Palenque Grill La Cantera Reviews

We were in La Cantera and decided we wanted some nachos so we thought "Palenque" would be a good choice. WRONG!!! I've had better nachos from Taco Bell and whatever that corn on the cob appetizer they offer is, QUIT, it's not good. Besides having a "under-trained" hostess the service was nothing less than unsatisfactory and had it not been for the waiter at the nearby table we may not have ever seen our original waiter again. I can promise this, we WILL NOT go back.

I'm from South Texas and this chain is well known for great food. Maybe they are growing too fast, this is a beautiful place in las canteras however they are having trouble understanding a simple request from one of my freinds. My freind requested just two over easy eggs and they brought over cooked eggs. We returned the order so they could give it another try, they brought the same over cooked eggs...what a disappointment after I convicted my freinds to go there instead of the place they wanted..

Our waitress was very good. I explained what I wanted, Veges and lean meat. Here recommendation was great. Instead of rice she brought us extra Veges. The refried beans and chirizo was fantastic.

A great restaurant. The extra star is for the acoustic group that played; that was a great added touch to the restaurant. The mole enchiladas were delicious. A bit pricey I think but worth it.

The Shops at La Cantera breathes Mexico all over. A lot of visitors from Mexico are attracted to the huge options for shopping. Palenque Grill blends perfectly well. First of all, the place is great. Really nice and big place. My family and I visited last weekend, and could first notice the very good service and attitude from their personnel. The hostess at the entrance will assign you with a table inside, or out; close to the live music performers, or not close to them; or at the bar.... We decided to sit at the terrace. Is very comfortable, because they leave a pretty decent space between tables. So when you walk through the tables, you are not bumping your rear assets with no one. Service is great as well. Three waiters were attending our table. Two of them fully bilingual. Very well prepared and they know what they are doing. Seconds after seating, they will bring chips with in-house made salsa and a bean dip. Both are excellent!!!!! The salsa, is made up with fresh ingredients, you can easily tell without asking.... It looks like they fire up the tomatoes so they can peel them easily. They add small amount of peppers and garlic. The pepper is not hot, so you can almost drink it as a chaser after a chip without suffocating yourself. Most salsas in Mexico are made with green tomatillos. The color of the salsa is mandated by the color of the peppers you use. Green peppers will make green salsa. Red peppers, red salsa. So when you see a red salsa, made with red tomatoes, with a hint of green peppers, dig in, will not be hot. Then the TACOS!!!! I ordered the Tacos Carretoneros. These will be the most closest to Mexico I have ever tasted. Thin beef, cooked in the grill, chopped into small pieces, placed in a yellow corn tortilla, that had a previous bath of vegetable oil. So they pre-fry the tortillas, the oil makes them soft, very hot, and improves the texture and flavor of the tortilla. They fill it with the finely chopped beef, and finished with cilantro and raw onion mixture. Then you squeeze lime juice on top of it, little salt, and a big scoop of salsa. Use your pointing finger, middle finger, and thumb, to grab the taco by the upper part, trying to join both upper ends of the tortilla (however, there is a saying that a good taco will not close on the upper side because of its fill), and then go for it. That first bite, when you start to chew and mix everything in your mouth, the flavor is excellent. You have not finished swallowing your first bite when you are already going for the second one. Really good tacos. BUT, I have been there before, and the LionPaw (garrita de leon) tacos are THE BEST. These are even better than good tacos I have tried in Mexico. They put a thin slice of high quality, grain fed rib eye, grilled, over a corn tortilla. You add the cilantro and onion mix, lemon juice, and salsa. Almost impossible to go wrong with these!!!! Then you wash down your tacos with Jamaica. This is and Hibiscus tea, which is very popular in Mexico. My older son ordered a Mexican hamburger. This one is GOOD, even in the land of Hamburgers. I noticed the difference in the beef. It tastes as if they grind the beef inside skirt, all natural or with little spice on it. They grill it and then to the bun. It is very good. You need to try it because it just tastes different. I really find it frustrating that sometimes you buy a hamburger and the beef tastes as nothing. Sometimes you wonder from which two or four legged animal the meat came from. I mean, all finely grind and without flavor, you start thinking about things that might not even exist!!!! My wife ordered the pastor tacos. These were a little sweet to me, but are very good. These are made with marinated pork, and pineapple. So every taco looks and tastes like a Mexican version of a Hawaiian pizza. But you squeeze the lemon, and add the cilantro and onion mix as well. My little daughter was not very hungry, so she had just a small bowl of charro beans. These are also very Mexican. Try them. Last but not least, dessert. Our bellies were already full, but wanted to try at least one. We went for the "tres leches". It is great!!! Very moist, and they top it with a caramel sauce that makes every bite wonderful. You will have to wash your hands and face after having this, if you don't want bees and other sugar-craving flying bugs chasing you as you go back to your car. So, when you are close to the North West side of SA, and want a taste of Mexico, this will be the place to go. I hope you enjoy!!!!

