Las carretas Mexican restaurant — Restaurant in San Antonio

I almost felt guilty as I taxied onto the Wurzbach Parkway at NW Military. I had seen the throttling choke of traffic on 1604 and was glad to have an alternative flight path to a behind schedule lunch. Shoving the throttle down I felt the satisfactory feel of acceleration and the associated G Force as I achieved rotation then leveled off at overpass speed. With a bird's eye view we could see the streets, cars and buildings below as we jetted speedily past them all in the light traffic pattern.

Our swift trans-parkway flight had us unbuckling our seatbelts before we even had time to finish the can of Coke we had opened at the onset of the trip. Customs beckoned us through the gateway doors and bade us to declare whether we were here for business or pleasure. At this late lunch hour it was going to be all business for our eating pleasure.

Eschewing my normal enchilada path for a run down a different concourse we ordered the botanas plate of quesadillas, chicken flautas, guacamole, and bean and cheese nachos. And to ensure we were properly fueled up for the return flight we ordered a couple of house margaritas that had just achieved happy hour status. A little disappointing to have to experience an unforeseen delay as the appetizer botanas had not been cleared for arrival as our entrees made an appearance. No free vouchers but a promise that the botanas would still make the trip from the kitchen to our table but at no charge.

Lunch specials of fish with enchilada and fish with grilled shrimp were portered to our table with tea for an unheard of tariff of $6.95 (lunch special). This was about as duty free as it gets. The cod fish with a garlic sauce (al mojo de ajo) put us on cloud nine with its tender flesh and creamy sauce. Grilled, flame singed shrimp and cheesy enchilada were first class with a satisfying business class serving of frijoles a la charra (very much like El Chaparral) and rice. The poor botanas were mostly neglected once they finally appeared. I would only relegate the salsas and OK chips to economy as well as the very congenial, but sporadic service.

This old restaurant may be a DC-10 on the inside and out, but the discount lunch flights may just be...

I was gifted some super delicious tamales this recent Christmas season. The absolute best tasting tamale I've experienced from San Anto. Although they were heavy on the masa, I didn't even care because the masa was the star, the wonderful pork filling was the perfect co-star that made a perfect pairing So I had to ask my friend where she picked them up from. She said it's a little Mom and Pop cafe across from the USPS main mailing facility on Perrin Beitel. I used to live in that area , so I knew exactly where it was located. She did give me this feedback. " If you want to order tamales, 'they' are more accommodating if you speak Spanish and you need to give them a minimum of 4 hours advance notice of order. She said the food IS delicious, but the service was below par. Well last monday 1/6/2025 I had to go to the main Post office on Perrin Beitel, it was about 2 in the afternoon and I was hungry. I remembered Las Carretas cafe was there! So I went in , no one greeted, spotted a server and asked if I could seat myself. Yes . As I walked past a good sized Mexican bakery case my appetite smiled, hopeful to take some home. As I decided to take a booth a quick look around over 20 tables/ booths two were occupied and I only suspect 2 servers. Not very busy, patron wise. As I take a seat I hear a female voice yell in Spanish to the other server, "Hay voy, yo miras" So that seems that they recognize I'm a new diner added , a single . 5 minutes, no one has come to take my drink order or offer me a menu (even though there was one left on the table).I hear and see an older woman with a middle aged man enter, as they pass my booth I hear the lady tell her guest" I love this restaurant, the food is really good I come here all the time!". No sooner does this couple sit down and a server is making a beeline straight to their table with menus and rolled utensils in hand to greet them. Granted I had been waiting 10 minutes by now. So I walked out. Not sure if I'll give them another shot. Their menu boasted cabrito and lengua, which are hard to find in Tex Mex...

EXTERIOR and LOCATION: Good. It sits in it's own little corner without any businesses butting up against it. It looks plainly like a Mexican Restaurant, and it doesn't look outdated.

INTERIOR: Great. A spotless interior with the standard Mexican aesthetic. Nothing feels cramped or out of place. The interior is surprisingly large as well. The display case with baked goods out front is also a nice touch.

FOOD: Excellent. Breakfast tacos are large, not too greasy, and delicious. Dinner plates come with standard sides but with large portions. Chile Rellnos and Enchiladas are exceptional.

PRICE: Excellent. Offers a range of options from low priced plates to medium, as well as singular items at, frankly, generous prices. In short, it's difficult to spend a lot of money here.

SERVICE: Excellent. Friendly and Polite staff make you feel welcome, as if you have always dined there. Service is quick even at peak times and the staff are attentive to your needs, no cup left empty, no empty plate left in the open for long.

OVERALL: Excellent. There is no reason not to treat yourself to excellent Mexican Food, whilst at the same time saving your wallet the heartache of parting with a significant amount of money.

In short, if you're within driving distance, 'this' is where you should be getting your...