Esmeralda Family Restaurant

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  OK, now I can say Esmeralda's is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere since they began serving authentic Mexican food, like the tacos de lengua (tongue taco).  If there is such a thing as getting aggressive in the restaurant business, Esmeralda's is getting ready to knock out the competition, i.e. American diners and Mexican restaurants.  Watch-out pizza joints and Chinese restaurants.  They are coming for you next.  Some big changes are being tried-out with great success.  
  
  First, the new menus feature a large Mexican selection, lunch specials and desserts, like sopapillas, fried ice cream and fried banana.  They're all great deals, and desserts are only $2.99 to $3.99.  You have a choice of getting your Mexican food Americanized or authentic.  Authentic means lime, spicy salsa and loads of cilantro.  The food , service and prices are superior to Cazadores, so I do not see myself ever going back to that restaurant.    
  
  Second, they now have a salad bar which you can choose all-you-can-eat salads or for a nominal price, one trip to the salad bar.  Only Angler's and Pizza Hut have such salad bars, as far as I know, and now, Esmeralda's does too, and from the looks of the salad bar, it's far superior.
  
  Third, on Friday nights, there is an all-you-can-eat walleye and catfish special.  The pieces are ridiculously enormous, deliciously battered and again, cheap.  If you want both combinations, they will charge you the higher price fish, but you can have both.  It comes with a side.  I only had one plate, and I couldn't even finish everything.  They gave me one piece of catfish the size of both my hands put together and four pieces of the walleye three fingers wide each.  I didn't like the tartar sauce, but it's the usual tartar sauce you get anywhere.  I dosed my fish with hot sauce instead.
  
  Esmeralda's has also improved the quality of their wait staff.  I find them more friendly, personable, attentive and warm.  They genuinely care if you're enjoying your food, need more drink refill, and make small talk getting to know you.

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  Posted on 04.05.13 Syngin A.

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  Great breakfast menu.  Good pricing for all of the food you receive!!!!!!  A must go to start your day off rght!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Posted on 10.22.12 Mandy S.

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  My husband and I went to Esmeralda's this Sunday after reading excellent reviews. I do not know if my expectations we high but I was slightly disappointed. The service was very slow but our waitress was friendly. They were incredibly busy but it was Labor Day weekend and the last weekend of Indiana Beach being open so it was to be expected. The food took forever to come and was mediocre. My husband ordered the spinach and feta skillet  with scrambled eggs and it came out with eggs over easy. By the time it arrived we had waited so long, it was not worth asking for what he actually ordered. I had the Esmaralda omelet and it could have used more meat. The sausage was nothing but a sausage patty chopped up. As my side, I ordered hashbrowns. They were not your typical hasbrowns but more like plain old fried potatoes.  The waitress never once came back to check on us or refill our drinks. The only time she came back was to give us the check. The price was reasonable and the restaurant was clean. Due to the slow service and average food, I will probably go to Harvest Time next time.

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  Posted on 09.05.12 Ashley T.

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  I just moved to Monticello, and have been trying to sample the local cuisine. So far, this place is the only one that's gotten two visits. I had a delicious breakfast - corned beef hash skillet, and the coffee was fresh, and the price was good. When my folks wanted to go out for dinner after a long day of moving, we went back.
  
  We didn't make it past the Mexican selections on the dinner menu, but what we had was really good. Everything was tasty, not too hot and not too mild. I suspect it will be a regular stop for parental visits, but I am definitely okay with that.

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  Posted on 08.23.12 Elizabeth D.

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  We loved this place.  Roseanne, our waitresswas the best.  We are in town for a few days with a large RV group and we were out driving around and stopped for lunch.  The amount of food is enourmous and delicious.  If you order breakfast, the omelettes are made with 5 eggs!  If you order a plate with 2 eggs, they give you 4.  Wish we had time to go back.  Yummy!!!

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  Posted on 08.19.12 Jackie H.

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  Esmeralda's has the best full breakfast menu in town, and they open at 6 am. They also offer a few items you  might not expect in a small town - give the blintzes a try if you want something sweet.

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  Posted on 01.04.11 Christian G.

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