I was a bit concerned that we arrived on a Saturday night only to find two other couples (who were finished and left shortly after, leaving Husby and I in the place solo) but I was pleasantly surprised. Â Chips/salsa were great, and so was the cheese enchillada I ordered. Â Spanish rice/beans equally as good. Â Husby ordered the chicken chimichanga and also approved. Â We live in Maryland so I was dying for some west coast Mexican food, and was very happy. Â Our waiter was cool and a couple mispellings on the menu were cute. Â I saw a few locals come in and order food to go and I always find that to be a sign, too. Â Next time we're in Monterey, we'd return.
Review Source:While on a two night getaway to Monterey, the hubby and I checked out Yelp and decided to give Jose's a try. Â Food was great (crab enchiladas and chicken enchiladas). Â Service was a little slow considering it was a Monday night, but the food made up for it. Â Next time we will try the margaritas. They were highly recommended by our server.
Review Source:This is a cute little Mexican spot. Our server was extremely nice she went above and beyond. Couldn't decide between the crab enchilada and the fish taco so she created a "special" combo so that I could have both. The chips and salsa were very good and authentic. The dinner was just ok, hence the four stars.
Review Source:This place might merit 1.5 stars but I'll round up because one lone star is pretty mean.
My friend and I came here for margaritas and some food -- we weren't seeking the full, gut-busting Mexicoma, but rather some grub with our drinks and something to tide us over until dinner.
We ordered margaritas. She got some regular thing and I asked for lime juice -- none of that syrupy mixer -- I don't care if it's a little sour. That part would have been OK -- if they had bothered to put a decent amount of tequila in the drinks. I know Jose's is tourist central but come on. Those were the weakest drinks I've tasted in a long, long time. No bueno.
The chips were fine -- fresh, a little greasy. The "salsa" was more like just hot sauce. Spicy but lacking any real flavor dimension in either the tomatillo or red.
We ordered the cheese quesadilla ($8 -- doesn't come with any guacamole at all but does come with sour cream -- so if you want to overload on dairy, this is your appetizer), a side of beans, and the guacamole appetizer ($8).
The food took a while to arrive, which was fine -- we weren't in a hurry -- but we were mostly finished with our chips by the time it came so we asked for more chips, and our server said he would bring some. He did much later after we flagged him down and asked again. It's hard to eat guacamole (that we would wind up having to use utensils with anyhow because the avocado was in huge, not-quite-ripe chunks) without chips.
We needed drink refills with our food but didn't want tequila flavored seltzer again so we opted for beer (which turned out to be like $5.50 each -- which might be OK for microbrews but I had Pacifico on draught -- not impressed). Thankfully, the beer was cold.
That's basically what I can say in the "good" department: the beer was cold. The beans were good.
I don't see any reason to go back to this place.
This place was pretty impressive. Seated immediately, great service throughout. The complimentary chips were fresh and delicious, and they provide you with three salsas. The green salsa was actually *spicy* which was a wonderful surprise.. it seems the only thing spicy in Monterey is Thai food. The wife and I both had enchiladas which were pretty standard fare but still way better than anything they typically slop together at the Monterey mexican joints. My $6.95 margarita was pretty good and when I asked for a water afterwards they threw a lemon on the edge without me having to ask. Sometimes it's the little things. Bonus: the restaurant is adjacent to the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, so take a walk afterwards and burn off some of those chips. Lastly, be prepared to circle the block for parking on the weekends. It's Cannery Row, so what can ya do?
Review Source:We came after lunch to an almost empty restaurant. It still took 20 minutes to get our food, and my wife's dish (an appetizer ordered as an entree) still wasn't ready when they brought the plates. The food was above average, but nothing spectacular. Honestly, I think our server wrote us off the second he realized we weren't ordering drinks. Not to mention, the only thing that interested our daughter on the kid's menu wasn't available that day.
The only decent item was the chips and salsa, but overall this was definitely an average Mexican restaurant, with above average prices due to its location.
Well, I liked the food and the chips/salsa were good for a place like this. But--the waiter didn't what dishes were vegetarian (not fried in animal fat) and what dishes were not. That is ridiculous for a place on Wave Street in Monterey. My dining companion (a vegetarian) will NOT go back here.
