This is a difficult review for me because I don't live in Bandera, thus I don't know why this restaurant isn't obeying state law regarding masks during Covid. I've marked this review "down" a star because I'm personally offended by the lack of safety protocols. Before you go, know there is no curbside pickup and I saw zero staff wearing masks. While we are not dining in these days, there is still risks inherent in picking up, from an unmasked crew We had the chicken fried steak, which was very good. The fries were bleh and the gravy was just ok. The fries shrimp and catfish were very good however, as were the handcut onion rings. Meals come with a side salad which was also meh, but honestly unexpected so who cares We won't go back as I find the lack of precautions egregious, but the food is ok. read more

The food here is outstanding! We arrived, wearing masks and did remove them as we sat down. When the wait staff came to take our order; no mask. I fumbled to get mine back on! Very close proximity with no precautions. The food was delicious and I will return after the pandemic. The only "minus" here is the lack of Covid safety protocols. read more

Was there last week. No Covid restrictions in place. Wait staff was not wearing any masks. Clients not wearing masks. I do not recommend this place. It's a super-spreader. Food is meh at best. https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/covid-middle-of-nowhere/ read more

Quaint John Wayne-themed restaurant with good food and OK service. We had the Friday Catfish daily lunch special. The catfish was breaded just enough for a nice crunch but still moist on the inside. We did fries on one order and fried okra on another, and everything tasted great. Best of all, nothing was greasy! The servers seemed a bit distracted but busy, so it took a little longer than we expected. Regardless, a good experience overall! read more

We are from out of town and this was our first time here. The food was fantastic!! The service was also great. I really like the decor. We will definitely be back throughout our stay here. Thank you! read more

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Well we've eaten here twice now since coming to Texas Hill country. Both times we left stuffed. So bring your appetite, because the food is hot and delicious. The staff is friendly and We highly recommend Old Spanish Trail OST for Restaurant read more

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The mOST fun at this cozy old time place. They had quirky Wild West decor, & an old bar w/ saddles instead of stools u can sit at! Daily special was great, quesadilla w/ fixings & drink! Service was friendly. Nice portions. We all liked our food. read more

Ost Restaurant - Lotsa funny signs. - American Near Me - Bandera, Texas

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We can all sleep easier tonight. One of mankind's most vexing questions has been answered. From El Paso to Texarkana, Houston to Amarillo, literally hundreds of restaurants make the claim, "Best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas." Now, logic would tell us this can't possibly be true. Many places serve a truly world class Chicken Fried Steak, such as Goodson's Café in Tomball, or you might think Boudro's in San Antonio is the best, but Boudro's actually serves a Chicken Fried Ribeye so you can't really count it. Some people say you can find the best CFS at Threadgill's in Austin - and well, they're wrong. Old Spanish Trail, or OST for short, is a cowboy restaurant located on Main Street of Bandera, TX, the "Cowboy Capital of the World." They serve a great variety of mostly homemade native Texas foods, such as Tex Mex, steaks, ranch beans, and Chicken Fried Steak. Their salad bar is served out of a covered wagon, really! Where else are you going to see that? Half of the dining room is covered in John Wayne pictures, most of the restaurant is littered with picnic tables, and the seats at the bar are all horse saddles. You gotta love it! The salad bar is very minimalistic, with only a few items to choose from, but it's just what you'd expect in a country restaurant in a country town. Onion rings aren't my thing but my wife ordered them and she said they were excellent. I didn't have the Tex Mex, but the couple at the table next to mine were raving about their enchiladas. But the thing I've been dying to tell you about since I left OST a couple hours ago is their Chicken Fried Steak. The meat is tender, unlike what you find at many other restaurants. The breading is not too thick, not too thin, and it was quite light, but still had just the right "crunchiness" and was perfectly seasoned to bring out the flavor of the meat. The gravy was also creamy and delicious. When I took my first bite, a light shone down on my table, birds began to sing, and I floated off my seat like the feather in Forrest Gump. Was it good? Oh yes, it was the best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas! There, I said it. And this alone is reason enough to award OST 5 stars. Sleep well. read more

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They have great food, especially breakfast and dessert. There's a bar with saddles for seats. Servis is usually good.

Ate here with our church youth group for breakfast this morning. Pancakes, french toast and a burrito were their choices. Hubby and I had eggs, grits and sausage patties. He had their biscuits, as well. Everyone enjoyed his/her food, and the wait staff was great! Quick food service, and a super atmosphere complete the picture. Thanks, OST!! We had a Very good time! read more

Ost Restaurant - Pancakes as big as your head!! - American Near Me - Bandera, Texas

Don't bother if you are traveling with a service animal. We didn't even sit down after being basically accosted at the door over our 6 pound service dog in an open carrier. We were questioned about what service she performed and then told she would need to be under the table. She also told us she knew all the laws pertaining to service animals. How can a tiny yorkie trained to assist the hearing impaired be of service in a carrier under a table? We travel with her frequently and have spent the past 4 weeks traveling in Texas and have never been told to put her under the table. Too bad we will never know if the place is as good as they say. read more

