Cafe Ole

We were looking for a delicious Mexican restaurant along the river and that is what we found!! Justin our server started us off chips and waters without us even having to ask. Very much appreciated! Our food was put very fast and all quite delicious. I got the shrimp tacos (took an image after I dug in), another individual got brisket tacos and pork tacos (only thing on brisket tacos possibly have it more shredded and less fat. Otherwise, great flavor.) Then, the last order an individual got was puffy tacos and they were delicious as well. Will definitely be back in the future for wonderful food again.

We were casually walking along San Antonio's infamous river walk and came across this amazing spot for a traditional lunch. We were greated by a very friendly host who promptly seated us and staff were bustling around ensuring we had beverages, complimentary chips and salsa, menus, and felt welcome! We ended up ordering birria quesadillas and shrimp tacos, both of which we absolutely AMAZING! EVERYTHING about this experience was a solid 10/10. The atmosphere sitting outside along the River Walk watching people, and birds floating along the river was relaxing and enjoyable. I'd highly recommend trying out Cafe Ole on your next opportunity, you won't be disappointed!

We came here today. The food was absolutely amazing. The street corn was delicious. I got a salmon salad. It was huge and amazing. Justin was our waiter and he was absolutely awesome. He helped us with everything on the menu gave us great tips and was so personable the entire time. We would definitely come back.

Came to San Antonio for a conference. We walked along the Riverwalk and decided to stop here. Everyone is friendly and service is fast. They have outdoor seating, Mariachi, and a photographer. The homemade chips were too thick for my liking and very hard. The Enchilada Verde was decent. Its a very casual place but on the Riverwalk which is an amazing view.

I had dinner at Cafe Ole the other night with a larger group and all needed separate checks. My server was Gina G. and she was able to separate all of our checks as well as removing the alcoholic drinks from our meal checks so they can be submitted for reimbursement to work. Gina G was excellent and I would strongly recommend Cafe Ole. The only minor issue was that the music was a little loud for conversation.

Everything was very tasty!! Our server Juan was lovely and friendly, I would play some music bc it’s too quiet

Justin made sure we had a great time! 4 stars instead of 5 just because my tortillas originally were dry but they made it right. Great brisket

Food was delicious and service was great, the only complaint I have is when I ordered the burrito I expected it to have some kind of sauce on it but it was just dry, I had to order a side of sauce to put on it! Other than that everything was delicious

The price adds up. Honestly worth it. We did a la carte tacos bc we didn't want sides and 3 margs and honestly the atmosphere on the inside doesn't match the vibe as outside. Feels like a college bar on the inside and the outside is a Mexican party. Service was okay at best but overall fine for it being a touristy area. The tacos needed a bit more spice and the onions had no flavor

What a trainwreck tourist trap. The food is maybe school cafeteria quality. The chicken tenders aren't actually tenders, they're large chicken nuggets molded to look like tenders...congealed meat scraps instead of actual decent chicken meat. Service was slow and rather apathetic despite it being a slow day. Only upside here is sitting on the patio enjoying the view.

After a cruise on the river walk my family deciided to stop for lun h here and it was a great decision. We were seated immediately and our server Alex S. Came over to take our orders and was very attentive throughout the meals. I had a margarita and it was really good with a good shot of tequila. Our chops and salsa was very good also and we didn't have to bother with an appetizer. I ordered the street tacos with carne asada and it was awesome and I really enjoyed it. My wife had the taco salad and thought it was very tasty and the right size. The very was very reasonable for three people with drinks. Definitely was worth the visit.

First time. Beef taco was perfect. The beef was seasoned very well. Service was really good. The atmosphere was fun. Great music from all generations. Prices not too bad either.

