Joe Peña's Esslingen in Esslingen am Neckar

Sehr leckeres und frisches Essen, freundliche Bedienung und angenehme Atmosphäre. Vegetarier und Veganer geeignet. Vielen Dank für den schönen Abend. 🌻🍁🌶️

It was a great evening, delicious food and great cocktails (happy hour 5-8 p.m.). We can definitely recommend it 🥰

It was a really great evening with great music and a great atmosphere 😀

I hunt down Mexican food all across Europe. I like to think I know a thing or two about great Mexican food and restaurants. Me and my friend were excited to try Joe Penas but were very let down. This restaurant is 100% style over substance. The food was bland, made without love and tasted like it could have come from the trash can of an autobahn service station. The recipes are obviously made to be batch cooked in large quantities. Don’t believe the story’s of “traditional Mexican recipes” they talk about in their menu. Old ingredients, a steak that was 60% bone and gristle, enchiladas that were bland with no seasoning and vegetables that were expiring. The staff tried their hardest, but they were obviously very understaffed and couldn’t possibly provide the best service but that’s not the staffs fault. Wouldn’t recommend this to anyone

I don't understand why the store lasts so long here. The portions are far too small and also far too expensive. Nothing special in terms of taste. It takes forever for the food to arrive. So there are really more recommendable restaurants in the area.

Great place to eat a very good Mexican food. Crowded on weekend, but they move really fast with the orders.

Everything was great except the lady who served us. First, we ordered a drink which didn't come before we ordered a food, about 20minutes after. Then, when we ordered a second drink she didn't bring it at all but worst than that I saw her taking her drink and go make a break. We were waiting again more than 15min when we decide to leave and then we were waiting again for her even the other waitres told her we and one more lady are waiting to pay. She just didn't care, didn't apologize, anything. I think some people should just not work with the people. -10 for that services

The reserved table assigned to us was in the middle of the path of the waiters and other guests. When asked about this, we were told that the other free tables had been explicitly reserved by guests (we now know why...) and that they couldn't offer us another table. We were not offered any help with adjusting the table or decorations, let alone any other accommodation. The restaurant filled up relatively quickly and we were also informed that we could stay for a maximum of 2 hours. After ordering, drinks and food came quickly, but we waited 20 minutes before we were even allowed to order anything. In summary, bad atmosphere with our table, mediocre service and good food. We might come back and give it another chance, but if it turns out to be such a bad table again, we'll turn around and spend our money somewhere else.

"Unfortunately, our visit to this restaurant was disappointing. The cocktails were mostly watery because they were served with too much ice. We also had to wait over half an hour for three cocktails, even though the restaurant was about three quarters empty. Only after several times When we asked, the drinks were brought to us and the staff seemed visibly annoyed. The reason given was a lack of staff, but that didn't console us for the unpleasant experience. Unfortunately, the visit wasn't a particularly positive one.

The absolute best Joe Penas in terms of food, service and ambience Very tasty dishes, great selection, very attentive staff Absolutely recommended!!!

I can't judge the food, the ambience was great and the music too. Parking at just under €9 for a few hours was extremely tough in the parking garage. The waitress simply took away glasses and took forever when you ordered something. But I would come back to the music night...

Unfortunately no recommendation. The main entrance leads directly into the smoking area. Disgusting. The bar is also located there. It's completely incomprehensible to me these days. Service was also rather slow and inattentive. Some of the food was only lukewarm, we were given a card by the waitress that was only “valid” an hour later. The music was extremely loud at the beginning, it was hard to understand each other. Luckily that was regulated. Basically a nice location, but everything is very narrow and therefore the atmosphere doesn't really work. So we certainly won't come back and can't recommend this restaurant either.

