Cafe on the Square

My friend and I went to this lovely cafe before our train ride about 2 weeks ago. We went right around opening time and were the first people there. The staff was absolutely lovely and was super welcoming. I am not very good socially and do not often go out to restaurants so I was a bit awkward and unsure of how to proceed upon entering. The staff directed me where to go and immediately provided service and recommendations. I got the half order of French toast for an extremely reasonable price, it was a massive portion and everything was delicious and homemade. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, and even the customers who came in later were kind and in good spirits. It seems this restaurant attracts the best kind of people. 10/10 would recommend!

Our first time visiting, it was pretty good. Chicken fried chicken was slightly overcooked but still good, onion rings are delicious, mashed potatoes and gravy were good. We waited a little longer than expected to get the food (they were not busy) but it came out very hot and fresh. Hubby got fried catfish and he liked it. Not much parking in the front but we parked across the street and walked.

First time eating here we had a mix of brunch and lunch items, everything was delicious. Great waitress too, very attentive. Cute lil restaurant on the square with a lot of other stores around.

This is a lovely little place. Just a charming rustic cafe, but the food is so so good! Get the Migas and the Chicken Fried Steak! There is so much flavor without one thing being overwhelming! The gravy is also phenomenal and I'm not usually a gravy fan. The Salted Caramel Cheesecake was delicious as was the Peanut Butter Pie. The servings were generous and the service was kind, sweet, ans swift. It was a lovely experience!

Wow! Came here because of our son's recommendation. What an amazing place! The vibe feels like an old school diner. Breakfast is served all day, and the menu is quite large. Highly recommend the Three Amigos appetizer (guacamole, salsa & queso with chips) & chicken fried steak / eggs. For dessert, they have a variety of pies, and the ones we had were outstanding as well. As you can see from the pics, the food looked great. Everything tasted so fresh & was full of flavor. If you're around the San Marcos area, do yourself a flavor and visit this place. You won't be disappointed! Parking: we parked around the corner, behind the building, and parking was free.

Friends took me here recently for my first time and joy to the world was I missing out. Our server was kind, patient, informative and on top of it, we waited for nothing. You can tell the freshness by the delicious, spicy salsas and veggies I had in my huge omlette. There was no skimping out here. Portions were quite generous. We will definitely be back.

Local diner with old school vibes. The food was great and the service was awesome. Delicious cheese sticks. We also enjoyed the burgers a good deal but the quesadilla was super good.

I was very impressed with this cafe/ bar. The decor was simply amazing and it's a huge restaurant. The prices are pretty reasonable with coffees/ hot chocolate available for only $2.5. I had a regular coffee and a chocolate cake The cake was moist and a big slice for $4.75. I wish the cake had been a bit heated but it was still very tasty. The service was amazing with great servers. Would visit this place again!

Stopped in for breakfast this morning Fantastic sausage n cheese omelet Hash browns Beans Salsa Very nice waitstaff I sat at the counter Ambiance was great Really liked this joint You need to stop in and try them out Walking distance to campus Unpretentious local spot

Overpriced for low quality food. It's a cute place but the staff have some serious RBF and do not feel welcoming. Felt like a burden even asking for help.

We tried Cafe on the Square for the first time on 12/30/2024 at about 1:30pm for a late lunch, as we stopped passing through San Marcos on our way to San Antonio. San Marcos has a charming little downtown, and we also loved Cafe on the Square. It is set in a very historic building, and you can tell the Cafe has been around for a while. Sure, the furniture may be old, it may need updating, but does that really matter if you get good quality diner food? This is not a fine dining restaurant; however, we had good service, fast service and excellent diner quality food. I had the Chicken Fried Steak sandwich with Onion Rings and it was delicious! I would definitely return again.

Cafe On the Square is a cozy little spot for lunch but I have mixed feelings about my experience. There were a lot of customers and every time I was there, there was a wait for a table. Although they are not short-staffed, the service isn't great. I had to flag down my server while she was standing there and talking to her friends. Beef Fajita Quesadilla - It was surprisingly not good. The beef fajitas were chopped in too small pieces and it didn't have as much cheese as I would have liked in a quesadilla. All I can say is that the beef tasted not like fajitas. I did like that it came with guacamole and salsa though, those were the two things that saved this dish. French Silk Pie - I loved this pie! It was SO good. The server recommended this. The chocolate creme filling was super silky and the chocolate shavings o top provided the pie with decadence. Overall, my experience here wasn't amazing, but they did a great job on the dessert! I would come back for a mediocre meal but a great dessert!

