parking

esperanza is located in the hub of manhattan beach where parking can be a bit of a hassle on a popular day. like a typical beach community, there is limited street parking but if you’re lucky to find something, meter payment is required and they do ticket frequently! otherwise, a nearby parking garage is your next best bet. ** there is no option for valet **

ambience // vibe // service

esperanza is an intimate bar + dining space with a boho-glam vibe to it. most of their seating consists of comfy elevated bar chairs and tables along with a lengthy family-style dining table in the middle of the room. I personally love the aesthetic here – great for a sunny weekend brunch n mimosas. I will say… I’ve gone twice now and the demographic was mostly, if not all white, which is to be somewhat expected in Manhattan Beach but it would be dope to see a more variety of folk, starting with the staff. overall the staff is pleasant but our drinks took FOREEEVER to come out – to the point we wondered if they forgot about them. they also did forget an app we ordered, but made it up to us with a round of shots.

fit check

I didn’t get a full fit pic but I wore a cropped long sleeve top with relaxed, acid wash pants and platform sneakers. you can get away with dressing casual-fly to semi-dressy. given that its a chill beach community, heels aren’t necessary but if its a special occasion and you want to go all out, you won’t be looked at crazy!

drinks + apps

I’ve tried both the spicy mango marg and the pomegranate marg here and both are great! they’ll sneak up on you out of nowhere – which I’m never mad at 😉 I think I might prefer the pomegranate marg just because it’s different and not as commonly available as mango. But you can’t go wrong with a classic spicy mango!

complimentary, house-made fresh tortillas!!

who doesn’t love complimentary goodies! is it just me or do restaurants not really do this anymore? Anyways, they brought out these super freshly made flour tortillas along with a trio of dipping options: 1) a wildflower honey butter 2) tomatillo salsa and 3) salsa roja. The tortillas smelled so amazing and had a nice bite into them – the freshness is undeniable. I looooove me some butter in a warm tortilla but I don’t know if the floral flavor is a top choice for me. the other salsa’s were great and predictable at a mexican restaurant.

chips n guac – A1

the thing I absolutely love about Esperanza as a fine-dining mexican restaurant is that they stay true to the authentic flavor profile of the culture and don’t veer too far off trying to be fancy, unlike most of their cross-town competitors. their guac was simple – perfectly salted and citrus-y. chips were nothing extravagant, could use some seasoning to spruce things up but I’m not entirely mad at them.

8.5/10

I ordered these on my second visit and honestly I was disappointed. they sounded soooo good but they turned out to be very underwhelming – we really could’ve done without them. The meat inside wasn’t flavorful at all and a bit dry. they needed some sauce, a better marinade – something! I wish they did to these what they do to the ‘turf’ enchiladas! I wouldn’t order these again.

5/10

course #2

surf n turf enchiladas w/ rice + beans

10/m’fckn 10 !!

these were a STUNNER!! everything was on 10, I have absolutely no complaints about this dish. the ‘surf’ enchilada was filled with a shrimp + dungeness crab mix that I wish lasted in my mouth forever. I mean, you can’t go wrong with that combo! the ‘turf’ one was stuffed with some of the more delicious carne I’ve ever had. It has a hickory-smokey flavor that was beyond memorable; I can still taste it on my palate! there was plenty of sauce and plenty of cheese on my plate – as there should be! I did substitute my rice for the “arroz mexicana roja” style (as pictured), per our servers recommendation. I second the recommendation if you like classic mexican-style rice. the beans!!! just amazing!! great flavor – i could not get enough.

** they have several great vegan options! my friend got the vegan enchiladas and was raving about them. tbh I didn’t give them a try but I trust him and believe you can too! **

tacos de camarones frito w/ rice + beans

done well and done right! If I’m going to put my upmost critic hat on, the shrimp could’ve had a bit more seasoning of some sorts to elevate the experience but the fry was amazing. Perfectly buttery and crispy. The shrimps were big and substantial! You can tell the seafood is really fresh. I love how the chef layered the tacos. At the base of the taco there was a chipotle cabbage slaw mix as well as a melted/crispy layer of cheese – this was fun and offered something different than your typical shrimp taco. on this visit I did try the refritos blancos (standard refried beans) as my side, and I can confidently say I prefer the frijoles negros. definitely recommend the substitution!

8/10