Gloria's Cocina Mexicana — Restaurant in Downey

I've been looking for a nice Mexican Style Restaurant with great food, I never expected the mariachi to be there too, wow. We came on a Friday afternoon, we sat at our booth at 6pm (after a 10 minute wait) and immediately the mariachi started playing. Wow, top notch, they played until 7pm, took an hour break, then played again from 8pm - 9pm. When they came back they asked if we wanted to request a song (on the house) and they were incredible, I've never heard 'Como quien pierde una estrella' sung with such power and beauty.

The setting is great, I like the look and feel of this restaurant. The lighting is perfect, not bright but very calm and relaxing. We stayed until 9:30pm (3 and 1/2 hours after we arrived) because we were enjoying our time so much.

The service is incredible, there was always a server standing attentively nearby and before I really had time to raise my hand and ask for service they were already heading over to our table. This I have not seen anywhere before, keep it up guys, wow, impressive.

My wife and I ordered 2 cheese enchiladas with rice and refried beans. We got our order in about 5 minutes, it was very fast. We also ordered a huge margarita (in the pic). Beware, this is a drink you'll want to share with someone else, and its $26 so you better drink it all.

This place is a little more expensive than we're used to, but that's not a deterrent since it included a show. My wife and I ordered 2 cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, a side of guacamole, flan and a huge $26 margarita. We spent $90, not including tip.

They have a photographer that took a picture of my family and gave us a free print (business card size). They also sell a 3" x 5" for $15.00. Of course we bought it =) it was a great picture.

Later a woman came by selling roses, 1 for $5.00, and of course I bought one for my lovely wife. If someone came by selling chicles I would've bought them too. This was a great experience.

Okay, here's my only complaint and its a borderline deal-breaker. Every Mexican restaurant I go to, I only ever order the cheese enchiladas. I like cheese that melts. I don't like queso fresco, because it doesn't melt and its like crumbled cheese. To me it doesn't taste very good. Well, the cheese they use here is queso fresco. It was a huge disappointment because this place has it ALL, except the perfect enchiladas de queso. I'm so sad. However, we still will come back again, but we'll try a different plate. But, if Gloria is reading this, please please please let me know when you stop using queso fresco and when you start using a melted cheese.

The guacamole side was good. I prefer restaurants that make the guacamole fresh at your table. Unfortunately they do not do that here, its pre-made, however at least its not puréed like other places.

Pros: Wait time for a table is short Comfortable setting (dim lighting, great booths, clean restrooms) Mariachi on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, starting at 6pm Great Mexican decor Meal is served within minutes Drinks are loaded, not watered down Attentive servers

Cons: Limited parking space, we parked a block away on a residential street Unsatisfactory...

Tbh this place is very overrated, i ordered combo #5 to try the different varieties of food, and all 3 items were very bland, my sope tasted like if it was made of rubber maza, the balance of my food was tasteless, my wife ordered camarones a la diabla and they were "ok" as far as the sauce tasted, but the shrimp was a bit stale she said i wouldn't order it again, my daughter had Enchiladas Suizas and she said Dad this food is not that good.

The house salsa & chips, " complimentary" was ok, the chips were tasteless and some were stale.

The service was horrible, i kept having to flag our waiter down for anything we needed, they all just kinda stand around and talk to each other and never once asked if we need anything.

I had to ask for forks, he forgot them upon bringing our food, they brought us the wrong tortillas.

The bathrooms are very gross and dirty, you can tell they don't have a designated person cleaning them, with so many viruses and in the peak of flue season, SMH...

We Definitely DONT recommend this place, extremely overrated, service is horrible, the place is and looks dirty, very disappointed and disgusted. Rating it a one star or else I can't post my review, or else I'd...

Ok....i was waiting because no one was at the front stand...instead the girl was chatting with the server and I have 2 wait until she desire to finish her conversation then she came 2 me like nothing and tell me how many people......then we get a table...The place is elegant but very filthy and in the top of the table is a lamp hanging but it was full of dust....then if you want to close the blinds you can not because they are full of dust....then I guess the manager was passing bye I guess trying to look cute because he did not greeted no one... I was going 2 tell him but I prefer write the review instead of bothering him.....He looks like he really don't care....then it was a chubby lady that she is not professional at all telling the employee about his check and explaining to him that the days he is going to get pay .....and the conversation go on....i guess the best way to explain his employee is asking him to see her at her office and discuss that privately...I did not like this kind of...