We left this place pretty disappointed. The shrimp cocktail had a very odd sweet taste (not in a good way). The 2 $8.50 volco? tostadas were on about a 4" shell. Flavor was okay but certainly not for the price. Will not be returning. read more

Great chicken enchiladas; Coca-Cola mix is always solid; chips and salsa rock. Local ownership. Best Mexican food in town. And way better than anything offered in Cortez. read more

This restaurant is one of a few where you can eat inside. That's what we wanted on a chilly October night. The restaurant is in the basement. Bar area is closed because of Covid, and guests are staggered at tables in dining areas. Masks are required to enter. Our server was very nice. She had an accent and said she's from New Zealand. I asked for her recommendation between chicken suiza or mole' enchiladas. She had only sampled the mole' and said they were good, so I ordered one chicken and one cheese. Hubby ordered carne asada fajitas. They offer free homemade thick tortilla chips and spicy salsa plus a vinegar slaw. Our food arrived quickly and was delicious. Good portions. They have clean restrooms. One star off because prices are high. Maybe not for Telluride, but for visitors. read more

Esperanza's Tequilas - Chicken and cheese mole' enchiladas with rice and refried beans. - Mexican Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

The food was so so and the service was okay. It was not busy and I guess I understand why. To top off the dinner we had two charges for using a credit card on our bill. There was no sign posted or message on the menu. I understand the charge for use of a credit card but since it is not a uniform practice heads up would have been appreciated. And a comment from the server BEFORE we saw our will with the two charges would have been approximate. So I don't think we will be back. read more

Tucked away in the basement, this is a little hidden gem. The servers are very nice and the food is delicious. While a bit expensive, it is Telluride so that's expected. The portions are a good size and as I mentioned delightful! read more

Arrived here during the lunch hour on a Thursday. We were greeted and immediately seated by the bartender, the only server by the way. He promptly brought out chips and salsa which was excellent. After a few minutes he took our order completely from memory and got it spot on. The food was excellent and came out quickly and was nice and hot. This was some of the best Mexican food we have had in a long time. Its worth checking out! read more

This resturant was so dilicious and the owner was so so friendly and I actually wished I lived closer so we could be a regulars of hers. Her margaritas were phenomenal!! A definite must go to if u are looking for mexicana!! Ola!! read more

Decent food but really expensive for what you get. $26.99 for an enchilada. Cocina de Luz down the street is a much better alternative.

A divey Mexican food restaurant in Telluride. The service was great, the food tasted good, and the location was right. This Mexican food is different from the Sonoran mexican food I am used to. They serve chips and salsa for free. They also provide an unusual spicy cabbage to eat with your chips. We ordered shrimp fajitas, chalupa platter, and fish tacos. The server was very kind and provided an unlimited amount of chips and salsa. This restaurant has a nice selection of tequila, cocktails, and bottled beers. They do not carry any beers on draft. The food portions are large, which was perfect after a long day of snowboarding. My favorite dish was the shrimp fajitas. The shrimp was sizzling, juicy and hot! Cheers! read more

Esperanza's Tequilas - No beers on tap - Mexican Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

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Service was lack luster . The food was ok . The prices were way high and to be even worse they charge extra for toppings . The three star is just that I am being generous . The bathroom had no paper towels . We were the only ones here and always had to hunt down the server . read more

Sat down at the bar, not a busy day- maybe 6 people at the bar. Watched someone order a drink, taste it, decide they don't like it, flag down the bartender to ask for a new one, and get the new one/ all before we were acknowledged as being there. Ordered two fajitas. The first fajita came out lukewarm. Five minutes later the 2nd fajita came out sizzling. Then the silverware came out. Eventually the tortillas came out. There are so many better places in the area. read more

