El Chaparral Reviews

They are finally making a good salsa to go with their chips. For us, because of location, this restaurant provides a good Mexican meal when our tastes require and time is limited.

The margarita was huge and delicious. I had a variety plate with tacos, enchilada, tamale and refried beans. All was fresh and tasty. Would definitely return when back in San Antonio. Just love Mexican food.

Excellent food (especially fajitas!); Excellent service; Good location; Reasonable prices and delightful decor! What’s not to like? 5 Stars!

Server was superb! She was light hearted and very tentative. Regardless of going on Father’s Day the food was prompt, plentiful and flavorful! We’ll be coming back.

Mid afternoon visit. Ample parking, to include handicapped. Quickly greeted & seated. Waitress quickly took order for drinks & food. Complementary chips and salsa served. Food arrived hot and fresh. Restrooms clean. Prices reasonable.

If you’re looking for great atmosphere ,friendly staff and good food this is the place. The “ bean soup “ is good as is anything you try on the menu. El Chapparal has been around for a long time and they never disappoint with the food. Order anything and you’ll be happy.

I live right around the corner from this restaurant, so its very convenent to eat here. Ate here when they first opened up, they served My daughter raw chicken strips, when I told the manager they said they would take care of it. They never brought her anything back, he wouldn't return to My table instead started seating other patrons. Finally got My server and asked for another.manager and a young man shows up and says he is the son of the original owners from the store in helotes. He comps My meal and apologizes. Since then we have given them another chance and each time the food and service has been substandard. Save yourself the time and drive 2 minutes away to la haceinda or chuys or any other Mexican restaurant.

I love El Chaparral in Helotes, and I wanted to see if the food at this newer, Loop 1604 location is as good as what you get at the original restaurant. Well, folks, the verdict is in: same yummy food, same great service, same low prices! I really don't think you can beat El Chaparral's cheese enchiladas - just the right flavor combinations for that perfect, to-die-for taste. And their refried beans are, in my humble opinion, the absolute BEST in San Antonio. Eat here once and you won't be satisfied with refried beans at any other restaurant. What do they put in those beans to make them so irresistible? A question for the ages... Best of all, you won't spend a day's wages to get a great meal. The lunch specials are an especially great value. El Chaparral, I'm a fan for life.

I've been going to eat at an El Chapparal since I was a kid in Helotes. Born and raised in or around San Antonio, this is one of only two restaurants I will recommend for Mexican food. Don't take my word for it, stop reading this and go get some! Try the Valerie's special or the puffy tacos.

Great chips and salsa, delicious enchiladas, fajitas, and rice and beans! I go as often as I can and get great service too. I left my wallet on the table and didn't realize it until the next day but my waiter turned it in and the manager had it in the safe waiting for me when I got there. Everything was in there including a large amount of cash I was carrying!

6 adults (and infant) for dinner on crowded, friday evening . 1/2hr wait. Big place old interior,clean . I had Christina's Relleno with shrimp, the cilantro rice ,the pepper was grilled, stuffed with tomatos, onions, very tender. Very good!! The small portion of bean soup was delicious, Could not eat the beans,that came with entree, was so full, The salsa had a kick which I liked, but some family members found too spicy. Another person had the same as I with chicken which she said was good The shrimp enchiladas with rice and beans was a small portion nothing above the average. Margaritas were cold, very good. I would recommend eating here if you enjoy food with a kick. Service was excellent.

We like to seat in the bar area because we don't feel like we have to hurry to free up a table. All the staff are very friendly and very courteous. The food is always superb and the atmosphere is great.

The wait staff was rude and aloof!!!!!! Did. Not wait on our table because of my race!!!!!! WE are in San Antonio this city doesn't deserve this!!!! a nice evening was cut short. I will not support a business that treats customers this way !!! The food is so so.....

We have never had a bad experience here in the two-plus years since we discovered it after moving to the area. Whether for dinner (our most recent visit) or weekend breakfast, the food is always excellent and the salsa spicy enough for a good kick. Service is fast, and the staff -- especially during the less-crowded breakfast hours -- treats us like friends. On this Friday night the entire restaurant and bar area were packed, which says a lot about the menu quality and patron loyalty, even more so because of road construction in the area that now makes the parking lot inaccessible from the south. But it's worth navigating a complicated turnaround to stop by. A good meal, even with a margarita or two, doesn't break the bank.

This restaurant is conveniently located on 1604 and Redland Road. This is a very good Mexican food place in San Antonio. There are two of these restaurants and it is family owned. You will find a good variety of choices although they specialize in different types of enchiladas.

Been here a couple dozen times , convenient place to meet a business friend. The staff always gives me the impression that we are bothering them. This trip the food was also indifferent, not even close to the original locations quality. My nachos were dripping grease , took three attempts to get the guacamole that was supposed to come with the order. Even my friend who always defends them was unhappy this trip. Just a blah experience. My friend is friends with the owner so maybe they need to check it out.

Four of us for dinner. Food itself was fine but our waiter was less than great. Pretty good value overall but not worthy of a five circle rating.

El Chaparral has become a weekly visit for my Family and I. Manager Gabriel along with Server Cesar, go out of their way to make us feel at home. The sauces and salsas have been perfected along with other basic Tx Mex necessities. I've tried several dishes with NONE not meeting expectations.

I had lunch and ordered chicken quesadilla's They were a little greasy but ok. My husband had taco's. The meat was tough and fatty. There are many other places in San Antonio that are a much better value.

