San Antonio Texas

If you are itching to find a vacation spot that features inexpensive, festive restaurants with excellent food, kicking tropical drinks and casual comfort, San Antonio will exceed your wildest expectations. This is a city that knows how to have a good time. Here you will find countless Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican eateries that serve up some of the tastiest food in town alongside the smoothest Margaritas you have ever sampled. Here are some of the top choices.

Located in San Antonio's historic Sunset Station complex, Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine continues to be voted by locals as one of their favorite dining spots. Set in a charming outdoor plaza that is built from a vintage train station, this is a number one venue for dancing, live music and nightlife. Serving up heaping portions of Mexican favorites, like burritos, enchiladas, tacos and more, there are also several vegetarian selections for non-carnivores. Winner of a San Antonio's People's Choice award for its huge menu of fruity, tropical margaritas, this is a place built for long hours of fun.

Located in the bustling section of Market Square, you will find the side-by-side legacies of La Margarita and Mi Tierra Cafe. La Margarita is a lovely, casual authentic Mexican restaurant that offers a spacious interior decorated in Spanish tiles and colorful artifacts. Diners can sit indoors or outside under the colorful umbrellas and watch the parade of people go by. Recommended dishes include the spicy fajitas, fresh gulf oysters and puffy tacos. Along with the scrumptious food, great service, and boisterous atmosphere are some of the best icy-cold margaritas you'll ever have. And once this place closes, the party continues long into the night at Mi Tierra Cafe, where a full bar and strolling Mariachis add to the merriment all the way through breakfast.

You will smell the heavenly roasting chilies halfway up the block in the beloved King William hot spot, Rosario's. Here festive food, spirits and atmosphere rival for an all-out spectacular evening. Consistently rated by locals as one of the city's best restaurants, the fresh salsa is addictive, the crowds lively, the assortment of fruity Margaritas stellar and the portions in happy excess, with the bar remaining open well after the weekend 1:30 closing hour accompanied by live salsa and jazz music. Favorite dishes include the ceviche, made of fresh cilantro, tomatoes and onions marinated in cold lime juice with fish and shrimp, served with a warm basket of chips. The enfrijoladas Santa Clara is one of the most popular pix, consisting of chicken enchiladas with beans and queso, topped with spicy chili sauce, served with a "Mexican Caesar" salad. Rosario's is always a sure-fire recipe for a good time.

Lastly, for something a bit more sophisticated or for a large group, La Fogata offers all the beauty and elegance of old Mexico in the unexpected location of a residential shopping strip in downtown San Antonio. Once you pass through the gates, you will swear you slipped over the border as lavish tropical flowers, splashing fountains, colored lanterns and intimate patio seating will transport you miles away, setting the stage for a glorious dining adventure. Winner of the 2001 city-wide Margarita contest, this place is known for having some of the best food and drinks in town. One-of-a-kind specialty dishes featuring spicy sauces will tantalize your taste buds, while the unusual flavors of Margaritas are sure to keep your spirits soaring well into the night.