I had my wedding here in the Grand Ballroom in January 2015. Absolutely perfect! I had about 180 guests and there was still plenty of room for a dance floor! I love the lighting in this room; it's very romantic and just gorgeous! The food was absolutely phenomenal! MANY guests came up to me and raved about how delicious the food was. I thought I wasn't going to eat very much because I was nervous and excited about the day, but the food was so good I nearly cleaned my plate! Not to mention the staff was very attentive and made the guests feel like they were at a fancy restaurant. Additionally, the manager was very helpful throughout the planning process. She definitely has experience in the wedding planning business, so she had a lot of ideas and thoughts to contribute. However, in my opinion, she never FORCED her opinion on me. She simply presented what she knew had happened in the past, and what worked and didn't work at the venue. For some things, I knew I wanted it a certain way, and she in no way stopped me from doing it the way I wanted. She was the perfect balance of supportive and helpful. Overall, this venue made my wedding day feel like I didn't have a single thing to worry about. The manager worked closely with the DJ to ensure that we followed my timeline closely. Everything moved along effortlessly (for me anyway), and I was able to focus on soaking up the day and enjoying my guests. If you are looking for an indoor venue that can fit a good amount of people, has a romantic ambiance, and delicious food and service, then this is the venue for you! read more

I have been to countless lavish events in my 72 years all across the country, so I know what I am talking about. Of all the events I have attended throughout my life, I have never been more impressed by another venue. Gateway Gardens is a true gem! I have been to numerous celebrations at Gateway Gardens including graduation parties, baby showers, birthdays, painting parties, etc. My family, friends, and countless other people have always been so impressed with the beautiful décor, delicious food, and pleasant servers. Most of all, we have been impressed by the exceedingly professional, warm, and experienced owner, Mariza. She is able to make anything you could hope for a reality. She has an unmatched ability to make everything picture-perfect. I would think of no other place to have any special event, which is the reason I am so happy that my granddaughter has chosen to have her wedding there. Mariza has the best ideas and is always available to help. She is so caring, classy, and dedicated. She wants to make everyone's day as special and beautiful as possible. Additionally, Larry is always helpful and makes sure that everyone has the best time. He insures that nobody ever has to worry about security. He is such a wonderful, kind, and caring person. I can't recommend Gateway enough! read more

Had a birthday here in January in the Monte Carlo Room. From the beginning till the end, everything was seamless. When I first had stopped by to just check out the venue and get a quote, I ended up walking out of the there with my date reserved and deposit put down. This is largely due to how well Martiza treated me. Right from the start she gave me ideas on we could improve the party and even gave me a great deal on the Monte Carlo room (originally I had planned on using the small adjoining room). She even worked with me on the small budget that I had. Day of the party was pretty spectacular. Setting up was easy - staff was on site just waiting for our direction. When we arrived to the party, we were greeted by Martiza who introduced us personally to the staff who would be catering to our every need for the night. And that's exactly what happened! Any little request I had, whether it be the changing the lighting or the temperature, they were on it. The bartenders were great and the food was just amazing. Our guest still tell us how amazing the bruschetta and meatballs were. There really is no other type of venue as the Monte Carlo room. It was so romantic but relaxed - gave off the exact vibe I wanted. read more

My husband and I shared a private anniversary dinner here at Gateway Gardens venue. It was amazing. This venue site was actually the building we first met each other ten years ago, and I planned a surprise dinner for us to share. My husband was blown away. The staff went out of their way to make the evening perfect, magical, and a once in a lifetime moment for my husband and I. Our private table looked beautiful and the twinkling lights and chandeliers set a perfect tone for our evening. Dinner was absolutely fantastic, the chef personally visited our table and introduced herself stating that she "was honored" to cook for us. Such a nice touch and appreciated. Our waiter was great, attentive, but still allowed for plenty of private time. Jasmin, Gateway Gardens superior assistant, took extra time to make sure every detail I requested was on point and beautiful. Our playlist of music streamed throughout the building, and left opportunities for dancing along with memories. We loved our experience with this venue, and will never forget our amazing evening together. Thank you Gateway Gardens, Owner and Awesome Staff for making a wonderful memory come to life for us. I would not hesitate in recommending you to anyone! read more

