Espiau's is pretty average; the restaurant is in scenic Downtown Claremont but inside is very drab. Dark browns and outdated greens are in your face and there's nothing inspiring or special about it. The food is actually good, but no where near worth the price. When you can get a top quality 100% Mexican carne asada burrito for 4.99 at any "fast food" Mexican restaurant, paying $14.00 for the same with slightly less flavor just doesn't seem right. Also, the service was a bit lackluster. Our first server visited our table maybe once and then her shift was over, and the second server wasn't rude, but she wasn't polite. Would I go here on my own or recommend this place? No, I don't believe I would. Would I go here again if someone invited me in say a group? Yeah I guess. read more

Espiau's - Chips were slightly flavorless but the salsa was good! - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

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I have been coming here for a while - I live in Claremont and love the village- This place has disappointed every time - and jet i still give it another shot - Beer and bar is cool and they have a lot of tv's for sports- that's it - Food sucks / If it's too busy your wait time is eternally long . Pass- strike 3 for me read more

Two meals and two Margarita Mondays drinks, including tip, will set you back around $55. Emphasis on iceberg lettuce, cheese, and salt feels like Taco Bell for grown-ups. Restaurant experience lacked warmth and vibe. Meat and bean salad in a taco shell $16.58. One-item Chile Relleno (batter-dipped pepper filled with cheese, no meat) combo from their Favorites will be $17.39 (price on menu $16.49). P.S. Styrofoam boxes used for food to go. read more

First time there and last. The beef and chicken fajitas were so terrible. The supposedly carne asada tasted so bad. I think the meat was days old. Well, other than that, chips were good. Sorry Espiau's read more

Espiau's - Chips are good - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

Absolutely LOVE their special salad! We drive 40 minutes just for that salad!! We also love the fact that they have both American and Mexican food, so everyone in our family can find something they will enjoy! read more

I really like this place! I live in Claremont and I have a tendency to frequent many restaurants in this area. This is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant. It is normally busy, but for the most part the service is quick. Although there are times service is slow. My family came down here tonight and we enjoyed it! We ordered the corn dish, a cheese quesadilla and three margaritas! Our server was great! She was prompt and checked in on us frequently. I am only giving 4 starts because I have been a few times when you cannot find a waitress if your life depended on it. They also have a lot of bus boys/girls. I've had one round a corner and almost take me out on the way to the bathroom without so much as "I'm sorry". They have a wonderful patio area and great food. I prefer this restaurant over Casa Moreno up the street. If you're in Claremont definitely stop by! read more

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Came here for lunch and the place was crowded. I noticed only two servers and that was not a good situation for them or us. We were given some chips and salsa, and I was impressed that the chips were freshly made. But, they were so heavily salted that eating them was unpleasant. It took about 20 minutes to get our order placed with one of the servers, and perhaps another 25 minutes before our meals were presented. We ordered drinks to pass the time. My partner's tropical iced tea, smelled like a urinal cake and had an unpleasant taste. Our server readily swapped it out for a soft drink. My beer arrived with the food. I ordered the pasilla relleno and my partner had the stuffed burrito. They weren't bad, they just weren't good. The meals were totally lacking in favour. For a $50 lunch I expected more. read more

Good food, hot waitresses, nice breeze, what else you want? I'll be coming back for sure.

So bad, what happened!!! I'll never eat here again. I used to make special trips to have their signature Tostada and special salad dressing, and of course along with their Seasoned Salt house-made chips--no more. The tostada looked the same but the shredded beef was flavorless (boiled w/no seasoning?), and the shredded iceberg lettuce was just a few un-shredded leaves, and the beans were again flavorless. When you have to add salt to Mexican food, something's wrong! The dressing seemed to be the same--so good, but the house-made chips were cooked in a fryer that was way tooo hot which kills both texture and flavor BUT the worst part was they only had salt on them--not the signature Lawry's seasoned salt. To boot, the prices are now through the roof--to make up for the shrinking customers, no doubt. I've been eating at Espiau's since they where originally in Pomona. The new management is probably trying to save money--well they've lost mine forever. So sad. read more

Food was great but the woman who was working to-go was rude. Asked if they have agua fresca and she said "What?" in a rude tone and looked at me like I was crazy. I repeated myself and she said "What is that?". I said stuff like horchata, jamaica, etc. and she said "Um... no". I noticed the same rude tone towards others ordering take out as well. read more

