Tres Hombres Long Bar & Grill

I had the Carne Asada and my husband had the colorado beef. I asked for my meat meduim rare, it came pretty rare, and tough to cut. The Carne Asada was supposed to come with a chimichurri sauce, but was reallly more of a cilantro purée. The chimichurri didn’t have the depth of flavor I’m used to with herbs, garlic, and red wine vinegar. What little chimichurri was drizzled on top of the steak (most of which I tried to scrape off, as it was really a cilantro purée, and I’m not fond of cilantro) didn’t mask the undercooked steak, which was cooked rare and very tough to cook since it was rare instead of medium rare. My husbands chili colorado beef was ok for him, it lacked the depth of flavor that a true chili colorado, like my husband had at a mexican restaruant near Santa Rosa had with their braised chili colorado beef short ribs had. The beef for him was just meh. I told my hubby that I wished I could go back and show them how to properly to do a chimichurri, because it was very dissappointing, what little was drizzled on top of my skirt steak that was really sweet without the balanced sauce on top. Not sure if we’ll ever come back. The best part of our experience was the wait staff. Staff was top notch!

I recently visited Tres with my co workers for happy hour and I was quite impressed! The atmosphere is great and the restaurant has a modern upbeat feel to it. Fresh fruit margaritas and chicken quesaditas are made to perfection! Definitely one of my favorite places to go to in Chico.

My husband and I headed here when we needed a late night meal and couldn’t find any place else that was still serving food. It was after 10:30 PM when we arrived, and the inside was more of a bar/​lounge atmosphere than a restaurant. We elected to sit outside because it was quieter. The patio ambience was nice, the server was friendly and our food came out quickly. We both ordered one of the margaritas that was a suggestion of the server, and didn’t find anything special about them. They were adequate and overpriced. We started out with chips, salsa and guacamole, which were very good. I ordered the mahi-​mahi fish tacos, tropical style, with pineapple mango salsa. Fish tacos are something I frequently order, and I was pleased to find that these came with a generous portion of fish, and the flavor was great. My husband ordered the carne asada tacos, and found them to be quite good also. If I could give 3−½ stars, I would do that as opposed to just 3. I don’t think this is quite a 4-​star experience. That being said, if we’re back in the area, we will return here for the food, but not the drinks.

The margaritas are FANTASTIC!!! But it gets so crowded, and they pack you in like sardines. Not a family environment in my book. The waiter gave me a free shot for my birthday, which I was so impressed by! Definitely one of my favorites, just wish there wasn’t always a wait.

Had the applewood ham & cheese. I can do better at home. Guess this place is good as long as you’re drinking alcohol with your meal.

Whenever I am in Chico I enjoy a trip to Tres Hombres. The location is great if you are going to an event on campus as we were last night (Arlo Guthrie in Laxton) and I like the open feel of the place. In its first incarnation it was General Bidwell’s store.
We arrived at 5 so happy hour drinks were in effect. I ordered my last margarita just after 6, but still got the happy hour $ 4 price. I had the carne asada and ordered refried beans and rice with it. The steak was cooked just right — medium — and I enjoyed it. Sis got tacos or something — not sure — but ate it all.
Service was great. Attentive but not cloying. Chips and water refills kept coming. The bill was reasonable, I thought. I liked my drinks. I shall return.

My girlfriends and I went in for dinner and drinks Friday night. I just recently got married and so I currently have an interim ID waiting for my new last name. Our waiter took my ID (both original and interim) and said «my manager doesn’t accept these». So I explained I was recently married and the new ID is just a name change, nothing more. He went to check with his manager who still said they were not accepted.
I asked to speak to the manager but he couldn’t come to my table so I would have to go up to the bar. I spoke with Spencer and explained it was just a name change because I got married and he was very short with me, not willing to discuss, claiming ABC will write them up if they accept an interim ID.
My friends and I did not stay to eat. Instead we walked across the street to B street who served us immediately. Later that night we also went to Bear Madison Garden, Bellas, and Joes, all of which had no problem accepting my interim ID. I find that pretty interesting if you ask me.
PS — I’ve heard from many underage women that Tres is pretty easy to get served at. So while I should be flattered that I look under 21, It’s probably very unlikely that is actually the case.
So FYI folks, even if you are carrying around multiple forms of name identification, its not good enough for Tres.

