Follow Me to the Other Room
- Laisa Chavez Macias
- Dec 27, 2025
- 4 min read
(This article was written by Laisa Chavez Macias and was featured in the January 2026 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
After a couple of months of meeting with some of Harlingen’s most established restaurants, I was very excited about getting to sit down, chat, and hopefully share some of that knowledge with one of our newest entrepreneurs, Gilberto Lucio, owner of The Other Room Wine Bar.
A Little Bit about the Owners
Gilberto aka Gilbert, Gil, and even Lucio to some, grew up in our neighboring city of San Benito. He left the Rio Grande Valley (the “Valley”) in 1982 after joining the military, eventually settling in Denver and transitioning to the Reserves. Lucio then began his career as a police officer, quickly working his way up the ranks to detective. As fate would have it, a girl from the Bronx, New York happened to be living in Denver during that same time. Lourdes and Gilbert, “Lindo” to her, would meet, tie the knot, move down to the Valley, and eventually open a wine bar.
Inspiration and the Name
Before his time in Denver, Gilbert had spent many years in the military living abroad in all parts of the world. Once married, he and Lourdes continued to travel, and still enjoy visiting new places regularly. So now as first-time small business owners I had to ask, why a wine bar?
The answer was simple. They wanted to offer something special. Something that resonated with them personally. They wanted to help create memories. Anytime Gilbert and Lourdes travel, the one constant was a visit to the local wine bar in whatever city they visited. It was a time to relax and reflect on their time together. So that is exactly what they built.
My next question? You guessed it! Where did the name come from?
There’s always something special when it comes to naming a business, especially if it’s your first one, and when I heard the story behind this one, it all made sense.
Gilbert said it all came together for him when he met up with a friend he hadn’t seen in years. After trying to talk through loud music and rambunctious kids running around a restaurant, they finally moved to another room where it was quieter with less distractions.
This got him thinking, he remembered being around family, and how often adults would move to another room to talk. I’m sure it’s the same in every culture, but especially in Mexican culture, get-togethers and events tend to be a little on the loud side. You often hear “Vamos al otro cuarto (Let’s go to the other room)” or, somewhere quieter that we can talk and catch up. Or somewhere just a little more private. Gilbert said, “It’s where the real connections happen.” It was exactly the experience he and his wife had time and time again during their travels. After a long day spent in the hustle and bustle, they would find a relaxing wine venue where they could just sit and catch up, and that’s how The Other Room Wine Bar got its name.
The Venue and its Menu
In December, our little Explore Harlingen Magazine crew met up at The Other Room Wine Bar to celebrate the holidays. The space has a relaxing ambiance, music playing quietly in the background, and intimate seating that is perfectly spaced out for couples or a group of friends to meet up. Or you can grab a seat at their beautiful bar where you will usually find Gilbert serving up the best wine.
Speaking of the wine: there are more than 60 different wine options available to choose from. With new wines arriving weekly, they offer a rotating wine menu, allowing you to try something new each time you visit. On the first Friday of every month, you can enjoy a complimentary wine tasting. Gilbert describes these tastings as taking a journey from Italy, to Spain, and back to California, or starting in Virginia, moving to Texas, and then back up to France, by sampling different reds and whites.
The bar also offers some delicious bites that you can enjoy during your visit. Our group snacked on the charcuterie board, which was perfectly balanced, and marinated olives that were both hearty and delicious! We also enjoyed the pepperoni/cheese and margherita flatbreads that totally hit the spot and paired perfectly with our wine tasting and secret menu item, the Prosecco punch.
It was the ideal place to start the evening and just enjoy spending time together.
In addition to their monthly wine tastings, The Other Room Wine Bar does offer classes such as charcuterie board classes, and sip and paint sessions. Starting in January 2026 they will begin offering Wine 101 classes for those who are new to wine. The venue is available for special event bookings.
My Takeaway
Even if you don’t drink wine, a visit to The Other Room Wine Bar is a MUST. It really is the perfect addition to what downtown Harlingen has to offer: a low-key vibe right heart of the city.
Signing off until next time, your friendly local foodie, Laisa :)
The Other Room Wine Bar 119 W Van Buren Ave., Suite 7 Harlingen, TX 78550 720-980-1156 info@theotherroomtx.com Instagram @theotherroomtx Facebook The Other Room Wine Bar
A +21 establishment Hours of operation: Tuesday, Wednesday 3 pm to 10 pm Thursday-Saturday 3 pm to 12 am Sunday Reserved for special events/bookings Closed Monday
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