Planned my sister's bridal shower here. The staff was excellent and willing to help. We wanted an indoor venue that had plenty of light and made you feel as if you were outdoors to fit our garden theme and their Monte Carlo room fit the bill. You can't find anything else like this in this area. We had a couple of minor issues at the shower, but the staff was wonderful about getting everything handled to our satisfaction. Since the shower Mariza has been in contact with me about the event and any suggestions we have. The staff is just WONDERFUL! I have an event planning/design business (milkmaiddesigns.com) and this space is beautiful in itself and after creating a couple of backdrops and adding our centerpieces and extra touches the room went from what was already a 10 to a 20!! It's rare to find a venue that is so open to allowing you to bring in some large backdrops, our outside decor even your own desserts, etc.. Couldn't have been happier and look forward to working with Mariza and her team LOTS more in the future!! read more

I have been to Gateway Gardens several times over the past couple of years. Events that I attended include private Christmas parties, where the whole downstairs was rented out, food fully catered, DJ, dance floor and open bar to more formal business breakfasts in the upstairs ballroom attended by local businesses, dignitaries, and government officials to small (25 people) business meetings in the rooms downstairs as well as large reunions and other special events. The service has always been great, Mariza is helpful, professional and strives to make each event a special occasion. I've had a variety of food served to me or laid out along a banquet table and never been disappointed; from appetizers to Mexican dishes, prime rib, shrimp and pastas. This is "The Place" in Merced for weddings, parties and other classy events. I wouldn't hesitate to book a party, business meeting or large event at GG. And I'm looking forward to future events there; GG is a gem right in the heart of our growing downtown! read more

Just had my wedding here last night in the Monte Carlo room. My ceremony was held outside in there courtyard/patio area. Guest count 100-115 everything ran smoothly. The staff was very attentive to my husband myself and my guests and accommodated all of our wishes and needs. The Monte Carlo room is beautiful and has a great ambiance. All night the guests kept commenting on how beautiful the venue looked and how delicious the food was. (We served herbed chicken trip tip potatoes au grautin , green beans, green salad and fresh baked dinner rolls. ) aside from being extremely attentive the staff was very kind and pleasant. we had a great experience here if you want to plan a hassle free event where you can have your needs and wishes met without having to stress about details on the day of your event definitely go with gateway gardens. Oh and the grounds are very well kept and there are plenty of nice areas that make beautiful backdrops for photos on location. read more

On Saturday, January 24th the staff of Gateway Gardens made not only our daughter in law's dream come true for her baby shower but ours as grandparents come true as well! The Service was above and beyond our expectations! Our server Ivanna and our cook Lulu met our guest needs and the food was delightful! The service of taking care of each detail was what allowed us to truly enjoy what matter most. we were able enjoy watching our daughter enjoy her day, take photos and talk with our guest! There is nothing better than to show up and have tables, linens, food and drinks taken care of and to know at the end of your time the clean up is taken care of as well! If you are looking for that special place to make your event feel like the event of the year, do not hesitate to contact Mariza Ponce and book one of her amazing venues!! Thank you again to the entire staff for making this day one that will never be forgotten! Damon and Lesley Brewer read more

Though I've only had the opportunity to experience the catering and services of Gateway Gardens on a few occasions since having new management, I have to say that working with the General Manager, Mariza Ponce has been very pleasant . She is professional, friendly, flexible, and patient. In my interactions with her she's worked with me in staying within my provided budget and at the same time was sure that nothing lacked in quality and service. She was willing to help make our event work the way we wanted it. On top of that, the food is delicious! The staff under her supervision were helpful and polite. Any concerns were addressed promptly and efficiently. Gateway is open to suggestions from the client and genuinely care about delivering quality service on all levels. I look forward to working with Gateway Gardens and Mariza for future endeavors. Gayle Catuiza Merced County Office of Education 1/23/15 read more

I am sorry to read these bad reviews that these ladies wrote about GG. Out of hundreds of venues you have and had at Gateway Gardens and only these 2 ladies leave nasty reviews. I see that as a good sign because I've learned you can't please everyone. Some people just have a miserable heart. They need to remember you have a business to run and if you need to be firm with your employees or your customers in order to run a beautiful business then let it be. Your GG crew even kept my husbands food warm until he arrived because he arrived late. I thought your crew was wonderful. I thought your food was delicious whether it was at GG, your home or river rafting. You want the best when it comes to serving people. You even make my drinks look pretty! Much continued success to you and your GG crew! I would recommend Gateway Gardens to all my family & friends. read more