Just Wonderful! This is an old timer diner. A twist is that beans can be ordered with the breakfast. Perfect if you are a Texan! I had the Migas. This dish can be disappointing if the eggs are over cooked. Here they were just right. An option is corn or flour tortillas, perfect with Migas. Service was really good with the pleasant server. I didn't get her name, but she had a constant smile (and braces). We had altered our orders from the menu and the server didn't write our order down. She did it from memory and it came out just as we ordered. Good memory! Coffee was hot and perfectly brewed.

Wow. Stumbled across this place on accident when the kids got hungry. The waitress was very nice, and everything we ordered was so good (cheese sticks, kids meals, tacos, salad) and the pie! Our favorite pie shop in new braunfels shut down but we've found a new one. I was surprised it wasn't more crowded on a Sunday afternoon. FOR SURE coming back.

Alex has definitely brought this place into a better light for us. She was smiling, pleasant and efficient. Our orders were all correct and we thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast this morning. Thank you Alex!

This is nostalgic America. The food was just right, and served in a good portion. I had migas tacos, a new twist that are tacos filled fill with migas. Nicely done. The coffee was hot and fresh. Eya (spelling?) gave us really good friendly service. They were completely full on the Sunday that we went, but we were able to get a table promptly. I found out that the desserts are homemade by a pastry chef. They are not from a big box store like some other restaurants.

Cafe on the Square is a San Marcos tradition. Although I hadn't been there for years, I've eaten there since the mid 1990s while in college. We had a friends birthday gathering there this past Thursday and at 6:00p it easily accommodated the 17 person party. The dinner crowd came in about 7:30p... Cafe is a diner. Options for burgers, nachos, tacos, chicken and chicken fried steak. All tasty. But the real star at this place is the breakfast which is served all day long. I had breakfast tacos for dinner. They got my order a little wrong (they missed the avocado on one of my tacos... but hey... 17 customers fed at once.. not a big deal). I'm also HUGE fan of their coffee. It's not fancy coffee... it's a stellar and delicious cuppa. Waitress was wonderful and attentive and we had a wonderful experience.

i keep going back. amazing huevos rancheros- a must try. friendly staff and a cute little restaurant. their desserts are also very good. 10/10.

Food is great, they have breakfast all day, coffee is good, the mood in the building is very nice, and the waitress' and waiters are great.

The food was really good. The staff were really friendly and the service was quick even when it was busy.

If ever, there was a three star restaurant this is it. There's absolutely nothing to write home about but everything you order will be solid, tasty enough and generously portioned. Friendly service and standard diner ambiance help make this little spot on the square a completely acceptable breakfast or lunch spot - nothing exceptional - but absolutely "ok".

My recent breakfast was as bad as the last time I tried it (1 year ago). I gave it another chance because I believe in supporting local businesses. Eggs were awful, the bacon was sliced down to get 3 pieces out of 1 strip and the potatoes were overcooked. When I complained to my waitress, she did offer to redo the order (I don't trust sending food back in fear of the cooks retaliation) but then said she would take 50% of the bill (she didn't). And it's not that she was busy, because I was her only customer. Never again!!!

Very welcoming and inviting staff. Food was good and place is huge. Good break from the big chains. I recommend

We thought we would pop in for a quick cafe breakfast at this cute little cafe nestled in between other old buildings on the square. I was confused at how to get service so grabbed two menus myself while we waited on a server. After ordering a simple two egg breakfast and a veggie omelette, we waited easily 25 minutes for our food. The place was maybe 1/3 full. When my omelette came, it was smothered in melted processed cheese like grated velveeta or cheese slices. The veggies were not cut uniformly like the bell peppers weren't cut thru all the way. Do I had chopped veg and long strings. I won't be back.

The epitome of DT iconic San Marcos; the lovely owners have consistently kept this beautifully-nostalgic, "Wrinkle in Time," of a café / Restaurant as lively an atmosphere as 2+ years ago when I frequented often w/ my parents from childhood. The staff, Ashley in particular, as polite & diligent as it gets; clearly a standard that matches the tasty variety of foods with an aroma of fresh-brewed coffee taking control of your senses from entrance! I suggest San Marcos' most-original Café to any and ALL!

This restaurant is great! From the food to the old-timey ambiance, Cafe on the Square does not disappoint! Service is topnotch, and if I could recommend one thing it would be to stop by when in town and sip on their incredible coffee and good company!

I decided to try this place from the comments I read.. The breakfast was delicious my waitress was very kind and tentative.. the cafe is very cozy..I will be going back when I visit again.. thank you for great service and food..

Good service the place is consistent. Menu is maybe too big for its own good. Chicken fried chicken and the shrimp are solid, get those.

Fantastic customer service! Greeted each customer with an invitation to choose their own seat, which is very cool to me. Quickly took our drink order, and delivered immediately. Took our food order and it was delicious. I had the veggie omelet and my wife had a breakfast taco. Both were spot on delish! Shared a pancake between us and left very satisfied. We will be back!

