Jose’s Mexican Cantina

Owner and son who served us were extremely cold and rude beans right out of the can with no flavor added, tortillas were bought at the local supermarket this was the worst Tex Mex food I have ever had i am amazed they can stay open! I lived in Mexico and know real Mexican as well as good Tex mex this place is outrageously bad and even hostile. Seemed like there were the typical bunch of BYOB let’s drink cheaply and eat whatever Americans as the clientele there. Nobody seriously interested in good food would go there. I have never left a restaurant so angry in my entire life. Run when you pass this place!

Went for lunch here. The décor at this place is just lovely, loved the way they had done up the place. Had the chicken combination trio. It was just ok. The sauce from the enchiladas caused the taquito and burrito to get wet too. The burrito hardly felt different from the enchilada and just had lettuce in the filling to differentiate it. The salsas they served at the start with the chips were just amazing. The green one especially, so spicy and delicious and very different. Another friend got the tostada which he found to be much better.

Mexican food that is mediocre at best. Not horrible, but not good either.
Would I go back: Only if there’s nothing else to eat
Would I recommend: No
Favorite dish: Non
Tips: Don’t have high expectation if you give it a try.

Really good food, great flavors. The beef fajitas were a good cut of meat and the sauce was amazing. I like how the meal comes with a bunch of sides like the salsa and chicken soup. The prices are very high. The lunch menu is very close in price to their dinner menu, so be ready to spend a good $ 25 each for lunch and $ 30 for dinner. The food was great though.

I came here for dinner and split the fish tacos and the steak fajitas. The tacos were great. The creamy lime slaw that was on them was delicious. They came with a soup. I ordered the chicken soup The steak in the fajitas was well done when I ordered medium rare; that was disappointing. Nonetheless, they were still good and came with a lot of sides (salsa and chips, refried beans, black bean soup, rice, sour cream, and guacamole). I had leftovers for days. Overall, the food was decent, but a little too salty, especially the chicken soup and the steak fajitas. The salsa was also very liquid-​y. Would definitely come back next time I’m craving Mexican food.

Hands down the best authentic Mexican food I’ve ever had. I have been to Jose’s numerous times and I am never disappointed. The Chorisadas appetizer is lifechanging and you can never go wrong with the Mole Enchilladas. If you haven’t checked this place out, you haven’t lived. Enjoy!!!

I had lunch here with a few colleagues. When we walked in, we certainly weren’t impressed with the décor. It was a bit cheesy, but we were here for a luncheon and conduct business. We ordered our food and I opted for the fish tacos. Let me tell you that the food alone will sweep you off your feet and make you forget about the décor. All the flavors combine for an adventure for your palette. The fish is perfectly cooked, the sauce they use is creamy and slightly spicy and all is tempered with the shredded lettuce, tomato and dollop of guacamole. Chips are offered to start — not sure if they make them there, but I don’t care because everything was soooooo good. The service on top of that was wonderful. Our waiter was very attentive and my glass was never empty.
The odd thing was that although the food was spectacular, there was barely anybody in there for prime time during the lunch hour. Maybe a lack of exposure? Hopefully more and more people hear about this place — because it is definitely amazing.

Loved that it was BYOB. Food came out fast with a fast food taste. Not authentic. not fresh.

Pros
Good lunch deals
Customer service
Guacamole
Chips
Cons
No online menu
Soft tacos don’t hold up.
If you’re up for getting tacos then get the crispy ones. They also don’t have orchatas which would go well with the menu. Soups are not extraordinary.

This was a déjà vu for me. From the minute I walked in I had a sense I’ve been here before. The bright colors and Mexican tile on the walls along with all the chotchkies reminded me of a restaurant I frequented in New Providence, NJ. There was Mexican music playing in the background. Possibly it it the same owner.
I was immediately seated and handed a menu. There were many interesting items to choose from. Fresh homemade chips and salsa were brought to my table. The chips were crisp, and the salsa tasted good.
I passed up on an appetizer. For my main dish I ordered the mole enchiladas one pork and one chicken. They were light and delicious. Both were covered in a mole sauce that had hints of chocolate, peanuts, and chili powder. It was served with yellow rice and a side of refried beans. My friend had Puerco Guisado. This is a Mexican stew made with very tender pieces of pork which is simmered in a mole sauce and served with corn or flour tortillas It came with guacamole and a side of refried beans.
The pork melted in your mouth. You could take the pork and shred it. The guacamole was delicious, fresh hints of cilantro and spices and lime juice.(I could have eaten a whole bowl just by myself.) The yellow rice was yummy! There are many combinations and a large selection of dishes to choose from including fish and shrimp. There are several dishes that are made for two people to share. Jose’s Mexican Cantina has a nice lunch menu too. The staff is very friendly and attentive. This place does not have a liquor license so feel free to bring your own. I was very full so I passed up on dessert. Next time I come I want to try the café con leche (espresso and hot milk mixed together,) along with Mexican flan or fried ice cream. This place is reasonably priced for a Mexican restaurant.
There is plenty of free parking. I will be returning soon.

