Doesn't look like a place that would be your first choice but when you talk about something being consistently good in food you have to bring up Ray's. Growing up in the west side of San Anton this staple seems like a place where the community comes together in agreement on something. The food here is great and the service matches it. When you come here you almost feel like a regular by how much of a family feel this restaurant radiates. If you're ever in the mood for some good ole fashioned Mexican I recommend stopping by Ray's drive inn. Ps - Only reason it's not a 5 star is that the parking could be a tad bit better but they did just open up the lot across the street to park but that's on a super nit pick level. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Mexican Plate - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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We were in a bit of a rush, opted to get tacos here just to clear our hunger since we were in the area I've always seen the great reviews so I didn't hesitate Wife and I each got 2 carne guisada with cheese and 1 bean&cheese(all 5 in flour) and also lemonade(agua) Upon the first bite it was obvious the tortillas were store packaged, you know because of the taste of the tortilla, carne guisada wasn't good probably because of the flavor of the tortilla, the cheese was the best part The agua lemonade lacked flavor, might even say it's powdered flavored The bean and cheese-I threw it away I HATE leaving a bad review I just HATE it, I'm one to try and retry and retry restaurants especially Mexican style but I'm a bit skeptical of coming back here Maybe one day maybe one day again I'm so disappointed read more

As seen on Triple D. Puffy Tacos. They were amazing and different! Friendly Staff. Quick Service. Nice Ambiance! read more

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It was okay. The hype of these puffy tacos has me disappointed. I was excited to try them since I saw them on the day tripper, but on my end they were not that great. I also felt very rushed to order and didn't even feel comfortable to ask questions about their menu. The chicken puffy taco was ehh the chicken was marinated, but it was basic is my only way to describe it. I was expecting a wow factor, but maybe I just caught them on a bad day. read more

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One of the best Tex mex restaurants on the west side. Everything is good, but I go for the puffy tacos. Just beware of huge portions. Might as well share or go very hungry read more

Terrible customer service and the servers are also treated horribly. The food was cold and the older woman I spoke to was completely rude. I will not be returning. read more

Really enjoyed our lunch. Crispy dogs and puffy tacos were on point. Can't wait to return.

As far as puffy tacos go, this seemed to be more crunchy than the others and more oily. Objectively I liked them better. Came here to try the fish and shrimp puffy tacos. Shrimp ones I've had better, but I loved the shrimp ones. Love how simple and soft the shrimp was. 4 stars for just the shrimp taco! read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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The staff was very attentive. The parking lot is very NYC. The quality of the food was spot on. My wife is a Gf'er...so more GF products would be nice. Overall, a really great experience. Very read more

Definitely not the same. Went for the first time in a while and very disappointed. Darn shame the service is outstanding but the food not so much. And styrofoam plates. read more

Had seen this place on Daytripper and Texas Country Reporter and had to try it. I finally got a chance, and while it was OK, it wasn't "Off the Chain". I had heard all of the hype about the "Puffy Taco" and had to try one so I got the Mexican plate with 2 enchiladas, Carne Guisada, a beef puffy taco, and rice and beans. The puffy taco was a bit of a let down. It wasn't crisp, and somewhat soggy, tough, and greasy. The enchiladas were average, as were the beans and rice. The star of the dish was the Carne Guisada. I wish I had gotten a plate of that. It was very flavorful with good texture. My wife had the fish sandwich and it was pretty lame. The fish was a frozen, thin, fish patty, stuffed between two pieces of toast. Only bright spot was that it was only $4.00 so we felt like we got what we paid for. That old adage "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is" applies. Overall, it was just "OK". read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Mexican Plate - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Ray's is deep on the West side. This is real, Authentic Tex-Mex like home-made. Friendly service. This place is really busy but the wait staff is on top of it. The chips are thick like fried tortillas. First time I ever had puffy tacos that were crunchy but they were also alot less greasy than other places. I really enjoyed the crunchy puffy tacos. Bean & cheese nachos were served piping hot. But the best was the warm apple tart with ice cream and pecans - delicious! The only downside was that parking was scarce. It is called a "Drive Inn" but there was no drive thru or car hops that I could see. They did a brisk business in to go orders. Good food and fun atmosphere. read more

