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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Puffy Taco in San Antonio San Antonio, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Ray's Drive Inn
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Ray's Drive Inn (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
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.