David Owens

Fantastic experience. Good food, good service, good vibes. Visited on a Sunday Afternoon and was seated right away. Prices are reasonable and portions are large. Outdoor patio is the place to be. San Marcos staple since 1975.

Mason Martin

Grins might be the most appropriately named restaurant in San Marcos—because we left with full stomachs and big goofy smiles. Let’s talk food. The ribeye? Certified hit. Juicy, flavorful, cooked like the grill actually cared. The chicken fried steak was straight-up legendary—crispy edges, soft inside, smothered in gravy like it owed you money. Easily a Texas classic done right. Now… about those onion rings. Look, they were fine. Crunchy, decent, but they didn’t exactly change our lives like some folks made it sound. The mashed potatoes fell into that same “pretty good but not writing home about it” category. The staff though? Superstars. Friendly, fast, and knew the menu like they were born holding it. Big win there. And then—banana pudding. Not just good. Not just great. Absolutely amazing. The bomb. A straight-up must-try. If you leave Grins without ordering it, you did Grins wrong. It’s that serious. The cake (we had the chocolate) came in second, but it held its own. Unfortunately, no carrot cake that day... which honestly felt like emotional damage. 😭 All in all, Grins lives up to the hype with good food, great vibes, and banana pudding that might just change your priorities in life.

Paul Huron

Grins in San Marcos is a truly vibrant slice of local history, serving up down-to-earth meals with excellent service since 1975. The unique, lively atmosphere, complete with a 70s to 80s rock soundtrack, stays true to its roots, offering a genuinely feel-good vibe where you get to step back in time where the food was good and the music was even better. The food at Grins truly shines. It's honest, comforting cuisine executed to perfection. The catfish is legendary—crispy, flaky, well seasoned, and moist. Their chicken fried steak is a true Texas icon, served with rich, savory gravy. And don't miss the broccoli cheese soup; it's a creamy, cheesy revelation—pure comfort in a bowl. The service is exceptional; the staff are not just efficient but genuinely friendly, making you feel right at home. Grins is more than a meal; it’s an experience with a truly unique and energetic atmosphere.

+2

Robert Dorsey

I'm SO HAPPY this place is under new ownership! This uniquely San Marcos restaurant has had new life breathed into it! The restaurant has amazingly friendly staff, is SUUUUPER clean, and the new owner is adding food offerings to the menu, while maintaining the staple dishes the restaurant is best known for. Have you even been to San Marcos if you haven't eaten at Grins? Be sure to check them out!

+22

Ray Flores

Our son graduated from TX St and really wanted Grin's. He called after the river jump, and they were able to accommodate a party of 13 with minimum wait time (around 15 minutes). Thank you, Grins, for accommodating us on short notice. Our server (Kate M) was outstanding, and the food was delicious (pics). We will definitely return. Highly recommend 👌

+8

Elle Lorenz

Our visit to Grins was last month and honestly we will definitely go back. Catfish was crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside. Ribeye was well seasoned and tender. Chicken Fried Chicken batter was very flavorful and crunchy, but the inside was juicy and tender. Steamed Broccoli was perfectly cooked, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy were so good, as well as the Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Macaroni was vell cooked and had the right amount of cheese and lastly Dinner Roll was so soft and good. Our appetizers well also so good.

+9

Matthew Schumann

Weather was perfect to enjoy our meal outside on the patio. The service and food was excellent. The margaritas were fantastic. Not too sweet. Just perfect.

Evangelina and Daniel Ibarra

Rented a room for our gender reveal over the weekend! Such a cozy spot and the hospitality of the staff was top notch! Everyone invited was impressed with their food and the atmosphere! Thank you for providing us such a pleasant experience! We are locals and regularly use Grins to celebrate special occasions. I recommend their onion rings. Those were gone fast! Thank you for being a better part of San Marcos, please keep up the fantastic work! It’s a GIRL!!

