Casa Gabriela

Reviews

• MM

  Maxine

  1 day ago
  3.0
  We were there to celebrate my in-laws’ wedding anniversary. We were a bit disappointed that we mentioned this when making the reservation, but it was never acknowledged, nor were any congratulatory words offered. We thought the outdoor garden area would be nice and beautiful, but it was actually quite chilly at night, even after they turned the heater on. I would highly recommend reserving an indoor dining area if you’re planning to have dinner there. Parking is limited to paid street parking, and the meters turn off after 6 p.m. Be prepared to park farther away and walk a few blocks. The food was pretty good and had great flavor, but we weren’t fans of the cactus in one of the dishes. Dessert was the highlight—great portion size and tasted amazing! We had the cheesecake flautas and would like to try out some other dessert if we ever go back. The staff were friendly, but it seemed like they were a bit short-staffed. It sometimes took a while to get our water refilled and to receive all the service we needed.
• JB

  Jessica Blandon

  Jan 1, 2026
  1.0
  Extremely disappointed in my visit here. The flavor, price, and service were just extremeling underwhelming. I paid $40 for the chicken barbacoa cazuela and the flavor was so bad I should have just gone and gotten fast food. The service was incredibly slow. I waited so long to be seated I asked the hostess if I could just place an order to go instead and she said no, she could seat me then, I was next anyways. I should have told her no and just placed an order to go because then I got to my table and had to wait an additional 20 min at least to place my order and it took another hour for my food. My waitress was very spotty in checking on me. Since I was eating alone, they stuck me at one of the worst tables in the back outside (there had been open tables the whole time I was waiting). The table next to me a woman had a rock in her food. I had such high hopes for this place but I won't be going back.
• LW

  Lyn Will

  Dec 31, 2025
  5.0
  My wife and I had dinner at Casa Gabriela for her birthday yesterday. We had reservations and we're promptly seated on arrival. Our first observation was that the restaurant was spacious and clean. Servers were friendly and attentive. By chance we happened to get seated at their best waiter's, Jeremy, section, what luck. Desert was delicious, most tender churros we've had to date. Empanadas were also delicious and the "La Jefa" was definitely worth trying. The service the atmosphere and food surpassed our expectations. A second visit is definitely in the stars for us.
• CF

  Chinty Ferrer

  Dec 22, 2025
  3.0
  Mixed experience at Casa Gabriella – great drinks and ambiance, disappointing food We had a party of 6 and overall a very mixed experience at Casa Gabriella in La Mesa. First, parking: there is no dedicated parking. It’s paid street parking, but we were able to find a spot without too much trouble. The space itself is absolutely beautiful—impeccably decorated, great vibes, and clearly designed for a great night out. If you’re looking for strong, delicious cocktails in a gorgeous setting, this place delivers. Sandía Margarita: 10/10 Mezcal cocktail: 10/10 Mangoneada: 10/10 One disappointment with the drinks was the Flor de Amor cocktails—we were given syrup on the side because their foam didn’t work, which took away from the experience. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the atmosphere. This is presented as an “elevated” Mexican restaurant, but in trying to elevate something that is already recognized as cultural heritage, the execution missed the mark. Food highlights & issues: Ahi Tuna Tostada (7/10): Ordered as an entrée but arrived about 30 minutes before the rest of the table’s food. Carnitas Plate (2/10): Dry, under-salted, and inedible. The sauce was dry and ruined the dish. About 70% of the plate was left untouched. The only saving grace was the large portions of guacamole, rice, and beans, which were very good. No tortillas were offered. Barbacoa Chicken (2/10): Dry, no salt, though the presentation was nice. Again, no tortillas offered. Enchiladas Rancheras (2/10): Inedible. The sauce tasted like it was never seasoned. No one checked on us, and my friend ended up eating around the sauce. Seafood Enchiladas – Salsa Suiza (4/10): The sauce was properly seasoned and saved the dish, but the seafood was overcooked. Despite that, we all shared this plate because it was one of the more edible options. Tampiqueña Plate (5/10): Simple and edible, though the addition of chimichurri felt unnecessary and overkill. One consistent positive: the rice, beans, and chips were excellent—well-seasoned, flavorful, and authentic. Ironically, the sides had better seasoning than most of the entrées. Service timing was another major issue. We waited about 45 minutes for entrées in an almost empty restaurant. Then, after asking for desserts to-go, we waited another 40+ minutes. For dessert, I had the chocolate bread pudding with ice cream. The flavors worked in theory, but the bread pudding itself was hard and chewy—I couldn’t even chew it. I only live 8 minutes from the restaurant so I don’t think travel was an issue on texture. I’ve honestly never had bad Mexican food in San Diego before, which made this experience especially disappointing. Casa Gabriella nails ambiance and cocktails, but the food—especially for the price and concept—needs serious improvement. If you go, don’t come hungry, and stick to drinks only.
• ML

  My Le

  Dec 20, 2025
  3.0
  This restaurant is massive! It’s part of the Cohn Restaurant Group. The patio is spacious. Upstairs can be an event space. The patio is more laid back and loud. The dining room is like eating in grandma’s kitchen. We ordered: Started with complimentary chips and salsa. Salsa had a nice kick, we loved it but the chips had a roasted nutty flavor that we didn’t like so much. Horchata ($6) - not too sweet Red sangria ($8) - strong not fruity Guacamole ($14.95) - interesting twist served with chicharrones and pumpkin seed. We used the roasted chips to dip and they were over powering and took away the rich buttery guacamole taste. Corn ($16.95) - grilled corn relish, buttery Flautas ($23.95) - 3 large thin red flour tortillas filled with lobster and black beans chipotle. Honestly, all I tasted was mushy black bean paste. Saw a bit of red lobster meat towards the middle but not enough to taste it. Fish tacos ($19.95) - on flour but we asked for corn tortillas. Nothing special but it was fully loaded with toppings. Birria tacos ($19.95) - comes with corn but we asked for flour tortillas. Amount of birria was generous but taste was bland. La jefa asado ($52.95) - served in a Mexican mortar was my favorite dish out of all. Came out piping hot with slices of flank steak, very tender juicy pieces of chicken breast, shrimp, sausage, nopales (cactus pads). The juices all meshed together into this broth-like liquid that was delicious with chunks of chorizo. The jalapeño gave it a spicy kick and the panela cane sugar balanced all the flavors. This dish was meant for two but it can be eaten with 3 or 4. All the entrees came with rice and beans. Happy hour is M-F 3:30-5:30. Parking meters are along the streets and in the back lot. Fridays are Farmer Market days which becomes harder to find parking. If you want the pretty yummy drinks, I would suggest to sit at the bar or patio. We didn’t get offered or have that experience sitting in the dining room and service was lacking. I didn’t know how great their bar was until I saw their social media when we left. For a restaurant this big, they have a shortage on restrooms with 2 unisex in the back and another 2 by the waiting area. The one upstairs was locked the entire time we were there.

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