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If your looking for that perfect hole in the wall, this is it! I saw Rays on tv and bookmarked it. It's 6 pm and the place is packed. But a table for 1 was easy. Chips and hot sauce, delicious and hot! Spicy enough to make me drink, but I couldn't stop! Because my eating is still limited, I ordered 1 puffy beef taco and 1 beef chalupa, add cheese to both. While I waited, the to go business is hopping. A steady stream of people, in and out. My food arrived, and both items are bigger than I expected. You definitely get your money's worth. Just the chalupa filled me up. It was so good. Don't even think Taco Bell. Think Taco Incredible!! I ordered a couple of crispy dogs so I could try them, and wrapped my puffy taco to go. A couple hours later at the hotel, the puffy taco was wonderful. Crispy dogs? Think a hotdog weenie split open, throw in some cheese, wrap in a corn tortilla, and deep fry the whole thing. Really easy and really good! Dip this baby in some hot sauce and your munching! I definitely recommend you give Ray's Drive In a try. See ya! read more

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My dad came here growing up and he has passed the tradition to us. I love coming here but it does get a little packed. I always order the beef puffy tacos with cheese and they leave me stuffed each time. The staff is always super friendly and they are efficient. You have the option to dine in or pull up and order from your car. Just leave your headlights on and they'll come to you. read more

I'm a Houstonian visiting family in San Antonio for the holidays and was told to stop here before I left. The service was good and prices were low. Love the mom and pop feel of the place and will definitely come back. I got the two puffy tacos and they hit the spot. I would definitely come back next time I'm in San Antonio. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Carne Guisada and beef fajita puffy taco. - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

This place is a hidden gem!! Food was amazing, our waiter was the best waiter ive had in a long time!! Service was 10/10 !! It was cozy & inviting... i fell in love with the jukebox I am definitely returning & bringing my whole family !! read more

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Had not been to Ray's in many years. The food was amazing and our server Angel was great. This place is a gem on the west side of town. read more

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Go go go here for the puffy taco you've always dreamt about. Atmosphere, people, jukebox, location, nostalgia, the OG. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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First time here and the puffy tacos were delicious! Everyone at the table enjoyed their food and we'll definitely be back.

They are a San Antonio staple for a reason! I only tried the puffy tacos, they were incredible good especially the beef ones. What better way to observe social distancing that to gets service in your car. Best puffy tacos I've tried. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Puffy tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The chicken puffy tacos are better than you can imagine. Staff is wonderful, great local business. Tell everyone you know!!!!!! read more

Living in San Antonio, you hear about the home of the puffy taco. I finally got to experience Rays today! Getting to the area was interesting, it's a drive thru a neighborhood, and parking is scarce (get ready for people to double park you waiting for the spot) Obviously, my first trip here was for the famous puffy tacos. I ordered a chicken puffy taco and an avocado puffy taco. They were good! With generous portions of chicken and avocado, I ended up combining them into chicken avocado tacos. There was some grease action happening but it didn't taste greasy, if that makes sense. Puffy tacos are best eaten fresh at the restaurant, I can't imagine them holding up well for togo. My lunch was so cheap... and good. $5 for my tacos. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Chicken puffy taco and avocado puffy taco. Perfection when you combine the two! - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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This was my first trip to San Antonio and I've heard great things about this place so I was excited. But personally, I wasn't that impressed. Sure it was a good enough meal. But I probably wouldn't go out of my way to get it again. They were pretty average to me and nothing truly special. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Old school drive in for great puffy tacos. This is a great throw back to the 1950's. The ladies that work here are so friendly and very helpful. The puffy tacos are awesome. The atmosphere was fun and all the groups here were laughing and having a good time. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Our first attempt to eat here earlier in the week was a fail cuz Ray's ain't open on Mondays. I was determined so we went back after visiting the Alamo a few days later. I'm glad we did. First off, the folks that work here are some of the sweetest people we've ever come across. From the host to our waitress they could not have kinder. Warm chips and spicy salsa were put down in front of us right away. I ordered a Corona, fully dressed (the waitress said that's with salt and lime). Yes please. I went with the Mexican Plate 2 enchiladas, carne guisada and beef puffy taco $9.25. Cheap and good! Could not finish it. So much food. No wonder I'm fat. : O What a great place and wonderful people too! read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Corona fully dressed - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The service was great, the waitress was on it & very attentive. The food was also on point... I had the plate that had a lil bit of everything... it was all very good, the cheese enchiladas & the carne guisada & the chicken puffy taco was very tasty. What really WOW'd my hubby and I was the wings... we had the lemon pepper wings and I forgot the other flavor but OMG... they ain't got nothing on Wing stop, these wings were really big and full of flavor... we will definitely be back for these! I recommend the wings %100!!!! read more

