Cascabel Mexican Patio Reviews

It's not often you can visit a small restaurant as good as this one. The food is from the interior of Mexico and is not Tex Mex. The food is authentic and made from scratch and it shows. The Caldo de Pollo is maybe the best Mexican chicken soup I've had. The Posole is also as good (or better) than any I've had anywhere. Consistently excellent. Every other dish...chicken mole, cochiniti pibil, sopes, even the salsa...is incredibly delicious. The fact that it is made fresh each day from good ingredients by people who care shines through in all the food. The restaurant is small and modest but fun. The walls of the dining room (with about eight tables) are decorated with the writings of customers often expressing love and compassion. It is a blessing to read them as you wait for your food. Outside some of the tables on the patio have thatched palapas over them; others are in the open. The atmosphere is casual and fun. The people who come here want better than usual Mexican food prepared with love and served by good people. What a delight to take friends there and to go back over and over and enjoy the wonderful cuisine.

As a rule, we NEVER go to the same place twice while on vacation. Cascabel is the first exception. Food was wonderful. Authentic flavors, freshly prepared. Clean, small indoor air-conditioned room off the kitchen and a large outdoor patio area with tables and thatch umbrellas. Clean bathroom. Nothing fancy, but lots of character and again the food is the big attraction.

Go for lunch. Not open for dinner. Limited indoor seating. My first time having Mexican, not TexMex. Corn tortillas to die for. Would return tonight if they were open

I was there by myself for breakfast, having found it on lists of good breakfasts in San Antonio. The lists are correct. Went back the next day with my wife. We both enjoyed it. Their coffee is made with some sugar an cinnamon - delicious! Their breakfast places are also delicious - eggs mixed with various ingredients and served with wonderful tortillas. Simple, but delicious. Very inexpensive and friendly service. Eating on the patio is a great way to start the day! Based on these experiences, I want to try it for lunch.

It doesn't look like much and it's just a small building but the patio has plenty of space. It was clean and quaint inside. We came for lunch and the chicken tacos were a hit with the kids The entrees the hubs and I ate were delicious. We ate one of every dessert and shared them - recommended. The waitress was very nice and accommodated all of our questions. They don't serve chips and salsa but the food comes out very quicky and a small delicious soup is served as an appitizer.

Good Mexican Mexican food is hard to find in town, but wow, Cascabel really delivers. The refried black beans are spectacular and their corn tortillas are probably the best I have ever had. Their agua frescas are homemade; the tamarindo tasted like the actual fruit and not the sugary soda-like concoction I'm used to, and the limonada was equally good. I had the cochinita pibil which was one of the best plates of the dish I have ever had, and the fideo served as an appetizer is outstanding. It's so good I was tempted to just order a bowl of that instead for lunch. Nice that the dishes come with a nopales (cactus) salad too, which I think works really well to have something cool and a bit sour to compliment the warm and somewhat spicy (but not hot by any stretch) main course. My friends who had the enomoladas and green enchiladas were also very impressed. I had a guayaba empanada for desert, and it was every bit as outstanding as the tortillas, black beans, cochinita pibil, and fideo were. After my first visit I think this might be my new favorite place to eat in San Antonio. Nice patio with a view of the Tower Americas too if you want to hang outside too. I can enthusiastically recommend this amazing place to anyone who wants some really flavorful Mexican food. Oh, and every lunch plate is $7.50 and the breakfasts are cheaper.

Hidden gem of a restaurant. I ordered the Mole Poblano and it was cooked to perfection. Nice presentation too! My only issue (which really wasn't a big deal) was that the young lady who took order could be friendlier. I would most definitely go back as the food was outstanding.

Tucked away on the south side of downtown is an unassuming gem of a restaurant. Not fancy or modern, just good food and a friendly, welcoming staff. I wasn't familiar with all of the regional options, so I asked my waitress to bring whatever she liked best and it was great! I wish I could remember which dish it was, but I got the sense that they know what they are doing in the kitchen.

Small space inside, large outside patio. Delicious food. Awesome homemade salsa! Tortillas are yummy!! Good coffee!! Highly recommend.

