Calesa Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Kilgore

When I moved to the north Dallas area 4 years ago from across the country, I was very excited about the delicious Mexican and Tex-Mex food that awaited. Unfortunately, every place I've tried (and there are MANY) has disappointed and not lived up to expectations. Too may places are taking shortcuts, serving not-so-fresh food, and using mass produced ingredients.

We visit Kilgore often for family who still lives there, and we are always searching for a decent meal. The expectations are very low there. However, on Saturday evening (08 July 2023), after working in the heat moving furniture all day, we decided to try Calesa. It was pouring rain when we came in around 7pm, and we immediately found a large table for our group of six, including two kids.

The young, inexperienced server forgot to bring us chips and salsa. We quickly also ordered guacamole because my kids were very hungry and whiny and we needed to get them something quick. Unfortunately, the guac never made it, and the drinks took awhile and refills had to be chased down. It took about two hours to order, get our food and eat, so it was not fast service at all.

HOWEVER, the food here is IT! The two women in the kitchen know exactly how to prepare fresh, authentic food. Every bite was delicious and prepared with care. You could tell they are back there making most things from scratch, including the corn tortillas and likely also the chips. The sauces were delicious with the right amount of spice, and the menu had a lot of variety on it, including weekend menudo and cactus.

We were very grumpy and disappointed with the service by the time we got our food, but once the adults started eating, you could see everyone's face change to a happy stupor. I told my family this is hands down the BEST Mexican food I have tasted since moving to TX.

If you are a foodie and not in a hurry, this is the place to try. I did not notice any beer or alcohol, so don't plan on getting your 5 o' clock margarita here. That's ok, though. The food is the showstopper and you can always get that stuff elsewhere.

My suggestions for improvement would be a more experienced server who is attentive to refilling drinks and putting in appetizers, who knows when kids come in at 7pm they are are hungry. There were also a few things wrong with the order, like some of us ordered corn tortillas and others ordered flour, but the wrong types were brought out. Chips and salsa refills took too long, and drink refills needed to happen quicker. There also appeared to be service offered more promptly to other tables, out of order of arrival. If you can work on these things, the restaurant would absolutely...

I want to preface that I hardly ever (maybe 1/5 years) have a bad review to give. If just subpar food, I may give an actual kind but honest review. Horrible service, honestly haven’t even experienced this in many years.

The worst service & overpriced food that is not worth the price whatsoever. Want to feel like the staff don’t ever want you to come back to their psuedo subpar restaurant? Come here!

I will start with the salsa that comes before you order - this was the highlight of our meal & literally please put that stuff in a bottle. Being our first time, we only got some basics & here are the reviews:

Nachos for $18.00 - beef fajita meat was ok, chopped tiny and not much of it, one teaspoon of guacamole, cheese sauce was runny and had a hint of came from or stored in a tin can. Also, these were made with restaurant style chips so most were soggy.

Flautas for 17.00 - chicken had zero flavor.

(Tiny) Side of rice & beans for $3.50: Mexican ‘red/orange rice’ - good flavor but was overcooked or was cooked perfectly previously, then reheated/recooked & it was quite obvious.

Refried beans - omgee delicious! Order more!

Now to the service - you know the fake smile that they’re just doing it cause maybe is a family restaurant and they ‘have to be’ nice to all of the customers. Gringa or not? Well little did they know we very much are not gringa n heard everything they said and picked up on all of the condescending and rude behavior and comments. I will never come back and will tell everyone I know. Doesn’t matter cause they are so expensive, I’d rather get Taco Bell. It’s very sad because whoever owns this place is apparently doing the fake it to you make, that we all do, in music selection and wants a high end Mexican restaurant but the two girls working on 01/20/2025 were not what I would want in employees and would let go of one if not both of them or have a serious sit down. They should not just be loyal and kind to the locals that come in all of the time but others that haven’t been coming for the last two years you have been there - this current is not the way to get repeat customers. We drove for 30 minutes away, hoping a different local Kilgore Mexican restaurant was open that we go to many times a week and it wasn’t so we tried our hand here. Bad choice. Yes people come in off of the highway n just need food, next time I will stop at a gas station n get a jerky to hold me to the next fast food. Ridiculous prices for the quality and extremely...

This place was super disappointing. Every time I drive by it’s packed so I assumed it had to be good. I’m thinking it’s always packed because of the lack of options. I ordered the torta & my husband got the chilaquiles. Since when does chilaquiles not come with meat or eggs? You have to order both as extras. The chicken in the torta was literally canned chicken. The rice tasted like water. My food came out wrong & nobody was ver came to check on it. I just didn’t eat it. I had to actually walk to the front before anyone tried to give me a check or see how it was going. There were two people working & my server wasn’t even the one who walked up, the girl walks up and said “was something wrong with your food” I just said yes but now I don’t have time to wait so I’d like to check out. Not worth it...