Really nice patio seating here, some in front, and some out back. Inside it's a little loud and hectic, but decor all around is very pleasant. The employes were nice, although it take a while for the food to be ready. When it did come it was fresh and tasty though. The cilantro rice bowl base they have is SUPER yummy, and the portions were generous. My only complaint was the music was SUPER loud, could barely have a conversation over it. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Back patio - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Have loved Aqui since it opened in the 1990's. In the last year, quality control had dropped. Roasted corn is often charcoal. Crap cakes have shell bits. Flavor profiles have changed and lost some rich complexity, replaced with increase in spice level. Meals I used to love are now too spicy. The creamy chipotle sauce my family has LOVED for years is now too spicy to eat - we just feel the burn, can't taste the flavor. The dishes we now still enjoy are dwindling. Asked a manager recently why the chipotle sauce recipe was changed and he said it hadn't. Sure, the 5 of us in my family are just imagining. Aqui has become such an incredible success over the decades BECAUSE of its amazing food- there was never a need to shift to the over-spiced version. People can ALWAYS add more spice to their individual meals, after all. Hoping for a return to flavor instead of brute force to our tastebuds. read more

Food is good, service is on point and the atmosphere is so cozy! I would highly recommend this place and would go back again! read more

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If you sit on the outside patio expect to see roaches.. one got on my table and into my drink read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Roaches - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Aqui's is always a solid option for tasty, fast, & convenient afternoon out. We stopped in before the mega-Friday rush, good atmosphere with wide range of folks. * Order at the cashier first - checkout their weekly soup, dish, dessert, & Swirl specials. * Grab a seat in their indoor (high tables, regular tables, bar seating) or outdoor (parklet or back patio) while you wait for your buzzer to beep when your order's ready. * Portions are reasonable, dishes are simple but tasty (customize yours by grabbing your favorite sauces from the salsa bar, & price points make it an accessible option for a no-frills meal. Tip: Check out their menu & Insta for latest Swirl specials. read more

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Aqui had a special this week, Cioppino Salmon Enchiladas with Crab Cake, that I absolutely loved. It was three salmon enchiladas in a delicious tomato sauce with roasted corn, arugula, and cabbage. On the side is a scrumptious potato-crusted crab cake. I wish they would add it to the regular menu so I could order it all the time. For dessert I had the addictive pumpkin cheesecake. It was sweet and creamy, and the pumpkin flavor was just right. I loved the crust, too. Aqui continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in San Jose. read more

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Aqui's in Willow Glen is one of those nostalgic favorites we keep coming back to. Every time we're in the Bay Area, we make it a point to enjoy at least one meal here, and it has never disappointed us. The food is consistently excellent--made with fresh ingredients, full of flavor, and beautifully presented. On our recent visit, we ordered the Blackened Wild Mahi, Shrimp Jambalaya, the New Chef's Special, and the Thai Peanut Organic Tofu. Both the dishes were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Each plate felt thoughtfully prepared and inviting, making the experience both comforting and refreshing. We truly love this place. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Always a better option to come here. Price and portion is respectful and the ingredients are typically healthier. Wish there was one in Morgan Hill, Gilroy,or Hollister. Love this place. Great coworker lunch! read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Salmon Specialty Bowl - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

We have been coming here for years because we love the vibe on the patio. The food is good, but they seem to keep "reinventing" the same dishes and acting like it's new, but it's not as good. read more

This was interesting, I honestly don't think I ordered right because a lot of food around em looked amazing! We gut the did appetizer that included a bean dip, salsa with guac, and hummus. They were all good but the hummus was amazing, I could have had a whole of just that! Now my main course was salmon that I git with sweat parties that came with two sauces, broccoli, pinnacle, and grapes... I know that why you are thinking because I thought same, how do you put all of that on one plate and it taste okay? Well I don't know how but it worked, the salmon was not the best I have ever had but the meal was edible. The slushie they have are also amazing and the non alcoholic was a blue lemonade that I would have any day of the week. Service is fast and I would try again. read more

