One of my favorite mexican joints in town. Pretty Decent Mole.... for Indiana.

If it were in a bigger city, I'd give it three starts, but it's the best Mexican you're going to get in Michiana. The chips and salsa are quite tasty and with a nice kick. My favorite entree is the bistec ranchero, smothered in a delicious tomatillo sauce. What I like most about this place, though, is the absence of loud music, the way they leave the lights off if there is enough sunlight coming through, and the general lack of pretense or corporate influence. In short, it's homey and I feel comfortable there. read more

Great authentic Mexican!! Been eating there for years and everything tastes good. Have had several different entrees but my favorite is the Torta - ask for Rice and Beans instead of fries, and the Carnitas Rancheras. Prices are fair and the staff is always pleasant. Best Mexican in the SB/Mish area. read more

Never a bad experience. Wait staff is polite and prompt. Had drinks ordered right as we sat and to us in less than 2 minutes. Food was fresh, hot and wonderful! read more

Best Mexican food in the northeast part of the county. I'd eat there daily if I could.

I was looking for some decent Mexican food and La Esperanza satisfied my need! The salsa here is okay: the fresh cilantro gives it great flavor but it is a bit watery for my taste, I prefer my salsa a little chunkier. The burrito I got here was delicious! The chicken and red sauce were both very good. Also, the service could have been a little better. Everyone was extremely polite but I did feel like our table was forgotten about a few different times. Overall, I would definitely go back. read more

My favorite Mexican place in town. I think their chips and homemade salsa, which tends to be on the spicy side, is stellar. I generally think chips and salsa differentiate the Mexican places in town, for me at least. I love their Mexican style tacos and queso. The ingredients are very good and the flavor of the dishes beat out the other Mexican places. read more

Pretty solid Mexican food. Whatever you do, do not order the Tacos Yucateca (fish tacos). I guess it's a no-brainer given that we're in Indiana, but I have done so twice (I'm a slow-learner), only to get tacos with fish that tasted like moss....I couldnt tell if they had fished them from the St. Joseph river, or the fish was just moldy. I sent them back both times [and I NEVER send things back!], and won't make that mistake again. Luckily I had filled up on the chips... If you're a vegetarian, La Esperanza does not have a lot of options--unless you want to eat a LOT of cheese. But if you like cheese, you're in luck. But meat-lovers are probably ok. The pork al pastor (sp?) tacos are REALLY good. If you order them Mexican style, you'll get them in delicious soft corn tortillas loaded with fresh cilantro and onion. You'll leave with serious onion breath, but it will be worth it. Their salsa is delicious and is appropriately spicy (think medium). I give it three stars rather than four because I think the service has gone downhill a bit. Service got slow, and on more than one occasion recently we've gotten baskets of stale chips. read more

I've seen some reviews on here saying that the food is really good, but the service is not so much. That certainly was not my experience. Both the food and service were excellent. This is one of those places were you eat the refried beans because they're actually good and not just because they're on your plate. I had steak ranchero cooked in green salsa, and man oh man did that thing have some kick to it. Delicious. Service was very quick and the staff were polite. I also need to mention how CLEAN this place was. Like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser clean. It was actually a little startling. read more

My husband and I catered from La Esperanza for our wedding. It was an interesting and unique experience. Ultimately, the food turned out beautifully. It was delicious, and bountiful, and was by no means overpriced. In working with the owners for our catering, it was helpful to be very specific about what we wanted, to bring in a typed up list of what our expectations were, and to keep in good touch. We were also able to meet at the venue a couple of weeks before the event, so that the kitchen coordinator and La Esperanza could work together. At our actual wedding, La Esperanza was great. They brought out tons of food that was hot and looked beautiful, as well as chips and salsa for the tables before the dinner. The wait staff also helped with our drink table, as our beverage dispensers were acting up. Ultimately it was a great experience although there were some troubles with communication along the way. Make sure you're on the same page and it should go alright. read more

Great food and great owner. Big fan of the chimichanga. Whenever people visit from out of town, this is one of the places I bring them to.

I randomly found this place during my years at ND and it became a family tradition. Now, my family hits up La Esperanza after every ND home game. Yummy food and the staff is awesome :) read more

