We stopped in for lunch and to try the chili, and for a Thursday we were pleasantly surprised by how busy they were. The Texas chili had a good level of heat, but it was a bit gritty, as if it may have been slightly over-seasoned. My sour cream chicken enchiladas were decent, though not outstanding--the chicken was cubed rather than shredded, which affected the texture for me. My guy ordered the taco salad with spicy beef and really enjoyed it, though it definitely brought the heat--he was sweating by the end. Even so, he said he'd order it again. What really elevated the experience was our waiter, Cameron. He was friendly, attentive, and offered great suggestions. He kept our drinks full without us ever having to ask, refilling our tea at least five times. His service alone took the experience from a 3-star to a 4-star visit. read more

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We drove to Tolbert's to see a Grateful Dead tribute band play. There's no cover, decent food, and a very friendly staff. On the downside, it IS in downtown Grapevine, an intolerable place. The parking is difficult, especially on a Sunday, and the people walking on the sidewalks act as though it's their first time on an actual city sidewalk. The band was quite good. The food? Moderate. I would probably give it a B. We did not try the chili, and it is a chili parlor, so shame on us. That said, the sampler platter was nice. It is worth a return trip for another good band. The service was very attentive without interrupting the music - it was a great balance. read more

Tolbert's - Sampler Platter - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

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One of my favorite local spots for drinks amd live music. What goes great after a night out drinking? You guessed it, Tolbert's infamous chili! I got a cup of chili and the jalepeno cornbread to go. It hits the spot every time! Chili is hearty and filling, not as good as my homemade chili but it'll work. Not a lot of spice, so I add all of those jalepenos. The cornbread is more sweet than spicy. Overall, this fits the good after the bar food. Service is always spectacular and they always habe a great weekly lineup of live music. Check em out! read more

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We stopped by Tolbert's for a quick drink and appetizers. They had a to. We were right on time for happy hour and they had a ton of beers on draft. I can't remember which one I got but it was light and good. My friends had a variety of drinks from espresso martinis to bourbon. We ordered chicken bites and fried pickles. The band came by and set up for later. Too bad we missed them. The bartenders were super nice and we actually got a table to eat our apps but didn't stay long. read more

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Service and ambiance are what you would expect... Fred's Frito Pie is what you come for! A cold, gray, rainy day is the perfect time for a warm train ride and a chilly walk to Tolbert's where you sit down to a hearty bowl of tasty Texas chili (NO beans!) topped with cheese & Fritos. Yum! read more

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I had to see what Texas chili was all about so I ordered Tolbert's via Uber Eats when I have landed in Dallas. I ordered a bowl of the Texas Red chili and a side Caesar. I love that the chili comes with an entire Serrano for you to cut up as you wish into your bowl. What a great way for folks to be able to make that as spicy as they like. The pepper was perfectly ripe and had good amount of spice to it. The bowl also came with chopped onions and cheddar cheese to add, in addition to saltines, of course. The chili itself is greasier than I expected it to be. It has good flavor and there is a generous amount of meat in it. Is it the best chili I have ever had? I don't think so! But, it is decent enough where I'd get it again. I would be remiss not to comment on how amazing the Caesar salad was. I really love this dressing and I wish that I had gotten a larger portion versus the side salad. read more

Tolbert's - The Original Texas "Bowl of Red" - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

