Ray's Drive-In Reviews

Awesome service quick & efficient. Our sever was very friendly and helpful. Not packed on a Wednesday evening at 6:00. Perfect day for a puffy taco & crispy dog delight!! A must stop in San Antonio.

This place is pretty much a San Antonio institution, but it is worth a stop. The puffy tacos are really good and came out of the kitchen right quick, it's also very cheap.

This place needs to get it's act together quickly! It's too darn expensive to serve average puffy tacos! Obviously, this place has undergone pretty substantial changes due to the death of the patriarch but more than enough time has elapsed to get the issues resolved! Tacos are wet not crispy and puffy as in the past. The filling is good but not as flavorful as I recall from the glory days of Ray's Drive Inn. Best part was the lemonade. Still delicious. Overall good but not worth the price.

The neighborhood was so sketchy and the building so run down and dirty we didn’t even stay to eat! Really the neighborhood is so bad I wouldn’t recommend anyone go there.

My sisters and I wanted to try the Puffy Tacos as we were visiting San Antonio. So we went to Ray’s. The food was yummy and was very happy with the tacos. Hard to describe how it is crunchy and soft all at the same time! Everyone was so friendly both the customers and staff.

I've been to Ray's multiple times... this place is always busy and the food has always been good, until this last time.... the food was only mediocre and the service was absolutely terrible. I usually come here every so often and I can't wait to eat and enjoy the food and the experience of the original Puffy Taco place. Today was a totally different story. The food was so mediocre I didn't even finish my two puffy tacos. Our waitress was absolutely terrible. She kept forgetting things, and I mean pretty much everything. She forgot our order of nachos that we asked for as an appetizer, she brought the plates out first so we told her to cancel the nachos and she told us she couldn't.... umm what ? We told her we didn't want them and she brought them out anyway and said she had to and had to charge us. What kind of podunk shoddy business practice is this? The place has been around for over 60 years and they were operating like they had no clue what they were doing. This experience was terrible, so terrible that I don't plan on going back and I'm going to tell everyone how terrible this place was. I'll never send anyone here again. What a disgrace!

After reading reviews about the puffy tacos I made a point to get my wife and just graduated Airman daughter over to Ray's to try out the tacos. I am so very glad we went. I knew we were in for a treat when we got there and there was no place to park. Cars were parked up and down the street and across the road from the restaurant. After find a place to park we went in and were seated very quickly. Everyone there (staff and local customers) was super friendly and recommended that we try different types of puffy tacos. We tried multiple puffy tacos and they all were super good and inexpensive. My favorite turned out being the beef puffy taco. This neighborhood restaurant plays at being a hole in the wall but they are have digital registers and other updates to make your paying and getting your order right simple. I can't wait to visit San Antonio again so I can visit Ray's again.

This was are first time visiting. The couple we were with had been here several times. He had seen it on Diners Drive In’s and Dives. We were seated in the back of the restaurant. It gave us the opportunity to see all of the history of the restaurant. The waitress brought out salsa and chips. The salsa has a nice spicy kick. We all ordered puffy tacos. I had beef and chicken tacos. I preferred the chicken over the beef. We added guacamole to the tacos but it seemed to make them get soggy. I would probably pass on adding guacamole next time. We will be back.

I read in a food magazine that San Antonio is the place to try puffy taco's. So when I decided to visit SA for the Thanksgiving holiday trying a puffy taco was top of my list. We decided to hit Ray's as my research on TA, Yelp etc kept saying this was the best for puffy tacos. First, this place is very 'old school' in a great way. It's super casual and almost 'rustic' inside. Second, I ordered a beef and a chicken puffy taco. Both were good, but I think the chicken was my favorite. Food is super inexpensive here too!

The best puffy tacos in town. The chicken puffy tacos are excellent. Good service but cash only so go ahead leave home without it. 😎Newest fave for puffy tacos &willing to make the 20+ mile (one way) drive for it.