Most people from the area will agree this is the best authentic Mexican restaurant around. My server, Ricky, was incredibly polite and knowledgeable about the menu and made some good suggestions. You can't go wrong with the carne asada, it's my favorite and enough for 2 meals for me. read more

this mexican restaurant is on my list of notre dame originals. i have frequented la esperanza since the beginning of my freshman year. a family friend, who lives in nearby michigan, took me to this restaurant...it's always good to trust a local with good taste. while i do recommend la esperanza based on its convenient location less than five minutes from the golden dome, i must admit that i have not eaten there in quite some time. i believe that chips and salsa are a key ingredient in a good mexican restaurant. i am not a big fan of the salsa at la esperanza. i would say that maybe it's just me. however, all of my friends seem to agree that the salsa is simply too spicy to enjoy. perhaps my sodium craving taste buds have been tainted by "non-authentic" tortilla chips, but the chips seem to lack a salty flavor. despite these obvious setbacks, when you're starving, the chips and salsa will do the trick. i simply use this description to note that i have had better. i cannot exactly call myself an expert about mexican food, though, and would be happy to gain some knowledge in this department. i digress... the entrees at la esperanza seem to go over quite well with guests of this dining establishment. the chicken (or chicken and steak) fajitas tend to be my favorite at mexican restaurants and la esperanza is no exception. the ingredients are fresh and lack the grease and sauciness, which often accompanies processed fajitas. in addition to the usual tortillas, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo, comes a generous helping of beans and rice coated in melted cheese. needless to say, this dish is certainly filling! the burritos are also quite delicious! i have been doing some additional research, listening to what my friends have to say about some of my potential candidates for the blog. recently, a friend told me that she likes la esperanza, because she orders a vegetarian fajita burrito, in which they incorporate all of their fresh vegetables. this provides a nice alternative to the otherwise meat-heavy mexican options. the ability to improvise suggests that the food is made to order...no slacking off in this kitchen! an additional bonus is the prompt and attentive service of the staff. bottom line: with a location close to campus and traditional mexican dishes, la esperanza serves to satisfy! read more

It is good food. I have been eating at this restaurant for over 10 years with little regret.. I love the enchiladas with green sauce. The chimichanga with chicken is really tasty. Strangely enough, the omelets are fantastic. read more

This is our place to go when we want Mexican food. Good service, good food at reasonable prices. More authentic than Hacienda but without that fake Mexican atmosphere. This isn't fancy but I would rather have good food than bull heads and terra cotta tile on the wall. Locally owned so they care, unlike the big chains. read more

Best Mexican food in South Bend. The other Mexican places in South bend are ok but there is always something missing. I only go to the other places for convenience. Tortillas always taste fresh made. Horchata drink is delicious. Excellent, fresh, unlimited free salsa and chips. Service is not perfect but NO place is perfect. I don't go to a restaurant to be treated like a king, I am not a king. Accidents happen and I'm not one to take advantage of them. If there is no silverware I ask for it. They always bring what I ask for right away. The food is authentic Mexican. Exactly like what I had while I lived south of the border. A fresh taste I don't get at the other places, which I still like. read more

Got carry-out from here yesterday. Awesome salsa- just the right kick of spice. The veracruza sauce was excellent. Also try the diabla sauce dish if you enjoy some heat! read more

We have made it a habit of coming here after our annual trip to an ND football game. The last time I was here, about a year age it was great. Something must have happened. New owner, different chef, not good at all. Will be finding a new place for our Sunday dinner. read more

We eat here a few times a month, both take out and dine in. We often celebrate birthdays and occasions here as well. My favorite mexican restaurant in town hands down! Very fresh, great assortment, amazing service and excellent prices. The staff recognizes us when we come in and are so friendly! They consistently go above and beyond read more

It's been a few years since I was here and tonight's simple dinner was a disappointment. Indifferent service was matched by mediocre chicken tacos. The meat was dry, the portion small, and the soft corn tortillas fell apart as soon as I lifted them from the plate. I used to like this place. read more

If this is the best Mexican food in South Bend, I may cry. The salsa is watery and the chips taste like they came out of a bag. I make better salsa at home. The rice and beans were also unimpressive. I like Tex Mex and I also like authentic Mexican. This food wouldn't classify as being in either category and was not appetizing. Definitely not going back. read more

Favorite Mexican place. Anything with pork is great. Owner and staff are the best.

I come from California, land of delicious mexican food. This place is good. It is definitely the best in town. We've been going to esperanza for a long time now, several years. Some tips: -Order the green sauce (off-menu). Just whatever you get, get the green sauce on it. It is so so delicious, and also very spicy. I get green enchiladas. And pork tamales, with salsa verde. I don't know why they don't have it on the menu. Perhaps because it is so spicy? -the chicken is usually better than the beef. The beef tends to be a bit chewy. -Stick to the standards---the tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and tamales are always good. The burritos are okay, and huge, but I prefer the other menu items. I think they could simplify the menu by getting rid of some of the 'entree' items, as well as the seafood, which I imagine are not very good, and not the sort of thing you should order. -My in-laws (midwesterners) loved the dips, which I thought were not good---too heavy, cheesy (I think one had bacon in it?), a little bland. I think my in-laws would like hacienda. If you like hacienda, you will like the dips. The salsa, however, is superb. read more

The food is great. The atmospher is athentic. The service friendly. And the prices very reasonable. A winner!. Try it!