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San Gabriel Mexican Café - CLOSED
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Leslie R. said: "Sandwich. Salad. Soup. Yum! Yum! Yum! I noticed Cafe Zupas before they opened, looked it up online, and was excited to try something new in the area. Since then, I have been several times, trying different menu items, and each visit…" read more »
10 reviews for San Gabriel Mexican Café
10 reviews in English
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Review from Jenifer A.
Phoenix, AZ
12/11/2009
I'm with Jason M. on this one. I gotta say that our experience with the food at San Gabriel was amazing! My husband and I are invited to sample a lot of fare around the Valley and this was definitely one of the most memorable meals in a long time.
From the fresh, deliciously crunchy chips, roasted salsa and made-to-order guacamole (ordered medium spice, with all the fixings...including fresh whole pomagranate seeds - incredible!), to the molcajetes (ordered by my husband who couldn't stop talking about it all the way through his meal), to the traditional Mexican spiced cider served to close the meal (forget the special name for it) - everything was done exceptionally well and with pride.
I had the fish tacos. I have fish tacos frequently. This fish had a wonderful crisp grill to it with just the right amount of flavor. Even the dessert flan was creative, served with candied pecans and chocolate drizzle.
Our kids (9-11) also found their meal enjoyable and asked "will we be coming back here?" We said "yes!" They said "Tomorrow?" -
Review from Sarah G.
After trying their Salsa, Guacamole and Ceviche at the Yelp Event, I couldn't get it out of my mind, it was so good, so I went to have lunch here today!
Let me tell you How Amazing our food was!!!
To start I ordered the custom Guacamole, they give you a list of ingredients and you check which ones you would like, I chose everything except onions and word to the wise, do yourself a favor and make sure you get the pomegranates (see pics)
WOW OH WOW, that was the Best Guacamole I've ever had, seriously!!!
For my entree I decided to order the Acapulco Shrimp Ceviche (see pics)
It was Delicious just like it was at the event.
I also ordered the Chicken Taquitos (see pics) OMGosh! These were absolutely the highlight of the meal, definitely not what I was expecting and I mean that in the best way possible!
Freshly stuffed with shredded chicken and bacon and then rolled and fried to a golden crisp, yet they were so delicate and flavorful.
I would go here again and again just to order these babies!
My hubby ordered their cheese enchiladas with two fried eggs on top, which they were more than willing to accommodate him with even though it was not on the menu. (Sorry No pics), but he LOVED every bite, only problem was he wished they had been served with a bit more of their tasty charro beans.
And despite getting the generous discount card from the event last night (get $15 off $40) We didn't even hit $40 dollars ordering all that! I think their prices are very fair, especially for the quality and amount of food.
My only complaint was, the place was still Bombay Spice-ish, decor and music wise. -1 star
Please go get some decorations to liven up the place and give it some character along with playing some more fitting music, I'm not talking mariachi or anything but some Island beats would have been better suited than Loungey dance music.
**The Food was a definite 5 stars for me though**Listed in: What a Girl Wants......What a…
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Review from sunny b.
3/2/2009
After sampling the guacamole, salsa and ceviche at the Yelp Event, I decided to give this place a try. I had not been to Bombay Spice so I actually enjoyed the decor (not having anything to compare it to).
The bar is pretty cool and if it wasn't for the previous reviews I would have had no idea that it used to be a Middle Eastern joint. I am pretty middle of the road with this review. It was good, but there were a few areas that could use improvement.
Pros
+ Snapper - Covered in tomatoes and peppers, very flavorful, but the sauce was a bit overwhelming... Still good though.
+ Bacon Wrapped Scallops - Dish came with 3 huge scallops, grilled veggies and rice. It was pretty delicious.
+ Build your own guacamole - Awesome that pomegranate seeds are an option (kinda lame charging extra for them though)
Cons
- chips (a bit stale)
- paper menus (when I am paying $20 for a meal I would prefer a decent menu)
- paper napkin roll ups left lint all over my pants
I had received a $15 off card from the Yelp event. With this our bill for guac, two entrees and four margaritas was about $80. The server took our card and ran the bill, then she added gratuity to our bill when she returned. That bugged me... Auto grat for 2 people?... She would have gotten a much bigger tip if she hadn't had done that.. Her loss.
Overall the meal was decent, but with so many Mexican options in the valley I can't say I'd return. -
Review from Jason M.
Phoenix, AZ
6/30/2009
I am not sure what all the fuss is about regarding the food or service at San Gabriel. We have been several times and I have to say it is always enjoyable. The food is always fresh and we can't get enough of the margaritas! Not to mention they are only $4 at happy hour!
My lady and I usually start with the customized guacamole. I tend like it more on the spicy side and she prefers a more mild approach. However, this is never a problem because it is made to order with your choice of fresh ingredients.
For dinner its always a toss up between grilled fish tacos or the traditional molcajetes. I am pretty sure they are the only restaurant in the valley that serves this central Mexican dish. First they heat up a lava bowl on a open flame for around 10 minutes. After the optimal heat is reached they add asadero cheese and a three chili salsa. You can get your choice of steak, chicken, shrimp or whatever the special may be for the day. Last visit it was lamb (and it was amazing). The final product is almost like a Mexican fondue. So gooooood! My wife usually goes for the mole enchiladas or chipolte shrimp. Chef Josh Cordova always lends a helping hand to our decision making process, gracefully guiding us through every step.
I have to say if you get a chance yelpers, stop by and give them a try. I know you won't be disappointed. The quality and execution of everything on the menu will leave you feeling completely satisfied and counting the days until your next visit. Ask fior either Josh or Joshua and tell them Jason sent you. They will make sure you are taken care of. -
Review from Kelly B.