Always fun to visit places recommended by the Travel Channel. Very friendly staff, plenty of parking (the have a lot across the street too) and good food. They bring you tortilla chips to snack on. I had the beef puffy taco with a side of fries and hubby had carne guisada puffy tacos and a side of picadillo. We were both happy with our meals. Prices are very reasonable too.

This place is out of the way but do yourself a favor and GO. Get the puffy tacos, sit in the drive-in (or inside and stare at the cool cars in the lot across the street) and leave terribly happy and full.

The food at Ray's was exactly what I expected. TexMex on par with the kind of restaurant it is. The food was not bad - but it was nothing special eather. If you are in the area stop by, I would not go out of my way for this TexMex

We saw this place on the Travel Channel and had to try it. The original puffy taco was no let down. We had the chicken puffy taco, carne guisada puffy taco, & the BBQ puffy taco. All were great. We also tried a hotdog that was split and cheese put in the middle then they wrapped it in a corn tortillas shell to deep fry it. I could eat 10 of those they are so good. This place might not look like much but a must try.

Have wished to try the Original Puffy Taco place, but never got around to it until the Weekend. What a great Place!!!!!! The best Puffy Taco I've ever had, the Fajita meat was so tender, thought I was eating Filet.

Nostalgic trip back to the 50's. We enjoyed the puffy tacos and the homemade salsa. We will go back whenever we travel to San Antonio.

This year I tried different puffy tacos. I was reminded why it is listed in Texas Monthly magazine! I had a beef fajita puffy taco with avocado and a carne guisada puffy taco. The carne guisada was out of this world!! I was told the avocado puffy taco was also fantastic! This place seems to be where the locals go, not a tourist trap kind of place at all.

After my experience with puffy tacos, I am on a mission to try them all now! Another place you might be inclined to drive by, by take a chance here! Arrived for lunch with a party of 8 and was seated right away in a very cool, eclectic dinning room. The decor is awesome. Menu is short but ample and full of the staples known for the region. Servings were adequate and very good. I found the puffy taco shells to be a prefect blend of soft and crispy at the same time. I though the chips and salsa could use improvement but overall a great lunch spot.

Puffy Tacos was a unique experience. They were big and yummy…but tasted like any good taco. Lots of space inside. Service was excellent. Just beware not the best part of town.

We wanted to try some puffy tacos while in San Antonio and this place look llike a good one to try. We was kinda skeptical about the location at first but once inside, everything was good. The staff were very friendly. Even some of the patrons were greeting us out of staters. The puffy tacos didn't disappoint. I wish we would have sitting down and ate a full meal.

We went to Rays on an impromptu late lunch. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced! There are oldies on the jukebox and lots of regulars. We all had the puffy tacos and were not disappointed. This is a west side staple and I sure am glad I now know how good it is! Will be back.

This neighborhood "whole in the wall" taco restaurant is to San Antonio what local Po-boy family owned establishments are to New Orleans. It is a generational place that is a part of the community. It is not in a great place of town (as shared by a local) but it is a local favorite. And it is the first place to have served the revered "puffy taco" in San Antonio. We loved getting a break from the tourist atmosphere of downtown and eating some food locals like to eat. There was more room on the inside than you would think. The staff was friendly and efficient. Our only regret was that we didn't live in San Antonio so that we could eat there more often.

Ray's Drive Inn has been around since 1956 and I've been eating here almost that long. Seriously the best puffy tacos in the history of the world! The puffy tacos are always puffy (some places just make a thick corn tortilla) The food here is always consistent. It all cooked the same every time. The only fluctuations I've ever noticed are in the heat level of the hot sauce. Even then, it's always hot and delicious. The crispy dogs are always cooked well and come with mustard. Crispy dogs are hotdog wieners with a slice of cheese in the middle, wrapped in a corn tortilla and fried until crisp. I'm sure other things are good too, but there's no point in getting anything but puffy tacos! Order the puffy tacos and the lemonade. FYI - they are CASH ONLY. Come prepared.