We love the Cafe. It's one of our favorites & has been for 20 years because of the comfortable ambiance & great service. The wait staff are the best in town. I've never had a bad meal there. Note that if you go on Saturday or Sunday morning before about 1pm, you're going to have to wait up to 45 minutes since it's so popular for breakfast; so just shoot for an alternate time if you don't want the wait. Always get the delicious pie!

Always amazing service at Cafe, The waitstaff is always friendly and treats you like their own. The diner reminds me of my fav diner backhome (NC) the food is always phenomenal. If your looking for an amazing breakfast place and a great mimosa this is the place.

Wonderful small town feeling diner! Atmosphere is so relaxed, all staff are super friendly, and food is amazing! Everytime I go, it feels like I know everyone, and feels like home. Great prices for such crazy good food also! Breakfast is the best in town, and don't even get me started on the mimosas!

One of my favorite spots in San Marcos! Great food and a kind staff! Would recommend to anyone looking for a new place to try out in the area.

Such a great place for comfort food with a friendly waitstaff! They serve breakfast all day along with a full menu of other meals to choose from. I love the vibe of this place :)

Absolutely amazing! The food and service was 10/10, I highly recommend. My server was lovely, engaging and helpful. I will definitely come back!

One of the best local restaurants in San Marcos, the service is wonderful and the food is even better. Would recommend for anyone in the area.

Always love coming here early morning. Feels like home. Classic San Marcos Cafe. Food is always pretty decent.

I went with a group of folks on Thursday, February 1st. The place had a nice crowd and buzz going. The girls took very good care of us.. They were friendly and easy to talk to. The food was very good, KJ

HARD PASS. We were greeted and told to sit where we liked. We did. We watched people that came after us get seated and get food. This went on for about 15 minutes. There was a good show on the tele, so no big deal. Finally went to get someone.... Food came quickly--too quickly--which tells me a couple of things. 1. It is pre-prepared and waiting. 2. Explains why one in our party got sick after eating there. Food tasted acceptable. We saw our "waitress" one more time to fill our coffee, and that was it. We completed our meal, and sat around for another 10 minutes waiting for the bill, or any acknowledgement of our existence. I finally got up and went to the counter to pay. The wonderful red haired waitress took care of our bill for us quickly. She apologized for the slow one we had who was standing in the back talking to her fellow employees--not doing anything, just looking at us. No apology. No nothing. The red haired gal attempted to be polite and did apologize for the terrible waitress by telling us that they had a lot going on that day. I'm figuring that the two tables our waitress had was not "a lot" especially when there was time for gossip. Whataburger and McDonalds are down the road a piece. Go there instead.

They were very busy (Sunday morning) but we got a table fairly quick, and even with the crowd, our order arrived fast. The biscuits were very good, not dense and doughy like many places in the area. First time here but we will definitely be back to try their lunch menu.

We stopped in for late lunch. I had the grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and soup. Our service was friendly and prompt. We enjoyed everything and will have to come back for dessert soon! The desserts looked awesome!

One of my favorite breakfast spots when we come to town!! Fantastic ham steak and eggs!!

This place is a classic! Best blueberry pancakes on earth. Huge portions and big selection of options. A San Marcos staple for years!

We met our niece and her husband here for breakfast while we were in town. Service was GREAT!!! Waitress was very cheerful and attentive- kept our drinks filled. Food was good and hot. Men's bathroom was clean. Noise level was kind of high, but that was just all the people in there visiting- thankfully, no music blaring. Cute old-time cafe atmosphere.

From looking up breakfast choices on yelp we quickly realized this was one of the few true breakfast cafés available for a Sunday morning breakfast in San Marcos. On the hunt for pancakes this made our decision pretty easy. At first glance the menu seems very basic but we realize that you can pretty much order any of your traditional American breakfast items that you're looking for "off menu" whether it's listed or not. This would include things like over easy eggs and big thick slices of ham, lots of pancakes and French toast choices with your Texas traditional breakfast tacos tossed in the mix. Our waitress was very friendly and the service was quick. Breakfast was hot and delicious and I really don't think that you can ask for more right in the heart of the downtown area.

Quick Review: I needed some nourishment before going to Hays County Commissioners Court to witness and possibly testify about an issue on my street. Found a parking space early and headed to Cafe on the Square for breakfast. Cool building directly across from the old courthouse. Really love the interior and people watching. Wished that I could gotten a window seat. Service was friendly when I ordered a half order of biscuits and gravy. That would usually be one biscuit folks; split and covered. Not at this place. Perhaps it's due to the vicinity of the University and everything is supersized and cheap I got two whole biscuits smothered in gravy and topped with sausage crumbles. I could'nt finish it....old age sucks. Is a full order 4 biscuits? DAMN! Don't even think I spent $10 with tip. If I'm downtown San Martian again for any reason....