Review Source:I really lovethis place. I come by whenever I'm in town and want a real, down to earth place, with excellent food and a great atmosphere. Just off the main strip (cannery row) and away fom the tourist boom. It's the real thing. Great drinks and nice employees. A definite good time for family lunch or dinner.
Review Source:Horrible service. We were one of two couples in the restaurant and we didn't get our drinks served/offered until we finally asked for them. Then, a third party of 4 (twice as many people as us) got their food serves nearly 10 minutes BEFORE we did. The nachos were good, but I think they melted the cheese in the microwave.
Review Source:I love Jose's. Â I love the owners Ozzy and Greg, and all of their wonderful staff. Â The food is always so good and they always make a point to make all of their customers feel special. Â On the weekends they have great, original live music and a full bar downstairs. It's a little hidden gem of Monterey.
Review Source:Maybe it was the margaritas, but I thought the food at JOSE'S MEXICAN BAR & GRILL was excellent! Jose's is located just one block above the main strip on Cannery Row. We walked one block from our hotel, on the recommendation of the nice young bellmen at the Monterey Plaza.
I ordered a Beef Enchilada and a Beef Taco - and the meat was amazing! Seriously the best beef enchilada I've ever had - and I'm Mr Enchilada! My co-workers also loved their food and the portions were immense. I'd go back next time I visit Monterey, for sure.
4.5 stars!
We went there on a late Sunday afternoon. Â There were only three or four other customers and the service was cheerful, fast and efficient. Â The prices are about average to slightly high (around $ 11 per person before drinks) and they were prompt to refill the drinks (unlike most other places on the Peninsula.). Â Everything appears neat and clean.
The complimentary chips were partially soggy and had no taste, but the salsa dips were good. Â The food (enchiladas combination plates) was bland and without anything to remark about. Â The quantity of food was acceptable - - not too little.
Overall I would have given this restaurant 5 stars, except that the food was just too bland and tasteless. Â I would eat there again if I needed to eat out and were in the area, but it wouldn't be a place I would think of leaving home to specifically eat at. Keep some Tums handy for later in the eveing.
Good little Mexican place in Monterey. Nice atmosphere, great service and good food and prices. Come here if you want to get away from the hordes of thumbsucking kids that surround the aquarium. I'm sure some people bring their kids here but when you try to go anywhere within 3 blocks of the aquarium and are overrun by pushy commando moms with kids in their arms and strollers blazing - while they're all screaming - think of this place it's right around the corner from the madness.
Review Source:We were looking for a non-dramatic lunch (anything casual, really) and Mexican was a good change of pace from the seafood around Monterey. The food was really great and pretty inexpensive for the area. The service was great, too.
Great for a quick bite if you're looking for a low key lunch.
My husband and I love Jose's. We've been there several times since living in Monterey. The atmosphere is nice and friendly. Food is great - tried my first fish tacos here and now I get them every time. The only thing that we don't like is that the service is kind of slow, but other than that, we love it.
Review Source:So many things went wrong here. I'm vegan and asked for a vegan burrito...around the last quarter section I noticed two pieces of pork or chicken!!! I told the second waitress and she just shrugged her shoulders. Top that off with the fact that the chips and salsa there are horrible. They don't care about quality at all. Our first waiter gave us our food and did not return for at least 45 min. We asked him along with two other waitresses for water and finally got it at the end, and boy did I need water to wash that nastiness down. Might I add that when I told the original waiter about the mystery meat he said he would give a discount. The discount ended up being $1.30. Couldn't believe my eyes!!! Lemme add that I am vegan for health reasons... Not good for me to eat. Â Also, do not order the margaritas. Enough said. Horrible.
Review Source:I won a few free <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> gift certificates and redeemed them for Jose's, and I'm very happy I did. I went with my husband and 17 month old son for the first time today, and I was very, very pleased.