Went to Ray's drive-in the home of the puffy taco. It is the only puffy taco when ordered to go does not fall apart. It is a hole in the wall to go visit, you will not be disappointed. The chicken flatuas are good. The taco are big portions.

If you're ever in San Antonio this is a must have. The BBQ puffy taco is to die for! They have to open one of these in Orlando...

On a recent trip from a doctor's appointment my husband couldn't think of what we could pick up to eat on the way home..he remembered reading about Ray's drive-in and instructed me on how to get there..once we arrived we saw that it was an older building but with lots of cars in the parking lot we knew the food had to be good..we read the menu and decided to try the carne guisada..man!was it good! the plate came with beans,rice and a flour tortilla,waiting for my order I saw that this place was clean,cool,and that the wait staff were friendly.. It is a place to keep going back to...

Great food as promised! Little did we know we had been enjoying the same great family food right here in Southern California for years in Whittier. Puffy Tacos are the best! The staff was friendly and the food not disappointing. So much fun to walk from room to room to see the history of the restaurant and San Antonio.

The puffy tacos are so delicious that they are as close to the one's my grandma used to make back in the days, here at this place everything is good. But there puffy tacos are the best in all of San Antonio.

Saw last night on Travel Channel the story of Ray's Drive in in San Antonio and in town for business and decided to check it out. About four miles from Riverwalk area. You can pull up and turn lights on and they will come out and take order to go or you can go inside to the restaurant. The home of the Puffy taco is quaint but food is so so. Very bland and greasy. Small menu but I'm glad I tried it! Certainly a novelty.

Great friendly service. Inside the place is covered with antiques and pictures. What a thrill to see history which some of us have or don't want to see or hear about. I had the ground beef puffy taco, which one is enough. I tasted my husband's BBQ puffy tacos, wow, delicious. I just couldn't eat two. Defiantly worth it. Price right. A return a must with a empty stomach .

I've been going to Ray's for over 30 years and this is the first time I've ever enjoyed the service. Rays has always been a place you go for the food and tolerate the service

Have eaten at Ray's 3-4 times now, and have to say, haven't found better puffy tacos anywhere. Just the right amount of crispness versus greasiness and chewiness, and a great corn flavor. Fillings good, too, but it is the taco shell that sets it apart from others, like Henry's (who is, apparently, related???). Yes, its a dive, and that is part of its charm. Completely authentic west side San Antonio experience, which is part of the fun. Take time to look at all the historical junk hanging on the walls and in the back room. Crowded at times on weekends and they only take cash. And if you are looking for 1$ tacos, look elsewhere--tacos run a few bucks each, but you won't need many to fill up. They have a new website (much needed), but it still doesn't list the times they are open. I believe they are closed Mondays, but call to see.

Service was awesome I had a wonderful time at this restaurant it is kinda small but the food makes up for it. I would definitely visit this establishment again it is a gem

Parking lot tricky. Super busy but friendly staff. Good selection with special - any combination of 2 or 3 tacos. Homemade lemonade. Fried dog = fried pig in a tortilla

Disappointed!!! Years ago I loved this place. I had not been to Ray' s in over 10 years and after this experience will not be back. First off, the chips were stale. Even the table next to us mentioned the stale chips to their waitress. We should have taken that as a sign. What Mexican restaurant serves stale chips. We got our food and my husband's beef fajitas were cold. I had one beef fajita taco and the meat was also cold. It was sent back and the man at the counter looked annoyed it was sent back. Got our food back and it looked like the microwaved it. Yuck, the lettuce on my taco looked wilted now thanks to their attempt to warm the fajita meat. My husband's fajita plate, the meat was exactly the same. So he sent it back a second time, and Mr. Mustache at the counter actually had the audacity to give my husband a dirty look. A manager never came to our table to try and apologize. The quality of meat was horrible as well. Thanks for a wasted trip for a terrible meal and dirty looks from Mr. Mustache at the counter.

