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    El Rafa's Cafe

    3.7 (110 reviews)
    Closed 6:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    El Rafa's Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    EL RAFA'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - El Rafa's Cafe

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    Bacon and eggs,beans and rice and pancakes.  Wife got huevos rancheros

    We absolutely love this place. Everything is great , really! You got family visiting bring them here for simply great and delicious food. Nothing fancy justba good down home great cooking and awesome service restaurant. This is the one one place you only bring your closet friends and family. When we bought our place in town I had to bring my young hip realtor here. He had no idea lol .

    Carne guisada, one of the best cg in town!
    Rasiel G.

    Love me some rafas! Some of the best carne guisada in town. This place is usually packed & parking is small. I'm always greeted & seated right away. Service is always good fast & friendly. Get some cg!

    Menudo
    Michaleen C.

    We ended up at El Rafa's The selection of their menu is good. It's like your mama's kitchen and you are her favorite son... (don't be mad now- I didn't make the rules) But we all know I was there for ONE THING only. Let's start with what it is not- No enchilada sauce sazon or consistency No tomato based nothing Not super salty Not served with cilantro or oregano Is not bright red (which is weird to have menudo bright red... it is not normal color of red chili cooked down ) - overall a win What it is- It is served with lemons, onion, diced jalapeno, and homemade tortillas Off the stove top hot Has a touch of 'the stank' when it arrives to the table (which if you get your beef fresh from a place that doesn't scald the tripe this is normal) The soup sazon is caliente with enough kick to get your sweat going The tripe to hominy ratio is 3:1 Plus it is seasoned well, although I would like a more mas- it's like mom's kitchen and you know it is made with love so... Try El Rafa's in San Antonio Service is great They had 5-6 servers for fast service The cooks are on their A game as well... Honestly, the roof might leak but the food and flavor are real... which keeps the seats packed and will have me returning to them for my fix

    My daughter her husband my grandson and great grandson and my daughter brother in law
    Gilberto C.

    Comfortable I guess it was slow service because for all the orders to come out at the same time and when I saw the waitress carrying 5 plates at the time you don't see that often

    Puffy tacos plate
    Carolina E.

    Food was okay, not a fan of the picadillo or the chicken crispy tacos. The carne guisada was good though and a good size taco for $4.39. My kids puffy tacos were like cups with meat and lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. The chalupas also were okay but not our taste. Maybe missing some spices? Very clean restaurant though and our server could have been more attentive. My sisters liked their tacos.

    Outside
    Sophina M.

    My husband had been given really good reviews about this place so instead of taking a left on Fredericksburg that day, which we would normally do to go to a different restaurant, we took a right and ended up here at Rafa's Cafe. Chips and salsa don't hit the table unless you order them, it's $2.50 for the portion which is decent, but the chips were very bland and they gave us warm ranchero sauce in place of actual salsa. That, for me is a no. I ended up getting the Rafas plate and my husband got 3 tacos which were very average because their tortillas on that particular day weren't very good. I think they make them homemade, but they weren't fluffy at all and actually got hard as we sat there. We had leftover tortillas which I will normally take home from a restaurant if they're homemade, but we left them behind. The Rafas plate was very salty. I couldn't enjoy anything but the tostada including the taco. The restaurant looks clean, but the bathrooms were pretty disgusting. I'm worried about what the back of the house looks like. Service was ok but our drinks were never refilled and that salt almost turned me into a raisin.

    Door
    Jose C.

    Well first things first my food and coffee were cold. I understand it was a rainy day and there are so many people to take care of. That is no excuse however, I almost had to eat with no utensils and no straw for my drinks. If the food wasn't really tasty I would of left a one star review. Come on staff do better, this place used to blow my mind...

    Chicken 1 Meat Quesadilla

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    6 months ago

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    2 months ago

    This is a neighborhood place that's been there forever. Great carne guisada plate! Pairs well with the delicious tortillas.

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    1 year ago

    Love this place. One of the best little restaurants in town. Freah flour tortillas are awesome.

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    1 year ago

    Great food awesome service. Very friendly waitress The food was very delicious . We were served right away. The food was fresh

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    2 years ago

    Why were 3 tacos 17$? Geez. Not good enough food to warrant that price. The tacos also came to our table pretty cold.

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    4 years ago

    Great mexican food served hot! Homeade tortillas! Very nice staff! The portions are just right and it is worth the price.