Espiau's in Claremont has been my go to place for years whenever I'm in the Village and need to rehydrate. Kristy is the star at the bar here! If she hasn't already received a pay raise recently I'd highly recommend one because she is awesome! read more

Espiau's - Summer Tap Selections 2022 - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

My grandmother has been raving about Espiau's, so my family made it a point to visit on our most recent Claremont pop in. Being a vegan, I wasn't really expecting much for me here. The waitresses were all super friendly, and the atmosphere was similar to that of a comfy bar. Everything was fantastic, except for my limited options. I ended up only ordering the Greek salad without cheese. Yes, I ordered a Greek salad at a Mexican place. Oops! It was pretty much just what I expected it to be; romaine lettuce with some chopped up veggies (I will say, the katamala olives were a nice touch) tossed with some Greek dressing. Eh. Espiaus, it's 2016 and you're located in a pretty vegan heavy town. I won't be back, unless of corse, you add some soyrizo to your menus! read more

Espiau's - Greek salad - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

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Been going to espiaus since I was a kid and it was in Pomona use to work there when I graduated high school and have been a faithful patron ever since. Followed Dan the owner in the 80's to Claremont many years ago when he combined the danson and espiaus together never missing a beat everything remained the same until Dan and Zarah decided to sell. Since then the new owner has tried every way to change things from recipes to removing almost half the menu and most importantly removing the history of the restaurant. I recently went after going for probably the past 55 years and have to say it was the most disappointing experiencing ever. Espiaus is part of my history. To the new owner I personally travel a hundred miles round trip to your restaurant but I am afraid I have made my last trip and I know many other loyal customers who have not been happy with your changes in recipes menu items and price increases. read more

There are too many TVs in here for this to really be my kind of place but the food is consistently good, the service friendly and the is beer cold. We have been coming here for years as my Mom and Stepdad went on dates at Espiau's former location in Pomona and sentiment lingers. I always order the Mexican salad and sour cream enchilada. The salad is basically chopped iceberg lettuce piled high with finely jack grated cheese served with a red wine vinaigrette on the side. It is soo good. The sour cream enchilada is no longer on the menu but they were happy to make it for me and I ate it up before realizing I had not taken a picture for my review. I had a seasonal pumpkin brew from Dogshead that was surprisingly light and delicious. There is outdoor sidewalk seating and Claremont is a lovely town with lots of fun shops and an arthouse type movie theatre if you are planning a day. read more

Espiau's - Dogfish Head Punkin Ale - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

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Came here with my family and I was so happy to know that the cook was whiling to make my tacos lettuce wraps ,they were so delicious! read more

Espiau's - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

Overpriced Mexican food. Dry, old meat in the fajitas, extremely salty chips that were inedible. Drinks had barely any alcohol. Don't waste your time. read more

I could not rate them any lower. Extremely rude . I had my service dog with me. They ask for paperwork before the would let her in. This is illegal. They did not let me put my small service dog on my lap. Avoid this restaurant not only they are don't know the law the food is not any good . Avoid this restaurant read more

Not a happy camper. My husband and I eat here at least 2 times per week, bring clients and My coworkers are always here for drinks. Our office is across the street. The food is always good. Tonight I walked in for a take our order. We're working late tonight. I ordered (2) 2 combo orders of (2 Chile rellenos) I repeated my order 3 times. I waited almost half hour. I took my order to the office and found I only had 1 order. I didn't pay attention to the charge on my credit card. Now I'm back for another order another 20 min wait. I'm sure my husband is enjoying his dinner. I'll never do this again. read more

This is our go to sit down Mexican restaurant. The Espiau salad is awesome and not to be missed.

