The Yummiest Southern in San Antonio

The Smoke Shack

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"Okay so craving BBQ.... and this place is down the block and we'll always support local. Me and roommate needed some good brisket and mac n cheese and this place did not disappoint, we both got 2 meat BBQ plate meal and we got potato salad + mac n cheeze + brisket. so so so juicy meat was melting in my mouth..... needed that. also it is a lot of food but i would say it's 44$ for 2 and drinks... those homemade sweet tea and lemonade was just amazing only thing thats free refill, so i had like 4 Arnold Palmer's. Service everyone was so nice and really cared what we wanted to eat and try. Very clean and cozy, def not a huge location but parking was not the biggest but we luckily found a spot. def will be our go to spot for BBQ recommend but maybe go for the sandwiches for more affordable options !!"

Mr. C's Chicken & Waffles

★★★★☆ 3.8 (20)

"Great southern cooking. The cornbread comes with most meals and is to die for. At some point I need to try the waffles!"

Mr C’s Fried Chicken & Waffles

★★★★☆ 3.6 (458) • $$

"A casual, clean and friendly spot with very well seasoned food. We tried a large variety off the menu. The chicken was absolutely delicious. Made to order, large pieces, crispy, juicy and so much flavor! We cleaned every piece until there was nothing left. Cabbage is a must try but you won't be disappointed in the greens, yams or Mac either. I don't like cornbread however, this was fluffy, moist and extra sweet. Portions are huge, especially on the meatloaf. Price is very reasonable for the Alamo ranch area. My only negative would be the waffles were spongy - more like a pancake. Needed to be on the iron a little longer. We had pecan and strawberry both worth the $1.00 upgrade. Expect a longer wait when ordering chicken because of cook time."

Southern Grit To Go

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (10)

"I am a southern boy and grits have gotta be a certain way! Wife and I were walking around on a cold day and wanted a quick bite. The mall was filled with typical options, but then wesaw this place tucked in the corner. Shrimp and grits with a cheese sauce was bangin! Service was excellent. Very helpful and accommodating. It is a food court but this aint no food court quality! lol"

Four Brothers

★★★★☆ 4.3 (165) • $$$

"I've had many steaks in SA. The pic I attached is of what I feel is perfection. I requested extra horseradish to mix in with the famous Four Brothers sauce and the result was pure ecstasy. The steak was perfectly seasoned and served at the exact temperature I requested. They don't normally serve the full menu in the bar but they made an exception on a slow night. We had live entertainment and the volume was perfect. Drinks were A+."

The County Line

★★★★☆ 3.7 (473) • $$

"We went there for dinner after reading reviews and comparing other places in the area. I'm so glad we decided to go. The food was great and very plentiful. We still have enough for dinner tomorrow. It was pretty slow on a Monday night, but everyone went above and beyond to insure we had a great evening. As for the "loud kitchen" comments. The cooks were singing along with music and having a great time at their job. There's to much sullenness in the workplace these days. It was refreshing to hear them have fun. It was never loud enough to interfere with our conversation, and in fact a lot of times we had to strain to hear it. It's nice to go to a place that provides a positive work environment. If you want a quiet somber dinner, maybe don't go to a bbq restaurant?"

Southerleigh Haute South

★★★★☆ 4 (524) • $$

"Hanging Out at Southerleigh Haute South for Happy HourLast month, the ladies and I craved a light treat, so we headed over to Southerleigh Haute South at the Rim for Happy Hour. I arrived around 4:30 PM to beat the 6 PM rush, especially with San Antonio participating in Culinaria, also known as Restaurant Week. Parking was easy, and the foot traffic at the RIM was light, allowing me to find a spot close to the entrance.I arrived first and was greeted by the hostess, who seated me while I waited for the rest of my group. The waitress came over, and I browsed the menu, debating whether to opt for the Culinaria selections. Culinaria is a bi-annual event that offers diners a preselected menu at a fixed price, usually around $35 to $45. I decided to stick to the Happy Hour menu instead. To get a head start for the ladies, I ordered a dozen oysters and chicken wings ($1 each) along with some fried pickles. The oysters were fresh, with just the right amount of salt.When the ladies arrived, we added deviled eggs ($24 for eight) and honey biscuits to our order. While I love deviled eggs, I was shocked at the price. Though tasty, they didn't seem worth the cost. Our waitress refilled our drinks, and we added mac and cheese ($9) and two orders of meat pies. Unfortunately, the mac and cheese, covered in a queso sauce, lacked flavor, and the meat pies, which resembled greasy empanadas, were disappointing. Even the wings, though affordable, were too salty.I've never been let down by the downtown location, which feels more upscale, but this visit left me a bit disappointed. It was a fun outing with the ladies, but with so many other restaurants at the RIM, it may be a while before I return to this spot.-- Da Islandgal29412"