When we arrived we were immediately told that we had to leave the table after 2:15 hours. There tends to be nothing wrong with that. However, this doesn't work if the waitress needs 15 minutes to take our drinks, another 20 minutes to take our food (even though the restaurant wasn't very busy) and then another reasonable 30 minutes for the food to arrive. Unfortunately some of the food was cold. The taste was very bland and poorly seasoned. Mexican food in particular has to be well seasoned. The side dishes from the buffet were not only cold but also dry or limp. The corn on the cob was particularly mushy - like it had been sitting for a few hours. Despite all of this, we still wanted to end the evening with cocktails or coffee. Since it was already 30 minutes before “kicking out” we asked how long the drinks would take. It was said that the drinks were prepared extra quickly - it ended up being 25 minutes. At the same time we were then asked to pay and directed to the bar area to finish our drinks. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to be bothered by the strong smell of cigarettes at the bar, which is in the smoking area. Unfortunately the worst birthday meal I've ever had.

Delicious food, and a paradise for people who smoke!!

A special kind of culinary experience! Not only does the food taste fantastic, the decor is also an eye-catcher.

I ordered the jo’s margerita which was completely over salted. Total disappointment. And the prices are also completely overpriced. Without words.

Food was ok buffet day joe burger. Cocktails waiting time 45 minutes when we asked, it took longer, we were forgotten. So if you enter something into the pad you should get it relatively quickly. Unfortunately the last time we were here, coordinated processes were out of place. After his guests looked outside to see if anything was needed No waiter felt like I wasn't seen for 10 minutes.

The ambience is very nice at first glance. However, the noise level is extremely high. You don't understand your counterpart. A cool idea to shorten the waiting time for the food are the wax crayons and the table mats to paint on (we did word puzzles) The order card is totally confusing and has way too much text. However, this is probably currently being renewed. The food was OK. But the portions are really very small. So definitely only for a small hunger. But for the big wallet. Because I don't see fair price/performance here at all. The staff was nice.

Ich war mit der Familie zu Gast. Das Restaurant bietet die richtige Atmosphäre für Familie, Freunde und Paare…. einfach für jeden! Wir fühlten uns wohl. Das Essen war wie erwartet, die Drinks lecker, die Stimmung super, ein gelungener Abend.

The place looked good. Food was OK. However the service was not good. It was brought to the table, we were given the card and left to sit for 20 minutes before we could order something to drink. The drinks came 15 minutes later. The food came again 95 minutes later. The portion isn't particularly big. There were more sauces than main course. At least it was tasty. Ordered two cocktails for which we waited another 15 minutes. Then waited another 30 minutes until the bill came. This was definitely my longest restaurant visit at 3.5 hours.

It was my birthday. And I think it's nice to enjoy the food and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. The service is friendly. We had a lovely evening. Many thanks to the team.

Excellent service! Everyone was super friendly and very attentive. The food was really tasty and enough. The cocktails were perfect too. It was a wonderful evening with you. We always like to come back.

Food very good, cocktails very good, I'll be back!

Too few staff, Ok, it's a difficult time right now. But if you know that you don't have enough staff, you can't overdo it. Starter came after the main course and drinks were forgotten even after asking. As a highlight, one more dish was added to the bill. Only receive the receipt after requesting it, even though this is mandatory. As a consolation, the appetizer that was delivered too late and the dish that was typed too much were refunded.

It was my first time there, the restaurant is beautifully decorated and it has a very large and very nice terrace👌 The staff was also super nice and very open and warm But the highlight was my burrito with guacamole and a soure cream sauce and the kidney bean dip was amazing There was also a corn on the cob and the salad was made from tacos in a bowl I'd be happy to go back at any time

We liked it very much. Food was very good. Beef neither hard nor chewy. Service super attentive. A little more expensive than schnitzel with fries, but you don't make it every day. Gladly again

Personally, I think it has an extremely nice atmosphere and I always enjoy going there. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I can only warmly recommend it to everyone to eat something there or have a drink in the bar.

Sehr freundliche und aufmerksame Bedienung. Mein Frau hatte die ENCHILADAS DE POLLO. Da die Sauce etwas scharf war, hat die Bedienung diese separat serviert. Ich hatte das PRIME BEEF STRIPLOIN mit 180 Gramm. Das Steak war perfekt Medium gebraten. Eine scharfe Sauce zum dippen dabei. Ein halber Maiskolben (butterzart) mit Kräuterbutter. Dazu tranken außer Wasser noch einen ROSÉWEIN SELECCIÓN ROSADO DE LÁGRIMA, der ausgezeichnet war und zum Essen perfekt harmonierte. Zum Abschluss hatten wir noch einen CAIPIRINHA mit einem vorzüglichen weißen Rum, der deutlich herauszuschmecken war. Sehr sanft und geschmackvoll. Alles in Allem ein toller Abend im August. Wir kommen auf alle Fälle wieder.