This place is a few miles from downtown. It is in an area you may need to be careful. The staff are very friendly and the tacos are great. Eat there or get to go. Must try the puffy tacos! Excellent!!

If it looks like there’s no open parking space, look across the street! Don’t drive around block three times like we did! We didn’t see the sign for parking across the street until we were leaving. Neat old place! Service was great. Very clean inside and out. Puffy tacos full not skimpy. Carne gusada was tender and flavorful. The enchiladas were tough though. Salsa served with chips was a bit on spicy side and green not the usual red.

Came to try the puffy taco. We waited less time than they told us, so it was nice that service was quick. The salsa & chips were very spicy. I liked the carne guisada taco better than the chicken version, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come back.

Love the chicken puffy tacos. Very fast service. Was pretty busy had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. But every minute waiting was well worth it once our food arrived. Chicken wasn't dry like most places. Burgers are also good from here. Pretty much anything you will order will be amazing.

Puffy tacos. They are now on the menu of many tex-mex restaurants throughout San Antonio. Most are good to fair. I was not expecting much when I stopped at Ray’s drive-in on the west side. I knew that they claim to be the original but I have been disappointed by that claim before. The service was as good as all the reviews but the food was so much better than I was ready for. I had one chicken, one beef and one carne gusida. I was in heaven. The tacos were hot, crispy, flaky, soft, and oh so good. They held together til the end and what fell out was scooped up with a fork. Nothing was left. There is nothing fancy about Ray’s drive in but it does have character. It will leave you full and happy and feeling like a puro San Antonian.

Awesome! Good service...friendly. Food was cheap and tasty. The puffy taco was so good and the guacamole was fresh. I would eat here again.

Whenever I travel I always make sure to check out Yelp for places to eat locally. Ideally not just locally, but the food that is local. In San Antonio that's Puffy Tacos. So what is a puffy taco? It's a taco made with a corn tortilla that has been inflated with air and then fried. The result is a pure deliciousness. So let's talk about the decor here first. Pure Texas. A crazy mix of country, the West, Mexican, and nostalgia all blended together. Super weird (for me anyway) but in a way that seemed authentic and pretty damn cool. The service was excellent. Our waitress did a great job of explaining the different menu items. I wanted to try a puffy taco but wasn't sure which one. So I asked for whatever she would order. The result was 3 different tacos. One made with beef, one shredded chicken, and one steak. FANTASTIC! The meat was perfectly seasoned, the veggies super fresh, and the taco...PURE AWESOMENESS. Crunchy, yet soft within the outer layer. Negatives? This place is cash only, so be sure to stop at the ATM first. When visiting San Antonio be sure to stop at Ray's. I promise that you won't regret it. In an unrelated side note - Who wants to open Buffalo's first Puffy Taco joint? I'm in!

This is the first time I ate their and will be the last. I had 2 puffy tacos and side of fries. I ate nothing else for the remainder of the day. that night I was vomiting profusely well into the next morning. fever body aches.

If you visit this place, take your patience with you. The service is extremely slow! BUT aside from that, the food and the prices are outstanding! The food is classic Tex-Mex and tastes just like your grandma made it. The salsa is delicious and they even sell it in 3 different sizes. The puffy tacos are fantastic - most places in San Antonio that serve puffy tacos, don't make them correctly. The shells and filling is greasy therefore making for a soggy puffy taco shell that breaks. At Ray's, this isn't a problem. The shells are perfect and the meat is just right as to not break the shell. They are not stingy with anything either. Bonus - the beers are very inexpensive! Imports are $3 while domestics are $2.75. Another one of the great things about Ray's is that they still offer drive-in ordering. It's definitely worth a shot, but only if you have extreme patience!

