Los Fridays Cocina — Restaurant in Victoria

This afternoon, my wife and I visited Los Fridays Cocina, a charming Mexican restaurant for a lunch date. The restaurant is small and cozy, creating an inviting atmosphere with its well-thought-out seating arrangements and welcoming vibe.

From the moment we walked in, we felt warmly welcomed by the friendly staff. The restaurant's intimate size adds to its charm, making it a perfect spot for a relaxed meal. The decor is tastefully done, with vibrant colors and traditional Mexican touches that enhance the dining experience.

We decided to try the Veggie Quesadilla and Cheesy Loaded Fries. The Veggie Quesadilla was absolutely delightful, packed with fresh, flavorful ingredients and perfectly grilled. Every bite was a burst of deliciousness, and it was clear that a lot of care went into its preparation.

On the other hand, the Cheesy Loaded Fries were somewhat of a letdown in comparison. While they were decent, they didn’t quite match the high standard set by the quesadilla. The fries were a bit on the average side, and we felt they could have used more seasoning and a better balance of toppings to enhance their flavor.

The total cost for our meal came to $44, which we found to be on the higher side, especially given the portion sizes. While the quesadilla justified its price with its exceptional taste, the loaded fries did not feel like they offered the same value for money. However, despite the expense, we felt it was worth trying Los Fridays Cocina for the overall pleasant dining experience.

Los Fridays Cocina is a lovely spot for anyone craving authentic Mexican cuisine in a cozy and friendly setting. While some items on the menu might be hit or miss, the standout dishes make it worth a visit. We would definitely recommend the Veggie Quesadilla and are curious to try other items on their menu in the future. Just be prepared for the relatively high prices, but rest assured that the ambiance and service make up for it.

Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Veggie Quesadilla: 5/5 Cheesy Loaded Fries: 3/5 Price: 3/5

Overall, we had a lovely time at Los Fridays Cocina and would recommend it for a special treat or when you're in the mood for some exceptional...

Appearances seemed promising, atmosphere was pleasant initially but unfortunately the impression was short lived. Hoped to order jalapeño poppers, was told they had none left, not the end of the world can’t be made at fault but it was a shame as we had seen the menu online and were keen to try. Then went to order the mojito, sadly they informed us they didn’t have any soda water or carbonated beverage that could replace at all. The bartender offered to make a mojito inspired drink, and it was nice enough but still wasn’t exactly worth the original menu price. We ended up ordering a pulled pork burrito, cali chicken tacos & onion rings. There was only one other customer who has come in for a takeaway order ahead of us, it took quite a long time for the burrito to come out. A good 40 minutes later from ordering my friends tacos came out. Not ideal as I didn’t want to start eating waiting for my friend to get her food, which ended up being a large gap between service. The burrito was really disappointing, it was cut in half, one half had literally one small chunk of meat near the top, and absolutely none throughout the entire rest of the half. The other half had a bit of meat but not much, it also tasted like hoisin pork with sauce which was perhaps personal preference in taste but really tasted weird, not authentic tasting at all. The onion rings, came out later can’t fault them, they were perfectly nice. When my friends tacos came out probably around 15 minutes after mine, we both were a bit shocked by the look of them, looked like a coles mix bag lettuce was thrown on, and she said the taco shell was stone cold, not soft, just really not great. Roughly $90 worth of food, really not up to par in any way. It’s a shame, staff seemed nice but we’ve both walked away really quite unimpressed with not only the food but the time of service and what we paid for. Hopefully just an off day. But considering it was dead quiet,...

3 stars – Great vibe, but the food and service need to match the price point

Los Friday’s Cocina has a fun, energetic spirit and definitely brings something different to Daylesford, which we really wanted to get behind. But unfortunately, the overall experience didn’t match the elevated pricing.

We ordered burritos and tacos, which sat around $25 each – a price point that suggests a higher-end casual dining experience. However, the food was served in takeaway-style packaging, even for dine-in (sauces in plastic containers etc.), which felt a little mismatched. Even major chains like Nando’s or Zambreros at a lower price point offer a more polished dine-in experience.

The flavours themselves were okay, but pretty mild – the standout was the chipotle-style sauce, which I’d recommend asking for. Unfortunately, our sides arrived well after we’d finished eating and only after prompting staff – which made them feel redundant.

One big issue was misleading signage. The sandwich board suggested vegan burgers, which is what drew us in, but once seated, we were told they don’t actually serve veggie burgers and the “vegan” offering refers to some of the Mexican menu options if you remove certain elements. That could definitely be clearer, as we weren’t the only ones confused.

There’s definitely potential here – a cool venue with a strong concept – but the business needs to choose a clearer direction. Either lean fully into street food and adjust pricing accordingly (e.g. $15 for a burrito), or elevate the dine-in service and presentation to justify the $25+ price point. As it stands, it’s priced like Pancho (Ballarat), but without the same level of food or service polish.

Really hoping to come back in a few months and see it firing on...