Casa Gabriela

Food is decent, service is absolutely terrible, and atmosphere is good. The happy hour food is pretty good and decent portions. I liked the chicken nachos, the esquites, the queso fundido, and the breaded cauliflower. I also liked the ceviche, however, it was an incredibly small portion with about two small pieces of fish in it. Churros are ok - little too oily which probably means the temperature of the oil it was fried in was too low, allowing the churros to absorb too much oil. They also have a very refreshing and tasty Jamaica juice. The main issues that service is terrible. After being seated, it took 45 minutes for someone to come and take my order. Another issue was that my water was never refilled even once during my meal. My water was empty pretty early on and remained that way throughout the entire meal. At the end of my meal, my waiter never came by, so I started asking other staff walking by if I could get my check and head out. They kept saying they would ask my waiter. It took an additional hour after I was done the meal for the waiter to actually come. The service was so bad, so if you come here, expect to be greatly disappointed. And the restaurant was not even busy! This was around 4 PM on a weekday.

Ambience: The restaurant is beautifully decorated and very inviting. Service: attentive and excellent. Our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu and made sure to point out the spice levels of different dishes. Food: Portions are generous. The La Jefa Asado has a nice kick—the spice lingers in a good way—and pairs perfectly with the rice, beans, and tortillas. The serving size is ideal for 2–3 people. Food is a bit too salty to our taste though. We had an enjoyable meal and look forward to returning to try the weekend brunch.

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.

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.

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.

I know CRG gets a lot of hate but this place is amazing! Cheers to the chef who captured Mexican cuisine with soul and elegance. We got the molcajete, La Jefa, and were absolutely delighted. The depth of flavor was rich and satisfying, with a perfect balance of fat, salt, and heat. The decor and music makes me feel like I'm at my cool cousin's house, the one with great style. To top it off, the pace of service is perfect. You're hosted, not churned out table by table. Great job, Chef Gabriela and team!

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.