This restaurant garners a huge crowd at lunch, and no wonder: the food is excellent and the ambiance is great. They have lunch specials, and a small bowl of bean soup comes with each meal. There's a fully-stocked bar and an outdoor courtyard as well. This isn't the cheapest Tex-Mex place in town, but the food is superb.

We went to this restaurant based on other reviews and it was just ok... been to better and have had worse. We opted for the fajitas for two and requested mixed beef and chicken, waitress made two trips back to kitchen before confirming that we could order this way. Waitress and kitchen were kind for accommodating, but this should have been known by the wait staff. chips and salsa and beans were good and the fajitas were really tasty, but there wasn't anything to make this stand out over any other restaurant.

We went here recently with a group of friends for lunch and they seated us in a small area off from the main area. It was very nice and enjoyable to not worry about putting tables together and disturbing others with our chatter. We were waited on promptly and food arrived in timely manner and all orders were correct. The temperature of the food was good and everything was very tasty. The lunch combo special came with tea and was about $3 cheaper than ordering a lunch menu item and additionally getting tea. It was a good amount of food as well. This place is in a small shopping center at the corner of Redland Rd. and Loop 1604 access. It was easy to find and parking was available. Everyone enjoyed their meal and was full.

Went for a family meal here with my sister and her family and we were treated very well with a lovely greeting by the staff and after explaining I was a vegetarian the waitress really looked after me! I had spicy enchiladas and they were fab, my wife chicken quesadilla and also loved her's, lots of empty plates at the end of the meal and no moans at all. Highly recommended!

Whole Family decided to go because of good reviews I had the shrimp enchiladas were very good they always the bean soup and great the flour tortillas service was excellent

This is a great place as you can tell by the parking lot. We like to get for a lat lunch or early dinner because it gets real crowded-which is always a good sign.

Had dinner on a Saturday night, was busy but not overcrowded...staff was efficient in seating customers and getting service out quickly...chips and salsa were out of this world....had the combo chicken/beef fajitas and they were among the best I've had....great spot outside of the touristy areas

Excellent fish platter! The fish is cooked perfectly, and is served with rice and a side salad garnish. It is delicious. I'm not a fan of the chilled corn salad that is included. The bean soup served prior to the entree is excellent, and occasionally I have the soup in a large bowl as a meal. Service is very good when it's not busy, but can get slow during dinner. Chips are not as good as they once were. Salsa is good, but the hotness varies by the bowl.

THE Best corn tortillas Ever! Handmade & delicious. We were at the Belotes location on the patio. It was the most charming place overlooking west toward Hill country& gorgeous homes up in the hills. I'll be back for the view if nothing else. The food was good but anything would be with those awesome corn tortillas. The charro bean soup that they bring to everyone to start, was excellent. Tomorrow I will be back to try something else on the menu. Really love this restaurant!

Being from the East Coast, we don't get a lot of good Tex Mex, but I've been to TX to visit family enough to know the real deal, and this place is it and then some. The food here is delicious and the service is solid. Our meal started with a very small serving of very nice soup to whet the appetite. (The pre-meal chips and salsa were okay -- not the best I've had but who wants to fill up on that when the good stuff is yet to come.) I got a mixed plate that included a perfect enchilada and melt in your mouth beef fajita meat. The sides were well portioned (not too much rice) and very good. The serving size was ample, but I didn't feel overwhelmed with food. The mariachi were fun and not intrusive -- actually, their harmonies were pretty spectacular. The place was crowded -- lots of families. I felt like I was at a place where the locals go and not a tourist trap on the river walk.

Came in for breakfast. Good coffee. Great huevos rancheros. Tasty retried beans and hot homemade tortillas. Yum!!

I have lived in San Antonio since 2003,I swear I have eaten at a few Mexican restaurants,but El Chaparral has the best Mexican food I have eaten in a very long time and I will be going back I live on the northwest side of San Antonio and El Chaparral is way out on 1604 but it was well worth the drive out there.

I grew up on home cooked Mexican and ill tell you, finding the food stuff is not easy. I went her not too long ago and I really loved it! Atmosphere is average but the food was great! So you are reading this to wonder if you want to go here??? Read no more!

I had the Longhorn plate; chalupa, cheese enchilada, rice and beans. Excellent. Daughter had the Esmeralda salad which was ok. Had a lot of wilted and brown lettuce. Hubby had chalupas - excellent.

In San Antonio for work and my co-workers took me here for lunch and said this place is one of the best Tex-Mex places in San Antonio. And they were correct. I liked that they had a lunch menu and the prices were a bit less than on the main menu. I got the carne guisada which was something I’ve never had before. It’s a beef tip stew. The meat was tender and even though it was a part of the lunch special, it was plenty of food. Left here full and happy!

I ate breakfast here with friends. I was told the pancakes were good. I ate the barbecoa breakfast plate. The meat was very tasty and was a large portion. The potatoes were fine, as were the refried beans. The service could have been a little more attentive.

This restaurant has another location in Helotes , Texas that is an icon in that area. I was apprehensive about going here. Could it stand up to the standards of the other restaurant? Would the food be the same or better than the other restaurant? They did not let me down. The food was authentic Mexican food. I had the Chili Relleno plate. Delicious, the service was a little slow but they were busy , so I understood. They need to make the inside more colorful with a Mexican type motif. I still give them 5 stars because the food was great. Will definitely be back

From the moment we arrived, we were treated royally. Our waitress was extremely nice and saw to our every need. The special dinner for two for $25.00 was really great. Will certainly be returning to enjoy this restaurant again.

I think by now we have had almost everything on the menu and have never had a bad meal. Also the staff is always friendly and give great service.

If you want to eat some of the best Mexican food in San Antonio, go to El Chaparral. Try Carlos' Special, my favorite!

