Mouthwatering Latin American in San Jose

La Cueva Mex Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"I wish someone told me about La cueva earlier than when I found out about it, because this place is absolutely amazing. Really good tacos and burritos, La Cueva does not miss one bit. I got their veggie and chicken tacos and they were so fresh and flavorful. The best part is the fresh chips and green salsa they give. They also have fire burritos and enchiladas so I will be coming back again and again for their authentic Mexican eats!"

Espetus - San Mateo

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$$

"My kids have music class across the street and we often smell the delicious barbeque when we are done with our classes. I have visited this place before COVID, during COVID, and now after COVID. Our experience has been fairly consistent. Staffs are always friendly and they always keep the meat coming! My kids love their filet mignon! And their steaks are always my favorite. Anything with garlic is perfect for garlic lovers!! but recently I tried their chicken wings on one night...and honestly, how come they don't put their wings on takeout menu? They should since they have the prefect wings for the game day (especially if you are bored with the wings offerings from another chain wings specialty store...). The skin is crispy with all the seasoning and the meat is juicy. Their dessert menu is not the strong area - they are OK and I would only order them if you have a special celebration. I like their flan. The chocolate cake is just ok - feel premade but the ice-cream is really good. So usually I just stuff myself with their grilled pineapples (and in my Asian's mind, that's viewed as dessert. haha!) and let my stomach digest a little bit before having dessert elsewhere. Parking is relatively easy ever since COVID. And surprisingly, the restaurant is still decently full on the weeknights too! If you want to avoid crowd over the weekends, see if you could come on Thursday night :)"

Lolinda

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"I really enjoy this food because of the atmosphere and delicious food.I've been here quite a few times for birthday dinners, date nights and when friends are visiting from out of town.They have a great selection on the menus.Great to share family style/Tapas. You get more bang for the buck and the ability to try more of the menu. The drinks are delicious as well.Sometimes it can be quite busy so I would recommend making a reservation."

La Pinata Mexicatesen

★★★★☆ 4.1 (241) • $

"Solid pupusas. Friendly atmosphere. Super delish pouches of happiness. You have to eat it hot right away. You can use knife/fork but it's so good just tearing it up with your hands. The pork and cheese one (chicharrón y queso) was velvety. I guess you could almost think of it as a quesadilla but this is a much more manageable size. I had some tomato soup and crunchy pickled cabbage. Then the Loroco leaf was new to me. It reminds me a little bit of the skin part of a chile relleno, but it's fine enough that it's just the taste. The rest was cheesy softness in the corn pouch. Times visited: 1"

Maya's Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (738) • $$

"Grabbing a quick weekend evening meal, you'd be quick to dismiss Maya's as not a terribly serious choice for good food, but they do a very solid job on their Honduran eats. It's certainly not the tightest operation being run, so be ready to adapt on the service front, but for their solid portions of deliciousness I'd sure be ready for plenty more rounds. Overall I'd place it at 4.5, but I'm comfortable rounding up on strength of their menu.Service is well, serviceable, but a slight weakness on their front so I can see where mixed reviews come from. Our server was polite, but shorter on words when asking for recommendations so it seems a bit of a given you're expected to know what's what already. Food came out sequentially, so while it wasn't too long of a wait it was a bit of an awkward one since it still took 20min for the last entree to come out. We were mostly left alone afterwards so it was hard to flag any server down to let them know my entree was missing its queso and my brother's entree was missing tortillas (which I wouldn't have known if I didn't compare to my friend's sets). Then came time to settle the check which had an error to correct. Each thing by itself is fine, but it all added up to a bit more chaos than I'd prefer so YMMV.That all said the food is banger! I'd say it's enough to make it up for it, it also being a rather super-local hole-in-the-wall. The menu is grouped mostly by meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and then by item type (like specials, soup, seafood, etc.). Dinner plates generally with rice, beans, and tortilla. Cheese pupusa = 4/5Solid on texture with a good amount of cheesiness for the books, plus a nice small lightly pickled salad for contrasting crunch. The dipping salsa was rather light though, which I personally feel like overall it tasted a bit light on seasoning (fine as an appetizer of sorts). Could just be a honduran thing though, cause the entrees were on-point on seasoning.Carne Asada dinner = 5/5Honestly it's a pretty great dinner set that I had trouble finishing with a great amount of variety to keep you on your culinary toes. The plantain chips were perfect with a great crisp and oozing flavor (even the spilled salsa that was meant for the beef tasted great on them). Beef was a tough cut but I hardly noticed with how well seasoned it was and it just melded right in with the rice and beans, plus a nice crunch from pickles on top. Just all around deliciousness on a platter. Cerdo Tamales = 5/5Positively massive and very filling. The chicken was damn near the most tender and soft I've ever had it. Like for real, this has set the bar for softness for chicken. Very nice as a cozy meal and lots of loving carbs. Just the right amount of seasoning on everything to to bring out the flavors without being overbearing and a great amount of cheese to complement the corn/rice."

