Reviews of Restaurant Gwendolyn (Restaurant)

brandon Neyman

Imagine going over to Grandma's on Sunday evening, and having the most thoughtful and soulful dining experience ever. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic. The staff were so friendly and inviting it's like I've known them forever. The food is out of this world, the dedication and precision of the kitchen staff is nothing short of perfection. This place is a must if your in San Antonio. No exceptions.

Brad Provencher

Very good food. Third best tomato soup I ever had. Exceptional service. Everything is local and made in an old world style kitchen. Very cool atmosphere and experience. I thought it was a bit pricey, but I also assume we were paying for the experience as well. Some of the dishes were a bit too creative in my opinion (and I love to try new things), thus, didnt live up to the hype and expectations I had for each dish. That said, the wine pairings were spectacular and the food was delicious.

Audrey Dale

Met some great friends for dinner on a Sat night. This place is filled with wonderful old world charm...it is small, cozy and intimate with a great, knowledgeable wait staff. The 5 course tasting menu was excellent and the wine pairings were a perfect match. It's pricey but we'll worth it. I highly recommend Gwendolyn for a romantic special occasion dinner!!!!

Michael Wright

Great food and service. On the river, door opened for us, plenty of options from charcuterie to 7-course chef's tasting. Great service from attentive waiters to manager who helped us with wine to the small touches, like the chef thanking me for coming on our way out. Oh yeah, and the food is amazing! All adds up to a five star experience.

Rochelle Hoskins

Husband and I truly enjoyed our evening. We wanted to try something different. We did the 7 course with wine pairing. The selections were amazing. My husband does not really go for white wines but most the wines that were paired were white. The food and wine really complemented each other and he enjoyed them both. The other reviews say this place is an experience. And that sums it up for us as well. An enjoyable experience. The staff was very friendly and helpful if you had any questions on the food or wine. There was no rushing at all, itwas very laid back. I am glad we got to go while we were in town.

Andy Benavidez

Very impressed with the menu and the decor. The staff was extremely attentive and as we were celebrating my wife’s birthday, they made her feel like a queen. Each course was it’s very own unique treat. This is a must stop for those with exquisite culinary taste.

Ben Diamond

I loved my experience here. The ambiance, service, location, food and coffee all excellent. It was well worth the evening. I like the small portion sizes with the tasting menu.

Ethel Miller

We searched for restaurants and this one did not come up on the Google search. How lucky were we to find this gem. Our wine pairing with the price fixed menu was perfection. The flavors and the tastes were matched so well and the service by Kevin and the entire team could not have been improved upon. When you make your reservation, ask for the kitchen table. The view of the chefs preparing the dishes while You are eating is incredible. I can’t say enough wonderful things about our dinner!

Jocylin Francis

We went to the restaurant for our anniversary. We had the seven course meal with the half wine pairing. It was excellent. The service and food was wonderful. The staff were very friendly. It was obvious how much thought went into the preparation and presentation of the meal. We had a very enjoyable evening.

Todd Beard

The Chinese New Year was delicious the chefs and service took extra care to make the meal enjoyable

Angelique Snyder

What a lovely experience! This small restaurant is quaint, delicious, and so unique.

Maria Quilty

My husband and I wanted to try something different four our anniversary and ended up picking this place. The positives: the atmosphere of the restaurant is truly romantic. The space is small, they keep the lighting intimate, there is a nice little patio with a view of the river, overall perfect place for a romantic date or special occasion. The service was excellent as well. The wait staff were all super courteous, pleasant and attentive. My husband and I did disagree on the food. He enjoyed it quite a bit more than I did. We both had the 7 court chef's dinner and the wine pairing. The wines were all excellent and complemented the food very well. As far as the food, there were some wonderful highlights, like the seafood course with the grouper fillet and rice, which was probably some of the best fish I've ever tasted. But, there were some lows, like the chilled cucumber soup and the steak tar tar. I realize that taste is a matter or personal preference and not everyone is going to be happy with everything. I will say that everything was prepared and served with a lot of care and attention to detail, which made us appreciate all the offerings. Finally, the big negative to me was the price. As special as this experience was for us, the amount of food and wine we consumed simply does not justify the ridiculous price tag. I realize that everything is sourced from local farmers and prepared fresh, but still the price is just way too high. So, I would say if you are a big foodie and want the typical "fine dining" experience, go here, but be ready to pay more $$ than you have probably ever paid for dinner before.