+5

Roxy C

Such homey and tasty food. I would totally recommend, place was very hot inside so our group did not enjoy that but for the food it was worth it. The large onion rings were delicious and huge! We ordered: Onion rings 100/10 Chicken fried chicken 100/10 Broccoli cheddar soup 6/10 very thick Fish tacos 10/10 Chocolate cake 10/10 Peach cobbler 10/10

+3

Went to Grins last Sunday for a superbowl watch party and was extremely impressed by the service and their kindness. The food was amazing and the drinks were great. Shout out Morgan and Jamie for put…

Went to Grins last Sunday for a superbowl watch party and was extremely impressed by the service and their kindness. The food was amazing and the drinks were great. Shout out Morgan and Jamie for p…

Went to Grins last Sunday for a superbowl watch party and was extremely impressed by the service and their kindness. The food was amazing and the drinks were great. Shout out Morgan and Jamie for p…

Went to Grins last Sunday for a superbowl watch party and was extremely impressed by the service and their kindness. The food was amazing and the drinks were great. Shout out Morgan and Jamie for p…

Love stopping here when in San Marcos. I have loved the Broccoli Cheese soup since my visits here when I was in college, sooooo comforting. Onion rings are always a good choice. We tried an item fr…

Grins is a San Marcos classic, with comfort food made from scratch! The restaurant has been around for 50 years! They have great drink specials, happy hour margaritas are $2.50! Lunch specials are …

Grins is a San Marcos classic, with comfort food made from scratch! The restaurant has been around for 50 years! They have great drink specials, happy hour margaritas are $2.50! Lunch specials are …

In very impressed with the new bar and the beer garden! The food and service were great as always! Love that they have live music now as well!!

In very impressed with the new bar and the beer garden! The food and service were great as always! Love that they have live music now as well!!

In very impressed with the new bar and the beer garden! The food and service were great as always! Love that they have live music now as well!!

Everyone enjoyed the food. The chicken fried steak looked a little too crispy, but turned out to be perfect! Green beans were great!\nThe kitchen ran out of small plates, which made sharing app…

Very nice food and good service. I liked how many windows there were so sitting most places had a really good view.

Food Service & atmosphere All excellent!! happy hour specials are Fantastic! .99 cent margaritas how can you go wrong

The best happy hour in San Marcos! Friendly staff and good food. Never leave disappointed!

We just had the pleasure of being served by Maegen at Grins Restaurant for lunch. She was an awesome server who was very personable and attentive to our needs. The food was spectacular and Maegen m…

We just had the pleasure of being served by Maegen at Grins Restaurant for lunch. She was an awesome server who was very personable and attentive to our needs. The food was spectacular and Maegen m…

Always enjoy Grin's. To be honest I eat the same thing every time - the guacamole burger, frings and tea. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good vibes, good food. I love it.

Always enjoy Grin's. To be honest I eat the same thing every time - the guacamole burger, frings and tea. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good vibes, good food. I love it.

Always enjoy Grin's. To be honest I eat the same thing every time - the guacamole burger, frings and tea. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good vibes, good food. I love it.

Grin's has been in existence since the mid-1970s, and they have always been known for great burgers. Now, of course, they offer a varied menu. I ordered a cheeseburger, which is grilled, with che…

Excellent college town experience! By day, hang out and enjoy excellent chicken friend steak + broccoli cheese soup! By night, and game days/ nights excellent drinking establishment w/ bargain baseme…

Excellent college town experience! By day, hang out and enjoy excellent chicken friend steak + broccoli cheese soup! By night, and game days/ nights excellent drinking establishment w/ bargain …

Excellent college town experience! By day, hang out and enjoy excellent chicken friend steak + broccoli cheese soup! By night, and game days/ nights excellent drinking establishment w/ bargain base…

Excellent college town experience! By day, hang out and enjoy excellent chicken friend steak + broccoli cheese soup! By night, and game days/ nights excellent drinking establishment w/ bargain base…

Grins is under new ownership and they decided to get rid of some of the favorites of the regulars. My favorite chicken bacon ranch pita is no longer on the menu. There really is not much to offer t…

Service was slow and food was subpar. chicken fried steak was okay but not great. Super disappointed.

Good food great atmosphere attentive staff. Did not know this restaurant existed but definitely enjoyed it and will definitely go back.