Super disappointed with Tres tonight. We used to be regulars. Went back tonight to super slow service (took an hour and a half to get our food and it wasn’t busy). Never got a refill on my water. Food was bland. Steak was dry. Got our bill with a mandatory $ 7 gratuity on a $ 35 bill. Totally not earned. We won’t be going back. Nice knowing you, Tres.

Not authentic at all, but is still good.
Their hype is the margaritas, and they’re amazing.

Always have a wonderful time at the bar! Great drinks and great bartenders. Tim & Alvey always make sure you have awesome time! Make sure you get a rocket fuel

This place is great for group occasions! The food is fantastic, especially their fusion dishes like the Italian pasta blended in with Mexican salsa, which happened to be shocking amazing! The service could be better but considering how they’re almost always very crowded, that’s not surprising in the least.

Been here many times over the years.. depending on night service changes.. I LOVE the atmosphere but the ball does get dropped due to a high volume of customers. … food is good but make sure u pay attention to your bill… you could be overcharged if u don’t pay attention. …i still like the place.

When I was still contemplating moving to the Chico area from New England almost a year ago, my son and I came for an exploratory visit and had our first dinner in town at Tres Hombres. We chose Tres on the strength of his girlfriend’s recommendation. She graduated from Chico State and has many fond memories of the place. I enjoyed the evening very much to the extent that I am planning on dining there again with my husband now that we live here.
A year ago, N. And I had our dinner out on the front sidewalk dining area, which I will ask for again. Even if it were not so noisy inside as others have noted, the al fresco option is somehow more inviting. I noticed the goings on inside as I came through the restaurant’s indoor space on my way to the ladies room. I observed the whole scene much as I do the televised New Year’s Eve scene from Times Square. It was enjoyable to watch but I was glad I had a quieter place in the nighttime outdoor air to return to.
It was fun to see everyone enjoying themselves and to see the variety of people and the «night on the town» getups they were wearing. There were a preponderance of VERY short skirts on many of the younger women, which afforded me fond memories of my own adventures similarly attired in my late-1960’s Twiggy incarnation. I know my husband will also enjoy that aspect of the Tres’ experience.
As for the food and drink, I would basically agree with what many others here on Unilocal have said. The food, while ample was not particularly authentic Mexican. I have had worse, believe it or not, namely in Tokyo where the supposed Mexican food was at best an impressionistic approximation of Mexican cuisine and in Toledo, Ohio, where one of the dishes I was served actually came topped with cheese whiz. Tres is in no way that far off the mark. In my experience, in the USA anyway, the best Mexican food is to be had at either food trucks or hole in the wall places owned and staffed by extended families (same as for Chinese.)
There also seems to be an inverse relationship between décor and the character of the food at Mexican restaurants. There are numerous higher-​end regional and national chain and franchise Mexican restaurants that do a reasonable job of serving palatable food and beverages with reasonably competent service and attractive décor. Most customers at such restaurants are there with their families, on dates, or in groups to celebrate some occasion. Their enjoyment at such places comes from being with others in a restaurant that can accommodate the tastes of everyone, even those most averse to hot chili peppers.
I also recall that the prices charged at Tres Hombres were affordable, not necessarily great bargains but affordable. For an establishment so close to Chico State and a history so entwined with Chico’s nightlife, were prices to be significantly higher, it would price itself out of range of many of Chico State’s students.
For the reviewer who complained about the high prices of Tres Hombres’ special margaritas, I checked out the ingredients of those particular margaritas. Since in general, a restaurant’s income from wine, beer, and mixed drinks subsidizes its food offerings and profit to the owners, I would never complain that drinks with notably high end ingredients such as vintage Tequilas are too costly. If the goal of the restaurant’s clientele is to have an overall memorable dining experience as a couple or with friends, then having a round of such drinks would seem to be in order. For those who are «regulars» at Tres for its party atmosphere, a less costly alternative is to order from the Tres bar’s extensive menu of artisanal and imported beers and ales.
I expect that Tres Hombres will continue to be a favored dining establishment for my husband and me and for times that we may be entertaining visitors. The food is decent, with generous portions, served by wait staff that do try to please. And of course the festive atmosphere is fun to enjoy even from outside where diners can actually engage in conversation without having to shout. I also know that my husband will enjoy watching the comings and goings of the young women who were definitely enjoying themselves to the max the evening my son and I dined there.

You’ve got to try the delicious Avocado Margaritas… so good! I always sit at the bar and the service is excellent. It’s a really friendly, fun place to go and the food is delicious!

