Texas is home to some of the best German food in the country. Period, full stop.

Spots like Fredericksburg and New Braunfels lay claim to some of the very best of the best. Heck, even right here in the Alamo City, you can find a spot that’s been doing German food right for over 100 years (Schilo’s). I recently heard about a spot an hour’s drive south of San Antonio that was getting a lot of buzz online, and I had to try it.

Smiley is a tiny spot on the map in Gonzales County. With a population of just over 450 on US 87, you’d be forgiven if you’ve ever flown through the town without giving it another thought.

Well, there is definitely a reason to know it now – Oma’s Schnitzel Ranch. Serving up authentic, made-from-scratch German cuisine and baked goods, which is no surprise, as Oma’s owners are former residents of the Black Forest region of Germany. Its humble storefront belies the goodness inside.

First, a cautionary tale from me to you, one I hope you take to heart. Oma’s is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Their Facebook page says that you can call ahead for a reservation, but those are booked through May!

With a free weekend, my traveling partner and I left early on a Saturday morning, hoping to beat the lunch rush. Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen. This restaurant is busy as all get out!

Oma’s has enough seating to accommodate just 32 people. When you do get seated, you may be sitting with a group of strangers. That’s part of its charm, though.

Our wait time for a table was an hour. It would be another hour before our food arrived. Plan ahead for your visit. That’s all I’m saying

In the interim, we were fortunate enough to score last of the homemade rolls. They were just flat out great. The restaurant offers four kinds of schnitzels, but I ordered my traditional German dish, Jägerschnitzel – a flattened, fried pork tenderloin smothered in brown mushroom gravy.

I also got traditional red cabbage and spätzle, which is a noodle dish cooked in chicken broth. Also on the menu are sausages, goulash, and other traditional German fare, as well as sweets like Black Forest cake and Bee Sting cake (which I was also lucky enough to grab a piece of for the road).

There are not enough superlatives to describe how amazing this meal was. It’s something I won’t soon forget, and I’m planning my next visit. This was easily the best schnitzel that I’ve ever eaten. I savored every bite of the perfectly fried meat, the umami-laden gravy, tangy cabbage, and pillowy noodles.

Y’all, the word is out on Oma’s Schnitzel Ranch, and I expect it won’t be a hidden gem for much longer. Make your visit as soon as you can. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll love it.