Everything was great!!!! Delicious food! Very nice and attentive staff!!! And nice ambience!!!

Wir waren auf ein paar Cocktails und "Chips & Dips" hier und hatten einen sehr schönen Abschluss unseres Kinoabends. Die Cocktails und das Essen sind sehr gut und der Service freundlich und aufmerksam. Im Innenhof kann man hier sehr nett ein paar Stunden verbringen.

Super delicious food. Very nice and helpful waitresses. Although we had to wait longer for our food this time, we'll still be back.

The restaurant has very good service and a nice Mexican style. The food is very well prepared and there is a large selection of drinks at the bar. There is relaxed music playing and the restaurant is very clean and tidy. Unfortunately a bit expensive but you're happy to pay for what you get. The toilets are very clean. I will definitely come back.

We were there on August 17th. Five of us there at 8 p.m. We reserved online in advance and chose a table outside. To get there, we were led through the restaurant, but we were very happy with our decision to sit outside as it was very warm and stuffy inside. We took a seat and shortly afterwards the waiter came and took our drink order. A full 45 minutes later the drinks arrived. We ordered cocktails. Lillet Wild Berry and Rosato Mio. The cocktails tasted delicious, but unfortunately they weren't very visually appealing. There were 2-3 pieces (not whole) of frozen raspberries floating in the Lillet and there was a frozen strawberry in the Rosato. The food order was taken at the same time and the food came after a reasonable amount of time. The food was very good, but 3 out of 5 were not full. We ordered Ocean Asada (24.60), Burrito Tradi (21.80) and Quesada Grand (20.80) (written off from receipt). For this price, all five of us had imagined a slightly larger portion. Which is why we then ordered tortillas with dips and baked tortillas from the lady who cleared the plates. She said she would pass it on to our waiter. Shortly afterwards our drinks were empty. But the new order didn't come and there was no trace of the waitress either. The tables in the back were no longer served. Other guests around us were also sitting in front of their empty glasses. When I asked the waiter where our order was, I was told that he had been told but had forgotten it. I then canceled the order at the same time because it was 10 p.m. and we had to leave at 10:30. But then ordered from him with the words "I'm dying of thirst and would like another Lillet." At 10:20 p.m. I spoke to another waitress and canceled this order as well. I didn't want to have to pour it down in 10 minutes. Shortly afterwards the waiter came with two tequilas as an apology. There were five of us! When we paid, we agreed and still had a bad feeling that we didn't leave a tip because we were very disappointed with the visit and the previous great atmosphere was completely ruined in the 2.5 hours. Are we coming back? The others definitely not, but they don't come from Esslingen either. I? The food was actually really tasty. Too bad...

Very good food. Little waiting time Cool drinks

Great cocktails, fantastic appetizer and a perfect steak. It was a very nice evening to enjoy with my lovely companion.

Online table reservations are a great thing and work very well. Unfortunately, we couldn't foresee that it would be a hot evening, but we still got a place on the terrace even though we had reserved inside. The place wasn't that comfortable because it was right next to the door to the dining room, where the buffet was set up and the busy waitresses came and went. The menu is very informative but very extensive due to the extensively described dishes. The food is attractively prepared and served on traditional plates. Unfortunately we didn't like the guarcamole, but the other dishes were good. Overall, the price-performance ratio was a bit too unbalanced for me.

Very, very good cocktails, professional service, top

As always, everything was great. Food very tasty, service very attentive

Went there again after a long time and everything was great. The only thing that wasn't quite as comfortable was the somewhat cramped seating.

An outstanding Mexican cuisine, it makes sense to reserve a place. It's just a shame that you're so far away. I would be happy to come back if I were to be in Stuttgart again. It's just a shame that I didn't find you sooner.

