Esparza's Restaurante Mexicano — Restaurant in Grapevine

In fairness, I am not rating the food... because we were refused to be seated. Attention to the Esparza manager working Saturday August 9th 2025 at approximately 2pm Our party of 3 contained a person with a service dog. Despite the typical Texas heat, we are always willing to offer to sit outside because we understand that there are plenty of people that either do not like eating around dogs while indoors and/or think that all service dogs are BS. It's not worth dirty looks, and frankly we prefer the vibes on a patio most of the time anyway. So while the others waited outside, I went solo to the front desk and asked for a table outside, where a grand total of 4 people were currently eating with plenty of table space available. To my surprise the manager (I presume because of the khakis and full button up shirt) came running out from the hallway to the hostess desk saying "no perro! No dog!" Thinking there was some confusion, I simply stated that it is a working service dog and our party is perfectly fine eating outside. He repeated "no perro. No dog" and added "no service dog" to end. In hindsight I wish I took a video, but I was caught so off guard I was just standing there for a minute processing everything. The funny thing, had I taken a video, the posted sign in eyesight says "no pets, service animals only". So 1) this shouldn't be a surprise request and 2) if you're still reading this, you know that you can not discriminate and refuse service to someone with a disability. Rather than prove a point and make a scene, I simply shook my head and told everyone to get back in the car because apparently the Esparza's management says our money is no good and we are not welcome. You absolutely should be ashamed of yourself sir, and I hope someone brings this review to your attention. Fun fact: less than 10 minutes away is La Hacienda Ranch in Colleyville. They welcomed our FULL group with open arms and the food and margaritas...

I asked a friend for a recommendation of great Mexican in Grapevine, and she said that Esparza’s was on her list of “have to try.” The restaurante was set in an older-yet-maintained neighborhood (plenty of parking), with a smaller looking building and patio masking a much larger interior. We entered and were immediately surrounded by conversation, laughs, and very friendly staff.

At the table, we ordered the house margaritas (one mango) which were all delicious. Chips were hot, and the salsa hotter - a slight kick to leave your tongue tingling for that marg. I ordered brisket tacos while my friend ordered guac.

The guac was made table side - something I wasn’t expecting - and was obviously fresh. She got to choose her mix-ins which added a nice bit of personalization to the dish. Watching the staff expertly craft such a simple dish with care around each step was just special. The brisket tacos were exactly what I wanted from authentic Mexican cuisine in Texas. Being from Kansas City, I’ve had some tacos (and bbq) but this brisket was the best I’ve tasted. The beans that came with it were also phenomenal, and I found myself scarfing them down before even finishing the first taco.

We laughed as we reminisced of nearly a decade of memories unshared. More margaritas led us to closing this place down, and never once did we feel rushed or unwelcome. We continued chatting in the parking lot for another half hour before saying goodbye for another unknown period of time.

Though we may not see each other again for some time, Esparza’s will remain a core memory for me for many...

I was a bit disappointed 😞. I had a combo plate with rice (dry), refried beans (too thin... runny), pork tamales (too much masa and not enough meat...short and fat??), cheese and onion enchilada (Wow- dry and lacking filling and enchilada sauce...they served it with chili con carne which I had on the side...gave that to my husband who is not as picky as I), a puffy taco which was generous with the meat but lacked seasoning and was too crispy and not "puffy" enough. Granted, I ate probably 2/3 of the plate, but only because I had not eaten all day!! The queso is too runny... Should have added meat... which is an option. Chips were very good but lacking salt. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his taco and enchiladas con carne but didn't eat the rice or beans. In the past, I've had fantastic meals here, but maybe it was a new or inexperienced chef 🤔 . I'm Hispanic, so I have eaten this type of food my whole life... I can cook better than this was, but I was out shopping all morning and wanted a delicious break....not!! The servers were nice and trying to do their best, but I had to ask for more water, my husband more tea and a serving of flour tortillas (surprised the meal didn't come with them or at least offered). Supervisors were working the floor so I was at least able to grab their attention for what we needed. It was about 2:30 pm in the afternoon on a Friday. The ambience is absolutely wonderful and truly...