We were looking for great Mexican food without the TexMex vibe. We nailed it. I was skeptical as it was at LaCantera but was pleasantly surprised. We didnt have a problem with parking or a wait. Went for lunch on a Friday and was delighted. We were greeted by a smiling hostess with a heavy accent. She found us a booth at the back of the restaurant that was perfectly quiet which we preferred. The decor is upscale and not junky TexMex. No bright colors but pleasant and sophisicated. The rest of the place was full with large tables. Our waitress was pleasant and came right over. We were served chips with homemade salsa and refried beans. The presentation was very nice. My hubby loved it. We took our time ordering as the menu was extensive and everything looked fabulous. They even had pictures which for me is always a plus. I noticed the regular prices v lunch prices were significant. We both choose the lunch specials. The food arrived in a nice amount of time. I mean that we had time to visit without wondering if they forgot about us. I ate the Matamores which danced on my tastebuds. I got three tacos which actually had two corn tortillas per taco. There was so much meat that I divided it up and actually had 6 tacos which I gladly shared with my hubby. He had two chicken enchiladas that came with rice and beans. It was nicely presented and filled him. up. We took our time and enjoyed everything. I definitely will return. I would like to sit on the patio but honestly the inside toward the back is the best. The bathrooms were clean and smelled like they had just been cleaned. As we left, there were several employees in the front and every single one said goodbye. That's what I call great service, great food and you betcha we will be ack.

We came home with a large group for lunch on a Saturday! Everything was wonderful. The service, the food, everything! It was so good my husband and I returned the next day alone. The staff here is wonderful and you will enjoy every aspect of the meal! Best shrimp cocktail I've ever had anywhere!

Excellent Restaurant with the UNIQUE TASTE of great Mexican food. Inside outside serving, great atmosphere, food was excellent our server Giovanni was very professional and accurate with our long order (Keep up the good work Gio and enjoy my tip ;) ), the food had a very good taste, the chef and his Team definitely know what there doing inside the kitchen. Without a doubt I will come back.

We went with the family we had a great dinner my partner popped the question while we had dinner. Will always remember this place. Very clean restaurant.

Took my family of four here and was not disappointed at all. The ambiance is really nice, the servers are awesome, very professional and make you feel really welcomed. The public affairs guy was also awesome. He came to our table and explained us their meals and was very courteous. Overall, we were very satisfied and will definitely come back very often. Prices were very good for the quality of food they serve. We eat a lot out so if I recommend this place, you should try it. Believe me.

We have now been here twice and both time have enjoyed ourselves. The food 🥘 is really good and the menu very different. Service last night wasn’t the best as my father in law was served the wrong plate and the drinks 🍹 took way too long to get. Besides that I recommend you try this restaurant and enjoy the wonderful food and atmosphere.

Customer service was almost “perfect”. The food quality and amount- no so great. Prime Paradillos with 1 beef ribeye, LOTS of onions, and 4 shrimp w 2 poblanos, 2 plain margaritas and tip $80. Probably won’t be back. Besides the difficulty with parking and the walk to restaurant - not a super experience.

Excellent service and very good food as always. Juan the waiter served us very well and was very attentive to everything we were offered.

Had dinner with two business co workers on a surprising slow cinco de mayo evening. Staff was very friendly but the service was VERY slow! Had to get up to go get our own utensils... Had to grab other waiters to get our drinks when we ran dry. Not sure if I will ever return.

The staff is very attentive. Even gave me a little stand to hang my purse on. The chips and salsa before dinner is quite extensive. Almost got filled up on that. My frozen margarita was great. We got the beef tacos which just come with sliced ribeye, I believe, on a tortilla and then you add all the fixings. It was a different spin on Mexican and it was very good. The service is quite wonderful. They will sing to you if you have a birthday. And there are tv's for viewing games.

I have eaten at Palenque Grill before in McAllen, TX and it is, hands down, my absolute favorite Mexican food restaurant. Authentic flavors, fresh ingredients, everything hot and made to order... So, naturally, I expected the same when I ate at this one on Friday afternoon. Maybe there is no connection between the two, but my comments are still valid: Since it was still too early for the dinner rush, we were seated quickly, and our waitress seemed pleasant enough. She took our orders, including a request for appetizers, but literally within 5 minutes, our food was coming out. We had not even received our appetizers yet! I like fast service, but this seemed a little *too* fast. Sure enough, my food was cold and the chicken fajitas were rubbery, as though they had microwaved frozen fajita strips! And unlike my previous experiences with Palenque Grill, the tortillas were NOT handmade, but tasted like the ones you can buy at any grocery store. The chips, salsa, and guacamole were delicious and reminded me of the Palenque I knew and loved, but even the guacamole was not *as* good. Normally, if you ordered guacamole at Palenque, they came and made it fresh for you, at your table. This was good, but clearly had been made earlier in the day. Since the restaurant wasn't that busy, I'm not sure why they were taking so many shortcuts. Here is what I fear has happened: This Palenque Grill was located inside of a mall... a very nice mall, but a mall nonetheless. What often happens with "mall restaurants" is that they try to streamline them to get food out quicker for impatient shoppers. But since mall restaurants are notorious for not lasting very long, you would think wise companies would choose to NOT follow that business model. Anyone with a brain would rather wait an extra 10-15 minutes for food made FRESH and HOT than to be served something they could microwave themselves at home! I love Palenque Grill, but this experience was NOT worthy of the Palenque Grill name!