Randomly ended up here for breakfast cause the original spit I go to was to busy. Hostess upfront was sweet and friendly talked me into eating here for breakfast... All I can say is "Wow the shit was good and I'm so full." The waitress we had on the patio was funny, super attentive and knew her stuff. I felt comfortable to order based on her knowledge and my food was way above my expectations! Definitely going to come back here again! Only negative thing I would say is the Bloody Mary isn't that good... Don't knock the place for that comment though, cause I love bloody Mary's and I'm very particular with the taste and spicy-ness! read more

Espiau's - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

First time customer. I give this place 4/5 stars only because this was my first time here and I haven't tried all there food. Anyway back to my visit here. My friend and I were seated right away. Chips and salsa were brought to table and I must say chips taste fresh and soooo delicious. I ordered a margarita and was expecting a sweet margarita like all restaurants make where you can hardly taste liquor but this place actually made it strong I order the stuffed burrito. The taste was delicious,Size of burrito was big and price was decent. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who has not been here. read more

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3 stars how??? This place is delicious! The complimentary chips and salsa is nice. I think the chips have some type of chili powder on them! It's bomb. I ordered a shredded beef taco and it was delicious and filling. My fiancé ordered the albondigas soups and that definitely didn't taste like albondigas soup, it looked at tasted like they just threw some meatballs in some chili, but it was still tasty. The watermelon margaritas are probably hands down the best margarita I ever had, definitely give that a try! I look forward to coming on a taco Tuesday sometime for the deals! Also, service was great too! read more

what a joke of a restaurant, never again. my bad for going here. I'm sorry.. it's not even worth telling except turn around and run away ... read more

Came here on a Saturday evening and were seated immediately. We ordered shredded beef nachos, and flautas which were very tasty! Our server was quite attentive, taking our drink order and bringing us chips and salsa. This was a nice getaway from the usual busy chain dining places and we'll definitely come back. read more

Espiau's - Beef flautas, shredded beef nachos, fresh delicious guacamole and sour cream too! - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

This place looks like it needs to be renovated. Probably like several years ago. It's got odd sections and the trek to the patio takes you through the whole place. Gnarly old booths that make you wonder what kinds of funk could be secretly hiding inside. The bar area looked fun. Small but very lively. The patio was nice and packed with sports lovers and families. Fun atmosphere. Dining inside would have been depressing. Food was ok. I ordered the pastrami burger but they were out of pastrami. So I made one of the best worse choices I've made in a long time. I got the cheesy cheese burger. A cheese filled cheese burger that halfway through turned into a beard coating, saucy, mushy mess. It was sinfully good. I probably consumed close to 2,000 calories and hours later I looked back in disgust of myself. It was a once in a while fling and I know it will be years before I make a choice like that again. Technically, it was my second choice. They should have had the pastrami. It's Espiau's fault. She got an a la carte tamale which made me feel like a bigger pig. I think I almost finished my meal before hers too. Beer was a nice surprise. 25 or so beers on tap filled with the regular crap. I went with the local Claremont Ales Jacaranda IPA. Fantastic. It was 10.50 for a big 32 ouncer. Puts it at 5.25 per pint. Pretty sweet deal. If you go, sit on the patio. Order the local beer. And fast for a full week before hand. read more

Espiau's - Claremont Ales' Jacaranda IPA $10.50 (32 oz.) - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

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.99c Taco Tuesdays.. not too shabby. We sat at the bar area where a bunch of high tables. It really wasn't too big but there's an outside patio right outside with more seating in case it got packed. Some T.V.'s were also set up. Perf for the Laker game that came on. Happy Hour went from 3-6p. I suggest you try their Cadillac Margarita. It starts off sweet but believe me, after a few rounds.. you're good to go. Gotta sober up? Don't forget the tacos! So you basically tell them how many you want to stuff your face with and they give you tickets. Then you walk your intoxicated self to the outside patio to get some grub. If I remember correctly, you get a choice of carnitas, shredded beef, or chicken. I tried the carnitas and shredded beef which were good.. not overcooked and very tasty. They were real generous with the meat so that was a bonus. They also had a side bar where you can grab some salsa, onions, cilantro, cheese, and more. 3.5 stars! I know I've had better tacos but I could def be down for Espiau's again. read more

Espiau's - Taco Tuesdays! - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

Stay away from this place if you want to avoid getting sick. I had the shredded beef flautas and got food poisoning. I threw up all morning and felt so horrible that I had to go to urgent care. I called to let the place know that I got sick from their food. My purpose for writing this review is to warn others and have the restaurant owners make some changes to this place before they really hurt someone. read more

Espiau's - I had their shredded beef flautas last night. Threw up all morning and was in so much pain that I had to go to urgent care. Food Poisoning! - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