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This restaurant is on the main street of downtown Grapevine, Surrounded by so many fabulous paces to visit but those other cute stores close early! There's parking along the street out front or a small parking lot nearby. This restaurant has a country western theme. It has a huge dining room and a large bar area. They have live music some nights and we went on a night to see a certain musician play her guitar and sing, and she was fabulous! The server was fantastic! He was always checking on us and answering all our questions, our food came out in a timely manner. We started off with the torpedoes and they were really good. They were a good size, about two bites and stuffed with plenty of chicken and cheese. I got the Terilingua burger because I wanted to try the chili but also wanted to try the burger. It came in a perfect combination. The only disappointment was that they didn't have a regular burger bun, it was a brioche bun which I'm not a fan of, but luckily the burgers flavors and chili were strong enough to overtake the flavor of the sweet bread. It was a good size burger that came with three large delicious onion rings on top. I got the macaroni and cheese on the side because another reviewer said the macaroni and cheese was so good. It was vastly disappointing. The mac and cheese was powdery/gritty and lacked flavor. It was as if someone had poured sand into the cheese. It was not creamy at all. Kraft macaroni and cheese from a box would have been better than this. I returned it and got the tater tots instead, which were crispy and delicious. I also ordered a spicy margarita, which is not on the menu, it was great and extra spicy as requested. My friend ordered the Frank's Frito pie, which is a bowl of chili and a side of corn chips. She raved about how delicious the chili was. My other friend ordered the fried chicken sliders covered in a buffalo sauce. I took a bite from one of his sliders. It was good, but I'm not a fan of buffalo sauce. He got it with a side of seasoned fries that were very good and I love the flavor of the seasoning. For dessert, one of my friends ordered the Keylime pie, which definitely tasted frozen, not fresh. I had to wash the taste of it out of my mouth with Kilwins fudge & ice cream across the street. I will definitely be back for the chili or the burger! The menu items are hot & miss, if you're nearby, it's a good place to try out but wasn't worth the 40 minute drive from Dallas. The drinks were really good. They have a happy hour, but unfortunately I live too far to get here in time for that. read more

Tolbert's - Terilingua Terlingua Burger , Mac and Cheese -- DON'T GET THE Mac and Cheese - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

They have live music everyday! And the food was excellent. Staff is super nice. Great laid back atmosphere. Super family friendly. read more

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What for a friend's birthday party the Tolbert's servers were amazing. Everything was served promptly and looked very tasty. They refrigerated the birthday cake until it was time and then brought plates and forks. Everything was wonderful. read more

Was here again to listen to some music on a Sunday night. The server was a little gruff, and I ordered a cheese quesadilla and she brought it and said the kitchen made an error, and they made a chicken quesadilla, I said fine, don't re-make it, but then on the bill it was listed as a Chicken quesadilla - so I think SHE put in the order wrong (and blamed the kitchen. I think I should only have been charged for the cheese - which is what I had wanted. I will say the music was great, and -- Hot tip -- the fried Zucchini is FIRE!! read more

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Ok, Grapevine! Yes, you better keep shining Tolbert's! Yes, honey with that burger! I would have to say- best burger I've had in a minute- juicy, smoky, succulent and savory! Yes! Fresh and fantastic! Slow clap- love! Oh yes. Great service- nice entertainment. Love the vibe! Pickle chips- go ahead! Crunch! Forgot to take a picture of my burger- cool, so sorry. Just believe me- go get it! Two hander for sure- heavy lifting required! So good. read more

Tolbert's - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

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Tolbert's is the perfect place to place to.spend the evening for great service, food and live music in Grapevine! read more

Tolbert's - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

friend & i were in grapevine for business and yelp helped me find this AWESOME dinner spot! live band was bad company tribute band and they were great! that was a nice bonus! we were seated near the door, aways from the band, but we could still chat while enjoying the band. the bar was FULL & people kept up a steady stream of keeping it full. i decided on the burger and onion rings and that turned out to be a great choice! burger was BIG - juicy & tasty. bun was top notch too. i had to unhinge my jaw to take a bite! half was PLENTY! orings were great, fat - not my personal preference - but the breading was good & onions were cooked through - so you could take a bite without playing tug of war with the onion. friend had chicken fried steak & said it was very good. i did order a drink - a rarity for me, but the ingredients appealed - i like fruity drinks with rum. i was charged a higher price ($9) versus the $7 shown on the menu, but didnt notice til later. service was top notch, the hostess checked on us, refilling drinks in between visits from the waiter. overall a great dinner at very reasonable prices with live music too boot! read more

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I've had several meals here over the years, I have never been disappointed. While primarily known for its bowl of red (chili to the uninitiated) everything here is good or beyond good. No matter what I order, a side of the chili is a must. The service here is almost as good as the food, which to say there have been no issues I can recall in any visit. The place is clean and has pics on the wall of chili cook offs & other things that evoke an era of things not being so hectic. read more

Good solid meal. The could do better IMO with less fried and more fresh food. Chili is still solid. I ordered the daily special, enchiladas. I asked for 3 cheese with Chili on top. Instead, I got 3 these enchiladas with queso and more cheese on top. So, they brought me 2 small side servings, about a tablespoon each. Seems more of a bar. Not the Tolbert's on the 80's & 90's. read more