Stopped in for a late lunch with 2 friends..waited to order...waited for drinks...then waited 30 min for tacos to be served. They were so good but the frustration of inattentive and seemingly inexperienced waitress was too much! Had to request water refill and she filled one of our water glasses and left without filling the other 2!!! And YES we had to flag her downfor our cheque and still waited and waited for it.😠such a bummer

We really enjoyed our lunch break from shopping at The shops of La Centera. I had prime ribeye steak tacos. Best ever. My husband had another type of beef taco he enjoyed also. Both on homemade corn tortillas. They also bring you a sampling of salsas. Would recommend to anyone.

During our week stay in SA. It was hands down the best experience and best food. Juliette was an exceptional waitress and very helpful. The chicken mole and tacos with various meats and toppings are very flavorful and fresh. We will definitely visit again when we pass through in August! Start of with Sangria and each the large portions and great food!

If you are expecting Tex-Mex this is not the place. Menu was extensive with lots of authentic menu choices. I couldn’t decide on my taco selection due to numerous choices and waiter recommended a plate option that had 4 tacos choices. The Prime rib tacos were delicious. The meat inside the street tacos was tender and juicy. The mini salsa selection brought out with your food was a great paring. The mini basket of chips brought out throughout the meal were always warm and crispy. Mole sauce was tasteful and slightly spicy. The flan was also good with crushed nuts drizzled with the flan sauce. Place was packed but seating was quick and service was great. Will definitely come back our next trip back to San Antonio. Fresh homemade tortillas.

I had to call around to arrange a catering event for my boss and clients. I called Palenque Grill and spoke with Johnny, the catering agent, he was pleasant, informative and accommodating. He provided a meal plan for a party of 20 people within a day of the event and kept in contact with me every step of the way since I was arranging this long distance. Johnny also handled the set up and break down of the event himself. Palenque Grill's food was flavorful and delicious, and the event was a total success. Thank you Johnny and Palenque Grill.

I read the reviews and stopped by for happy hour. Fernando at the bar took care of me and provided great recommendations and service. There were a number of regulars hanging out there, one couple brought the manager a shot class from their vacation. Happy hour was a good deal! Authentic cuisine

Repeat visit for us, but first time for other family members. Super margaritas and michelados. Home made salsa and tortilla chips...very good. We had various tacos and seafood dishes...again all very good. We were stuffed and brought food home. Not the cheapest restaurant around, but again your not eating the regular TexMex fare. We will continue to go back. Salude!

Seating was not great. I was constantly scooting in and being bump and we were in a corner front part of the restaurant. No burritos on the menu. Had the 1/2 chicken and fried potatoes. The chicken was good. Not any better than el Pollo local. The potatoes were grease so only had a few bites. House margarita was weak. Wanted a Cadillac margarita but they had troubles. $110 dollars for 4 of us. My favorite Mexican cuisine restaurant s are 1/3 less. Disappointed.

Excellent service and very delicious food, great variety of dishes with a very Mexican touch, friendly service, fair prices.

Good Mexican food with nice portions. Complementary chips with warm, sweet spicy salsa and bean dip. Very friendly wait staff. Linen napkins, bright and airy. Would definitely return.

We had a hard time finding the place. It is located in the La Cantera complex. It is next to Cheesecake Factory. Gps gave an address and we went in circles. We finally found the restaurant and went inside. We were seated immediately and our server Elvira took our drink orders. The restaurant is large and they had some music playing. Our food was delicious. They have chips and salsa immediately after we sat down. Service was good. We will be back!

We had a nice dinner at Palenque Grill - La Cantera. Mario was AMAZING! He answered our questions, made excellent recommendations, timed everything perfectly, and was keenly attentive, There were 10 of us and ALL had a lovely time.

Our food was delicious but it took a long time to come out. The manager did come by and give our table free dessert though, so that made up for it! Our waitress may have been having an off night, she wasn’t very attentive. I would give it another shot if we were back in town though!

Very nice restaurant and service. Food was just OK.. and my margaritas tasted like they had zero alcohol. More like a smoothie rather than a drink..

My cousin from Monterrey, Mexico brought me to this super Mexican Restaurant. It is original Mexican food. The food is delicious. Specially the "Garritas de Leon" tacos which are Rib Eye Tacos. They are superb. And the waiter brings each taco wrapped in individual foil so that each taco is super warm. The tortillas are very fresh both corn and flour. The queso flameado with chorizo will melt in your mouth with each savory bite of the fresh and delicious tortillas that they bring. Hands down! This is my most favorite Mexican Restaurant. It's is a bit pricey. But, sooo worth it!!!

We enjoy their high quality dishes at leat once a week. Our favorites garritas de leon, sopa de tortilla, tlalpena soup, churros. Staff is great. Wish them the best.

The chicharon rib eye appetizer is a nice twist on the Pinoy lechon kawali and even better with the quacamole. The matamoros tacos and pork brochette was with the trip. We will recommend to friends and I recommend this place to you, Internet stranger.

Got there late on a Thursday night after a long day. Requested and received seating on the patio.. Wait staff was attentive. Food was excellent as was the entertainer who was singing and playing guitar. Perfect way to end a great day with family.

Visited this restaurant during a business trip to San Antonio. It was recommended to me and it delivered. First time having authentic mexican food and LOVED it. I had tortilla soup, pastor tacos and my first marguerita - which was delicous. The service was great, the value was great (happy hour savings) and loved eating on the patio. If ever in San Antonio I will visit again!