I’ve been to Tres Hombres probably 10 times over the years, and each time I’m really hoping it’s going to WOW me and I’m going to absolutely fall in love with it. I really WANT to love it because it’s a quintessential part of downtown Chico. But I just can’t fall in love with it like I want to.
I think the best part of Tres Hombres is its location and its beautiful décor. Those hanging stars and the over-​sized ceramic planter with the lights? Simply gorgeous. The metal frames around the mirrors are stunning. Huge windows allow you to watch people come and go on the street. The updated patio make outside dining a delight.
Now, for the good and bad. The tables are close to one another and are packed in tight. The building gets loud, and I mean LOUD. When it’s this loud, it’s very hard to enjoy a meal because you can’t hear the server, you can’t hear the other end of the table, etc. A lot of people come to Tres for their generous margaritas and so Tres becomes kind of a party restaurant. On the bright side, the menu has a lot of different items so everyone should be able to find something they like. And even with large parties everywhere, food comes out relatively quick probably because they’re used to being very busy all the time. And the service has always been fine, but nothing terrific and nothing bad.
Overall, A-​OK. Not terrific, not awful, just ok.
On a random note, every time I go past the bar to the bathroom I glance at the narrow stairs on the left. They are not well lit and are the same color as the regular floor. I’d like to see a safety warning or a light or something showing that they are there. I’m always worried someone is going to fall down them.

A large group of us met here for dinner to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Luckily we had made reservations ahead of time because they were packed! Being packed also means it’s extremely loud in here. We couldn’t really hear what people were saying at the other end of our table because it was so loud in there.
The menu has the typical Americanized Mexican food, some fresher/​less cheesy items like ceviche and steamed mussels, and some things that don’t even belong like a pulled pork quesadilla and cheeseburgers. At least they try to cater to everyone?
I was happy to be able to order a burrito without the rice and beans. Well, I should be clear — the rice and beans are inside of the burrito and do not come on the side. Burritos come in two sizes. I opted for the small; it still was huge. So just be aware of how hungry you really are before you go thinking that you can finish a large one! I chose the Papa burrito (pork verde). Nothing totally exciting, but still good and obviously filled me up.

I can’t really say what the food is like here other than the appetizers but I have to say that this place is the place to go for margaritas! The margaritas here are fresh, sweet, and has a lot of options to pick from. I would recommend the avocado margarita, it is surprisingly really good. I definitely will come here with friends and perhaps I’ll actually come in for the food (to which I’ve heard it is really good, just haven’t really bothered to order a meal yet) to taste it.

Happy Hour Margaritas! My favorite is the mango!

Americanized Mexican food. I got the burrito with what appeared to be mole, it wasn’t. I couldn’t finish it and their chicken fajita salad, we only ate the chicken.
Their salsas were probably one of the most tasteless salsas I’ve had. Their guacamole, more like smashed avocado. No tomatoes, onions, or peppers in the guac.

Love this place for a wide range of occasions and any time of day! Don’t miss the margaritas pitchers or checking out the grill where they cook up a bunch of great flavors!
PROS: wide range of seating, great tempo for dinner, parties, chill with friends, drinks with a date, etc.
CONS: none!

«Aggressively Average Tex-​Mex»
As a Chico Local for 5+ years I have been Tres more times than I can probably count.
Pros:
–Outside seating
–Solid margaritas (Two sizes: teeny tiny or fish bowl)
–The jalapeño bean dip is amazing — albeit ridiculously over priced
–Steak Quesadilla is pretty good, Chingalingas are better
–Lunch specials are typically more affordable and decent sized
Cons:
–It is LOUD in here, I mean ridiculously so, sit outside if you want to hear yourself think
–The quality is inconsistent, food often sent back or wrong
–It’s EXPENSIVE, especially for Chico and especially for the quality
–Service still needs work, you will often have to ask 3 times for a sauce or for water and most wait staff are too busy flirting to assist you
–The WAIT for you food and drinks is ridiculous, it should not take 2+ hours every single time, it might be bearable if you ever saw you waiter to order a second round of drinks while you wait — but this has literally never happened
Overall worth a stop for the margs and bean dip for lunch (if you have the time) on a sunny day. but don’t expect much.

We like to start our night on the town here… it’s definitely «twist-​mex». Never been disappointed by the FAJITAS I always order (SIZZLIN). And even if I was, I wouldn’t remember because the MARGARITAS are KICK-​ASS!!! Service never disappoints and the place is beautiful… the noise you ask? Who cares… I said this is our launch pad towards a night in CHICO… I’m not goin to bed… pay attention… lol