Mendez Cafe — Restaurant in San Antonio

I heard about this place from my sister because she knows I Love Carne Guisada tacos... She said I wouldn't be disappointed. What she forgot to mention was the Extra, Extra Long Wait for Everything!!! My girlfriend and I showed up around 10:45 for breakfast, after waiting 45 minutes to just sit down, 20 minutes was to just get inside the door! By the time the table was cleaned up for us to at least put our hands on the dirty table, the Waitress brought the menu for us and asked if we wanted Coffee... We agreed but no Decaffeinated available for Me, plus glasses of water. After 2 Cup's of coffee she came back to take our order... It was pretty close to Noon... But Breakfast was still available. My girlfriend placed her order and I placed my order "Plus 2 Carne Guisada tacos and a Picadillo taco To-Go and I was starving by then by the way! They kept filling up our coffees... Which are tiny...Thank God! The place is small and tables are Elbow to Elbow with little room to walk in between people sitting down. By the way the entrance and the waiting area is about 6 square feet, we waited outside dodging people coming out as they left. So after another 40 minutes drinking/sipping coffee... I told my Girlfriend if they were waiting for the Chickens to Lay the Eggs and are they killing the Cow to fill Our Order? I was willing to help in the Kitchen to make sure we were going to eat. Finally we got our food and we wolfed it down because We were going to the Airshow at Kelly. I asked the waitress for the check so I can pay for everything... When she gave me the Bill to pay... She told Me my Tacos To-Go were being prepared. I got upset and asked Her why she didn't have them ready after we got served Breakfast? She apologized to me and said that they wait until we're done with our plates before they fill To-Go Orders! I told Her that after being there going on 2 hour's... She could have filled our To-Go orders when I placed the order of Tacos... She apologized again and told me my order was next to be filled. I cancelled my order and got on line to pay for the lousy service and mediocre breakfast. Again she mentioned that My Order was being filled... I told Her again that it should have been filled an hour ago... I told the cashier not to charge Me for the 3 Taco's I wanted To-Go. So I still don't know what the Best Carne Guisada tacos taste like... And I guess I never Will! Maybe I should wake up before they open and wait another 2 hours to find out! By the way I told my sister my bad experience and she confessed that she forgot to mention that to Me and that my niece also wanted to volunteer in the kitchen to Speed things up! Sorry people... I have High blood pressure from Genetics and not from eating too much Bad Mexican Food. I guess I just have to cook it myself... Just like everything else if I want my meal to be cooked just like my Mother and Grandma used to cook it! I save a lot of...

Food is delicious not going to lie but their Customer Service is a no good. It's bad enough they're cash only and ever since the pandemic they don't like to answer their phone. I had been calling since 8am to order tacos....called 4 times rang for a very long time. I go in person to order tacos to go as I walked in there, there were about 4 customers eating inside not busy at all!! I asked the lady at register, is your phone working cause I've been calling and calling...she just looks at the phone and says no it's fine...I purposely call in front of her and she just turns around and looks at phone and I said look it was me...she just smiled and didn't respond.....I shook my head and walked out. I think you can only use the pandemic as an excuse for so long!! If you're not going to answer your phone atleast put an answering machine and say no phone orders something don't just leave customers in limbo...not everyone lives in the area so appreciate the ones that are willing to drive a good distance for your food. How do we know if you're open or not, when you don't answer...

Mom and Pop establishment my wife and I have frequented since 1988 when KAFB was still in full operation. Mendez is a tiny little place even after an addition to extend was made decades ago. They have a small menu as well which to this day has not changed the least bit so their recipes haven't changed either. Say like mom's home cooking with very little variance in taste. Yeah, like that. An all-time favorite are their brisket tacos. Another and ordered without fail for breakfast are the chilaquiles plates with ranchera sauce on the side. And if that isn't hot enough simply add that magical green table sauce as an added 'topping'. Service has always been great specially when you know the best times to arrive. -Cash Only- Always has been and I don't believe Mr Mendez will deviate from that tradition anytime soon either. If you stop by once and expect too much, you'll never be content, from any business. Lighten up and give those folks a chance to prove why they've been in business after all...