My family and I tried this new restaurant at La Cantera because my wife was recommending it to guest from her hotel but we actually had never gone here. We are truly amazed at how good the food was, Our waiter told us all of the recipe's are authentic Old Mexican from southern Mexico. The food is so good and I have eaten Mexican cooking from all over the world including inside Mexico itself and this is the best I have had, the service is top notch and when I'm feeling some good food we will be coming back here. Unfortunately our waiter told us they are a new restaurant and so far they are operating at a loss and if it does not turn around they will be forced to close the doors, Let's go San Antonio we need to keep the good places open give this place a try......

I live close to this location and slip in from time to time for dinner at the bar. However, over the past 3 months I have experienced poor service and an inability of the bar staff to engage customers in a manner that is on par with other restaurants in the area. I have crossed this restaurant off my list for some of the more customer centric restaurants in La Cantera.

Food was great! Very authentic...not your Tex Mex variety. Order the churros for dessert. They are bite size with a cajeta (caramel) sauce for dipping. Only complaint is how slow the service was. As long as you have time, you will enjoy the food!

Restaurant is authentic and food is delicious. Costumer service is excellent. Karina our server did an amazing job. The ambiance is lovely.

Tried it in its new La Cantera location for the first time and was NOT disappointed. Server was clueless but everything else was very good. The poblano soup was excellent as always. Fajitas are tasty and the accompaniments are just right. You’ll need to ask for sour cream.

The food was average for the price and our service was terrible. They were expecting a large party and most of the servers spent time setting that table up, often walking by us without noticing our drinks were empty or that we had waited 20 minutes before someone approached us to take an order or see if we were okay. It seems like a neat place with the indoor music but this was not our night. Sorry I can’t rate it more as we were from out of town and it came highly recommend. Service is key and it was just not there.

A defffite come to Place if you want authentic Mexican god food!! We were thrilled by service and the amazing food!!! Our server Liz was the Best!!!!

My wife and I went to San Antonio for a weekend getaway. A friend, recommended Palenque Grill as a good place to have Tex-Mex, and he was absolutely right. The food was great and the drinks even better. Alex (Cuban) was our server and he was so nice to us! He payed attention to every detail in our meal. Definitely a place to eat in our next visit to San Antonio.

It was a nice environment, sweet lady attending you and salsa was pretty good specially the avocado salsa. Arrachera was excellent and some of the condiments also. Re-fried Beans served as entree and some mocajete salsa. The place is close to six flags and is big enough to get a table even if you do not reserve ahead of time.

We usually avoid chain restaurants like the plague, but his place was fabulous! First of all, it is a real local chain with only a few other locations in Texas. The food was authentic northern Mexican fare done in beautiful presentations with high quality ingredients. They even had a few truly Vegan options on the menu! I had the vegan enchiladas, and they were delicious! There was a traditional Mexican music duo- singers and guitarrons, though not the lively Mariachi group, that added to the wonderful atmosphere. Not too loud so that we could still hear our conversation without yelling across our table. It was Friday evening, and while the restaurant was very busy, our wait for a table for four was only about 20 minutes. The service provided by our waiter, Alexander, was impeccable. It was very busy, but our glasses of water and sweet tea never got down to empty because he kept them filled the whole time. Our food was delivered promptly with a smile to the correct person who ordered each dish. We will definitely go back whenever we’re in town!

Had an outstanding experience! The ambience was warm and inviting from the Piano player, to the décor. After reading the menu, I asked our server did they serve Chicken Chimichangas , was told no, but one could be made to order... It was excellent! We could not get enough of the bean dip, Margaritas delicious, and the wait staff , friendly and personable. Added bonus , when the Manager Jay Dominquez came over to our table. Gave a detailed history of Palenque Grill, how the owner had humble beginnings and when Brad Pritt, passed out advertising flyers, wearing the Chicken Suit as an employee, in California....... Palenque Grill will not disappoint, excellent food, committed to great customer service, and a warm atmosphere ----

This was our first visit to Palenque Grill and we were well pleased with our choice. My wife and I had lunch just after the noon rush on a weekday. The restaurant is large with inside, outside, bar, booth and table seating. The decor is festive. Service was prompt, professional and attentive without being intrusive. The menu is extensive. This is authentic mexican cusine as experienced in the interior of Mexico. Although some menu items ave names familiar to typical mexican food enjoyed in the US (enchilads tacos, etc) the ingredients, prep and presentation will probably differ from expectations unless you have travelled in Mexico. My wife and I have traveled throughout Mexico and were excited by the diversity of the menu. The cusine in Mexico, as in the US, varies by region. On the Palenque Grill menu we found seafood dishes typical of the Gulf and Pacific Coast regions, steaks and grilled meats of Northern Mexico and Jalisco, mole from Oaxaca and more cosmopolitan dishes and appetizers we have enjoyed in Mexico City. This is just a sampler. The whole menu is available online. While the names of dishes are in Spanish, they are described in English and those dishes that are spicy are clearly labelled. Prices are moderate. I started with a Coctel de Camaron (Shrimp Cocktail) small portion. Served in a traditional stemmed goblet of good size. Shrimp, avocado, onions and cilantro in a sauce of ketchup and mild mexican hot sauce. The shrimp was small but plentiful. Although I order a small, the portion was quite large. For my entree I ordered Chile Relleno de Camaron con Queso (Rellano pepper lighly battered and stuffed with shrimp and munster cheese) served with white rice and refried beans. Delicious, An excellent choice. My wife ordered Sopa de Verduras, a chicken broth based vegetable soup which was excellent. Neither of us ordered beer wine or liquor but they have a full bar and there were a number of good Mexican beers listed on the menu. Before concluding I want to mention two other personal favorites from the menu that I didn't order this visit. Caldo Tlalpeño, a chicken broth based soup with chuncks of chicken, chickpeas, avocado, rice and chipotle peppers. And Hamburguesa Mexicana Especial (Mexican Hamburger). This is the standard dish I use for grading authenticity in mexican restaurants in the US. Mexican hamburgers almost always have sliced ham and ground beef. Palenque Grill adds bacon for good measure. Overall, a delicious and enjoyable lunch. And only two miles from our house! We will be back.