Complete transparency here: I've dined/drank at Cafe Ole on an annual trip to San Antonio (barring 2020) since 2019, mostly because it's festive and fun and the drinks are good, but the food in past years has been less than stellar. This time, it was different. I was a little disappointed that this place was chosen at first for our group, but we saw that the menu had been updated, and I saw what the servers were bringing around to the tables, and I became hopeful. Drinks were great as usual, and then we ordered food. Starting off, we ordered queso and guacamole for the table. The former was a delightfully flavored cheese that clung nicely to the crunchy and fresh chips, with just the right amount of spice. The guacamole was fresh and delicious, not too fussy in terms of additives, but I wish there had been more of it - it's a small portion. Moving on, we ordered the street roasted corn, which came as beautifully presented on the cob, with all of the touches including lime wedges. It was creamy and delicious, the corn was fresh and not overcooked, a really good starter. Next up, we ordered a new (apparently) menu item, which doesn't appear on the menu pics here on Yelp nor the online menu (why didn't I get a picture?). It was the birria quesadilla. Served in beefy quarters with browned cheese on the outside and a dish of consomme, it was a well executed example of the now-ubiquitous style, and oh so delicious. It was more than enough for my wife and I to share after all of those chips and the corn. Bottom line, at least for this one meal, Cafe Ole has turned it around and is serving good food, right on the Riverwalk.

Great chips, salsa, and guacamole. Everything else is OK, not great. Our party had the burrito (fair), street tacos (good), and chicken quesadilla (fair). Prices - for the river walk - are reasonable.

The food was okay. It's pretty spacious & didn't really have a waiting time. The staff is sweet but I don't really recommend the food.

Our sweet waitress Emily was amazing!! She recommended the 64oz margarita (strawberry/mango mixed) to share, the Birria Quesadilla which is very filling if used as a meal. Definitely could have split this as a meal! Chips were fresh and salty, queso was great as well as the salsa! Such a cute atmosphere and couldn't recommend our waitress Emily enough she was on top of everything and made sure we had a great time and were taken care of!

The food isn't bad. Great service and we were seated quickly on a Saturday night. The chicken enchiladas had good flavor. The loaded carne asada fries needed more cheese or queso instead. Adding salsa helped out a pot. The chips are super thick, not a fan.

If there was an option for zero I'd put that. I never knew people could make bad Mexican food! We took a few bites and left our food.just hoping I don't get a stomach ache. If Gordon Ramsey can see this, this place needs to be on kitchen nightmares

Bree, at the bar, is amazing. On a very hot day, she even kept a fan pointed at us. The frozen margaritas are absolutely wonderful. They have great chips & salsa as well. Although we did not stay for a meal, our service here is always top-notch. It sounded like they are eliminating the outside bar, but I hope not. It's hidden and well-shaded with a cute view of the river and passers by. We love this hidden bar area.

7/2025. They didn't have their act together on the day we visited. We weren't sure at first who our server was? It took fifteen minutes to get ice water, salsa and chips and it was HOT out!! This is definitely a tourist spot as most places on the Riverwalk are! The server was not friendly or attentive. The team approach on this day was not good--much slower than it should have been for a quiet afternoon. The attitude of our server was poor and she didn't seem to care much at all about customer service. We had the guacamole and the fish tacos with margaritas to drink. All pretty average Mexican food. Definitely would not return when in area again. I'm sure there are much better restaurants here.

Well... we were hungry and walking the river walk in San Antonio and found ourselves in front of cafe ole. We were seated in a nice location overlooking the canal and it was a great elevated spot to people watch from. We ordered apps and food, but none of it was noteworthy other than the guacamole was the worst I think I've ever had. The waitress came by very infrequently (the place was NOT busy...!) so the original cocktails we had ordered were all we had. Talk about missed opportunity...! If she had just stopped back by the table a bit more often, we'd have ordered another few cocktails, thus a higher bill and higher tip...! But, alas... it was not to be. If hungry on the river walk, suck it up a little longer and find somewhere else...!

What could improve.. EVERYTHING! Food was was not good, school cafeteria tastes better! Everything was over cooked for what we paid for. Took them 15 minutes to get our drink order.. when we order it took them literally 5 minutes to come back with drinks and FOOD... it was very questionable how fast the food came out.. WILL NOT COME BACK

Slim vegetarian options I got the queso and it was ok It kind of had the texture of glue The salsa was pretty good and a little spicy The chips were not bad either they kind of tasted like Fritos Eating the chips with the queso made for a very salty bite I still ate a lot of it but I wish the texture wasn't so gluey and thick

The beef fajitas were amazing. The el patron margaritas were spot on. Would recommend this place

I should have read the reviews. This was by the river walk. So great location. Enjoyed sitting outside and having my lunch. I was not expecting great food but the food was total crap. I should have walked for 10 mins, gotten off the river walk. There are some great restaurants around.