We've eaten here a handful of times and it's nothing that I would say is phenomenal. Typically we tend to do take-out more than anything else only because it's close to our home. Consistency tends to be the biggest problem here. Sometimes the queso is thick and sometimes it's almost watery. Sometimes the beef fajita meat is perfectly tender & delicious and other times it's tough and inedible.

This restaurant has some of the best enchiladas anywhere in San Antonio. I have had the fajitas, the tacos, the enchiladas and I am still working my way through their menu. I have not had a bad meal there yet. They offer a complimentary bean soup that is to die for and never goes uneaten. The seating is spacious with a reasonable noise level that allows you to have a conversation at your table. The wait staff has always been courteous and responsive to special requests (which we always have). We don't eat there as often as I would like because my waistline can't afford it! Love this place!

Went with 3 ladies who had never been there. All said it was the best Mexican food they had ever eaten. They loved the refried beans, spinach enchiladas (with chicken added), bean soup and puffy tacos. Always great food. Some would sometimes like to have a milder salsa.

My wife likes the 'Shrimp Relleno' with sauce on the side only! I find very little on menu to meet my tastes. The salsa is usually weak and thin. We eat there a lot because of location only.

Finally tried this place and we are glad we did! Reception was friendly and the staff was wonderful. Good selection of daily lunch items and drinks to match. Food was very tasty and plentiful. I usually don’t eat refried beans but this place converted me, at least I’ll eat them here. Our fajita plates were very good and it was my wife’s first time eating them, she loved them! We’ll be back and will surely bring friends.

The only good entree I ever had here was their beef fajitas. And previously I would praise them for it in my write-ups. As long as they kept the quality up, I was content to take my wife whenever she was in the mood for the shrimp relleno they offer. Last night, 2/2/15, they failed; not once, but twice! The fajita meat was like trying to chew my car's tire. Complained. Mgr said their supplier only had this poor quality meat to deliver. He should not have taken it, and told customers "No fajitas."! He said they would take a steak and cut it up like fajita. Oh well, it must have been from the same batch as the fajita meat, as it was only slightly better, kinda like chewing on my bike's tire. We took it home, but after discussing it with no solution as to how to make it chewable, we trashed it. I would not even offer it to the neighbor's dog.

I found this restaurant on the interwebs when looking for a place near the hotel I was staying in on a recent business trip. My main motivation for choosing it was based on the fact that I didn’t have to get on the extremely busy road next to the hotel. This was a couple of miles away, but not a bad drive at all. I’m glad I chose it though, because I ended up there at happy hour ($3.00 margaritas) and had an excellent meal. The drink was good, the food was very fresh, plentiful, and tasted wonderful. I will recommend this restaurant to anyone, but especially if you are staying at the Holiday Inn on Redland!

I rate this better for convenience, clean and roomy than food quality. The food is average but the nachos I got were so greasy I had an upset stomach the rest of the day. They were just chip, beans and cheese with guacamole on the side. Service was fast but not impressed and probably wouldn't go back.

The food was RIDICULOUSLY expensive! Two plates, two drinks, and an appetizer, and we spent $40. They don't have Coke products, so enjoy your Pepsi. The food is a HIGHLY-Americanized version of Mexican food. The best thing I can say is that the service is friendly, and there was no wait to be seated.

They should pay me to eat here. 1. It wasn't busy at 630pm, first clue. 2. It must take a degree in mixology to make a half and half iced tea, second clue. 3. The Nachos were puny and the meat was tough, nit tender like it should be, shrimp were shripy sized, 4. She I aske waiter for extra sour cream, he forgot, twice. Ding, ding, ding, we have a real winner here. Fyi I love Mexican food, am married to a Mexican and can tolerate just about anything, except bad service. Four thumbs down and I only have 2 hands! So much for trying something new sometimes!

The menu has a large variety of typical Tex-Mex entrees that are made very well. The service is attentive and friendly, while the festive atmosphere is fun and colorful. The portions of food served per order is plentiful, and complimentary chips & salsa, including charro beans, start out every meal. Most people love the refried beans and margaritas. There are no vegan entrees; vegetarian entrees contain dairy products; beans are made with pork lard.

The atmosphere is excellent! Fun and relaxed. The server was very personable and knowledgeable about the menu. The food was delicious and not too spicy for us newbies to Mexican food! Very reasonably priced . I would definitely have eat here again. I highly recommend!!

My family and I went to the Helotes location for a late dinner, about 8 p.m. on a Thursday night. If you are coming from the 1610 (which you most likely are) it's on the other side of the highway. It looked very crowded by the parking lot, but when we got in we were pleasantly surprised that it was so big inside (and outside patio seating) and therefore there wasn't even a wait. The service was kind of slow at first, but then everything was fine once our order was in. You can tell that most everything is handmade from scratch, my wife and I both LOVED our meals. Everything was DELICIOUS!! They even had a small american kids menu that my 3 year old could eat from, which also was good. The bill for 2 adults and a child came to around $30. All in all, a great restaraunt that we will go back to next time we are in San Antonio.

too crowded food is ok, not enough parking

We like to get them for takeout. We think they are better eaten in our home enviornment. Quality is great.

I was here for a friend's birthday celebration since my past visits have led to me not wanting to come back. This time I had the soft tacos with chicken, beans and rice and the food was pretty good. I also had the house margarita and it too was pretty good. The chips and salsa were alright, but the complimentary bean soup did not have much in the way of taste. The service was great for such a large party and the ambiance is always good. I won't become a regular, but I did enjoy the food way more than my last visit years ago.

