Once a month, my husband and I go out to dinner with some of our other couple friends for dinner. We usually try to go somewhere new and somewhere that is not a chain restaurant. One of the people had been to Gabriela's (which used to be Maria Elena's) a few years ago. I had lived two blocks away up until 3 years ago and never knew this restaurant existed. It is located in the middle of a residential/campus area in valpo, and if you're not looking for it you might drive right past it.
The restaurant itself appeared to be clean and well-kept, but we chose to sit outside in their patio area, as did most of the other guests there. Most of the tables outside were full, and it was a diverse crowd- I think every age group was there. The outside tables and chairs are old patio sets, but they worked just fine for us.
Our server was pleasant and attentive, and she left our menus with us when she took our drink orders. One of our party asked about beer selection, and we found that they have a very limited selection of beer (none of the local brews) and a few wines. I stuck with the ice tea, which is what I always drink.
I had read the reviews on the way there and was aware that this was an Italian Mexican American restaurant, and I wasn't sure what I would find. But the menu was broken down into separate sections for the different types of foods. They had a variety of foods for each group, and everything on the menu looked like it would be great.
We started with their pesto bread as an appetizer (which was very good), and I ordered chicken piccata. The rest of our group also ended up ordering Italian, and everyone was pleased with our food. My piccata was exactly what I had a taste for, and it was cooked perfectly! It really was fantastic. Not too dry, no excessive oil, and I had a lot of leftovers (I love leftovers!). One of the other people at my table had the spaghetti a la verde, and she actually said she was full but it tasted so good that she was going to keep eating (and she did).
Overall, everyone was happy with their food, and we hung out for an hour or so after we were done eating, and even after we paid our server came to check on us to see if we needed more drinks. We didn't feel rushed at all.
I think this is a nice, out of the way place for a date or a smaller get together. I will definitely go back as I was happy with the food, and the prices were ok as well ($40 for two entrees, a beer, two teas, and the pesto bread).
Now named Gabriele's we dined here last weekend. Â We were very impressed. Â I had the Chicken Marsala and it was one of the best I have had. Â My husband had the greek pasta special and loved it. Â We both were talking about our meals the next day! Â We surely go back. Â Oh and the bread was awesome! Â Two meals, and dessert cost around $38.00. Â A bargain for that quality of food!
Review Source:A friend recommended this place to me. Â I took my girlfriend here on a date. Â The food was so salty I couldn't finish it, and though it wasn't terribly busy, our server rarely got to our table. Â Overall it wasn't a terrible experience, but it will take a lot to get me to consider coming back.
Review Source:It's your typical small town, locally owned, fresh little place to impress a date.
I only ate there once and couldn't really recall anything over the top about this place. Â I will say that, the owner of the place was in the restaurant, thought my date and I looked cute together and paid for our dinner. Â That is the typical small-town treat.
Good prices, nothing over the top and a great place to impress a date. Â I can think of a few other places in this small town I'd rather go to before here, but this would be on the list.
A gem of a place! Being from out of town I followed the suggestions here on yelp. I had portobello stuffed ravioli with asparagus and red peppers in a garlic sauce. The sauce was a bit on the salty side, but had a good richness and wasn't at all runny like some other places. The wait staff was cheerful and happy to serve even though I came only a half hour before close. A great quiet little place, tucked away. The dessert was delicious as well. Wasn't expecting such a wonderful little place. If they'd have had a cappuccino machine I think I would have died and gone to heaven. Also the price was great, just a hair over $20 bucks.
Review Source:Found Maria Elenas from Yelp while I was on a business trip. Nestled in what is seemingly a residential community you can tell this is a place for locals. Ate outside in their lovely patio. Service was great, fresh hot bread was served. Tried the fried alligator, nicely prepared. Soup was delicious as was the penne carbonara. Though im only in town for one night, I would certainly make a stop when im back. If you're looking for a satisfying home cooked meal: head to Maria Elenas.
Review Source:Locally owned, Maria Elena's is a little gem, hidden in a residential neighborhood on campus and with easy access to Hwy 30. The restaurant serves Italian, American and Mexican food. There is no way anyone can look at the menu and not find something they'd like! It's pretty adorable and has been my choice for a birthday dinner out for many years.