This place is amazing! For starters, if you're lucky to sit in Jaye's section, you'll have a great night. The music is on point...we came for some Sunday day drinking listening to Big Mike on the CCR tribute. I think we may shut the bar down, it's such a fun vibe! The cocktails are a nice pour..and when all of their beer taps are available, you can't miss! All of the service is phenomenal and whether it's the afternoon or the evening, it's a great place to drink and dine! read more

The chili exceeded my expectations and is really good. The consistency and seasonings were perfect. I consider myself a chili aficionado and I made my first pot of chili at the age of 12 so I know a little bit about how to make chili. My friends and family love my chili but I tell them to forget about my chili and go to Tolberts and enjoy! read more

Well, I have now been to a Chili Parlor! Didn't really know what one was, but now I am in on the secret! Pretty much this place is much more than just Chili, but Chili is definitely the theme here. The walls are adorned with pictures of the founder Frank, his Chili competitions, a couple "specials" boards, and a few neons. Combining those things with the antique interior brick walls and it is a neat ambiance. Today I tried the Chili Enchiladas. They were really good, but honestly they were a bit overkill and I probably wouldn't get them again. My server Dulce was super efficient and did a great job. I definitely will be back, I want to try some other things on their menu... read more

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The 2 days we spent roaming the streets in Grapevine, we ended up here the most. Kim made The best margarita of the week, beating even the expensive ones we had at the Stockyards! Don't pass up on the Texas Red chili! Have it as hot as you want! With beans or not! Wife loved everything she ate and drank too. Live music starts early most nights of the week, perfect for a day drinker. And of course the staff was Texas nice, especially the day girls! read more

Went here for girls night. This is a great place to come for music. More mature crowd too. The food is on par. Good reviews from those who ordered catfish. The fries were too salty tho. I got the original Texas Chili. Apparently that's what they are known for but it was mediocre at best. read more

My friend and I tried the beef hot dogs with chili with sides of fries. The fries were delicious but the hot dogs were meh. We expected the chili to be outstanding but it was not tasty. We both left most of the bun on our plates. The fries were delicious. Service and atmosphere excellent and there were plenty of menu selections--we just chose poorly for this visit. read more

Still my favorite place for chicken fried steak in north Texas . Can't ever go wrong with a Super Bowl of frito pie. Fun place for some local live music . read more

A friend from Houston was in town, and we decided to meet at Tolbert's. The deciding factor was the Led Zepplin cover band scheduled to perform at 9 p.m. They must have been having technical difficulties as they didn't get started till 9:30 p.m., about the time I had to leave in order to catch the train back to Fort Worth. Nonetheless, my friend and I had a great time. Jaye, our server, was very personable and took excellent care of us. I had the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and macaroni-and-cheese. The last item must be homemade in-house as the cheese was very creamy and the noodles cooked just right. Utterly delicious! An excellent choice every time I eat there. The ambiance was cool as we talked football with the nearby table. What a place! Don't waste your time with other restaurants on Historic Main Street in Grapevine. Eat here! read more

Food, service, atmosphere...you visit once and you're a regular for life. Best carne asada EVER

The food is good, so is the service. We've tried about 1/2 of the menu now & have truly enjoyed our time spent there. We go about every 2-3 weeks. read more

Tolbert's is that unapologetic slice of Grapevine that refuses to pretend it's anything other than awesome. The staff? Practically born for hospitality. The service? So good it makes you wonder why every other restaurant can't get their act together. The vibe? Live music, good energy, and zero pretense. I'm a bar-seat loyalist, mainly because Kim -- the world's greatest bartender and possibly a sorceress -- keeps your glass full and your stomach happier than it should legally be. I'm not a "5-star guy" (seriously, check my other reviews -- I'm borderline stingy), so a place has to fight for those stars. Tolbert's didn't just earn them... it mugged me in an alley and demanded all five. And I gave them willingly. read more