I had high expectations. The owner's Taco Palenque is very good. The Palenque Grill was a disappointment: the prices were high, the food was bland, the chips tasted burnt, the beef dish I had was chewy and flavorless--not tender. My friend got the fried snapper and was disappointed that it was dry and flavorless. There are too many great mexican restaurants in San Antonio to eat mediocre mexican food--at a premium. It's a lovely space and the service was great I really wanted to like it.

The food here is insane delish! Start with the melted queso/chorizo in the hot cast iron, move on the Volcanes and street corn and then taco and quesadilla out! You are golden! The refried beans and flour tortillas are off the chain! Then- the service is like family! So many attentive staff from the top manager on down. It truly is Mexican hospitality, they even have the typical purse holder stand like in Mexico. They CARE!!!!! They make things even extra special for a birthday with tres leches and singing ! Best authentic Mexican around!!!! Worth coming from La Cantera to eat.

We went here for dinner as a family after an afternoon in San Antonio. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, the atmosphere was relaxing. We had a toddler with us and were definitely underdressed but were welcomed and well taken care of. Our server Daniela was incredibly attentive and friendly. Daniela is a true professional in the lost art of hospitality. Our family received better service from her than we have from servers at much more expensive restaurants. She went above and beyond in ensuring our family had a great time and we will absolutely be back!

Just stopped in for a late lunch for two. Ordered an appetizer dish. Some sort of combination dish of empanadas, enchiladas, flutas etc for $16. Complimentary chips and great dips brought as well. More than enough food for two people on a budget!

Saturday night. Great chicken enchiladas with Tomatillo sauce. Good steak tacos. Sides are very average. Food a bit salty. Service was very attentive.

Palenque Grill has an upscale but comfortably casual atmosphere. Service was excellent from all of the staff. We had a combination of angus beef and shrimp fajitas. The beef was tender and flavorful, the shrimp was cooked and seasoned just right. Rice and beans were excellent. Margaritas are generous and served in a beautiful glass. I look forward to returning and exploring more of the enticing menu.

We were at the mall and looking for dinner outside our resort not really looking for Mexican food but ask some people leaving and their positive comments changed our mind. We set outside and the staff was friendly and prompt, chips and salsa arrived within a minute, drinks came fast. Our order came quick and the quantity and quality was super. You judge a Mexican by their re fried beans and they were great!

I recently visited San Antonio and discovered Palenque Grill. What a dinner! Customary chips, salsa and refried beans (the best I've ever had!) were served when we were seated. Everything after that was superb! We tried the churros and the tres leche cake - both were excellent! The only word I can use to describe our waiter Alan is stealth. It was like magic that our glasses would be refilled, chips replenished, etc.

We arrived at the restaurant around 5:20. It was a late lunch, early dinner for us. There was hardly anyone there which was good for us because we did not have alot of time. There were alot of wait staff. Very friendly. The Service was very poor though. Our waitress was very distracted and I had to ask another waiter to call her over. We ordered very simple meals. Tacos for me and quesadillas for my daughter. It took forever to get our food. The presentation was not very good; tacos were messy and the quesadillas were dripping with grease or butter and the tortillas were burnt on some parts. The tacos had zero flavor. We were done with our meal rather quickly and I told the waitress I was ready to pay. It was taking forever, so I decided to gather our things and stand up because I knew she would rush over. Finally I got her over to me. I will not be returning. Poor service and poor food. Not worth the money. I have been to " hole in the wall" places that have way better food. Try those instead!

Arrived about 7pm. Seated in the bar. Loud but fun with greatMariachi music and festive atmosphere. Great waitress by the name of Erica. I asked for an off menu meal, Calabacita, and she had the kitchen prepare it and what a good result! The margaritas were great. An outstanding dining experience in terms of service, food and atmosphere.

We had a great time at this restaurant. The staff was friendly and the food was great. The staff even surprised my boyfriend with a happy birthday song and cake. Fun times.

We didn’t plan on eating here, but had just finished a 4-mile walk with the Whippets and wanted brunch nearby the trail. Good old Trip Advisor had this listed and it sounded good. And indeed, the food is very good and authentic. First, we could eat outside which we will only due these days and 2nd, we were able to sit with the dogs. My wife had the Tilapia Rellena which was very good, fresh fish and a lovely cream sauce. I ad the Hachinago Frita (fried snapper), and again, the fish was fresh and very well done. The chips and salsa (and beans) offered when you sit down is excellent! Chips were warm and just fried and the salsa was superb; they should bottle it. I had a nice, not too sweet Horchata to drink. Now this isn’t inexpensive (two meals and two drinks: $60) but we got our monies worth as the food, quality and portions were ample and of high quality. Our server (Alexis) was professional and attentive. I wouldn’t hesitate to come back, and I recommend this restaurant.