The food is great, more authentic than other places in town... service is ok, could be better. The place is cozy and comfortable.

Authentic Mexican that you won't find elsewhere. Fun, outside patio. My wife had pastor gorditos and I had Puerco Ala Casabel which was in the house sauce. Amazing flavors. Highly recommend. Only open for lunch.

First - super patio! Even though you're right off a busy street you don't feel it. Second - really good Mexican food. Having lived in MX for awhile, I know good authentic MX food when I taste it. I'm a native Texan so I appreciate TexMex food. But I also enjoy true Mexican food. Sopa de fideo to start; nopalito salad; torta....all excellent. Plus, you can bring your own beer. Be aware though, they are only open until 3pm. Casual, tasty and fun - right in the center of town!

Ordered delivered on Jenna's I asked the waitress if the salsa was spicy she said no but I told her I was allergic to Chile and I told her to put it on the side she said that the cook doesn't do that the cook doesn't like putting changing the menu so that was kind of sad and it turned out to be spicy so I have to take medicine for an allergic reaction

This place is unique. As I walked south out of downtown San Antonio, I passed the conventional eateries. When I arrived, I noted the wonderful outdoor seating. Next, the staff was friendly, helpful. Then, the food did not disappoint. The dish I ordered was traditional, and it was great. So, move it, move it to this restaurant. You won’t be disappointed.

Wandering the south side of town the Cascabel was recommended to me by a local store owner. I am glad I took her advice for lunch here. This is a small local joint with real home cooked Mexican fare. There is seating both in & outdoors. Mexican and Tex Mex food abound in San Antonio but this place is one of the really authentic venues. It looks unassuming but don't be fooled. The prices are low and the quality is high. What more could you ask for? Give it a try.

We absolutely loved Cascabels. The food is so authentic and tasty. It's a little hard to find but make sure you seek it out for the best real Mexican food in San Antonio.

Leave the touristy RiverWalk and walk 15 minutes south on St. Mary's Street for brunch or lunch at this gem serving the real food of Mexico. Great soups like pozole make it perfect for a cool day in San Antonio. Very limited seating inside, with thatch-covered tables on the large patio outside. Don't expect niceties, just great food at a good price.

Phenomenal food, some of the best Mexican I have ever had. Authentic and flavorful. It's a bit of a walk from the most highly trafficked touristy areas, but it is 100% worth it.

Today is a sunny beautiful 65-degree March day in San Antonio Texas. Stopped here for a quick bite. If you're looking for standard Tex Mex fair this is not your place however if you're looking for more authentic interior Mexican food I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Chips and salsa consist of a green and a red sauce. The chips are thicker and fried on the premise. Quite tasty. Spiciness was not off the chart just a small bite in the back of the mouth.The puerco a la casabel was perfect., Diced pork was tender and the sauce to die for.. our server, Andrea, was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable of the menu. Restrooms were clean

Few places make you feel like you are eating at your grandmother's or mom's house. Cascabel Mexican Patio is that place. It's a beautiful hidden gem near downtown, in Southtown. I can't believe I had never been. The place is small but the taste is anything but that. Everything about this place is right. The service is fantastic. The atmosphere is welcoming. The food absolutely hits the spot. I loved the patio area (inside is very small). One word of caution, take mosquito spray if it's mosquito season. Other than that, this is definitely one of my new favorite places in town - best of all, the price is more than right. Try the Pozole, it's one of the best I have ever had.

Delightful small place with a patio where we had breakfast. I told my granddaughter that I could eat breakfast here every day. The walls are covered with customers statements, good wishes and poems. The service was great, and if lived in San Antonio, I would eat there regularly.

Had a wonderful lunch Saturday afternoon. It's a small restaurant but nice patio area. Everything is authentic Mexican food at its finest! I had the huaraches al pastor, tried the pozole soup, chicken mole and guava empanada for dessert. Everything was delicious! I'm Mexican-American and definitely appreciated the food- felt like my Mom's home cooking! With so many "Tex-Mex" restaurants that disappoint especially on the Riverwalk- this is worth checking out!