We were seated quickly, and they brought a high chair right over to us. The chips were still hot, and the salsas were delicious. The gentleman at the bar even prepared a cup of salsa that was mostly juice for my son, and oh BOY, did my kid think THAT was just the best thing ever. They were incredibly accommodating in regards to our son, which was wonderful, as this was the first time he had ever been to a restaurant before.
On to the food. I ordered a choose your own plate of 2 tacos and a tostada, all al pastor. My husband had 2 enchiladas and a burrito, all chicken, and my son had a chicken quesadilla children's plate. All of the plates were served with a hearty portion of rice and beans, and even though we brought toddler utensils for our son, they still provided us with a small spoon so he could feed himself.
The food took a little bit to get to our table, but it was entirely worth it. The chips and salsa were more than enough to tide us over til then. The chicken on both plates and the al pastor were hot, juicy, and flavorful, and the toppings were nice and fresh.
For dessert, I got fried ice cream and my husband got flan. The flan is served with whipped cream and just a smidge of rich chocolate sauce (that had a nice hint of espresso to it), and was rich and delicious and tasted just like flan should. The fried ice cream was wonderful: crisp and still warm on the outside, perfect vanilla bean ice cream on the inside. It was served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, as well as a deep-fried tortilla that was drizzled with chocolate.
Service was also wonderful. The place was decently full, but the two waitresses working were attentive and helpful, and we never had to go more than a brief few seconds with an empty or near-empty glass before they were snatched up and refilled. They were also both incredibly friendly and nice, as was the gentleman behind the bar.
I was sort of expecting a bit of trouble with the fact that I was using a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> gift certificate, as I had never used one before, but it wasn't even a moment of problem. Our waitress handled everything without a second thought.
The prices can be a bit high, but you are getting your money's worth. All three of us had to bring food home, so we're getting at least 2 meals worth of food for the price... and probably more like 3 on the part of my son, and his plate only cost $5.50.
I'd definitely suggest heading to Jose's when you're in the mood for a drink and some pretty decent Mexican. It's one of the best Mexican places I've been to in the area so far. A solid 4/5 stars from me!
Jose's is my favorite mexican food in the Cannery Row area. Â The food is great, service is quick, and the prices are decent.
My usual order is a super veggie or chicken burrito to go. Â These include rice, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, salsa, and cheese in a giant tortilla and all for about $5. Â Burritos are definitely my favorite thing on the menu, but the taquitos, tacos, enchiladas, and chimachangas are also very good. Â If you order a plate, the price can get up to the $10 range, so beware!
Service is great. Â I have never experience bad service from here. Â The food always comes out within a reasonable amount of time and the servers are attentive to your refill needs.
The restaurant becomes more active at night with the club downstairs, so be prepared for some noise if you come during this time.
Overall:
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Price: 3
I gave it 3 stars because I only had a veggie burrito. In my professional opinion you cannot really screw those up. The burrito def got better with each bite. Â The beans were delicious and fresh, the guacamole was great and I even ate the rice (I usually leave out the rice!!)
Salsa was good, they served both green and red. Chips were weird but good.
Service was friendly and efficient. Margarita was strong but mediocre I think.
All in all I would eat here again considering El Torito and Papa Cheva is the only other options!!
Jose's Mexican Bar & Grill gets 3 stars from me for one reason: prices.
Looking at the menu, there are $15 fajitas, and $13 burritos. I eat a LOT of mexican food, at many different restaurants from east to west coast. Never have I seen such expensive mexican food. Of course, when the prices are that expensive, you expect the food to be mind-altering. It wasn't bad, I just expected it to be better than the nearby taquerias that are half the price. And it wasn't.
The restaurant actually had white linen on the tables, so I wasn't sure if it was attempting to be an upscale restaurant? Maybe that explains the prices. But honestly, the location isn't upscale. Management should take away the linen and lower their prices.
We went to this place because I read great reviews on yelp about it. During dinner, my boyfriend looked at me and said in all seriousness, "you know some places rate themselves, right?"
Not sure if it was just our experience, but the food didn't match the ratings.
We took our family here after a recommendation from a waitress at another restaurant and reading the other Yelp reviews. We went here for lunch...then came back that night for dinner because it was so good!
