La Fonda On Main — Restaurant in San Antonio

Alright, let's talk about La Fonda On Main. This isn't just a Mexican restaurant; it's an experience steeped in San Antonio history and bursting with vibrant flavors. From the moment you step inside, you're enveloped in a warm, inviting atmosphere that sets the stage for a truly memorable meal. Let's start with the essentials: the salsa and chips. Oh my! The chips arrive warm and perfectly crisp, clearly made with care. But the star of the show is the salsa. It's a revelation – a harmonious blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and just the right amount of heat that dances on your tongue without overpowering. It's the kind of salsa you find yourself constantly reaching for, a perfect prelude to the culinary delights to come. Next up, the guacamole. Prepared fresh, right at your table, it's a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. The avocados are perfectly ripe, mashed with just the right amount of lime juice, cilantro, and a hint of jalapeño for a little kick. The texture is creamy yet chunky, and the flavor is bright and refreshing. It's served with those same wonderful warm chips, making for an utterly satisfying appetizer. Now, let's move on to the liquid sunshine that is their mango margarita. Forget those overly sweet, syrupy concoctions you find elsewhere. La Fonda's mango margarita is a perfectly balanced symphony of sweet mango, tangy lime, and a generous pour of tequila. It's smooth, refreshing, and utterly addictive – the perfect accompaniment to the rich flavors of their cuisine. And finally, the pièce de résistance: the cochinita pibil. This Yucatecan classic is slow-roasted pork marinated in achiote, citrus juices, and spices, and it's fall-apart tender and incredibly flavorful. The subtle sweetness of the achiote, the bright tang of the citrus, and the savory depth of the pork create a complex and deeply satisfying dish. It's often served with pickled red onions, which provide a delightful counterpoint to the richness of the pork. Each bite is a journey to the heart of Mexican culinary tradition. In conclusion, La Fonda On Main isn't just a place to eat; it's a San Antonio institution that consistently delivers on flavor, atmosphere, and service. From the simple perfection of their salsa and chips to the vibrant guacamole, the refreshing mango margaritas, and the exquisite cochinita pibil, every dish tells a story of authentic Mexican cuisine done right. If you're looking for a truly great Mexican dining experience in San Antonio, look no further than La Fonda On Main. You won't be...

PLEASE don't take a chance on this old grand dame; from the sound of the reviews, it is definitely hit and miss--and that was our experience, today. Gordon Ramsay needs to come in and spiffy everyone up, as most of the staff appeared to drag around the place not knowing exactly what to do, or where to best go and apply their service expertise. This will be my opinion, but I will be objective, as i found it rather embarrassing to be surrounded by out-of-town tourists here for the Bowl games, obviously coming to 'the best Mexican restaurant...' in the galaxy, etc.; think twice. We were there for lunch on a sunny cool day, sat out in the courtyard, which was very attractive. Service was slow and distracted--we were finally offered chips and salsa as an afterthought, since the food was taking awhile to come out. Those were tasty, and you are charged for them; don't blame them on that because so many people get piles of them and don't eat them. We were there celebrating a special occasion, with a Jim's/La Fonda giftcard. I had the chile relleno described on the menu as containing 'prime' beef, among other ingredients; it came on a bed of arroz with a verde enchilada. The enchilada cheese stayed grated throughout, and never completely was melted inside. The first bite of the relleno had a gristly piece of beef, which I thought would just be a one-off, but the gristle continued throughout; the 'breading' appeared as a thin wet skin that I peeled off, so, yes, I ended up leaving most of it on my plate. My husband had the arrachera plate with prime skirt; the beef was very good, but the serving looked like about 4 ounces. With that, he received a small serving of guacamole, and a serving of 'corn-in-the-cup'; no tortillas arrived with either plate, a mistake for a Mexican plate. We had ordered one margarita with a named tequila; it was made with a sweet-and-sour mix. I told my husband I was happy we were getting the meal as a gift. BUT, when we finally walked ourselves to the register to pay as our waitress had disappeared, we were told that "Alas, this giftcard is only for La Fonda Alamo Heights, NOT La Fonda on Main"! What a hilarious and memorable anniversary! In short, this is NOT authentic or special Mexican food. They need to turn...

We dined at La Fonda on Main for New Year's Eve and had a terrible experience. The waitress, Chloe, was great, but the rest of our evening was marred by the rudeness of the hostess, Yahida, stemming from a drink that was spilled on me, and the manager's response to it (or lack thereof).

A busboy cleaning the table next to ours spilled a drink on my leg/foot and didn't even stop to clean it up or apologize. I was just sitting there with my leg and foot soaked in a sticky drink that was all the way into my shoe.

I let the hostess know what had happened and asked to get a cleanup of the mess that was immediately under our table (straw and all). She leaves, brings a towel back, leaves it on our table and says, "There you go," and leaves again. I guess she thought I was supposed to clean up their mess. I went back up with the towel in hand and asked for the manager. When he came over, I let him know what happened. He never apologized, just grabbed the towel from my hand, and mopped up the mess under the table. He never asked about the drink that was all over my pants, despite me telling him, and he never offered to rectify/discount/comp any portion of our meal.

To top off a miserable dining experience, I went to the restroom after our meal only to find there was no toilet paper on the roll, just rolls on a shelf behind the toilet. The urinal (these are unisex restrooms) had urine puddles under and around it and it smelled to high heaven. I let the other hostess know, to which I was told, "We'll take care of it when we close." Are you kidding?? Three more hours of that mess for your customers?? Disgusting.

The food was just okay considering the price and portion size, and their paella rice was undercooked. Our server was the only bright spot in a dismal experience.

It was a wholly unpleasant experience. We paid our bill and tipped our waitress well, even while enduring the glare of the hostess Yahida for the rest of our evening there. We'll never visit this...