Las Madres Taqueria

I’ve said it before, and i’ll say it again: There are probably more Taquerias in San Jose than there are fish in the sea.
I’ve probably been to over 10 Taquerias in San Jose, all of which tasted exactly the same. However, as far as Taquerias go, i’d have to say Las Madres is in the upper echelon.
No, it’s not the nicest location to have a restaurant. The clientele of Las Madres mainly consists of stray cats, who gang up by a nearby dumpster and who are most likely responsible for stealing my stereo system. However, both the exterior and interior of the Restaurant are clean, pleasantly decorated, and maintain the definitive feel of being well-​kept.
Putting it mildly, the food is very good. It’s a slight more expensive than one would normally spend on any other Mexican Restaurant, but the few extra dollars, depending on what you get, are well-​spent.
The first thing I’ve tried there was the fish tacos. I was a little hesitant at first, as I have grown weary of seafood in Taquerias (for a full account, please see my review of Taqueria San Jose
). The Tilapia they used was well-​seasoned, and tasted fresh. It flaked nicely, and went well with the Tomatillo salsa they included. It was one of the better fish tacos i’ve had.
The chips and salso are also delicious, and fresh ingredients are used to make the salsa.
My girlfriend and I went there for lunch one day, during which time they had a special, which were dollar tacos. I got the Chicken tacos. They were good, although I’d reccomend getting the Super Tacos, which include avocado, sour cream, lettuce, salsa, cilantro and cheese. They were humongous, and delicious. Perhaps a touch low on the salt, but it wasn’t a big deal.
Here’s the push: They’re only $ 2.50.
I’d honestly would have paid $ 5.00 for them.
This restaurant is in trouble, however. My girlfriend says it is usually pretty full at lunch, when I would imagine that the majority of people get the cheaper deals, which don’t help a restaurant stay afloat. I believe that it’s in a bad location, and given the number of other Taquerias out there, it must prove to be difficult for a single, new Taqueria to gain notice.
Give it a try, I think you’ll like it.

Las Madres is right around the corner from my house. I’ve only been here twice, but both times I’ve received amazing service and delicious food! This place is probably the cleanest Taqueria I’ve ever been to; I’ve been told that sometimes the sh! tholes are the goldmines, but I love this place and its super clean! The interior is very cozy and I love that there are no flies around the refrigerated salsa bar– something else I’ve never seen :)
Prices are average, fish items are a little above average, and I always leave feeling more than satisfied because of the great food and welcoming hospitality! The food is fresh, I’ve had their fish tacos and vegetarian burrito. There was a mouthful of flavor in each bite, just talking about it is making my mouth water.
The only downside of this place is the location and hours. Its in the middle of nowhere, the location is crowded by a residential neighborhood :(If more people knew about this place, I’m sure they’d have more business… I would drive 10 miles to eat here. I’ve never seen this place crowded. Also, it closes early.

I’m super bummed about this, because I went to Las Madres right when they first opened and it was seriously the best burrito I’ve ever had. But I’ve been back twice since then, and it really seems to be going downhill. Last time they were out of multiple ingredients, and the guy in the kitchen didn’t seem to know what went in which dish (yes, my super burrito should have more than just beans, rice, and meat). It’s really a bummer, because their meat has nice flavor, and the people behind the counter are always really nice and give great service, but I am losing hope that I will ever get a burrito as good as the first one ever again.

I am WAYY too stimulated after being here!!!
Its Friday night at 10pm and my husband and I are craving a small, quick dinner nearby. So we cruise down Monterey Highway and my husband sees a flashing light coming from a Taqueria… cool a place to eat! Outside is a Taco stand with a big bright flashing light and a ton of condiments for your tacos. We order carne asada tacos and a quesadilla and the lady says we can eat inside. We walk in and seated are 3 fat kids and a baby in a stroller sleeping… okay this is WEIRD! Novelas are blasting from 6 TVs in the place and loud techno music is playing plus blinking lights EVERYWHERE! My husband and I were super dooper stimulated and I think our eyes were dialating continously. We received our order and some waters. The food was good… it wasn’t out of this world but it hit the spot. The meat was tasty and not fatty at all. The street tacos were only $ 1.50 each so it was a cheap dinner. The dining experience was unusual… having 3 kids staring at you is not the most comfortable situation… and I have no idea what is up with the little baby in the stroller in the corner! The lady working there must also be babysiting her kids at the restaurant. The service is decent and friendly… the food is good and my eyes are on fire from continuous flashing lights. Overall… a pretty typical Friday night for us ;)
Look for the blinking light taco stand next to the 6 to Late liquor store!