Adelita Cocina Catering Service

★★★★☆ 3.6 (29) • $$

"I've been wanting to try this food truck ever since I moved in the area and I finally did. I ordered the asada torta and it was good but I definitely had better. I think what I didn't like about the torta was that the bread was very flat and wasn't full unlike other places I've had tortas at. I'll definitely try to come back and try their tacos. The service was great, the lady who took my order and made my food was very kind and helpful! It's located in the chevron gas station so it's pretty easy to spot! They have seating outside as well if you wanted to eat your meal there."

Espetus - San Francisco

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$$

"My friends & I had never tried a Brazilian steakhouse before, and honestly this was the perfect place to have our first experience. All of the meats were top notch quality, and when people say they constantly bring you meat until you tell them not to, they aren't kidding. Your plate will never be empty and you will never not be eating. The service here is unmatched, and the ambiance is right in the middle of casual and fancy, so you can come here for really any occasion. There is a side bar with plenty of other options, like salads, pastas, potatoes, & fish. My one regret is probably getting too many things at the side bar that filled me up, but I was still able to try all the meats I wanted to. Anyone in the area or visiting should for sure give them a try, you won't be disappointed!"

Nina’s Cafe

★★★★★ 4.7 (84) • $$

"My husband and I went on a bike ride around Foster City and stopped by here for a quick lunch because they have this gorgeous outdoor seating in the back. We ordered the chimichurri steak sandwich, and it was not too oily, tangy, savory with the crunch of a slice of lettuce. What stole the show was the beef empanada. The pastry was light, not oily, crunchy and the filling was perfect balance of savory and umami. We had the Nutella empanada last as dessert and the temperature was perfect. I'd come back again and order all these items again."

Coupa Cafe - Y2E2

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (112) • $

"Yum And piles of other things I didnt eat or drink only because it was not the right time of day for it. All the combos of brunch and lunch dishes look fabulous here.Sports TV Heaven as well ."

Tacos Al Pastor

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (215) • $

"Usually have good food here when I come in person. Disappointed today when I ordered nachos through DoorDash. Dasher was quick but the chips were stale and the meat was a little dry."

Beyond The Border

★★★★☆ 4.3 (90) • $$

"I wish I woulda took a pic of this the breakfast burrito was so good man I swear I love a good breakfast burrito...bless this place they really cooking cooking I went on my lunch and had to enjoy this Great place I'll be back"

Mama’s Papas

★★★★★ 4.8 (35)

"The food here is amazing!They have a physical location at Birdhaus for a few months, and it's highly worth your time to stop by.I popped in just to try out a new place, and I already know I'll be coming back.The kalua pork quesataco is incredible. Unlike most kalua pork dishes I've had at other places, this pork was tender, juicy, flavorful.It's 100% a must-try!"

Mas Fuego

★★★★☆ 3.7 (792) • $$

"We visited Mas Fuego yesterday (a Sunday) for lunch with my in laws. The restaurant was fairly empty when we arrived. Which is why we found it odd that we were basically being ignored by our server. We waited, looking around for someone to not only take our order, but to also provide us with some water.The food also took awhile to come out. Again, odd since the place was empty. My partner and I ordered fajitas, him carnitas and me shrimp. They got his order wrong but since everything was taking so long, he just decided to keep what he got. My mother in law ordered the birria tacos which were slightly bland. I felt birria needed more flavor. The steak that came with my fajitas was flavorful but the meat was kind of tough. We ordered calamari for an appetizer and that was very good. Had a little bit of a kick to it. Spicy but not overdone. I would return. Maybe we just came on an off day? Who knows."

Pollo Campero - Digital Kitchen San Jose

★★★★☆ 3.8 (29)

"First time ordering food here and we ordered a 25 pieces combo meal. We chose corn salad, coleslaw, 2 french fries and plantains. We picked up the food at a digital kitchen on ruff drive. The chicken smelled and looked good, but it was not crispy. It had good flavor tough but it just wasn't crispy. The corn salad was good, and it came with diced peppers and feta cheese. The coleslaw was okay, it tasted like regular coleslaw with no special flavors or ingredients. The french fries had good flavor but it also was not crispy and soggy. The plantains were decent, but it was not fried and a little greasy. Overall, the food was decent and I would give it another try since I've heard good reviews."