We had a very nice evening at Joe Penas. The cocktails were very tasty, the food was also very good, except for the beef in my fajita, which was unfortunately tough. All other dishes were good. Unfortunately, the waiting time for drinks and food was noticeably long. (Perhaps there are few staff because it's holiday time?) The service was very, very friendly.

Yes, this is a really, really nice restaurant. The service was extremely attentive and even got us a table on the terrace. The food is good too. There are daily specials. We had the burger. It was really very good. Otherwise there is still happy. Hour is definitely worth it too. So you can definitely go.

The Joe Peñas in Esslingen is very popular, but without a reservation you often don't get a seat, or a very bad one (I've often had the experience). It's extremely loud inside and the chairs aren't very comfortable. The prices are now quite high for what is on offer. Because in the end it's just vegetables, some cheese and a bit of meat or meat substitute wrapped in some kind of white bread and it costs 25.-. Nevertheless, the food is very tasty and there are more and more vegan dishes.

We (7 people) came out of the bright sunlight into the very darkened and only moderately lit restaurant. The menu was barely readable, so I turned on the flashlight on my cell phone. We sat on the armchairs far too low at the table: inconvenient for eating. The food was okay, the cocktails were very good, the service was friendly. Alas, the (good) music was unfortunately far too loud to be able to have a relaxed conversation. A pity. Because it's a really nice place.

I think it's too dark in the non-smoking area, the music was turned down after a guest complained. You go out to eat and talk with friends and loud music just gets in the way! Food was good as it had been for years! The cocktails are the best, simply delicious!

We were here yesterday and had a case of beer with us and wanted to ask if we could even take it in and maybe put it behind the bar The nice guys behind the bar even put it in the cold storage for us ❄️!!!! Super sweet, thank you again 👍🏼😌 We were there with a very large group, so we had to wait a little longer for everything but that's clear 🤷🏼‍♀️ Raspberry Mojito is highly recommended (but is quite sweet)

Very tasty food, good price-performance ratio. The protons are very neat! Fitting music. The staff was ultra attentive and very friendly. Absolute recommendation. Happy hour every day until 8 p.m. with great cocktails :)

Great atmosphere and music, but we were disappointed with the taste of the food. As a Latina who misses going out for latin food, I had high hopes. The guacamolewas also disappointing. I do have to say that they have lots of food options. Also, my husband said his mojito was great! We found the service to be slow, considering it was a Tuesday and there weren't many people at the restaurant. I'd recommend this place for a happy hour. The parking garage is a huge bonus!!

Ladies and Gentlemen As a long-time customer of your restaurant, I unfortunately have to say that the quality of the food has deteriorated significantly. My main course, the slow roast beef, used to be one of the best steaks I've ever eaten. Today, however, it is more reminiscent of an inferior steak from a discount store. Additionally, the corn on the cob was severely overcooked on my last visit, and I had to wait 20 minutes for my Coke, which I ordered after my food arrived. Unfortunately the cola was ultimately served warm. A positive highlight is the friendly staff who offered us dessert as compensation, which we politely declined. Nevertheless, the staff insisted and bought us a shot instead. The atmosphere in the restaurant is still very appealing. I will eat with you again in the future and try another dish.

Always great, happy hour all evening on Mondays, so sometimes extend the weekend until Monday

Delicious food and good drinks! On different days there are different specials such as Happy Hour, Burger Day or Fajitas Day. The appetizer platter for two people is always a must when we visit, although the nachos can be a little less. Otherwise, you can find typical dishes such as burritos, enchiladas, fajitas or quesadillas. But also a good selection of steaks, salads and other Mexican dishes. We love coming here!

Very good atmosphere with a spacious smoking area. Food good, service very good. The map doesn't work at all, too much information around it. But the service makes up for it… in total 4 out of 5 stars with a clear conscience.

The guacamole leaves a lot to be desired with its German style, but otherwise a good atmosphere for dancing

As always, super friendly and polite staff.

Unfortunately the food was not convincing. It tasted very bland and didn't really appeal. The rice didn't taste like anything and the corn wasn't even salted. The yogurt was also completely without seasoning. The only good thing was the vegetables and the meat in the flour tortilla, although it also tasted like simple grilled vegetables. The cocktail was very sweet and there was a lot of savings on alcohol during happy hour. The waitress sometimes forgot the drinks. The ambience was very nice, but the chairs were incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. The waitress also took more tips than was offered to her. The prices are also extremely high. I wouldn't come here again.

