Petiscos "Downtown" — Restaurant in San Jose

Petiscos - A Taste of Portugal in the Heart of San Jose, California.

As a gourmet and wine connoisseur, you'll appreciate Petiscos, a unique gastronomic jewel nestled in San Jose, California. This restaurant is a warm and welcoming spot known for its delicious offerings inspired by the rich flavors and culinary traditions of Portugal. Petiscos, a cultural reference from Portugal as much as a small snack accompanied by drinks, is a perfect name for a place that is fun, approachable, and meant to be enjoyed among good friends and family.

Petiscos, like its Spanish counterpart tapas, are smaller, shareable plates of traditional dishes, making for a sociable dining experience where the table can explore an array of dishes in one sitting. Indeed, the restaurant's tagline is "Petiscos are best enjoyed when shared!

Location and Atmosphere

Located at 399 S. 1st St., San Jose, Petiscos is open seven days a week from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM. Although street parking is available, it may be hard to find in the evenings. So, you might prefer to use ride-share transportation if visiting during these hours.

The atmosphere at Petiscos is warm and inviting, with an upscale yet comfortable setting. You can choose from indoor and outdoor seating, the latter being dog-friendly, a pleasant surprise for the canine lovers amongst us. Petiscos also offers a full bar, wi-fi, and waiter service, creating an ambiance that encourages relaxation and enjoyment.

Petiscos has an inviting ambiance that embodies the spirit of its home country, Portugal. The rustic décor, the subtle hum of conversation, and the clinking of cutlery against the dishes set the stage for the night. But before we get to the showstopper, let's talk about what's brewing behind the scenes.

The Food - A Melting Pot of Portuguese Flavors

Let's talk about the food. Petiscos' menu revolves around the concept of shared small plates, or "petiscos", which is a staple of Portuguese and Spanish dining culture. This approach to food makes the dining experience more social and interactive, and at Petiscos, it's done exceptionally well.

Their menu is a diverse and mouth-watering blend of Portuguese favorites that feature authentically prepared dishes and imported ingredients, which resonate with the true essence of Portugal.

For starters, let's talk about their ‘Flamed Chouriço’ and ‘Blood Sausage’. The chouriço, Portugal's much-loved sausage, has an exceptional taste that comes from being flamed to perfection. The blood sausage, a delicacy for the adventurous, offers a depth of flavor that is unforgettable.

Let's start with the small bites, or as the locals call them, petiscos. Among the most popular items, you'll find broa, a traditional cornbread, and lupini beans, codfish croquettes. You can also indulge in a tender octopus salad, a meal in its own right. For a more adventurous taste, Petiscos serves braised pig ears tossed with a lively citrus and herb dressing, perfectly paired with a glass of Portuguese wine.

Next, move on to the main dishes, where the culinary artistry of Petiscos truly shines. Try the grilled sardines, a simple yet delightful dish.

Petiscos not only brings Portuguese flavors to the plate but also enhances the dining experience with its carefully selected collection of Portuguese wines.

Wine - The Perfect Pairing

Finally, let's talk about wine. At Petiscos, the selection of Portuguese wines is impressive. They serve everything from light Vinho Verde to a full-bodied Douro and a rich and sweet Port. The staff is well-versed in their offerings and will recommend the perfect pairing for your meal.

In conclusion, Petiscos offers a unique blend of Portuguese culture, flavors, and an excellent selection of wines right in the heart of San Jose. It's not just a meal; it's an immersive dining experience. So, whether you are a food enthusiast looking for your next culinary adventure, or simply someone who loves good food, wine, and company, Petiscos is...