I decided to give this place another try after multiple bad experiences with the food and service...well, I completely regret the decision. The food here is some of the worst I have ever experienced. Anywhere. It is bland, comes from a can, and is extremely unappealing to look at. I knew the food was not very good (truly came for a beer and chips for the kids) so I ordered a soup and salad. Basic, right? The salad was as expected-- iceberg lettuce mix with a mile of shredded cheese on top. (Never a tomato, crouton ever.)The dressing was so flavorless that I had to add salt, pepper, and salsa to give it some kind of qualifying taste. My husband got a chicken burrito- so gross. Brother ordered carne asada nachos only to be told later that they were out of that meat. Kids got chicken strips. How sad is it when the most edible thing at the table is a frozen chicken strip. I actually sent my soup back in exchange for the chicken tortilla because I have never seen french onion soup that color. I was too scared to even eat it. Unfortunately and mysteriously, the tortilla soup came out the SAME scary brown - black color! See picture. Ate two bites which just so happened to contain the only chicken in the entire bowl. Now, service- pretty bad. I mean the servers smile, but our glasses were never refilled. We were never offered more beer, sat with plates covering the table forever, and had to ask for the check. Absolutely positive I will NEVER return. It blows my mind that anyone would choose to spend their money here when there are so many other amazing and delicious options in the village (Aruffos, back Abbey, Eureka, Union,etc.). read more

Espiau's - Absolutely disgusting chicken tortilla soup! And this is after I sent back the strange colored french onion. Do not eat - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

I WANT to like this place.. I really do. My daughter works here so I frequent here a bit. They have Taco Tuesday which I enjoy because at a buck a Taco you pretty much walk away happy with whatever you get... unless the meat is fatty. Which to this date it has not been. That being said the food is mehhhh there isn't anything on the menu that SIZZLES my taste buds or has me running in there to order =[ The carnitas is not dry actually has a good flavoring to it but I still doctor it up with my Sour Cream, Onions, Cilantro and Cheese... it's just the above and beyond person in me I guess =/ I like the chips and salsa in fact the Salsa is KICKING! My Lemon Drop Martini was tasty as hell one night I went in and then this past weekend it taste like medicine =[ Thomas Jefferson liked his Margarita just fine though!! Respectfully Reviewed read more

I had a great experience here. They have a nice patio with a cranking heater. The food was very delicious. You can tell the beans are homemade. The chile relleno was tasty too. I had good service as well. What more can you ask for? read more

Our visit started out great.. UNTIL a a bus boy set someone's empty USED glass down right next to me on my table top as if I wasn't sitting there. And when asked to have it removed he looked at me and shrugged his shoulders as if he did nothing wrong. Not Covid friendly and definitely felt grossed out. I can't believe that just happened in the age of Covid19 safety protocal. What IF I had mistakenly picked it up and drank from it and got sick??? He slammed that empty glass down as if he had done it 100 times. Disgusted! Our waitress/bar gal was fantastic though! I love Claremont but not coming back here! read more

I really hesitate to tell you this, but my latest favorite is an oldie here and no longer on the menu: the Ranchero Burrito. It's a burrito filed with Chili Colorado and covered with sauce and cheese. Soooooo good. But caution, the plate is extremely hot. The hesitation in telling you about it is because sometimes they run out of Chili Colorado so if you all order my burrito, they might be out the next time I want it! I still love the albondigas soup and Mexican salad, both are really good. The taquitos and nachos are really good too. Service has improved overall but we do occasionally get the inattentive server but no one is ever rude but then neither are we. Prices have increased since my last post. When they have Taco Tuesday it's $1.50 now and they actually ended it earlier than normal last season so I guess we'll see if it returns. Currently, the burrito is $10.50, albondigas soup and Mexican salad combo is $12.39. PS the food here is authentic to the family that created the recipes and to anyone who grew up eating here. Just because it's not what you know or grew up with, doesn't mean it's not authentic. read more

Espiau's - Seasoned chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

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I came here on a Saturday afternoon with 2 gfs and was seated right away , we asked for the bar area , we were seated right away and had friendly service . We got a pitcher of margaritas and ordered shrimp tacos taquitos , elote corn dip , and the famous salads . Everything was brought out fast and was DELICIOUS.. I loved my shrimp tacos . Jalapeños margaritas had a nice kick and weren't too sweet. The waitress was the bartender and the waitress the whole time and was more than attentive and sweet! Just saw my receipt her name is kristy lol . I would come back here in a heartbeat everything was amazing , you won't be disappointed read more

