Fried shrimp and tortilla soup
Jalapeño popper burger
Margarita
Decor in the entry.
More parking available.
Clean bathrooms. Gather at the urinals?
Grin's sign
Michelada
Dirty tables
Entrance in back facing the main parking lot.
a table and chairs in the dining room
Frozen margarita.
Dirty tabke
Dirty table
Homemade Broccoli Tortilla Soup - so far so good
Spicy Cajun Grilled Chicken
Outside
Menu
Chocolate Cake
Menu
peach margarita
Menu
Chicken breast heart
Jim B.
Oct 26, 2024
This is an interesting review for me. I went to Grin's at least once a week when I was a student at SWTSU in the last century. My last visit there was probably in about 1980. Back in the day, we always sat out on the deck sharing ridiculously cheap pitchers of beer or sangria and bean and cheese nachos. I seem to remember bowls of pretzels during the leaner times. If they sold other food like burgers, it was out of my price range. I honestly don't remember ever eating anything but nachos, and NEVER inside.My first thought this time was, "Wow! I don't remember the roads to get here being this scary!" They are winding and hilly, but the traffic was non-existant back then. My second thought was, "Wow! This place is HUGE!" They have really changed the place. Now, it is multi-level with several dining areas. I really didn't recognize anything. Even the deck, which was similar to the past, might be a new one. I certainly don't remember walking down to get to it.Okay... Service was great. I didn't catch the name of my server, but she was very attentive and got our orders right. I had a blue cheese burger with fries. It was really too much food for me, so I actually took half back to my hotel- something I almost never do. The burger was as close to perfect as a burger can be. The actual blue cheese stole the show. Instead of crumbled, it was more like a thick extremely flavorful spread. I noticed that they have some good happy hour prices. There seemed to be a lot of college kids there. Maybe $20 a person in 2024 is the same as $5 in 1980. I would rate this as upscale and expensive in its modern form.
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Michelle W.
Feb 15, 2025
I recently visited this restaurant for a birthday dinner and while it had some positives, there were also a few drawbacks. The food was average. I tried the Cajun grilled chicken with rice and broccoli cheddar soup. While the broccoli cheddar soup was decent the consistency was a bit thick and clumpy. The highlight of the show was the Cajun grilled chicken. It was tender and seasoned perfectly. The Spanish rice was ok. I had a bite of the Southwest burger and that was really good. Flavors were on point and cooked perfectly. I may need to order that for the next time.The restaurant does have plenty of space inside for getting together with friends and family which makes it a good option for hosting parties or large gatherings. Another big plus is the ample parking, which made arriving and leaving easy.Unfortunately, the service was quite slow. It took a while to get our orders taken and even longer for the food to arrive. Don't get me wrong the server was nice and wonderful. We were just a large group. She was assisting us alone and she definitely could have used some help. This restaurant was definitely an adequate place if you need space for a group.
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Josh M.
Feb 23, 2025
We had a group dinner with 15 people. The service was really excellent, as was the food.
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Dwayne B.
Feb 21, 2025
Decent food but they do charge a junk fee for using a credit card. So I just deduct that right off my base tip so 20% becomes 17%. Credit cards are a cost of doing business and should be already included in the menu prices. No sweat off my back but be aware.
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David M.
Nov 8, 2024
Grins is your college town chilis. Known for their margaritas you can find all of your favorite bar items. It is know to go here for their margarita it has a certain charm to the restaurant. It's not going to blow you out of the water but it's an overall great dining experience. With very friendly staff and good food.
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David K.
Dec 8, 2024
When it comes to brunch in San Marcos the options aren't great. Grin's isn't going to blow your socks off but it's got a friendly vibe, decent menu, and it's big enough that you probably won't have to wait too long for a table, even on a busy Texas State-events kind of weekend. Will the food out a smile on your face? Unlikely, but maybe a grin.
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Kevin E.
Aug 10, 2024
Good pricing and a nice wide menu for a college town. It has a feel-good, old skool vibe that's relaxing and easy going. My Wholly (guaca) Moley burger was good, but the patty seemed manufactured, rather than hand formed, and was a little overcooked. I don't want to judge too harshly, so I'm only taking off 1 star until we come back. The staff was on point and the fried mushrooms were great. *Pro-tip try it was gravy!Another detractor, but mainly just for me, the beer selection is all bottled and simple domestics and Mexican offerings. However, the pricing is great.
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Bobby S.
Jan 7, 2025
Went to GRINS for dinner last night and the food is always "TOP NOTCH" in quality. Our servers were prompt and over the top courteous. There were about 45 of us Starvin like Marvin and many of us had traveled literally around the world to be in San Marcos, Texas for an event and this stop was a good idea. It was good to enter a place that feels like home. Some places you go can be a real CRAP SHOOT. Not Grins... It has a sort of cozy home grown feel to the place. I had the Chicken Fried Steak and shared a bucket of brewskis with my friends nothing from the time I ordered my meal until digging in was only a short time of about 15-20 minutes. Not bad! I couldn't say anything bad about our location or about the hospitality. I felt like I was family or the owner at Grins Restaurant because the greeting and smiles from the staff was a warm friendly one. We'll be back! Good job Grins
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Maria G.
Jan 2, 2025
Love the vibe! The chicken fried steak is my favorite! The servers are always attentive and so sweet. The queso and chips are another good one. They have great homemade desserts love the peach cobbler. Owners and managers are awesome! Happy hour here is great too.
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Susan B.
Feb 19, 2024
Cute fun place! We ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. It is the Monday special. We were seated quickly and the service was great! We shared the tripper dipper and it was perfect as our appetizer.
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