Great service, amazing food and drinks. The mango margarita is everything! The Gouda Mac is tasty... but again get that mango Margarita with just the right kick off spice. You won't regret it! read more

Jose and Sons - Mango Margarita - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I came here with my family this weekend for a birthday dinner. We started off our dinner with SO MANY appetizers, it was hard to choose one. Of course the classic guacamole and queso, but also street corn and queso Mac and cheese. The street corn was very well made, soft with well balanced toppings and flavors. The Mac and cheese caught me by surprise. It had a nice smokey flavor from the smoked Gouda. The pico on top added a good tanginess to the dish. The service was great too. The only reason I took a star off was the main course, vegetarian meals were way too salty. It was the way the veggies were cooked; it seems like it was only seasoned with salt and nothing else. My family that had the chicken and shrimp enjoyed their main course. We were the last people in the restaurant and the service was so kind. They did not rush us out even though my cousin requested a last round of drinks at the very last minute. read more

Great food and quick service! Never a disappointment!!!! Love the food! This place is a go to for me.

I like swimming in warm water, not drinking it! That's my only complaint about JnS: when it's hot outside, cool water is refreshing. My last visit to JnS on a warm, end-of-summer evening was served up with warm drinking water. Ew. Apart from that, everything else was right on. The food was deliciously prepared and beautifully presented. The Chile relleno poblano with Brussels sprouts was scrumptious. So much flavor packed into a green vegetable. Pow! Fast, friendly service even on a crowded night with a table of 6+. Rock on with your yummy eats, JnS. But, when it comes to drinking water, please chill it. read more

See all

Delicious food and incredible service. Our waiter - Daniel - was so helpful in explaining the menu and making recommendations, and he was so kind and energetic. They have incredible margaritas (I had the Blood Orange and Basil one, my friend had a Spicy Pineapple) which are HUGE and clearly made from scratch. My tacos were absolutely delicious, and everything on the table really was amazing. Highly recommend! read more

Jose and Sons - Tacos + Rice and Beans, Enchiladas Suizas, Queso Dip - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The shrimp Quesadilla was full of water; I guess that they don't drain the shrimp. Beans & rice tasted like they came out of a can. The Waiter was nice but only checked on me once, right after he dropped the food off--before I had a chance to try it. No "Thank you." I won't go back. This place is nothing like the downtown one! read more

Great Food, Drinks & Ambiance... But the manager & owners should consider putting the waiting staff through proper server etiquette courses. Because our experience would've been FANTASTIC if it wasn't for the waiting staff. Don't get me wrong they were very nice people but they weren't very attentive to me and my friends request and needs... The Great tasting Food was really the Saving Grace to our experience, definitely gonna be coming back but hopefully the staff will be more attentive next go around read more

Excellent food, beverages, atmosphere and service. Surprisingly extensive selection. Can't wait to return. The margaritas are the bomb. read more

Jose and Sons - Large margarita - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The service was great, ambiance was also nice, but the food.... The steak fajita burrito had what tasted like tomato paste on top rather than salsa, the salsa verde tasted sweet (definitely not a good sweet). The chipotle we had earlier that day but this place to shame. My girlfriend threw up in the bathroom, I took the leftovers home to give it another shot and didn't even bring it inside after gagging thinking about it. The entire next day I emptied my guts about 10 times (not even exaggerating). Don't get me wrong, the meat was really good, the rice was good, but both platters were spoiled with terrible sauce (I'd call it salsa but it's definitely not). I've eaten Mexican all across the country and I can assure you this was the most unauthentic, white chef Mexican food I've ever tasted. So bad in fact that this is my first negative review I've EVER left. Maybe switch up your verde to something more authentic and instead of using whatever that god awful tomato paste was, use authentic salsa, or just some good ol' queso! read more

Great food. Definitely a go to spot if you're celebrating your birthday! Customer service is always good as well.

