Jose's Authentic Mexican Restaurant - Dells — Restaurant in Wisconsin Dells

I normally do not leave any types of comments for restaurants in general, only because your experience at restaurants can change from dine in to dine in day-to-day experience, time of day, different cook, can all have an impact on how-your meal experience can turn out. However, being that I am a local in Wisconsin Dells and have been eating at this particular restaurant since it was Pedro‘s Mexican restaurant, then it went to kickers buffet, and then Jose is Mexican Resturant. It may of been something else in the timeframe, however it was a lot of years in between there. Anyways, I’m getting off track when we went in the restaurant there was a big sign that said 18% was added onto your bill on any tables with six or more people for gratuity I thought to myself, well I can understand that waiters /waitresses have hard jobs and bigger tables mean harder jobs maybe they get stiffed with not being left tips I personally leave 20% so by them asking for 18%. They’re shorting themselves however I just don’t like to be told what I need to do when it comes to money. anyways, so with that, said and done my family of seven went and sat down in order our food. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very busy in the Dells, which is not to be unheard of, especially during Christmas break, which is a busy time in our area of guests, eating a lot of kids, etc waiter took our order. I asked for something specific food comes and mind you I was very clear on what I asked for it being a Mexican Resturant taco, enchiladas, Mexican rice. Specifically asked did the enchiladas have green or red sauce? I was told red sauce I said excellent. I love the red sauce. My meal comes my enchiladas. Do not have any red sauce instead they are loaded with Leche milk, cheese, lots of it quite disgusting my soft taco was soggy and I did not like my food my hard taco that I ordered à la cart was decent but that was probably the only thing that was on my plate except for the rice. When the bill came with the 18% gratuity my three children ordered à la cart items , my wife ordered à la cart items. My two older children did order meals $175.28 was the total now it absolutely was not worth it. I paid $176 and the waiter said thank you and took the money and didn’t even bother to give me the $.72 and change didn’t even ask if I wanted the $.72 and change that was the kick in the groin! We were just at Mount Olympus city of lights debating on where we should all go to eat we were going to go to Rivers Edge restaurant on County A which I wish we would’ve went, but we chose to go to Joses. I will never make that mistake again and I implore you too Think about your choice when you have a large party or even a small party there are so many other options out there for you when eating in Wisconsin Dells and I can save you what had happened to me this evening. Now I understand that some might say well did you say anything? Did you complain about your food? Maybe you could’ve got some money taken off your bill, I shouldn’t of had to, I shouldn’t of had to say where is the red sauce? Why is my taco soggy? Where is my $.72 in change don’t you think the 18% you took is enough that’s what I would ask if I had to...

Summary of our review- Terrible service, terrible food, we were overcharged, and we got sick.

I will say that the atmosphere is nice, the made from scratch Horchata and hot sauce are pretty good also, BUT that's all that was good. Now to the bad- The fajitas were suggested by our waiter. In the description of the fajitas on the menue, it literally says a tender 18oz steak among other things, but it's definitely not 18oz and it's dry and chewy. The food was brought to us within a couple minutes of ordering, but not by our waiter, it was the kitchen staff. So it was more than likely microwaved and tasted like it, and definitely not authentic. Here's where it gets worse. The waiter comes and asks us in perfect english "How are the first few bites?" After telling the waiter that the steak is very chewy, tough and dry, he says in very broken english "oh sorry to hear that" and that was it... then he walked away. He comes back 20min later probably thinking and hoping we would just want the check and leave. Now he asks but with an accent like he can't speak english at all and asks, "how is everything" again... I looked at him and literally repeated myself and asked for a manager, and he did exactly the same thing and just walked away... I wanted to talk to a manager at this point, but no one came to our table for over 30min after that. As hungry as we were from beingat theme parks all day, my family just agreed to eat what we could stomach, because nothing would've gotten done or resolved on their part. When the waiter finally came back, he helled the check out thing in his hand and watched me with an uncomfortable look on his face while he waited for me to tap a preselected tip amount. He had it programed so the lowest amount i could select was 18%. Unless his fingers covered the no tip amount, i can honestly say it wasn't an option. I was so irritated and had my daughters not been there, i would've lost it. I thought that was very messed up! However, because my 6 month old was really fussy and no manager was coming, it was late and we just wanted to get out of there, I just taped the card and we were out of there. We all felt sick on the 2 hour car ride home and sure enough, we all took turns in our bathrooms at home all night. Then after looking at the charge amount, even with the tip, they overcharged us $19.00! I obviously and honestly don't recommend this place at all. There's so many better options. Don't ruin your vacation by getting treated like crap and then...

We ate at Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Wisconsin Dells this past Sunday, and the entire experience was excellent. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a friendly smile and shown to our table right away. The restaurant had a warm and inviting atmosphere with plenty of seating, clean tables, and a colorful décor that gave it an authentic and welcoming feel.

The service was spot-on from start to finish. Our server was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed without hovering. She kept our drinks full, checked in at the right times, and made sure our order was exactly how we wanted it. Even though the restaurant was busy, our food came out quickly and fresh.

The chips and salsa set the tone for the meal — crisp, warm chips paired with salsa that had just the right balance of flavor and spice. We also tried the queso, which was creamy and full of flavor. For entrées, we had a variety of dishes at the table including fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, and burritos. Every plate was generously portioned and packed with fresh ingredients. The meats were tender, the vegetables were fresh, and the seasonings brought everything together perfectly. It was clear that the kitchen takes pride in preparing food that not only tastes great but also looks appealing when served.

What stood out most was the consistency. Each dish arrived hot, freshly made, and exactly as ordered. The presentation was neat and appetizing, and nothing felt rushed or thrown together. We all finished our meals satisfied, and a couple of us even had leftovers to take home.

The atmosphere during our meal was comfortable and upbeat, with background music adding to the experience without being too loud. The restaurant was clean throughout, including the restrooms, which is always something I appreciate when dining out.

We left with full bellies and smiles, feeling like we had gotten great value for our money. It’s easy to see why Jose’s has so many positive reviews. Our experience matched what others have said about generous portions, authentic flavors, and attentive service.

I would absolutely recommend Jose’s to anyone visiting the Wisconsin Dells who wants a delicious, authentic Mexican meal in a friendly and relaxed setting. We will definitely be coming back on our next trip...