Jose’s Mexican Cantina

(4) (908) 464-4360
Write a review Review

“There's a small liquor store next store, which makes things very convenient.”

“I will definitely be back with some friends to take advantage of the BYOB and great food.”

“However, I've heard that Casa maya in Gilette is even better!”

Jose’s Mexican Cantina

Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes

Price range.

$$ Price range $11-30

4 reviews

  1. I hadn't been to Jose's in years before venturing in there the day after Thanksgiving.  I had gone there for Spanish Club trips when I was in school, but they kind of fell off my radar after I graduated.  I'm glad I took a chance on them again!

    We had gone downtown for the annual Christmas Walk, and wanted to grab a bite to eat while we were there.  Since we love to support our local businesses, we looked around to see which restaurants weren't too crowded.  We evaluated each of the options, but realized we weren't in the mood for any of our "regular" places. The Man hadn't been to Jose's before, so we wandered in to see if they had any open tables.

    Lucky for us, it was pretty quiet in there. The restaurant is very tiny – our booth was just barely large enough to fit both of us, but we made do.  The waiter came by with water and menus before disappearing back into the kitchen.  I chose the taco dinner with steak soft tacos, The Man went for beef enchiladas.  After our waiter took our order, he appeared again with some chips and salsa for us while we waited for our food to arrive.  Now, I know better than to fill up on empty carbs before eating my meal, but I just couldn't help it. I love chips and salsa!  While I wasn't blown away the salsa at Jose's, it also wasn't bad.  I usually like mine a bit more chunky, though, so that was a little disappointing.  However, that didn't stop us from eating all of it before our food came!

    The portions at Jose's are pretty nice sized.  Our entrees themselves weren't enormous (after all, they're using standard sized tortillas), but they were served wtih big portions of refried beans and rice, making our plates practially spill over with food.  My tacos were quite lovely. The meat had a bit of smokiness from the grill, but not so much that it tasted burnt.  Everything paired together quite nicely, and I actually only finished about half the plate before my stomach told me it was time to stop. The Man finished his entire plate, quite pleased with how his enchiladas came out.  He loved the melty cheese playing with the flavors of the sauce (mild) and the smoky beef.  He practically licked the refried beans off his plate.

    Overall, the food was very solid.  Probably not to the levels you will find in other parts of the country where Mexican cuisine is more popular, but way better than most of the other options nearby here (like Taco Bell, yuck).  The only downside to the restaurant really is the size.  The front area had a large party seated there where tables had been pushed together, but that seems to be the only area that can accommodate that.  The back seating area where we were had booths, so you can't really push them together (not that there'd be room to move around anyway).  The prices are a bit steeper than you might expect, but they're really on par with other restaurants in town.  Besides, we got 2 very tasty dinners and a box of leftovers for less than 40 bucks – and I'm ok with that!  This place is BYOB (as is the entire town until they finally start auctioning liquor licenses, in case people didn't know), but there is a liquor store right next door that has a decent selection.

  2. ac was broken.  service was super slow.  it took us 2+hrs for just an entree.  water was barely refilled.  food was average at best, price is quite high for Mexican food.  maybe we should have wait for Casa Maya.

  3. Average tex-mex, and I was hoping for REAL mexican food! I live near Providence, RI and we have some amazing Mexican food made by family own restaurants. The chips were fresh and the salsa was too mild. The main dish had good flavor and was prepared fresh but lacked any mexican flavor. If you need a fix then this place might be worth you time but there must be better mexican in this part of NJ.

  4. After a recommendation from a work buddy, my family and I decided to give Jose's Mexican Cantina a shot and we were not disappointed either.

    BYOB made me go next door to pick up a 6'er of some beer and when we sat down, a bunch of ice and two frosty mugs also sat down with us without even asking. Beautiful. Homemade chips and mild salsa also made its way, which were both delicious.

    Chicken Noodle Soup ($4.95): Very tasty and wasn't expected to be. It has a different taste than a traditional chicken noodle soup.
    Guacamole ($8.50): Served on a bed of cold lettuce, which is weird, but I really really enjoyed it. Very good, chunky guacamole.
    Pollo Oaxaca ($17.50): Very different and unexpected. I probably wouldn't order again, but definitely something to try.
    Camarones Al Diablo  ($19.95): Father ordered and finished it quickly. He said it packed some heat, but just the perfect amount.
    Tostada Maya ($10.95): Mom loved it especially the crispy flour tortilla. A lot of food for the money.

    Overall, my family had a great time at Jose's. The decor is very 'we sell Mexican food', but luckily they serve very good, tasty Mexican food. I will definitely be back with some friends to take advantage of the BYOB and great food.

Rate and write a review