K Burnes

Great food, service and atmosphere! Hands down the best restaurant I’ve eaten at in San Antonio.

Langston Arnold

Food was perfect. The waiter was knowledgeable and respectful. Atmosphere was quiet and soothing. Perfect restaurant all around! Must go!

Carolyn Baker

Great location for delicious american food. one of the best spots in the area. the staff was very helpful and observant. prices are reasonable i would say.

Adam Pease

My wife and I spotted this cozy restaurant from the River Walk. It has a beautiful balcony looking over the river. Nearby downtown. The wait staff and servers were incredible, we each had the 7 courses along with wine pairing. Our napkins were refolded and replaced each time one of us left the table. The kitchen is pre-industrial which means no kitchen equipment uses any electricity. All ingredients are fresh and local within 100 miles. The menu is different daily consisting of what ingredients are available. The food seemed to favor the French flavor and had exquisite taste.

Hamid Barkah

The best food and service i have had in long time

Jeremy H

Came here for the tasting menu 3 times. First experience was amazing the others were fairly disappointing. The pre-industrial spiel is kind of pretentious, people don't really care how the food is made as long as it's good when you're charging 90+ a head. Additionally my last time had 4 courses which had the same meat out of 7 which I think is kind of lazy for a tasting menu.

Violet Gordon

We booked a table according to the reviews and have to say that we are lucky we did so. The five course menu was absolutely outstanding. Watching the chefs prepare the different dishes was a special experience as well. The atmosphere is intimate with a very low noise level. The staff is well trained and very attentive. This is haute cuisine as its best an highly recommended. So this is a must experience if traveling to San Antonio.

britany schwoch

I know the owners vaguely and love the idea of the restaurant. Organic, farm to table, sustainable and really delicious. It’s not inexpensive though, so make sure you have your wallet ready!

Jamie Gardner

American food and service at this place is excellent. everyone at our table was quite pleased. i'll return with my friends. prices are decent for the quality. i can see why they have a lot of great reviews.

Roman Young

Excellent spot for tasty American food. Everyone at our table was very satisfied. Prices that won't break you.

Sonya Groves

Small, cozy, intimate with a view of the Riverwalk is what you get when you dine at Gwendolyns. Atmosphere aside, the food for lunch is well prepared, but the options are sparse. Would you like a burger or a burger? But the burgers aren't the reason to go there for lunch, you go there for the coffee. Made to order, they use a syphon mechanism to brew it right near you and it is a cool way to watch your coffee come to life. And it tastes divine to boot.

Liz Templeman

Amazing meal! Definitely order the 5 or 7 course meal. You can have wine pairings with each course. My favorites tonight were the cauliflower soup and the drum. Menu changes as things are seasonally available.

Scott Haws

Found this gem while on a weekend trip to San Antonio with my family. Quaint and charming, the service was top notch and very knowledgable (thanks Karina!). Plenty of options for foodies and those less adventurous. Too cool on the evening we were there but would recommend an outdoor table overlooking the riverwalk if available.

Arik Gullette

Amazing fine dining and the staff was so amazingly conversanable. This was mine and my wife's first ever gone dining experience and this was the most amazing experience we could have ever asked for. Kevin was very knowledgeable about all the food including where it came from and was willing to spend time just chatting with us at the table. Definitely worth any amount of money spent for such an experience. Oh and the food chef mike prepared for us was so well paired in flavors and played so perfectly

Jonathan Perez

High-end Gourmet cuisine. Worth every penny. A unique food experience.

Joshua Greene

american food, mmm, very tasty. everyone at our table was quite pleased. definitely worth a return trip. prices were average for the menu.