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We came here for dinner before our comedy show. My friend saw this place on some sort of social media and what made her interested in coming to try this restaurant was the slushy drinks. We finally came to try it and it gave me "the Disneyland vibes". As soon as you walk in you go all the way to the back and look at the menu, you stand in line and order. They have the specials out so you can see what it looks like. On one side you have the drinks and the other side is the ordering window. You get a buzzer and you pick up your food when it's ready. The food seemed like a really healthy Mexican food option but it had a lot of flavor so you wouldn't taste the "healthy". We ordered: -Black Bean and chips (for our app) -the chicken nachos (they were good just wish the food was a bit more hot. It was warm but so was the chicken, a little bit warmer would have been nice). I still ate a lot of it since it was good. - We did order some slushy grown up drinks. My friend go the mango slush and I got the hibiscus slushy. It was fine. I wish it had more of a hibiscus flavor, but it was good. Strong. I feel like a limit of drinks is two. They pack a punch. Great service and ambiance. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - our chicken nachos, black bean dip app - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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So this place is located in the heart of willow glen downtown, with lots of options nearby for variety of foods. But I was craving for some Mexican food and decided to try Aqui . One important thing to know for this location is they have a huge selection of vegetarian option ( more than some other Aqui locations) which we needed as some of us were vegetarian. I even found some of the items on the menu which looked very interesting and I don't think I saw them at other Aqui which I tried before . It was totally packed restaurant on a Saturday evening but we did manage to get two tables, ( we were 4 adults and 3 kids). They have a seating area outside as well as inside . I was surprised that even though there was so much rush , the food was still ready very quickly. The downtown street outside is very very lively and a perfect spot to spend the weekend evening.There is a public parking right across the street and plenty of street parking as well . Highly recommend the place read more

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I had dinner here with friends recently and we had a good time and good food. Even early on a Friday evening, they were busy. Took a bit to find a table but we caught someone about to leave. Food came quickly and was tasty. I had the grilled shrimp supreme bowl. It had a good number of shrimp on it. I liked all the other items in the bowl too. My friend's ordered a variety of things and they all liked their meals. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Grilled Shrimp Supreme Bowl - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

The service is quick, lovely staff and the drinks are great. Definitely always try their seasonal swirls they are always great. The Asada fries, i was surprise when the fries are wedges but it was delicious. Bar and outside area are nice vibes. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Asada Fries - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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From outside, I thought this was a "table service" restaurant. It's not - you stand in line and order at the counter. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just not what I expected. I ordered a cadillac margarita, which is usually an upscale drink with a decent reposada tequila and a float of Grand Marnier or a similar liquor. What I got was something that might have been poured from a slushy machine by a teenage kid at the boardwalk. As an entree I ordered chicken enchiladas. They were tasteless and unappetizing. The tortillas were like eating cardboard. My friend ordered Mahi Teriyaki, which was dry and overcooked. There are so many GREAT Mexican restaurants in the area, and so many great restaurants in Willow Glen, I am amazed that a place like this is still in business. read more

Another lovely evening at Aqui on a Thirsty Thursday. The industrial swirls are pretty potent. And so many vegetarian options. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Industrial swirl Modelo - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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Aqui's is my usual go-to in downtown willow glen. The portions are huge that I usually take leftovers home. Nice outdoor patio in the front and back. The swirls are alcoholic slushies that everyone loves. Really good desserts as well. My fav entree is the blackened salmon with sweet potatoes mash. read more

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Casual and fresh cali-mex. Counter service and seat yourself, but they do bus the table for you. This place can get packed! So it can be difficult going with a large group, but you can move tables together if they are available. All the food I had was fresh and good, but nothing spectacular. What you really come for is the swirls! Limited 2 per customer these babies pack a punch! read more

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Overall this is a chill place for happy hour. We especially love their slushies, and I tried their chicken taquitos. Food is just ok. The back patio is a nice place to sit and relax. You have to order yourself from the counter so keep that in mind. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Avocado Dip, Slushies - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

I can't believe how the quality of the drinks has gone down hill. We are local are now looking for elsewhere. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - A drink that is far from looking like the advertised. Pretty cheap. - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

I've never been here before but i heard good things about the swirls so we all went. i didn't drink but they had a thai pork with coconut rice, man, That looked good and it tasted even better. I also heavily judge a place based on their water and the water was tasting good. i would come back again definitely. also when i asked for a chip refill they gave it no problem, great service all around read more