I've been a business owner in the community for 30 plus years. I've seen everything you can think of when it comes to guest service and food. Before Mariza took over Gateways Gardens that place was dying on the vine! They were doing 2-3 events per month. Now they're doing 3-5 events in a single day. She has years of experience behind her and has demonstrated top notch guest service and delicious food. I hope that any consumer interrsted in booking an event with Gateway Gardens will not allow the fake review by Kristy M to deter you. Consider the source. Anyone who knows this business and the owner already know Kristy's review is a load of crap. Ive read another review posted by Kristy M on another business. Same M.O., she body shamed the employees and spits a rant of poorly written reviews and accusations. I support this business 100%. read more

I found out about Gateway Gardens through the UC, on certain days they'd come to campus and provide a delicious meal option to us students. I'm a local, and I had already heard many great things about this establishment, so when I finally got to try their food, I had some high expectations. Needless to say, they passed every single one of them. Every employee was quick, courteous, and friendly. I always got my food in a timely matter, which was important to me since I usually ate lunch in between classes. If I ever had an issue with the food I ordered, it got taken care of right away. As a female, I can understand how some might be put off due to the chef's appearance, but he was friendly and nothing but kind every time I ordered. I was so sad to see them go. I highly recommend! read more

Gateway Gardens catered our fundraiser for 200 people. The catering manager was extremely active and helpful in the planning stages, working on a new venue for us, which was outdoors and around a pool. She was concerned with every detail of the setup and food presentation and had lots of helpful ideas. In this case we had a very full program and needed to have the 200 people go through a buffet line very quickly. The food was ready exactly on time , but our program timing delayed the start of the buffet. However, it was served hot and it only took 23 minutes for all 200 to return to the tables with their plates. And it was delicious. The staff was attentive and did a complete clean up job. We had many appreciative comments from our guests. read more

I have used Gateway Gardens for many of our family events past and present. Mariza and her staff are very professional and customer service oriented. They extend their expertise and knowledge when planning the events, making me feel reassured for the main event. Jasmine and buffet staff are polite, easy approachable, and continuously taking care of my guests through out the night. Mariza goes out of her way to accommodate you on your meal requests and I have never been disappointed. I always love to hear my quest rave about how beautiful decor of the building, professional staff, and the delicious meal they experienced. This is why I keep coming back to Gateway Gardens because I know my event will be a huge success ever time! read more

I have attended a few events here in the past and they have always run smoothly. Food was great, staff was amazing, and the owner handled any questions anyone had with ease! After the experience I had attending, I decided to work with them to hold MY events. Everything that was expected was delivered, and then some! Drinks were amazing and generous, food was just as good as I had remembered from previous events, and staff (Mariza and Jasmyn, in particular) were totally on top of things. They handled everything so I didn't have to worry and delivered everything they said they would in a timely fashion. In Merced, I wouldn't book my events anywhere else. I can't wait for our next date! read more

I recently celebrated my wedding reception at Gateway Gardens. I cannot begin to express how pleased and content I am with the service that was provided. Mariza and Jasmin helped coordinate our event which made everything so much more stressfree. They answered every single question we had in a timely manner. The venue itself was very clean, the food was delicious, and the servers were very professional and made sure my guest had everything they needed at all times. Gateway Gardens will definitely be at the top of my list when planning a local event! Thank you Mariza, Jasmin, and staff for making my event beyond perfect! read more

Gateway Gardens catereed a multi-meal, family reunion (150 people) for me. They prepared 2 dinners (sit-down), one lunch buffet, and one breakfast. My guests raved about the food and the service. The first night guests had a choice of plated Chicken Forester or Trout Almondine. These traditional dishes were prepared with magnificent sauces, crisp vegetables, seasoned rice, and a fantastic home-made dessert. The other dishes of tri-tip, salmon, pasta and omelets were savory and imaginative. The staff stayed friendly and helpful the whole time. We unanimously decided to use Gateway Gardens again next year. read more

I have been to at least four functions at the Gateway Gardens during the last five or six months including the Mothers Day function, and The Salvation Army event, On all occasions I found the food to be excellent, the service superb and the ambiance perfect. I have personal experience using Gateway Gardens for catering services and found them to be outstanding. Not only do they have one the very best chefs in Merced, Fernando Palomino, but also the support staff is wonderful. I would highly recommend Gateway Gardens for your catering and/or banquet needs. read more

The manager Maritza and her team gave me and my family a great experience from the moment I told her about my graduation party (along with proposing to my now fiancé). She gave us recommendations that worked perfectly and catered to our every need. Larry and her worked above and beyond for us that night and I appreciate what gateway gardens had to provide. I HIGHLY recommend this place for any event. I am now planning a wedding and we are having a great experience so far with Maritza, Jasmine, and the gateway team. read more