Everytime I visit the food is amazinggg! You are always greeted right away, so welcoming! The service though is slightly slow every time, your always having to wave down your server for refills and other things. Great food though, always trying something new.

Decor great, Mole enchiladas were outstanding. Wife's shrimp cheese chili reano was as good as I've ever had. Service was great and hostess wasolder gentleman like it's suppose to be!

Everyone was happy with our meal and will be going back. A group of us, 8, went there to celebrate three of our friends birthdays. For appetizers we had the elote’ and the queso, both where good. Everyone had at least one of their house margaritas, nice and strong drinks. With 8 people everyone tried something different, from the Carnitas, fish tacos, shrimp tostadas. We were all happy with the meal and the service. We went on a busy Friday night, they had two singers that was a nice surprise. We will be going back.

Nice atmosphere, good Mexican food, 4 of us went for Cinco De Mayo and enjoyed it. Not the best Mexican food I've had, but wouldn't discourage anyone from trying this place.

Excessive price change. I normally order the caldo tlapeno $9 to $12. Today I ordered 2 caldo and when I arrived on Mother’s Day the soup was now $19 each! I used to love the place , but not if the price changes this much.

After hearing mixed reviews of this place, we decided to give it a try. The atmosphere is great. The live entertainment was a great touch and much appreciated during a week night. Beyond that, the experience was not so great. The chips and dips didn’t arrive until after our drinks arrived and the orders were taken and we asked for it. Likewise we had to ask to utensils and plates. After our order was taken it took longer than one would have expected. The food wasn’t bad at all, not good enough to say worth the wait, but wasn’t bad. The wait for the check was another long wait. Perhaps if the service would not have been so bad the overall experience would have been better. Bad service can really ruin the overall experience.

Poor cust service ordered the shrimp coctail for appetiser had nothing but tomato juice and onions found 3 shrimp in the whole cocktail (wow) then had to walk to bar for another drink since waiter never came by talked to mgr Rigo sanchezwho appoligized saidhe was taking cocktail off bill. We were not looking for freebies just good customer service the mgr cameback said he took cocktail off bill gave him a 100.00 bill yet he put i gave him 90.00 did not pay attention (mybad) cause i was frustrated left checked bill inthe car should have had $22.00 dlrs change brought me $7.00 dollars i left will never go back!!!!! I go to restaurants alot but not tothis one beware!!!!!!! Thats whyrestaurants aound like yardhouse arefull and paenque grill is a sinking ship

Went for New Year’s Eve.- I was avoiding to write a review for this restaurante, I do not know why, I tought there was no sense to write about something very familiar and knowing like Mexican food. What a surprise. This restaurante is always very crowded so we had to book in advanced; Jose Luis Gonzales the manager was so dedicated and kind handle our booking. The food and the ambiance was incredible. I must confess, if you think you know Mexican food, you must come here and taste it flavors. Palenque congratulations...

I'm not a sophisticated connoisseur of fine Mexican food. However, I did enjoy a lot of Mexican food offerings from various regions of Mexico as a resident of San Diego CA. Go here! Enjoy attentive service, comfortable ambiance and hands down the best Mexican food I have ever had. Bravo General Manager Joe L. Gonzalex Roa H. !!

The beef ribs were the best, tender and tasty. The chorizo and bean dipping sauce for the chips is the one to look forward to, some of that good!.

The service was excellent. Esmeralda is the best!! You must try the menu items! The items brought to the table are delicious. Choriqueso Sizzling skillet filled with Melted Muenster cheese and real Mexican style Chorizo, simply delicious. Matamoros It’s okay to drool over our Matamoros tacos, two soft corn tortillas filled with tender sirloin, real avocado, and Panela cheese. All the dishes were excellent!

Trendy, busy, excellent ambience, and a good date place. Food is good but not special. Clearly a chain. Had the roast chicken. Not bad, but again not special. Also had the tequila and sangria drink. A little on the high side in price, but not bad. Good there to impress a date, but not for great or authentic Mexican food.

The Palenque Grill is a fine-dining Mexican restaurant that is moderately priced with a great ambience. The service was outstanding and the food was super. We would definitely highly recommend this restaurant and then to walk around the shopping area in which it is enclosed.

the food was exceptional, unique, but still traditional. the margaritas were also great. Not crowded, very nice atmosphere.

This is our favorite Mexican restaurant in San Antonio. The food is authentic and the music is delightful.

Staff very professional and friendly. Location is excellent, food is okay but price is overprice especially for lunch. Our waitress was really great, efficient, friendly and very accommodating.

I confused this name with a chain Mexican restaurant. Wrong. There is one in San Antonio, and three more in the Valley, near Mexico. The location in LaCantera shopping center is huge and must cost a fortune. Accordingly, the prices are pretty high. However, the value is there. We benefitted from a special menu for Restaurant Week, which was $15 for three courses. The chips came with refried beans and a smokey chipotle salsa. The first course was soup, which was served with the ingredients in a bowl and then the server pouring in the broth from a small pitcher. Very nice. We conducted all of our order in broken Spanish, as the server addressed us in that language. Fittingly so. The main courses were huge, with beans and a very good rice and enchiladas stuffed with chicken. My wife's fajitas came with five corn tortillas. For dessert we each had a generous portion of flan in a caramel sauce with nuts on top. This was an impressive meal for such a discounted price. We both took home doggie bags and had a second meal that evening. The name seems to be that of an ancient Mayan city in the Mexican state of Chiapas. I’m sure they didn’t eat this well.

