What an amazing event! We started off the evening with a spot at the La Cantera Mall where a…read moreshuttle bus picked us up within 5 minutes and took us to the resort. From there, it was a quick walk up to the Topaz pool where music, food and drinks were served al Fresca by the pool. Being able to sample quick bites from renowned local San Antonio restaurants was such a pleasure! Some offerings included Grayze, Belgian Frites, Kirby's, H-E-B, Topaz and many more! French and Spanish champagne along with mixed sampling were available at your convenience. The gorgeous view of the pool and sunset with the ambience of music and chatter made the entire event fun, relaxing and a great party!

This event was spectacular, from start to finish the event ran smoothly - tequila, food, and…read moreentertainment were plentiful the entire evening. I've been to a few culinaria events before and I had stopped going due to food/drinks running out early and being smushed against a crowd of people with little to no walking room.That was not the case for the Tequila event. I almost don't want to share how much fun this was because I want to attend again next year and I hope the event is organized in the same way and has the same amount of people! Guests were instructed to park in the La Cantera Mall parking lot where a shuttle picked us up promptly (they ran every few minutes). Once we arrived at the hotel's banquet room there we were greeted by friendly staff and (this is the best part) there were several people at the registration table to make the check in process run smoothly and get people checked in quickly! Thank you for having appropriate lighting inside the ballroom. I hate it when they put the lights on full blast and it ruins the ambiance. The room was set up with dozens of food and alcohol tasting booths. I appreciated that we were not crushed together like sardines instead and that there was plenty of room to walk around and enjoy your beverage/food. My only recommendation is to have more high top tables even though everyone was so friendly and welcoming to strangers joining them at open spaces at the tables. Let me start off by saying wow, the food and drinks were delicious. Each vendor came with a quality dish and I appreciate that they spent time educating the audience on the ingredients and the process of the tequila and mezcal. Not only did they have straight tequila and mezcal tastings they also had cocktails available to try and let me tell you they had some truly tasty cocktails. I had several throughout the night that I loved but the two favorites for me were the La Fogata margarita (after all these years they still hold up in quality and taste) and Patron's Pomegranate Hibiscus Margarita (it has kombucha in it!) - I went back for seconds, thirds, and fourths. The ingredients in each of those cocktails really highlights and complements the tequila. Some of the food highlights included: Jason Dady's Street Corn in a Cup (Simple yet bursting with flavor) Vegetarian Mole Enchiladas Tacos Al Pastor Throughout the evening they had a band play and a lovely dance folklorico (traditional Mexican dance) performance. Thank you, Fernanda, for coordinating our attendance. I had a fabulous time and we stayed until the lights came on!

27 May 2023 The 2023…read morepresentation is pretty good. Holding it at the downtown UTSA campus serves it well. The green space outside of what I'll call the student union building (SUB) was put to good use. A few food trucks lined the north side, the main stage was to the south, with a smaller ground-level stage in front of it and a martial arts demonstration area was to the west, just outside the SUB. The main stage had two large screens on either side, so all could see the performers. We saw Betty Soo and her band from Austin. They were terrific. She has a fairly large band and her voice is great to listen to. Many food vendors were present along the east side. Hawaiian, Chinese. Godai was there serving three different sushi rolls and squid salad. Yum. We got spicy crab rolls. One of the garage levels also housed several food vendors. Sari Sari was there, as was Sichuan House. A booth was making fresh lemonade. Kettle corn, of course. Yum. A large tent in the green space was for the non-food vendors: clothes, hats, purses, jewelry and various trinkets. I found some Croc charms that I can use on my Casetify Pushin phone case. Three for $5. Not bad. Cool stuff. You could tell that UTSA put some serious thought into the layout and it turned out well. Plenty of shade and benches, tables throughout. They must have a print shop. The signs identifying each vendor were uniform and easy to read. Bonuses were free water (several stations) and the restrooms in the SUB were open to the public. The SUB was open anyway until 5pm. Coffee could be bought at the coffee station. It's never too hot for coffee. Ha, ha. The alcohol situation was interesting. Individual kegs were found along the walkways and you just bought from them. We hope the festival stays here. Go next year.

