Have you ever ordered something at a restaurant, regretted it almost immediately and managed to make the most of it anyway? A stop at Mittman Fine Foods this week almost ended in disaster, but the day was saved by the restaurant’s excellent customer service and charm. 

For this week’s Budget Bites, it was time to check out Mittman Fine Foods on the Eastside, a small taqueria known for its carne guisada. However, while visiting the restaurant, it slipped my mind that carne guisada was THE thing to get, so my experience didn’t go as planned. And yet, I made the most of it all the same.  

There was one parking spot left in front of the bright orange building housing Mittman Fine Foods, so I took it and headed for the gated front door. The interior looked like the inside of somebody’s house converted into a business, with tile floors and a calming shade of pink on every wall. Owner Mary Benavides read the nostalgic look on my face and called over a server to show me to the dining room, which felt more like a living room with extra tables.

At this point, I should have referred to my notes or pulled up a Google review before hastily choosing something from the menu, but I did neither and therefore panic-ordered something I don’t believe I’ve ever ordered at a Mexican restaurant — a barbacoa guisada plate with hash browns, beans and a side of tortillas.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I debated asking for a do-over, but the people-pleaser in me let it ride, resigned to my not-so-bad fate of barbacoa tossed with pico and spices. I watched as another customer entered the room, sat down and ordered the carne guisada tacos with ease. But that’s not all I noticed in the casual eatery filled with families, coworkers and grandparents taking their progeny out for lunch.

This was hardly anyone else’s first time at the Mittman rodeo, as the workers knew most diners by name. At a certain point, I felt myself become more familiar with the server, who checked on me continuously throughout the meal. No, I did not order the carne guisada, but the barbacoa was still a fine lunch, even if it was $7 more than I expected to spend.

I came to Mittman Fine Foods looking for a budget bite, but I got a front-row seat to a neighborhood gem during the lunch rush, in all its hole-in-the-wall glory. The total was a few cents short of $13, a far cry from the $8.25 advertised on the menu, but I still enjoyed the ride at this Eastside taqueria that felt like home.

Find it: 1125 S. Mittman St., San Antonio, TX 78210