3 stars for the food 4 for entertainment (Texas Flood) just because you can't see the stage with everybody standing in front. The band was straight up 5 stars. You would think you'd be able to get a bowl of red Texas chili in a place founded by a guy who wrote the book, but you'd be wrong. They had vegetarian chili (WTF?) and chicken verde chili which was not chili but a soup. WHAT PART OF CHILI CON CARNE DON'T YOU GET? Texas chili has at a minimum beef (ground or chunked) and chilis. And no beans--they are a side dish. Chicken is not "carne"; vegetables are not "carne." Go back and read the book. read more

What an awesome place. Visiting the Grapevine area and decided to stop in for lunch. We sat at the bar and was warmly greeted and served by Miss Kim. What an Angel she is! Beautiful face and service. Kim took care of us on every level. My husband got the Texas Red and I got the Chicken Fried Steak. Everything exceeded our expectations. She made great recommendations for coming back at Christmas and I hope we can do that ! Kim, remember us, the folks from Denver! Highly recommend! read more

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The chicken fried chicken was amazing. Literally cooked to perfection. Got a cup of chili for appetizer and also amazing! Seasoned perfect with all the fixings. The fried okra was delicious. Our waitress was sooo kind and sweet. The food came out so quick even though they were so busy with the Christmas crowd. I will definitely be back read more

Tolbert's - Chicken Fried Chicken Fried Okra Mashed Potatoes Chili Verde - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

I went into Tolbert during my stop to meet my daughter. Tolbert's has great food and a wonderful staff that takes care of you and ensure you have everything you need for a pleasant evening of dining and drinking. Even the music here is really nice. The place is always clean and well taken care of. I can't think Tolbert's enough for a great evening again read more

Food was excellent and priced reasonably! The service was excellent and the live music was such a nice touch! We loved sitting at the front near the window! I had the catfish, my daughter the steak, and my husband a burger with the fried pickles. So yummy! read more

Terrible service and rude staff. We have come here many times and enjoyed the food a lot. However tonight turned us off from this place. We came in to get a to go order. We came up to the bar where three bartenders told us to hold on and never returned to help us. We decided to ask the hostess about placing a to go order, and she told us to go to the bar. I told her we tried that with no success, asked if we can order from a sever instead. She said the only way is from the bar and walked off. After trying for nearly 30 minutes at the bar, again with no success, we gave up and left. Very disappointing experience from a previously favored establishment. read more

I have heard about Tolbert's forever and passed by many times, but never ventured in. What a mistake that was. I was somehow expecting some kind of a little fast food style restaurant like the famous chili chain in Cincinnati. This is nothing like that. It is a full bar and restaurant with lots of charm, plenty of photos around, and most important of all, excellent chili. Our service was good on this early afternoon visit, but then there were not many people there. Drink orders were taken and brought right away, and food orders soon followed. Being at a famous chili parlor, I had to order chili. I went for the Texas Red because it is what chili is supposed to be - no beans. Flavor and consistency were excellent. It did not need any additional seasoning or heat intensification of any kind. I am a former chili judge at the Terlingua Chili Cookoff in Texas and at the Antelope Valley Chili Festival in California in the 1980s, and Tolbert's stands up to the winners of either of those. Fried Okra on the side was basic fried okra. My wife had a taco salad. Generous serving, crisp bowl and wonderful flavor to the taco meat/chili on it. If something chili related is not your taste, the menu is quite large with most other bar food items. Tolbert's is a winner. read more

Tolbert's - Taco Salad - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

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Second time ordering food delivery from this place. The first time I wasn't extremely impressed with their food. Today, wanted a chili dog but didn't want to make it myself. Figured I'd order from Tolbert's. Placed the order, I know delivery services take about 18% as a "commission" but I was charged about $50 for an order that when you look at the restaurant site wold have been if I am generous would have been $30ish dollars. I get that, I know there are variables at play and the delivery service maybe playing games I get it. When my order arrived the food was cooked, but I had to assemble it myself. I can look away from that, but considering the markup I paid, and the food isn't great, but it's decent, and the "Some Assembly Required" it seemed like an insult. I'll go there in person at some point. But its location is downtown Grapevine. The competition is fierce and I can probably name 5 5-star restaurants In that area. Reviews should be true to the nature of their area, concept, and audience. I wish I could give them a higher review read more