Colorful interior, decent size parking lot, fantastic Gouda Mac and Queso!! Seriously, I'm a mac and cheese junky (being from NC I feel like you almost have to be) and while this version does have Kale in it, it is still, quite possibly, one of the best versions of Mac and Cheese I've ever had (and believe me, that is sayin somethin)! I also got the Brussel Sprouts. They were oddly a bit sweet, from the sauce they use, but they were still good. If you're going here for a quiet, intimate, get to know you first date, I wouldn't recommend it, unless you sit beside each other, as it was quite loud: granted we were here on a Friday, so it was pretty packed but it was still hard to hear the person directly across from me, but if you're just going for tasty dishes and tequila cocktails, this is a solid choice. read more

See all

The grilled chicken quesadilla, i would eat that seven days a week! Good amount of chicken and vegs! All cooked and seasoned great and the toasty tortilla, perfect! Can i learn how to make that at home please!!! Rice and beans, nothing exciting, no complaints, just the usual, IMO. Bbq mole tacos at the table too. No complaints on that one. They loved it. Chips, awesome. Always eating too many of them. Can we talk about that quesadilla again?? Love love it! Yes i would marry it! read more

Excellent food and portions. I think we all took home about three meals per person from the leftovers! We went for lunch and service Was very efficient. They are kInd as well. We'll be back for sure. read more

"Hola, Y'all!" These words were on the store-front window of Jose and Sons, and we knew immediately that this wouldn't be an average Mexican restaurant. The salsa was homemade and moderately spicy, and the chips were fresh and crisp. My blackened shrimp tacos had several large shrimp in each one, and were loaded with fresh lettuce and fresh pico de gallo. On the side were crisp, lightly-salted sweet potato fries (southern touch--hola y'all!!). My friend's Mexnugget Wrap was full of chicken, avocado, lettuce, and pico de gallo. His french fries were good, though not outstanding. Both entrees fell apart when we tried to pick them up, so we wound up using knives and forks. They were delicious, though, and they were worth the extra effort. Our wonderful hostess and server, Ashley, told us that much of the eclectic decor at the converted train depot comes from the owners and their relatives. It took us longer than usual to choose our entrees because we were busy looking around at the books, toy trains, 1930's radio, and lots of other interesting things. Parking is free for diners, although it's sometimes hard to find a spot on a weekend evening. We were there for lunch today, and there were many available spots. read more

See all

My girlfriends and I have been to this spot 3 times. We LOVE being basic and getting margs, dips etc. The vibe of this place is nice and so is the decor. Portions are big. This time we got the fajitas for 2 with 3 meats steak, chicken and shrimp. Y'all, the skirt steak was tender, chicken was flavorful. Veggies were tender but not too tender. Rice and beans are always a win. Don't even let me get started on the guacamole and queso. We always have drinks and this time my bestie got a pina colada. I got my usual..house marg on the rocks! It's the garnish for me! All in all, we love this place. It's even better than our local Mexican spot. P.S. When you order your food, ask for chipotle sauce. Thank me later. read more

See all

Not bad, but not great. Large portions, but nothing remarkable, except the Brussel Sprouts. Those were amazeballs.

I know times are a little hard and supplies aren't at their best, but this placed shined when located in Downtown Raleigh, The food was amazing, now that they are at their new location, it really isn't any better than a bunch of college kids cooking food for a part tie job. One day I hope to 5 star Jose and sons, but for now it's a 3 star restaurant and not much different than anywhere else. If going for drinks only, they do make amazing 5 star drinks. I haven't given up hope, so I'll return to the restaurant in six months (June 2022) and update my post and hopefully bump it from 3 stars (ordinary) to a standout 5 star. read more

Have had fairly positive experience at Jose and sons. A southern take on Mexican fare, this place serves some unique dishes. Taste wise, whatever I have eaten here has been really good. However, would love to see a few more vegetarian options. Despite that, I still like going to this place for the vibe, quality, and quantity of the food. I went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, and got the NC sweet potato dorados, my husband got the collard green tamals, and we shared a side of the sweet corn esquites. Our favorites were the tamals and esquites. The sweet potato dorados could have done with a little bit more seasoning for me. The tamals is something very unique to this place, and we don't often come across vegetarian version of the dish anywhere in the area. The portion size is very good. If you dine here, parking is free for up to 3 hours in the parking lot adjacent to this place. However, it's limited parking and is shared by a bunch of businesses in that area, so weekends can be a little tricky. The brunch menu has more vegetarian options so I am definitely going back for their Sunday brunch soon! read more

See all

When it was downtown the food was better. Now it is subpar. If you like authentic Mexican food steer clear of this place.