LV Mar Tapas & Cocktails

★★★★☆ 4.1 (897) • $$

"I highly recommend LV Mar in Redwood City. The food is exceptional, with items like Quesabirria, Empanadas, and Mahi tacos. The dishes are very flavorful! The staff is super friendly and very attentive, and always happy to make menu recommendations. The downtown location on Broadway Street is perfect. Happy hour is a great deal. Overall, LV Mar is a must-visit destination for all foodies! It's honestly one of my favorites :)"

La Hacienda Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (69) • $$

"I love it when I find a place that at first appears unappealing outside then bows my mind inside.Came here because I was passing by and thought, 'gonna try it.Outside is not the most appealing. Inside, very clean, well decorated, friendly staff!. If you like micheladas, this place has several options.I ordered a couple simple mixed meat tacos. They were amazing with a few pieces of cooked fruit inside. I might have to come back tomorrow!"

Arepas Latin Cuisine - San Jose

★★★★☆ 4.1 (216) • $$

"Place has a fair amount of seats, nice indoor atmosphere, and a couple seats outside as well. I got the santa barbara, (carne asada) super delicious and so is the sauce! I will definitely be back! Service was good, i got grilled, my boyfriend got fried, I would recommend grilled :) fried is good too!"

La Costa del Sol

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (318) • $

"Really good tacos. Great customer service, fast service. Everything about the tacos were good, taste, salsa, meat, and flavor."

Suavecito Birria & Tacos

★★★★★ 4.5 (552) • $$

"This place is defiantly a local gem. Walk up, order your food and take it with you. The tacos delicious, guacamole delicious, chips are perfection. I wanted to go back the same night."

Tanchito's Restaurant & Bakery

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (137) • $$

"Walked into the restaurant and employees said nothing. No one greeted us so we seated ourselves at the table. Chips were getting old. Salsa was good though. There horchata tasted real chalky. There Camarones de ajo was good. I had there pupusas and they were alittle hard. There pickled cabbage had too much oregano for me. There corn tortillas were home made and very good. They are a bit pricey. I doubt if I will come back her again."

Manzanita

★★★★☆ 3.5 (11)

"Very nice ambiance. I ate at the bar, but the outside patio looked like a very nice place to relax and chit chat. There are fire places outside, so that adds to the relaxing vibes. I ordered during the happy hour, which had a pretty good variety on its menu. I wasn't much of a fan of the shrimp tacos- they were decent but the lettuce and toppings overpowered the shrimp, which was chopped up into tiny pieces. Probably had a total of two whole shrimps in it. The Salmon was very good and the flavors of the sauce were a perfect match for taste."

Jess's Place

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (91) • $$

"Hidden gem probably close to being in Peru . Peruvian food is my favorite and in the last month I've been there 3 times they are known for there pollo a la brasa but there other dishes fire I'll be there next week to try something different the staff is great and nice . One golden gem cuz not many Peruvian restaurants don't make it but the picorones so good . Please go by"

Emelina's Peruvian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (508) • $$

"The fried chicken was delicious. Crispy on the outside (without too much breading), moist and juicy on the inside. The sauce, kind of light, pesto-like, made the fried chicken morsels even more yummy. We had other food, but this in my opinion was the best. Then there was the cheesecake. Wow. Beautifully plated. The taste was subtle: not too sweet, buttery smooth, full of delicate flavor. Service was excellent: kind and attentive. The ambience was cozy but open. Highly recommended."

LUNA Mexican Kitchen - The Alameda

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"Sunday brunch and the food was amazing!Ordered the Crudo, Ceviche and Guacamole with chicharrones.Fruta con chile a must try.I'm Mexican and we always have at parties Dessert was yummy"

