Sun-drenched days, golden Paso Robles evenings, and Baja-inspired flavors come together at Esperanza on the Rooftop. Spanning 11,000 sq. ft. atop the second floor of The Ava Hotel in downtown Paso, our open-air rooftop is the largest in the county—offering sweeping wine country views, craft cocktails, and shareable plates. From agave-forward margaritas to fresh coastal bites, Esperanza is Paso’s go-to rooftop bar and restaurant for sunset gatherings, DJ nights, and unforgettable celebrations. Walkable from the town square, we welcome locals and travelers alike to savor the best of Paso Robles, high above the city.
Denise Armstrong
Wow! First, great location and ambience. Lots of different seating vignettes, many with fire pits/features. It was cool and breezy the night we went, but the outdoor heating was great. The absolute best part was our server Sawyer! What a fun and dynamic personality! So accommodating and made sure we never ran out of anything! Food and drinks were top notch as well.
… moreDrew
I have been here a few times now and it is seriously amazing! Great vibe, atmosphere, well made drinks, and delicious food. Shout out to Cara who was super friendly with great hospitality! We were recommended the special nachos which were out of this world! 10/10
… moreJennifer Golden
I’ve been here several times since their opening, and this was easily my best experienc yet. It really seemed like they had a rough go in the beginning and must have had a hard time finding qualified service staff.That said, it appears that the service is finally on par with the Hilton brand and higher end Paso Robles hospitality vibe.
The rooftop is stunning and transportive and is such a cool, swanky space for both an intimate and/or group gathering. They did such a great job creating a really special space.
Our server was Sawyer. He was exceptional, attentive, genuine, and effortlessly professional, and he made the evening feel truly special.
I do see there being a terrific opportunity for a more thoughtful menu, which leans mostly toward bar-style food and feels a bit limited, especially for guests with dietary restrictions. Not really on par with the elegance of the space or the Hilton brand. It would be nice to see more fresh and healthier options, especially with how many amazing growers in farms there are in the area.
… moreRene Vasquez
My wife and I love this roof top bar! We like the atmosphere, music, the set up, heaters, and the servers were friendly. Thanks Sawer! The carnitas flatbread and fish tacos were delicious! I had a Figueroa Mountain beer and my wife had a Mai Tai. It’s perfect for large groups as well.
… moreR.P
Good food, nice staff, only complaint is 90% of seating is at a coffee table which can make for a cumbersome experience bending over and serving plates.
The food portions are fine but the plate wear is small and slippery making it easy to drop food, might be challenging for the elderly or those with disability.
… moreMoriah Chen
Our server was attentive and the rooftop setting was lovely. Unfortunately, the food was unremarkable. As a local, I’d likely only return if friends from out of town wanted to experience the view.
… moreRoss Davis
I’ll be very honest here as I’ve been to many of the best restaurants in California and especially in SF. First, the service was great and the table had a good view of the area. It’s a cozy rooftop bar with a fire pit and large plants.
I ordered a shrimp burrito that had fries inside. Not sure why I would order fries that came inside a burrito? I took the fries out and had the shrimp with guacamole that was inside, it was not tasty at all. The guacamole and chips were very good. The shrimp were not good either. They were mushy, seriously all the chef has to do is boil them 2 min and let them sit one minute and throw them in ice water. Or sauté them with butter – how can you go wrong here?
There are very savvy, educated foodies who live here, this scene needs to change. People do not want to waste hard earned money to pay for a new hotel or restaurant.
The hotel needs more variety and more authentic fare. I’m confident that will happen. The drinks were pretty good for the price.
I’ve talked to others that say the main dining experience is not much better.
… moreRaymond S.
Brought daughter here for her birthday, as she wanted to stay at the Ava Hotel. We decided to try out the Esperanza restaurant. I will say the Atmosphere was nice, and good place to hang out, but COMPLETELY disappointed with the service. After we were seated, a nice young lady gave us menus and water and informed us our waiter would be with us shortly. We waited and we waited. I observed many other people arrive and sat down, where they were helped by their waiter. After about 25 minutes, me and my family decided to stand up and leave. I was so irritated that I spoke with the manager, to which I was also disappointed with. All he said was im sorry, and if I would have known I would have had someone help you ♂️. As a manager, you are the one who can turn a bad experience into a positive one, and i feel you failed. As part of a business owner, I expect my employees to always provide excellence service and I do my best to make any upset customer happy. Hopefully the service turns around because this place does have the potential to be great.
… moreKatie Marlow
Esperanza at the AVA Hotel just opened in Paso Robles and it’s fantastic. The atmosphere is beautiful and feels like a little tropical escape. The cocktails are excellent and we loved snacking on the carnitas fries and chips with guac. They have plenty of light bites and some main dishes if you’re hungry. The downtown location is perfect, and it’s a great spot to relax and enjoy a night out.
… moreDeanne Dietz
Unfortunately we never got to enjoy this bar. We arrived at about 10:00 and there were a lot of open tables. The staff insisted we go back downstairs to put our name in and wait for an available table. Thus is completely understandable when it’s crowded, but no one was waiting and there were probably 10 or more open tables. We ended up leaving as not allowing us to sit and have a cocktail was pretty ridiculous under the circumstances. Common sense applied would have been helpful.
… more