This is always my go to place in Claremont! The drinks are great and you can never go wrong with the nachos or the Espiaus salad. They've done a great job of making it a comfortable place through all of the craziness of the pandemic. read more

The only thing I liked about this place: --their FREE and abundant chips and salsa --their drinks Their drinks are an okay price--$6/7 for a margarita during non-happy hours. I got the churizo con huervos and it was pretty crappy. Barely any taste, and the sausage was bad. My friend, however, got the build your own sandwich. He thought it was good, and his curly fries were amazing. I wish I had gotten the build your own sandwich, but why would I come to a Mexican restaurant for a sandwich? read more

Been coming here for years and have always enjoyed the food and service. On my last visit, the service and attitude by the staff have ensured that was my last visit. Waitress took our order and we had a discussion about the regular quesadilla and senior quesadilla. Ended up ordering a quesadilla and another plate. Food runner brought out the plate and an order of super nacho's. Told him no on the nacho's, we ordered a quesadilla. Twenty minutes later we asked the food runner what's the status of the food. The waitress would not make eye contact or come to the table. At 30 minutes, we stopped the food runner and asked him if it was ready. He said no, so we said to cancel it and would like to speak to the manager. 10 minutes later the waitress came to the table and said the manager was out right now. She proceeded to tell us we ordered the nachos and that we were the cause for the delay. Didn't feel the need to debate with her and asked for the check. On the way to the cashier I could see and hear our waitress telling her version of the event to the manager. Went to the cashier to pay and asked to speak to the manager. The cashier said yes, one minute. She returned a few minutes later and said the manager had just stepped out. That was the final straw! Dave, you really need to check your staff. read more

I came here to see the Hax and they were great! I loved their music and it was really fun! However, I can't say the same about the restaurant. We made reservations so we got to skip the long line at the front of the restaurant. We got seated right away. They literally brought us chips and salsa within 30 seconds. The chips were hot and tasted great. The salsa was alright. Not my favorite. We sat outside. They had tons of heaters so it wasn't cold at all. We ordered the nachos as an appetizer and a combination plate for our main dish. My boyfriend and I were going to share. It took them about 35 minutes to bring us the nachos. During this time period, our waitress Sara kept refilling our drinks and our chip bowl. When the nachos got to our table, it was huge. We told Sara that we wanted to cancel our combination plate because it we were super full from eating the chips (while waiting for our nachos). Unfortunately, it was already done. We told her to wrap it for us. Ok, the nachos were horrific. They looked good, but it was massively over-salted. It was horrible. We tried some of the combination plate when we got home. It was also ridiculously over-salted as well. My boyfriend and I both love salt. I think this is the only time I have EVER complained about anything being over-salted. It was that bad. So, I won't be back here unless the Hax plays here again. Even then, I might just order drinks and eat somewhere else. read more

Espiau's - The Hax! - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

It was my first day here and I went with a friend for dinner. The service is wonderful amongst all the staff. The portions of the food is large and can be shared between to adults. I didn't know this going in. I order the nachos and he had order a burrito that was half and half green and red chili. The chips are homemade and well seasoned. Definitely going back. read more

Espiau's - The nachos were so good. I couldn't even finish them all. - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California

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Service was amazing, I recommend the margaritas, our server was quick and polite, if you're looking to watch a game. This is the spot lots of tvs. read more

Anyways let me start off by stating that service is not good here... Wel of course that's what made it seem by having a waiter like the one I had.... Which is this lady that has light eyes, short. I came in with 4 people and her attitude wasn't welcoming. I got the drinks (not alcohol ) and I said I want to order now and she wasn't very happy about that. she actually rolled her eyes !!!! My friend says he wants enchiladas and she doesn't even ask him which kind, so he tells her well what kind of enchiladas you have? And she said WHATEVER YOU WANT so he is like ok I guess chicken. Food quality... Too salty for my taste the rice was kinda hard... No salsa to go with the food just the regular chip salsa. Been to better places read more

Espiau's - Not impressive. I SEEN BETTER - Mexican Near Me - Claremont, California