Alegria Cocina Latina — Restaurant in Long Beach

The new and improved Alegria gets an astounding 5 stars from me for their stellar service, exciting ambiance, must see entertainment, delicious food, and finally for their unrivaled Sangria. I had the pleasure of visiting on a Friday night a couple of weeks ago and I have not stopped thinking about it since. This place has a truly upbeat, exciting, and welcoming vibe. It’s full of color and life, which makes Alegria a perfect spot for a romantic date or a night out on the town with friends. The first thing I was recommended to try by our wonderful waitress Lily was the red Sangria. Man! I love me some wine on special occasions, but this Sangria is something I want on every occasion. The sangria is deliciously sweet without being over the top. The sangria is a MUST. I did not get an appetizer on this night because I wanted to make sure I had enough room for the main course and I am glad I did this because I could not stop eating El Gaucho. I don’t think I have ever gone to a restaurant and eaten every last bite of my meal. El Gaucho is hauntingly delectable. The main part of the dish is a generous piece of tender beef that has been lovingly marinated and grilled in the most mouthwatering chimichury sauce you can imagine. But wait, it get’s better. Next to the beef are sauteed spinach and “roasted potatoes.” I put the roasted potatoes in quotations because they are not the roasted potatoes you typically imagine. If you are hoping for the plain ole cubed roasted chunks you are in for a pleasant surprise. These potatoes are a cheesy garlic au gratin Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa is Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece and these roasted potatoes are Alegria’s. Following this masterpiece I finished the meal off with the Capirotada. This is a creamy bread pudding baked with apples, banana, pecans and raisins, and then drenched in vanilla and whipped cream. The description speaks for itself, YUM! So, enough about the food, let me talk about the service and entertainment. Our waitress Lily was the shiz! Not only does this place have the best food they also have the best waitress. She was so nice, attentive, and gave the best recommendations for food. When you visit try to sit in her section. Last but not least the entertainment was out of this world. I have seen Flamenco dancers before but none as beautiful and talented as Karina Velasco. Two incredible guitarists accompany her, and many times throughout the night I caught myself just staring in amazement at the music and dancing. The chemistry between the three of them is something you have to experience. My first experience here was so amazing I had to go back again the next week, and my second time was equally amazing. Alegria is hands down my favorite restaurant in Long...

Alegria Cocina Latina recently elevated itself to my favorite restaurant in Downtown Long Beach. Although it is nestled amongst an array of seemingly alike Latin American restaurants, Alegria’s service, ambiance, and cuisine heighten it to a category of its own. When we first walked into this vibrant eatery, we were greeted with a smiling hostess that introduced us to our charming and attentive waitress, Lilly. Even though it was a packed Friday night, she made us feel like we were the only people in the restaurant. Now, knowing that Alegria is famous for their sangria, I, of course, promptly ordered a mojito. The mojito was refreshing and everything a mojito should be, but when I had the opportunity to try the award-winning sangria, wow! I knew what my next drink would be. The sangria is like watching the sunrise on the beach. Smooth, bright, and indulgent. The sangria is so splendid that I will unfortunately (or very fortunately depending on how you look at it) never have the need to order anything but the sangria from Alegria’s well-stocked bar again. For an appetizer, we tried the Garlic Shrimp Tapas which were recommended by our practically omniscient waitress. The tapas were tasty and flavorful. For the main course, I had the Ropa Vieja, braised marinated beef Cuban style, served over a bed of white rice and red beans, with golden brown plantain. I loved this dish, especially the plantain. I also tried the El Gaucho, which definitely lived up to the hype. The meat was tender and smothered with rich Chimichury sauce. To top it all off, we ordered the Capirotada, or bread pudding. It was the cherry on top of an already tremendous meal. Finally, I have endorsed Alegria’s service and delicious cuisine, but I have not yet addressed its most entertaining and alluring element, the Flamenco dinner show. I had never seen a Flamenco dancer live and I feel lucky to have this show be my first. The dancer had a small space to work with, but she worked it! And the chemistry between her two musicians and herself was mesmerizing. Just as our waitress had predicted our ever need, the dancer kept perfect harmony and moved as if all three artists were one instrument. Overall, our experience at Alegria was memorable and fun. Alegria is a perfect date night spot. So perfect, in fact, that we returned the following weekend and had an equally...

Wish I could give zero stars.

I rarely leave reviews, but this experience was truly awful. I called ahead at 8:40 PM and was told the kitchen closed at 9:30 PM. After driving two hours, we arrived before 10:00 PM only to be told the kitchen actually closes past 10 PM, already confusing.

I had placed my order online/text, but when we arrived, they claimed they forgot to put in the order and were out of the exact entrée and dessert we drove all that way for. I had already paid for a Groupon, so I couldn’t just leave. We were hungry and frustrated.

The security guard saw us walk in but stayed on his phone and didn’t greet or direct us. Later, he came inside and asked for our IDs, we told him we weren’t drinking, just eating. Then when we sat on the patio, still annoyed about the food situation, the host brought us a lemonade but forgot the water we requested. The same security guard then loudly asked in front of several people, “Are you drinking water?”, completely unnecessary and embarrassing, especially since I had already said I don’t drink.

To top it off, they brought our food out to-go even though we were dining in. When we told the security guard, he looked annoyed. The host then came out and said, “I thought you wanted it to go since you were driving,” without ever asking us.

It was clear they didn’t want us there. We left hungry, tired, and disappointed, only to realize they messed up our order and forgot our nachos.

Unprofessional, disorganized, and rude. Not worth the time or money. Do...