Went there on a Saturday night with reservation. It was completely packed and we had to wait to be seated. We were seated after a short wait. The server was very hospitable and friendly. He informed us that we could combine both the ala carte and the set menu instead of both of us having to stick with a particular menu. So we did a combination of 1 set menu and a few ala carte dishes. The bread that was served with olives, olive oil and butter on the side was very dense, almost having a density of a dense pound cake. Then we had the grilled shrimps which had unfortunately a mushy texture. Otherwise it is rather tasty. The flamed chouriço tasted nothing out of the ordinary but definitely had a visual appeal when brought to the table with the flame still burning. Next came the octopus which was also tasty but on the verge of tasting a slight mush as well. Then we were served the duck rice which had a piece of rather fat looking pork belly that I did not try to taste since it looked rather bland, although I usually do love pork belly. The rice was tasty but greasy and the duck meat tasted bland. Since I was still hungry with all the servings being kind of small, I decided to order the garlic shrimps which was raved about by other reviewers. I did enquire with the server before placing the order as I wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to taste mushy and it didn’t. He did ensure me that it shouldn’t and if it did, he would take it off the check/bill. Since the pastel de nata sounded really popular on the reviews, and I recalled that someone complained about it running out, I told the hostess to save 1 for me. I was glad I did not ask for more as it unfortunately did not taste like the Portuguese egg custard tart pastry that I was used to having. The custard part of the pastry had a consistency similar to a thick jam than that of a custard and the taste was way too sweet for me to savor the taste of the egg custard. I had enough Portuguese egg tarts pastry in my life to safely say this was my least favorite here. As for the chocolate mousse I can’t seem to quite put a finger to the taste, but again, the mousse did not have a light enough texture and the chocolate mousse tasted like it was made with a cheap diluted milk chocolate. Overall, I think the kitchen did not meet the mark on almost all the dishes in terms of the taste profile. I definitely think the food was overrated. I would actually consider it overpriced due to the quality of the ingredients and the quantity of each dish. The environment was very lively and bustling even without loud music…everyone was talking loudly in an enclosed space and the noise level was quite deafening. Towards the end of the night, you could see the tables that were vacated in the dinning area were left with dirty dishes which was quite a sight I had not seen in a restaurant before, especially since I could clearly see several staff congregating by the bar and chatting. I can see 2 out of the 4 were probably bartenders but can’t understand why the other 2 would stand around the adjacent bar area instead of trying to clear up the mess; almost like they were deliberately trying to avoid cleaning up the tables. I see only 3 other servers running around serving the customers in the entire big dinning room. This is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, but it definitely doesn’t live up to the standards. The only plus of this restaurant was both the server and the hostess who attended to us were very friendly and hospitable. Unfortunately I have to conclude that the food and restaurant are overrated based on this experience and I...

My boyfriend and I got back from traveling in Portugal a couple of weeks ago and have been craving Portugese food since -- specifically a prego no pao. My coworker who is obsessed with Portugal and all things related brought this place up and we headed there the same day. Now, I've been to Petiscos previously because it's across the street from The Rex. I love their cocktails -- but silly me, didn't realize it was Portuguese. We ordered the flaming chouriço, olives, steak sandwich, duck rice, and curried scallops. I had read a lot of reviews saying that the chouriço was too salty but ... it wasn't. It was fine. Not stellar by any means, but good. The flaming part is always the best part of the dish anyway. The scallops were delicate, the curry didn't overpower the subtle taste of the scallops themselves. Even my boyfriend ate a scallop and a half and I never see him eat anything that is remotely seafoody. The lentil base was nice and vinegary. The duck rice was better than some of the duck rices I had in Portugal, even if the portion was tiny in comparison. My boyfriend really liked the steak sandwich. He said it was one of the top 3 he's had, and we had a lot because they're a super affordable snack in Portugal. The steak was actually much thicker than we had expected -- probably to suit an American palate? We had a cocktail each, I had the Açoriana which tasted like a piña colada with passion fruit at the bottom. It was fine -- should've stuck to my Oaxaceña but I wanted to try new things. We both finished our meals with a Super Bock (the actual reason we drove all the way to San Jose).

Overall, it's worth trying out if you like Portuguese food and have the budget. It was much more than I wanted to spend but as a once-in-a-while treat, it's not too awful. All of the dishes were small share plates, so keep that in mind while ordering!

My only complaint is that they need to staff better. There were 2 servers, a barback?, and a singular bartender working the front. The front of house would have been much better served had there been a host/busser/food runner flex staff. One of the servers, from the south of Portugal, basically took care of every table, bussed, and ran food. Super pleasant human being. I think if you're used to slow service, no big deal. But if you're used to being checked on every 2 seconds and rushed out the door, you'll have a problem with the...