Heard this was the place for best puffy tacos, it is OK but I would not rush to get here. I interior needs to be seriously cleaned and updated with tables and chairs that do not rock as you are trying to eat. I ordered 2 puffy tacos that came in a paper bowl and fish that came on a plastic plate. I was not impressed with either. The best I can say is the waiter was very nice and friendly and I ate here once.

I always do restaurant research before traveling. I always look for the hole in the walls, local favorites, diamonds in the rough! I read about Ray's before traveling to San Antonio. I had never had a puffy taco before, but I knew I had to have one while I was there! Ray's has been open since 1956 and looks exactly like I imagined it looked at that time! The sign is so faded you can barely tell,what it says. It's not a drive in, but from the parking area (& the name) it's obviously was one at some point. Now you just walk in and find a seat like any other restaurant. Our server was quick and friendly as ever. We wasted no time in ordering puffy tacos (beef) with the roasted jalapeño and an order of refried beans. I got sour cream for mine, my daughter had cheese put on hers. They came quickly and looked as delicious as they tasted!!!! Two puffy tacos was plenty food, but my head definitely wanted more!!! Will be back...I promise!!!

The food here tastes like home! The puffy tacos are delicious and inexpensive. I had a whole plate of food (2 puffy tacos plus rice and beans and a jalapeño) for under $5! They also have a military discount. The location is in the barrio and I'm not sure I'd venture the neighborhood at night but the food is good!

Located on the west side of San Antonio this old school business has been around since 1956 and been on many shows. After watching Taco Chronicles on Netflix I knew I needed to give this place a try. Because I was traveling with my Fur Baby we decided to do the car hop experience. We were lucky enough to find parking under the car port. We were greeted by Sandra, she was so sweet and welcoming, we told her it was our first time and didn't know what to do or how to order. She put our minds at ease and slowly took over. Sandra brought the menus and mentioned what they are known for and we quickly agreed upon 2 puffy chicken tacos, a beef chalupa and an Arnold Palmer. She brought over chips and salsa, she must've know the salsa need salt because she brought the packets on the side and well..... they needed salt!! lol both were made in house! It took about 10 mins to get the rest of our order and I have to say... the Puffy Tacos were absolutely delicious! The crunch of the taco with the "Americanized" filling - cheese, lettuce, tomatoes etc.. was so good. I'm from California and I enjoy a hard shell taco every so often but the puffy taco is another level. if you are in the area definitely give them a try!

My husband saw this place written up for Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network, so we used GPS to find it in a rough looking area we would never have gone through on our own. The restaurant really fits the "dive" look from the outside, with multiple building additions including some new construction. Parking was limited and full but more is provided across the street. The decor is definitely eclectic and service was very friendly from the greeting when we walked in to the table service. We really enjoyed our puffy tacos and were glad we made the trek.

Service was great - we walked in and EVERYONE greeted us - nice touch! My husband had the beef puffy tacos and the gordita (not too sure what the name was) with the guisano meat filling which he said was very tasty and a lot better than the regular beef tacos. I had the puffy shrimp tacos - which were good going down - BUT - they were terrible coming back up - sick for three days - no bueno! I will not go back, so if you go don't get the shrimp tacos!

i have heard about the restaurant before. yesterday i, my doughtier and son in law went to visit for lunch on the westside where they were rated for the best puffy tacos in san antonio. i totally agree. my daughter had the special chicken plate and my son in las and i had the fajita and avocado. i also had the gordita puffy taco which i had for breakfast this morning (too much food for me). the waitstaff was perfect, no over powering. if you are in town and have time, please visit one of the most eclectic and best taco places in san antonio.

Went to eat dinner at Ray's with my wife the other night. Great food and great service. Went with 3 puffy tacos ( 1 chicken, 1 BBQ and 1 carne guisada ) and my wife had 2 chicken with cheese. All equally delicious and topped with house salsa. Good job guys and see y'all when we stop in again.