Jewell’s

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"We happened upon this food truck at a bar in cibolo. We were thrilled to get greens. DELICIOUS!! Not sure if it's a permanent item But they were delicious. We ordered a to go to take home. We also ordered the red beans and rice. Another great choice. It's honestly been a bit since we've eaten there Can't wait to go back soon."

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (24)

"The restaurant is really small but it's cute and mighty most of your favorites are here. The restaurant is very casual we went during lunch it was cute lots of seniors everywhere so it's just a sweet little buffet, the serves were kind and attentive and fun I'll definitely be back again."

Jazz TX

★★★★☆ 4.4 (289) • $$

"Food was really good, especially the tenderloin. Margaritas were very tasty and reasonably priced. Service was super great and attentive. The place is small due to the seating chairs and tables but makes up for it by having salsa, merengue, bachata nights on Wednesday. Cute little charm!"

The Mess Around

★★★★☆ 4 (53) • $$

"I'm sorry but we did not have a good experience here at this location. We saw that it had good reviews and wanted to try this business out and I guess we maybe came at a bad time.Once we arrived we sat down at the outside seating area and were handed our menus. It was a nice day and the location of the business is right in the corner of the downtown roundabout. Once we were ready we waited for a while until our server came back out. I ordered a large coffee hot with a salad and a side of grits. My girlfriend ordered the meatloaf with a small iced coffee and an aside of jalapeño cornbread. We later were offered to sit inside since it was cooler and we had a baby.We then waited some more and then our coffee's arrived. Except mine was a small and iced. I then tried to get her attention but she ended up leaving. I then waited, and just got my coffee and went up front to ask for my correct order. She then apologized and stated that she was new and get me my correct order. I sat back down and awhile later an employee walked up with our food. He looked miserable and then when I asked for the jalapeño cornbread he stated "yeah, it will be out in a minute". Later I received my correct coffee and as we finished our meal the jalapeño cornbread never came. When our server came back, I just told her to take it off the order and forget about it. I then asked if there was any military or first responder discount and when the waitress asked up front they said no. I then looked over the bill and it was over $50 for everything. I was a little shocked they didn't offer any type of discount for the various troubles we had with our service this day. But with all that, I'm giving this place 3 stars. Food was decent, but for the price and service, I expected more."

Tryst Kitchen + Cocktails

★★★★☆ 4.2 (79) • $$

"We had a reservation for 14 people. When are group arrived we were sat at 2 different tables.When we asked if the tables could be moved together we were told they didn't have space. I feel like if the tables were not together this is something that should have been stated at the time of the reservation obefore seating us. So we ended up with a reservation for 6 and 8. Not ideal. The music was a little loud for my taste but we could still have a conversation so it was acceptable. I was a little annoyed our waiter decided to rap along with the song while I was trying to put in my order. Had some issues with getting our food, ordered things that were forgotten. Our 2nd table didn't get their food til 20 minutes after our table did. Guess this was fine since we weren't seated together. Our meals came out and everything was prepared well and tasted pretty good. Ordered dessert, yeah they forgot all of the dessert orders so we canceled those. Would have like to have tried them too. Overall, not a great experience for our group. With the mishaps of the night. I would like to give this place another chance with a smaller group to see if the service improves and try more of the food."

Peggy's On The Green

★★★★☆ 4.1 (538) • $$$

"First of all, the location is amazing. The restaurant is part of an old building which is now an inn. It was a stagecoach stop back in the old days. So, its worth a visit. The restaurant itself is bigger than the front area. As for the food, its good - not exceptional. My wife's entree was salty and could barely eat it. My dinner was their special of the night - redfish. It was beautifully done and delicious. While we're aware that this restaurant is mostly a steak place, we wanted to try their other entrees. They succeeded halfway. The service on the other hand was outstanding. Our server was attentive, informative, and efficient. He was great!Overall, for the price point of $75 per person (including a glass of wine, soups and gratuity) their salty chicken entree should have been avoided. It tasted like they brined the chicken but forgot to wash the salt off. Will we go back there again? Time will tell."