Pros- the chips and salsa were fresh & homemade. 3 mexican beers on tap. Carne asada tacos and nachos were awesome (thin sliced steak, not fatty at all). Chicken enchiladas were great too, the sauce was a nice red color with great spices (didn't have that weird brown/gray sauce that you see in a lot of "Mexican" restaurants), and they were piping hot out of the oven (I love my enchiladas to be hot, not warm). No problems with the beans and rice, they tasted fresh. Servers were attentive and helpful. Clean and cute little local place. Really good prices for the area.
Cons- none! We'll be back for sure!
Quaint little Mexican joint one street up from Cannery Row. Â A coworker suggested it and I rarely turn down Mexican food. Â It was a Thursday night and there were only 2 other tables being occupied.
We were greeted right away and ordered drinks - it turns out our server was also the bartender. Â We were served chips with a red and green salsa. Â The red salsa wasn't anything special. Â My coworker said the green salsa was really good but I never tried it.
I had the Carne Asada served with rice and beans. Â It took about 15 minutes for our 3 meals to come out. Â My dish looked good but the beans looked kinda fried on top like they had been sitting under heat for a bit too long. Â Everything tasted great. The Carne had good flavor along with the grilled onions topping it. Â The beans were still good but the rice was pretty dry - I left most of it on the plate. Â I was supposed to get flour tortillas but I think our server gave them to my coworker by mistake. Â It wasn't a make a break for me, so NBD.
I washed my meal down with a "skinny" margarita on the rocks which had me feeling pretty good by the time we were done.
When all was said and done, I left happy.
Best Mexican Restaurant Ever!!!
My husband and I asked our hotel concierge for a good recommendation for a local mexican restaurant (we try our best to avoid chain restaurants). Â We couldn't have been happier with their recommendation.
First off the chips and salsa AMAZING!! Â Second best I have ever had (sorry no one beats my grandpa's homemade family salsa). Â The house margarita wasn't no small pour/watered down one...so definitely a good deal.
Then our entrees were so yummy. Â I had the crab enchiladias and my husband had they seasonal fish tacos. Â Both so good we couldn't even pick a favorite of the two.
Also the ladies working were friendly and attentive and even post the baseball game on for us.
We will definitely make it to Jose's again on our next vacation to Monterey.
After getting turned down by two restaurants on a very busy Saturday night (thanks to the Laguna Seca Grand Prix) we ended up at Jose's. At first I was really hesitant because of the low-ish ratings, but we made the plunge because 1. we didn't want to go back to our boring hotel and 2. we wanted to hang around and look at all the bikes and people watch while we were out here. Â There was a very nice girl standing at the door greeting everyone, and we made it just in time because we were seated right away. Seems like we almost always manage to get in right before the crowds swell up.
The decor is not much to write home about. Â I found myself giving this place an Extreme Makeover in my head as I browsed around the place. The best piece of "art" is a large parrot holding a Corona bottle up to its beak. Nice touch.
We ordered a couple of beers and we were given nice warm and fresh tortilla chips and some "house made" red salsa. I put it in quotes because I am not so sure how fresh it was, since it tasted like the tomatoes came out of a can, and the salsa was room temperature. Â Later I asked for the green salsa, and the lady was kind of "eh" about bringing it out, and once I tasted it I could agree with her hesitation...it was really peppery (like black pepper) and the tomatillos weren't really roasted. IDK how to explain it but it was not prepared properly.
I digress...because the food was actually REALLY good and that is where the four stars come in. That, and the service. Â I got a 2-item combo & bf got a 3-item combo, both of which come with rice and beans topped with cheese. I ordered 2 tacos - one soft steak & one crispy chicken. BF ordered a chile relleno, chicken enchilada, and a crispy chicken taco. Â Our food didn't take too long to come out - maybe the length of time it takes to quickly enjoy a beer and a half. Â
The plates are HOT (of course, the plates are always hot) and HUGE. BF devoured his chicken taco with the quickness. I thoroughly enjoyed my steak soft taco. It's made in the "traditional" style with onions, cilantro, and salsa. It was really yummy. The steak wasn't like I'd normally receive at any LA taco stand...it wasn't like the flap/skirt steak carne asada that is burnt to a crisp or greasy and dripping and then chopped up for quick consumption. Â It was tenderly sliced steak with a lot of flavor, and there was a LOT of it. I pretty much got full from this taco and from the rice & beans, which were also really delish. Â The beans were a *little* salty, but the rice was perfectly balanced to eat together and not get overwhelmed.