Rich Acosta

The Restaurant Gwendolyn was great service was top, food was fantastic. We did their 5 course wine pairing and that was great at every bit. The servers was very knowledgeable and attentive. Great atmosphere. Only reason I wont be a frequent customer is because its very expensive, 5 course wine pairing $550, not including the tip! But was worth it.

Grant Garbo

Great restaurant! Dishes were on the small side but left fulfilled! Still satisfied 6 hours later! Amazing flavors not just salt! We did an a la carte and only needed 3 courses for a fantastic meal! Great wine suggestion by waiter.

Angel Burke

Excellent scene for quality american food. Great place to meet and catch up with friends. The service here is better than most. Makes me feel like I am back in Tucson.

Rosario De Haro

I just love it!!!!!! Went for our 32 wedding anniversary for the first time and everyone treats you so very nice! Love their hamburgers and their homemade salsa. Their coffee siphon is interesting that I even ordered something similar to it for my hubby. We even met the chef. Just went back with my mom and, oh my, Leif our waiter, was so professional. My mom loved it.

Sophie Scott

Looking for a unique and sexy cuisine? Restaurant Gwendolyn is your huckleberry! The Chef is super talented with beautifully displayed food that teases you with sexy flavors which leaves you wanting more! Jennifer our sommilie does an excellent job with wine pairing. The pairings always compliment each dish and they seem to flirt with your tastebuds.

Jamie Montelongo

Totally unique concept. If you want tasty , intimate, experiential dining try it. $$$$

Linda Gonzales

American food and the scene here is super good. service is always super even when they have a full house. looking forward to coming back with my relatives. the place has a nice atmosphere.

Heidi Martin-Hester

Absolutely favorite, pricey but worth every dime

Jennifer King

We booked a table according to the reviews and have to say that we are lucky we did so. The five course menu was absolutely outstanding. Watching the chefs prepare the different dishes was a special experience as well. The atmosphere is intimate with a very low noise level. The staff is well trained and very attentive. This is haute cuisine as its best an highly recommended. So this is a must experience if traveling to San Antonio.

Genesis Simmons

american food... super delicious. Super savory. Looking forward to coming back with my friends. This place has a nice feel to it. They have so many good reviews for a reason.

Jack Stockley

The concept of this restaurant is awesome! I loved the fact that they don't use anything electric in the kitchen! The staff were able to answer all the questions that he had about the food and how they cook in the kitchen! I would highly recommend anyone on the area to go to this restaurant!

Jay Hilliard

One of the best meals I've had in a while!

Mia Galvan

Great location for delicious American food. came here on a friday i think. there was fast, efficient, and courteous service. this place has a great feel to it.

Ian Dooley

This place has fantastic food and the prices for lunch are really good, but the menu is very small. They used to rotate the lunch menu which was fantastic. At that time, I would eat here about twice a month. Since they stopped rotating the menu, I eat here about once every 2.5 months.

Grant Barrett

american food... so tasty. Do yourself a favor and give this place a try. I will probably become a regular. Prices were fair. I can see why they have a lot of positive reviews.

Louis Ortiz

We didn’t even eat there, but I’ll update when we do. The hostess was AWFUL. We walked up, in various assortment of dress (I was in flip flops and shorts, my wife in a very nice outfit) and they looked us up and down and (judgingly) asked, “...are you sure you’d like the food here?” As if by our dress we weren’t equipped to enjoy a nice dining establishment... the side eye was REAL. Beware of the experience here, depending on what you’re wearing your legal U.S. tender might not be worth as much as the next persons...

Aaron Schuette

I was beyond amazed by everything this restaurant has to offer. We had a great time while we were here. It was different than other restaurants we've tried. Dinner was served great and the selections were wonderful. Even the wine pairing. It was definitely an amazing experience. Staff were friendly and nice plus very pleasing customer service.

Eric Morse

Intimate restaurant with creative menu and extremely attentive staff. They offer a phenomenal tasting menu that can also be paired with wines as well as a regular menu. If you are in San Antonio, dining at Gwendolyn is a must.

Eleanor Garner

A favorite place for delicious American food. I love it here. Next time I'll be back with my friends. Prices were fair for the quality of the food. Ambience reminds me of Colorado Springs area.