Update: The last two times we ordered the chef's picnic (both dine in and through delivery) they have left out the pork carnitas. We purchased the upgrade to the shrimp coctel but were left disappointed that we did not receive the octopus and fish. Don't get me wrong, the food is still delicious, I just wish the orders were not consistently getting messed up with missing items. ** If you want the best value (and you're okay with leftovers), try the Chef's Picnic! It's hands down the best meal I've had at J&S. It's enough for 2-3 meals for me - especially if you're like me with no self control over the free chips and salsa. The Chef's Picnic is like getting a couple entrees and two appetizers rolled into one flavor packed dish! Every component was delicious. You get elote + Brussel sprouts (appetizers), three succulent proteins (my fav was the steak) and a bowl of rice/beans + tortillas! I was quite happy they didn't fluff the dish up with boring lettuce like some of the other entrees. Pricey, yes..but, not really if you look at how much food you get..and ALL of it is great! *** My biggest complaint is that service is sometimes slow. With no one else waiting, it took almost 10 minutes for someone to seat us. Servers may have your drink and chips refill waiting for you well before you've even finished your first round, or you may not see them for most of your meal. But, other people like the manager seem to round frequently. Overall, most of the wait staff have been wonderful. On one of our visits an employee broke a glass. The manager very quickly checked on all surrounding tables and made sure everyone was okay. I was impressed by that gesture. The food is delicious. The birria, al pastor, pozole...all very flavorful. I especially liked the pastor with its charred/caramelized pineapple and chicken pieces. I think I'd enjoy it more if it was pork, though. I wasn't impressed with the flan brûlée. There was nothing brûlée about it. I expected a crunchy sugar coating but the custard was drowning in an extremely liquidy caramel (which added too much sweetness). The custard itself was silky and smooth but the name of the dish is extremely misleading. During one visit, my young child wanted dessert but couldn't decide what. Our waitress said no problem and just brought out a scoop of ice cream with chocolate syrup which my kid loved. It didn't show up on our bill either. All in all, J&S has become our go to nearby restaurant and we have had majgood experiences read more

Jose and Sons - Chef 's Picnic (individual), $19.99 - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We came to watch the derby. Beer list and drink menu was great and servers were great with suggestions. We ordered the guacamole appetizer and then ordered the fish tacos! Both had great flavor! Good food & atmosphere! read more

See all

This was my second visit to Jose's and Sons. My first visit was at least a year ago and I guess it wasn't my favorite. Better this time! I'll start by saying I love the space. The decor is fun yet classy, and I like that it's tucked away in the corner from most of the downtown area. There's also dedicated validated parking so that's a plus. What moved us to go again was the suggestion of friends we were with to go get the amazing mezcal margarita - that was no longer on the menu, but the bar tender was happy to make. Friends said it was exactly as great as they remember. I didn't do as well with my It's a Southern Thing drink. Too much honey or agave. The guacamole and salsa were both really good and I'm picky about both. They use NC Farmers market produce, which I thought was cool. Our waiter wasn't stingy with chip refills either. I ordered the Crank Arm Barbacoa tacos and they were excellent. It's a small plate but basically ends up being three tacos minus side of rice and beans, which I rarely eat anyway so I thought it was perfect. I also like the use of local Crank Arm beer. The sauce on the side was a verde salsa and it was fantastic, and it was served up with fresh avocado slices. Three others in my party ordered the fish tacos that looked amazing. I didn't try them but the table got very quiet other than yummy sounds so I'll try them next time. Overall a very good meal. Like other reviewers, I still feel like there's something off about some of the menu items. But perhaps that's the sign of a creative chef? I would say do come here if you want to try something a little different. Don't come here looking for the typical. read more

So yummy!! Def my new favorite place! Their drinks are amazing! We got a skinny marg and a mango colada! I also highly recommend their Mac n queso appetizer!! read more

Jose and Sons - Ki-guasaca skinny marg - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

My boyfriend and I met our friends here for dinner last night. This place is upscale and a little pricey compared to our fave Mexican restaurant in Garner, but we are always up for an adventure. I ordered the Springsteen margarita to start which was $12, and my friend ordered the regular margarita for $8, and they tasted the same. That was disappointing. The waiter brought out chips and salsa, and the salsa was amazing!! It was probably some of the best salsa I have ever had. The downside was, the chips and salsa were devoured in no time, and the waiter never offered to refill them. I ordered the catfish tacos and they were fantastic!! The flavors were phenomenal!! I couldn't stop eating this dish, even when I was full! My boyfriend had the chicken flautas, and he said they were ok, very over fried, and our friends ordered the catfish tacos and steak dish. They both loved their meals. I will definitely visit this restaurant again, but I won't order the expensive margarita. read more