Came on a Tuesday night at 7:00pm. There were literally only 2 cars here. Had my lights on and waited for somebody to come acknowledge us or give us a menu. The young girls- all girls today kept walking by us. Waited 15 minutes before someone gave us a menu. They kept going to all the cars and I'm literally parked right in the front- you can't miss my bright blue car. I finally asked for a menu. Waited another 15 minutes after complaining about being here at 7:25 and still no one coming by to take our order. When someone finally acknowledged us she came back to take our order. I'm never rude or disrespectful to any service workers but come on. They clearly were avoiding us right in the front. By the time they came to us my family no longer wanted to order in fear of the employees and staff wanting to tamper with our food. I come here once a week and am extremely disappointed in giving my time and money to an establishment that doesn't hire quality staff anymore. They clearly can't get staff to work more or less staff that provides at least some type of customer service. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Clearly I'm able to be seen!! Right in front of the door where they come in and out! - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

A friend brought us here while we were in town for his wedding. He was born and raised in San Antonio and loves the memories and food at this dive eatery. It's been around for a long time and is well known for their puffy tacos which feature a sweet corn, light and airy shell with a variety of fillings. They were indeed quite good although I couldn't finish the 3 that I ordered. They are a pretty good size so be forewarned. They are especially tasty topped with their spicy hot homemade salsa in a squeeze bottle. The interior walls are filled with lots of sports memorabilia and framed photos, many of which appear to feature family members or sponsored teams. My wife and I really enjoyed experiencing our first puffy tacos and they were definitely worth the price of admission. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I came here to try the infamous puffy tacos and they did not disappointed. I ordered them to go. The server who took my order was very friendly and helpful in making suggestions. I will definitely return when I am in the San Antonio area again! read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Puffy Tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

MUST DO! Head to the "West Side" to find some old school Tex - Mex!!! This is the real deal right here. If you are a tourist coming from downtown, don't let the hood scare ya... Just do it! Ray's Drive Inn is a real Drive-In. If you want car hop service, just turn your lights on. The challenge is finding a parking place to get service... so just opt to come inside to see the interior... it is a time warp. Ray's has been in business since the 50s so it's truly "old school". Get up, look around, so much to check out... Puffy Taco, Puffy Taco, Puffy Taco. Ray's is the creator of the Puffy Taco and they do it the way it is supposed to be done. I've tried a few around town ... and as other reviewers have said ... it is most difficult to get that puffy taco to stay together as you eat it. See my pic?... half way through and it's still together! I opted to get the Mexican plate but that was a mistake. I should have just gone for the Puffy tacos ala carte. I have a dislike for enchiladas made with red tortillas. Why? Red tortillas are ~always~ tough and I don't like tough enchiladas. Trying to cut through the enchilada with a plastic fork was most difficult for me. Rice and beans were ok. I forgot to ask for charro beans which I usually get instead of refried, my bad. The Carne Guisada was good so it probably would be good on a Puffy Taco which is one of the choices for fillings ala carte. Beef Puffy Taco comes on the Mexican plate. I didn't like that they put it on top of everything to get mushy... it's a pet peeve of mine... I don't like mushy tacos. I picked it up quickly and it was so good! I also ordered the Crispy Dog appetizer. Two come to an order. I ate half of one and brought the rest home. My hubby loves hot dogs so I knew he would like them. I don't really care for them and that is exactly what it was... just a regular old dog with cheese wrapped in a corn tortillas and deep fried. Interesting concept but just didn't work for me. Service was not attentive. I read other reviews saying the same. My guess is that the servers don't have sections. I think they might be running all over the restaurant, like taking turns as customers come in so they could have two tables up front and two tables in back. I'm not sure as I didn't study it that closely, but that could explain why my server wasn't around when I needed service... like refill my water, check to make sure food was ok which at that time I would have asked for a to-go box... but instead I had to get up for a box... then get up to find her to pay my check. It wasn't that busy where I was sitting in the back so she must have been serving in the front also which is why I came to my conclusion on service. IDK. Everyone must visit Ray's Drive Inn at least once. You have to venture out to the "West Side" to see the real old part of San Antonio. Some might call it the Barrio. Consider making a visit Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center for an event then keep going down a little further on Guadalupe to Ray's on 19th St. It worth the drive... Just do it! read more

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This place is a true JEM! The puffy taco is AMAZING!!! I enjoyed a Beef, chicken AND an avocado taco! I had originally only ordered two but after having one bite I knew I was going to have to eat a THIRD!! I am stuffed but we'll worth the sacrifice LOL! The hostess was so friendly and explained the concept after I told her it was my first time here. I decided to sit at the bar because I was on my own and could take advantage of the empty seat and not wait. The service was prompt and friendly and thorough. They only serve beer, Pepsi, tea and fresh lemonade. I enjoyed the sweet tea and it was spot on as far as Texas Sweet tea goes! I will definitely be back to this place next time I am in town! read more