After hearing about the industrial swirls, finally made my way to Aqui and I was so pleased! You order and pay at the counter and when food is ready, you go pick it up. I got the adobo chicken quesadillas which comes with a side salad that you can sub for soup. My friend ordered the adobo chicken fajitas. And we got chips and salsa to share. I also got the mango colada industrial swirl! The quesadilla was SO good -- chicken was juicy and flavorful, perfect amount of cheese, just overall a great meal and very filling. The soup was unexpectedly delicious too! And my friends fajitas were also very good, it used the same chicken filling as my quesadillas. Some things to note: They have weekly and seasonal specials on both their food and drink menus, so definitely check that out (you can take a look online too). I got a potato cheddar jalapeño soup which was one of their special soups and the mango colada industrial swirl was seasonal as well. They have a salsa bar with lots of different sauces, salsas, limes, jalapeños, sour cream -- basically anything you might want to add to your meal. I got the chipotle sauce and a couple other salsas and they were all sooo yum. The industrial swirls are STRONG, they have a 2 per customer limit and for good reason. The willow glen location has a lot of parking behind the restaurant. They have a lot of indoor seating, but I personally prefer the outdoor seating. Food comes out pretty quick. And the place was pretty lively when I visited! :) read more

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Met up with friends and dined in this time. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating available. It's a very popular place with a good menu selection of food and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Wild Crab Cake and Enchiladas Crisp crab cake, potato-chickpea enchiladas, guajillo sauce, roasted corn brown rice, sun-dried tomato salsa, lemon aioli and basil zucchini (3.5/5). A fairly large crab cake which was filled with crabmeat and breading. It was a decent dish but nothing wow'ed me. I would get it again, but would try some other dishes. Agua Fresca - Strawberry Lemon. A good balance of sweet and tart. Stubbs Craft Soda - blueberry lemon soda. This was tasty too. read more

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Go for the swirls! Highly recommend the drinks. The food is otherwise just fine. We got the brisket taquito special and fajitas and they didn't have a ton of flavor which was surprising. Love the fact that they have outdoor seating in both the front and back areas! It's a good vibe overall and the service is quick which are pluses. read more

I had only come here for their famous swirl drinks but I came to drink AND eat this time and glad I did. The salmon salad I ordered was amazing very tasty and delicious full of different flavors with a great portion size and the seasonal pumpkin cheesecake was so yummy. I'm glad they have low proof swirls now so I grabbed me the sangria margarita swirl which hit the spot. The ambience was very lively with tv screens playing sports inside and the big outdoor patio full of people. Will be coming again soon! read more

First time in this location and they surely have a repeat client. The swirls they have are a must they are delicious and potent and if you can't finish them they have to go cups. The tortilla chips are warm and taste great. They have a multitude of sauces to choose from. The entrees are reasonably priced, filling and full of flavor. Not entirely table service but you order at the counter your device beers then you pick up the food . The Swirls are delivered as soon as you pay . Alot of seeting inside and dedicated staffers make sure the tables are cleaned and the common areas are clean. I did notice a few TVs indoors playing the March Madeness games. Good spot read more

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I stopped in for a late lunch, and had the Grilled Chicken Chile Verde off the Smaller Eats section of the menu. The service was lightning fast, and I went up to pick up my order as soon as I sat down withu soda. It was an amazing balance of perfectly done grilled chicken breast, vegetables, pepitas, rice and a green chile sauce. It was small, so of course I ate it all up and was pleasantly satisfied, as opposed to stuffed. It was just right. The ambiance was nice, with a wide variety of folks sitting around talking and eating - so great people watching. Although you order at the counter and pick up your own food, the tables are bussed by the staff and they promptly collected my plate, while not making me feel they were just waiting for me to finish. read more

Great food! Comfortable and good location. Price and portion size great! Liked the outdoor seating.

my first time trying ! I would definitely come again and again. I had leftovers for days the aqui sampler was well worth it and the chips are refillable! they also have a sauce bar so the options for sauces was endless (my favourite was mixing all the spicy sauces with a little bit of sour cream and mixing that up) i did not know it wasn't a sit down restaurant style but you get stuff on a tray first and then they buzz you when your food is ready very efficient :) read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

