Bliss is the bomb.

Bohannon's downtown. Not cheap but probably one of the better steaks in town. For barbeque, you really need to drive about 50 miles to Luling or Lockhart. Just about any place in those two towns will be superior to anything you might get in San Antonio. That said, I have enjoyed Two Brothers on the north side of town.

Hate to keep beating this drum, but try La Gloria at the Pearl. You won't get this at home, I guarantee it.

How about La Gloria in the Pearl? Authentic Mexican street food you're not likely to find at home. Not expensive either.

Definitely thumbs up for Bliss...

Tacos Paraiso on 1604 and Bitters is a nice, mom and pop operation serving authentic Mexican. The tacos pastor are excellent, as is the chicken soup. Also had a good experience at Palenque Grill on 1604.

For Mexican/TexMex (these are not the same things):

La Gloria (Pearl Market area) Mexican street food
Rosarios
El Mirador
Mexican Manhatten
These three are in the downtown area and compose a good cross-selection of TexMex without the tourist vibe (or mediocrity/overpricing). Don't dine on the Riverwalk is still good advice.

Since you don't want to break the bank, I'll leave off fine dining here, although there are many good options downtown. For barbeque, the best is clearly an hour's drive away in Lockhart and that's what I'm familiar with, so I'll leave others to steer you to more local establishments.

This is an accurate review of the current SA "innovative" restaurant scene at the moment, IMO. Weissman's places have gone down quite a bit since the halycon days when Le Reve burst onto the scene. The man is also a terror to work for, from what I've heard.

Saeyedoc is correct. Silo is past its prime. Good for happy hour, not much else if you are interested in a great experience.

+1 on Black's.

Nice idea on the toaster oven! Will put that in the travel notebook.

For some reason, I have never understood the popularity of this establishment; it seemed overrated, overpriced and the cuisine ordinary. I am completely aware that a large number of residents don't share this opinion, however. For myself, it belongs in the category of local favorites like Jims, Paesano's, Big Lou's and other local culinary oddities for which I find no discernable reason for their existence.

For an authentic Northern Mexican experience, try Tacos Paraiso on the corner of 1604 and Bitters. Just a small mom and pop operation, and no atmosphere, but the chicken soup is outstanding. Also try the tacos pastor.

+1 for La Gloria.

I have to agree about the service at El Mirador; loved the food, but the staff kept us laughing at their almost wilful incompetence. For a place that's been around as long as this one, it's a complete mystery. Anyway, for a fine example of a somewhat retro greasy spoon Tex-Mex joint in the downtown area, try Mexican Manhatten.

IIRC, Black's in Lockhart is the only one of the 3 major places in that burg who serves chicken; this was a necessity for non-red-meat-eating dining companion. Also according to memory, those other establishments may not serve barbeque sauce, the idea being that the meat should stand on its own. You can't really go wrong anywhere down that road, as everyone else has noted. We enjoyed looking at all the authentic memorabilia (pictures of the high school football teams dating back to the 1920s) on the walls of Black's. It's like a trip back in time, complemented by the striking historic courthouse nearby.

Yes, you need to occupy the chef's table to get the tasting menu, which means rounding up like-minded folks. Really, you could design your own tasting menu without the chef's table; the cuisine is quite special.

We go often. The cuisine is thoughtful, imaginative, and well executed. Some of the vegetables served are grown on the premises. They can handle a group of 8.

Try Bohannan's downtown. They feature the fabulous Akaushi beef, which has no equal, in my opinion.

If you like this one, check out the tasting menu at the chef's table at Bliss. $75/pp without wine, but well worth it. You are seated in the kitchen and are able to watch the whole preparation process.

We usually plan on about an hour to Lockhart, on a late Saturday afternoon. Drive out I-10, and turn left at the Luling exit. Go through Luling and continue on to Lockhart. Take a gander at the historic courthouse in the middle of town, and check out Black's Barbeque (can't miss the signs). There are at least two other establishments on this route who serve outstanding barbeque, so take in the full range before you decide.

I am frankly not familiar with the 151 area regarding restaurants, but I would suggest that one night you take that 20 minute drive down 1604 East and find your way to Freetail Brewing. Not only do they have superior beer, their kitchen is quite handy, with a wood-fired pizza oven and a diverse menu. They should have the capacity to accommodate your group.

The discouraging reality is that the newspaper's poll is probably an accurate reflection of the vast majority's tastes, most of whom are no more gastronomically adventurous than a midline chain restaurant, a la The Olive Garden or Outback. It is undeniably true, as you point out, that the diversity and depth of cuisine has changed for the better recently, but in this category, as in so many others, San Antonio has started so far behind more enlightened areas that it will take a lot longer to develop a vibrant culinary scene. CIA is certainly a positive development and our local chefs have for the most part led the charge towards better food, but it will take a lot more than a few fine restaurants and food trucks to change the almost wilfully ignorant food culture here. And don't get me started on the local "favorites" who serve nothing but inferior, mediocre cuisine to packed crowds, like Chris Madrid's, Paesano's, Big Lou's, and the like.

If you go to a place "a lot of San Antonians seem to love" you'll probably get a mediocre experience...residents aren't known for their culinary acumen.

Another vote for The Cove.

Drive to Lockhart. Choose practically any place you come across. Seriously, it's worth the drive.

+1 for El Mirador. Try the corn soup on Thursdays, I think. Also, Mi Tierra is complete tourist crap.

+1 for beans....

This is a really perceptive comment. Please define what "mexican food" you're after, and it will be easier to help you. San Antonio has a wealth of traditional Tex-Mex establishments, but even among those, the cuisine varies quite a bit. Also, the influx of Mexicans from Northern Mexico has produced an almost equally interesting range of Mexican cuisine from various regions.

Green makes some pretty nice vegetarian food; they have 2 locations, one downtown and the other at Alon Center on Northwest Military Highway. No other dedicated vegetarian comes to mind in San Antonio. In Austin, the choices are many, but Mother's in Hyde Park has been around forever; Sunday brunches are good.