Mom and pop style Mexican restaurant. Location and decor not great, but the food was fabulous. We went to town and had the pozole, birria, mole poblano and chicken soup: all very, very good. No alcohol served but great tamarind juice. Friendly service - it helps if you speak Spanish!

Go for a tour in King William district and then hit this spot for lunch! Sit outside has a very authentic look of Mexico and wait till you taste the food. We had the steak hurachas and chicken mole. Seriously the best Mole I have ever had and the Steak was perfectly seasoned. The family is wonderful I even took tortillas home on the plane with me the next day. Don't miss it.

My family visited this place about three years ago and loved the food and atmosphere. On our return trip to San Antonio, this place was on the top of our list and we came here for lunch straight from the airport. The courtyard is lovely and it was fairly full at 12:15. We were greeted promptly but had to wait a bit for our drinks. Once that was sorted out, we ordered and the food came relatively quickly. All three of us were extremely happy with our food. My husband had the pork in cascabel sauce and raved about it. My mole enchiladas were very good. We will keep this on our list for our next visit.

This place had great lunch at a good price. Very authentic Mexican food, with friendly service and a nice patio to enjoy it all in. Highly recommend this place, although it is a short ride from the city center. It's worth the trip.

This is a very small place but big on flavor. This place serves true Mexican food that you would find in places like Jalisco, Oaxaca, or DF. If you want real Mexican food, then this place is a must.

Go here if you have lots of time because the service is S L O W. But it is all worth the wait because each dish is more delicious than the last. All interior mexican food. Best time to go is when not so hot because you really should sit outside and enjoy the patio.

This is not your usual texmex place. It is a small neighborhood patio spot serving very different Mexican fare compared to the usual places. Mostly cursive from central Mexico, so it's not too spicy but very flavorful. Homemade tortillas, marinated cactus and other traditional foods you won't find elsewhere. Unique for a visitor.

A tiny spot in southtown, Cascabel serves consistently excellent authentic soups and other dishes freshly prepared and served in a friendly atmosphere. Indoor and patio dining in a fun colorful space. Unfortunately it's quite tiny, but we've generally been able to get seated for lunch without much delay. This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in San Antonio.

After reading some of the reviews from other users, I must say that I have never had breakfast at Cascabel before, only lunch. And as a native Mexican, it is always a delight to have any of their dishes. The "aguas frescas" are excellent (with free refills) and the atmosphere is cozy (it's a small place, unless you seat outside). If you are like me, who requires several refills and extra tortillas (freshly made by the way), I recommend that you seat at the closest table to the kitchen.

This is off the beaten path, and worth a visit for authentic Mexican food. We had a sope with pork as a starter, followed by huaraches pastor and pozole. Service was prompt and courteous, and the price was quite reasonable.

My husband is always in search of the little out of the way local place with authentic Mexican food. When I saw this pop up on Yelp down the street from our hotel I knew he would love it. We walked over for lunch after some morning site seeing. There are seven tables inside and several outside but it was too cold to eat outdoors. I didn't catch our server's name but she was friendly. I ordered the Puerto Ala Cascabel which was diced pork meat cooked with a cascabel sauce. Our server brought us soup first. It was a broth with thin noodles and perfect for a cold day. Then shortly after the entree came out served with rice and beans. Everything was delicious. The homemade corn tortillas were the best I've ever had. This was the best Mexican meal ever. I highly recommend checking it out if you are in San Antonio.

Very different from Tex-Mex! Our server said that this was more authentic and that it was representative of the south of Mexico. No chips to start with but a nice complimentary cup of soup. We had tlacoyos and puerco del Cascabel. They were quite good: well prepared, fresh tasting, and not nearly as heavy as Tex-Mex can be. The restaurant was about a 15 minute walk from our Riverwalk hotel.

We went there after a Mexican suggested it. They do not have chips and salsa since it's not a real Mexican tradition. The tortillas are great and the taste of the meat is so different than other "Mexican" places we tried before. Definitely something special about this place, something unique.

