La Cantera Mexican Restaurant

This place knocked my socks off the first time I visited, so I had to return two weeks later to make sure it wasn't just a dream. I'm from a small town, and I love small town restaurants. There is nothing like the kind friendly folks and atmosphere that can come with a genuine place that the locals flock to eat. That is not always the case, unfortunately. In this case, it is exactly what you expect. The service is friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is cozy and makes you feel like home. Then, there is the food. All that stuff is great, but if the food is lackluster, it's all a facade. La Cantera is the real McCoy. From the table salsa and chips to the entrees and sides, they nail classic Tex-Mex. I had a gordita plate with one shredded chicken and one groumd beef the first stop. My wife had the chicken enchiladas verde. All superb. Second trip I had the poco de todo. Yes, a little bit of everything, to check out a variety of items. Taco meat is seasoned so well, and the red enchilada sauce is smooth and packed with flavor. My wife had a chicken quesadilla which was large enough that I managed to get part of as well. My wife normally doesn't care too much for refritos and arroz, but these are so good, she ordered a side of each. I'll keep driving a half hour from the house to eat here as long as they are in business. The accolades and awards on the wall tell me that it will be for a long time. Maybe, I'll just move closer to Lockhart and become a local.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, perfect for a casual lunch, family dinner, or a night out with friends. The staff are friendly, attentive, and always ready to make your dining experience enjoyable, offering recommendations and making sure everything is just right. Overall, La Cantera Mexican Restaurant delivers consistently delicious food, excellent service, and a welcoming environment. It’s a great spot for anyone craving authentic Mexican flavors in a comfortable and friendly setting.

Wonderful, quaint local restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, great service, and excellent food. La Cantera is the kind of place that evokes longings-some days you wake up craving their distinctive flavors. I’m a fan of their Huevos Rancheros, although other options are also delicious. Always good!

My 2nd time eating here with my girlfriend Renee yummy.

The salsa and food were very fresh and tasted great. The server was friendly and helpful. Overall fantastic experience and I look forward to going back and trying more of the menu.

Had a family gathering here for lunch on a busy Sunday. We had a about a 20 minute wait because we had a larger group. Most seating is indoor but there are a few tables outside. They feature their own homemade tortillas, both flour and corn, and some homemade baked goods, too. We enjoyed good service and the prices are reasonable. I had the fajita plate, my wife had cheese enchiladas and beans, and others had a mixed plate with taco, cheese enchilada, rice and beans. All were quite tasty and decent portions.Their chips and salsa are complimentary.No adult beverages are available. They offer a savory red salsa, spicy red, and a medium green salsa. All were good. Parking is on the street and the restaurant is clean and pleasant.

What a great place. Breakfast is amazing. Waitress we.t as far as making sure the Migas plates was cooked with Pico. Service is 100. My new favorite place. Tortillas are the best.

Good food, but not great. Didn't like the American cheese on the breakfast tacos. Chips and salsa were good. My son had the pancake breakfast with eggs and sausage. The pancakes were ok to good. They have red or green salsa they can bring by separately. I prefer the green. The red seemed too thin, almost like water. It had some heat with no other flavors. Service overall was great.

This best food in Lockhart. Nicest staff. The food is super consistent. It's pretty simple. Everything works why change it. Classic

Had nice casual lunch with friends. Street tacos were delicious. Had to park on the street nearby. Reasonable price.

We just moved to the Lockhart area, and this was our first restaurant we tried. The service, food, and experience was great! We loved the fresh tortillas, and the authenticity of the food! We already came back a second time.

New to the area and this is our GoTo every Sunday after church. We are always greeted with smiles and great hospitality!! The wait time is worth it. Grant it, not all waiters/waitress's are on point. Our initial visit we had a FANTASTIC experience all the way around. Yet, we have not seen this waitress again :( Note: She did request to be off on Sunday's so we are hoping this is the case lol - Food is great. The atmosphere is perfect and welcoming. The waiting staff is a hit or miss. Still a spot we enjoy

Lunch Pork chop plate is one of the best I've had. And I'm pretty picky . I took the picture before there was nothing left sorry . I will most certainly come back with friends and family . My only ragret ( not a single letter ) was not ordering both corn & flour tortillas. I should have spread butter on them but they were that good that I forgot . The rice was perfectly cooked , the borracho beans had bacon & yummy . I feel like a million bucks after this brunch!! Adios amigos

La Cantera is as good as the hype. The fresh flour tortillas are delish. The employees are all super friendly and helpful. When we have a craving for some Mexican food in town, this is our go to.

