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    El Coqui Restaurant

    4.4 (138 reviews)
    Closed Closed

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    EL COQUI RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - El Coqui Restaurant

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    Chuleta Kan-Kan
    Michael C.

    Great hidden gem by the base. Friendly staff and service that got to know and help you decide on what to get. The food was absolutely amazing! Can not wait to come here again and try out more!

    Dessert cabinet for the buffet. Brownies, cupcakes, cookies, and rice pudding
    Brittany W.

    FREAKING DELICIOUS! Got the buffet lunch and it was so good! Even went back for a second plate, not because I was hungry, but because the seafood rice was so delicious and the chicken was so tender. The service has excellent! The staff was bursting with hospitality and I'm definitely coming back again. That seafood rice... I would buy a whole to go container of that stuff and be a happy camper. Some of the people I went with opted for sandwiches, which were so big, none of them finished. I need to go back and try the flan.

    Black beans, seafood rice, Puerto Rican rice, fried tilapia, and fried sweet plantains. All delicious.
    Janel F.

    Food was delicious. My husband brought me here, as he has ate here with a few of his co-workers for lunch, and wanted to bring me here to try the food. This is my first time coming here, and definitely won't be the last. As mentioned the food was delicious. We came on a Friday during lunch time, and you have the option to either order through a set menu, or eat whatever is served at the buffet, which is $12.99 for all you can eat. Both my husband and I opted for the buffet, and I'm glad we did. I got the seafood rice, Puerto Rican rice, beans, fried tilapia, and fried sweet plantains, which were all delicious. My husband got the same and some other pork options they had, and he enjoyed them all. The only thing we ordered from the menu were the empanadillas (2 chicken and 1 beef) and tostones, which came with a green sauce. Both were good, however I wasn't a fan of the green oil sauce that came with the tostones, so we ate the tostones by itself, which was still good. *Note that the food being served at the buffet changes every week -- this is what I was told by the gentleman at the register. Ambiance was good. Service was great! Very welcoming and friendly. Parking is a little tight, which was the only downside, but nonetheless, I would definitely recommend giving this place a try.

    Florence A.

    Service: the ladies here are always so sweet and welcoming. My husband loves coming here, he says the vibe reminds him of his family at home in NY and Puerto Rico. Ambiance: cozy, laid back. You feel right at home. It's nothing fancy, but the environment captures the essence of those mom and pop shops on the islands, let a lone those in an old city. Food: always yummy. Gives me a home cooked vibe, as if your Abuela made it for you. They have a delicious house sauce that adds a nice spice to your food. We come here often for the buffet.

    El CoQui Puerto Rican food!
    Chris M.

    This place is located in an older strip of various stores on SW Military Dr; on the opposite side of the street from Lackland AFB. There are lots of mom & pop family type establishments there... (if you blink you might miss it). The hours on Yelp read 11-4pm and we arrived a few minutes before 3. From the outside the sign read closed. The store front windows have dark tinted windows so the place looked closed. But I could see that the pad lock was off and a peek of light was visible at the top of the tinted windows. Walking in my initial impression was it's a simple, fairly clean, no fancy arrangements... but definitely not an eye soars. I truly love Mom & Pop family establishments because they usually make you feel at home. I was greeted by Hector (I think he was the owner) and boy did he render me a welcome home brother greeting. He talked to me as if he'd known me for 20 years and I loved it. Seems this place focuses mostly on lunch time vittles served buffet style. Since it was close to closing time Mr. Hector fixed me up a generous serving of fresh yellow rice, black beans, roasted pork and some pork short ribs in a togo box. He even gave me another serving of yellow rice with more roasted pork in a small togo container. Thank you Sir!!! Hector also told me that they have various different items on the buffet on different days of the week but I was so focused on his generous servings! I can't remember much of what he said and the price was only $11.99. Driving home was a challenge because I was dying to taste the moist & juicy pork I saw him load into my container. By the time I reach the first red light I had the container opened and started eating the pork with my fingers... OMG hm hmm mmmm! PERFECT! I could not wait to get home and dive in more. Sitting down to sample my Puerto Rican lunchbox I felt so excited and as I began to eat I was completely amazed to find the pork short ribs were tender and nicely seasoned, yellow rice was cooked perfect with black beans on top and loads of moist and tasty roasted pork. My wife and I shared this lovely PR plate of pleasure and both agreed that this was the best $12 we've spent on lunch in a very long time. She actually said that by the rice & beans being cooked to perfection takes this plate over the top. I give Mr. Hector 2 thumbs up and I promise you this will be a regular place to stop and pick up some good home cooked style PR food. They offer various appetizers, popular PR plates and sandwiches but I'd suggest the buffet so that you can get a great sample of their common foods. I almost forgot to mention their home made salsa that was also very good. The taste was different but definitely good and a nice addition to the roasted pork. I've read several of the reviews and I will admit that some had me a little cautious about trying this place but I'm very happy that I trusted my instinct and not those negative reviews. Mr. Hector said that he tries to keep the price affordable and I will admit that I would not have a problem paying a little bit more. I even tried to tip him but he refused to accept and said that he doesn't like to accept tips for togo orders. There are so many good places to eat in San Antonio but but quality personalized customer service is hard to find! THANKS AGAIN SIR!

    Arros, gandules and peni.
    Juanita F.

    My brother told us about this restaurant that had delicious Puerto Rican food so we drove an hour and they did not disappoint. My husband and mother in law loved the food . The minute they walked in said it smelled like home. The service was great the food was delicious, hot and came out fast. We will definitely come back next time we are in town.

    Cubano Sandwich
    Don D.