One star for the patio/beer garden. Another for the service and lastly one for the drinks. Food was... Well y'all be the judge of the presentation attached. Mash was watery and had no real flavor. Will come back just for the drinks and view

Nissa Urena

Ordered the steak and it was the thinnest steak I've ever had. I asked for med-rare and the waitress said she didn't think they could do that. Now I see why. The macaroni and cheese was SO dry. And I'm not sure what that steak sauce was and neither did the waitress. Definitely will not be returning. The staff was pleasant though.

R C

I was a bit disappointed given the excellent reviews. Though the atmosphere was nice and the waitress was very affable the chicken fried steak was a bit tough and the crust kept falling off if it . The 29.99 price tag for the prime rib may be a bit high. The catfish tacos were good.

I recently visited this restaurant for a birthday dinner and while it had some positives, there were also a few drawbacks. The food was average. I tried the Cajun grilled chicken with rice and br…

Decent food but they do charge a credit card junk fee. I just deduct those fees right off my base tip of 20% so no real sweat off my back. Credit cards are a cost of doing business and should be incl…

Decent food but they do charge a credit card junk fee. I just deduct those fees right off my base tip of 20% so no real sweat off my back. Credit cards are a cost of doing business and should be in…

Average food at best. Our server(male) was good even though he forgot drink refill. Our party had chicken fried steak, turkey sandwich, grilled cheese, and rib eye. Skip the rib eye. Ordered med rare…

Average food at best. Our server(male) was good even though he forgot drink refill. Our party had chicken fried steak, turkey sandwich, grilled cheese, and rib eye. Skip the rib…

Average food at best. Our server(male) was good even though he forgot drink refill. Our party had chicken fried steak, turkey sandwich, grilled cheese, and rib eye. Skip the rib eye. Ordered med ra…

Average food at best. Our server(male) was good even though he forgot drink refill. Our party had chicken fried steak, turkey sandwich, grilled cheese, and rib eye. Skip the rib eye. Ordered me…

The gravy on the chicken fried steak was cloyingly thick and did not have a good flavor at all. The broccoli cheese soup resembled queso with chunks of broccoli in it once you made it past the skin o…

My wife and I have been eating here for over 40 years and have always loved the food, service and atmosphere. We came last week for lunch, on a Wednesday, with two other family members and were so …

Party of 5. Sunday mid afternoon. The place was a sweatbox. The empty parking lot should have rang a louder bell for us... the waitstaff seemed beat, tired... like they had just pulled a double shi…

As my husband said, it was a “sweat box.” Extremely hot. Claimed to have the best chicken fried steak, but it was just ok. Someone “wiped” down a table next to us and just swept what she could …

We went right at dinner time and expected a busy restaurant but it was very empty. I ordered the Ribeye and my husband ordered the Chicken Fry. The Ribeye tasted ok but was VERY tough. Actually because of the texture and toughness of it, I am questioning if it was even Ribeye. It resembled more of a Skirt or Flank Steak. But maybe it was just a very thin Ribeye. My husband actually cut it for me due to the toughness. My husband’s Chicken Fry looked good, but was all batter. The meat inside was very thin and also tough. Our waitress was very nice so that’s a definitely a plus. Overall a disappointing meal, especially for the price.

I can’t rate what I didn’t get…over an hour waiting and still zero food. Our party of 5 arrived before the dinner rush on a Sunday. We had to wait almost 20 minutes just to be seated. The party of 6 behind us received their appetizers and food prior to us. They ran out of potatoes for one person’s sides. When tbe food finally was brought, one person’s dish was forgotten. My husband and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner here. I was excited to come with my 5 year old. If you’re hungry, go somewhere else. Never again

Herbert Pierce

The appetizer were good we had the queso And deep fried mushrooms, which were bar food, we have the chicken fried steak and the chicken fried chicken both were overcooked and the sides we got with them the rice and the mashed potatoes were terrible. When I brought it up to the waiter that we were done and did not like the food and that is why we did not eat it I still got a full bill. The waitress was nice and good service, so I still tipped. Seems like a lot of young kids running a restaurant which I find is not always the best choice.