The Pigpen

★★★★☆ 4.2 (317) • $$

"A few weeks back the Pigpen held an online contest where they picked someone at random to win a brunch with a buffet.. Mind you, I never win anything. Even if there was a contest and there was only one contestant I would still lose. But sometimes the stars align and we can forgo our trusty Rabbit's Foot. Needless to say we won a brunch buffet for two.Since it was a special seasonal buffet they offered more food items than usual. Before I continue we came here after they reopened after a long hiatus, a few years back. We had a great experience then and the brunch day event was no exception. One thing we encountered upon coming here was a difficulty finding parking. I thought on an early Sunday morning the place would be a brisk audience. Thus freeing appropriate parking space. Wrong. The place was teeming with patrons. And seating was very limited. We found a spot at the bar counter. We showed the bartender our confirmation information and were given two hand stamps with styrofoam plates.On one side to the other was wall to wall of various food items. There was: potatoes, eggs, Silver Dollar pancakes, biscuits and a coffee station. Accompanying this were: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade Cranberry sauce etc. All in chafing pans. In addition there was a coffee-drink station. Not to be outdone there was an omelet station with chefs making plates as you ordered them.. I believe the buffet is $22 ish something bucks but I think it is well worth it. Lastly I'm not a soup person but I was peer pressured into trying a soup with pumpkin seeds and feta cheese. It was the most unique thing I have tried this year. It was creamy, thick and rich. In the future they should add this item on a Winter menu. I really like the vibe of this place. It is ultra laid back. I enjoyed the house band playing Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" but I wasn't wasting away. After a couple of plates and drinks later we decided to high tail out of there. The Pigpen is a great place to bring your family, friends or a date. The service is great and the food is equal to that. Next time we come it will be to sit at the patio, if at all possible. And the next time I'm requesting some Steely Dan. "Peg" anyone?"

Ida Claire

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"Went here for the first time for lunch. It was very busy, which is an indication that it is a popular restaurant. I ordered the Monte Cristo Sandwich with a side salad. I was skeptical at first because the sandwich was covered with powdered sugar and came with a dipping jelly. It blew me away how delicious it tasted. Need to come back for sure."

Bayseas Catfish House

★★★★☆ 4.4 (413) • $$

"Love love love Bayseas! This was my first visit to this location but I was not disappointed! The food is amazing, the service is friendly and the prices are reasonable. Seats fill quickly so plan your visit accordingly!"

Snow Island Soul Food & Daqs

★★★★★ 4.7 (43)

"Snow island is a hole in the wall soul food restaurant that live up to any expectations for the quality of food they prepare! I went there cause I was craving some southern comfort food and it was close to my house. I was skeptical at first because building, but looks are very deceiving and boy was I surprised. I ordered a two meat plate of fish and meat loaf with baked Mac and cheeseCabbage Dirty rice Collard greens The food was amazingly fresh and piping hot The meatloaf was so good I devoured it ignoring the sides!!The cabbage was delicious and Mac and cheeses melted in my mouth eliminating the craving I was experiencing.The dirty rice was okay I wanted more flavor to compete with the other side and the collard greens was snapping.My fish was so hot that after I eat all my food it was still hot enough to enjoy and crispy and NOT soggy like some people food get from being covered to long!I watch the game and the staff I mean family there working was so polite and respectful I forgot I was on the East Side of San Antonio!I loved the food better the Tony G's only because of there flavors and seasonings were on point and to my liking as a Black Puerto Rican you gotta have flavor if you want us to like your food and Tony G's oxtails was to greasy and not like the oxtails we eat at home, but Tony G's is still a good place to eat in my opinion but snow island is slightly better and more flavorful!In short snow island was jamming or how my daughter put it they was smacking and snapping! umm umm good!"

Bobbie's Southern Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4 (346) • $$

"10 stars. It was the best right at walk in. They were so attentive and our waitress was the most pleasant person. Excellent character. The dishes were clean, nothing was stained or smelly. The reviews were true. Our experience was super. Our plates were fair portions for our selection. I loved that nothing was salty !!! We seasoned the amount we wanted. The Oreo pie was the best !! It wasn't overly sweetened. It was perfect, I was really surprised. They truly home make their recipes. I asked if they used real eggs, apparently, they do !!! 100 stars for y'all. Thank you for prompt service , fantastic team and a clean environment. Enjoyed it. Big Hugs to y'all."