We went here on our first night in Bandera. It was totally packed when we got there. The menu had lots of variety. The food was delicious and our server was really sweet. We totally recommend this place if you are in Bandera. read more

This was a previous 5 star review but since the last time I reviewed we have been here three times. Today being the most recent. Each time the staff is ruder and ruder. Food takes forever and refills slow. But this visit during Covid was the one that sealed the deal. No limited capacity, waitress took the menus from the table behind us and handed them right to us. She was tense with me and polite to my husband. She slammed down our waters with water dripping down it and we had to wait to ask for straws. This place used to be home cooking, warm and inviting staff and Covid just amplified what had been a place going down. I kept it at 3 stars due to previous experiences and small town. I hope OST picks it up again. Especially with all the cute new places popping up here. read more

As the sun breaches the horizon The cool Texas wind brushes my face As I travel the asphalt ribbon Traversing each corner with grace I pause my two wheeled adventure In one of my favorite towns To fuel my empty tank With breakfast and brewed grounds Staring at John Wayne's picture Just beyond the chuck wagon Wonder if he would approve Or think I was just bragging As I order the bunkhouse plate And an extra egg over easy Of course it comes with bacon And a pancake to please me A few more minutes of chatter As I finish my cup of joe With a mix of locals and bikers Then it is time to go The OST is an icon in the sleepy down of Bandera. A must stop it seems. I've been here so many times I feel like a local! While the service can vary a bit based on the number of people who show up, the breakfast is consistently good and it is a pleasant place to hang out for a few minutes before you venture off into your daily activities! Enjoy the hill country of Texas! read more

Ost Restaurant - Give us a pancake as big as our heads!! - American Near Me - Bandera, Texas

Always great food and customer service- small town dinner with huge flavors! You can't go wrong with anything you pick on the menu! Jordan, one of OST's waitresses is one of the best! read more

Food tasted so good I had a burger and Fried mushrooms, the mushrooms were definitely the highlight. Service was nice the waiters were patient with our larger group and I appreciated that. The ambiance gave me western charm which was nice read more

Good old fashioned restaurant. Club sandwich was great. Enjoyed the atmosphere. Nice salad bar. I live in Bandera so we plan to frequent the OST restaurant. Thanks for a great experience. read more

The food is okay (3.5 stars) but the ambience and service were good so I bumped it up to 4 stars! We got the fried catfish and burger. The fried catfish came with potatoes and soup as side, along with Texas toast. The burger came with chips. It was all such a good price so I would definitely recommend coming here, especially after a long hike in the state park. We were starving. For dessert, we had the pecan pie with ice cream and it was delicious! read more

Used to be the place to meet and eat... Today I went there and found hair in the salad went to the women's restroom and it was so gross with feces on the floor and the sinks in the toilets were disgusting. me and another customer was watching the men's door while we went into the men's restroom because it was just a tiny bit cleaner than the women's.....I told the cashier and she told somebody to go change out the lettuce in the salad bar that I found the hair in. Didn't say thank you after checking me out or anything just took my money.. Health department needs to see this!!! read more

I came here after hiking a trail in the nearby area. Food came out quickly and tasted great. Ambiance is nice and fitting for Bandera. My complaint is that they charged me an extra $2.95 for French fries with my burger that was already $12.95. Since when does a hamburger not come with French fries? Other than this I had a great experience. read more

The food here is delicious and the serving size is pretty big. I had the fried mushrooms and the catfish platter.

They don't take AMEX! This is one of the biggest pet peeves of going out to businesses run by small business! They think it's too expensive to have AMEX...but in the long run, it's literally pennies on the dollar to accept it and when you're dealing with corporate employees or event planners such as ourselves, we entertain our clients and government officials on AMEX. Plain and simple. Amex is about 1% more than accepting Mastercard or Visa, and if you're not getting that rate, then you've got a crappy merchant sales person! As a small business we pay about 2.3% on AMEX, and these guys are saying it's 4% or more...anyway... Outside of that rant, this place has some pretty good food, good size portions and a fun historic country feel to it. I mean, it's in Bandera, so you're in a different world than being inside the city limits. If you've got cash or personal credit card, make it a point to swing out here for breakfast for sure...but of course if you've got AMEX, go somewhere else. I would go back if I happen to have cash on me one day, but who carries cash anymore? read more

A must to stop and eat! Great hamburger, homemade onion rings and one of the best chicken fried steaks I've ever tasted! We'll definitely be back!!! read more

This restaurant has a very homey, southern vibe that just makes you feel like you're surrounded by family. The lighting is yellowish and orange- not a beautiful color, but the menu has home-cooked dishes for very reasonable prices. I ordered the club sandwich, which was pretty good but a little small. However, the other dishes were large in portion such as the chicken taco salad and the chili rellenos was large in portion! The flavor of the food was pretty average but it all fills you up. But southern food is salty, and greasy so there was no surprise there. OHHHh I gave this place 3 stars because the chicken fried steak is a solid 0.5/5!!!! It was tough, impossible to chew, the breading was soggy, and overall just the saddest chicken fried steak I have ever eaten!! read more