    This place was a quick stop for lunch and let me tell you it was absolutely amazing! The staff and owner were very friendly. I went to the front counter and ordered a Cubano. The food came quick. Once I got it, I left to eat in the car even though they have plenty of seating. The Cubano was soooo good. Amazing flavor, hot, and juicy! Highly recommended.

    This place is very delicious. I like going for the daily buffet and especially on Thursdays when they have the pork ribs on the buffet line.

    Coconut dessert
    Hilda M.

    The food was a pleasant discovery. There is not many variety in Latin American food here so this was a wonderful find. I've had Puerto Rican food in Florida and this place was just as authentic. I had the buffet that's offered during the week for lunch and it was very good and tasted homey. Will definitely be returning. The staff was all very friendly and attentive. The aesthetic of the place was cute too, with all the traditional art as well.

    Carne Frita and Tostones
    Maria V.

    This place was amazing!! The food was fresh to order. We got there to late and was unable to try the flan. But I will visit again when I return to San Antonio

    Cubano sandwich

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    7 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Great service. Great food. Always recommended. Clean always. Serving portions are always enough to share.

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    Tammy G.

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    3 years ago

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    Tammy G.

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    5 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    Tammy G.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Tammy G.

    Thanks for the review. See you next time!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Cubano sandwich good . Recommend. Close to port San Antonio and just needed a good sandwich.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Nancy C.

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    4 years ago

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    Tammy G.

    So glad you had a great experience, Marty. Have a great day!

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    Tammy G.

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    5 years ago

    Is this place open ? I checked the times before I left and it said open 12-4 drove all the way down there and they were closed.

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    7 years ago

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    Nancy C.

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food and outstanding service. They have excellent Puerto Rican food and the atmosphere is very Latin

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Nancy C.

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    2 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - El Coqui Restaurant

    What is in the buffet?

    Buffet options vary by day, but usually include 2 proteins, 2 rice dishes, 2 side dishes, and a salad bar. It is not self serve, but you can request unlimited plates.

    How is it for the buffet per person? Do you have buffet everyday?

    Monday - Friday it cost $11.99

    View All 3 Questions

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    Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill Y Tapas

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    Saw this place featured on Guy Fieri's Diners Drive Ins and Dives. I'll be honest, most of the time…read moreI try to hit his featured joints when I'm visiting a new city. Only recently found out this location had been on the show, so my wife and I thought "why not?" Bottom line: I'm usually underwhelmed by the places Guy features on DDD. However, I wasn't this time. We were pleasantly surprised by everything. Got lucky our server was Puerto Rican and could walk us through some different items and words on the menu. She was a gem. I knew NOTHING about Puerto Rican food before last Wednesday night. Started with the plantain chips and dip: we ate the whole thing. Wonderful. Highly recommend. My entree was the El Condado steak with arroz con gandules and savory beans. Highly recommend, although I found my steak pretty damn tough to cut and undercooked. Like, seriously pinker than I'd like considering I ordered it medium. My wife ate one of the Mofongo dishes. Everything was very good. Wish my steak had been cooked more and that service hadn't trailed off toward the end, but I still think the whole package is worth that fourth star. Great date night location.

    The happy hour offered daily is great. Lots of plates that are so delicious and priced affordable…read more The regular menu is also fantastic. They moved location about 3 weeks ago and I love the vibes of the new location just down the street. I always receive great service. Check out the lunch buffet. Tasty and inexpensive. A great way to sample different offerings. Do it!!!

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    Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill Y Tapas - Patatas Bravas

    Patatas Bravas

    Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill Y Tapas - Bodega entrance

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    Bodega entrance

    Cuba 1918

    Cuba 1918

    4.1(150 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    First time visiting after seeing an ad for their Easter brunch buffet, and overall it was a mixed…read morebut positive experience. We made reservations in advance (there is a $5 per person reservation fee), and the flyer advertised hours from 10am-2pm. However, when we arrived just before 11am, the restaurant was still closed. After checking in about our reservation, we were eventually seated and able to order drinks, which were brought out promptly. The buffet itself wasn't ready until around 11:45am, which was a bit of a wait, but once it opened, the food did not disappoint. There was a good variety of options, with the shredded pork and creamy garlic chicken being the standout dishes--both were absolutely delicious. The coffee was also strong and flavorful, which I appreciated. The restaurant has a warm, rustic feel, though parking is limited to street parking only. The staff seemed a bit disorganized and confused at times, but they were friendly throughout the experience. My only suggestion would be to offer a way to toast bread and bagels, or at least make that option more visible to guests. Overall, the quality of the food was solid, and despite a few hiccups with timing and organization, I'd be open to coming back and trying their buffet again.

    After watching the movie, the Chef, and seeing how delicious the cubanos look, we had to find a…read morelocal Cuban restaurant. What we found was this mom and pop Cuban "secret" restaurant. What a pleasant surprise, it's restaurant week here in town. We decided to try their menu and also grab a Cubano while we're there. We started with the shrimp and the tapas. The shrimp was lite with a tropical feel to it. The tapas was very good. The pork was fork tender. Tacos and chicken came out next. The chicken was tender and full of flavor. The tacos were delicious. So many incredible flavors. Now for the reason we came. The Cubano! A soft bread, toasted to perfection with the right amount of meat, cheese, mustard, and pickles. Wow..... when that first bite hits your soul

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    Cuba 1918 - Inside, stage and dance floor in back

    Inside, stage and dance floor in back

    Cuba 1918 - The Havana

    The Havana

    Cuba 1918 - Front entrance

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    Front entrance

    El Coqui Restaurant - puertorican - Updated May 2026

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