. Maybe for a kids meal it would be good. Eventually we were able to leave. Our waiter passed off our table to another waiter. Upon walking out the manager was apologizing and asked what happened. We explained and our waiter magically appeared claiming we were lying. One problem. The other waiter showed up and confirmed to the manager all of our claims were true. We did not ask for a refund. Nor was one or any kind of compensation offered. There are much better Mexican food places in San Antonio. Don't waste your time with this one.

    My hand is larger than the $2 serving of chips!!! The waiter told me since COVID it's been like this!!!  5 thumbsdown!!!
    John D.

    The food is ok!!! They chips and salsa must be ordered and charged for? WTH? Service sucks!!! You gotta wave down a person to get anything!!! This ain't cool!!! The atmosphere and feeling is ok but not fabulous!!! I'm gonna get changed an arm and leg for some crappy service!!! Oh well!! I'm hungry!! Not a recommended place!!! Chip refills are $2!!! This place is straight garbage!!! Don't go here!!! I'm surprised that don't charge to use their restrooms!!!

    Paella
    Vanessa A.

    The service was super nice and we ate outside on a beautiful day on the riverwalk. The paella was perfect and even better the next day! They give military discount and extra discount if you show up to eat in uniform!

    Picadillo Purses
    Rose E.

    This is just a good, solid Tex-Mex restaurant on the Riverwalk...and this was our second time here! We started with this appetizer, Picadillo Purses...and we loved it! Filled solid with beef, corn and carrots, they were quite good. For our entree, I had the Shrimp Tacos and my husband had the Pollo Relleno...and we both thought our dish was quite satisfying. I also really enjoyed their Pina Colada...small, but very strong and tasty! We sat on their patio, and it was comfortable...and the service was good. I wouldn't say this is THE best Tex-Mex or Mexican foods we've had, but the foods were solid...and the ambiance was nice enough to merit at least 4 stars.

    Stuffed Avocado
    John W.

    Situated right along the river walk with indoor and outdoor seating, we made a stop at the Iron Cactus for a delicious lunch! The host was extremely friendly and accommodating; something you don't get too often. Our waitress was also helpful when making suggestions and attentive. The table side guacamole was definitely a highlight for my family; I don't even care for guacamole and I couldn't stop eating it. We loved the view of the riverwalk from our table. My son loved the stuffed avocado; I don't think he even came for air once he dug into it.

    Ivayana L.

    Great drinks, good food, & great service! This restaurant is located right along the Riverwalk so if you can get a table outside, do it! Also do not miss out on tableside guacamole, it was so good and worth it! Everyone enjoyed their food & we were a group from all across the US in town for a conference so that's saying something! I ordered the fajitas and i was stuffed for at least 24 hours! Their drinks were also delicious and the servers are seriously knowledgeable when it comes to the menu. They know exactly what to respond with if you don't know what to order!

    Genie M.

    A waitress from another restaurant highly recommended this place and so glad she did! It is on the riverwalk. Great view from inside and outside. The hostess was welcoming and accommodating! Our server/ bartender was awesome and amazing! Steven provided great customer carrier. He explained how the food was prepared. He made suggestions and gave great tips so that we all were satisfied with our meals. The decor inside is warm and inviting! The food was five stars. Everything I ate and tasted was fresh and felt as if it was made with love! Would definitely come back if im in the San Antonio area!

    Pollo Relleno
    Adam B.

    Food was decent, drinks were amazing along with the best view of the river. It's decent but not as spectacular as I thought it would be

    Drinks - strawberry mocktail and mezcal margarita
    Molly L.

    We came here on a weeknight and there was walk-in seating available. We tried quite a few different things - the guacamole, queso, cheese quesadilla, veggie fajitas, paella, and some drinks. The paella had good flavor but was a little more wet than my partner would have liked. The cheese quesadilla was also pretty good, filled with Monterey Jack cheese. The veggie fajitas were very small and not as sizzling as we would have liked. The dips were delicious - our waiter made the guacamole in front of us and the queso was in a cast iron pan so it stayed warm throughout the duration of the meal. Overall we enjoyed our food and the ambiance was nice, though there are some dishes they can work on.

    Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Salad
    Melody C.

    An insanely good experience! The food at the Iron Cactus is delicious. Everything was incredibly flavorful and felt like the perfect mix of traditional and modern adaptions of Mexican food. All the food was so fresh and bursting with unique flavors. You must try the Tableside Guacamole - it was such a fun experience and was absolutely delicious. Our waitress let us know that Iron Cactus is one of the top 10 tequila bars in the US, and it sure does seem like it! With over 100 different tequilas on the menu, you are sure to find one you like. You have to grab a margarita here - they were delightful! The service here is incredible. Our waitress was super attentive, helpful, and spirited. I noticed the other tables nearby getting great service as well! There were also two mariachis going around offering to play songs for each table and they were super talented! There is both indoor and patio seating. Inside it is dark and moody. The patio has a great view of River Walk and is perfect for people watching. I definitely recommend the Iron Cactus!

    Pollo Relleno, Grilled Ahi Salad and table-made guacamole
    Geoff S.

    iron Cactus has a great location, right on the Riverwalk. The staff are friendly and efficient. The menu is elevated Mexican, with some general items mixed in, like my wife's Grilled Ahi salad. First, we got the table-made guacamole. Always food of the gods. I had the Pollo Relleno. That and the salad were plated beautifully. The salad was very bright, fresh and tasty. My Pollo was also tasty, but a little over-sauced. It had a cream-based sauce that dominated. It was hard to taste the chicken and stuffing underneath. And the Street Corn side was the same--tasty, but over-sauced. It depends on what you like. Personally, I like a little lighter, grilled approach for Mexican food (the Pollo). The dishes looked impressive and tasted good--and the location is excellent.

    Avocado & Portabella Fries
    Victor H.

    Sunday evening walking on the Riverwalk, we were looking for tex-mex and this was close to our hotel. Fortunately people were clearing out when we arrived so we could get seated inside. The margaritas are pretty good; we did the blood orange and prickly pear on the rocks and both were tasty. As for food, my girlfriend ordered the brisket enchiladas while I ordered a trio of appetizers (avocado/portabello fries, brisket quesadillas, pork tamale pops). The food was alright, the enchiladas are smoothered in the adobo sauce with some cheese and are filling although they needed more seasoning. The quesadillas were probably my favorite of the appetizers. The avocado/portabello fries are crispy but again, need more seasoning. And the pork tamale pops are tasty but if it wasn't for the sauces, probably wouldn't have much flavor. For the prices you pay, you're paying tourist prices for a basic tex-mex experience. But they do good margaritas and we had a good server in Eric who was attentive and helpful. We'll probably come back again but just for drinks and maybe for the tableside guac which people raved about.

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    Iron Cactus San Antonio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Iron Cactus San Antonio

    Are there vegan options?

    I don't know about vegan, you'd have to ask. My SIL and niece are vegetarians and they had the veggie enchiladas. I'm sure there things to eat that are vegan but probably not too many options to be honest.

    Can I make reservations?

    They do not take reservations. It's all on a first come first serve basis. They do not answer the phone. I did send a message from their website and received an email reply with the above info about no reservations.

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    Yes!