I don't really remember how much the bill came out to, but I can guarantee it was a LOT cheaper than either of the two restaurants we were originally headed for. Â They have a downstairs lounge/bar that we never made our way to since we were so tired from our road trip from Cambria. But If we were to ever make our way back up to Monterey and swing through Cannery Row, we would definitely stop back here at Jose's!
Buen provecho!
I stumbled in here in search of nachos and a margarita. Â The bartender was quick to remedy my tequila fix and after ONE margarita, I was questioning my ability to drive. Â Muchas gracias.
The bartender was pretty nice. Â Very accommodating. Â The older guy sitting at the bar next to me, who I could tell was probably a regular, gave me a creepy vibe and I couldn't get out of there faster. Â (Help!!) Â And the nachos... um... decent? Â I could have made better. Â All in all, the bartender working the night I went was a plus plus plus and accounts for all three stars.
Ordered the lunch special two item with Carne Asada Burrito and Chicken Tamale which comes with a side of beans and rice. (its extra for Asada/carnitas)
Carne Asada Burrito: really really disappointing about sums up my experience. The meat was dry, bland looking, and flavorless. Truly a sad imitation of a carne asada burrito.
Chicken Tamale: wasn't bad but lacked the quality of a freshly made one, like those from Cabo Hermoso.
Service was decent considering there was a party of 18. Â Â
Overall Thoughts
Sadly, food just didn't deliver
I'm pretty sure my margarita-swilling partner in crime Bridgette and I took down about a gallon of that concoction and came up maaaybe slightly buzzed. Â Is it because we're Amazon women? Â Or maybe it's because they were sooo good and probably didn't have much tequila?
Who knows. Â But for our last hurrah on the mini vacay with the bestie, my dear old friend A-Wahle and his awesome fiancee Bridge excitedly recommended Jose's. Â A hop skip and a jump from Cannery Row, at 7pm on a holiday Sunday evening and the place was occupied, but not packed. Â Great news for us.
Both of their complementary salsas, red and green, are to DIE for btw. Â So legit.
I opted for an appetizer -- the shrimp nachos -- while the bestie stuck to flan. Â Bridge and A-Wahle ordered full entrees of their pleasing. Â Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy what they ordered and I was no exception. Â A decent about of shrimp for just over $8, and it was flavorful and cooked to perfection. Â Authentic in-house-fried chips, REAL CHEESE (omgz!), and just enough sour cream, guacamole, and refried beans to concoct mouthful after mouthful of goodness.
But seriously, my girl Bridge and I just couldn't get enough of those plastic-cupped margs. Â They were so cheap; maybe we'll get double shots next time? Â Cute typical Mexican restaurant decor and a hardworking server just pushed this joint to the fourth star.
Thank you to the Wahles for bringing us to Monterey, and to Jose's!
3.75 stars..
My first meal of the new year.. left over Chinese food from Mei Garden in Santa Cruz while writing my first review of the year.. Jose's.
After watching Avatar in 3d at Del Monte the family and I came over here because the bf's mom hooked it up with a gift voucher.
The servers are super friendly (one ran after us to say thank you for coming and happy new year) and very attentive. Drinks were constantly refilled as were the chips
The two salsas that come with the chips are decent.. green one is the spicier one (which for us wasn't too spicy) and the red sauce was a chill mild.
Parking here since its near the Aquarium sucks a fat one but we were able to find parking the second time around.
I had the shrimp nachos which had tons of mini pieces... I would definitely get that again. Dad got the pescado frito, fried fish which was lightly battered (although not sure it was tilapia) and well liked... watch out for the bones.. they fry the whole fish! BF got the carne asada plate (slabs of carne asada with onion.. can't really go wrong)... the brother ended up with tacos... which were gone in 7 minutes...