So been coming here for a while. Back in the day this was our go to watering hole and place for mexican food. Fast forward to today....and its changed. $22 for queso, $28 for quesadillas. I understand inflation but this is not inflation. The ritas taste good yet there was more ice than than the good stuff. Food is decent...I think...as we only had the queso. We decided to eat somewhere else. I know...strange. I was so turned off by the prices. Would love to come back but to be honest there are more reasonably priced places in Telluride. That sounds strange too. Lot of memories with this place. If I did not have memories, the stars would be much lower. read more

I'm quite surprised this restaurant has 4 stars based on my experience. We went during COVID-19 around 2pm on a Saturday with a party of 10 people. There were several people at the bar, however, we could only see one table of two people. When we told the bartender we had 10 people, he signed and said it was going to be a bit. That was fine, however, after that he didn't communicate with us what so ever. So we stood in the main entryway, waiting for any kind of direction, completely blocking the stairway from other's coming down, however, there was nowhere else for us to go and again, we were provided with no instructions. Two parties came down after us, one kind of stood in with our party, while the other waited in the stairwell. The bartender did not address either one. The family on the stairwell eventually ended up leaving after several minutes of also not being addressed by the bartender. After 10-15 minutes, a woman from the back came and got us and seated us in the backroom, all by ourselves. When we opened the menu I was shocked at the prices, most surprisingly a chicken and cheese quesadilla for $20. I think everything was over $18. The only food item that was priced accurately was the fajitas for $22. Thankfully, they were offering a lunch menu, with reduced prices. Across the table we got the chicken fajitas, chicken/cheese quesadilla, a combo plate, and a taco salad. Everyone was pretty underwhelmed with their dishes. Those who had the fajitas said the chicken was rubbery. The chicken and cheese quesadilla was alright, but pretty plain, as was the taco salad. The combo plate was also just alright. The only good thing that came from the experience were the strawberry daiquiris and our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Bottom line, overpriced mediocre food. I would have been really upset had we paid the full prices for that quality of food. read more

We had a group of 5 on a very busy Friday night and Jamie took the best care of us! Drinks and water were consistently refilled, she checked in on us often, and she really made us feel taken care of. All of the meals came out hot and were delicious. It was the perfect atmosphere for a Friday night and I would highly recommend Esperanza's if you're ever in Telluride! read more

Came here for some drinks and appetizers after a day of skiing. Ordered the classic margarita and it was the freshest margarita I ever have. They make it with fresh limes that they juice right there in front of you. I was very impressed with that. Good size and good price as well. For an appetizer we had the queso in a skillet with chorizo. It was delicious! Great size too. Wish we woulda had dinner here as the drinks and appetizer were delicious. read more

Esperanza's Tequilas - Queso - Mexican Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

Best service by the owner herself Miss Esperanza! Food was great huge portions. No wait. 10 stars if I could.

10/10 would come again. Owner is super nice and gave us free shots since my buddie shared a birthday! Great Mexican food, especially coming from a Texan as myself. read more

It's hard to find this place , it's in the basement, but just walking in and the beautiful smell hits you ! The place wasn't very busy and we were seated right away. The server was very nice and polite . Portions were huge and the food excellent. We ordered pitcher of margarita and it was delicious as well. I can't recommend enough this restaurant! read more

Went here with a group of 9 so service was a little slow. They didn't get my order right but food wasn't bad. The house margaritas were pretty good but very boozy. Prices were high for the food, but telluride in general is expensive read more

My mother and I each had a taco salad and we split a pitcher of house margaritas. Everything was excellent and we had constant attention at the bar. We aren't here for a long time but can absolutely foresee stopping by here again before we head home to try the chimichanga! The cabbage salad is a treat that I added to my salad! Reminded me of kimchi read more

$97 before tip for a chicken burrito, a steak quesadilla a watered down strawberry daiquiri and a house margarita. Used to be a great spot for locals and now it's unreasonably priced. Won't be going back any time soon. read more

