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    Casa Gabriela

    4.2 (856 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 3:30 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Casa Gabriela Photos

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    CASA GABRIELA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Classy

    Recommended Reviews - Casa Gabriela

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    Carnitas chilaquiles
    Elizabeth V.

    Casa Gabriela located in downtown La Mesa where parking can ALWAYS be a challenge, especially on the weekends or when they have their Farmer's Market. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute restaurant that offers indoor (1st floor or 2nd floor seating) as well as patio seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Customer service was not good that morning. We were barely checked on for our drinks and had to wave waiters down just to get some service. We ordered: Ceviche Verde - NOT A FAN, a lot of juice and hardly any fish Carnitas chilaquiles (both red and green sauce) - NOT A FAN OF THE RED SAUCE Bistec con huevos - the salsa on the platter was delicious, Bistec was a bit dry and over cooked Abuelita's waffles - THIS WAS THE BEST ON THE TABLE Hot cocoa - NOT A FAN, watered down and lack of chocolate flavor. Unfortunately, I would not return to this location. But, if in the area...give them a try as everyone's tastes varies.

    Abuelita's Waffles
    Carlos S.

    Fantastic experience. Great customer service, delicious food and drinks. Lovely presentation, great taste and portion sizes. We left happy and full, [[HIGHLIGHT]]very well decorated.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Happy hour drinks as of 12/26/25
    Jennifer C.

    Went on Cinco de Mayo with a group of ladies after hearing they had $5 margs all night. We got seated right around our reservation at 7:30. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was busy when we got there but was pretty quiet by the time we left.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Love that right when you get there they drop off chips and salsa and they never hesitate to refill as needed. We got a round of margs and was happy that they could make it spicy at no extra charge. Delicious as always. The reason for the low rating this time was my food. I got the panela a la plancha, super excited to try this grilled cheese in a salad. First, my food came out significantly later than my group. The waiter even made a comment and had to go back and check in. Second, when I got it there was no cheese to be seen. It was pretty much a ton of arugula and a small amt of toppings. Pretty disappointing.

    The Mocalete was amazing! HIGHLY RECOMEND
    Ashton S.

    Absolutely the best authentic dishes I've had in San Diego! This little resturant was a fun, but not overly loud ( such as, typical Mexican resturant night style) but beautiful and the drinks were delicious. Be ware, they will happily give you and charge you for a whole waterbottle if you tell them you want "flat water" $8 a bottle wasn't expected or clarified.

    * House Margarita  * Cantarito
    Monica A.

    Keeping the Mexican food theme going today. We checked off another place from our list. Love the atmosphere at Casa Gabriela. Beautiful lighting & the music was a vibe. The hubby and I made it for HH. We shared the Queso Fundido & The Enchiladas Marisco Suiza. We finished it off with an adult beverage. He had the House Margarita & I had the Cantarito. Another wonderful restaurant. So glad we finally tried it. Great customer service. #DiningWithTheAndersons #ComidaMexicana #SundayFunday #TryingNewPlaces

    Shrimp Enchiladas Marisco Suiza
    Madelaine A.

    Came here with my Chase Sapphire benefits. We had a reservation and got sat right away. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is beautiful inside and outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was excellent! Our waitress was friendly and really helpful with our baby. We ordered lots of things on the menu but all the dishes always felt like it needed an extra kick of something. The food looks amazing but missing a little extra of seasoning.

    Chicken Barbacoa Chilaquiles
    Betsy M.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Had a lovely brunch here, and loved that you can make a Rez and they have a big dog friendly patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our service from Sam was stellar. We did some cocktails and entrees, and I must say the cocktails were the standout. My Claro Que Si was DELICIOUS. I had the waffle which was good, my husband said the grilled fish tacos were okay and my niece got the Chilaquiles which we all grazed on. The happy hour menu looks great, so I would for sure come back to try.

    Wines
    Brisa B.

    We came for mother day breakfast without a reservation and it was a 4+ hour wait. Definitely our fault so please make a reservation. They were really nice about it and offered us the bar area that was first come first serve. It was full service and we enjoyed it! I got the breakfast chorizo burrito and it was probably the most flavorful burrito I've ever had. Everything is decently priced and worth the wait. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is nice, they have lots of decoration.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Outside seating is beautiful with the trees and paintings.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely a must stop if you're in downtown la Mesa !

    Breakfast Burrito with Chorizo, rice ans beans
    Marilou P.

