Frank G

Gilbert's Restaurant has a great atmosphere. The service is professional, the teamwork is family, and they help each other out with everyone's table. The complimentary chips are great, but the carrots are a favorite of mine. The food is tasty and my favorite among Mexican food. The price is good too. I don't drink alcohol, so I can't recommend. I highly recommend trying the food, you'll come back again.

Maggie Standley

Hurry for the best Mexican breakfast! So glad I chose Gilbert’s for the delicious everything from the warm, homemade chips with sides, soft tortillas and holy frijoles. Having tried several Mexican restaurants during my visit this was hands down my fav! Loved the outdoor seating, great service- met the founder’s daughter, whose parents from Guadalajara, started it 50 years ago. Good coffee too! Will for sure return when back in Santa Monica! Muchas gracias!

Nitlaksh Gupta

Gilbert’s El Indio is a hidden gem! The food here is absolutely amazing, especially the variety of vegetarian options. Every dish is flavorful, authentic, and super pocket-friendly—perfect for anyone on a budget without sacrificing quality. A special shoutout to Chavela, who made our visit even more memorable with her friendly demeanor and warm welcome. She made us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for delicious Mexican food and great service!

Mark Landriau

Family-owned small business- been running this restaurant since May 20th, 1974. They greet you with warmth and hospitality. The interior of the restaurant is filled with fascinating memorabilia to admire while you wait for your food. The food itself is delicious, and you will leave the restaurant full, all at an affordable price. Don't miss out!!!

Zan Lee

Stopped in for my first time this past weekend and was very impressed. That won’t be my last time that I dine here. I grew up in San Diego, but moved to LA five years ago but still struggle to find Mexi restaurants in LA that I like as much as back home, but this is certainly one for the books. The flavors are truly great and taste very authentic and as someone that has been down to Mexico for surf and vacation trips countless times it tastes like cuisine down across the border. I would say Gilbert’s and Don Antonio’s are my two favorite sitdown Mexican restaurants in Santa Monica. This location has a free parking lot in back and they have a very large menu filled with all of the Mexican classics. Our server was very polite and everything we ordered came out super quick. For my meal I chose two of my favorite dishes to order: Albondigas Soup and Carne Asada. Both were absolutely terrific, and the Carne Asada plate was very large in portion size and cooked perfectly. The steak was not as thin as some other cheaper cuts you get at other places, it was very thick and juicy. They also have some great merch and I especially like how they have a lot of indoor and outdoor seating available. Overall Gilbert’s is a seriously delicious Mexican restaurant that would hit the spot no matter the time of day that you visit. I would recommend to anyone searching for a good Mexican meal and I definitely plan to be back again in the near future.

Jeff Antons

First time here. Girlfriend and I wanted some quick Mexican food. Overall, did not disappoint! Parking: street or a small lot in back. We went around 10am on Sunday and couldn't find any parking. With a little patience, we finally got a spot in the back lot. Ambience: loved it! This place is very laid back and homey feeling. With a great sense of community. The tables have photo collages in them off family and friends and regulars. Very cool! Plenty of coverage from the sun and heaters if it gets cold. Service: everyone was very nice and genuine!! The food: I only got a bean and cheese burrito which was pretty good. Tortilla was nice and fresh and homemade, beans were a little dry. My gf got a chicken enchilada and said it was pretty solid. Not the best ever but definitely didn't disappoint. The chips were a bit hard for my taste, but I know plenty of people that like them that way. Price: pretty average for the area. Not over priced but not a steal either. Conclusion: Gilbert's El Indio was a very pleasant Sunday bunch for us and would definitely come again. Would recommend this place for anyone looking for some good Mexican food with a great atmosphere.

+1

Alexis C

received a very warm welcome from the host - she is the nicest and most helpful. all staff are super friendly. seemed like there were lots of regulars when we went, so that goes to show that the place is well-liked. our combination plates were between $16-$17; the tacos were bigger than your usual tacos/street tacos. the rice could be a bit softer. the "diablo" salsa, which what i enjoyed the most, was apparently made daily by different waiters, so you would know who made the salsa depending on the day you come when you become a regular diner.