I lied variety of Asian cooking and Korean, hot food and pastry a good location from my home easy…read moreto get to prices are very reasonable

Such a special San Antonio experience! The Western Heritage Cattle Drive Parade is a beautiful,…read morefree, family-friendly event that truly celebrates the city's history and culture. From the longhorn steers and mounted riders to the military cavalry, law enforcement units, Charro riders, and folklórico dancers, there's so much to see and appreciate. The vibe is relaxed and welcoming, not overly crowded, and it's easy to find a great viewing spot along the route. It feels authentic, educational, and festive all at once. This is a wonderful way to kick off rodeo season and reconnect with San Antonio's roots. Highly recommend making time for it at least once (and probably every year after)!

01 Feb 2025 Back…read moreagain for 2025. We missed the longhorns last year, so we made sure to get downtown earlier this time. We arrived about 10:15am and secured pretty good seats street-side on one of the cement flower planters. We got to see the longhorns driven by and left pretty soon afterwards so I could get to the library to have my Yelp Elite 2025 pictures taken. Ironically, after leaving the library, we got to see some of the parade participants on their way back - charros, military on horseback, a couple of rodeo clowns, some horse-drawn wagons. It's a nice event.

Pretty good event. Lots of food and drink and good music. It started off a little slow. Guess…read morepeople were gauging the weather. After 1:00, it got pretty crowded. I was working in the Yelp booth, which was pretty fun. The kids were enjoying the games we had set up. A business owner came by and said how much she appreciated Yelp and because of our word of mouth through reviews, her business had doubled. We are validated!!

H-E-L-L-Z Y-E-S I…read morehad started to write a novel as a review about last year's event, but it doesn't need to be that elaborate. If there's only ONE event that you decide to participate in this Culinaria season, make sure it's this one! My favorite thing about this event: you pay the flat rate for your ticket but once you're in, it's ALL inclusive! Pro tips: Bring sunscreen, guard your dogs from peoples giant feet, bring your collapsible lawn chairs, and be sure to get there early!! BURGERS - a bunch of different kinds. Represented were hot spots like Cured, Luke, Earth Burger, Arcade, and several others. The burger samples are on the cutest, tiniest buns, which helps to not get full so fast. BBQ - underrepresented, IMHO, but what was there (Kiolbassa sausage, pulled pork) was good. Keep an eye out for the "mud bugs" from Luke if that's your sort of thing. Things tend to run out pretty early so again, get there early! BEER - there was definitely beer but also present were the ever-so-necessary various wines and Lime-a-Ritas in multiple flavors. Huge kudos to HEB for their major contributions to this event! You could definitely tell they were one of the major sponsors. If there's a vacation wheel, take it for a spin. I did and I won a free $100 restaurant gift card out of it :)

The Cowboy breakfast was awesome! I sampled at least four Rodeo cowboy breakfast events and this…read morewas the best others didn't have any food ready at least an hour into the event. Here everyone was ready with plenty of tacos, juice, and coffee for the large crowds there as early as 6 am. A nice operation done with military precision!!

Yeeeehaw! Griddle my biscuits! Cowboy Breakfast is the…read moreofficial kickoff to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo! They hold it a week or two ahead of the actual kickoff to the Rodeo, because it takes time to set everything up. This breakfast is FREE! Everything is free. Breakfast tacos, biscuits and gravy, coffee, orange juice, milk- it's all free! It's donated from local food companies and corporate sponsors of the Rodeo. Unfortunately, they hold this event once a year, at 4:30am on a Friday. You gotta get up EARLY, or the lines get so long. It's amazing how many people will line up for free tacos in San Antonio! They need to label their lines better. I jumped in the shortest looking line, and found out that it was for coffee and not food. Oh well, the coffee was from a local coffee place. There was a band playing live music for the lines of people. There were all kinds of vendors out here pushing their products and giving away swag. Parking is a mob scene. I advise you to try to find a spot on the edges, so you don't get trapped in. Parking was absolute chaos, with people getting blocked in by people not knowing how to park.

