Ray's Drive Inn

The overview

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

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

Google Maps
Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Ray's Drive Inn cleared every one.

✓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 2026 as the West Side drive-in credited with putting the puffy taco on the map.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2025

Best Puffy Taco in San Antonio San Antonio, TX · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation

All awards for Ray's Drive Inn →

Visit Ray's Drive Inn

Websiteraysdriveinn.net ↗

Location822 SW 19th St, San Antonio, TX 78207

In business since1956

Find them onFacebook · Instagram · Yelp · twitter · youtube

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Ray's Drive Inn — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

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 Ray's Drive Inn cleared the 2025 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

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.