San Antonio River Walk Restaurants: What to Order

San Antonio River Walk restaurants include Commerce Street Texas bistros known for tableside guacamole, Italian kitchens on Crockett Street, German-Texan lunch counters and downtown barbecue counters a few blocks away. Pick one for lunch, one for dinner and rate each dish.

The river is busy and many places cater to visitors, so a few local habits help. This page covers tableside guacamole, Commerce Street, Italian dinners by the water, downtown barbecue and a simple River Walk lunch plan.

Which San Antonio River Walk restaurants should you try first?

Start with the dish people ask for by name. Texas bistros on East Commerce Street are known for tableside guacamole, made at the table, so ask the server about the heat and the extras. Read menus as you walk, and pick the room where the plates coming out look like what you want.

From there, the river walk is a short stroll, and the other kinds of places on this page are a few blocks apart.

Where is tableside guacamole in San Antonio?

Tableside guacamole is made at the table to order. It is a good starter for a group, since each person can ask for a different amount of spice.

Order it with chips and share. Rate the guacamole by name, and say whether the table was happy with the heat and the texture.

What kinds of restaurants line Commerce Street?

Commerce Street mixes long-standing places with newer ones, among them German-Texan lunch counters that pair sandwiches such as a Reuben with soup, which makes them a lunch stop rather than a dinner one.

The two pair well: soup and a sandwich for lunch at one, and a Texas dinner at the other. Walking between them gives you a look at the street, and a short wait at either is normal at peak hours. If you are visiting for a few days, spread the meals out, since one long meal a day by the river is plenty.

Where can you get Italian on the River Walk?

Italian kitchens on Crockett Street offer shrimp dishes and familiar menus. An Italian kitchen is a good choice for a group that wants a menu everyone knows.

Ask the server about the shrimp dish and rate it by name. Note whether the portion was shareable. Italian kitchens on the river often seat large groups, so mention the size of your party when you arrive and ask how long the wait is. A table of six can share two pastas and a shrimp dish with room for a dessert, and a table of two can split a plate and take the walk back to the hotel.

Is there Texas barbecue downtown?

Downtown barbecue counters smoke meat over post oak and mesquite and sell brisket, pork ribs and sides such as mac and cheese. Many stay open only until the meat sells out.

Barbecue sells out, so go for an early lunch. Order a plate to share, and rate the brisket and the sides separately. Barbecue is sold by the portion and often runs out by mid-afternoon, so ask what is left when you arrive and be ready to pick a second choice. Notes on smoke, bark and tenderness help a reader who knows barbecue, and notes on portions help one who does not.

What is a San Antonio River Walk lunch plan?

Choose one place and sit down for an hour. The river is a lovely place to eat, but it is also a crowded one, so a late lunch can be calmer than noon. A walk along the water after the meal helps the afternoon.

If you are traveling with children, ask about seating and plan for a break between courses. Bring a hat and water if the day is hot, and choose a table in the shade if you have a choice. A rating that mentions the setting, the noise level and how quickly the food arrived is a favor to the next family.

Because the river path is busy, it helps to decide before you arrive whether you want a table with a view or the best plate, since the two do not always go together. Ask what the kitchen is known for rather than what the waiter points to first, and look at what the neighboring tables are eating. If you are in a group, split into two orders and swap halves so you taste more of the menu.

How do you keep track of River Walk food with Mosey?

Rate each dish by name. Mosey needs only the place and stars; then you can name the dish, such as guacamole or a brisket plate, add tags such as Group Dining or Family Friendly, and add a photo. A rating that says "guacamole, mild, plenty for four" helps a visitor plan.

Start a list called River Walk lunch and dinner and add each place with a note on what to order. Share the invite link so friends can add their own finds. Follow friends to see what they rated and saved. The ratings page explains dish ratings.

What else should you read?

For more of the city, the historic restaurants guide covers long-running places, the Southtown guide covers a neighborhood south of downtown and the breakfast tacos guide goes deeper on one dish. See the San Antonio page, the Texas page and the US food guides.

On your next trip downtown, open the Mosey app, rate each dish by name and keep the best finds in a list.