El Amigo — Restaurant in San Jose

5 of us tried this place for the first time on a recommendation from a co-worker. It was really busy for a Wednesday dinner time. Waitress was nice, funny and spoke mostly Spanish to us. We waited almost an hour for food, but were given chips and salsa as we waited. Decor was nice too. Food came, rice and beans good all around. Burritos filled with beans and meat were good. Crispy taco came with chicken, I asked for beef. Both tacos were greasy. 1 bite of chicken taco, meat was dry. A fixed beef taco finally arrived but meat had weird taste to it. It did not look like shredded beef or ground beef to me. I did not eat the tacos. We did get table side quacamole made so fresh and quite tasty. I just wish the avocados were cold. Also wish that for about 12 dollars... wish they had used more than 2 avocados for 5 people. Everyone liked their respective combo plates of a burrito and tamale, super good and enchilada, good too. Taco salad no picture was good, but filling inside was sparse. The fried chicken with fries and rice and beans was awesome. Overall, service was good. Food was ok. Prices were about 18 to 20 bucks a plate. Many plates came with Rice, beans and a small salad. Only 1 woman bathroom and 1 man bathroom. Both dirty, but maybe because they were so busy. Waitress mentioned that during the week it is not as busy ... but weekends...

Decent Spot, But Lacking Flavor — Room to Improve”

I stopped by El Amigo’s Restaurant & Bar, the one located in the plaza next to B&A Smoke Shop, and overall, the experience was just okay. I ordered the molcajete, which looked great visually, but unfortunately, it really lacked flavor. It felt under-seasoned — like it was missing that depth you expect from a dish like that. Definitely needed more salt and spice to bring it to life.

I also ordered a michelada with Modelo, and honestly, that was the highlight of the meal. Well-balanced, refreshing, and had that bold flavor I was hoping to taste in the food too. The rice and beans were alright — not bad, just kind of average. We had another dish as well, but to be honest, nothing really stood out. Everything tasted a bit bland.

To be fair, I get that this is the Santa Teresa area, where there isn’t a huge presence of traditional Mexican culture, so this place might pass for local standards. But if you’re looking for authentic or truly flavorful Mexican food, this might not be the place for you.

Constructive feedback: Amp up the seasoning — salt, spice, and depth of flavor make a huge difference. Presentation was solid, and the service was friendly, but the kitchen needs to bring more soul to the food. A little more attention to flavor could really elevate the...

This is the first time I've left a negative review at a restaurant but my experience tonight was beyond belief. Our server offered guacamole with the other complimentary chips and salsa. Did not disclose that this costs $12. All the food was expensive for the quality. The bill for 5 dishes and 5 drinks is $230 with an automatic 20% tip that we were not told about. The bill then suggested another 20% tip on top of this for a total suggested tip of 40% for a waiter who spent 60 seconds at our table. We asked for a box which contained enough food for one meal and accidently walked out the door without taking it. After 30 seconds of walking we realize, walk back, and are told that the food has been thrown away. Upon asking the staff if we could speak to the manager we were told that the manager would not speak to us and the waitress told us that there was nothing that could be done. I have never had such a negative experience in a restaurant and I would highly discourage anyone from eating here. Very disappointing end to a night spent on...