Over all with 2 sodas, an iced tea and our entrees the bill came out to 54 dollars give or take.. so... pricey for the kind of food (I am used to Watsonville, East San Jose prices) but nice if you wanna take someone on a date or grab a margarita after sight seeing in Monterey.
Alright, I came here pessimistically, walking through rain and traversing with an empty stomach accustomed to good Mexican cuisine.
Walked in here and sat down. I was greeted and serviced immediately, and appetizers were on the table within minuted. Sweet. They were very good too- highly recommend the nachos. Time rolled around for the main entree and being so incredibly famished, I ordered numerous things: Beef Chimichanga, Chicken Taco, Spanish Rice, and Beans.
Let me say, I dearly enjoyed that Chimichanga, pure slice of heaven. It's huge in size but I conquered it! The rice and beans were of course fantastic, I could eat that stuff forever. The taco was alright...not the best. Either way, I didn't care...that Chimichanga had me content as could be. However...stay clear of the dessert if you're not too keen on the sweets. First time trying Flan, bleh!
Anyway, I'm really glad that the bar and restaurant were conglomerated well together. Oftentimes at bar / restaurants, one overbears the other. However, this was not that case at Jose's, and I was very happy about it. :)
Pricing is a tad expensive, but the food is well worth it. Service is friendly, and the atmosphere is nice. Definitely impressed me, but nothing special at the same time. Just what I was looking for.
3.5 Stars
This is a restaurant that will satisfy your craving for good Mexican food.
After visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we headed here for dinner and it was actually a good spot. Â We ordered a few dishes and they were all good. Â We started off with the chips and salsa, which was nice - what I liked was that the salsa had a nice kick to it and it's not easy to find places where there's actually some spiciness to the salsa. Â We then shared a beef chimichanga, which was very good - it's hard to go wrong with a deep fried burrito. Â Flautas were next and they were great - crispy on the outside, tender and meaty on the inside. Â We also each had combination plates that included tamales, tacos and enchiladas - all were great.
While the food was very good, the service was...strange. Â The staff was friendly...our server was friendly too, but he wasn't very good. Â We gave him our order and didn't write anything down - that translated to a ton of mess-ups on our order. Â It's one thing if one item was off, but we had to remind him of mistakes several times - it was pretty annoying.
I'd go back, but maybe next time the server will actually write down the order rather than try to remember it since it really didn't work...
I'm not impressed by servers who can remember orders without writing them down, I'm impressed with servers who can deliver the items exactly as I ordered them.
I'm sort of a regular here so I generally have nothing but great things to say about Jose's. Â The owners are great and super friendly and I think that trickles down to the staff too. Â The big portions of food strike me as authentic and is never a disappointment. Â Easy off-Cannery Row location that is right on the bike path.
The club downstairs, the Underground Lounge (aka Lounge Underground), is a comfy little dive with a low key outdoor area. Â The staff is also very great. Â
They feature live band shows on weekends, typically with touring and local rock, indie rock, punk and metal bands:  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Ftheloungeunderground&s=883616b174167278d64112d2c3e89c0a830ec3a79dcfdfbd48e7987bf3cc399f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.myspace.com/t…</a>
Yummers! Today I went to Monterey solely b/c there isn't anything else to do. Sad I know, go to the aquarium, go to shops, get a rude person at Hula's Tiki Room (swear never to go again).
Now I find Jose's and his brother Greg is right at the bar with a welcoming hello and a nice salty afternoon I finally get a chance to see why this place is always packed on the weekends.
First Star for prices so affordable and so reasonable for what you get.
Second Star GREAT people, granted 2 o'clock in the afternoon isn't really busy but they were open and nice.
Third Star HOMEMADE CHIPS, TACOS, SALSAS and I bet they even know the farmer where the cow came from. Sincere great fresh food.
Fourht Star did I say FRESH FOOD, Clean tables and bar, AMPLE amounts of fresh lettuce, tomato, freshly grated cheese and sauce...mmmm I am always one for the sauce trust me..
Greg was very nice answered all my questions, kept my drink glass full (bad for weak bladders :) and the overall great meal.
