The New York Times placed two San Antonio-area eateries on its list of the nation’s 41 best Mexican restaurants.
Though San Antonio has no shortage of exceptional Mexican restaurants, the publication chose Beacon Hill hole-in-the-wall Garcia’s Mexican Food and Seguin barbecue spot Burnt Bean Co. for its national shortlist.
The Times’ writers praised Garcia’s for its affordable prices, homey vibe and brisket tacos.
“Garcia’s is what an idealized American diner looks like in this part of the country: housemade salsas, tortillas instead of toast and plates of nourishing food at prices that explain why some customers visit multiple times a day,” New York Times food reporter Brett Anderson wrote.
“The 65-seat restaurant is also something of a pioneer,” Anderson continued. “With Andy Garcia as pitmaster, Garcia’s has been serving house-smoked brisket wrapped in tortillas for over 20 years.”
Yolanda Garcia and her late husband Julio opened Garcia’s in 1962. The family tradition continues over 60 years later, thanks to their four children.
Garcia’s has racked up plenty of praise from both national and local publications, including USA Today, Texas Monthly, prior nods from the New York Times and others. Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias also makes a point to stop there when he’s visiting his “home away from home.”
While some may question how Burnt Bean Co., a barbecue spot, landed on a list of the nation’s best Mexican restaurants, the New York Times was quick to point out that the Seguin dining spot serves up plenty of Mexican dishes.
“Burnt Bean’s Texas barbecue is outstanding,” the article noted. “The lines attest to that, as do the accolades, including being named the state’s best barbecue joint by Texas Monthly in 2025. It’s also accurate to say the restaurant simply serves the food of South Texas.”
Specials and menu staples at the popular spot include brisket, sure, but they also include tortilla soup, menudo, barbacoa tacos and brisket huevos rancheros. Pitmaster Ernest Servantes harkens to his Tex-Mex upbringing in Uvalde by pairing barbecue with guacamole, pico de gallo and tortillas.
“You could call it Tex-Mex barbecue, but it’s just how barbecue is eaten in a state whose Mexican border is more than 1,200 miles long,” Anderson writes.
Additionally, Burnt Bean’s inclusion speaks to the expansive definition of the cuisine reflected in the overall list, which includes anything from humble food trucks to high-end cuisine. The list also includes regionally diverse selections, including “seafood from Sonora, carnitas from Michoacán, chalupas from Puebla.”
“There has never been a better time for Mexican food in the United States,” the Times said. “A culinary renaissance over the last 15 years has expanded the American palate well beyond Tex-Mex, tacos and game-night nachos.”
San Antonio got more mentions than any other city in Texas. Austin, El Paso and Houston only got one inclusion each. Dallas, on the other hand, got zero mentions.
While the diversity of Mexican cuisine might not be news to San Antonio residents, the list reflects a growing respect for the many flavors, regions, class strata and aesthetic persuasions found within the broadly defined cuisine.
“We hope it tells an expansive story about Mexican cooking in America today — a dynamic cuisine all its own, and as American as any food,” the publication stated.
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