our story

More Than a Restaurant

April 1986 marked the beginning of a dream for Gloria and Jose Fuentes in a small eatery in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas. From that little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Gloria’s® Latin Cuisine has grown into a nearly 40 year celebration of family, tradition and Texas community. Every pupusa we press and every recipe we perfect carries the love and spirit of generations past. Rooted in Gloria’s mother’s and grandmother’s recipes, our story is shared with every family who has found home in our flavors. Thank you for being part of it!

Meet Gloria

The Heart of Our Kitchen

Gloria Fuentes arrived in Texas from El Salvador, carrying her mother's and grandmother's recipes and dreams of a better life. When her sister decided to give up on her small restaurant, Gloria and Jose saw the perfect opportunity to turn their passion for cooking and Salvadoran cuisine into a career.

For nearly 40 years, Gloria has been the keeper of our family's recipes, training every cook herself and ensuring that each dish carries the authentic flavors of El Salvador. Today, you can still find Gloria visiting locations regularly, maintaining the hands-on involvement that has made Gloria's special since 1986.

Four Decades of Family Tradition

1978

Gloria and José Meet in Houston

After both arriving separately from El Salvador, Gloria and José met and fell in love in Houston. When Gloria moved to Dallas to help her sister at a restaurant, José followed her, and they began a life in Oak Cliff.

1978

1986

Gloria's is Born

When the restaurant had a vacancy, the original owner approached Gloria and José and asked if they would like to take over from the previous tenants. " They opened their first Gloria's in an old gas station, serving the Latin community.

1986

1987

Dallas Morning News Discovery

Food critic Waltrina Stovall wrote an article about Gloria's. After nine months of serving mainly the Latin community, José noticed a more diverse crowd coming in. The newspaper article brought new diners to their small Oak Cliff restaurant.

1987

1989

Governor Bill Clements Discovers Gloria's

Friends from Highland Park brought Texas Governor Bill Clements to Gloria's. José served him the Mariscada seafood soup. Despite the hot restaurant with only one AC unit, he loved it and returned, telling others about Gloria's.

1989

1996

The Big Leap

The Fuentes family boldly began to plan for an official second location on Lemmon Avenue. Having never finished seventh grade, José took on the architect role. He drew and measured with ruler and pencil, choosing a rustic hacienda style with old wood. His hand-drawn designs became reality—his “first huge assignment” as self-taught restaurant designer.

1996

2001

Gloria's Comes to Frisco

Gloria’s opens their first location in Collin County in Frisco Bridges. The Ambassador from El Salvador at the time, Astrid Ariz, attended the grand opening of our Frisco location and presented Gloria with an award of recognition.

2001

2010

Arrival in Austin

Gloria’s expands to Austin, Texas with a new location in The Domain.

2010

Today

Building on Four Decades

With 23 locations across Texas and nearly four decades of authentic Salvadoran and Tex-Mex cuisine, the Fuentes family continues balancing growth with maintaining their family restaurant identity.

Today

Passing Down
More Than Recipes

Gloria's daughters carry forward four decades of authentic Salvadoran traditions while building the future of our family business.

Glenda & Nancy's Story

Growing up in Gloria's restaurants, Glenda and Nancy learned the business from the ground up while absorbing the values that make Gloria's special: treating employees like family, maintaining recipe authenticity, and creating genuine connections with every community we serve. Today, they continue their parents' legacy while bringing fresh perspectives to the family business.

Glenda and Nancy in present day with Gloria

Living Heritage

Our culture isn't preserved in a museum — it's alive in every kitchen. Many team members have been with Gloria's since 1986, creating a multi-generational workforce that shares our family values. Each location serves its specific neighborhood while maintaining our authentic Salvadoran identity.

“That is what drives us every day.  It's family, it's love, it's passion.”

Nancy Fuentes

The Heart Behind Every Dish

Every dish is prepared with the same care and authenticity that Gloria brought to her first kitchen in 1986.

Gloria smiles in the kitchen as fresh-made dishes are being prepared behind her

Authenticity in
Every Detail

Every pupusa is hand-pressed to  order using techniques passed down through generations. Gloria trains each cook personally from memory, ensuring flavors remain true to our Salvadoran heritage.

Family-Owned
and Operated

Gloria still visits locations regularly, maintaining hands-on involvement in food preparation. We treat our team like family, creating the warm atmosphere guests feel the moment they walk in.

Gloria greets guests at the entrance of the restaurant

The Gracious
Host Approach

When you visit Gloria's, you're joining a story that began long before 1986. The hospitality traditions from  El Salvador help shape how we welcome guests. We want you to feel like family, not just customers.

“The way to continue Gloria’s is every day doing our best, giving our best, cooking with our heart.”

Gloria Fuentes

Taste Our
Family's Legacy

Explore Full Menu

Menu

Locations

Gift Cards

Salsa Night

Our Story

our story