Tonight, we were not celebrating anything, but when my parents said I could pick, ME was my first choice! I thought it would be super crowded at 7pm on a Saturday, but the pouring rain must've kept everyone snug at home because we were seated immediately. Waters, a loaf of bread and dipping oil were delivered promptly.
I ordered the Gourmet pasta with no meat, and between soup or salad, chose a house salad with Italian. My mom went with their stuffed flounder special, which was stuffed with crabmeat and shrimp, and came served with choice of potatoes, seasonal veggies and either soup or salad. My dad picked what he always does- the chile relleno. He says it is the best he has ever had! He ordered a beer, and my mom and I had the unsweetened raspberry tea, which I loved!
The entrees were brought out just as we were finishing the our salads and the bread on the table, so the timing was perfect. Everything tasted great and we were all pleased with our choices. My mom had enough for a second meal and ended up requesting a box.
Our waitress was the owners' pleasant daughter and she was great. She was right on top of refills and clearing plates.
The atmosphere here is definitely not fancy, but it is a moderately nice place to go out for dinner. The inside dining rooms are not huge, but in the summer, the outdoor patio is where you want to be sitting. It's great for families or larger parties, but also a nice date choice.
Maria Elena's serves fresh dishes with lots of flavor. They are always willing to accommodate any special requests!
The fresh salsa and chips at lunch is a treat while waiting for the local rush of the lunch hour.
For dinner, the atmosphere is suitable for a date or casual dinner.
You also get a lot of bang for your buck. The menu is extensive and the cost is affordable.
I'm updating my review of Maria Elenas. Â My husband and I had no plans to go out for Valentine's day this year, but when the day came, we had a sudden craving for tapas. Â Since we didn't make a reservation, we couldn't get into the tapas place because it was packed. Â We drove by Maria Elenas and decided to try it again. Â The decor has changed a little and it looks much nicer. Â The food was wonderful! Â The wine was wonderful! Â So, I've converted back to this place as one of my top picks for Valparaiso.
Review Source:We hosted a family dinner for 20 people at Maria Elena. They worked with me ahead of time to select a limited menu. We had two tables in the back in a quiet area. Don't love the oil cloth table cloths but that is a minor complaint.
Everything went smoothly. The waitresses were on top of everything and from the appetizers to dessert, the food was excellent. It came to about $32 per person with tax and tip and was worth every dime. The chicken picata with lemon cream sauce on linguine was great. And their wings were some of the best I have had. Â The gourmet pizza had tons of fresh basil and tomato - excellent!
Bar is limited to beer and wine which is fine. The ambiance is simple, a little kitchey with Italian and Mexican mixed decor.
I was very impressed at the service and food at this little restaurant and will certainly visit again soon.
Love it!
Tucked away in an actual neighborhood, rather than the mundane big-box dominated main roads of Valpo, Meria Elena has excellent personality, service, and taste!
Italian and Mexican are my two favorites, so having them together is incredible. Â The owners live and breath their restaurant and it shows.
Just a side note-- the Maria Elena's on  Melton in Portage is NOT affiliated with the original, so don't be fooled.
This restaurant is tucked away off the main drag in Valpo. It's locally owned and in a cool neighborhood. I had a chicken sandwich that didn't do much for me. The person who was with me got a steak salad that subsequently gave me an immense amount of plate envy.
A good spot for a quick lunch if you're in the area and want a safe haven from the monotony of chains that populate Valpo.
This is one of Valparaiso's hidden gems. It's a great little neighborhood restaurant with an interesting variety of Italian, Mexican, and American dishes. Â Perfect for lunch with reasonably priced sandwiches and lunch entrees. Â I've not gone here for dinner many times, but can remember a fantastic pork chop with mango chutney I tried a couple years ago. Â The patio is gorgeous, but stay inside during yellow jacket season.
Review Source:This is one of those key restaurants I always try to go to when I go home to visit. Â The food is great and like most restaurants in Valpo is locally owned. Â There is absolutely no point in wasting your time over at a place like Applebees when you can go here for the same amount of money (or even less).
They serve Mexican food and Italian food which is an interesting mix but it seems to work for them. Â That means that sometimes you get bread on your table and sometimes you get chips/salsa but that's part of the excitement of life, right?
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