Was looking for a good Mexican restaurant on our side trip to San Antonio. No regret that we chose Cascabel based on reviews. My husband had Puerco Ala Cascabel and it was good. I had the Caldo Tlapeno (chipotle chicken soup ) Love, love that soup even if it was hot that day. Tasted authentic. Love their Empanada De Guayaba, too. We went on a Monday so it was not crowded.Service was good. Enjoyed the outdoor patio seating after our trip to the Alamo & San Jose Missions. Nothing fancy, clean, love the ambiance. A must visit in San Antonio.!!

No, it's not a woven sandal here, it's a delicious explosion of flavor that begins with a house-made thick, toasted tortilla covered in black beans, queso blanco, onions, cilantro, crispy cabbage and the meat of your choice. (We went with the al pastor.) Sounds simple enough but this was one of the best meals we had in San Antonio. No beer or wine available but you are welcome to bring your own. The fresh limeade was refreshing and tart. Walk off your lunch checking out the beautiful homes in the King William neighborhood.

I have lived and worked near this place for years but never really noticed it until I read a review a few months ago. The hours are a little strange (basically only lunch M-Sa) but finally got the change to go one Saturday and was very impressed. Simple, delicious food not like the traditional tex mex and breakfast tacos you most often see in SA. This place is like finding yourself in a tiny place in Mexico. Go check it out soon!

First: Don’t come here looking for Tex-Mex. You won’t find it. What you will find is authentic food from southern Mexico. Like anywhere else, Mexico has regional differences in cuisine, and what Americans usually think of as Mexican food is the cuisine of the most northern part. The cuisine served here is from farther south. This means that the house-made tortillas are corn, not flour. Beans are black rather than pinto, and the rice is white. You will not be served chips and salsa. Instead, everyone is served sopa de fideo, a soup containing fideo (vermicelli), cilantro, black beans, and small pieces of cheese. It’s very flavorful. We found this place when I started a search for restaurants in Texas that serve huitlacoche, a corn fungus also called “Mexican truffle.” Before you get grossed out, remember that mushrooms are a fungus as well, and that’s pretty much what huitlacoche tastes like. This was one of the restaurants I found listed that serves it. Here, they serve a quesadilla made with huitlacoche, flor de calabaza (squash blossoms), and queso fresco. The restaurant is small and easy to miss. We drove right by it a few times before we spotted it. It is also tiny on the inside. There are only about eight or nine tables, each sitting either two or four people. It’s a good place for a small group, but I don’t think a large group would work in that space very well. There is an outdoor seating area, and I’m not sure how many would fit there. The restrooms are small and the doors to them are very narrow. The walls are painted yellow and are covered with the writings of customers praising the food, saying where they are from, etc. I spotted one from Hawaii, and one in Japanese characters. It makes for entertaining reading while waiting for your food. If you want to add to it and don’t have a marker to use, just ask. They have them there. Food is prepared after you order it, so don’t come if you’re in a hurry. The restaurant if family-run, with a small staff, so be patient. The food is worth the wait. Our waiter was very good at answering our many questions about the food, and he went to ask in the kitchen when we’d have one he couldn’t answer. We each ordered several items and sampled some of what each other got. It was all delicious, so I’ll just mention the dishes that stood out the most. The quesadilla de huitlacoche was excellent. If you like mushrooms, it’s a must-try. You can only get it in a few places. The mole poblano had a stronger chocolate flavor than I’ve had at most places, with a little sweetness to offset it. It wasn’t unpleasantly sweet, though. I’m very picky about my mole and I’d definitely have this again. I didn’t get to try the pipián (another type of mole, made with pumpkin seeds), so I’ll have to try that next time. The puerco ala Cascabel is pork cooked in their signature sauce. It was moist and flavorful. Of all the pork dishes I sampled, I liked this one the best. I loved their preparation of ensalda de nopales (prickly pear cactus salad). I love nopales, and these were less bitter than most. For dessert, I highly recommend the empanada de guyaba (guava turnover.) Empanadas have a heavier crust than turnovers, not flaky, but the crust here was slightly less heavy than I’ve had before. The filling was incredibly flavorful. We are definitely planning on going back. I can easily see this becoming one of our favorite San Antonio restaurants. The food here isn’t fancy. It’s simple, but good. It’s also inexpensive, especially when you consider the high quality of what they serve.