    Casa Gabriela is part of the Cohn Restaurant Group (Coasterra, Island Prime). Was craving chips and salsa but jokes on me, they're not free! Ordered the guacamole with chicharon and mini tostadas and frankly, that was the best guacamole I've ever had in my life. No kidding. Ordered the chicken molé chilaquiles and the chorizo breakfast burrito with rice and beans. Burrito was very good with a crema sauce on top and sweet spicy chorizo. The beans were delicious and the rice was moist and tasty with sprinkles of white corn. The chilaquiles were fire. Literally. My mouth was on fire and I couldn't finish because it was so spicy. The shredded chicken sat on top a bed of crispy tortillas then was topped with two fried eggs, the molé sauce and a crema sauce. Very tasty...just way too spicy for me. Hubby enjoyed my leftovers though. Also ordered their basket of baked goods..Chef Gaby's Pan Dulces...yummy mini banana loaf, berry scone and another scones that came with an apple butter and berry preserves. Servers were amazing. Very attentive and checked on us often. Advise you check your bill before paying. 5% added for supplemental costs that you can request be removed from the bill. I always ask because I prefer giving the full tip to the servers. Another tip is to join the CRG Rewards Club. It has come in handy because there are so many Cohn restaurants in the area!

    Chicken Barbacoa Nachos!! They are the best!
    Wendy S.

    Happy hour here is a must do!!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Come early, it can get crowded.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]But my oh my is it amazing!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We love to sit outside, but have sat inside also and it's still perfect!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] it can be kinda pricey, but they do have an amazing happy hour special menu I recommend. The Chicken Barbacoa nachos are a must try!!

    I had such a great experience at Casa Gabriela in La Mesa! The staff truly made my visit special. Carlos, Sam, Alma, Jeremy, bravo, Chef Gabby (the MVP!), Server Gabby, and Bella the host were all amazing. Everyone was welcoming, attentive, and made sure we felt taken care of. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was great, and you can tell the team really cares about their guests. A big thank you to the whole crew for making it such a memorable experience. I'll definitely be coming back!

    Horchata
    Myphuong L.

    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.

    Queso Fundido
    Anthony D.

    We sat in their outdoor patio which was very pretty in the evening with the lights. Our server was great throughout the meal as well. We started with the Queso Fundido which was good and very filling. We got both flour and corn tortillas to enjoy and I this was my favorite dish of the night. I got the Enchiladas Pipan Rojo which was very underwhelming. The flavors weren't all that great and the more disappointing part was the enchilada and chicken both being very dry. My partner got the chile relleno and she thought it too was not very good. They overly dressed the chile with way too much cheese and so it threw off the balance of the dish. I almost always take leftovers home, however I really wasn't too keen on doing so this time.

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    Page 1 of 22

    Casa Gabriela Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Casa Gabriela

    I'd like to bring my mother here when she visits, but she doesn't like spicy food. What would you recommend she order?

    Some options that are little to no spice are noted below. Appetizers:… 

    Is there a dog menu? (Thx.🐾?)

    Are they dog friendly?

    Are there vegetarians dishes?

    Yes!!

    Is this restaurant opened? I am seeing online in different websites, like Bing, saying it's permanently closed?

    Yes, it is open---I had dinner there the other night. As I recall, it is closed on both Monday and Tuesday.

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    Casa De Pico

    Casa De Pico

    3.8
    (2k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    To start off our server was super friendly and gave us chips and salsa to begin with. We love that…read moreit comes with free refills because the chips tasted so fresh and salsa was also very tasty, just wish it had a little kick of spice! I got the Chicken Enchiladas, it came with a side of black beans. I loved their verde sauce that the enchiladas are smothered in, both the sauce and chicken had amazing flavor. Sauce was citrusy which I loved in a verde chili, overall Id definitely order it again. My boyfriend ordered the Huevos Rancheros which came with a side of beans, rice and flour tortillas. I didnt taste it but it looked amazing and my boyfriend enjoyed it as well, he finished every bite! I got to try his fresh flour tortillas and they were very tasty as well, I love how fresh everything is! Ambience inside was gorgeous and really love how festive it looked.

    My best friend and I came here today to have a girl date. We ordered a shot, a margarita, and an…read moreappetizer. We were having great conversation and catching up, just the normal things you do when you have a "girl date". Anyways, we ordered another shot to take as we were vibing out and enjoying our ceviche when we were told that "we've had too much", since we had not yet ordered our entrees. I have been here more than 20xs in the last 6 months. I've been HAMMERED, I've been sober, you get the point. Never once have I been told of this "policy". Never once have I been cut off or warned. From the second we got here, the bartender was rude. He wasn't the main bartender, but that's neither here nor there. Every interaction we had, he never made eye contact, never engaged, never NOT seemed annoyed to be there. Anyways, after being told that we needed to order entrees before we were able to get another beverage, I asked to speak to the manager. She came over a few minutes later trying to explain responsible service to us...my best friend and I are bartenders and have been since we were in our 20's. We're now in our 40's and are not sloppy. Anyways!! I am not sure where this came from; had we been acting intoxicated and embarrassing, not another word would have been said. We would have left with our tails tucked and many apologies would have been given. We will never go back. This "policy" has never been enforced in all of the times I have patronized the restaurant, and this fully ruined our evening. We understand responsible service and how to appropriately gauge a customer's level of intoxication and never once were we acting in a manner that would warrant such actions from their employees. Very disappointed by this experience.

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    Casa De Pico
    Pico's Chimichanga
    Pico's Chimichanga
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    Mochisimos Taquitos
    La Posta De Acapulco

    La Posta De Acapulco

    4.4
    (288 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $

    Saw an instagram review and wanted to check out this place. I had the California burrito and it was…read morereally good, one of my favorites so far. The service was quick and friendly. The ambience is your typical home-in-the-wall kind of place...clean, comfortable, but minimalist. I'd rather go to a place like this where the primary focus is the food.

    I've always come to this restaurant because the food is good…read more However, on certain nights they say they only accept cash, and I had a concerning experience: I was charged $60 in cash, but when I asked for a receipt, the total showed $48. Tonight, the same employee again said it was cash only and that the machine was down when I asked why this happens on certain nights. However, he later proceeded to let me pay with a card, which made the situation feel inconsistent and unclear. I recommend being cautious and double-checking your total, especially if paying in cash. Siempre he venido a este restaurante porque la comida es buena. Sin embargo, en ciertas noches dicen que solo aceptan efectivo, y tuve una experiencia preocupante: me cobraron $60 en efectivo, pero cuando pedí el recibo, el total era $48. Hoy, el mismo empleado volvió a decir que solo aceptaban efectivo y que la máquina no funcionaba cuando le pregunté por qué en algunas noches es así. Sin embargo, después me permitió pagar con tarjeta, lo cual hizo que la situación se sintiera inconsistente y poco clara. Recomiendo tener precaución y revisar bien su cuenta, especialmente si pagan en efectivo.

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    #10
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    Sore front
    El Azteca Taco Shop

    El Azteca Taco Shop

    4.1
    (494 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $

    El Azteca is still number one in my heart. They have my absolute favorite dish at any taco place,…read morethe Rosarito plate, I've even gotten my mom hooked on it. It's delicious chicken with tomatoes, onions, and peppers served with rice and beans and your choice of tortillas, plus a drink. All at a reasonable price. It makes two meals for me every time. My son swears the quesadillas here are magical and always eats most of it in the car on the way home because he can't wait. Service is always great, it's a family owned restaurant and they're consistently friendly and fantastic. It's a small business, but there's a few tables inside and chairs if you're getting takeout. They take phone orders too. There's plenty of parking in the lot and on the street. When I first started coming here a long time ago it was cash only, but you can use plastic now too. They do close early on Sunday, don't be like me and show up after 3 because you forgot..

    The prices here are fair (compared to all these other places charging over $16 now), but the food…read morewas very bland and tired. I feel like the reviews are biased to the portions and price but not quality. I want to contribute my honest review without coming off as some food snob. I had no issues with the service (the staff seemed like people I could vibe with daily) and really wanted this place to be my loyal go-to. I've lived in the area for over 23 years and wanted to try something different after exhausting pretty much all butrriro options, so I checked out some online forums for recommendations. There are a lot of burrito spots around, so it's easy to overlook this one. Still, it kept popping up in people's suggestions, so it seems to have a loyal crowd. The California burrito and the breakfast burrito were mentioned as the best options. Maybe I'm late to the party, but after trying their California and breakfast burritos, I was surprised by how bland and dead the food tasted. The carne asada lacked flavor and freshness, and the potatoes in both burritos were very stale, mushy, and bitter (as though eyes / dark spots were present). Both burritos were missing something. People said the red salsa was supposed to be great, but it didn't add anything, and neither did the green salsa. Both just tasted flat. What really surprised me was the "famous" breakfast burrito that so many people rave about. It should be one of the easiest things to get right, but it tasted watered down. Maybe it was the onions and potatoes? I couldn't enjoy it unless I covered it in the bland red and green sauce just to make it edible. I even wondered if the eggs were processed or imitation (I'm no stranger to cafeteria food). I do understand that the majority are struggling, so this may reflect the quality and lack of taste. I've been all over San Diego and been in some financially rough areas that managed to stay afloat while still providing life and love by using locally sourced ingredients. So I feel like this place just lost motivation and wants to fill you up instead of giving you an experience.

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    Menu
    El Azteca Taco Shop
    Horchata

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    Horchata

    Casa Gabriela - mexican - Updated July 2026

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