We all know the restaurants on the River Walk are all just good enough to stay in business. At this point, I think we've eaten at all the mid-level Tex-Mex restaurants on the River Walk, and our meal at Cafe Ole was the best one yet. I ordered the Taco Salad with shrimp added, and my husband got the Chipotle Ribeye. Both were hits, although I wish the Taco Salad shell was all flour tortilla, but it seemed to be a corn and flour mix. The French fries that came with the steak weren't worth eating. We'll remember to come back to Cafe Ole on our next daycation to the River Walk. The food is as good as the view!

Good time, good food, and great service! Laura and Angel were outstanding. Love coming here.

It has great ambiance. I sat next to River, with great views. The quality of food was good. I ordered Enchiladas, happy with it.

Horrible service! The host lady was very rude. We asked for a table close to the canal and she sent us inside. She said: "well if you want to sit in the sun go ahead" , commenting in a snarky manner. Then, when my son asked us to move, we asked our server to move to the table on the side, and she graciously said yes, but then we saw the host laughing at us! Pay in mind that we were by now sitting in the table closest by the hosting station. I just found the whole thing very disrespectful. We are paying customers and don't think that's a polite way to treat visitors. The food was meh and so was the tradition margarita. But overall what upset us the most was the host. Terrible manners! Please listen to the other reviews!!

They were really slow and service wasn't good at all. Attitude was not appreciated. Food? Mediocre, nothing stands out. The river view from the restaurant was the only plus. I will not go back.

Customer service was super slow. The food was super expensive .Chicekn fajita cost us 2.5x of typical price tag at other restaurants. The serving portion was ample for 3 people Outside seating has a nice view and thats about it

Food here was just okay, but the margaritas were great!! We were walking along the river walk on a super hot day and the prickly pear marg was super refreshing. I liked that they had complimentary chips and salsa at the table as well.

This place is always great to just be able to sit inside or outside with friends and or family for a couple of margaritas and some appetizers. I really didn't try the main dishes because that's not why we stopped by. The service was okay , not so much of a long wait now about those margaritas!! They were so amazing because we asked for half and half (ifykyk). Been back since and they no longer do that which is such a sad day haha but other than sitting under the pretty lights and enjoying great company while in the midst of seeing tourist walk and talk it's a great place for that (:

Food wasn't good...brisket tacos were greasy/fatty and not much flavor; Shrimp quesadilla was bland. Wouldn't recommend, several other (better) restaurants on the river walk.

Stopped by to look for the football games and was happy to see multiple tv screens, my friend and I appreciated that. Service was decent, even at the busy times of the night. Food was okay.

We came here for dinner. The 3 stars are for the yummy pina colada. The foods are less than desirable. My torta had minimal meat and there were super duper salty fries on the side. I think they meant to put salt onto my daughter's carne asada but loaded them on my fries instead because her street tacos was greasy with flavorless meat. My boyfriend said his burger was dry. His son said the enchilada was fine. The staff was very friendly, but I would only come back here if I wanted yummy pina colada.

Yazmin was amazing. She was super friendly and informative. Definitely recommend going to her when you visit. Will be coming again when I'm in town

The food was Delicious! Being from California I would highly recommend. We came die happy hour and the waitress Janessa was amazing.

I can't speak for the food because we only stopped here for the giant margarita we noticed while eating at another restaurant nearby. The chips and salsa weren't too bad though. As for the margarita, my wife greatly enjoyed it. See more on our YouTube travel channel here: https://youtu.be/V6qbQnHAIU0

I ordered the ground beef crispy tacos with rice and it was tasty! The tacos were crispy and fresh! The ground beef was seasoned to perfection with cheese and lettuce. The street corn was cooked perfectly and was tasty. The strawberry margarita was perfect with the right blend of strawberry flavoring and tequila. The salsa and chips were fresh and delicious! One of the best salsas I have had in a long time.