Super friendly service, delicious Mexican cuisine! (In European version ;-)

Great food and super lovely staff. Gladly again :)

So all in all perfect for a date. Or a fun evening with friends. Food is very tasty. There is a wide selection of Spanish/Mexican dishes from quesadillas to steaks. There is also a good selection for vegetarians and vegans. Ambiance is a definite 10/10 don't want to give too much away just check it out. The conditions have always been VERY accommodating to me. The only disadvantage in my opinion is the price, the dishes are "a little" more expensive but that's forgivable. There are also plenty of parking options.

Great team! Super tasty mojito!! Latino music 🤩 Unfortunately, smoking is allowed, therefore a * deduction

Simply great, delicious and super beautiful there. The staff was very friendly. We were a group of 12 people and really enjoyed it

Everything was fine, we sat outside so it wasn't too loud, heaters and blankets made it comfortable. Service was very friendly, cocktails are also good, Of course the food too

The food and service were excellent. Despite smoking place, no smoke nuisance. Unfortunately it was a bit dark so we had difficulty reading the food and drink menu. But we will visit you again 😀

Very tasty Mexican food and always very nice staff

5 ⭐ had a lovely evening with you

The food was delicious, the environment was a bit noisy but that's ok. :) everything perfect.

Nice bar and restaurant combination. Good food with a very large selection of Mexican dishes. Location is easily accessible and highly recommended

It was our first time there and not the last time. Really nice atmosphere, delicious food, very friendly service and quick even though the restaurant was full. The food was really great, highly recommended 😋. I almost forgot we also had delicious cocktails 👍👍

Overheated room, with mediocre ventilation and subpar quality of cocktails. I would rather skip happy hour and instead enjoy a cocktail that has similarities to the original in presentation and taste composition. The service was friendly and attentive. My tip was calculated incorrectly, but I only noticed this afterwards and it can happen.

Great atmosphere and very professional staff.

Best Mexican food I had in Europe so far. I have had Mexican food across Europe, but the treasure trove was right here in Esslingen. The restaurant was a bit loud for my taste and also the lights were low, not easy for elderly to read the menu. The service was friendly and food was fabulous. Strongly recommended.

Unexpected, spontaneous and eating at a Mexican restaurant for the first time. Food and service TOP. If I am in Esslingen again, I will eat there again.

Nice outdoor seating, Delicious food

We've been here several times and can't say anything bad. It's a solid, good restaurant. The service is nice and courteous and you can sit outside on the terrace very well in summer temperatures. For dinner that evening I had the classic Enchiladas de Pollo. My girlfriend the Yucatan Gambas Bowl. Both tasted very good. We will definitely come back!

.... again after a long time, stopped by at short notice, but still managed to get a seat on the heated terrace. Top, nice and warm, with delicious food, nothing has changed, the service was quick and good. You can still keep the address in your head, again.

Totally friendly staff, great ambience and the food was delicious 😋

Great cocktails (you have to wait a long time for them) and great atmosphere

Really cool location. I was there for the first time. The service was good, except friendly and accommodating. Although there was a lot going on. I can only recommend Joe!

The food was really delicious and plentiful, the starter platter was a little expensive but also very good and varied. The cocktails and dessert round off the evening perfectly. The service was very nice and attentive.

Very noisy restaurant where the guest goes through the smoking area into a non-smoking area to dine there. The food is delicious but also very expensive. In short, I wasn't full.

Cocktails are delicious, food too. The waiters were very nice, but you had to wait forever for every order, even just for a glass or chips, and the restaurant wasn't quite full yet.

We ate this in February. Food was mediocre, but the waitress had no idea! I had to wait an hour and a half before the food came! He would have forgotten. I would NOT recommend this restaurant!

Pleasant atmosphere and very friendly service staff. Good quality food for years. A good address especially for cocktail lovers.