First time here, big menu, great margaritas, excellent service. They were attentive and efficient in bringing out our food and drinks, and food was excellent!

We went here because we were tired of Subway and decided to give it a try it smells good when you first walk in "that a good sign" food is great! Our server Vina was really friendly and went above to make our dining experience wonderful. My 9 year old daughter asked her to be her friend and she said yes.

We have eaten here several times and it is some of the best Mexican food I have eaten. I love their refried beans. I usually order the puffy tacos. They are some is the best.

They make great enchiladas and I love the refried beans. The bean soup while you are waiting are fantastic!

Food is fantastic and the servers are awesome! I love the El Chaparral in Helotes as well! Love sitting outside!

Four of us went to lunch at a place my daughter really likes....glad she does but it is not that great. All had enchiladas , daughter having a spinach which she said was great but the ones labeled Natalia's and Juans were acceptable but have had better in California. Lots of food as is usual in a Mexican style restaurant , service was good ; price was satisfactory for a lunch. Place was crowded but not noisy . Will opt to not go there again when in San Antonio.

I'll have to go back to sample other items on the menu. After the El Jefe Margarita kicked in I knda forgot about everything else going on. Damn good evening cocktail.

I love this place. They now have 3 locations, the first one being in the Helotes area off Bandera Rd. They have several authentic Mexican food choices. I love their chips & salsa plus the borracho beans that come as an appetizer. Mmmmm

Went on a Friday night after a long week of working double shifts. Sadly, music was too loud and I couldn't even hear my wife (Not a good thing as I love my wife). The live music trio was a bit too loud for a relaxing dinner. Go for the food not the music. Great family atmosphere. Great food. Great service. And, the little bowl of borracho beans was yummmmmm....

When we lived in SA, we always went to El Chaparral in Helotes, TX so when we were staying on the North Central side of SA on vacation, we were happy to find that they opened another... I can tell ya if you liked that one, this is identical in quality. I had the Valerie's Special (Fajitas and enchiladas). The fajitas are always good but the cheese enchiladas with meat/chili sauce are superb. Also, NEVER pass up the bean soup... has always been a favorite of ours. This restaurant is a beautiful place with very tasteful mexican feel.

What a great steak! I have eaten at the location in Helotes and yes they are different, Very different. I cant find or remember much wrong in Helotes, since this location does such a wonderful job. I suggest Monday Fajita night or if you really want to treat yourself order the Steak Aranchera .You will not be disappointed!

We were recommended this place from a local golfer and he said that we needed to give it a try. The chips and salsa were okay, not the best I've had, but still good. We had a table side queso dip that they light on fire and then they serve up the cheese dip on tortillas, and it was really good. I ordered the owner's favorite filet steak and it was pretty good with a lot of great flavors with peppers and onions. Their beans were also very flavorful which is different than typical mexican restaurants. The pricing was typical for a mexican restaurant with most dishes between $10-$15 and they serve full dishes with a lot of food.

We visited for a family dinner with 3 generations present. My husband had beef fajitas and I had the Ensalada Cristina, with mango dressing. Both were excellent. It is refreshing to go to a Mexican restaurant and be able to get a salad other than a taco salad. The salad had rice and whole beans, plus their corn salad, and grilled chicken on the top. The mango dressing had a good mango flavor to it - I did not have to use my imagination to find the mango flavor. The service was quite good; our waitress was very responsive. This is not the best Mexican food I've eaten, but it was pretty good and some of the recipes were not your standard one-size-fits-all Mexican food.

So, we came here after church on a Sunday afternoon... I realize after church it's usually a bit busier so nothing bad to say about that since we were actually seated right away. The interior atmosphere was relaxed, and decorated in a nice (non-cheesy) way, which I liked. The food however, was a bit greasy... I couldn't even finish my taco. I also ordered some queso, which was very good but for the small portion we were brought and charged a little over $5 for, it was not worth it. I have never had to pay more than $3 for cheese sauce and it was usually in a bigger size. In addition I ordered a margarita, it was a a fairly large size but was shocked for a lunch drink it was still $12....most places give a cheaper cost during the lunch hours. The staff were all friendly and overall it was a nice place, but a bit pricey.

Not bad but was expecting more from all the reviews. We order off the lighter fare to watch calories, I do not think it was that light with rice and refried beans and corn tortilla tacos. I had the 2 tacos one with chicken and the other with beef. The beef was good but the chicken taco had a small slice of chicken just in the middle of the taco. I did not find this place any better than a chain restaurant. Personally I would skip this place and will not return we know of much better places to get good Tex-Mex food.

I went with a friend to El Chaparral at 1604 for the 1st time. We had been to the Helotes one before. It was average and not as good as the Helotes facility.

This is the BEST Mexican place in SA. The Cilantro Cream Sauce is to die for. Great service and good atmosphere. Highly reccommended.....

Terrible service and management. Over priced and drinks are only served half full. Waitress was super nice but the bartender and manager were rude and dishonest.

After our party of 6 had been seated for about 15 min. the waitstafd began arguing nearby over who had to take our table. The a egg uing older women tagged a young man who appeared to be a trainee. Same women who refusedto wait on us the MN fussed at him for getting to my husband's tea glass before she could get there with a fresh glass. No one else was offerred refills. Food was mediocre. Way too much quality mexican food in the area to waste time and money at this place.

The best margaritas around! Good food with a wide variety of choices. Taco Tuesdays has interesting taco choices. The service is usually very good.

