The Layover - San Antonio
 

Ok, so I have a business trip to San Antonio next week and will be there for two nights. I'll arrive Wed around 5pm and leave Friday early morning, so that gives me Wednesday night and Thursday night to "do things"

So can you guys give me suggestions on "Must See, Eat, Do" kinda things that fit that timeline? I'm staying on the Riverwalk but will also have a car to get around with.

Seeing the Alamo is top of my list, just because I have always wanted to see it.

Thursday will be spent north at UTSA.

I'd LOVE to find a GOOD BBQ place. I love Blacks out in Lockhart, and the original Salt Lick whenever I'm in Austin, so something along those lines would be great.

What does the food truck scene look like in SA? And how about a place to get a Texas Sized Steak?

Are there other things that make San Antonio special that a short term visitor should try to see?

Have a look at this recent thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/texas...ve-advice.html

As noted in that thread Rudy's is an option for BBQ as well as Smoke Shack, others may have different opinions. Some other food options here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/texas...tonio-bbq.html

Thank you, you are a gentleman and a scholar :)

I need to learn how to make search actually return what I am looking for.

But I definitely have some good ideas now.

The Alamo will take about five minutes.

Bohanan's does a decent steak, one of the only good restaurants in downtown.

Give the the Granary a shot for BBQ. If the weather isn't too hot, you can walk to the Granary from downtown along the Riverwalk. Once the Riverwalk leaves downtown it becomes greenspace rather than commercial, pleasant walk. The walk from downtown to the Pearl (where the Granary is located) is maybe 20 minutes. Otherwise it's a five minute drive.

Definitely stop by Brown Coffee Co off I-10 on your way to UTSA. In fact, grab some breakfast tacos from the taqueria next door. 3 tacos for $1.50, get the chorizo. Then eat them at Brown with a pourover of whatever's on the menu that day.

https://goo.gl/maps/bC09w

Or grab something to go from the other location just outside downtown, across the street from the Granary. Best espresso you'll ever have.

Lots of options
 

If you are a devoted carnivore, consider Cured which is also at the Pearl. Ate there with an out of town visitor the other night and it was charcuterie heaven. Their cocktails are pretty impressive, too. Or if you are decidedly after steak, go for the rib eye at Midtown Arcade, also at the Pearl - I am not especially a fan of rib eyes, but theirs was memorably delectable. Pair it with the lobster soft taco starter and prepare your taste buds for ecstasy. Good wine list, too.

If you are reluctant to stray far from the Riverwalk to satisfy your meat craving, the Hyatt Regency (the "old" Hyatt property downtown) has restyled their house resto as Q and it garners very positive reviews.

Should you have time remaining after your five minute visit to the Alamo and wish to savor some good Mexican, stay as far away as possible from Mi Tierra and the other El Mercado tourist traps. Head, instead, to La Paloma Blanca on Broadway or La Fonda on Main (but not other places named La Fonda.)

Thanks everyone. So first night I went out to Rudy's because it was recommended by several people, including some friends I have in San Antonio. It was very good. Not as good as Blacks in Lockhart (is that what they call "fightin' words?) but it was delicious, and the cream corn really is as good as everyone claims.

I'll definitely try to hit up the brown coffee company tomorrow instead of eating crappy hotel breakfast. Still not sure what's on tap for tomorrow night though, depends on work people.

So thanks everyone!!

Note that Brown has two locations. The one on Broadway (the new one) has some food items but nothing hot. The old Kings Hwy location has no food and is is definitely not a typical cafe. Definitely hit the Kings Hwy location with some tacos from the taco joint up the street though.

If the place looks closed, it's probably not. If the door is unlocked, go on in.

Thanks for this tip! I'm heading to San Antonio next week and definitely need to have breakfast tacos while I'm there.

Are talking about Tacqueria Datapoint at the intersection of Gramercy, Zarzamora, and Fredericksburg? If so, I highly recommend it. Breakfast tacos are 3 for $3.25 if you get the same filling in all three. My wife and I will split an order - makes for a delicious, cheap takeout breakfast within walking distance of our house.

YES!

I used to go there twice a week when I lived in Olmos Park.