I love Mardi Gras at the San Antonio riverwalk!…read more The San Antonio Riverwalk puts together a weekend long Mardi Gras celebration each year which consists of a river float parade, and a festival at La Villita. In comparison to other cities, this Mardi Gras festival is very family-friendly and has something fun for everyone in the family. The main event is on a Saturday and I highly encourage everyone to get there early so you can secure a couple seats at the Arneson Theatre. The Arneson is an open space theatre were you can enjoy from live music, and also get the best view from all the floats. The floats go around the riverwalk twice and throw beads at the public during the event. If you want to keep the party going, just walk to La Villita where you can grab a cold one, and enjoy of a few activities. I believe that during the festival a few restaurants also offer balcony parties where you can watch the parade and enjoy of a few drinks. This festival is really fun and definitely San Antonio's take of Mardi Gras #PuroSanAntonio

What a great time on a great day! Sitting in our private "Yelp" box and meeting my fellow…read more"Elite's". The music was great as well as the food. Plenty of beads to go around and you didn't even have to show your **ts!!!!! Ha! If you ever are around the downtown area and get a chance to see this small bit quaint parade while having the MOST fun ever, then get here and make it fast. Oh wait.... Did I mention the free Bud Light? My bad!!!!

First of all, where in the heck are the restrooms??? This event was held in Hemisfair Park and…read morethere were NO restrooms, porta potties, or otherwise. I asked someone where the restrooms were and they told me across the street at La Villita. I ran across the street, only to find the place deserted and the restrooms locked up. I ran to the nearest hotel and relieved myself there (inside the hotel restroom of course, not outside the hotel). Now that I've relieved myself, I'm back at the event in Hemisfair Park. Here are the things I liked: The entertainment on the main stage. I got to experience the dancing, the culture, and traditions of the Indian people. Lots of different dance performances happening all night on the main stage. They were all very well choreographed and fun to watch. There were plenty of Indian food booths and beer available. All of them took cash and credit cards - you don't have to stand in line to buy tickets and then stand in line again to buy food or drinks. Ya' gotta appreciate that folks. Then there's the dance floor in the middle of the park with an awesome DJ playing a mix of American and Indian tunes. This part was really fun, everyone was dancing and having a great time. Make sure you stay for the fireworks. Here are the things I didn't like: The crowds. It wasn't as bad as NIOSA, but it was still pretty crowded. The lines for the food booths weren't long, but it was difficult trying to determine who was in line, who was standing around, and who was just walking through. But pretty much any festival is this way I guess. And I think I mentioned this before... where in the heck are the restrooms???

Namaste! This San Antonio celebration is such a great way…read moreto take in San Antonio's Indian and Hindu heritage! Diwali is a huge celebration in India, and this evening-time celebration is a fantastic scene. Expect lots of beautiful colors, where local Indians bring out their brightest saris and coolest jewelry. They do some music, and dancing, so kick off them shoes and participate in some Bollywood dance numbers while you take in the lights and music of the subcontinent. They always have food trucks and local Indian community members serving up copious quantities of Briyani, curries and chutneys. Be sure to get some Lhassi, a yogurt drink. They've moved this festival around downtown a bunch since San Antonio started doing it- so check the Current if you're looking for the when and where. My favorite Diwali moment was when they had the celebration at the Hemisfair, and they sold cheap little boats with candles that celebrants launched into the fountains, and they did a laser light show to some Asha Bhosle music! Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Be sure to check out this annual celebration. It'll take you straight from San Antonio to Mumbai!

