Tolbert's

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!

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...

I'm not accustomed to seeing a menu that has several things I want to try. There were 5-6 items I want. I finally settled on their fried chicken sandwich. The chicken was half again as big as the bun. Boy oh boy. It was so good. I almost never notice French fried. Their fries are head and shoulders above any others. My wife got the Paris Catfish. It was yummy as well. Both of us had food left over.

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!!

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

Customer service just ok. Chili was ok. Wine was absolutely terrible. Their French fries were the best thing there.