Jose and Sons - The blackened catfish tacos were phenomenal!!! - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

While I miss their downtown location, this is the best Mexican/TexMex in Raleigh. Their chimichurri steak, their tacos (especially the tuna), and their fajitas are all fantastic. This is the real deal. read more

Meh. Due to Covid, I've mainly cooked at home. While I've successfully duplicated many of my favorite cuisines, my skills with my favorite Mexican dishes left me wanting more. I realized that my local favorite Americanized Mexican restaurant had changed ownership and was eager to experience a new menu. I ordered pork tacos and a chimichanga dinner option. While I may try this restaurant in the future, I found the quality severely lacking (I loved the two previous establishments) and hope for a better experience in the future. read more

Visited yesterday for cinco de Mayo and for the first time! Their chips and salsa were excellent to start and we ordered guacamole that was absolutely delicious! Only thing was I wish they had brought us more chips, though I'm sure if we asked the waitress she would have certainly done so. For our entree we had the surf and turf and the el ray fajitas and HOLY COW this was a lot of food! The surf and turf came with street corn, shrimp(delicious), chicken (a little dry), steak (AMAZING), black beans on the side and our choice of corn or flour tortillas. The fajitas came with shrimp, chicken, and steak with the standout being the steak! So yummy with their chipotle sauce on the top. Came with the normal fixings and a great variety of veggies (peppers, onions, broccoli, squash). Overall this was a great meal and we had excellent service. read more

Restaurant serving Mexican flare DTR! The atmosphere is very chill yet feels slightly romantic. The fish tacos were flavorful and the Paloma was perfect the way it was. Everything hit the right spot and was not over/under done. Our server was friendly, helpful, and welcoming. I think if you want to meet up with a couple or friends or go on a casual date with someone, this is a top contender. Nothing feels forced and it's all good vibes. I can't wait to visit again. read more

See all

Worst Mexican food ever for me in NC Attitude bad front desk Bar staff slow. Had to send back drink to get taste. Food worst. Trio dip is literally water like and can't even eat with chip Be careful selecting drinks as they are so expensive. Don't get confused with drinks look like strawberry margarita. They are tomato based . Pls read description before picking ur drinks carefully read more

I got zooted on a yard of marg and ordered a fish. i can't believe i ated the whole thing read more

Jose and Sons - it's a whole ass fish - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We have ordered pick-up so many times and this is probably one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in town! I'm vegetarian and they have tons of options! A lot of restaurants skimp on their veggies for vegetarian options but they definitely don't! We always know the food will be delicious and fresh! read more

My wife and I came to Jose and Sons on a Saturday evening, and we were glad to have made reservations. Not long after we were seated at 6:15 pm, the restaurant started filling up quickly. The restaurant is very spacious, with a lot of treated wood decor, making it feel somewhat old-timey and farm-like, but it also had a very clean feel. The food was overall very tasty. It's a blend between Mexican and Southern food, sticking mostly to Mexican dishes, but with subtle Southern twists. We tried the Ceviche, which had white fish and scallops. It was very tasty, with just the right amount of acid. The onions weren't overpowering, which was great. I just wish the portion size was a little bigger. As the main, I ordered the Marinated Skirt Steak. Excellent choice! I had it cooked medium rare, and it was near perfection - just the right amount of tenderness and juiciness in the middle, with a nice exterior char. The flavors were on point, and the sauce it came with had a touch of sweetness with some smokiness to round things out. It's a dish I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes steak. I also enjoyed their Brussels sprouts, which were grilled and hit with a little bit of acid - superb flavor and not over-cooked, making for the right texture. The black eyed peas and pico de gallo were also enjoyable. My wife ordered their Collard-Wrapped Tamales. She thought the concept sounded interesting, so she decided to give it a try. While not as good as my skirt steak, it wasn't bad. The inside of the tamale had grilled vegetables and cheese, and there was also a side of black bean puree with sauteed kale. Nothing stood out with the dish, but it was solid, and a good vegetarian option. The service was incredibly friendly and helpful from the moment we walked in to when we left the restaurant. You can park in the Depot parking lot, just tell the attendant you are dining at Jose and Sons, and it's free. I'll have to come back and try more things on the menu. read more