After a boozy night we finally crawled out of bed to fill our empty bellies. We were quickly seated as the restaurant is large and wasn't too busy. I was in the mood for breakfast so I ordered the Vegetable omelette. It came packed full with bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese, and onions. They offer two sides 1. beans and 2. Hash browns or homestyle fries. Also included are tortillas or toast. As a vegetarian I asked for black beans and they were happy to oblige. When my plate came out I was filled with joy to see the massive omelette as I was hun-guh-ryyyy! To make things better it tasted so good! I hovered down the omelette and realized my eyes were bigger than my stomach because it was hard to finish off the beans and potatoes, but I managed ;] I would say the beans lacked flavor and the tortillas were typical store bought. The portion was great for the price tag, $8.70 for omelettes. Service was decent she wasn't the quickest waitress but we managed well. The decor has that small town cafe look. They have a long bar top area you can eat at. They also have a fridge filled with good looking pies and cakes.

Cute spot with good coffee + options (though I am an americano gal I like to have fun reading interesting possibilities). I'm glad they offer to-stay cups. Cute seating and neat old school tv that usually can be operated to play something cool and old timey in b/w. Good for social meetings as well as business meetings and work from home vibes. Quaint but heartily functional.

AMAZING!!! My dad and I discovered this cafe looking for a place that serves breakfast all day. The staff is friendly and the food is great!!! There is a wait and when they're busy it can take a while to get your food but it's totally worth it. Definitely home fries over hashbrowns and CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES!

Table for 2, my nephew and I, for breakfast. Came in and we could pick anywhere to sit. The restaurant is bigger on the inside than what it looks on the outside. It is unfortunately jam packed with tables and chairs, so you wiggle your way through to your table. Ester introduced herself, awesome service Ester!!! Drink order was taken while we decided what to eat. He ordered the 2 pancakes with bacon and eggs then I ordered the chicken fried steak with 2 eggs and hashbrowns. Food was brought out and my eggs were cooked over hard, PERFECT!!! I loved my food. Very delicious and a great spot to come back when visiting the nephew in college. Spot by if in the area and ask for Ester!!!

This place could not have the absolute, worst service with mediocre food. The only reason I would ever and have ever come here is because all of the other places have a long wait time, but it's trust me, it's worth the wait at other restaurants. We have been waiting for well over 30 minutes for pancakes and a 1/2 French toast. I mean come on! Even then, I have no idea who our waitress it considering we have been asked by 3 separate people "what are you drinking," and we'll that hasn't changed- coffee and water, it's not that difficult. If you decide to come here, I hope it's because you are all out of options and for some reason this is the only place that is open. Otherwise, don't waste your money here. Also- how are you going to take 30 min on burnt toast! I mean come on!!!!

Great local diner place, many regulars, easy access to many of the Square shopping and other stores. Plenty of parking on the street. The staff here looked like students who are attending the university, and they're really friendly. Sit at the counter; I feel there you get the best service versus sitting at a table. I tried the ham steak and egg breakfast with rye toast. The ham steak was pretty tasty, but I felt it was a tad over cooked. Don't worry, though; the juicy tender inside made up for that mistake with a good pepper-like taste. The hash browns were good, especially with the little ketchup packets they give you. Rye toast was a little much, but I think I may just use the bread to help serve what's left of my food. The coffee was delicious. I'm not sure what brand they were using, but it seemed to get my day going just fine. They also have mimosas, bloody Mary's, and other things to get your morning started. If you're having brunch or an early breakfast with someone, come on down and see how nice a local cafe in a college town is.

Still excellent, huge Spanish omelet with potatoes black beans and rye toast, hot tea and coffee, so good!

Favorite place for breakfast! Amazing service and staff!! Absolutely love the ambiance and homey vibe!

This place is a complete waste of time and hunger!!!!! I will never go back to this horrible place, with poor service and low quality food. Why there is a wait for this place is a wonder to me. Nasty food and screwed orders.

I give it a 2 star because food was decent, I just got home from eating here, like I said, food was decent, my "server" took my order, brought out the food and that was the end of it, she never smiled, she was acting like I was bothering her, never once came back to check on me to ask how my food was or if I needed a refill on my drink. After she walked past me more than 10 times, I asked for a refill on my tea, she proceed to tell me she'll be right with me, while again, acting like I was bothering her, at that point I said, never mind, just bring me my check, I paid and left. I don't get if servers these days just don't care or if they aren't trained properly, if you're going to be sour and have a bad attitude, you can at least give good service, or if you aren't that good as a server, at least have a good attitude and "act" like you want to be there. I get it's hard to find workers these day, but at least train them a little better, I will not come back, to many other options.

Very friendly staff who welcomed and acknowledged every person who walked in the door. Excellent breakfast- we will be back