Mezcal Restaurant — Restaurant in San Jose

It was a special occasion that warranted a weekday dinner out. We were in the mood to try a new place. I had heard good things about the Oaxacan place in downtown San Jose, Mezcal and decided to give it a shot. This is my brief review of our dinner at Mezcal.

We arrived fairly late because it was a last minute dinner decision. Given the downtown San Jose location, we had to settle for paid parking across the street in the KQED building garage. We arrived to a relatively busy place for a Monday night – it looked like lots of office dinners were going on. On first glance, the Cinco de Mayo/Halloween vibe of the place was striking and very unique. On further investigation, we came to know that one of the folks working in the restaurant has produced some of the art which was wonderfully unique.

On perusing the menu, we identified quite a few vegetarian dishes. One downer was the fact that one of the key elements of Oaxacan cusine, the Mole sauce was made with chicken stock at Mezcal. Bummer!. We ordered a side of guacamole to go with the complimentary chips and salsa for appetizer. The guacamole was made fresh and tasty. The salsa had a nice spicy punch to it. For the main course, my wife chose a vegetarian tlayuda, a crunchy tortilla shell filled with a bunch of veggies, cheese and sauce. I picked vegetarian enchilada suizas with tomatillo sauce. The little guy got himself a cheese quesadilla. The food arrived in about 10-15 minutes. I liked my enchilada and the tomatillo sauce was very tasty. My wife liked the filling in the tlayuda but not the crunchy shell which was extremely hard to break away and eat with the stuffing inside. It was awkward. The kid’s cheese quesadilla was good (and cheesy).

Service was pretty good. Folks were extra friendly. And the little guy charmed them to get a complimentary ice cream at the end.

Overall, we liked the food but were not wowed by it. It is worth a repeat...

My experience got off to a less than desirable start when I stared at The gauntlet of liquor on the wall and ask the bartender for a recommendation. Having bartended a good part of my life I eagerly anticipated the input of a bartender with such a huge inventory of good booze at his disposal. Instead of a thoughtful answer, he shoved a damp coaster to me that had the QR code for the bar menu on top. There were two other people at the bar. He wasn't pressed for time, he was just a jerk. I ordered a Don Julio Marg, rocks/salt. Lobbed him an easy one and then watched him proceed to attend to three or four tasks, none of which were essential to making my cocktail. Or anyone else's cocktails for that matter. By the time he made my drink, I had resisted the urge to smack the stupid mustache off of his hipster face. Then instead of garnishing my drink with a lime wedge, he threw an old thinly sliced piece of Orange on the top of my drink. You think someone that worked at a bar with over a hundred mezcal and tequila options would know that the line is a functional garnish, and that an orange is about as good to me as a piece of black licorice is to a trick or treater. And then I ordered a chicken tortilla soup. 10 minutes later my soup arrived. My chicken tortilla soup didn't have chicken in it. And the manager made me feel like an a**, when I asked for a new soup. This place may not suck some nights but on this night, it super sucked. The bartender and servers act like they're the first people to ever work in a restaurant. They walk around with an unearned arrogance which is pretty annoying. The design of the place is really cool. If the food was given the same love the interior design received, this place would be amazing. As is, it's an expensive Taco Bell run by a group of young pretentious posers who care more about their looks than good food and...

A local favorite located in the heart of downtown San Jose, but I really do feel transported to the Zona Romantica in Puerto Vallarta when I step inside.

Mezcal serves mole year round (a rich sauce traditionally made with nuts, chili peppers, spices and a little chocolate) so it’s a go-to for me. If mole is on the menu that’s what I’m having. Other dishes include street tacos, burritos, quesadillas, sopas and other traditional favorites and a limited traditional dessert assortment. Mezcal Restaurant uses fresh ingredients; no canned stuff here. Nothing is “fancy”; just traditional, tasty & hearty dishes. Muy bueno.

The atmosphere is lively and colorful and their large patio is popular with big groups and even corporate events. So, be aware; the main dining room, which shares the space with their very large full bar, can be quite noisy. In fact I avoid coming to Mezcal on busy weekend nights or holidays as a result. And I understand some folks enjoy that type of loud and vibrant atmosphere.

That being said, the bar is well stocked and heavy on a variety of tequilas; some quite unique. Your well versed bartender or server can guide you. The drinks are strong and reasonably priced. You won’t be disappointed with the large variety of margarita flavors available.

Overall, the service is friendly and appropriate; if the place is hopping or the restaurant is understaffed on a particular night (all restaurants are experiencing this post Covid phenomenon it seems) the service can be a bit disjointed as it was on this rare three day weekend visit. That won’t stop me, my friends and family from visiting again. Mezcal never disappoints but plan accordingly with a reservation especially for...