Only missing a star solely because I have experience this myself I learned not to have your assorted alcohol accruments near the stove and while the products are located at the bar its still too close to the stove, invest in a nice shelf to contain the assorted tequilas, vodkas, vermouth, and other asbinthe liquors safe from heat and my greedy hands there was an nice rum within my grasp and trust me a lessor person would have taken it.
I look forward to making this my new spot in Monterey since I was so rudely turned away by Hulas.
Did I mention Greg is hot too? yeah I will be making the trip more often.
With a lunchtime meeting commitment this past Monday, I missed my usual Monday Thai--sacrilege, I know, but I atoned with Thai for lunch on Tuesday--and went to Jose's instead. It was a nice day, so dining outside at Jose's was a big plus. Not a big plus, however, was the food--it was merely average.
I chose chicken enchiladas, which are usually pretty decent at Jose's. I'm not sure what happened today, but the enchiladas were a little off--mostly because of the poor quality of chicken (but be warned, I'm a chicken snob). The sauce on the enchiladas was actually quite good--great actually when paired with chips--but it could not compensate for the weakness of the chicken filling. My lunch date chose the fiesta bowl, I think? I can't remember the name of the dish, but it was the equivalent of a taco salad. Her reviews were neither ranting nor raving, just average, which is par for the course at Jose's.
Like the food, the service was also mixed. The host was very welcoming, even allowing us to use the table on the front deck that was being used for newspapers so we could take advantage of this unusual January sunshine (70's and sunny in January--still don't believe in global warming?). Because we chose to sit outside, we rarely saw our server, however, this was forgivable since we brought it upon ourselves sitting outside, plus during a lunchtime meeting, minimal interruption was ideal. I could forgive the lax service, even when our server brought me the wrong entrée--a taco and enchilada instead of the two enchiladas combo--since he brought me a second enchilada on the house to make up for the error. On other occasions, however, our server wasn't so accommodating when we encountered problems with our meals.
Jose's converts to a bar at night, but I've never been here outside of lunchtime. Some of my friends have ventured to Jose's at night, but alas these acquaintances have had, um, "experiences" that have precluded further attendance. We won't dwell on the details...
Overall, Jose's isn't anything special, but it works in a pinch when a craving for Mexican arises and I'm looking for something close to the office.
Soon-to-be bride and groom had their first date at this restaurant so in the spirit of romanticism, the best man planned a dinner for 24 adults and 3 children (under the age of 2). First of all, it was H.O.T. in Monterey on Saturday. Driving down, I felt like I was in Phoenix during the monsoon season with the heat and rain and lightening storms (the only thing missing was dust). Monterey wasn't much cooler on Saturday, and several businesses on and along Cannery Row had problems with their A/C. This restaurant was one of those places. We were seated in a smallish room downstairs (where the bar and music is). We had a long table that took up most of the room. Since it was such a large group. we had a limited pre-chosen menu to choose from:
Combo plate (included refried beans and rice) with a choice of 2 items:
-Chicken burrito, chicken taco, chicken tamale and chicken enchilada
-Vegetable Fajitas
-Chile Colorado
The consensus between everyone with the food-it was just ok. Not terribly flavorful, but not awful. I had the tacos. They were ok, but needed some umph. The chile Colorado my man had was fair-he didn't eat much of it which said a lot. The tamale was apparently bland and the enchilada not much better than that. The one redeeming quality here was their guacamole. It was tasty, chunky and fresh.
There were pitchers of beer and pitchers of margaritas. The margaritas were just okay too, which was kind of a bummer-especially after reading some of my fellow reviewers say the margaritas were really good. Our waiter did make them and did make the second batch stronger (per my request), but they were lacking in anything different from a home-batch w/ Cuervo tequila and mix.
*In all fairness, this was not a typical experience one would have at this restaurant, but as the man and I are avid Mexican food lovers, I give my rating mostly on the food...
Service is quite spotty here; I'm guessing the A-Team works in the evenings or weekends. The food is OK - everything tastes the same, which isn't a good sign if you have a taco, a Chile relleno and an enchilada. However, the house-made salsa is good - try it with chips and a margarita at the bar and watch soccer.
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