Funky and interesting decor, full of antiques and mismatched tables and chairs. This is our go-to spot for puffy tacos. On the West side, no one seems to know about it outside of those that live here, and it gets packed on the weekends with nowhere to park. Our family orders the puffy tacos again and again, so much better than other places in town claiming the "best" title at twice the price! Friendly wait staff. The place gets noisy with kids and the TV going full blast (flat screen in the rear dining area).. tea is fresh and refills are fast. The biggest downside is management allowing solicitors in to hawk DVDs, little kids selling candy, you name it. It is annoying to be interrupted 2 or 3 times during a meal with someone trying to sell stuff. Aside from that, I can't complain. When you can take a family of five out for good cheap Tex-Mex for about $25 to 30 bucks and have everyone stuffed when it's time to go, there isn't much room for complaining! Be aware that they don't take credit cards, but I believe there's an ATM machine inside. Worth venturing into the "scary" side of town (not scary to me, I live here!) for some good food at a good price.

We always come here while visiting my family in San Antonio. It’s always great. The servers are always so friendly. If you want great puffy tacos this is the place to come! They even had a cheeseburger on the menu for my picky grandson.

PROS *Puffy tacos concept was unique. *Waitress was friendly. CONS *Puffy taco shell is only interesting for the first bite or two. *Taco meats were pretty average.

Ray's has been around forever and the decor shows it. You can spend your 'wait' time looking at all the cool stuff. We had the Beef Puffy Taco, Carne Guisado, and the Crispy Dogs. The tacos were really good and the Crispy Dog was 'interesting'. Not bad, but I think it's more for kids. The waitress was very good and, when it was obvious it was our first visit, very patient and explained all of the choices. Have to go back and try the chicken taco.

I had been told that Rays had the best Puffy Tacos in San Antonio and I wasn't disappointed. Great food. Light and crispy tacos, with a nice also to add in... Perfect! frankweberauthor.com

Estela was our server and she was great. The tables are a little crowed, but the atmosphere and food are excellent, can't wait to go back. Parking is a problem, but look for the parking lot across 19th street facing left going north on 19th.

We drove by Ray's one night and decided anyplace that claimed the original Puffy Taco deserved a shot...am I glad we stopped! I got a Puffy Taco, a Puffy Brisket Taco, and Crispy Hotdogs. My wife got the Puffy Taco Plate. We both loved what we ordered and decided we would be back! This is a great place to eat if you like going off the beaten path. There is extra parking across the street, so don't let the number of cars scare you off.

we have been wanting to go here for a number of years,but something always got in the way. last week we finally made it and it was well worth the wait. we we really interested in the puffy tacos. this place is like going back to the 50's.....it really is a drive-in with outside car service. there is plenty of parking, with a big lot across the street. inside, there are a couple of sitting areas. we were seated immediately and of course we ordered the chicken puffy tacos. they are very good and served with a green sauce that is 'hot'. really enjoyed the tacos, although not entirely dry, and we are going back for other dishes. so glad we came, see you very soon.

Sweetie and i saw this place on one of the food shows and after a good day at the Mexico Independence Festival and the Riverwalk. Sweetie and i decided to hit it for a late lunch. It isn't fancy, but the puffy tacos, which supposedly originated here, are delicious. Sweetie had 2 beef fajita tacos and I had a chicken fajita taco and a beef taco. The shells are just like on tv, crisp, fried and puffy. They're crunchy, messy and totally different. The hot sauce is outstsnding. Definitely has a nice kick to it, I. Fact, it was too spicy for Sweetie! All in all, a great experience.

We went to Ray's after seeing them on Delicious Destinations TV show. We were very pleased. The location is west of downtown in a not-so-great neighborhood, but that was part of the experience. The restaurant is full of old memorabilia. Old coke machines, record players, and other stuff line the walls to entertain you during your short wait for food. We had the puffy tacos and a fish platter. Both were very good. The ground beef meat in the tacos was very tasty and the taco shells were "puffy" and fried to perfection. The service was friendly and fast. We had Lone Star beers, four tacos, and the fish dinner plate. With tip, $27 for two people and we were full. If you are a foodie, or just like good food in a unique place, go to Ray's.