The service was very attentive but the restaurant was very busy and loud - probably because it was a Friday evening. Great location and ambiance but finding parking was also difficult. The chips and salsa was great and the food was fairly good. We tried a few of the authentic Mexican dishes - probably should have spent a bit more and tried the seafood.

We arrived and they didn't have our reservations. We waited about 15 minutes. The food and and service were great. Our party had Al Pastor and Matamoros Tacos and Mole enchiladas. All were delicious!

I stumbled upon this restaurant since I was doing some shopping in La Canterra and I’m so glad that I did! The food was great and the service was great too. I also had an awesome drink, even though I can’t remember the name of it. I order the tacos and it was one of the best meals I had while visiting San Antonio!

Out to dinner with friends started good ,our waiter was very good but he had a lot of tables to take care of. The kitchen was the problem, food came out slow and at different times, chicken was bloody, one other plate food was not warm. They did just open two weeks ago, so I guess we'll have to wait some time before we go back. Food and service has always been great at the other San Antonio location and in McAllen. Hope our same waiter is still there but with more and better help in the kitchen, when we go back.

The monthly classmate luncheon was held at this restaurant. It was everything one could hope to enjoy. Can't wait to share this place with my daughter and her husband. Thank you to the staff for their excellent service, the beautiful music that makes you actually move to the rhythm and the menu that offers so many goodies, it is difficult to make a choice.

What a nice surprise to find an excellent mexican restaurant in the middle of La Cantera. The place is elegant and with wonderful style, the food extremely delicious, the service as good as can get and the prices perfect also. The only thing I didn't like was the sign at the entrance, it looked very cheesy for such a nice place. Excellent addition to La Cantera. Hope everybody likes it!!

We had a late lunch at this restaurant. It is an upscale Latin American restaurant, with a twist on the traditional Mexican dishes. The ambience is nice, the food was delicious and the service was great. A manager came by to ensure everyone was happy. I highly recommend this restaurant. We will definitely be back!

This is the upper scaled version of Taco Palenque, which is better than this place. The food was tasty, but uneventful. We went for Sunday brunch. I found it odd to see pancakes, which my daughter ordered. My wife got the roasted chicken which was somewhat dry. I got the chilaquiles verdes, which I prize very much. Sadly, it was apparent that mine was done first and sat under a heat lamp for several minutes allowing the tostadas to become soggy...not acceptable in this dish. There was no one to say this to as were abandoned after the food was delivered. Our waiter had some friends visiting the place and he spent over 15 minutes at their table talking. There were only 3 tables with patrons at that time. We had to ask another waiter for our check and he had to get a manager to print it. The manager saw our waiter still at the other table talking but did nothing to correct this deficient behavior. The only way I will voluntarily pay high prices for Mexican food is if everything is top notch, which this wasn't.

We so enjoyed the superb food as it was a dining experience. Not to be outdone by the super service from George from Argentina.

Nobody at our table raved about their food, but nobody complained, either. My friend recommended the steak kabobs (which go by a different name), so I ordered that. I was a little surprised that the waiter didn't want to know how well done my meat should be cooked. My meal was okay, but not worth our long drive and the way we all had to drive around and around to hope for a parking spot at this place. My mango margarita was good, but there was very little alcohol in it. Our service was good, and it looks like this is a fun place for young adults to meet and drink.

This location has excellent service, great Mexican food, and Margaritas to boot. It is worth the trip if you are in the San Antonio area.

Food was excellent and the mangorita was good! Great selection of items. Drinks are very well priced, food more expensive but good quality! Definitely be back!

We had a great meal and the best mango margarita ever here. They were family friendly but had a nice relaxing atmosphere. The food was wonderful and the fresh homemade chips and roasted salsa were wonderful.

Dinner for 2 on a Tuesday night. We had the prime parr at $50 for 2 people. Steak was good and bacon wrapped shrimp were huge. There was a huge happy hour crowd when we arrived. The server was nice but I think had too many tables. We had Flan for desert and it was very good.

Very nice restaurant, reasonable enough prices. The main problem was -- it literally took us 15 minutes to find a parking space. It's in a mall, which is a nicely designed mall but VERY inadequate for parking. The shops in this mall would do a whole lot better if they didn't (in effect) discourage business this way.

Great Mexican restaurant. The elote corn was fantastic. I got the steak and shrimp fajitas and they were great. The strawberry margarita was also really good. Would definitely recommend this restaurant.

First time visit and from sitting down, the complimentary chips were hot and fresh with a delicious warm salsa and beans. Seemed promising. Biggest opportunity is the service in this restaurant and you can see it through the whole place. Drinks empty, tables cluttered with extra plates and things that should have been removed. Had to flag down another waiter for a refill of water. Lots of staff running around but not waiting the tables. Shame honestly because we enjoyed our food immensely. Would struggle to come back.

