Our Story
Our History
One never knows when a great idea is going to hit. Such was the case when a group of friends gathered over 15 years ago for a dinner party. Owner Bill Means recalls, “Someone brought up the idea of starting a restaurant. There was a good deal of talk and excitement about the idea”. After a lot of planning and preparation, the group of friends cut the ribbon on the original Mesa Street Bar and Grill, located at 2525 N. Mesa Street.
Means explains, “Our first concept was very different. We wanted to be sort of an upscale Chili’s and serve the adjacent university crowd. When that concept was not delivering the results that the team wanted, the restaurant was re-invented with more elegant décor and a sophisticated menu. The new image was embraced by the community and the restaurant grew steadily over the years.
The family and community experienced a great loss when the Mother and driving force behind the restaurant, Annette Means, passed away unexpectedly. Mr. Means says, “The loss of Annette was a terrible shock. But there was never a doubt about what we would do regarding the restaurant. We run it in a way that we know would make her proud.”
The restaurant recently moved to its current home at 3800 N. Mesa. The new location is larger and has significantly more parking. Many restaurants have come and gone during the time that Mesa Street Grill has been in operation. When asked how Mesa has stood the test of time, Mr. Means closes saying, “We have built our restaurant on quality, excellence, service and building lasting relationships. Those things never go out of style.”
”We have built our restaurant on quality, excellence, service and building lasting relationships. Those things never go out of style.”
In Memoriam M. Annette Means
“The loss of Annette was a terrible shock.
But there was never doubt about what we would do regarding the restaurant. We run it in a way that we know would make her proud.”
This page is dedicated to the memory of M. Annette Means, our mother and one of the gentlest souls to grace our lives. She passed suddenly on July 31, 2009.
She was born and raised in El Paso, and spent her life helping others. She was a teacher, mentor and surrogate mother to all who knew her. One of her passions in life was this restaurant and the employees who have become a part of our extended family.
Our mission since her passing has been to share that passion with the food and drink that she inspired and loved. We will never be able to replace her, but we will do our best to make the experience that she wanted to share exactly what she worked for it to be.