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I used to love this place! I'm so sad the food has gone downhill. I gave it a couple try's while visiting home this past weekend. It was horrible. The soup was bad, the chips were stale and the rice wasn't fresh. Please get it together!!! read more

Service is extraordinary. Food is appetizing. The company that I keep makes it a priceless experience. We like to sit outside and enjoy each other's time together. Hospitable and friendly people. Great neighborhood spot. If it weren't for the service veterans that helped everyone out as the restaurant was short staffed... we probably wouldn't have eaten. lol Working together is outstanding. read more

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Normally Aqui is not my first choice, but decided to come back and give it a try. It was actually really good. Wholesome food and reasonable prices. Ordered the steak burrito which was amazing and also had a steak cheese quesadilla, not my favorite, but fair. They also come with a side salad which is a nice touch. They also have a salsa bar which is nice and their ghost pepper salsa is pretty hot! Overall good service and this place was packed for a Friday evening. Don't forget their swirls :) Parking on a weekend can be tough as the lot shares with other businesses, but usually you can find a spot. read more

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southwest chicken taquitos were perfectly crisp and full of great flavor. Paired with the fresh avocado dip, it made for a really satisfying and delicious meal. read more

This was a really frustrating experience. The service does not allow you to make accommodations for allergies online, which meant I had to go all the way to the facility just to explain what I needed. Even after doing that, they still got it wrong. The stress this caused--especially for my mother--almost ruined what was supposed to be a nice, lovely evening. I'm extremely disappointed and upset with how this was handled. read more

A group of coworkers and I came here for the drinks, the food was just meh. The frozen margaritas were strong, so if that's what you're looking for I highly recommend it. We tried the guac & chips, the guac was lacking in flavor. We also got the beef taquitos which were good, but the beans & rice it was on were lacking. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Peach soju margarita - Mexican Near Me - San Jose, California

Always a favorite spot to come to when in neighborhood. Food is amazing, drinks always on point. Love the swirls!!

Years ago I was Yelp Elite for a while (I then got upset with Yelp and deleted my account) back then (over 10 years ago) I wrote a review all titled "ALL AQUI'S ARE NOT ALIKE", distill house true today many years later. Although I've grown to appreciate whatever Aqui is most convenient for where I am at the time, I still absolutely hands-down love this Willow Glen location! Today Fabiola was the stellar Customer Service award winner!! My wife frequently ordered in the past the goat cheese quesadillas - for some strange reason a key decided (at least at this location)) instead of serving their long running traditional goat cheese quesadillas, they decided to cut down the portion to two instead of three but WORST OF ALL, have them float in some kind of orange, soupy, wet, weird, causing instantaneous sogginess on what was once wonderful traditional, dry flour tortilla covered quesadillas. Then they even now topped it off with some kind of greasy fried huge ball of something. FABIOLA TO THE RESCUE: She knew I was disturbed by what it looked like, She commented that they made some major changes in there goat cheese quesadillas, but I thought well they're not for me for my wife so let me just bring them to the table and see what happens. My wife said "I didn't order this - What is this?" I told her there were changes made. Her reply was - "I'm not going to eat this". Without hesitation Fabiola suggested she make my wife the old traditional former what she had been used to NON soup under flow quesadillas with mixed green salad on the side and my wife was thrilled. The brisket special was outstanding tonight and the Swirls have not changed!!! Will absolutely continue to return and will strongly recommend. read more

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Went here last week, the food was good, the drinks were good, but it's so strong. The service was good. The staff was nice and friendly, the place was nice. They had bigger tables and booths. There were one art place few min away from here. Perfect if you want get food before or after the art place. I coming back to try more food. Remember to bring an id. read more

Long time Customer with my valued Friends, going on 3-4 years. Friendly and Professional Staff. Very reasonable prices. Excellent Taste with a wide variety of selections. Always too full for Desert. Very Clean Facility and absolutely spotless Restrooms. Always a profound experience at Aqui. Great Times Always ! read more

IMHO Ordered a Carnitas taco that came with a mango salad. My friend ordered a Chicken taco with the same salad. Added a bowl of chips and salsa with a 4 oz. scoop of guacamole. My taco was huge and very cumbersome and messy to eat, but it was good. However, I loved the chips and guac the best. We both had enough food to bring home as leftovers. Both meals w/chips came to just under $30. read more

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