This is another one of those neighborhood joints that reminds patrons of their childhood. It is a small divey drive-in that probably looks the same as it did in the '50s. Nothing wrong with that. I have a few of these places that I still go to myself. We went on the recommendation of a friend to try the puffy tacos. We also decided to try the crispy dogs as I had never had one. The puffy was OK, but I had let the hype build my expectations a little high. As a result I was slightly disappointed. These puffies would probably rate towards the bottom of my top 10 list. And the crispy dogs are probably a great food for kids, but not something I would get again. Also, I was expecting pretty cheap prices for this type of location and was a bit surprised. Not terribly expensive or anything, just a bit out of line for the location, quality of food, and setting. Since it is a bit of a distance from the casa, I would probably not go out of the way to go there again, but It was fun to visit the old place for a bit of other folks nostalgia none the less.

We were out to taste the Puffy taco. Ray's was highly recommended for their puffy tacos. From what I heard, it is where it originated. So we had great expectations. As we arrived we were happy to see many people enjoying their lunch which is always a good sign that food must be good. The service is very good. All servers are very kind and helpful. The vintage vibe that the decoration has was very nice. Loved the ambiance. But the food was a disappointment. While it is not bad there was nothing to be excited about. It is just average Mexican food. Let me start by saying that the puffy taco tortilla is good. I like the flaky feel it has. It is hard to describe but is crispy, flaky, and soft all at the same time. But what was disappointing was the filling of the tacos. One distinguishing factor of Mexican food is the complexity, depth, and intensity of flavors. This was missing in our meal. My wife ordered two puffy tacos: one chicken fajitas and one beef fajitas. Her main comlaint was that they were bland. And that is the one thing Mexican food never is, bland. I had three Puffy tacos, one picadillo, one carne guisdada, and one chicken. Just as my wife experienced, the chicken was bland. The carne guisdada and the picadillo were just average. It is like there is no effort to create something remarkable, just expected and average. If you like tangy, vinegar-based salsas that are not sweet, then you will like their salsa. The lemonade was really good. Prices are fair. All in all, the food wasn't bad but it wasn't what I expected either. That said, it is obvious that many others folks were enjoying their food so what do I know? lol Would I go back or recommend it? No, I wouldn't.

I really enjoy going to local iconic places when I visit a city and Ray's definitely falls into that category. Despite the name, this is a Mexican restaurant and they do it really good. I got the puffy taco plate (a San Antonio staple), one with chicken and the other with carne guisada. Both were delicious. Add rice and beans for $7 and you have great, cheap meal.

This place is not fancy, but has the best puffy tacos anywhere. The food comes out hot and super fast. Highly recommend Ray's!