We loved this experience. The authentic mole sauce is exquisite! They cheerfully prepared an off-menu cheese enchilada w/ the wonderful mole for my husband. I had the veggie frijita; absolutely delicious!!! This is a woman/family owned business and they are marvelous. read more

My fiancé and future mother in law fell in love with this place! GREAT customer service. Breanna was friendly, inviting, recommended dishes that we all enjoyed and was super attentive. Margaritas were strong and yummy! The chips and salsa were on point. We had the steak fajitas for dinner and churros for dessert. Most of the restaurants in Telluride are quite expensive. But we left with a check at $130 (including tax and tip) for 6 margaritas (happy hour), 3 entrees, and dessert! And again, the customer service was outstanding! read more

No idea why they list as open till 10 when you call at 9 and they say kitchen is closed. Very disappointing!

Fast. Delicious. And loved the pickled cabbage. The lady who served us was a sweetheart and brought us a massive plate of sour cream for free. Exactly what we neeeded after a long day hiking. read more

Bravo guys!!! Bravo!!! This is a place you visit while on. Vacation that you wish you can package them up and take them home with you! We ate here one night while skiing in Telluride. It's a hidden place down in a basement off Main St. For starters we had the guacamole and queso with chorizo. The guacamole was made fresh and very delicious. The queso comes out of a sizzling skillet and was soooo good! I ordered the fajitas and wow! Probably in my top 2-3 best fajitas I've ever had. I ordered the mixed plate with chicken and beef. I also substituted the beans for a red cabbage slaw...... this is a MUST! When putting this on the fajitas it gave them a little bit of a sweet taste that just blended with the food so well! I also added mushrooms. I normally don't eat til I'm stuffed but I left this place full and grinning from ear to ear. If you're hungry for some Mexican food I highly recommend this place! Staff was so nice and I will eat here again when I return! read more

Fresh, fast and yummy margaritas! Beans are amazing. Great service and chips & salsa

Esperanza's is incredible. The food is outstanding, some of the best Mexican i've ever had. She literally does make the best margarita's too. Fresh squeezed lime and high quality tequila. If you come - you MUST get dessert... deep fried ice cream, flan or Churros. All incredibly delicious and an inexpensive end to a great meal. By the way -- even with four choices of meat, it is VEGETARIAN friendly. The homemade salsa's that come with every meal are really good and you don't have to wait long for them, so if your hungry its a great spot to go. The food doesn't take long to come out and once it does it's almost overwhelming how big the plates are!! Definitely a take home for lunch the next day type of dinner. The service is good -- the staff have always been very friendly... if Esperanza is in the kitchen she will come out to meet you if you ask -- she loves to hear how your meal was. Tourists and locals alike will love this place. Some of my favorite meals: Spinach Quesadillas, Chicken Mole Burritos, Deep Fried Ice Cream, Chicken Tortilla Soup and the Guacamole. read more

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We arrived for our weekend getaway in Telluride earlier than we could check into our hotel, so decided to take in a round of frisbee golf to kill some time. Also, it was my guy's birthday, and this is his favorite outdoor activity after skiing, so I was a good sport. Either way, it made us pretty hungry for dinner, and so after checking in and quickly freshening up, we headed into town. We weren't in a mood for anything in particular, but wanted something casual as were planning a fancy pants dinner the following evening. Before we left for our trip, a friend had given us several suggestions for great eateries in the area. We were particularly tempted by one, but unfortunately the line on this Friday night was too long for our hungry tummies, and thus somewhat accidentally we ended up at Esperanza's. The entry can be easy to miss; it's down a staircase as the restaurant is essentially in a basement. I almost expected it to be dark and gloomy, but it was as bright and cheery as a stereotypical Mexican restaurant should be. We were greeted immediately by the friendly hostess (who was also our server) and sat at a table opposite the bar side. Chips and salsa soon thereafter appeared on our table. After a quick glance at the food and drink menus, we were ready to order. I got the enchilada suiza and my guy got the mole enchilada. We both ordered margaritas, though he upgraded his tequila for an extra $2. Wise choice, as the house was a bit rough around the edges. Food and drink were brought out quickly and just as quickly consumed. Our dinner was satisfactory and hit the spot. We should have had a choice of beans (whole or refried). My guy specified whole, but since I didn't, I am guessing the default is refried. Service was decent, though we did have to flag down our server to put in our food order, and again at the end for the bill. To be fair, she was busy wearing multiple hats. Esperanza's is a decent place, and I would return for a similar situation. But I wouldn't go out of my way otherwise as there are so many other tasty options in Telluride to check out. read more