Let me start by saying two important things: 1) the margarita's were amazeballs! 2) our waitress Ana was the SWEETEST thing ever! As far as the food...Let me break it down: Salsa: very, very good. Queso: kinda tasted like melted velvetta, nothing to write home about; Tortillas: very good!! Fajitas: beef and chicken good; sausage not so much, kinda of mushy; Shrimp en brochette a little over cooked for my liking; Cheese enchilada: average; Crispy taco: pretty good; whole beans -bland. The food was overall pretty average, but the attentiveness of our waitress Ana made it above average. If you are just looking for something to fill the belly because you don't want to cook, it's a good alternative to going home and cooking; however, if you are looking for really over the top Mexican cuisine... this might not be what you are looking for.

We stopped by on a Monday evening and our waiter told us of the Daily special which was Fajitas for 2. It was half price at $17.00 and just perfect. This is something that is a great value and great food.

Why did I wait so long to try my new favorite Mexican restaurant. The food is FRESH, cooked to perfection and delicious. Service is fast and friendly, they make you feel like you've been coming there for years. Try the street tacos and churros. Mind blowing. I'd attach a photo to the review but the food didn't last long enough to take one, devoured!

I am a long time patron of this establishment. My family has used this establishment for over 25 years, and have been happy with the food & the service. So we didn’t want to go in to eat & wanted some nachos. Well I went in to purchase them & on my way back to to the vehicle I noticed it felt pretty light. I then opened the container to show my husband and to my surprise there were only 7 nachos. I asked is this what you get for $8? My husband took the container & went in to get our money back. I was just surprised how little you get for your money with nachos. I will not be going back to get my nachos from here!

Went with the family on the recommendation of a friend. Perfect experience. Ordered enchiladas that were great. The service was friendly and exceptional. The food was on point. We will be back!

Good food. Ample portions. I always take away enough leftovers for another meal. Great ambiance but not as good as the original. Good value!

I went to the El Chaparral off of the 1604 loop by myself for lunch. I sat for at least 10 minutes without being addressed by any of the wait staff. I finally had to flag someone down to wait on me. The food was greasy and favorless. After sitting with my food for about 10 minutes the waiter brought my check and never retired to refill my water. This is an awful restaurant and I do not recommend wasting your money here. Horrible service and greasy food is not worth the time or money.

Wow! While looking for authentic Mexican restaurants for an upcoming trip to San Antonio, I saw the name El Chaparral. Immediately, I remembered a trip here from 22 years ago!! Aside from being flooded with memories of being 21 and an exciting whirlwind weekend, I can still say this restaurant had the best Mexican food I've ever eaten. Thanks, Carlos!

My wife orders and enjoys her Shrimp Relleno, and did this time. Good thing I wasn't hungry to begin with as the Beef Tacos fell apart with the first bite and were not that tasty at all. Next time I will order my usual: beef fajitas, which are always excellent.

Arrived at 8:30 PM and the hostesses did not say anything or acknowledge us. Looked like they wanted to be somewhere else which is not a good first impression. Place was half full at best. Our waitress was friendly which helped overcome the poor start. The chips they served were still soaking in grease. We had a draft beer which was cold and ordered the cheese enchiladas plate. They serve a small bowl of beans before the meal which is a nice touch. Food was good, but $11/plate is pricey for what you get.

I have been to the 1604 location many times and the food is consistent, service is always fast when I have been there for dinner; however, they do not have enough parking (not their fault). I have gone on several occasions, but could find a parking space. Menu has a lot of combinations of items in order to get a large or smaller meal, which is nice.

This Mexican food restaurant was a little out of the way for us but we'll worth the visit. We had cheese nachos and loved them along with spinach quesadillas. Very fresh and good food. Nice atmosphere. Would go back.

Between the puffy tacos, fish, chicken and Alexia's Sampler nothing was bad. Love the fresh tortillas, salsa and 2 different types of queso. Also had a sangria margarita, yum! Consistently great food and service.

Excellent restaurant. Best refried beans around. The Chamoy margaritas are awesome (local drink). Lemonade is fresh and not the minute made kind. Food is awesome. Recommend the carne guisada, enchiladas de mole, or one of their sampler type platters.

I finally found an excellent TexMex eatery near New Braunfels, TX (really in northern San Antonio). It is not a bad drive but I guarantee it will be worth it. The chips are homemade and perfectly crisps. The salsa is ok. The El Jefe top shelf Original margarita is tasty but not much of the top shelf in it. I had the "pollo relleno” and it was excellent. The poblano pepper had a little zip to it, stuffed with baked chicken topped with a creamy jalapeño sauce! My wife had the "Todo Mexico" which is a delicious chicken enchilada in mole sauce. It came with a small portion of a very tender and flavorful steak. I've been on a quest since moving to NB this year to find an Excellent TexMex establishment and for now, this is where I will go more often.

There are three restaurants by this name owned by the same company, in Boerne, Helotes and San Antonio. See www.elchaparral.com. The website needs work, I couldn't get the links at the top of the page to work. So no online menus. A work in progress? If so it should say so. This review is for the latest one at the corner of Redland Rd. and 1604 in north central San Antonio. Its a lot more modern than the Helotes location, befitting the tonier locales surrounding it. We haven't been to the Boerne location. We had the tilapia and the shrimp relleno. Both were excellent and were preceded by a small portion of a thin bean soup. This and the obligatory tostadas and salsa kept us busy until the entrees arrived. The chopped tomato salsa really had a bite to it. I assume it had jalapeno seeds added, but I can't be sure. Get your drinks first. The relleno came with a large number of small shrimp and came with half an avocado. It was drenched in a very good cream sauce. The tilapia came with mixed veggies, heavy on squash. Frijoles with both. The portions were large enough to allow us to bring half of each home. Service was good. A manager worked his way through the main dining area asking how the food was. I always like to see that. The ambiance is good. Somebody put some effort into designing the place. I liked the very high ceiling too, which gave the main dining room a nice open feel. There is an additional dining/party room, and I think a third smalller room towards the back. A bar also, in the front. We were there about 6pm on a Saturday night and when we left around 7 it was full with people waiting. Valet parking on the weekends. This is a city full of Mexican food places. You have to do what you can to stand out. This location does.