Phoenix, AZ
3/11/2009
Good but not great. The fella and I went to San Gabriel last night for an early dinner. We sat out on the patio and noshed on delicious chips and salsa while we waited for our veggie burritos. The burritos were really good, filled with an assortment of veggies like carrots, zucchini, potatoes and cabbage. Much nicer than the standard peppers & onions found in most veggie burritos. Huge portions too.
A few disappointments...
- the menu at the restaurant was significantly different than the one online and didn't have the helpful "V" for vegetarian symbols next to the dishes
- they don't serve horchata any more
- the standard Spanish rice is not vegetarian, so we had citrus rice, which was kinda weird -
Review from aaron a.
Twin Cities, MN
3/6/2009
What were they thinking when they were pricing their menus? $17 average for a plate of ok mexican? I can understand if its a gourmet restaurant, but this is really just a run of the mill strip mall kind of mexican restaurant...the kind that isn't really mexican at all. You'll do better to hit Filibertos unfortunately.
I do have to give them props for mexican cheeses and not your usual yellow cheese boat like a lot of cruddy semi-mexican food joints like El Bravo/Carlos O'Briens, etc.
Their flan was flabby and too creamy, the chips ok, needed more salt. Salsa was weird, but ok, kind of funky different. I tried the margarita...no tequila flavor even though i thought I ordered Hornitos, it was all some icky sweet/sour mix, not well done at all. The chicken enchiladas were pretty tasty after all, good shredded chicken - nice flavor, nice green sauce, so it wasn't all bad, just wasn't that good for the price.
They do have a small outdoor patio, which is nice. But with their entrees at $17, I'm not going back. There are so many very good small mexican joints around that have good fair prices with awesome food that this place won't last. -
Review from Anne W.
St Paul, MN
3/6/2009 2 photos
Bland and Flabby. $45 for a small, mediocre and forgettable meal. I had the shrimp "ceviche", which I don't think had seen a drop of citrus but instead was made with tomato sauce that tasted suspiciously like canned tomato juice. The chicken enchiladas which were tasty enough... to eat, but not to bring me back. Besides, I could only have a couple small bites because I'm allergic to chicken (I know, I know - very wierd). I thought a glass of riesling woud pair nicely with the shrimp. One would expect that a Mexican place would stock a nicely acidic ,crisp riesling, but theirs is on the sweet and flabby side. The Texas margarita tasked like those horrid "pixie sticks" from when I was a kid - sweet and tart and like it came from a powder. If there was tequila in the drink, I could not pick up on it ... maybe my tastbuds were dulled by the bland ceviche and flabby reisling.
On the good side, the cheesy paper fish hanging from the ventilation duct is the only bit of real character in the place. It befuddles me as to why people had nearly filled the place by 7 pm. Were they ALL first timers???? FYI, Yesterday's AZ Republic had a coupon for a free appetizer at San Gabriel, so dig your paper out of the recycle bin and see what you think of the place.Listed in: Cruising North 16th Street
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Review from Rosalyn W.
Scottsdale, AZ
5/19/2010
The one star is due to the fact that San Gabriel is now closed for a "concept makeover". The sign on the door doesn't say when it will reopen. I guess concepts are open-ended.
I had been really excited to try the build-your-own guacamole that was talked about in the Yelp newsletter. Oh well. -
Review from T R.
Scottsdale, AZ
2/4/2009
My boyfriend and I stopped by for an earlier dinner tonight. We are big fans of Bombay Spice. Conveniently located within walking distance from our home at Shea/Tatum.
We heard about Bombay Spice changing to a Mexican Cafe BECAUSE the local market was not supporting the Indian concept. From what I understand from Randy, manager they have been receiving great feedback of the concept and the food. so lighten up william.
We have eaten at Los Sombreos and Frank and Lupes and we are quite happy that this is a closer journey for us.
We enjoyed a couple rounds of very tasty margaritas. Made from fresh squeezed lime juice. I am the "Princess and the Pea" when it comes to margarita mix and I thought they were delicious. We each ordered tortilla soup. Ben added the chicken. Very flavorful and I especially enjoyed the dried chilies added as a garnish. We also ordered the Customized Guacamole. You recieve a little check list for all the ingredients you have to choose from. We opted for the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime and pomegrante seeds. Fresh, tasty, delicious!
For our entree we ordered the Chile Relleno with Chorizo. I inquired about an a la carte Enchilada with Chicken because I was curious to taste their Mole Sauce. We were pleasantly surprised when it came to the table with the relleno. Some places are not really keen on guests ordering a la carte. But we were happily served. Also, we added the Salsa Entree that came along with 3 different sauces. The Habanero sauce was quite intimidating. Randy warned us that "it will rip your face off". But I was up for the challenge. I tasted little bits like I thought I was eating caviar. Better safe than sorry.
Overall, we had a great dining experience and it is now added to our favorite places to go for Mexican food! Thank you Randy and Seth for a great time.
I am going to plan a UYE to come back to San Gabriel. Stay tuned! -
Review from Luna J.
Austin, TX
2/15/2010
Not too crazy about this place... I ordered a margarita straight up, no salt... the bartender/server looked at me like I was ordering a burrito martini??? so he poured me a warm margarita mix in a rocks glass... it wasn't that bad actually but I was hoping for a nice chilled margarita in a martini glass... I think it was too much to ask...we ordered some tacos and there were okay...not great... the place looks neat and very clean that is a plus but I'm not sure if I'll go back... Sorry San Gabriel :(