Favorite place for lunch! I love the tostada maya with chicken. You can’t get it anywhere else. Really good chicken soup too! Their salsa is delicious and lunch prices are reasonable.

People were pleasant but slow with the menus. Food came quick but my enchiladas were a bit buried in sauce. My wife’s fajitas were good. Atmosphere is what one would expect.

Chips and Salsa were good, but couldn’t even eat my meal. Tasted wrong… All was wrong! Not a fan and love Mexican food. How can you mess up a wet burrito? Well congratulations… They did it!

My family really loves this place, and for good reason. The food is great and the décor is great. What more can you ask for?
Our waiter was very friendly. The food came out quickly and salsa and tortilla chip refills were as frequent as our many water refills. The lunch portions were the most perfect size. We left feeling content rather than absolutely full.
I would recommend the enchiladas — absolutely delicious. Several of my family members got the fish tacos and they spoke very highly of them as well.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food. Love the calamari in brown sauce appetizer and combination plate dinners. Reasonable prices and Byob.

So very disappointed. I used to go here frequently — both dine in and take out. The last few times (over 6 – 8 month period) we ordered take-​out and it was sooooo salty. This last time, I had lunch which included a beef burrito and a chicken soup. The soup tasted like I was drinking salt. The burrito was so very, very salty too. Used to love this place, but I’m not so sure we will return. The food was always very good so I’m not sure what they are trying to hide with all the salt. Bummed :(

Interesting to see such polarizing reviews, given my incredibly consistent dines here.
Sure, the decorations border on tacky and the waiters are often not the most outgoing, but it’s not the type of place where you’d expect breathtaking décor and an overly affectionate staff. Some of the Unilocal reviewers seem to be a little too aggressive with their criticisms of this place… Let’s all ground ourselves and remember that it’s a Mexican restaurant in a strip mall in Central New Jersey.
Reasonably priced, standard Mexican menu filled with good options. I regularly enjoy the chicken chimichanga — not my usual Mexican order of choice, but this place makes it well.
In regards to the restaurant’s name, an anthropomorphic Jose would be like an unassuming-​limited-​expectation-​type guy who, when you get to know him, actually has a more-​than-​complimentary personality.

Meh.
Tacky décor complete with overpriced, flavorless food.
Really, nothing else to say.

Okay, the one I have been in was the one in New Providence, NJ. Im pretty sure this is the sister restaurant of it. I was here only to find out its BYOB. Which is good but I forgot to bring one! Man, there goes my alcohol binge! Thats why I gave this place a 4 star instead of 5. Strawberry margaritas like the one in JOSE TEJAS? come on guys. ;)
Anyways, what made them hold the 4 star rating was their guacamole! My girl and I love that stuff and can eat barrels of them if they sold it! Anyways, I went after their filet mignon fajitas! Wow, is all I can say! Im ordering two of them next time.
We decided to skip dessert and get our own so we left early. But the atmosphere was great, there was a few family eating out with their kids. Its a friendly atmosphere, pretty quiet which is the opposite of Jose Tejas, which is by the way my favorite TexMex place. But give this place a try. Im sure you will enjoy!

I normally like to embellish my reviews, probably because somewhere inside I feel like the more words I use the more effective my review will be. That is not the case here, and I’ll tell you why:
Jose’s serves the best fajitas that I have ever eaten.
And I know a thing or two about fajitas. I’ve even had fajitas at Friendly’s (for some reason). They are available with sliced filet mignon, grilled chicken, shrimp, steak AND chicken, or ALL three! The filet is absolutely indescribable, but my best attempt would describe it as melt-​in-​your-​mouth and perfect. The seasoning is distinct, but not overpowering, and the skillet arrives still ferociously sizzling. The chicken is also excellent, but somehow fails to achieve the same drool factor as the steak. Maybe that’s just personal preference talking.
Alas, I cannot vouch for any entrees other than the fajitas, because that’s all I’ve ever had here. They are simply THAT good. They come with a choice of soup, and I highly recommend the gazpacho especially if you’ve never had it. The black bean and chicken soups are also delightful. And the salsa is undeniably fresh and satisfying. I would buy it by the gallon if I could.
It’s BYOB, and do not be shy to do so. They are prepared with chilled mugs, bottle openers and limes for the many patrons (including myself) who bring beer along. They do not accept reservations, but I can’t remember the last time I had to wait for a table. This is truly a rare find for authentic mexican/​mayan cuisine, and it may just be my favorite restaurant.