Faust Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (84) • $

"Faust is scary in a good way. It has a demonic theme with lots of spooky kitchy decor, and metal is constantly playing. If you're not into those things, I'd stay away. If you're into those things (or at least amused enough to tolerate them while you drink), you should go!A couple of things have changed in the last year or so. The *excellent* southern style food is no longer there. Now, it's just a place to get cheap cocktails and other inexpensive drinks. Also, the drink prices have gone up a little. The $5 cocktails are now $7 cocktails, but they're still really nicely done. No fancy glasses, of course.Even though the music and vibe are spooky, the people tend to be less creepy than at your average bar. People aren't really there to hit on strangers or make a scene. Everyone's laid back. The only weird variable is what will be playing on the TV when you come into the bar area. Sometimes it's been goofy cartoons that look hilarious while playing alongside metal. Sometimes it's been a gory horror film that I really didn't need to see. (For real, Faust, I know it's a metal bar, but I think that we could stand to dial down the violence these days.) That's only been on a random weeknight when few people are there though. I'm just warning you in case you scare easily!One of my favorite things about Faust is that you can go around to the back of the building, where a row of tables are set up next to twinkling lights. It's (dare I say?) rather romantic."

Clementine San Antonio

★★★★☆ 4.3 (331) • $$$

"Another anniversary celebration for us at Clementine! Great service and the usual seasonal menu with lots of directions to go in. After a beet salad and Brie with truffles and bread, we went with salmon (for my wife) and Maine scallops for me. Perfectly prepared and complete with healthy grain and veggie accompaniments. Our mocktails were creative and refreshing. Finally, we shared one of their classic desserts, the Clementine Crunch Bar. Fun!"

Club At Comanche Trace

★★★★☆ 4.4 (25) • $$

"On June 25th Peg, myself and our friends, Jerry and Mildred (all members of the Schreiner Oaks Society) were treated to lunch at the Pinnacle Grill by officers of Schreiner University. As you can see from the photos of other reviewers, the Grill is located high on a hill in what was the ranch house of the property. Everyone but li'l ol' me had been there previously, so naturally I was excited to have a chance to eat there.Although it's located in a private club in the Comanche Trace subdivision, the Grill is open to everyone. One might think that prices would be quite high but not so--the highest on the lunch menu is $12.95 and $38.95 for dinner which are very reasonable by today's standards. Their new menu has been placed on their website this week, so take a look if you're curious. The service was friendly and efficient, the ambiance lovely with the only detraction (in my opinion) being the abundance of taxidermized animal heads. But this is Texas after all!Enough of the pleasantries--on to the food!Peg ordered the Cranberry Chicken Salad and it was the Big Boy Wesley, a burger stuffed with cheddar cheese, topped with bacon and jalapenos, lettuce, onion tomatoes and condiments for me; I ordered onion rings for my side. Others at the table ordered the French Dip, Cranberry Chicken Salad and the Bacon-Bleu Burger. I'm focusing on the meals ate by Peg and myself as I didn't want to bother the others, cramming my camera over their food. Everyone was happy with the choices.Peg's salad was nicely presented. She said the greens were fresh but had little flavor and the chicken (what there was of it) was somewhat dry. The other person at the table who ordered it had similar comments. Both agreed, though, that the berry vinaigrette was a good choice for the dressing.When my burger arrived, I oo'd and ah'd over it. Ginormous beasty of a thing on a toasted brioche-style bun. But after opening it, my initial joy was diminished. Bacon and jalapenos were present, but rather skimpy and there was pepper jack melted on top--not on the menu but it would blend nicely with the cheddar. Slicing the burger in half I found that it was not stuffed, just two patties atop each other. The onion rings were those frozen, emaciated things. Were I paying for it, I would have sent it back. Instead I just took a bite and was very happy--juicy, flavorful, everything a burger should be. Well . . . okay, I mellowed, I must admit. I suspect that someone forgot to throw the cheddar between the patties and it wasn't noticed until it was on the grill--enter the pepper jack on top. Had the burger suffered greatly from the mistake, this review would be much different. So, a deduction of half a star for Peg's salad and half a star for my burger and onion rings. I hear some of you saying, "What, he's being NICE?" Take heart, Gentle Reader, I'm still the cranky curmudgeon you've been tolerating for years. But every now and then I cut some of my reviewees some slack. I would order that burger again (with the admonition to insure the cheddar is there) and both Peg and I intend to return for dinner in the future."

