Ray's Drive Inn
Tex-Mex restaurant · West Side ·
Home of the original puffy taco, a San Antonio drive-in landmark.
Home of the original puffy taco, a San Antonio drive-in landmark.
"Ray’s Drive Inn has been serving the Westside quick and tasty Mexican favorites since the 1950s, but the restaurant gained national attention after owner Arturo Lopez introduced the now-iconic puffy taco to its menu. A true drive-in, it allows customers to order and enjoy the plump, fried corn tortilla tacos — topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese by request — from the comfort of their cars. Preorders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas." - Polly Anna Rocha, Ben Gonzalez
"West Side staple Ray’s Drive Inn has been serving its neighborhood and beyond since the 1950s. One of the originators of the coveted puffy taco, Ray’s is an authentic drive-in, so diners can park, order, and enjoy a helping of puffy tacos in the comfort of their cars." - Polly Anna Rocha
"If I want one of the city’s iconic puffy tacos — a fried, puffed corn tortilla filled with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded cheese — Ray’s Drive-Inn is another classic perfected by the Lopez brothers’ influence." - Polly Anna Rocha
"A long-running San Antonio staple of over six decades, celebrated locally as the home of the puffy taco and a touchstone of the city’s homegrown Tex-Mex traditions." - Eater Staff
"The original drive-in credited as the birthplace of the puffy taco, a classic, casual stop for regional Tex-Mex specialties in San Antonio." - Eater Staff