+1

Jo Dee

You know that tent scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? Where it's plain and small on the outside, but big and energetic on the inside? That's how I think of this place. Really great Mexican food and extremely affordable. The only surprise was they didn't accept credit cards, but it actually was pretty cool that they didn't accept cc when I thought about it. They have an atm machine nearby.

Gilbert's is the type of local spot you take your entire family for a good time, great conversation, and excellent Mexican food. My fiancée and I have been there twice now and we still have so much w…

Gilbert's is the type of local spot you take your entire family for a good time, great conversation, and excellent mexican food. My fiancée and I have been there twice now and we still have so mu…

Gilbert's is the type of local spot you take your entire family for a good time, great conversation, and excellent mexican food. My fiancée and I have been there twice now and we still have so much…

Gilbert's is unbelievable. Some people have no appreciation for tasty food and family legacy's but I definitely do. They do the little things right, constant chips, salsa, and picked carrots before…

Gilbert's is unbelievable. Some people have no appreciation for tasty food and family legacy's but I definitely do. They do the little things right, constant chips, salsa, and picked carrots befo…

The food is fantastic. The vibe is incredible. For a real treat, try the chicken soup!\nEat here!

The food is fantastic. The vibe is incredible. For a real treat, try the chicken soup!\nEat here!

I ordered a bean and cheese burrito and order of guacamole to go and they both were super delicious! The staff had my order ready quick and the staff were very friendly!

My favorite mexican restaurant in LA! The refried beans are so delicious and the crispy steak taco is also a must

My favorite Mexican restaurant in LA! The refried beans are so delicious and the crispy steak taco is also a must

Best mexican food on the west side been going here for over 20 years. Can't wait to come back. Great food great atmosphere great people family oriented makes you feel like you're right at home. Lov…

Best Mexican food on the west side been going here for over 20 years. Can't wait to come back. Great food great atmosphere great people family oriented makes you feel like you're right at home. Lov…

Best Mexican food on the west side been going here for over 20 years. Can't wait to come back. Great food great atmosphere great people family oriented makes you feel like you're right at home. Lov…

If you're ever in the neighborhood in Santa Monica. I would definitely check this place out as it has been in business since 1978. You can tell it's run by family staff and the food seems to be for…

I discovered this place in the late 90s as a student at Santa Monica College. Great spot for a date. Delicious food, wonderful service in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, and the best pickled carro…

Yummy delicious food! Good portions, great drinks, chips and salsa, Very friendly atmosphere.

Yummy delicious food! Good portions, great drinks, chips and salsa, Very friendly atmosphere.

Authentic Mexican food, delicious and it was ready so fast! Great ambiance also. We had the chicken enchilada plate, tacos and carne asada.

The Mexican food flavors are so good here, it's like visiting your abuela... and the service is kind and thoughtful too. Large outdoor seating area as well as indoor booths and a bar that knows its …

The mexican food flavors are so good here, it's like visiting your abuela... and the service is kind and thoughtful too. Large outdoor seating area as well as indoor booths and a bar that knows …

The Mexican food flavors are so good here, it's like visiting your abuela... and the service is kind and thoughtful too. Large outdoor seating area as well as indoor booths and a bar that knows it…

The Mexican food flavors are so good here, it's like visiting your abuela... and the service is kind and thoughtful too. Large outdoor seating area as well as indoor booths and a bar that knows it…

The mexican food flavors are so good here, it's like visiting your abuela... and the service is kind and thoughtful too. Large outdoor seating area as well as indoor booths and a bar that knows it…

This is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever visited. Authentic and excellent tasting food. Pickled carrots are superb. Main courses including tamales and tacos was fabulous. Inside, th…

Christmas Eve grocery shopping early and stopped at Starbucks on Lincoln Blvd and asked for a nearby Mexican restaurant open for breakfast. The staff and a customer simultaneously said “Gilbert’s …

Christmas Eve grocery shopping early and stopped at Starbucks on Lincoln Blvd and asked for a nearby mexican restaurant open for breakfast. The staff and a customer simultaneously said “Gilbert’s …