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    Four Brothers

    Four Brothers

    4.2(229 reviews)
    0.0 miDowntown
    $$$

    We arrived in San Antonio after an 11+ hour road trip from New Orleans. By 7 pm hubs wanted dinner…read moreas soon as we checked into our hotel. Checked Yelp for dinner suggestions so Doc drove us to the paid lot next to where all the Cinderella lit up carriages drawn by horses were lined up. It seemed the boats going up and down the River portion of the Walk were busier. While we were walking I had my eyes open for a table with a view. We stopped at Four Brothers. The receptionist went over suggestions on the menu on her outdoor podium. Cornbread in the shape of Texas, shareable items like Dino ribs for $82, plus Pork Shank and ice tea completed our order. Everyone was very friendly. We had an exceptional view and we had more than enough food that we had to ask for take out boxes. My favorite was the Mac & cheese though I'm usually not a fan. This dish used cork screw shaped pasta and it was moist and not stuck together. I had to share a photo of it with Sweetie who is in Tokyo right now. Doc liked the pimento for the cornbread. As it was almost 9 pm we decided to pass on the boat ride but just walk on the other side with shops and more eateries. We're back on the road again tomorrow to Arizona.

    Another great meal! Our server Brahim provided the perfect service: attentive, thoughtful, kind…read more Really enhanced our meal. For a starter we shared the cornbread with another couple and it was plenty for 4 people. If you are from out of town and looking for some Texas-shaped vittles or just want something substantial to stretch your meal I recommend it! Very tasty and filling. For my main I had the scallops with creamed corn risotto. It was a dainty portion but the flavors were nice. My husband had the short rib tagliatelle which he loved. It was very rich and filling. We had the buttermilk pie again for dessert and this time it tasted sweeter than I remembered. It was good but we couldn't finish it. Idk if it was my tastebuds or if it was different. Anyways still a great meal overall and we will be back!

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    Four Brothers
    Four Brothers
    Four Brothers

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    The Esquire Tavern - Chili Salt Fries

    The Esquire Tavern

    4.1(3.6k reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown
    $$

    Great afternoon spent here...very personable staff, and engaging...wasn't too busy and atmosphere…read morewas great!

    Update to first review below, rating updated from a 3 to a 5 star (drinks & bartender would get 10+…read morestars if we could rate that high): Saturday night: Went back for after dinner drinks at the Downstairs (a "speakeasy" throwback, look up the history of the place to see why). Drinks were AMAZING! Bartender Rob made the best Negroni I've ever had. I asked him to use whatever gin he thought best--result was an artistic smooooooth full-bodied drink. Told him when I was done I'd lick the glass if it wasn't considered so uncouth for a 'mature' lady like myself to do so Hubby's Buffalo Trace bourbon old fashioned was also outstanding. Rob was the bartender last night who did such a great job, and his work was even better tonight. We highly recommend The EsquireTavern for excellent cocktails. We love the long wood bar and high copper ceiling upstairs, but love the intimate speakeasy atmosphere downstairs even more. We'll definitely be back every time we're in San Antonio! First review, Friday night: Drinks were great (Manhattan and Bourbon Old Fashioned). REAL drinks, no complaints at all about those. And the bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Those aspects of the Esquire get 5+ stars from us. But the appetizers were not good, close to inedible. It was about 8:30pm or so, so maybe they were getting ready to close out the kitchen but the chalupitas with chicken tasted like rubber, and no flavor at all. The seafood platter had something in it that was breading with shell inside, but no meat of any kind. We couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. The shrimp was good and the fish was good but those other things... We'll always love the drinks, the long wooden bar, and the ambiance at the Esquire Tavern, but we'll eat somewhere else and come here for before or after dinner drinks. (See update above to this review for when we returned the next night for after dinner drinks.)

    Photos
    The Esquire Tavern - Gorgeous full bar

    Gorgeous full bar

    The Esquire Tavern - Chicken Fried Steak

    Chicken Fried Steak

    The Esquire Tavern - Rum for the Hills
 
 dominican republic rum, piña amaro, gentian amaro,
 pamplemousse, pineapple, lime, demerara
 SERVED ON CRUSHED ICE

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    Rum for the Hills dominican republic rum, piña amaro, gentian amaro, pamplemousse, pineapple, lime, demerara SERVED ON CRUSHED ICE

    Iron Cactus San Antonio - mexican - Updated June 2026

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