Esperanza's Tequilas - Enchiladas and margaritas. Yes, please. - Mexican Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

The food here was incredible. We had the enchiladas poblanas from the lunch menu. The sauce was so good we could have licked the plate! The owner Esperanza was our server, and she was so friendly and welcoming. The salsa, rice, and beans were all delicious as well. The food here was much better than a lot of Mexican restaurants we have tried here in Denver. You definitely don't want to miss this place if you are in Telluride. We will be back every time we make the trip out there! read more

Esperanza's Tequilas - Mexican Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

This is such a gem. Location might not be the best as it's underground/basement but food was the best. All of our food was fantastic. We decided to dine in since it was only us in the whole restaurant. We enjoyed our dinner and food. If were in town for longer, we definitely would have returned. read more

This restaurant is so wonderful!! The owner is fabulous and works just as hard as the rest of the staff. Best margaritas anywhere!! The food is delicious and the Mexican slaw that comes out with the chips and salsa is something I've never had before but now love so much! Also, a great find when it seemed every restaurant in Telluride was packed with one hour wait times! We ate there twice in one week! On a side note, on the second visit, I left my wallet there and was not able to pick it up after a few days. When I finally was able to retrieve it, everything was intact. When I tried to offer a "reward", the owner pushed my money away, gave me a great big hug and wished me a Happy New Year!! That's good karma! Feliz Ano Nuevo a todos!! read more

We may have it it on a good night because service was great. Margaritas were great, as was the nachos we split. Really flavorful! My only worry that it's in a basement with no air flow. It was warm down there and probably not the best situation for Covid dining. We ate/drank and hightailed it out pretty quick. I would highly suggest them for takeout. read more

I'm going to give 5 stars to be nice but the food was average and the service was poor. We had to ask multiple times for our order and a few things we just gave up on. We should have known when we walked in and no one acknowledged us. We were told it's authentic Mexican but it's very much regular tex mex. read more

After a long day on the via ferrata trail, we were hungry! We happened to see this a mexican restaurant earlier in the day and man, we ate that chips and salsa dry! This restaurant is not much different from other Mexican restaurants, there's not much that sets it apart besides its price (which is this whole town). I like the location and feel that it has a good vibe, the service is friendly too and they don't try hard to be anything they're not. I don't feel like the food was amazing, but I felt satisfied. read more

Andele!!!! Andele!!! This is the place to eat Mexican. Amazing refried beans and best corn tortillas I've ever had north of the border. Margaritas and chips and salsa also on point. Staff went above and beyond. Shout out to Luca.... Very cool dude. read more

Esperanza's is the place to go! It is family owned, by Esperanza. The food is amazing and the margaritas are a must. We have been coming to Telluride for over 10 years and this is always the first place we go. It is great to make reservations for a large group. HIGHLY recommend. read more

We love this place!! This is the first spot we go to every time we come to Telluride. The service is always incredible, staff is super friendly, and margaritas are the best in town. The chips & salsa is great, food is always fresh, and highly recommend coming here. Esperanza herself is the best and she makes you feel like home. read more

Great food. Great people working here. So nice and accommodating. The margaritas were great and fajitas delisous. Support local business!

We love this place! Best margaritas in Telluride. We always make sure to stop in a few times while we're visiting. My husband could eat that cabbage slaw with every meal. read more