Singhs Cantina — Restaurant in San Antonio

This is definitely one of those hip tryhard "Tiktok" spots where the food can visually look amazing but then you realize this food is for people who have...never had food before. They have never eaten outside of their house and they try this place and claim "its sauurrr goood!!!!111!!!1!"

We had the pork and brisket Banh Mi. (12$ each btw) How did they make the brisket bland and dry? It tasted like it was slow cooked in tap water. The pork was better, especially the spicy version, but both were still lackluster. The pickled carrots were barely pickled at all (which is why i guess they call it a banh mi), and had jalapenos, normal mayo (??), cucumber and cilantro. That part was fine. But the bread was literally just a long torta bread!!! That is NOT what a Banh Mi bread is supposed to be like. At this point the ingredients more similar to a torta than a Banh Mi man. Just call it a Torta!! I asked for them to put Pate and Bo on the sandwiches, and they very quickly refused. They said they could charge it to me on the side, but the ended up charging me and serving me the WHOLE APPETIZER!! I never asked for the appetizer version, just the Pate and Bo on the side. I hope you enjoyed my 8$. The pate was in the can, but the butter was literally movie theater butter. I was literally served fake margarine. And for the people who know, Vietnamese butter/mayo is very different. Cashews (95% normal candied 5% szechuan) and drinks were fine.

The person who started this place literally googled what a Banh Mi looked like, and used whatever they have in their "Texan" fridge. Im guessing that's how all of this started. Smart of them to make the place look hip and be near UTSA, those students just don't know any better yet.

Im not a hater of fusion by the way, when its done right. Noodz Mexican-Asian is great, and Cris and Johns in Dallas is wonderful too. Quoc Bao Bakery is one of the few legit Banh Mi places Ive had in Texas, sucks that its in Dallas. Singhs is fusion-esque, but not full fusion. Its just not good enough to recommend, but I appreciate them trying. I haven't tried the Com Tam, but the pictures look disappointing too. It could be done better!

Id say, if you don't go out often, only eat chicken tenders and fries, and you want to spend a lot of money, go for it this place is absolutely for you.

If you've ever had good food before (specifically good fusion or Viet food) I really wouldn't recommend it.

I wont be back, but they will be popular anyways, so my opinion doesn't matter here. The service was nice though, I appreciate the gentleman at the front. He was nice with my concerns. : )

Tldr; Banh Mi isnt really fusion. Its a torta with carrots. Too expensive for what you get, you're eating with your eyes. Location is pretty. Customer service was good. OG location is barely better because the meat is more flavorful...

Photos vs Reality Mismatch!!!! Lackluster Dish: The restaurant’s website shows vibrant, appetizing dishes, but our meal was bland, colorless, and unappealing. Our side-by-side photos show the difference—really disappointing and the restaurant is no longer responsive or willing to provide update when or if they are willing to fix the issue. Disappointing.

We tried to reach out privately before posting this review, as we always prefer to give businesses a chance to make things right first. Unfortunately, Singh’s doesn’t list a phone number, and our Instagram DM went unanswered—even though they continued posting new content after we reached out. At that point, it felt like we were left with no other option but to share our experience publicly.

We were looking forward to Singh’s coming back to their original location. When they had the food truck there, we were loyal customers, easily stopping by once or twice a week. The food was consistently amazing, and it always hit the spot.

So naturally, when we heard they had returned, we didn’t hesitate to go back and place a to-go order. Unfortunately, the excitement quickly turned into disappointment. As soon as we opened the boxes at home, it was clear this wasn’t the Singhs we remembered. The food lacked the flavor, quality, and care that used to make it so special. It honestly felt like a completely different experience—bland, rushed, and uninspired.

What made it even more frustrating was realizing that many of the old menu items we loved from the food truck days were gone. Those were what made Singh’s unique, and losing them takes away a big part of what made us fans in the first place. The presentation and plating were also really lacking, especially for a place that used to pay attention to every detail.

It’s disappointing to see such a strong favorite take a step backward. We truly hope they listen to feedback and get back to the quality and menu that built their following. We want to support them, but only if they bring back what made them great...

The cashiers were super upfront about the food not being the same as the Singh’s food truck, and to expect something a little different which was nice. The food was 12$ for a rice bowl with your choice of protein. I chose the pork which was decent however it’s really hard NOT to compare the food to the other establishment and the old food truck. It is not as good as what they serve at the St. Mary’s location. Even without comparing it to Singh’s Vietnamese, their food is just okay. They also add on a 12% service charge to every order, which again the employees are super upfront about, however I think it is a bad business decision. I’d say at that point just to increase your menu prices, the extra service fee seems odd especially when you aren’t being waited on where I feel a tip/grat would be fine. I know this is technically ‘Singh’s Cantina’ and not ‘Singh’s Vietnamese’ however associating this location with the Singh’s business kind of sets the expectation of the same quality of food, even if the menu items are a little different from the parent location, and unfortunately it just does not meet those standards. I really hope that the owners take their customers feedback and make some tweaks so we can continue to support...