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It is a drive in style restaurant. Very cool, you remain seated in your car, they bring you the menu, take your order, bring the food and finally the check. We tried their puffy taco which seems to be their thing and what San Antonio is known for. Very tasty and amazing! Always listen to the staff recommendation because they know all the bests! We loved it read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Puffy taco - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

This place is still living in the 70's- in a good way and a bad way. The inside is full of antiques and has a vintage feel. You really feel like you're dining at a place that's part of San Antonio's history. The recipes for the puffy tacos are here to stay. They've always been good. However, this place badly needs some gentrification. The tables are too small, which will be obvious when you are sat and handed their larger-than-life menus and even more obvious when you are served and your plates don't all fit on the table. If you go during dinner service, you're gonna have a bad time. It's way too crowded, and this restaurant is not equipped to accommodate so many at once. No parking and nowhere to stand while you wait for your table. It's loud, and this seems to be a popular eatery for families with screaming children. In short, go here for lunch when you'll get the place to yourself. This place has a history of bad customer service, but they've obviously hired new help. You are now met with a chorus of "wElCoMe To RaY's!" when you walk in. Our waitress was the perfect balance of friendly but not cloying. I tried one of the "New!" menu items, the Beef Fajita Salad. The fajita meat is one of the more tender ones I've tasted, but the salad is difficult to eat. It's made with spring mix and not lettuce that is a staple of ensalada. Additionally, the leaves were too large and falling off the plate, like it was hastily thrown together. We didn't receive knives, so I couldn't cut it smaller. The ranch tastes suspiciously storebought. I'm glad they're expanding the menu, but they shouldn't put something on the menu that's just mediocre. read more

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I didn't realize until we got here that we could Order online. Since we wanted takeout anyway, we parked to order. I was surprised when an employee found us outside and brought out our drinks. I fully expected to go inside to pick up. She was very kind and the food was ready very quickly. We got an assortment of puffy tacos and loved them all. The only thing I'd change is perhaps an ability to tip within the online ordering system. It would be so much easier. read more

Service was incredible. This place is a whole vibe. Friendly people, good taste in music, and the food was delicious. The chicken puffy tacos were as good as advertised. Jada was our server and she was super nice. Recommend asking for her when visiting. The wings were good as well. We will be back. I'd give it 10 stars if I could. read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Chicken Puffy Tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Delicious food. I can see why it's a classic. The mid reviews threw me off but after seeing it featured on Netflix we visited and are so glad we did. read more

Outstanding service and incredibly delicious tacos at the place where the puffy taco was invented. I ordered the Mexican Plate, which came with red corn tortilla cheese enchiladas, beans, rice, and a beef puffy taco. The others at my table ordered various items, but each of us got a puffy taco. While everything was good, the puffy tacos were the stars of the day! Crispy on the outside, slightly moist on the inside, and more substantive than the average hard or soft taco--they were incredible! When I return, and I will return, I will just order the tacos. Be sure to add fresh grated cheese to your order. And take some time to look at the place. Everyone there is so kind and welcoming to everyone, whether they are from the region or not. The people working there (hostess, server, manager, cooks) were uniformly pleasant and accommodating, working hard to make sure that everyone had a positive experience from the time someone entered the restaurant until they left. The area in which the restaurant is located does have a lot of transient traffic, so be aware of that. I went at lunchtime and felt perfectly at ease. But the restaurant property itself is an icon that is respected by everyone that lives in or frequents the neighborhood. Great experience! read more

Curiosity took me here after hearing about the puffy tacos. Service was great and very helpful. We took ours to go. Perhaps that's where we went wrong. Not sure what I was expecting from these puffy tacos perhaps a bit of crunch in the tortilla? In any regard they were loaded and taste was fine just nothing I found merited the drive over in my humble opinion. I guess I prefer a traditional taco as opposed to this take on it. I must say it was quite a nostalgic spot and you see a lot of classic cars in the lot. It's a trip back in time. Would not dissuade you if you want to give it a try but would strongly recommend you eat it on the spot. read more

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The food and the service were awesome. I'm definitely going back to try something else and to get me more crispy dogs. read more

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Lol we came for Fiesta and ate here 3 days in a row had tostadas,puff tacos, and gorditas and of course Big Red read more

Ray's Drive Inn - Beef Puff Tacos - Tex-Mex Near Me - San Antonio, Texas