Mexican restaurant with big portions in Santa Monica. Came here post-hike for a very late lunch on a Sunday and got a table immediately around 3pm. outdoor dining is available. There’s free parking…

mexican restaurant with big portions in Santa Monica. Came here post-hike for a very late lunch on a Sunday and got a table immediately around 3pm. Outdoor dining is available. There’s free parking…

Karan

I would say this place is between a 3 and 4 store. I thought their chips and salsa were okay. Ive had better chips and salsa. Their refried beans contain lard so I was unable to do my usual substitution I do. This is also a note to any vegetarians who are used to subbing refried beans for beef, you have to sub black beans which in my opinion dont taste the best in Enchiladas. I ended up ordering the veggie burrito where the portion size was huge so thats a positive but didnt taste the best because of the refried beans substitution. Also, I am unsure about this because it could have been miscommunication, but I dont think they have Queso. I asked for Queso and chips and they said they didnt have any. Here are some photos of some meals my friends and I had.

+3

Michael Kovac

This is the prototypical neighborhood Mexican restaurant that we drove by for years before finally stopping in... And when we stopped by for dinner it was delicious. From solid margaritas to excellent Chile Rellenos and Enchiladas, the food is fast, fresh and tasty. When we finally left, there was quite a line, so it seems we were the only ones who didn't know what we were missing. NB this place is Cash Only.

Great place I really like their micheladas and their nachos. It's an easy place to go to no reservations and always a short wait.

This place is always packed and I tried it years ago but truly didn't remember. Well we decided to go back and it didn't disappoint. It should a home feel! All the staff knew so many of the custome…

Super crowded on Cinco de Mayo, but the wait wasn't unbearable. The food was delicious, the drinks could be a little bit better. Service was quick, but not to many check ins, probably due to the ru…

Very friendly family run restaurant. I tried the carnitas with green sauce and carne asada with red sauce. Both were very good. Not the best I’ve ever had, but worth a visit if in the area.

Very friendly family run restaurant. I tried the carnitas with green sauce and carne asada with red sauce. Both were very good. Not the best I’ve ever had, but worth a visit if in the area.

We dined here on a Friday evening. This place gets very busy. In fact, if you arrive after 6 PM on a weekend. you might have to wait 60 minutes for a table. But this is worth the wait. The ambul…

Maria

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and decent service. The menu offers a more modern, Americanized spin on traditional Mexican dishes. While the food was okay, it lacked some of the bold, authentic flavors I was hoping for. Still, it’s a decent option if you’re looking for a milder, family-friendly take on Mexican cuisine.

Had the chimichanga and chips. It was only ok. Seems like this place would be great for drinks though. On the other hand, service here is excellent!

There hasn’t been a review here for quite awhile and I think I know why. While the portions remain large and the prices excellent, the food, while not bad, was mediocre. Service people were lovely bu…

Alex Lee

In a party of four, three of our orders were messed up (mixing up chicken with beef, bringing soaked burritos when we ordered standard ones, etc). Then we requested to split the bill for each of us individually and they didn’t and gave us a single check. I wouldn’t care about this anywhere near enough to take off more than one Star if the food was amazing, but it was only “solid.” It tasted decent, not great. The prices weren’t bad, though.

Order takeout Friday night chicken quesadilla two number ones with a beef taco and a chicken taco and two beef tacos. They did not come with rice and beans which was included the chicken …

I had lunch at Gilbert's, we were 5 peoples. We seat outside, it was nice, service was nice, food was nice, and then came the check (around $150) but they added 18% service on top of the check. I k…

I had lunch at Gilbert's, we were 5 peoples. We seat outside, it was nice, service was nice, food was nice, and then came the check (around $150) but they added 18% service on top of the check. I…

We ordered 6 carne asada tacos. Sadly instead of the carne asada, the meat from the beef stew was used. Restaurant Owners it said you been open since 1974, I hope you continue but please supervise all specially your cooks .Your Tacos were not worth the price nor the drive