Whenever I visit a city, my first research is always about the local specialty. For San Antonio, puffy tacos seemed to be it. When I read that Ray's Drive Inn was supposedly the birthplace of puffy tacos, it just became imperative for us to make sure we stop by before we left the city. It may seem rather sketchy in the neighborhood, but as a local friend told us, "Well this is San Antonio, our 'sketchy' area is still probably safer than most neighborhoods in the country." And he was correct. I thought the area was an older blue collar neighborhood and not at all "sketchy" since we did not feel unsafe for one single second. The ambiance here is great -- homey and welcoming. They have interesting decor -- with old record players, juke boxes, a very eye-catching altar, and other knickknacks serving as decorations. Not at all fancy, this is a joint that caters to locals (who are mostly regulars, I imagine). On our visit, it was clear that we were the only out-of-towners and first timers. I like! The service was friendly and quick. Our waitress could tell this was our first time and was very patient with us when we kept changing our minds. We had a steady supply of free chips and flavorful salsa so taking our sweet time making up our minds took even longer than usual. After we ordered, the food was in front of us in less than ten minutes. We also never had to make mush of an effort to get our drinks refilled. We ordered the puffy tacos -- chicken fajitas, chicken, and beef. Everything was quite flavorful with the exception of chicken fajitas, which was really just...odd. There was nothing about the chicken fajita puffy tacos that made me think of chicken fajitas. I also ordered the chicken enchilada which was good, but was eclipsed by the puffy tacos. I get the popularity of puffy tacos and I wish we had some readily available near my home. If you do visit, make sure you have cash or your debit card, since they have an ATM inside (I am not sure about surcharges, though, as we did not have to use it). The good news is that the menu items are cheap so $20 per (very hungry) person should be more than sufficient -- their servings are more than filling. I would not hesitate recommending Ray's Drive Inn for people who want to have great puffy tacos with the locals. We would have gone back if we stayed in San Antonio longer.

We went to lunch with our family and ate Puffy Tacos. They were delicious 😋 definitely a little gem in San Antonio. Service was slow, but sure worth the wait. Definitely would come back here.

Staff is awesome !! Jennifer my waitress was great . Everyone is really nice & attentive . They don’t have queso . Disappointed with that for sure . I ordered a puffy taco w/ ground beef & bean & cheese taco w/ extra cheese . The puffy taco was good . It wasn’t the best or the worst . The bean & cheese taco . Decent . I was irritated that the cold extra cheese I ordered came on the side instead of being placed on the taco so it could be melting . I’m giving so many stars for the great customer service. The food was ok.

Ray's Drive In is an institution in San Antonio. Consistently voted by the public as the best puffy tacos in the city, the prices at atmosphere ooze Tex Mex at its finest. I ALWAYS take out of town guests here to have authentic Tex Mex food and take pleasure in pointing out to them that they can rest assured of the place's authenticity by noting that they are (usually) the only non-Hispanic folks in the restaurant. The Chicken puffy tacos are my favorite... if you like beef you can order one beef and one chicken to compare. The tacos do not come with cheese unless you ask for it. Another great option is the Tex Mex plate that comes with a puffy taco, and enchilada, and carne guisada (braised beef in gravy). The hot sauce there is spicy and delicious and the lemonade is refreshing. A plate of tacos with rice and beans is only about $6... and if you want to eat in your car, just leave your headlights on and the waitress will come out for curb service :) CASH ONLY (ATM on site)

Love this place. Have been coming here for years. My family before me too. They have the puffy tacos and crispy dogs that are just to original in flavor ! They have nig red on tap! The fresh squeezed lemonade is the best! Love this place classic dine in Southside SA!

Ray's Drive In is noted for originating the Puffy Taco. Just before leaving for San Antonio I saw an Andrew Zimmern show on San Antonio restaurants and saw a segment on Ray's Drive In so we had to try the Puffy Taco. It is very good because of the light crunchiness of the puffy shell. We both had the Gordias chicken, I had a fish and my girlfriend had a fajitas taco all great flavors. A pleasant change from the standard soft or hard shell taco. The place is funky neat and the service is very friendly.

Finally went to rays after years of hearing about the best puffy tacos in sa and was definitely not disappointed. Food is delicious and somehow not too greasy! The place is sort of weird in a fun way on the inside and the beers are cheap!! Don't forget to bring cash - not credit cards here

The food was pretty good. I tried their puffy tacos and found them a bit too crunchy for my taste. Their burgers were good if a little over-spiced. Service was friendly.

My first visit was a memorable one. I believe our waitress name was Brittany and she was a joy to work with. I felt she was very honest with her recommendations and I took them all. From crispy dogs to puffy tacos, I enjoyed them all. We got so caught up in conversation and watching the game that they closed and we didn't even know it. No interruptions. I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant that has unmatched hospitality.