Over rated.

El Chaparral is nice, you get your San Antonio mexican fare, and it will be a whole lot less expensive that what you'd spend Downtown or around the riverwalk. Well worth it.

My wife likes the shrimp relleno (sp) w/o the cheese sauce. I enjoy the beef fajitas. If there is anything else on the menu, we don't know it.

This Mexican restaurant was a fun restaurant to visit! They had amazing margaritas in a lot of different flavors! I tried four different types including their Jalapeno flavor. They were all delicious! The food was solid and the service was excellent even though we were a very large party. The quesadillas were great! This restaurant stays busy so call ahead if you have a large party! Don't forget to try the Margaritas!

I have been going to El Chaparral since 1978. The food has been consistently good and well prepared. The average cost for the meal is extremely reasonable and the place is always filled, as customers continue to return to this iconic hotel in Helotes. One down side is the margaritas are good, but the amount of drink you get isn't worth the price (glasses do seem to get smaller). Otherwise, a great place to eat by yourself or with family & friends.

We were next Door at the Gun Shack so decided to drop in late Sat. Afternoon before the dinner crowd hit. It was busy but not packed. Had a great little waitress and decided to try something different. We had the puffy tacos and I like how they were served. they have a metal sleeve to keep them from getting soggy and sitting in the food.. Great idea!! They were really good and we enjoyed the meal. We have been there several times before and its usually packed, Probably because Helotes was packed in the down town area so maybe the rush hit later. Thanks for a great meal.

All though we have eaten dinner here a dozen times this was our first breakfast. We went on a Saturday morning about 10. It was not crowded. Husband ordered chilaquiles with out peppers. First plate he got the eggs were overdone and missing the tomato and onion. Waiter apologized and had it redone. The second plate was perfect. I had huevos rancheros with side of bacon. I really enjoyed my food. The coffee could be a lot better though. I don’t know what brand they use but not good.

Our server, Karen was great. Made an excellent suggestion for my lunch, chicken enchiladas with creme jalapeño sauce. My husband really liked his Texas enchiladas and flan and my margarita was very good. My sister recommended this restaurant to us😃

Had crispy tacos. The picadillo was finely ground, which gave it a weird texture. Not much flavor. The taco shells were store bought, and had a bit of an unpleasant note. They were mor chewy than crispy. Excellent red and green salsas. Reasonable prices. There are so many better options in San Antonio.

Friday night drop in for classic Tex Mex. Generously poured margaritas. Tender beef fajitas. Traditional menu items, Valerie’s Special and Helotes Delight did not disappoint. Highlight is the complimentary bean soup before our meals. Save room for sopapillas or at least take some to go. Thank you Garcia family for decades of food and fellowship.

We always recommend this restaurant to our friends. Those that drink like their margaritas. I like the lemonade and my wife is a "tea a holic" so she always gets unsweetened tea with lemons.

We went to El Chaparral for a function with about 40 people. We had the best service from Pedro. He was the only server but handled everyone very professionally and always had a smile. The food was so good. I haven't had real Mexican food in a long time. This is a good place to have great food.and service. The margaritas were very good too.

We werw directed to a table with a torn seat covered in duct tape. Decided to go with it and sat down. I disappeared into the lumps. With food that is that expensive and mediocre, you shouldn't have a floor and chairs patched with duct tape. Come on Gabe and Carlos, make your parents proud.

Each time we are visiting San Antonio, we eat here. Always great food. They have excellent bean soup and refried beans. Food is always fresh. I love their street tacos. Sometimes their service is a little slow but there food is good

So many great Mexican restaurants in San Antonio but this one id very good! I would recommend even though it is not the best in the City

we have been toEl chaparral twice now and really enjoy the well-done Mexican food served in an authentic manner. The other day we got the family size fajitas , and those were delicious , as well as several of the unique appetizers that they serve there. I think it's also nice that they give everyone a small dish of bean soup to start off your meal – it's just a taste but very nice touch . This restaurant is moderately priced , has good service, and can accommodate large groups of people.

While the food was good, the margeruita's were mediocre and the service was lax and careless. Where they exceed is with their meats, flavorful and tender. In a pinch we may try this again, as it's close to our gym and our home and appropriately priced for a quick and filling meal after a strenuous workout.

Food was inconsistent. Nice hostess but Wait Service was consistently poor. I'm pretty sure our waiter was under the influence of margaritas. He spilled our soup, forgot drink orders literally 10 seconds after taking them, had amnesia and generally was erratic if pleasant. Soup is great but tamale was mushy. I should have read the reviews beforehand which call it El C*apparal :)

Love those refried beans and the crema enchiladas are to die for!! Service was great and the atmosphere as well.

