La Patrona Restaurant Patio Bar — Restaurant in San Antonio

La Patrona on Broadway certainly knows how to impress on the hospitality front, but our recent visit revealed a kitchen that, while showing sparks of potential, largely missed the mark on execution and value. It was a dining experience saved almost entirely by truly outstanding staff.

Right from the moment we walked in, the service was impeccable. Our waitress was not just attentive but genuinely knowledgeable about the menu, guiding us through our choices with expertise. In fact, the entire team at La Patrona was super friendly, contributing significantly to a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The dining area itself was clean, though perhaps a bit "blasé," lacking a distinctive character or ambiance that might elevate the overall experience.

We started with the MOLCAJETE CHICHARRON DE RIBEYE, a dish featuring ribeye ends fried into crispy beef chicharron, served in a bed of freshly made guacamole. The guacamole itself was a real highlight – fresh, vibrant, and truly delicious. However, the experience was significantly hampered by the accompanying corn tortillas. They consistently broke when filled, a clear sign of improperly prepared masa. Whether too dry, too wet, or simply not fresh and improperly stored, this fundamental flaw made it frustrating to properly enjoy the otherwise good guacamole and chicharron.

Next, we tried the MEXICAN SHORT RIB, described as braised short ribs in a bold tomato, red wine, and adobo sauce, served with seasoned cambray potatoes. Unfortunately, this dish was a major disappointment. The rib meat was surprisingly not tender; out of the three ribs on the plate, I managed to eat only one. The side salad that accompanied it was equally triste – it was "sad" and completely lacked crunch, despite the seeds it was adorned with. While the cambray potatoes were "good" in flavor, they left a noticeable and considerable amount of oil at the bottom of the dish once finished, adding to a heavy feeling.

Beyond the specific dish shortcomings, the food at La Patrona felt "ridiculously overpriced for what you get served and the quality of the food." The value proposition simply wasn't there given the culinary issues encountered.

However, this is where our waitress Gabriela comes into play and truly redeems the experience. Our observant waitress noticed my clear dislike for the short rib and immediately offered to bring me something else. Though I initially rebuffed her offer, she later returned with an incredibly thoughtful and proactive gesture: a brand new short rib order to go! This act of genuine care and commitment to customer satisfaction was truly above and beyond.

That single gesture alone has convinced me to give La Patrona a second chance. While the food on this occasion was largely a miss, the exceptional service and proactive problem-solving have earned my respect. I will absolutely be returning to try something else on the menu, hoping that the kitchen can rise to match the truly outstanding hospitality provided by its team. La Patrona has the potential, it just needs to iron out its kitchen...

I've been looking forward to going here since Betos closed down -- my last few experiences at Betos before it closed had been pretty mediocre (including one time where they literally misplaced my credit card and had my entire family literally searching for it on our hands and knees (it turned up in their walk-in freezer?!), so its closing was no real surprise, but having frequented it for a very long time, I was happy to see that something new opened in its place.

Unfortunately, my first and only experience is similar to what others have written here -- incredibly long service. I can't comment on the quality of the food because we never received it; after well over an hour of waiting, we decided to leave. The waitstaff was friendly, but nothing we had ordered was particularly complicated (one a la carte taco; two enchilada plates; and flautas).

We were seated outside and it didn't seem particularly busy (maybe it was more busy inside?). The first time our waitress came over to apologize for the wait (about 30 minutes after we had ordered) should have been the time to fix any problems. We were told shortly afterwards that ours will be coming out soon, yet, a full 1 hour after we had ordered, we were told that there was a mix up in the orders.

I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, and I get that mistakes happen, but it doesn't take that long to correct an issue like this -- didn't want a free meal, just wanted our food. I want to think these are growing pains, but I really don't want a restart of my...

The food was not worth the price. They forgot items and the food was hit and miss.

The rice and beans, I literally had to go back for, were good. The enchiladas were cold and had no sauce. The first side of beans they sent me home with was literally juice and not even a full side of juice if that's what they wanted to pass off as their charro beans.

I was given about 4 little pieces of fajita for a $21.00 plate of fajitas. No tortillas either. The quesadilla plate horrible! Soggy and full of grease with no beans even though it was an actual plate.

The aqua fresca lemonade was good after having to tell them I did not ask for a fountain drink Minute Maid lemonade.

$100 for pure disappointment. I do not recommend food from this place.

The atmosphere while waiting for the order was a nice setup. Great hang place for friends if you drink. I cannot speak on the prices of drinks though, as I do not drink.

Weigh your options in the area because I'm certain you can and will find better.

First and last time there. What a shame. I really...