Waitress is polite but order a cheese only quesadillas come with add chicken with 4 dollar extra. Ranch is charged not being told. Food is overpriced.

"This was my second visit, and it was just as impressive as the first. The food continues to be excellent, with a variety of delicious options. It's also a great spot for families with kids, making it a perfect choice for dining out with the whole family. Only issue I have is service is a little slow. They are always looking under staffed

Had a great time 5 years ago with my husband and our dogs. The staff is obviously not happy (worked in service) and got charged $40 for a double drink. Yes, I ordered it and expected top shelf, as my bartender promised. Horrible and she even has the audacity to make up a name of a tequila. I let it progress, cause my husband and I know the service industry very well. I will warn the owners of how this place is being horribly run.

Food and ambiance was amazing. Justin was a great server and went above and beyond in catering to us and giving us a helping hand. If you want good drinks lots of appetizers unlimited chips and good Spanish food near the river walk this is the spot!

Service was good. Ambience was great. However, the food was just so so. Our table shared the street tacos, shrimp tacos, and chicken fajita tacos. The food was pretty bland and the chicken was dry.

My food and drink were average. I recommend NOT sitting outside on the riverwalk. 6-8 birds swarmed my table and as I was mid bite they started eating my meal. I tried to push them off numerous times. Finally after I got the staffs attention they said yea that happens all the time. I had to pay $43 for food I didn't get to eat.

Justin was superb! He is very attentive and provides a warm, welcoming experience. Top notch customer service. He aims to please. Ask for Justin!

Ate outside next to the river. Surprisingly we were seated immediately. There were no bugs but lots of people walking by. The server was ok. If you order the 60-oz drink you must share it with someone. The food came reasonably quickly, the portions were good-sized, the food good but not great. Restroom needs to be better marked.

The absolute worst Mexican food ever! It showed shredded beef and it was hamburger. Don't waist your experience of the river walk at this restaurant!

Was travel weary and hungry. Road warriors I recommend the braised pork torta with tater tots. Delicious! Server was super kind. I wish they had the Mexican juices. (Horchata, mango, pineapple etc) So did he. He said he gets lots of requests! Sat on first level overlooking the walk. Comfortable.

Food was terrible. The fajitas were bland and the tortillas were hard. Birds were like flies swarming on the tables. Margaritas were like drinking one at a cheap resort in Mexico. The waitress was nice but I do not enjoy being sold things like pictures while eating. Could have ate at taco Cabana and had a better meal. Very disappointing when you drop a 100 bucks on a meal and it is awful.

Food could have been better. Nice location. Had musicians playing music, service was average. They have a 60 oz. Margarita.

Janell was an awesome server! Food was good, but the servers were terrific. Will definitely return

We walked in excited because of the atmosphere. Drinks were good. Food came out wrong then came out correct but with hair in it. The time it took to get our server back we were no longer interested in eating a new dish. Very disappointed.

Not good at all! Fajitas no flavor, pollo asado cold and bland. Quesadilla cold and cheese not good at all.Server slow. Do not recommend!!!

Terrible experience - the tacos were dry, the guac was bland and watery, and the 'spicy' salsa was laughably mild. Definitely not worth the wait or the price. Never coming back again.

Ah, Café Ole in San Antonio--where time slows down so much, you'd think they were trying to help you achieve inner peace between courses. After waiting what felt like an entire episode of a slow-burn drama just for basic service, we were practically ready to clock out ourselves. The server seemed to have mastered the art of disappearing, reappearing only after an hour when we had no choice but to bolt for a business meeting--because, apparently, the concept of timing doesn't exist here. And let's not forget the spicy guacamole incident. Rather than doing the reasonable thing and bringing it from the kitchen, our server suggested we spice it ourselves, because nothing says "fine dining" like DIY avocado seasoning. If you're on a tight schedule or enjoy a little attention from your server, this might not be the place for you. Consider packing snacks.