Anne Fajkus

Local farm fresh ingredients that become beautiful dishes to enjoy! The staff was phenomenal. We would definitely recommend a stop for a meal that is an experience!

Scott Donohue

Fantastic dining experience that you will pay for. The bill is reflective of the level of food and service. I would suggest handing the experience over to the chefs. It worked out for us and we got a nice surprise. Definitely felt like a culinary journey.

Felipe Gonzalez

The ambiance was great, unfortunately I either got food poisoning or something just made me violently I'll in the first few courses. I'm sure this doesn't happen very often but it did - i had to leave on the 5th course (of 7) and spoke to the waiter. The reason for the two stars is not the food, it was that the staff showed little sympathy and charged me full price for the meal. After I challenged this, I got a small discount. I don't expect to eat for free, and I was fully willing to pay full.price for my companion. But really?! I get sick at your restaurant (you see me not enjoying the plates and leaving most of it and constantly going to the men's room) and you still want to charge me? That's not right.

George Rodriguez Jr.

Not sure a customer only gave me a small drink with no more than that!

Chase Hoffstadt

Holy moly. We did the 5 course meal and it was the perfect amount of food. Each portion was perfectly created and delivered with love. The server, Heath, was very attentive to our needs and knowledgeable about the menu and the restaurant. Get the 5 or 7 course set up. If you are going to go, do it right. The only picture of the 5 course set up i didn't include was the salad. While i got the blood sausage and the fish, i also tried the rabbit stew and steak from my party's plates. Each course comes out to about 1/5th of the meal.... so they are small, but with everything together it is just right!

Crystal Cruz

A preferred site for american food. The food was so savory. Service treated us so nice. It has a good atmosphere.

Jason Britnell

Best meal I ever had. The service is impeccable. The flavors of the food is impressive. Especially when you consider they use old methods to prepare the food. Nothing with a plug. They also have a rule that everything perishable must be source within 150 miles. The menu constantly changes due to this. I cannot remember our waiter’s name, but he was phenomenal. This is a multi-course meal. Leisurely spaced. Our whole meal spread over two hours. Don’t come expecting to be in-and -out. This meal is meant to be enjoyed.

Sarah Miller

Outstanding location for delicious american food. got there about three, it wasn't crowded. looking forward to coming back with my relatives. the bill was good for how much you get.

Libby Mullins

My husband and I had seen a bit on this restaurant while watching TV one day. We made a note of it in case we had a chance to head their way. We went this past weekend and were definitely not disappointed! We did the 7 course with wine pairings. The food was fabulous! The wine pairings were on point and the staff were professional and delightful. They even went to the point of writing all of the wines down on my menu with the appropriate course. Is this a restaurant on a bit of an expensive side? Well, yes. You can't do what they are doing and HOW they are doing it without it costing. I am more than happy to forgo some other "package" restaurant and spend a bit more for what I believe is well worth the experience, food and wine. I'm ready to go back!

Hilda Gonzalez

Really an amazing experience. We went here for lunch after a crazy day and a terrible night at the wyndam across the street. The restaurant is small but cozy. There was light jazz playing in the background. Between the lighting, the music, and prompt service it was so relaxing. I had a Royale (cheeseburger) and truffle fries. Wow! I'm the type of person that thinks a burger is a burger. But honestly this place elevated a blue collar lunch into a culinary experience. The burger was probably one of the top 3 best burgers I've had in my life in terms of taste, texture, juiciness, etc. But even better was the ketchup. They should bottle this stuff! Hint All for extra. I know you think it's just ketchup, but it is not! It was sweet, but had such a rich flavor. They must make it in house. The truffle fries were again elevated to the status of a culinary master piece. It's hard to get fries right. But they were crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. And again the flavor was amazing. Be warned. I looked at the dinner menu and it is pretty pricey. But lunch was very reason for a restaurant of this quality.

Ell More

Wonderful experience! We did the chef's tasting menu with wine paring...so good and a great date experience. Very intimate, gorgeous view of the river. yet also great for foodies if you get the right table can watch them prepare and make the food (all farm/market fresh handmade no electric tools used). It is pricey so more of a special occasion but the food is amazing!