Angelicas

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"7/23/24My now husband and I decided to go to Angelica's for dinner. We made a reservation via the yelp app. Angelica's is located in downtown Redwood City. We thought we'd have a hard time finding parking, but we managed to get a spot about 2 blocks away.The restaurant was relatively empty when we got there. We were seated on the patio and it's beautifully decorated. We liked that the restaurant was pretty quiet (minus a birthday party near the back but thankfully they left when we got our appetizers). Here's what we got:- Old fashioned (for him)- Pink piranha (mine)- Empanadas (share)- Angelica's carne asada (mine)- Fruta del mare bucatini (his)The empanadas and drinks came put first. I admit that the empanadas are on the smaller side, but are very delicious. Zach was practically licking the sauce off his plate while we were waiting for the entrees to come. We only waited 10 minutes before the main dishes arrive. Everything looked great and tasted amazing. The only comment I have is that the beef was a little chewy. The sauce that came with the beef was a little spicy but I liked it. The rice was seasoned well and the corn was delicious. I tried some of the pasta as well, which was really good and the sauce was creamy. Overall, we had a really pleasant time at Angelica's. The food was great, we didn't have to wait long for the food and all the staff was very friendly. The fresh flowers on the tables are a nice touch too! Looking forward to our next meal here :)"

Mixto Latin Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (140)

"We had an early reservation for dinner last Saturday night. We figured arriving early should make parking easier to handle, but we were circling for about 10 minutes before finding a place. Same with our friends in their car who met us for dinner. When we arrived, there was only one other table occupied, and our table had a Reserved sign on it. One downside, we were very near the door, and we never really warmed up all evening. Next time, we'll request a table away from the door!Those were the negatives. Everything else was wonderful! We were warmly greeted and shown to our table. Lighting was low, and felt very comfortable. For the four of us, we ordered:* Plantain Chips (I think they were complimentary, along with a spicy dipping sauce) -- excellent, crispy, a great way to keep us occupied while ordering* Calamari Frito -- excellent! Crispy, and two great dipping sauces.* Tostada de Quinoa -- not sure if this is what we ordered, but it was very good. We split it into quarters.For the main course, there were two orders of the amazing Salmon Risotto (one for me, one for our friend). This was a thick piece of salmon, perfectly grilled and still hot, sitting on a cylinder of crispy risotto. The risotto was also perfect, just enough crispiness on the outside, and cheesy warmth on the inside. Inbetween, a layer of sauteed spinach, and a great salsa. One of the best salmon dishes I've ever had.My wife ordered the Pescado Sudan, halibut poached in Peruvian Salsa Tigre, and served over spinach and yuca frita. I got to taste some at dinner, and more the next night as leftovers. Excellent flavors, just enough spice. The final dish was the Costillos De Cordero, Australian lamb chops. Presentation was beautiful (see photo) and she was very excited by this dish.For dessert we ordered the Picarones, three warm Peruvian donuts with a cinnamon syrup. We were expecting the donuts to be small, but they were huge. The plate was steaming, and the best part was cutting a piece and dipping it into the sauce on the plate. The texture was a little chewy, but delicious.And we had to have chocolate, so we ordered the flourless chocolate cake. Exactly what we were hoping for, with a small dollop of whipped cream on top.We will be back for sure. This may even become a tradition for us since it's about half way from our home and from our friends' home. Check it out!"

LUNA Mexican Kitchen - The Pruneyard

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"Very nice restaurant with a nice interior, good Mexican food, and good service. Had the fish taco which was not bad but the fish could have been crispier. The guacamole was great though. The beet arugula salad was not bad, but the arugula was slightly soggy. Service was solid and the environment is nice. Worth giving a shot!"

Mi Taqueria

★★★★☆ 3.9 (152) • $

"Mi Taqueria is located in the middle of Facebook land. Well actually in a strip mall full of other mom and pop restaurants. The food is decent. I have eaten here on a few occasions. The burritos is ok to good. The enchilada plate I had was good. I was impressed with the shredded chicken inside of it. Surprisingly the corn tortillas wasn't in the oil to make it flexible. They did a good job on executing it. But the sauce could've used a touch more salt and spice. It was missing out on some flavor. That would counteract with the chicken. Rice and beans were cooked perfectly. There's a refrigerator with bottle drinks. No indoor dining at the moment due to the pandemic. Free parking in the lot. Dumbarton bridge is nearby and so is Facebook. Customer service is great here. The place is clean. Oh and cash is faster since their card machine is effy sometimes. That's why there's a sign saying "Cash is faster"."

Chico Marx

★★★★☆ 4.4 (40)

"It's a little hidden gem that we found in SSF. We really enjoyed the service; great ambiance and food. Will definitely come back for Happy Hour."