Like many other reviewers, we decided to go to this restaurant because it was convenient and we suspected it would be less busy than a nearby favorite of ours. We ordered queso and flour tortillas as our appetizer and our waitress brought 3 tortillas for the 4 of us. The queso had the consistency of water, but was yellow. It had a great flavor but was SOOOOOOO runny!!! My friends actually quit eating it early because they got annoyed by the mess. We all ordered our meals. We asked for more tortillas the next time we saw her and for more water. She then brought 2 tortillas about 10 minutes later and did not refill our waters. The next time we saw her we asked her for more tortillas (because at this point we'd only received a total of 5 for 4 people) and she asked, shocked, "More tortillas!?" She then disappeared for another while before returning with no tortillas, no water, and our checks instead. We weren't willing to wait for the items we'd requested, so we just paid and left. We will not be returning and we will instead go to the "other" Mexican restaurant on Redland. It's only about a mile away and it has a BEAUTIFUL patio! Another side note is that my friend ordered what was described as "soft tacos" on the menu, and they came out rolled on a plate looking like enchiladas without sauce. She was unable to pick them up. They should have been called burritos or enchiladas. There are also 2 HUGE murals in the main room that are very abstract but both have a naked man in them (no private parts) but still very distracting when you're trying to have a meal. The murals have to be at least 10 feet high by 20 feet long each.

I ordered a chile relleno made the old-style way with meat, raisins and other items. Not just a pepper with batter and maybe some cheese like many other restaurants. Other members of the party had shrimp relleno, enchiladas and tacos. Everyone enjoyed the food. The flaming queso appetizer was outstanding. I also found the service to be excellent. Thinks were so good, I went a second time during the trip.

Monday 11 Feb 2019 4:49 PM enter 5:28 check out Table 50 check 83 Server Karin Party of five. Karin the server is a kick. Made visit fun. There was a smallish crowd, though we seemed to be early for dinner. Good food but not overly distinguished. Decor is nice, but not fancy like, say, Matamorous. Good food after long day on road. Reasonable prices.

Nice indoor and outdoor seating options. Drinks are good.

Came just for margaritas & appetizers. The marg was fresh & delicious, tempting to have a second! Beautiful glasses too. We ordered the shrimp nachos app at the suggestion of the owner. Not a big nachos fan, nor a big cooked shrimp fan. WOW, pleasantly delighted! Creamy, cheesy, savory, piled on crisp corn chips. Not a mound like I expected; these made every bite delicious. We loved the borracho beans that arrive before the meal, a savory delicious treat. Great signature item! Would have loved to keep tasting things, but we had to run. Next time will ne soon! Our waiter was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. This restaurant is 1 of 3 El Chaps. This location is modern Spanish, perhaps? Very chic with a twist of rustic. Apparently totally different than other 2 locations.

Starting with the chips and salsa the food was terrible. I had a plate of grease with enchiladas and the refried beans looked dipped in grease. My husband had the brisket tacos with grease dripping from them. The only good thing was the bean soup. Very disappointed and sad to have had to pay for this meal. This was a pure waste of money.

Even though my noodle soup had to be reheated, it was a good meal in itself. I took my chicken fajita taco home. My wife had her usual Shrimp Relleno, minus the cheese sauce.

It’s been a few years since we’ve been here, it’s gotten even better. Homemade chips not too much salt. Shrimp quesadillas were excellent as well as the fish Acapulco. Service also great and did not hover. Nothing worse than asking how everything is 15 times.

Our friends took us to El Chaparral for my wife's birthday dinner while we were in town. The service was good, the atmosphere was fun and the food was excellent. We had a very good time and really enjoyed the staff singing Happy Birthday to my wife who was wearing a huge Sombrero.

While I've heard good things about this restaurant for dinner, if you are looking for breakfast--look elsewhere. The wait staff was friendly but not very efficient and the food was not very good. Our party of 4 ordered 4 different breakfast plates and each of us was disappointed with the quality and preparation. The eggs were tough, the potatoes bland, the meal was not served hot.

We had a party of 11 in our group. We had two World War 2 veterans and one Vietnam veteran. We had to wait one and half hours to be seated which was expected since we had a large group. The food was wonderful everything was great until we got our bill. I asked if they honored the vets by giving them a veterans discount like others restaurants do, our waiter said not here,WOW!! I guess that's this restaurant thinks about vets.

We ate at the 1604 & Redland location the food was so good & it is a classic place. The ambiance is very nice + they have valet parking. I got a Mexican plate that had a chalupa on it & while I was eating it didn't break at all. I was impress & when the manager came around, I told him that impress me since most places they break. The bean soup is very good & the chips are fresh. Sometimes in the evening there is a wait cause the food is that good but it's worth the little wait. So yummy !!!!!!!

OK but not like the Helotes El Chapparal. Food and atmosphere can't compare!!!! The menu is similar but does not have the flavor.

The best carne asada I've ever had. Service was good. Crowded. There were several vehicle break ins while we were there, but otherwise a great venue. I was from out of town, but it seemed a little out of the way. Other a great time.

Question! What's better than a Sunday brunch with a plate of hot breakfast tacos, papas and frijoles refritos? Okay . . . granted. There is more than one answer to that question, but my response, influenced by our visit today is: as many build your own tacos and other sides as you like. For $12.99, you can choose from breakfast items including scarmable eggs, bacon, chilaquiles, barbacoa, papas con cborizo, cheese enchiladas with choice of sauces, bean soup, refried beans, and the list goes on. Mix and match ingredients make for an endless variety of fillings to fold your flour or corn tortillas around. How about barbacoa, eggs and bacon topped with chile con carne!? Too weird!? The simplicity or complexity of fillings is up to you. Buffet items were kept fresh, hot and refilled and finished plates were bussed with alacrity. Just one complaint; seasoning. Restaurants are afraid of salt these days and that timorousness exists here. This does not apply to all the items, but a select few could definitely benefit from this simple savory enhancement. Easily remedied however, salt content can be customized to one's own tastes. Next time you have a question about Sunday brunch, you would do well to get the answer here. I did and liked the response enough to reiterate the proposition again soon. Update: We returned for lunch and had a plate of enchiladas that would be hard to beat. Everything was hot, tasty, and of the quality leading me to easily recommend this place to a friend. Waitress was responsive and pleasant. We're thinking that we almost like this store a little better than the original in Helotes, and that's saying something!