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    Page 1 of 3

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    La Panadería Bakery Café

    La Panadería Bakery Café

    4.5
    (2.9k reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Established in 2014

    INCREDIBLE bakery, burger, coffee, and service! On a Saturday morning, there was a line out the…read moredoor and down the street! We were given menus to look at while we waited so by the time we got to the counter, we were ready to order. The baked goods aren't on the menu, so when we walked by the counter filled with croissants, kouign amann, bear claws, apple pie, cheese cakes, it was hard to choose what we wanted!! We ordered: the Alamo Burger: a 8 oz wagyu beef smash burger , served with a fried egg, caramelized onions, cheese on a crispy croissant bun. It was incredible and worth the 15-20 minute wait! Almond croissant - a monster sized, flaky croissant with a generous almond filling. Guy Fieri highlighted this croissant on his DD&D show. It's probably a million calories not worth it! Tequila strawberry tres leches croissant - a small, cream filled croissant with strawberries. This was our least favorite. My husband didn't like the filling, I didn't like the sogginess of the croissant. Coffee - really good brewed coffee with free refills. We plan to go back a few more times while we're in town!!

    Above average food, chaotic entry and short on seating…read more Food was alright. But by the time we got seated and picked up bistro style, I was losing my appetite a bit. Cakes, pastries, pancakes are great. I liked my Reuben sandwich.

    Photos
    Fiesta Lobster Benedict
    Fiesta Lobster Benedict
    We have a full coffee bar- what will you pair with your pan dulce?
    We have a full coffee bar- what will you pair with your pan dulce?
    Breaskfast, brunch, and lunch available!

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    Breaskfast, brunch, and lunch available!
    La Boulangerie

    La Boulangerie

    4.5
    (449 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    Ohh La Boulangerie, what can I say but delicious. A cute spot on Broadway in downtown San Antonio…read more Sylvie the owner is originally from Western France and moved close to Paris then came to San Antonio. Their baking ingredients are sourced from France and the recipes are from her and her husband. And they're a local restaurant which I love supporting! We had the Petit Dejuener Deluxe breakfast which includes one pastry (either a croissant, chocolate croissant or bread pudding), a baguette (with either butter, homemade jam or honey), organic fresh eggs made to order or quiche slice, fresh squeezed orange juice and a yogurt with granola and fresh fruit and a black coffee or tea. It's a great option for those unable to decide on what to eat for breakfast. They have sandwiches, individual baked goods, à la carte items and hot and cold drink options as well. Coffee is strong n tasty Quiche is not dry at all Baguette and croissant are fresh baked Homemade jam Fresh squeezed OJ! Makes me happy! And for those in Austin...they opened a second location in Austin West lake area.

    Ok, second time in, and it continues to bring me back to Europe. The staffs hospitality, friendly…read morewelcome... I know a big name bakery opened up around the corner on Houston. For us it's good but screens tourists. La Baoulangerie is small, cozy, and a European feel. Then the food, come on now! You taste the homemade love. Yes, I will take a baked fresh, with French flour Baguette to go please! Downtown residence, if you haven't gone your missing out (from a guy who lives in Europe 3-4 months out of the year) Tourist... You will thank me later.

    Photos
    La Boulangerie
    La Boulangerie
    La Boulangerie

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    Schilo's

    Schilo's

    4.0
    (1.7k reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Great fast service & food!! A MUST GO place when by SA Alamo/Riverwalk. It's like taking a step…read moreback in time! Oldest restaurant in SA- established as a Saloon in 1917 and turned delicatessen in prohibition. Staff were extremely friendly, encouraged me to walk around, and showed pride when telling me the history of the building & restaurant. Showed me the old bank vault. 5 star service!! Multiple seating options. Large separate room for dining or parties. Cool old bar & cash register. I got there when they first opened. No wait. Then what appeared to be regulars started slowly rolling in. I enjoyed their famous cane sugar root beer in an ice cold mug ($4.50 and comes with one refill) Potato Pancakes - comes with delicious large bowl of applesauce Side of brautworst - felt like the german thing to do. Not my typical breakfast. Should have asked for a tad of their mustard. Open 8a-230p

    We came early, so we didn't have to wait, although we had made reservations just in case. Our…read moreserver caught me off guard at first because some of his responses came across as a little rude. After a bit, I realized he was joking, but it just wasn't my style. It happened a couple more times during the meal, and I still found it a little off-putting. As for the food, breakfast was just okay. It wasn't bad, but nothing really stood out or made me want to order it again. The atmosphere, though, was the highlight for me. I loved the interior, it has a relaxed vibe and makes you feel like you've stepped back in time. Overall, it was a decent experience. I'd definitely be willing to give this place another shot for dinner the next time we're in San Antonio, since I've heard that's when they really shine.

