El Mirador

El Mirador was opened during the HemisFair of 1968 by Julian & Maria Treviño and, since that time, has remained a family-operated San Antonio favorite. For the past 49 years, Julian and Maria have maintained the same primary focus: to treat every patron of El Mirador as they would a guest in their own home.

The Treviños’ decision to open a restaurant was partially based on the pending launch of the San Antonio World's Fair, or HemisFair, in 1968. Maria was already known for her home-made tortillas, which she sold at La Villita, while Julian was a butcher. Maria and Julian quickly became successful; known for the delicious food and the famous soups she served on Saturdays. The original location of El Mirador was on the corner of Presa and Caesar Chavez, and it was here that the first decade of this local legacy would be established.

The property on which El Mirador now sits first saw a house constructed in about 1865 by Jeremiah and Katherine O’Hara. The old limestone walls and fireplace, which can be seen within the restaurant as well as the Pink Room, are original vestiges of the house. Shortly thereafter, the property was sold to Jim Mitchel, who was known to have been a rider with the famous bison hunter and showman, Buffalo Bill. The Mitchels built many an addition to the house, and lived there as late as 1914. Wardd's New Confectionery and Drive Inn came sometime later, before the property finally fell into the hands of Maria and Julian Trevino in 1978, and El Mirador moved here from its original location.

Just as the culture of genuine hospitality has been preserved throughout more than 4 decades of family operation, so have been the recipes for our delicious and authentic fare. From the northeastern municipality of Salinas Victoria, located in the state of Nuevo León, Julian Treviño brought family recipes just as precious as those Maria sourced from the culinary traditions of her family in Guanajuato, north-central Mexico. In addition to bringing authenticity “to the table”, Doña Maria spent decades in El Mirador’s kitchen ensuring that the high standards of the Treviño family were always honored through their customary cuisine.
In addition to garnering the favor of a demanding local dining population, El Mirador has won the favor of many notable state, national, and international publications. For years to come, El Mirador will uphold the very same traditions that have established it as an iconic destination for traditionally inspired gastronomy, served honorably and with true hospitality.