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The wait for the food was a little long but the food did not disappoint. The chicken fried steak was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the gravy was rich and flavorful. You also got a trip to the salad bar with certain entree purchases. The restaurant has a fun small-town ambience to enjoy while you eat. This is the restaurant to visit while in Bandera. read more

Food was tasty but I was concerned with the lack of sanitization due to COVID. The server put our menus back in the bin, they weren't washed before they were picked up by another server and then handed to other patrons. The men's bathroom was out of soap and didn't get refilled while we were there though we mentioned it to the server. Also no one was wearing a mask, not the servers or hostess, no efforts at all to follow public health guidelines read more

If you're just passing by Bandera, this is the spot! Friendly staff, salad bar, and delicious chicken fried steak! Definitely was eyeing the banana pudding and the dessert but was just so full. Will come again! read more

We've eaten at OST since moving to Bandera in 1993. I've eaten just about everything in the menu and it's all very good and very reasonable for the price. We do miss the daily lunch buffet though! We highly recommend the OST to anyone who's looking for some home cooking! read more

Love the atmosphere! Food and service GREAT! Went on a Friday, 8/5, for the first time at the recommendation of a few friends. Absolutely the best chicken tenders I have ever had! Cooked perfectly and huge. Reasonably priced and came with a large baked potato (which I chose from the sides) gravy, trip to the salad bar and biscuit. The salad bar had a nice selection and all items were fresh. The biscuit, which they make there wasn't my fav, it was very heavy. Great experience for the first visit and we will be back. We drove over from a surrounding town, so about a 40 minute drive, worth it. read more

The food was decent. My gripe is the fact that I told the waitress I didn't want chips with my dinner but would like something a little healthier. She said I could get a salad in place of the chips. I asked if there was an upcharge to do so, she said no. When I went to pay our bill, she DID charge me and my son for our salads. When I told the cashier about it, she didn't even try to correct the issue. Last time ever going there. We've had shoddy service there, but I just thought it was an off day. read more

Incredibly unfriendly people with zero social skills. Outsiders are not welcome and it's made very clear by failed attempts of intimidation and dismissiveness. Some of the food is okay, most is "meh", and definitely not worth the treatment received. I'd have been better off and much happier having a peanut butter sandwich as I blinked driving through and would never had known the place existed. It takes 30 days to starve to death. Save yourself the aggravation and keep driving. read more

After reopening last year all the locals came back for chicken fried steak Because they have the best Made from tenderized round and with homemade gravy + homemade pies are great read more

Meh. Food took a long time. Portions were really small. Food was cold. Positive: the saddles at the bar were cool. Definitely felt like a tourist joint and that we were paying for the story vs the food. Dramatic range in staff personality and service. Some ignored us while one was super nice (wish I caught her name). She actually saved them from a 2 star rating. read more

Very busy day Feb 16, 2021. They were the only restaurant that was open. Waitress apologized for getting order wrong. Given the situation that was easily forgive able. Despite being slammed, she kept my coffee cup reasonably full. The food was a cut above average. Nothing to rave about though. Will try again when things are more normal. read more

My wife and I came to Bandera to celebrate the New Year. We stopped here on New years for breakfast and let me tell you... It was super good. The waitresses were super friendly and fast. Great little place and is always packed read more

Waitress was too busy to really listen to our order. She seemed a little put out by our presence. Stale chips and tomato sauce "salsa". She was even more put out when I asked for fresh chips because these were stale. She promptly dispatched a coworker who brought us a fresh bowl of stale chips. Soon though, she checked in on us and went to find us some actual fresh chips...that never arrived. Entrees did arrive though, mostly warm. A nice skin had time to form on my gravy and my wife's enchiladas. A pretty tasty CFS but would have benefited from a little attention from a meat mallet, just a little tough but that was the natural structure of the beef. Mexican food was just right for Austinite white breads, but doesn't satisfy us SA west siders. read more

Best friend recommended this place since I was coming thru town. Love the decor. The bar stool saddles look amazing. Nice tribute to John Wayne as well. Ordered the ranch chicken covered in onions and peppers and cheese. It needs more spice. It was juicy but lacked flavor. Baked potato and the trip to the salad bar were average, nothing special. Service was good though and everyone wry friendly. read more

Ost Restaurant - American Near Me - Bandera, Texas

Best home style cooking in Bander. Breakfast was abundant. Pancakes are very big. They have lunch specials as well as regular menu and a salad bar. Definitely recommend this place to eat at while in Bandera. read more

This place is awesome. The hamburger steak deluxe was killer. Glad to have found it while driving through. I will absolutely be back again when able. read more

Had the Duke burger, highly recommended it if your hungry. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals and no one is leaving hungry. Friendly staff. Great decor. Portions are Texas size. read more

Ost Restaurant - American Near Me - Bandera, Texas

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