Culinaria! This is a coordinated effort put on by a…read morenon-profit organization based here in San Antonio called Culinaria. Culinaria's mission is to spread the San Antonio food culture, and get people to enjoy eating local produced and innovated foods. So to celebrate this, a bunch of restaurants around town offer a prix fixe menu, at a few different tiers, that offers a cheaper way to explore these finer restaurants around town. I've found that the lunch menus typically are a great way to get a good discount, get your meal, and get outta there, and not spend a fortune, while getting amazing food. This is a great way to do it! I've seen in other towns where people will spreadsheet this- (Get to work Yelpers!) and find the places with the greatest discounts and most bang for your buck while helping charity. This is when the tourist trade is lower and there's a bit of a lull at the restaurants, so it's a great way to get customers in! This isn't really just a week, it's more like 3 weekends. Go online and check out the menus!

Restaurant Week (technically "weeks") is a fifteen-day, semiannual celebration of San Antonio's…read morediverse, evolving culinary scene. That's how the food-focused local nonprofit Culinaria.org would describe it. Here's the cynical version: Restaurant Week is a desperate attempt for local restaurateurs to fill seats in late January and late August, the times of year when San Antonians decide collectively to consume nothing but Whataburger, breakfast tacos, and Big Red. Okay, maybe that's a bit harsh, but I speak the truth. Several of my friends in the industry (Cookhouse's Pieter Sypesteyn and Il Forno's Jason Garcia, among others) have explained that business plummets in late January (when post-Xmas frugality sets in) and late August (when kids return to school). The only way to generate revenue is to participate in Restaurant Week and offer table d'hôte menus at unbeatable prices. Beginning January 21st, over one-hundred local restaurants will offer three-course dinner menus at a set price of $35. The options may appear daunting, but never fear, for San Antonio's "inimitable gourmand, bon vivant and man about town**" is here to guide you! I have narrowed down the list and chosen what I consider to be the five best deals and what you should order at each restaurant. I considered reviewing the dishes, but such an exercise would surely exceed Yelp's arbitrary 5,000-character limit. 1) Bliss --Course 1: Hamachi tostadas --Course 2: Seared Georges Bank sea scallops over white Cheddar grits --Course 3: Dark chocolate "candy bar" with dulce de leche ice cream and fleur de sel. NOTE: The kitchen scales back the portions for Restaurant Week, so heartier appetites might consider ordering a regular menu item a la carte. Better yet, do as I do and order *two* items from each course. The chicken fried oysters, pork shank, and goat cheese cheesecake complement the three items listed above. 2) Cookhouse --Course 1: Gumbo with duck and andouille sausage --Course 2: Jambalaya with chicken, shrimp, andouille, snap peas, and saffron aioli --Course 3: Bread pudding (components subject to change based on availability and Chef Pieter's whimsy) 3) Morton's --Course 1: Lobster bisque --Course 2: 16-ounce double-cut pork chop --Accompaniment: Creamed spinach --Course 3: Hot chocolate cake NOTE: Yes, it's a chain (not exactly "local flavor"), but a $35 meal from a prime steakhouse is just too good of a deal to ignore. 4) Periphery --Complimentary starter: cast-iron cornbread with ranch compound butter --Course 1: Market salad of the day --Course 2: BBQ catfish with green tomato relish --Course 3: Peanut butter pound cake with spiced apple sauce and whipped cream NOTE: A fourteen-ounce prime NY strip is available as a $10 supplement. Also, consider adding a $6 side of merguez-braised creamer peas with calabrese peppers and dill crema. 5) Shuck Shack --Complimentary starter: Kewpie deviled eggs --Course 1: Half-dozen Gulf oysters --Course 2: Lobster bisque --Course 3: Southern fried catfish with fries --Course 4: SA Pops paleta ($2.50 supplement) Live, drink, and be merry, San Antonio! Just do all three when I'm not around, because I prefer to have restaurants to myself. If you must dine alongside me, then please leave your screaming, unruly "It's Alive" babies at home in their cages where they can do no damage. **Source: Chef/surgeon/aesthete about Kerrville, the inimitable Don B.