Jose and Sons - Collard-Wrapped Tamales. Just ok. - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Visited Jose and Sons for the first time in their new location and I've gotta say, I am not that impressed. While the menu looks amazing, the food is average and the service was below average. I went during COVID, so it wasn't super busy, but our waiter was nowhere to be found a lot of times. Several drinks were out on the menu also. We got the Chefs Platter and the steak was burnt on the outside and undercooked on the inside. They also lathered the crab legs with some sauce, which made it impossible to grip to crack open. While some elements of the dish were good, chicken, rice, beans, pork and guac - it just wasn't worth the $50 price tag. The Peach Passion Marg I got was amazing I will say, but not enough to visit again. I was excited their new location is closer to my house, but it was probably a one and done kind of visit. read more

See all

I have no complaints. I came on a Friday night and was ordered the street corn, the Carolina mango reaper wings, and the fried chicken tacos. I really enjoyed everything. The chicken wings were a little over cooked but the sauce made up for it. I'm interested in trying the Mac and queso next time. read more

Jose and Sons - Fried Chicken Taco with rice and beans - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Pretty disappointed. I hyped myself up too much for the Chicharron & Waffles and saw that both tables next to ours also ordered them and had the exact same reactions - the dish sounds amazing in concept but ends up being heavy, greasy, and overwhelming. The portion size is very generous, but this is one of those few times you'll complain about how big it is. It's too much!! I'll admit that the first bite into this dish was delicious (I was in love with the basil oil, the perfect yolky egg, and the unique use of cornmeal waffles), but four more bites into it and it was too rich and salty for me. I ended up packing 3/4 of my meal back home and made dinner out of the house chips and salsa. The rest of the menu looks great, so I'd like to come back to at least try some of the other options...but I definitely won't be ordering the Chicharron & Waffles again. read more

Jose and Sons - Chicharron & Waffles - delicious on the first bite but overwhelming for the rest. Wouldn't order again. - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Second time here, and I will say this.... their Brussel sprouts tacos are good. But for some reason their food is always room temperature. The queso had the hard shield on top which is a clear indication it was sitting out somewhere . Another concern I had was none of the waiters were wearing gloves, but they touched your plate with their bare hands. The service was another issue. I understand COVID can add restraints , however it appears they had too many guests and not enough servers . We sat instantly, but waited 20 minutes before anyone approached us ( we both had time to wash our hands and use the restroom) . The food came out fast but not warm, my husband had to pull out the hard kale pieces from his enchilada that he could not chew. There were a few times I took a bite of my taco and thought " what is that?" The food is tasty and their drinks are good, but it appears to be more of a hang out spot for alcohol , with less concern on food and service. Will not try again. read more

See all

All I can say is if you come here you need to come hungry, they give you so much food!!! The street corn was absolutely delicious, it's a must have! The ACP was just okay, nothing special except it's enough to serve like 3 people, I was blown away that one I could not finish my meal but two how much was left of over. I recommend highly checking this place out if you've never been before. This might be our go to place moving forward. read more

Jose and Sons - Mango Carolina reaper wings and street corn - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

J&S Enchiladas Mixtas and Dip Sampler Lunch - great portion sizes and most importantly flavor! This is fine mexican at its best. read more

Jose and Sons - J&S Enchiladas Mixtas and Dip Sampler Lunch - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Amazing food and drinks! I usually get the plantain sandwich or the enchiladas. I have also tried their flautas and it's amazing. All of their drinks are bomb tbh. read more

Overview: I've been here twice. Once for brunch and once for dinner. I preferred the dinner to the brunch. Vegetarian: So generally speaking, I don't like unnecessary ingredients in my Mac & Cheese. However, they put Kale in theirs and it is actually delicious. This is one of the best restaurant Mac & Cheeses that I've had. For brunch, I had the Choco Masa Waffle. I didn't like the consistency and thought it was dry. But they have other choices. I definitely recommend J&S to other vegetarians. Vegan: First of all, definitely skip the brunch because there are no vegan options, but if you must: stick to the sides. For dinner, you can proceed with caution and make necessary substitutions on a few different dishes. Didn't try it, so no recommendation. read more

Jose and Sons - Gouda Mac & Cheese - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina