We had such a wonderful experience visiting Fonda Maria, a family-owned restaurant filled with authentic flavors, warm hospitality, and dishes made with love. It was especially nice meeting Ruth, one of the owners, and hearing about the heart and family behind the restaurant. You can truly feel that personal touch--from the welcoming atmosphere to the delicious, comforting food. If you love supporting family-owned local businesses and discovering authentic Mexican food, Fonda Maria is definitely worth checking out! Thank you, Ruth and the Fonda Maria family, for having us! read more

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Ordered chilaquiles, and enchiladas. The chilaquiles were ..dry- to say the least. Sauce seemed watered down. Enchiladas de mole were okay, the mole could be better, it was a bit too thick, and shredded chicken was flavorless and dry. The horchata wasn't authentic at all. Service is good, they are attentive, and the place seems clean. Lots is seating, during the week at least. I'm giving them a 3 star because although food wasn't great, it also wasn't horrible, and for the price I was just expecting more flavor. Sadden to say, I won't be coming back. read more

This spot in Downey is serving up some amazing Mexican food. Fonda Maria has everything you need from Breakfast lunch or dinner. I went in not knowing what to expect and I left extremely full and happy, from their full chilaquiles to their full on food plates I was so happy every bite I took. Make sure to try their menudo and pozole as well because their soups are extremely rich in flavor. Thank you so much for having me out @fondamaria! I'll be back! read more

Fonda Maria - Alambre, Fonda breakfast and Menudo chico - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

Stopped by for lunch and this place had a great variety of Mexican dishes. Our server was Milton and he was so friendly and super helpful, checking in on us on multiple occasions to make sure we had everything we needed. All of our dishes were flavorful and great portions. My enchiladas had the right level of spicy, the hígado was soft and th salmon was cooked just right. The birria bowl was also very good, we used the salsa from the chips and it gave it the perfect kick. Their michelada was refreshing and th mix of flavors was very unique. They don't offer outside seating anymore as some of the pictures show. Parking was a bit challenging since this location is shared with other businesses. read more

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This is my new favorite breakfast spot! My friend and I stoped in to try there chilaquiles and both of us loved it! I had the mole version and she had traditional and the flavors were great! I added chicken to mine but honestly it was much better without it. We also had the cafe de olla and I'm definitely coming back for more. We were served by Milton and he was phenomenal. He was kind attentive and I loved that he remembered our big order without even writing it down. He did a great job! Lastly, the ambiance was so nice and inviting. It's had a Mexican coffee shop vibe with the vibrant colors and warm tones. So you can say I will be back for more! read more

Fonda Maria - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

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Clean, waiters were helpful and attentive, food was ok. I got chicken caldo, chicken was tasty but the broth wasn't as full of flavor as I like. My wife got a birria wt burrito the meat was good but not like the red sauced birria im use to. Tasted more like roast beef/pot roast. read more

Decided to try restaurant and was happy to know they served Menudo. I'm not sure what it was, even after I added all the condiments and extra lime it still did not taste right, canned menudo would have been better! I was so disappointed. It was a bit greasy too, they asked if I wanted homey what I got was super small and barley any added. I really wanted it to taste good. read more

Fonda Maria - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

We went to Fonda Maria for breakfast. I ordered the chorizo and eggs. My son ordered the enfrijoladas. Both were delicious. The ambiance and the service are also good. Prices are great. read more

Fonda Maria - Enfrijoladas - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

Nice is place but the service is not great. Wanted to drink a beer and use the restroom but the lady said it was only for clients.i told her once I buy a beer I am a client and she said only if you dine in. How did she know once I drink my beer I wasn't going to grow an appetite? but she still refused to let me use the restroom. It is really upsetting.I did state I will drink my beer in theme restaurant. read more

The chilaquiles are the only thing I've had, I love that they're spicy. If you like them crunchy make sure to let them know because they put a lot of salsa read more

I got the Mole enchiladas de pollo for breakfast and the mole was very good. It's a little sweeter than I'm used to and still very good and savory. The cafe de olla is absolutely perfect. Service is fast and friendly. Reminded me of when I used to work at my parents restaurant in bell gardens down the street for many years. Will be coming back since it's on my way to work I forgot my mug there 1/11/26, will pick up tomorrow if they held it for me since it's my favorite work mug read more

Service took way too long than needed. I ordered carne asada fries and was given fries drenched in cheddar cheese and light sour cream drizzled on top with a side of jalapeño and very little carne asada. Was honestly not happy with the food or the service. read more

I wish I would've taken more pictures but honestly, I just felt to comfortable from the moment we walked in that I forgot. The hospitality was top notch. Our servers were both named Milton and he just kept serving us that Delicious Coffee. There was no limit. I had the molletes de chorizo and they were delicious. We were a big party with no reservation and they were able to accommodate us quickly. Everyone was satisfied. Will come back again read more

Fonda Maria - Cafe de olla - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

Tacos verse great, salad is fresh and the milkshake was just ok, but I enjoyed it on a hot day. Overall 4 stars

First and last time I order from here. Apparently when you order from uber the driver is the one in charge of making sure he gets the right order from "the table" and management has no say in what order the driver is taking they don't even check if the order they are leaving with is correct as they do not handle the order to the driver all this information was passed on by a really rude manager who instead of trying to fix the situation said my order was still there if i wanted to go get it No way in treating paying customers One stupid attitude could damage your reputation you should get rid of people that handle your business like this one persons stupid read more

Food is really good and fresh ! The service is fast and kind. The ambience is like grandma's house very homie , welcoming and light. Coffee is very strong exactly what my Salvadorean mom loves. Oscar was so sweet, very attentive, and happy to serve! Definitely recommend to bring mom, dad, aunt and youngings. read more

I eat at Fonda Maria at least 3 times a week. The beef soup (Calde de res) is my favorite! I highly recommend Fonda Maria Restaurant! Milton is my favorite server! read more

If youre looking for great service & food that feels home made definitely check this spot out me & my girl were looking to kill time decided to try it out definitely did not disappoint! Their coffees are amazing i got a iced cafe de olla & my girl got a iced horchata cafe, definitely try it out!!! read more

I love this little restaurant! I had been wanting to try it for a while, since its branding and location are outside of the typical Downey franchise vibe. The service was great and the food was delicious. Definitely has an indulgent energy with large portions and sizing. My boyfriend and I got iced coffees and they are huge!!! Overall it was a fun family outing and I will be back. read more

I've been here twice now and every time I go the food is amazing in the sense that it feels like I'm eating a very homie meal. Great service, the owner is super nice. It's a quiet ambiance. I had different dishes off the menu but the one that brought me back to when I was a kid was the "hígado encebollado picante." It honestly made me tear up when I told the owner that it reminded of how my mom makes that dish. Highly recommend. Definitely will be going back. It's a place that we have to visit every time we are in town. read more

Fonda María is AMAZING. Everything here tastes so delicious -- truly la comida sabe casera, like home-cooked food made with so much care and love. We're visiting from San Francisco and this is our second time coming, and it's honestly never a miss. We've tried the pozole, huevos rancheros, and hígado encebollado, and every single dish has been so flavorful and comforting. You can really taste the quality and tradition in the food. On top of that, the service is incredible -- everyone is so kind and welcoming, which makes the experience even better. This place just feels good to be in. We will definitely be back every time we're out here. Highly recommend if you're looking for authentic, delicious Mexican food that feels like home. read more

I usually have my breakfast in person but today I ordered for take out. I will always stick to the chilaquiles, with eggs and chorizo. Absolutely delicious!!! read more

I love this place! The food is delicious, service is great, Milton is so nice and helpful. The environment is cozy. I love their breakfast and have also tried their dinner. read more

I think I'm addicted to these mole enchiladas! They are DELICIOUS! Every time I come to Fonda Maria, the service and food is amazing. I love this hidden gem, if you haven't tried this place yet I encourage you to do so :) read more

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I'm not one to write reviews but I really wanted to share my experience. I came here with a party of 12 (last minute) on a Saturday night and it was everyone's first time here. We called ahead of arriving asking if they could accommodate a large party last minute. Which they said yes, we'll have a table ready for you. When we arrive the table was in fact ready for us with everything we needed, chips, salsa, flatware and menus. The service: Our waiter was very attentive, asked everyone's drink order as they arrive, (since we all arrived at different times) he participated in conversation, made recommendations on some of his favorite dishes, checked in on us multiple times and even made the whole table laugh several times during our meal. The food: Everything we had was delicious. No one complained about the food and kept saying they would come back. Even the two kids (ages 10 and 9) liked the food. Items orders where Birria Tacos, Asada Fries, Choriqueso, Pambazo, Alambre, Shrimp cocktail, Taquitos Dorados, Overall great vibe, food, service. Will be coming back. read more

Great local spot with authentic Mexican dishes! Lovely staff and great customer service.

Muy rica la comida y excelente servicio. Milton Joel súper atento, amable y rápido. ¡Sin duda vuelvo! read more

Everything was really good and the service I loved Cafe de Hoya it's really delicious and the menudo definitely I recommend read more

Today I went back to my favorite Mexican restaurant: Fonda María, is an absolute gem in Downey! The food is consistently delicious and full of authentic flavor. My favorite dish is the pork ribs in green salsa with cactus, perfectly cooked, tender, and incredibly flavorful and spicy . The Fonda chilaquiles are also very good and always hit the spot. They serve the best café de la olla (cinnamon coffee) and cornbread in Downey, hands down. It's the perfect way to start or end your meal. Special thank you to our waiter, Milton Joel a very polite, attentive, and professional young waiter who made our experience even better. Excellent service paired with amazing food keeps us coming back. Highly recommend! Sorry. I didn't take pictures. read more

We had such a great experience at Fonda Maria. The El Alambre was incredibly tasty, perfectly seasoned, and absolutely delicious. We also ordered the green juice and the tacos de birria, and everything was full of flavor and so satisfying. The service was excellent from start to finish, which made the whole experience even better. I truly wish we had a restaurant like this closer to where we live. If you're in town, I would definitely recommend checking this place out. read more

Fonda Maria - Dinning area - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

Food was not good sadly, caldo de pollo chicken was not tender it needed flavor, normally I don't add salt we had to. Vegetables were cooked well at least. We got another plate it had beans they were dry sad looking. The waitress was not that nice he probably wasn't feeling good, kept coughing the least he can do wear a mask. They were a bit busy with pick up orders not paying attention to the clients in restaurant. Restaurant is nice and clean have gone before with better outcome. Not this time unfortunately it was not what we expected read more

The food isn't good and the service is dreadfully slow .About 45 mins to receive a dish. It's beautifully decorated, but what is beauty without substance. read more

My cousin loves this place and really wanted to bring me here. She told me the menudo is amazing, so I ordered a large bowl. For me , it was ok. The meat was a little tough. And the broth was not very flavorful. I kinda knew when the bowl arrived and there was not a red hue. I was not too pleased. I didn't want to disappoint my cousin, so I said I liked it, but the bowl was huge (and it was) and cocouldn't finish it. I'd like to come back next time I'm in town and get a different plate. It is a beautiful restauran and the Cafe de Olla is bomb! read more

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Service was great,been coming here for years,Milton is the man! Spicy food is the best! It's my go to spot always ! Remodeled the whole restaurant to a good home feeling,good job guys! read more

Came here for the first time and it was incredible. I'm from Downtown Los Angeles but willing to make the drive to Downey just to taste their amazing, authentic Mexican plates!! I would definitely recommend trying different plates as they are carefully curated for a full experience. 10/10! read more

Fonda Maria - Inside of Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Downey, California

Fonda Maria, located in a strip mall, serves homestyle Mexican cuisine. If you're looking for a unique dining experience, give it a try! #mexicanfood #homestyle #birriatacos #chilaquiles https://yelp.to/-zegejNB90 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0jCcNbMqFxhehb5yrf83GvRCTn1jE5xoJJTXnRc3NJoVLUCJWFjRtXnvnnRDAgDLRl&id=100094862760021&mibextid=cr9u03 read more

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Thank you Ruth your restaurant is a fresh welcome to the Mexican restaurant scene. Your food is the star, but also the contemporary design and of course your attention to good service. The complementary salsa and chips are addictive. Be careful don't get full off this, it happens. I've had lots of café de olla, and this one with the right amount of piloncillo is spot on perfect. Not to mention, there's refills, WOW! I usually get the chicken enchiladas with a easy over egg. The salsa and all the add ons are blended just right. I've come her with my girlfriend, sister, and dad. They all like the dishes that they had. Thank you for restoring my hope, that there are really good Mexican restaurants around. read more

The steak picado plate were off the hook! We had the spicy costillatas de puerco and they were mouth watering

Do not come here. The menu is very confusing and does not reflect what the food looks like. This is done in purpose to up-charge. Not coming back to this place. To the owner, do you understand your own menu? I've never seen a menu this horrible. Service: both servers and cook don't even know the menu. Updating due to the owners response: 1. You have descriptions and no pictures aligning with what is being served so unless you have seen the plate before there is no way to know. Again, you did not answer if you understood your own menu. Clearly not 2. The only reason we did not leave the place was out of courtesy and because we had already wasted over 1 hr for food. And no, we did not finish your food or the boiled beans that I've never seen any place serve. And last but not least, learn to take criticism that can potentially improve your business instead of making customers walk away. As a business owner, I continuously take feedback from customers to improve a service which clearly you are not. Good luck read more

So good some of the best food, and the Cafe de Olla is like no other. Would highly recommend if you want authentic Mexican food.