    Photos
    Deli case
    Deli case
    Schilo's
    Irish coffee

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    Irish coffee
    Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, Valencia Hotel Collection

    Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, Valencia Hotel Collection

    3.8
    (600 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    This hotel is perfect. First, location is near the river and downtown. You can walk anywhere;…read morethere's coffee shops, restaurants and shops. Now if you don't want to walk the hotel has the best restaurants: Dorregos and Acenar. You can not go wrong with the restaurants. The breakfast plates were amazing and the Mexican food was delicious. The employees were friendly and helpful. They knew their jobs and they knew their town so if you need information or advice on where to eat or what to do they will give you great advice. We were very happy and pleased with everything here.

    Sensory nightmare. My husband called months in advance and twice more leading up to checkin to…read morerequest fragrance free and feather free room. They insisted they could accommodate us. In the lobby for checkin today, I had an instant headache because the fragrance was so strong. At that point they informed us that there is some additional fee per day on top of the already pricey room, a fee that they never disclosed before today. We continued upstairs, and I could hardly breathe in the elevator it was so scented. When we got to the room it was also heavily fragranced. I tried to call the front desk, and the phone in the room didn't work reliably. Our call dropped several times. They offered box fans for us to air out the room. However, when we opened the windows, a blast of cigarette smoke wafted into the room because it is directly above their designated smoking area. We asked the front desk for help, and they said not to worry, hardly anyone smokes in that area. Meanwhile we watched several people out there smoking almost constantly. They offered no other accommodation or help. Not worth it. Very uncomfortable and upset because this will ruin our vacation. Edit: 1 to 3 stars. The manager eventually heard our concerns, responding to a secondary issue with cigar smoke in our room after leaving windows open - their recommendation- to air out the room. They found us a different accommodation and made it more than fair and comfortable. Why not 4 stars? Because it took the entire first day to be resolved.

    Photos
    Underwhelming room for over $300/night... it was clean
    Underwhelming room for over $300/night... it was clean
    Valencia orange wall
    Valencia orange wall
    Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, Valencia Hotel Collection

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    Four Brothers

    Four Brothers

    4.2
    (232 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$$

    Another great meal! Our server Brahim provided the perfect service: attentive, thoughtful, kind…read more Really enhanced our meal. For a starter we shared the cornbread with another couple and it was plenty for 4 people. If you are from out of town and looking for some Texas-shaped vittles or just want something substantial to stretch your meal I recommend it! Very tasty and filling. For my main I had the scallops with creamed corn risotto. It was a dainty portion but the flavors were nice. My husband had the short rib tagliatelle which he loved. It was very rich and filling. We had the buttermilk pie again for dessert and this time it tasted sweeter than I remembered. It was good but we couldn't finish it. Idk if it was my tastebuds or if it was different. Anyways still a great meal overall and we will be back!

    We arrived in San Antonio after an 11+ hour road trip from New Orleans. By 7 pm hubs wanted dinner…read moreas soon as we checked into our hotel. Checked Yelp for dinner suggestions so Doc drove us to the paid lot next to where all the Cinderella lit up carriages drawn by horses were lined up. It seemed the boats going up and down the River portion of the Walk were busier. While we were walking I had my eyes open for a table with a view. We stopped at Four Brothers. The receptionist went over suggestions on the menu on her outdoor podium. Cornbread in the shape of Texas, shareable items like Dino ribs for $82, plus Pork Shank and ice tea completed our order. Everyone was very friendly. We had an exceptional view and we had more than enough food that we had to ask for take out boxes. My favorite was the Mac & cheese though I'm usually not a fan. This dish used cork screw shaped pasta and it was moist and not stuck together. I had to share a photo of it with Sweetie who is in Tokyo right now. Doc liked the pimento for the cornbread. As it was almost 9 pm we decided to pass on the boat ride but just walk on the other side with shops and more eateries. We're back on the road again tomorrow to Arizona.

    Photos
    Four Brothers
    Four Brothers
    Four Brothers

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    El Rafa's Cafe - mexican - Updated July 2026

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