Brunch at JW Marriott San Antonio
I love everything about brunch. I love how going out to brunch feels a little bit fancy but not so much that figuring out what to wear is stressful. I love the indulgence of brunch drinks and sipping a mimosa or a zippy Bloody Mary as I sit back and relax. Sunday brunch feels weekendy and bedtime, and those “Gosh, where did the weekend go?” thoughts seem far, far away. Brunch is back at 18 Oaks restaurant at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. Here’s everything you need to know about brunch at JW Marriott San Antonio, my favorites, and what I want to order next time.
You don’t have to be a hotel guest
The JW Marriott San Antonio is the city’s best resort hotel, but visitors may overlook it because it’s a half hour’s drive from the River Walk, which is usually where first-time visitors want to spend their time. To be fair, staying here might not be conducive to exploring the city because you probably won’t want to leave the resort, but the good news is, anyone can come to brunch at JW Marriott San Antonio.
You’ll collect a parking stub from the automated kiosk when you come through the gate. The staff at 18 Oaks will validate that, which gives you four hours of parking, which is plenty of time for brunch plus a look around the property. But make reservations, especially on a holiday. 18 Oaks, the resort’s flagship steakhouse, isn’t huge and brunch gets busy. The word is out, both with hotel guests and locals, that this is the new hotspot for brunch in San Antonio.
Brunch Eats – Not a buffet
Brunch is a la carte, no buffet. The menu is divided into shareable starters, entrees, and shareable sides. It’s not a huge menu but it strikes a balance between savory and sweet and has a good mix of breakfast and lunch foods. There’s also a small dessert menu and a selection of caviar with accompaniments. While you’ll see some traditional brunch favorites on the menu, like eggs Benedict, most dishes contain an element of culinary dazzle and go beyond a basic ham and cheese omelette or plain pancakes.
I asked our server for her personal favorites as well as what’s popular, and she called out the Wagyu beef tips with eggs, shishito peppers, and bone marrow, the pork belly hash with roasted jalapenos and hollandaise sauce, and the Morning Stack, blueberry pancakes with lemon butter and blueberry basil compote.
What we ordered
My husband and I went back and forth about what to order and the pork belly hash, the lobster omelette with avocado, spinach, and pepper jack cheese, and the shrimp and grits were the top contenders. He’s a sweet breakfast guy and I’m a savory breakfast kind of gal, so I was surprised he didn’t go for the pancakes or the Bananas Foster french toast.
We went with the Wagyu steak, eggs, shrimp, and grits. If I see shrimp and grits on a menu, I have difficulty passing it up. The entrees don’t come with any sides unless the menu description specifies that they do, so if you want bacon, fruit, or potatoes, you’ll have to order them separately. We ordered a side of bacon and it was an extremely generous portion.
Starters
We did two shareable starters and picked the spicy sausage bites and the bread board with croissants, chocolate croissants, biscuits, and whipped butter. Or so I thought. What I actually ordered was the mini biscuits with sausage gravy so that’s what I got. My husband said I’d pointed to the correct menu item but told the server “biscuits” and since it was my error, we went with what we got.
I love a good plate of biscuits and gravy, and these didn’t disappoint, but when I saw the bread board that our neighboring table ordered, I had some serious brunch FOMO. The presentation was lovely and the fresh berries dotted around the board added a beautiful pop of color that made me wish for chocolate croissants while I was chowing down on my biscuit. Next time!
The menu also has a charcuterie board, deviled eggs, crostini and lox, shrimp cocktail and buttermilk fried quail. The neighboring table ordered the quail-yes, I’m nosy-and it looked a bit like chicken fingers with an elevated presentation. I’ve actually never tried quail but this looked approachable.
Dessert
The desert menu is small, offering a praline chocolate cheesecake, a vanilla bean creme brulee, and a banana split. I would have not normally been inspired to order a dessert at brunch but creme brulee falls into the same category as shrimp and grits – if it’s there, I have to try it.
I’m considering writing a separate ode to this perfect creme brulee but the short answer is, you have to get this and you’re seriously cheating yourself if you don’t. It’s a velvety custard with exquisitely torched sugar topped with fresh berries, whipped cream and rosemary shortbread. There’s a lot going on, and instead of being an overdone, busy dessert, it was supreme in every way.
Brunch Drinks
You’ll get a welcome glass of bubbly or a mimosa when you’re seated. If you want additional brunch libations, the menu includes a brisket infused bloody mary, an Aperol spritz, a peach bellini, an espresso martini and more. There’s also a mimosa flight and a selection of bubbly if you’re celebrating something special, or if you just want more bubbles with your brunch.
18 Oaks has a full bar, so if you want something not listed on the brunch menu, it’s probably an easy ask. If you’re not indulging in loaded brunch drinks, there’s a selection of coffees. We stuck with the mimosas and enjoyed espresso martinis with dessert. I mean…dessert and coffee, right?
More info:
- I suggest smart casual/resort casual, although we saw everything from Sunday best to athleisure.
- We enjoyed a deejay during our visit. The volume was enjoyable and still allowed us to talk.
- Expect a leisurely paced service and opportunity to enjoy your companions.
- Expect to pay about $120 + tax and tip for brunch for two, more if you order multiple cocktails or caviar.
Brunch at 18 Oaks at the JW Marriott San Antonio is served from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on Sundays only. For reservations and a peek at the menu, visit their website.
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