Mr A Ok's Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.6 (242) • $$

"WOW!!! Where to begin?I had the fried chicken with collards and dirty rice. Fried chicken - 9.9/10Collards 9/10Dirty rice, 8/10My friend had the meatloaf, mac & cheese sandwich with yams and his mind was blown!We then had the Kentucky butter cake, which was probably the best dessert I've ever had in my life. The staff were so friendly and attentive, and gave great recommendations. I can't wait to come back and try the ribs, and the oxtail, and the catfish and, and, and ....."

Momma Luv’s Soul & Carribean Food

★★★★☆ 4.2 (146)

"I just found another "makes ya wanna slap yo mamma" kind of restaurant. This is not a high-end location. The food is better than that. I think this place is why it's so hard to find fried catfish in SA. They all tasted the catfish here and gave up. Similarly, these chicken wings cannot be any better; hot fresh and herbaceous. I don't know what kind of magic garden they put in their flour but it made my brain light up with joy. I had the baked mac-n-cheese and stewed cabbage as my sides. They tasted like sunshine and grandma's hugs. These people are lovely, friendly, quick, and utter gastro-geniuses."

South BBQ & Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.5 (186) • $$

"Solid BBQ, food 4-4.5, cool little place - outdoor seating with and without fans where you can sit and enjoy the breeze blowing in the trees and the iglesia next door; pretty interesting sides one of our kiddos was sad about the lack of mac BUT we tasted the mustard potato salad (super tart to wake up those tastebuds), rice (so gooood), tater tot casserole (yes please), borracho beans (delicious) and one child got the green bean tomato fancy salad which disappeared too quickly for me to get a bite! The BBQ was decent, flavorful - ribs only on wknds so missed out on those, brisket taco was yummy, the chicken was tender and well-seasoned, the sausage was decent. Bathrooms are in the bldg and you need to ask just FYI.What made this place a 5 for us was the service - super friendly, super helpful. We had some car troubles and they let us sit on the patio while we waited for a tow and helped us stay hydrated. Solid option."

Nelson's BBQ

★★★★★ 5 (72) • $

"Having been to all the great spots in Texas (Franklin's, Snows, Louis Mueller's, Micklethwait, Kreuz, Smitty's, etc.) I'll say that this is the only BBQ I've ever had in San Antonio that I feel could easily hold its own. I've waited a really really long time to say that. Before I talk about the food: Nelson's is a food truck. At least today, he was a one-man show so please adjust your mindset accordingly. It's not going to be fast. It might be a little disorganized. There's not an official place to wait or tables to sit at. All that being said, Nate was really friendly, made it a fun experience, and the food more than made up for any of the inconvenience. Now on to the food. My brisket today was incredible. The smoke and seasoning were subtle without overpowering the flavor of the meat. Unlike most San Antonio brisket, the fat was neatly trimmed and allowed us to enjoy the bark without chewing gobs of fat. The meat itself was tender and melted in my mouth. Really Franklins is the only comparison that comes to mind. Pulled pork was also good and I really enjoyed the sausage, which I believe was home made. We also tried the Mac and cheese and cornbread, which were both great. Everything I had today I would order again. I'm looking at my unopened cup of sauce and really feel that sums up how I feel about the BBQ. I think the saying comes from one of the Lockhart smoke houses: if you need sauce, they didn't do it right. I definitely didn't even think about sauce so Nelson did it right!Highly recommended!!"

Meadow Neighborhood Eatery + Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (296) • $$

"Return visit to Meadow and the food and service are still 5 star. Plus it's a great place to walk around, window shop at the small businesses and relax with friends and family."

Carlas Baskets & More...

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"WOW! Worth the wait. The special today was catfish and shrimp. My goodness lord have mercy, thank the lord. This was delicious. Fantastic service, comfortable patio to eat on. The burgers are massive. The dessert is heavenly. Worth the stop if you're looking for a good home cooked meal."