Mayan Kitchen Food

★★★★☆ 4.4 (323) • $$

"Sitting in the center of historic Murphy Avenue, Mayan Kitchen has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating (perfect on a summer evening). Empanadas 9/10: We tried the vegan and beef empanadas and loved them both. Crisp exteriors paired with flavorful, juicy filling made these a great appetizer, though I wouldn't have minded eating a bunch as a meal. Cochinita Pibil 8/10: This slow-cooked pork dish is good and borders on a 9/10 with its appealing presentation, fall-apart pork, and cilantro rice. I wish the pork had been a little less greasy as the fat congealed on the bottom, but I really enjoyed it regardless. The pickled onions give a nice hit of acid. Served with Tajin dusted jicama and beans. Potato Croquettes 7/10: I really enjoyed these but the cranberries were wholly unnecessary. I love croquettes and cranberries, but not together. They added a sweetness that clashed with the wonderfully savory croquettes. It's plated with tomatoes that are dressed in a cheesy, almost mozzarella or burrata flavor profile. Easily a 8.5/10 if it weren't for the cranberries. Aqua Fresca (seasonal Dragonfruit) 8/10: On the sweeter side, but still a really tasty drink. Their agua Fresca flavor changes throughout the year. Vegan Cheesecake and churro were good. Our server heard that we were hoping for a churro with no cream and was able to get one for us (they are cream-filled by default). Overall, the service was attentive and this spot caters really well to vegan diners and non-vegans alike!! They did forget one item on our order, but I won't dock any points for that :)"

Coupa Cafe - Colonnade

★★★★☆ 3.9 (127) • $$

"I was in the area waiting for Chef Chu's to open for lunch. A quick Yelp search for coffee and this cafe popped up. I think it's deja vu or not, but I could've sworn I was here before. That's why I upload a ton of photos to document and remember that I've been to this and that place. I just wanted a large cup of the Deluxious Dark Mocha as requested by my wife for the drive back to Sacramento. There were two manning the counter and I could've sworn one of them took a break as we were queued for ordering. After 5 minutes or so, I was finally able to get my single order in and waited.There was more waiting for my coffee as they had a lot of orders ahead of me. The smell of the beans being grounded and brewed was just teasing my thirst for the java. It was a wait of about 30 more minutes, but the brew was worth it. It's good I wasn't in a hurry and a lot of photos were snapped during this idle time."

Milagros

★★★★☆ 3.5 • $$

"I had a nice work lunch here - I'm rounding up to 4 stars, probably more accurately three and a half!Milagros has a good-sized menu with options for those who don't eat meat, don't want a lot of carbs, etc. They have a big list of different tacos; I tried the cauliflower taco and it was good. I kinda think they should do a taco combo where you can get 3-4 tacos with sides instead of ordering them a la carte. I liked the bueno bowl I had but it was nothing super exciting. I do feel like this is one of those places where it would be fun to have drinks and appetizers or going for a group lunch with people with varied diets.We got there around 11:45 for lunch on a Thursday, and we were seated quickly, even with a group of ten, so they weren't super busy then!I always want to complain about "fancy" Mexican places since we have so many good, inexpensive taquerias in the Bay Area - but this place wasn't too overpriced!There is street parking and lot parking across the street - not too pricey."

Pupusa Lady

★★★★☆ 4.2 (24)

"Every time I see the Pupusa Lady Truck I head over and get at least one Pupusa... ok, sometimes two! My new favorite is the jalapeno cheese, although the pepperoni and with Marinara dipping sauce is pretty close. Next time I am getting the revuleta which my honey says is amazing. A new favorite may be in the future.This is a family owned business, with Mom, Dad and the kids all pitching in which is so great to see!"

El Jardin Tequila Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (866) • $$

"After a retirement luncheon at a restaurant in Santana Row, ten of decided to take to come here with the new retiree for a drink to toast his retirement. El Jardin is an open air restaurant and bar. We were seated at a long high-top table and to order, you scan the QR Code at the table to pull up the menu.With a long drive back home, I opted for a non-alcoholic drink and got a Pina Co-Nada. It was a refreshing pineapple and coconut juice over ice topped with some whipped cream and coconut flakes. It was perfect drink after a heavy lunch meal. It was a nice environment with the trees and bushes and heat lamps.Restrooms were about 100 ft away around the corner from Left Bank Brasserie before the stairways to the garage.Nice outdoor bar restaurant with good drinks and friendly service."

La Mar Cocina Peruana

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"Overpriced but food and vibe was pretty good. Their portions are not too big. The bill after SF Mandate and tip was $480 for 4 dishes: crab ceviche, while fish covered in chili sauce, fried calamari, and beef tenderloin. No alcohol and still cane out pretty pricey. Some workers were extremely nice, and some workers were extremely not nice lolIt's at an amazing location next to the ferry building by the water so it is a nice spot to stop by if you don't have any other options but I personally don't think i will go back here."