Went to this restaurant for the first time to check it out. I will say this right from the get go. If you love fresh warm, soft, great tasting homemade tortillas, they have the best ones here. The establishment is close to downtown, and the size of the restaurant is of medium size with tables and booths made available. There are outside tables as well. The staff were friendly, and our waitress was professional, and very attentive to us. When we asked her about the hot sauce she brought us a couple of different types to sample which were really on point. I ordered the carne guisada, and my wife ordered the "poco de todo" which was a crispy taco, enchilada, and chalupa I believe. Both dishes of course came with rice and beans. The pics don't do justice but the flavors were there. The rice had the right blend of spices, not too dry or too moist, tasty for sure. The refried beans had a very good flavor too. A little runny for me but still a great flavor as beans should taste if you like beans. The carne guisada was delicious. The meat pieces were just the right size, and so flavorful as well. The portions were on point for the price. For ordering these Mexican dishes, the right blend of spices like garlic, comino, salt, pepper, and onion were in these dishes which are flavors that are necessary for me to be able to live a Mexican dish. No complaints there. Did I tell you the taste of the salsas? Oh my goodness. Sooo good. Great taste and a great variety to choose from, mild or spicy, green or red. Take your pick. All in all you won't be disappointed in great tasting Mexican food that serve you fresh homemade flour tortillas. I gave it a four. Reason for the four is because it is not as intimate as I would prefer. It gets busy, and a little loud. Our food took longer to get to us than what we would of wanted but overall a great place to eat. Go check it out.

The food is amazing, no matter what you order !! The staff is extremely friendly and helpful !! The atmosphere is hometown friendly !!

Great Mexican food. Not to be confused with Tex-mex. They have the best beans and tortillas!!! I will be back. Thanks again

I felt like changing it up , and I've never been so glad I did because I found this place. The breakfast was a large portion, and the tortillas were unbelievable. The service was outstanding, and friendly. They do have the option to go, if you are in a hurry. The old charm of the building, brings you back to the yester years in downtown Lockhart. I will definitely be coming back to La Cantera.

Fantastic service and breakfast tacos! Interesting coffee and open really early! Visited from out of state and was pleasantly surprised!

The chips and salsa were good. That's only nice thing I can say. Sticky floors, dirty tables, the cheese enchiladas were bland and cold, the breakfast taco was boring and bland. I wouldn't go back even if you paid me.

I feel terrible leaving such a poorly-rated review, but the food is straight up not good here. The queso is 100% Velveeta. The elotes were hot, soggy, and unseasoned. I ordered fajitas, my Mom ordered the enchiladas, and my brother ordered a fried chicken plate. The food here is just sad - I do better at home. They set the plates down and I could just tell it was going to be mediocre, and I was right. The only thing I enjoyed was the Mexican Coke. The only reason I'm rating La Cantera 2 stars is because the staff are BEYOND sweet. I felt so bad lying to Leo every time he asked if the food was good. It's not, Leo, it really isn't.

Great little place off the square in Lockhart. Food was good (Tilapia fish tacos) and atmosphere was very chill.

Stopped for some breakfast tacos on the way to the F1 practices on Friday morning. Got there early but the staff were super positive and welcoming. Taco options were broad, and offered both homemade flour and corn tortillas. We ordered a mix of tacos types, and they were all a hit minus a couple but that could have been a flavor/style preference from our SoCal upbringing. Good eats!!

Was good, and friendly staff. Thanks for treat us good. We will come back when we visit Lockhart again Barbacoa was delicious

Absolutely some of the best Mexican food!! Staff is ALWAYS very nice and welcoming!! I've tried several things and everything is great but my go to is the Enchilada plate! Love that they now have extended hours on weekends and serving adult beverages!

I knew when I walked in here that the food would be good based on the music they were playing. The food was delicious and everyone was so friendly! Even other customers were sweet to us. Can't wait to come back and visit when they expand!

The food was great and the service was quick and accurate! La Cantera is a nice addition to the BBQ Capital of Texas!

Get a sampler of all their meats! Sooo delicious. Especially the barbacoa and picadillo.

Best authentic Tex Mex with the friendliest service you could ask for, at a great price. The real deal.

My new favorite in Lockhart! The service was prompt and super friendly & helpful. Now.. on to the food. Perfect tortillas, of both varieties, the beans were delish, and the tacos and relleno were spectacular. Do yourself a favor and add chorizo to your queso..

Breakfast wasn't bad. It's one of the better Mexican restaurants in the town. There are way too many and some of the other ones are just bad. This is a good one to come visit.

Friendly people. Great food. Vegetarian options. Good prices. Good location just off the main square. Breakfast is what I always want and what i always get! I will be back.

This breakfast was the best Mexican food I have had since leaving California. I cannot begin to express to you how much joy I got out of my huevos con nopales! Not to mention, our waitress caught wind that it was my birthday and took it upon herself to get the staff (as well as other patrons!) to sing me happy birthday and bring me the fluffiest, most delicious pancake. Tempted to drive all the way to town just to try items off of their lunch and dinner menu. 5/5 and we will be back!

Great beef enchiladas & migas! We have never had a bad meal here and the staff is friendly.

Hands down the best Mexican restaurant in town! Their homemade flour tortillas are to die for, which makes any of their breakfast tacos delicious! The lunch menu is just as good! The staff are friendly and accommodating. I order from here at least once a week. I haven't had anything to eat here that I didn't absolutely love.

