Boudro's has been tops on this forum for years..Great Margaritas,Guacamole prepared tableside,and some blackened prime rib....The River is a tourist attraction,which usually means touristy food...You are in luck though because this city has many fine places to eat,including very good Mexican a walk(daytime)or a short cab ride away...For a real good cheap steak,I love Saltgrass on the river..Otherwise there is Morton's.Ruths Chris,and the Palm...You can also dine in the Tower..It is now a Chart House(pretty decent chain)...1 last one...Acenar...

Casa Rio is a must! It has outside and inside dining. It's been in business on the riverwalk for many, many years. I went there as a child and when we are in San Antonio, it's where we go. Landry's, a seafood restaurant, is good. There is a steak place....I think it's called Texas Land and Cattle (???)

Enjoy your trip! What time of year will you be there?

Boudro's for sure - beyond that I would say try small mexican food places. Usually you can tell the good ones - always packed. The chain restaurants - such as Landry's (and they have several others under different names), Salt Grass etc. etc. - you can get anywhere.

In walking distance of the RW is Rosario's, El Mirador. Mexican food on the RW is very average and most sub-par! I would at least chose Market Square-La Margarita or Mi Tierra. Still touristy but a little more worthy than RW. / There are some great hole-in-the-wall places if you're willing to get away from downtown.

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Enjoy!

You have gotten so great suggestion, but I'll add a couple more that are also real good.

Biga on the Banks great river view & excellent food

www.biga.com

Las Canarias at Las Mansion del Rio

Acenar good Tex-Mex flavor

La Margarita in the Market Square area has traditional dishes & nightly mariachi music

www.lamargarita.com

Rio Rio Cantina good Mexican food

Piedras Negras De Noche at 1312 S. Laredo for great original Mexican style food, very authentic. One of my favorite as well as the

Tower of the Americas excellent food that feels like it melts in your mouth with superior service & the most spectacular view of SA, the restaurant rotates around with a 360 view of SA, it's very elegant & romantic setting, love this place for special occasion. You can check it out on website

www.ToweroftheAmericas.com

Have a great 3 week Texas Tour & please write a TR & let us know how she enjoyed or not her SA & Texas tour.

I don't agree with the enthusiasm for Boudro's - ordinary and overpriced in my opinion. We won't be back. I posted this review 20 June:

For the Riverwalk this place is okay. Food and service is average, and overpriced which is typical in our experience along the Riverwalk. Our waiter totally ignored us. We had to move the wine glasses out of the way ourselves as we weren't having wine. No water offered and when we flagged him down and asked, it was another 5 minutes before we got it. The guacamole prepared at the table? He prepared it 10 feet away and all I saw was the brownish-green, oxidized avocado goop being spooned out of a jar and some mixing going on. What is the fuss about this guacamole? It tasted okay but I sure wouldn't order it again. The least they could do is use fresh avacados.

My wife complained to the very gracious host pretty early on in the meal. Then the waiter was apologetic and obsequious to the point of sarcasm. "You have such a beautiful family sir"; "I am the best waiter here and I care about my customers" (after he gets in trouble I guess); "You are as pretty as your mother" (to my daughter); "would you like another drink, madam - I will buy it, it is on me" (she didn't). It went on and on, kind of funny but annoying.

The filet I had was ordinary. The chicken and pasta dishes my family had the same. Certainly not worth the money when compared to other restaurants, but as I said - okay for the Riverwalk, but certainly not memorable. Except for the antics of the waiter after we complained - that I will remember.

Boudro's is definitely the best restaurant there.

There is a very good and famous Mexican restaurant Mi Tierra. It is located on a square and across the street from a Mexican market. It has a bakery that is full of colorful pastries.

Though not on the Riverwalk, I strongly recommend this place.

To a certain extent, I'd agree that the food on the River Walk isn't exceptional - but I don't think it's horrible either. As a matter of fact, I've enjoyed most of the places that I've eaten there. When you factor in that it is such a tourist destination and that San Antonio is one of the most popular U.S. convention sites, I think it could be so much worse. It's a great atmosphere and when you eat outside, you're really paying not only for the food but for people watching. We enjoyed Casa Rio - but it wasn't my favorite but it was entertaining. My S.A. favorite was Mi Tierra in Market Square followed by La Margarita. We had good luck at Boudros but I think the most fun we had was in The Republic of Texas. It could've just been the Bowl Game atmosphere but it was great. Everything was good including the drinks.

I'd also like to commend everyone that served us in SA. The people who helped us had the best attitudes that we'd ever witnessed in that type of environment - wild, crazy, and crowded. We never had anyone treat us poorly, or rush us and all them even seemed to be having fun even though from our conversations we knew that many had worked double shifts.

I recommend the Riverwalk and Market Square areas for dining NOT because you will forever remember each particular dishes, but because I think you will remember the fun experience.

Someone mentioned El Mirador . . . I thought that was our secret place! <grin> It's a short walk from the river, but our favorite Mexican restaurant in San Antonio. Lots of folks like Rosario's, in the same neighborhood.