We greatly enjoyed the change in pace from TexMex. The menu is varied and the staff was courteous. Very good "green" mole sauce over roasted pork dish. The traditional mole was very good also. Parking is on the street and that can be challenge. The food is definitely worth it! Will definitely return next time in San Antonio.

Wonderful small cafe with great authenic Mexican food. Service was fast and attentive. Just an enjoyable experience! I recommend this place to anyone.

The enchiladas verdes were very good as was the pork adobo (had a different name). The three different quesadillas were excellent as a shared starter and we all also share a chicken mole. Save room for the flan for dessert. Homemade and ten times better than the box version you normally get at TexMex or Spanish restaurants in the U.S. This was the real thing

I had the opportunity to get away from the convention center area before heading back to the airport. I had read good reviews about this place and was particularly interested in the huitlacoche quesadilla appetizer. It was a beastly hot afternoon, but there was so much shade in the outdoor area that I decided to take advantage of the breeze and sit out there. I started with a Jamaica (hibiscus drink, non-alcoholic), refreshing and delicious and not too sweet. I ordered the huitlacoche quesadilla mentioned above, as well as a huarache with tinga, which was recommended by the waitress when I told her I wanted very flavorful. This did not disappoint. Before those two items arrived, however, I was treated to a nice little bowl of noodle soup. It was delicious, much more flavorful than the usual. Delicious and very different salsas, also arrived, a fiery red one and a sweet, mild green one. They do not serve free chips, so I tried these with my soup a little bit. The mushroom quesadilla was a little bit disappointing, more greasy than I was expecting, which masked some of the mushroom flavor. It was still delicious and very good with the salsas. The huarache was fabulous. Everything was well flavored and balanced. It was pretty to view, too. The service was excellent, and I learned that the chef, although from Guadalajara, uses recipes from the center of the country--places like Mexico City and Guanajuato. I would come back here in an instant to keep exploring the menu. Some of the best flavors I have had since my trip to Mexico in 2014. ¡Felicidades to the staff and chef!

We just had lunch there today and my torta was yum, the bread was delicious! The enmoladas have that amazing flavor of mole, and for dessert we had an empanada made of guava and cream cheese so good that I have to eat again soon!

A friend of ours took us here when we were staying down town. It was a hike from our hotel, but totally worth it. There is an outside patio seating area and a small inside dining area. The best word to use is "Authentic". Definitely an authentic, hole in the wall kind of place. Whoever is doing the cooking knows what they are doing and knows what real Mexican food should be. The soups are huge and amazing. I had the chicken enchiladas verdes and they were incredible. The tortillas are small and handmade. If you like out of the way, authentic Mexican food, then come here!

The Frommers guide to Austin and San Antonio steered us to Cascabel. Finding authentic Mexican food like this--though San Antonio has a lot of good Tex-Mex--seemed like striking gold. The mole and other sauces are made at the restaurant. The meal prices are very reasonable. Unfortunately the restaurant does not serve dinner.

Cascabel is as authentic as it gets without going to Mexico. I'm originally from El Paso and have spent countless summers in Mexico and this place is the best I've found living in San Antonio. Don't let the small red truants appearance fool you it's delicious. Everything is great, my personal favorite is the Pozole with freshly made corn tortillas..If you're in the Downtown San Antonio area venture out a bit from the river walk and you'll thank me later. Must visit if you've never been to San Antonio.

We come for lunch. Very friendly and flavorful. Nice patio but ate inside because it was so hot. The miso was very good. Got the pork in cascabel sauce and also Got the enchiladas verde and it was very good. Authentic Mexican. Nice little hidden gem!

Food was very good, service was just okay though. Great location. Prices were average. Would not go back just because of the service.

We enjoyed lunch on the patio at Cascabel. By all means get the pork with cascabel sauce--it is a winner. The pork with green mole is pleasant but nowhere near as tasty.