Sarah P.
Yelp
We ended up at Esparza's after Main Street Bread/Bistro turned out to be completely packed--full patio, line out the door, and a growing crowd behind us. Downtown Grapevine was adorable but way busier than we expected, and we weren't in the mood to wait an hour for brunch.
Enter Esparza's, which we spotted just down the street. We walked right in and were seated immediately--a blessing given the Main Street chaos. They were busy, but not uncomfortably packed, and the vibe was friendly and relaxed.
They're supposedly known for their margaritas, so of course I tried one - house marg in the rocks with a salt rim. It was good--solid, balanced, enjoyable--but I'm not sure I'd call it "famous." Still worth ordering.
Food-wise, we were pleasantly surprised. We came in expecting tourist-trap, bland Tex-Mex. But everything was actually flavorful and better than expected.
Lorenzo's Mexican Dinner (tamales + enchilada, rice & beans) was supposed to come covered in chile con carne, but he swapped that for green sauce. I stole a bite of the tamale--honestly pretty darn good, but would have been better with no sauce at all. I had a lunch special (tortilla soup + chicken soft taco). Perfect portion, really tasty. One kid got a taco plate, the other got chicken nuggets and fries (because kids). Both ate happily, but the taco plate was the clear winner.
Was it life-changing Mexican food? No. But it was comforting, flavorful, and exceeded our expectations. We all left full and happy, and it was a nice escape from the Main Street crowds.