Perla Mexican Cuisine - Santa Ana

The food was excellent and reasonably priced, as were the drinks. The live music was just the right volume—loud enough to enjoy but not so noisy that it became uncomfortable, unlike some other places.

We really enjoy visiting Perla. Brody, the bartender, crafts fantastic cocktails and provides outstanding service. We prefer sitting at the bar when we go. The only downside I would mention is the noise level; even with the music and television on, it can be difficult to have a conversation. Nevertheless, everyone there is incredibly welcoming, and we always have a great time.

The food and drinks were exquisite, and the staff delivered outstanding service.

I made a reservation online but had trouble finding parking. I got there seven minutes past my reservation time which coincidentally was also their time for opening. However, when i got there, the place seemed to be closed. No open doors or sign to let us know to come in. As I was about to walk away to a different place, an employee came out singing and dancing, apparently unaware of the fact they were opening up a tad late. Sure enough, the music inside was loud af. Kind of hard to carry a conversation with so much noise around you. While i understand and celebrate that the employees feel comfortable enough to get along very well with themselves, the noise of their chit chatting and music is overwhelming. Feels like a mismatch between the restaurant's projected image and achieved ambience. The food could've been great, but the meat for the torta ahogada was very salty. But really, what made me write this review was cleanliness. Expect none. The floor on the outside area looked decidedly unswept. Makes me wonder if they even wipe down those tables. Then i looked at the floor around me and, sure enough, i found many stains that would normally happen on any given day. But i had just gotten there, at the time they opened. If by the time a restaurant opens to the public their floors and tables aren't clean, I can only assume their cleaning patterns to be poor. All in all, this is an ok place that can do so much better. The attention and service is good, food could be less salty and ambiance could be redesigned. But the formality of opening up on time and having pristine clean spaces is vital. Personally, I'd choose a different place next time.

Decided to grab some dinner late Saturday nightWe arrived around 8:30 pm, no reservation, however they had 1 open table and sat us within minutes.Drink orders were promptly taken.2 ice teas and 2 Cadillac Margaritas, both drinks were delicious!!!The ambiance’s was great, we sat outside where we could hear some Spanish music being played in the background, weather was perfect as weSat outside.Dinner came promptly as well for how busy they were.All 4 plates we ordered was delicious, serving size was perfect, not too much not too little.We could have used some chips and salsa but guess they don’t serve for free.Overall we had a fantastic time and really e your dinner at Perla.The area in DTSA has improved a lot over the last few years, many new places to eat as well as drink and deserts.I’ll definitely return to Perla for more delicious Mexican food.Parking: $10 flat rate on a Saturday night