Margaritas were great after a long day of outdoor work at home. We had combination meals and the cheese enchiladas were especially good. The picadillo meat in the tacos had nice flavor and queso dip was also very tasty. Staff at this restaurant very attentive and pleasant to talk with.

The Roaches were free! My family and I had dinner the other day and found a roach in our food. After bringing it to the attention of the servers, both pretended as if nothing happened. Once brought to the attention of the manager (I was looking right at him when the server notified him) he walked to the back and did not come out until I requested to speak to him. I was more irritated that no one bothered to address it. We spent over $120.00 that night and given a desert for our troubles. The cardinal rule of service was broken by serving bugs and not even discounting the meal. Reading the comments below, I feel it’s safe to say “it was an off day”. Never the less, not even discounting a meal, which was ruined, with bugs is a neither not good service nor good for business. I also left my name and number with the receipt in to see if someone would call back, and had no response. Will not recommend nor be back

Don't get me wrong, the food was tasty, but boy did I ever pay for it later. This doesn't usually happen to me so I was a little surprised. Their refried beans were the best I have ever had and I really enjoyed the jalapeño cream sauce on my enchiladas. The salsa tasted like freezer burn and the chips were greasy so I only ate a couple. Also enjoyed their special $5 margarita. The ambiance wasn't anything special on the inside although the parking lot was packed. I guess I was expecting more from a TexMex restaurant in San Antonio, Texas.

We had not eaten here in sometime so stopped in for a early lunch. The place is in a center on the access road of 1604 and Redland Rd. If you are headed east on 1604 you take the Gold Canyon/Redland Rd. exit. There were already customers seated right at 11. We were seated promptly and our waitress was very prompt and efficient. The menu is about what I remember from before for choices. The chips were crisp and the salsa was tasty. I got the Lunch Valerie's Special and it was a cheese enchilada, some chicken fajita meat with refried beans, guacamole and rice for $9.89. The portion was small so I thought it was a bit pricey for a lunch serving. It all was very tasty except there was too much cheese on top of the one enchilada. It was served at an adequate temperature and was just the right amount for a light eater. The other parties at the table all enjoyed their plates with the exception of another comment of too much cheese on top of the enchiladas but probably most people like that. It is true TEX-MEX fair though and the menu has an abundance of choices.

my fiancé and I come here all the time and the food is always good. My favorite is the appetizer with the mini quesadillas and bacon wrapped shrimp.

I come here often. This time it was a Monday night. They had their fajitas for 2 special..chicken, beef or combo..for$15.99. What a deal and super delicious plus happy hour drinks till 7. Great service.

Stopped in for a cocktail and to try the lite bite menus. Flavors are on point with traditional Mexican food. Bean soup is awesome and the spinach enchilada too. My wife had the street tacos, nicely served with all the correct extras. Only negative was the lack of a martini menu and wine list.

If you like Fajitas then go on Tuesday!. For $17 plus tax you get 2 lbs with all the trimmings. Heck if you've see the prices of good fajita meat it can cost as much as 8.79 a pound uncooked so this is a deal. Also the food is really good outside of the fajita's. I like that they give you a small serving of bean soup with your chips. It's a great start to a meal.

I had the carne guisada lunch version and it was terrible. I think it was leftovers from days ago smothered with thick gravy. I could not eat it. Will not go back again.

Visited here last night and was very pleased with service and the food. I was told that this location did not have food as good as the original so I stayed away thing it was true of so many places that I have visited. Not the case here. We were greated quickly and very friendly by the staff and seated very fast at a busy time. We were then waited on by Christopher (outstanding waiter and young man). The sevice was top notch we waited for nothing and he was on top of every minor change, drink refill or just being asked for extra jalapenos or tortillas, Food was just as good as the Helotes locating which is always the best. (come for the beans if nothing else... oh the beans!) I will never shy away from this location, in fact I will try to come back because we were treated so well.

Food is dreadful. Queso flameado - very little chorizo. Extremely wet. Cheese was rubbery. My entree - enchiladas made with flour tortillas & smothered in American cheese. Chicken was tasteless. Amazing that a restaurant this bad can last for so many years in a town overflowing with excellent Tex Mex restaurants. On the plus side - the micheladas are tasty.

My daughter invited family to celebrate my son-in-law's college graduation. Even though she had reservations we still waited to be seated, 20 minutes after being seated we still hadn't seen our waiter, not even a "hello I'll be your waiter--nada". My wife had to find someone to get her a glass of water. Only after I complained to the manager, who didn't seem too concerned, did we finally see a waiter and some water and menus. We waited too long for our food, never got refills for tea, just plain bad service, amateur service. I have been to this establishment before and the food is good, but this is San Antonio...there are 1000 Mexican food places that do that. I didn't feel welcomed here, I know my daughter was embarassed, and it soured what was a very important event for both her and her husband. I will never return to this establishment again and would certainly not recomend it to anyone. Like I said San Antonio is a Mexican food mecca, there are many other places with better food and certainly better service.

Ordered some food to go. Two tacos, not wrapped correctly so they were dripping in the bag. Salsa container not even closed. The bag soaked through and collapsed. If they're too incompetent/apathetic to do a simple to-go order correctly, they're probably not cleaning the place very well. Think about that.