Ray's Drive Inn
Best Puffy Taco in San Antonio · TX
Home of the original puffy taco, since 1956.
Ray's Drive Inn has claimed the title of birthplace of the puffy taco since the Lopez family opened it on San Antonio's west side in 1956. The shells are pressed and flash-fried so they puff up crisp and light, then piled with picadillo or beans — a San Antonio original that sparked a citywide obsession.
A west-side drive-in institution for 70 years, Ray's is the 2025 Centurion Award winner in San Antonio.
What they're known for
- The original puffy taco
- Crispy dogs
- Bean & picadillo puffy tacos
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Ray's Drive Inn met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in San Antonio since 1956 — 70 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in San Antonio.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: San Antonio has kept Ray's Drive Inn busy for 70 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by San Antonio regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best puffy taco in San Antonio for 2025 as the West Side drive-in credited with putting the puffy taco on the map.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Puffy Taco in San Antonio San Antonio, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationThe details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Ray's Drive Inn.
- Legal / trading name
- Ray's Drive Inn
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1956, San Antonio, TX
- Founders
- The Lopez family
- Location
- 822 SW 19th St, San Antonio, TX 78207
- Centurion Award
- Best Puffy Taco in San Antonio — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Ray's Drive Inn against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Ray's Drive Inn?
West Side drive-in operating since 1956, credited as the home of the original puffy taco and still frying them to order.
Is Ray's Drive Inn award-winning?
Yes — Ray's Drive Inn is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Puffy Taco in San Antonio, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best puffy taco in San Antonio for 2025 as the West Side drive-in credited with putting the puffy taco on the map.
Where is Ray's Drive Inn?
Ray's Drive Inn is in San Antonio, TX.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.