On a given afternoon at Mesa in Grapevine, customers are lounging at the bar, laughing and talking while General Manager Joe Carullo serves food and drinks. Some days co-owners Rob Chambers and Michael Easley can be seen sitting among the crowd, talking with friends or taking care of diners. The comfortable and open ambience is what the three friends envisioned for the restaurant when they went into business together, Carullo said. When Easley and Chambers bought Mesa in summer 2018, they expanded the restaurant hours, added a brunch menu and daily happy hours, and reduced prices. “It’s more authentic Mexican food [than other restaurants]—heavy on portions, lower on price,” Carullo said. Diners can enjoy familiar favorites, such as enchiladas and fajitas, as well as more authentic menu items like the street tacos. Chef Jesus Acosta makes everything from scratch, and the salsas are created from his own recipes. Easley, who also owns Big Fish Seafood Grill one mile away, said what initially struck him when he ate at Mesa for the first time was the restaurant’s food and the aesthetics. It did not take long for him to convince Carullo and Chambers to join him in a business venture. Mesa also offers catering services. Customers can book space for parties, weddings and big events for up to 100 people, and the restaurant’s event planner helps them coordinate it. If they have special or specific food requests, Acosta works with them to create the event menu. Mesa also sees a lot of business spilling over from the nearby Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center and Great Wolf Lodge—not to mention the promise of future developments, Chambers said. “There is a lot of opportunity here,” he said. “Grapevine is going to do nothing but get bigger.” Mesa 1000 Texan Trail, Ste. 130, Grapevine 817-329-1144 www.mesagrapevine.com Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.