We had a farewell party with 26 people there. The food was delicious as always, it was a little crowded, but what really stands out is the service. The friendliness and ease that radiated throughout the evening, right down to the organization, was really TOP! The fact that we got a few tequila shots on the house at the end of the evening was the cherry on the cake. Absolute recommendation, both the food and the cocktails!

Food and cocktails good. Unfortunately there is now a 2 hour time limit for reservations. Even if there are four of you. The food only arrived half an hour before the time was up, which is why, shortly after we had finished eating and still had something in the glass, we were asked to leave the place and pay. So very uncomfortable. In my opinion, such a time limit can only be made if drinks and food arrive reasonably promptly after the order is placed. We were offered an alternative place in the smoking area, but we declined because we are not smokers.

Very nice atmosphere, food was delicious. We'd love to come back again.

Food wasn't warm, but it was also completely full, otherwise everything was great

We've been waiting for our drinks for 40 minutes

We sat in the non-smoking area and my wife is currently pregnant. It was only after about an hour that I noticed that the smoke was coming from the smoking area because there was no proper separation. Our clothes smell like smoke too. That's why we're definitely not coming back, and the situation with the smoking area should actually be reported and checked. The food was mediocre, some of the chicken seemed undercooked to us. But the food was extremely expensive. As a Munich resident who was visiting here, I was shocked, for that money you can eat at the Brenner Opera Grill and at least get something out of it. The service was okay.

We've been eating and celebrating at Joe Pena's regularly for over 20 years now and, as always, we're very satisfied. Whether you just have a cocktail at the bar or have a meal afterwards, it's always a nice experience.

Well, what can you say? An all-round carefree package. Whether as a couple or with family or more, everything is possible. Wheelchair access via the winter garden. Whether meat or vegetarian or vegan upon request, the food was very tasty. The service was very friendly and attentive. And a cocktail at the bar invites you to stay longer. Price-performance ratio fits.

Food, ambience and service were great! Very attentive and accommodating. The only thing I can complain about is that the portions have become smaller. It's hard to get full without an appetizer. We still know the dishes from before. It's one thing that everything becomes more expensive and is adjusted accordingly... But then the portions should also be in the right proportion. For 150 euros for 4 people it is no longer in the cheap range.... Unfortunately the cocktails were a bit weaker than what we are used to from there. But we hadn't been there for about a year. A little tip from us, you can tell from the color of the Aperol Spritz how 'good' it is 😉. Otherwise a lovely evening for all occasions. Always a good address and recommended.

Food prices increased significantly ☹️

The food and all was good, but due to nearly a full house, it was quite noisy.

Very tasty Mexican food. The service was very quick, attentive and friendly. Cocktails very tasty. Ambiance is quite nice, unfortunately a bit outdated, but cozy.

Food very tasty and well prepared for the eye. Service is provided by real professionals. Very attentive and good. The ambience in the Esslingen Dick area does not correspond to the mainstream, but is authentic and pleasant.

First of all, I would like to say that you can always have a nice evening there, eat and drink well. The crowd is well mixed. The location has a pleasant, Mexican charm. The service last night was excellent, the waitress was attentive and took great care of us, answered questions competently and all of our requests were addressed. There's always a certain volume at Joe Peñas, I don't mind it, I don't know it any other way, but maybe not everyone likes it. Plus, there was live music yesterday, and even really good music, but that's no reason to complain. We just didn't expect it. There are deductions for other reasons. 1. The chairs in particular are very old and some of them are suspiciously wobbly (even if they try very hard to create a Mexican flair 😉) 2. The food was good and tasty. However, I think the portions are calculated quite "profitably" when you take their price into account. Likewise with cocktails, e.g. Caipirinha, the glasses seem to be getting smaller and smaller. 🤔 I also had exactly 1/4 of a lime in the entire glass, whereas crushed ice is available right up to the edge. That didn't go down well with me. I know, fairytale tax etc. increased additional costs blah. Yes, I like to support the catering industry. And I'll come back, but I don't want to feel taken advantage of either.

Great service - delicious food - it was just a lovely evening.

Beautiful location, great food, always happy :-)

I cut my finger on the paper table setting. That hurt!

Music too loud, too dark, food, well, you don't hear any please or thank you from the waitress