First time back in many years. Tolbert's is a downtown Grapevine staple. Great comfort food menu! Country fried Steak (or chicken), burgers, fries and onion rings.... Steak, shrimp, etc. Big selection of starters, too. Full bar service, too. Atmosphere is on the rustic side, but clean and reasonably well maintained. We (4 of us) arrived at 6PM on a Saturday. Place was packed, however we were seated immediately! Drinks, food arrived quickly after ordering. All was prepared as order. Service was 5 out of 5! FYI- live band was setting up to play at 9PM. The food was good, but not (for me) memorable. For me, nothing special... least impressive were the onion rings, okay, but not great. All in all, I give them closer to 4 stars, but... service, location, Grapevine history makes we bump them up to 5! If you're in downtown Grapevine, look for comfort food in an somewhat historic location, I encourage you to try them, and form your own opinion! read more

Tolbert's - Chicken fried Steak (split in half) - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

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Did not even stay long enough to get waters... was sat at a table and overheard our server bad mouthing the manager. He greeted us sarcastically, and when we asked about a Halloween drink, he said "I have no idea what's in that, it sounds disgusting and I wouldn't ever drink it". So.. we got up and left :( read more

I had a plan, after my convention in the beautiful Gaylord Hotel, to stop in Dr. Sue's Chocolates for some treats and then Tolbert's for chili since it's 2 doors down. A local pointed me in another direction, but that day was pouring cats and dogs so Tolbert's I went. I was expecting a tiny place, but it's big. I expected a simple homey small town diner, but it sells merchandise and has a full bar. The host was matter of fact, but when we got to our table, he said he'll be back with another set of utensils and patted me on the back. That made me smile. I've been living in Houston area for so long, I had forgotten about that simple friendliness. The waitress didn't smile from ear to ear, which was refreshing, and she was amazing. She answered our questions and brought us whatever we needed without any kind of hesitation. She gave us samples of the original and verde chilis to try. She was attentive without overbearing like they sometimes can in the big cities. I ended up ordering the original chili without cheese and a basket of jalapeño cornbread muffins. Both really hit the spot and warmed me up. The portions were hearty. I probably should really have eaten only half but finished off the whole bowl plus 2 muffins. Her service, the ambiance of the place, and the home-cooking style food left me feeling relaxed and happy after an intense 3 days. read more

Tolbert's - The Original Texas "Bowl of Red", Jalapeno Corn Bread Muffins, Mashed Potatoes, Frank's Frito Pie - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

My son and I were in town for NHRA races but had to take a bit of time to head up to Grapevine to try a bowl of red from the legendary Tolbert's that I have always heard so much about. The effort was worth it, we both really enjoyed the food from the traditional Bowl of Red to Queso and chips and fantastic Brisket Tacos. Everything came out hot and delicious. The only negative we experienced (and it goes with the territory of great food) is that the wait time even at mid-afternoon was very long and by all appearances they place seemed understaffed. Once we finally got seated, our waitress seemed overwhelmed and at times was literally running to try to keep up with all her tables. In the end, we were very glad we took the time and made the effort to stop in and will definitely return next time we are in town. Great food! read more

We love Tolberts but hadn't been in a decent while. Not sure why but it was good to go back. We love the vibe...kind of an old school Texas blend of a touch almost honky tonk with their music shtick and blended with a more traditional family restaurant, toss in the obvious chili parlor feel with a small town throw back Americana vibe that you don't get much of in the big DFW metro area and it all comes together. Our server was so nice and helpful and gave us good tips on the menu, was very attentive to us and especially our drink refills and overall was just a nice person with a good vibe. My friend had the chili which she always likes because when it is ordered in the traditional way then it has no beans which makes her happy. I ordered the salmon filet. Kind of a strange order for me but I guess I wanted to be a little healthy. I got it blackened with a side salad and broccoli. It was all very good. Overall, our server was the biggest thing that made it a good experience. She was very nice and kind. I wish I had caught her name so that I good brag on her by name. read more

Tolbert's - My blackened Salmon with broccoli. - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

I'd give a 3.5 star to this place, the service was awesome. Ethan was helpful with suggestions and checked upon us frequently. The chili was good and the sliders were a little bland. We asked for two beers from the menu, both were out. read more

Tolbert's - Chili - American Near Me - Grapevine, Texas

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