Palenque Grill surpassed our expectations on all levels! The ambiance was very pleasant, the food choices were fantastic, and they happily accommodated my dietary restrictions. The quality of the food was terrific, and the freshly made guacamole was worth the price. I'm not a big dessert fan, but their desserts (we shared Churros, Pastel Tres Leches, and Flan) were over-the-top delicious! From the moment we walked through the door the vibe from the staff was warm and welcoming. There are a few people I wish to give a special call out for their amazing attitudes and fantastic service: Salcido Maria Iniki Jose Luis, the General Manager, caught our eye as he walked through the restaurant. He spoke with customers and genuinely demonstrated his personal regard for their satisfaction. We chatted with him for several minutes, shared our experience, and thanked him for his part in creating such a fantastic restaurant experience. Palenque Grill has become a mandatory stop for us the next time we visit San Antonio! We returned one last time before returning home and we were very glad we did!

Great for date night. Wide variety of options on the menu, wait staff was very attentive, food was great. Highly recommend.

I came here during happy hour and just sat at the bar. It was a Tuesday night so the bar wasn’t too crazy but the restaurant itself was busy. There was live music which is always a nice touch. They have great prices on HH hour drinks. I got the mangorita which was amazing. I love that the bring out chips with salsa and retried beans to start. I ordered ceviche and beef tacos off the HH menu. The ceviche was ok and the tacos were good but a little took much on the onions for my taste. But you get 3 tacos which I thought was a lot for the price. Overall it was a good place and would come back!

Walked in and hostess was rude. Walked us to our table and didn’t say a word. We sat and waited for 10 minutes and no one helped us.

Our food was HOT and delicious! The bean appetizer and hot sauce with chips was delicious. Our Enchiladas Verdes were piping hot and the rice and beans tasted homemade. We had eaten at the Laredo Tx location and it was just as good. The restaurant is very clean and so are the restrooms. Samantha our waitress was very friendly and courteous. We will return. Thank you for a great experience. You will not be dissapointed at this restaurant.

My husband and I are traveling from Florida and staying at a nearby resort and we’re recommended to try this place everything we ordered was very tasty we especially enjoyed the chicharón appetizer which is a bowl full of crunchy, tender and perfectly seasoned chicharón pieces that are accompanied with guacamole,fresh sliced tomatoes and onions served with fresh warm tortillas on the side! Absolutely spectacular! The real highlight of our meal was our server Anna she was a delight super friendly, sweet, prompt and just a joy to talk to. She made our overall experience memorable. Thank you so much Anna! :) if we come back to San Antonio we will definitely be back!

Several of us met here for happy hour during the week. It was late afternoon and there was no issue in getting seating. This place is located close to The Cheesecake Factory and The Yardhouse and across the street on the lower level from The Whiskey Cake. They offer HH from 3 to 6 and have a HH menu. The prices are a bit more expensive than some other venues but it is La Cantera. Our waitress was nice and polite but seemed to have difficulty with the understanding us and us understanding her. So it took a bit to figure out what we were going to order. This is not a Tex-Mex restaurant but rather a more Northern Mexico cuisine. So we were not familiar with the menu items. For HH the appetizers were $7 and the drinks were mostly in the $7.50 range except beer was cheaper. Most ordered off the HH menu as the regular menu items were mostly over $16. Our orders were Panchitos (pile of chips with refried beans, cheese and meat or chicken along with a scoop of avocado and sour cream, Fish Ceviche which was two small tortillas topped with the fish ceviche and was tasty, Chicken Quesadillas which were two folded tortillas with chicken and cheese, Pork Tacos, and Beef Tacos. All of the HH appetizers were decent portions and enjoyed. The margaritas we a nice size but two ordered them on the rocks and both came out frozen with one being the wrong flavor. The place has a large bar and you have to sit in the bar area for the HH specials. There is another large dining room as well as covered patio seating outside. The noise level was not bad while we were there. We did notice a tiny stage with sombreros on stands so assume they have Mariachis music at certain times which would of course make it much louder.

About average for Mexican food in the San Antonio area. Sat outdoors and the ambiance was very nice, good location. We had a "Huevos Ranchero" plate and a "Palenque Omelete" and both were good, but not excellent. Caleb, waitstaff, was very nice and helpful.

The food at Palenque Grill is awesome and, the food reminds me of being in Mexico versus the usual Tex-Mex items. I had the Mole Enchiladas and my daughter had some delicious Quesedillas. The atmosphere is fun and positive. I would train the wait staff to be a little more focused on providing better customer service by visiting the tables more, asking for refills and offer dessert. I liked how management went around asking if all is good but that should be towards the end of the visit not at the beginning. Military folks, they do offer a discount but you have to ask. I will be back because those enchiladas were good!

Great place for happy hour cocktails, wine, and small plates. Their refried beans with chorizo, served with tortilla chips, are very tasty. Our favorites include the street tacos, tacos al pastor with pineapple, queso with chorizo (served with corn or flour tortillas), and fish tacos. We also enjoy their cucumber martinis and margaritas. I wish they would have more seafood choices on their happy hour menu (besides the fish ceviche).

Outstanding menu of authentic Mexican food ( not Tex-Mex). We shared green enchiladas, killer mole enchiladas and a mixed parriada as main courses and a bunch of starters. The margaritas were excellent and they have good beer and a wine list. Creative cocktails too. For Sunday lunch they had a duo/trio of singers who did a fantastic job singing a long, long list of boleros.