Terry Santos

Great food love the vibe....be going back "anniversary"

Rosalinda Segovia Robertson

Wine pairing is great, food however left more to be desired. Ambiance is beautiful, service is top notch, but food could be better. Sorry.

Keith Hamilton

Five course meal. It was an outstanding evening. Food was top notch and flaverful. Great experience.

Andrew Herrington

Wow. Just wow. The meal was fantastic. The service was incredible. Will be back!

Jason Landers

Just moved to San Antoio and what a gem we have found. The Quail Ratatouille was devine. My partner ordered the Braised Beef Agnolotti it was to die for!! We will be frequenting this beautiful restraunt and will be bringing our clients here

Susan Magana

My husband and I had the privilege of being treated to a 5 course meal. We were walk-ins on our wedding anniversary and as such we were seated at the bar, separated by glass giving us a full view of the kitchen. The hosts and servers were gracious and made us feel as cared for as if we were seated at a linen covered table. Seated here we observed the attention and detail that was given to every slate, dish, or glass that exited the kitchen. The kitchen staff worked in harmony to produce a well constructed tantalizing meal. From the appetizer and the shrimp bisque (Excellent!), every course was presented artfully and with fanfare. Sit at a table if you must, but if you really want to have a unique experience, request the bar. Thank you all for a memorable meal and your attention to excellence!

Manuel Roberson

Staff is always nice even when they have a full house. Service is consistently above par. Prices are appropriate for the quality.

Ki Ra

So, as a (visual) artist I can totally appreciate the want - perhaps, the NEED - to experiment and push boundaries. I preface this review this way because I feel this sums up my overall experience at Gwendolyn. The food was more than mere sustenance... it was every bit a work of Art. And in this vein, some things succeeded, some not so much. We also opted for the wine pairing and this selection was spot on, complimented everything perfectly. The Pastrami on Rye with Pickle bite set the tone. This bite-size wonder packed a delightful punch that was countered well with the buttery tartness of the pickle. Next we were served a less than room temp soup - which would have been otherwise off-putting, were it not for it being a very welcome compliment to a (super!) hot Summer day. The Peach and Mango Summer Soup, Coconut Tuile was by far THE most amazing meal in in the 5 course. The 2nd course (for him) was a deconstructed salad - Charred Green Beans Cesar Salad, which was good and an interesting take on a salad. For her, it was a Spanish Melon Salad, Fried Almonds, Honey Tuile that was light, refreshing and well-balanced. The 3rd, Shrimp Tandoori was, sadly, where things began to slide away from the stellar meal we had been enjoying. But, let’s be frank here: When things are all this good, if something stands out as not being as EQUALLY good - even if on its own it may be fantastic - it is naturally going to be recognized as something of a shortcoming. We love tandoori, but here it just felt like all the spices were too one-sided. There just wasn’t a seasoning present to give good balance to the overwhelming Indian influence. The Entremezzo was, again, an interesting exploration. The Apricot-Jalapeño Sorbet was on the edge of being something awesome, but just seemed like it missed the subtle sweet notes it needed, and instead came at you with too much saltiness. The Entree was a Flank Steak “Vichyssoise“ and was a tad bit on the dry side. The real crime here was that the “stuffing” was, once again, so salty that no other flavors were able to be savored. The Dessert, (him) was Grapefruit Posset and after all the salt from before, was a welcome finish and very enjoyable. For her, Blueberry Clafoutis was good, but simple and just came across as something akin to a pancake and less the crepe she was expecting.

Amos Berry

It was an amazing experience.

June Payne

We were staying across from Gwendolyn's and it looked so charming and inviting on the River walk we decided to try. The staff is more than a wait staff, they educate you with the process of Gwendolyns, which takes you back to a time when food was picked, hunted, fished, and prepared fresh without modern appliances. I was not sure what to expect, but we had a delicious, creative 5 course tasting menu with paired wines. The patio seating along the river walk was just beautiful. Lovely evening, delicious meal!