Very lovely atmosphere, it feels very cozy and homey just like you're eating at abuelas' house. The service was very friendly/fast and the food was great! Not only were the prices very reasonable but it was apparent that the food was made from scratch in house unlike other 'Mexican' restaurants. Some of which were the warm fresh chips/tortillas. Also their refried beans were so good I could have eaten a bucket full. A lovely hidden gem and highly recommended!

This is real Tex Mex! All three hot sauces and tortillas homemade. Fantastic! We'll be back.

You're gonna love it! Awesome breakfast with the friendliest prompt service. ¡Comidas de familia tradicionale autentico! Nothing but the best! With the great location right off the square in AWESOME Lockhart, TX. Don't forget the wonderful pan dulce. Always good! See you there!

Had a great breakfast here on a Saturday morning. We were able to walk in and get a table right away. The staff tended to us really quick. Food came out hot and with not to long of a wait, which is great. We were able to have some good conversation and not feel like we had been there so long! Ordered a few bacon & egg tacos for the hubs & daughter and I had a huevos ranchero plate. Tacos were devoured!! My Eggs were hot and cooked just right...it's hard to get the perfect egg...yolk not hard and not any egg white running! Loved it. Tortillas were fresh and the ranchero sauce was tasty. Also ordered some pancakes and they were delicious. Fluffy and so yummy - melted in my mouth. We will be back for sure.

In a town full of Mexican breakfast tacos this place stands alone for its authenticity. The prices are very reasonable with very friendly waitstaff. It is a family run business with the mother cooking in the kitchen traditional recipes.

This was our first time coming, the food and service was outstanding!!! We had the street tacos, they were delicious. The Shrimp Cocktail was full of a good sized shrimp and veggies.

La Cantera is so amazing ! Me and my husband Steven always come here almost daily ! The food is always fresh and hot . I never have a issue with them . The place is always clean . They will Definitely treat you like family

It's delicious. We always eat here when we visit family. It's run by a local family from here in Lockhart. Great staff and environment for some really good authentic food.

Small, quaint, Family Restaurant. Good food. They said they have four sauces. The Verde sauce was my favorite. Service is pretty good. Not Tex-Mex. Close @ 3PM. Turn at the Black's BBQ sign.

An absolute desire for breakfast! Fantastic food and exceptional service, you can't miss this place if you're stopping by through this town. The tortillas are home made and taste fantastic! I had the Migas plate that tasted great and was offered two type sauces. The red and green and they both tasted great. My coffee was always full and always checked on us. Highly recommend!

Super friendly staff, tacos are so flavorful and the fresh tortillas were delicious, and it's very well priced!

I stayed in Lockhart while working in the area, and tried EVERY taco truck close by, and the tacos here topped all of them. I was a big fan of the breakfast tacos, and especially the chili verde carnitas tacos. Good flavored salsas as well. Great service, they are SO nice in there!

Everything we get here is so excellent. The breakfast tacos have super fresh ingredients & excellent salsa. We also love the huevos rancheros & migas. Everyone is so nice! We will be regulars for a long time to come.

I'll give it 2 stars but only because it was 1:00 on New Years Eve and they closed at 3. This must be a breakfast spot only because the lunch was tasteless...totally bland, rice replaced with something that tasted like spaghetti in tomato water, and a faint smell of rancid meat...granted it looked like an amazing place on Yelp but no baked goods in the counter and just not worthy of my time or money...soo disappointed...just close the darn door and stop serving if you cannot provide a delicious meal..

One of my absolute favorite places on this planet! Friendly service and delicious food with plenty of vegetarian and vegan friendly options. Love their tacos and breakfast plates. Their homemade flour tortillas are heavenly - I always make sure to buy a dozen before I head back to New Mexico! (Should I get a La Contera tattoo?)

Very good, authentic Mexican food with excellent service. Very personal and friendly servers. The re-fried beans and homemade tortillas were an added bonus to the tasty carne guisada and chicken flauntas that we ordered.

I'm sitting in a food coma from some of the most delicious Mexican food I've had in a long time. This place is amazing. The food is fantastic and they give you a huge plate for the price. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The place is small but comfortable and the interior is colorful and inviting. I definitely love the feel here.

Excellent food. Normal small-town vibe Mexican restaurant. Chips and salsa were very good. Ordered elotes, and the street tacos with pator, barbacoa and carne asada as the different meats. Would definitely get pastor next time. My friend ordered the salad and it looked good and fresh. The service was prompt and it was small-town priced as well!

Stopped in for breakfast. Very tasty food, friendly service, and very reasonable prices

Food is awesome. I have to say, this is by far the best Mexican Restaurant in Lockhart. I wished they stayed open later.

I've eaten here probably 20 times since my last review and it's been excellent every time. They have some of the best service of any restaurant I've been to. The food is always consistent and tastes great. This has become one of my favorite restaurants ever.

Excellent service and delicious food! I would recommend. It's a small restaurant that seems to be family owned with welcoming staff. The food is not like spicy Tex-mex. It tasted like homemade. The tortillas were so good! We were traveling home from Port Aransas on 183 and the restaurant is easy to find.

The most consistently excellent Mexican food in Lockhart! Fresh, house made tortillas and their retried beans can fuel a diesel truck. My favorite breakfast, hands down.