I've put off going here for so long, mostly because of the hype surrounding this well-known establishment amongst Central New Jerseyans. It is always notoriously crowded, as are most Mexican restaurants here and there aren't not nearly enough. (Note to all restaurant owning folks, please open up more Mexican places in NJ). In any event, today I went with a group of colleagues for a lunch. I can now say I am a Jose Tejas virgin no longer. I can also say that the parking lot is a bit deceiving -- while the parking lot was pretty filled-up, the dining area is much bigger than I imagined, and holds a lot of people. We did not have to wait for a table thankfully (yes, it was a Monday and yes, it was lunch hour, but still, it was more crowded than your average restaurant for a Monday at noon). So, if you're hesitant to go based on the look of the parking lot, check for a table anyway, because you might be able to get one (or use the number of people standing outside as your gauge rather than the number of cars). The music was interesting (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch greeted us upon arriving). I would have preferred music more akin to the tex-mex culture. Love how the place is decorated, as I usually do with most Mexican establishments. Colorful lights, seating on the porch available, nice bar area, etc. I had given myself an 'advance preview' of the menu ahead of time so I wouldn't take too long to decide what I wanted. I felt this could have had some more variety, including some more plain options for those of us who are not too adventurous (ie basic grilled chicken with spices and rice and beans). I ordered the grilled salmon salad. I asked for the glaze on the side, which I did not receive. Luckily, the salmon was of good quality and I'm glad I didn't receive the glaze, because the salmon didn't need it. The salmon is definitely acceptable here. I also ordered the dressing on the side, which was the citrus vinaigrette. However, it did not appear to have a vinaigrette texture and was more akin to a ranch in thickness. I opted to use the dressing I brought with me, and was relieved I had it. The salad itself was very basic - no cheese, no tomatoes, just spring mix, salmon, and scattered pieces of corn and black beans. Fine by me, but I didn't think it was presented well. The corn and beans were all on the bottom of the dish and nothing was really mixed within the salad. The general consensus was that the food was good, although one colleague complained of too much cheese on his chicken entree. It did, in fact, appear to be completely covered in cheese. I didn't have any of the chips, but they looked good albeit greasy. The food came out quicker than I thought it would, which impressed me, however I felt the server was not the most pleasant. She appeared to be annoyed when I asked where my salad dressing was when the fact was, I had not recognized that what she put on the table next to my colleague was in fact it (because as I said before, it was very much not a vinaigrette-looking dressing in appearance). Food was reasonably priced for the most part. I will be back. read more

Jose Tejas - Love the lights! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Iselin, New Jersey

5 stars go to Jeremy for being awesome ! Excellent service, great manners smiles an is very good about making his customers happy. As for the bartenders, they must learn true tending and provide the client with a simple drink if they can make it, example: club soda with a splash of strawberry. Don't make the client and waiter ask you twice and still refuse to make them a simple order.... We are your salary, your mortgage, your car payment, u get the point.... Bartenders: 0 stars. read more

This place was great. It was insanely packed on a Sunday night at 8pm. There was a 1-2 hr wait when my group got there, but it was worth it. The chips come with the meal. They were very tasty. Well salted and great with the salsa. We ate almost all of them and scraped the bottom of the basket for the crumbs. The chips are even good without the salsa. I ordered the empanadas..had corn and black beans (and probably some other stuff). I also got jambalaya with it. From what I ate of the meal (I wasn't hungry), it was good. The jambalaya had a funny taste to it, but maybe that's just how it is. I would love to go back in the future to try the other dishes. Hopefully, not when it's too crowded tho. read more

Love Jose Tejas!! It's a great place to bring my 2 year old since it's a pretty noisy environment. He fits right in. My wife and I love their house salad which is served with one of the best vinaigrette dressings EVER! We miss their cadillac fajitas, but the blackened chicken fajitas are bomb. My wife really enjoys their guacamole burger as well. Quick, yummy, and inexpensive. read more

One of the best places around new jersey area for the Mexican cuisine!! You will have to be patient and wait as its always full and they serve first come first serve. They do not take any reservations. I loved their Veggie Quesadillas!! read more

I want to say this was the far the worst place of all places no wonder it's cheap the place was packed and full of people which was not a problem the food their was disgusting I mean it tasted pre made bland flavour will never go back if it was free you are better off going to apple bees or chilli s read more

I've been going to Jose Tejas since it opened . Great place . Food hasn't changed in all these years and the prices haven't budged much at all . Super busy and loud and a fun place for families . Get there early it gets packed fast . read more

I definitely misjudged this restaurant. I totally thought this was another restaurant that was overly hyped and not anything special. But I will be the first to admit that I was wrong. I don't know if we just happened to pick two things on the menu that were super delicious, or if everything was just as great, but it was a pleasant surprise. The place was super crowded and the if you want a table, you're most likely going to have to wait for ages, but I have to say that it may be all worth it in the end. read more

Jose Tejas - Fish tacos! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Iselin, New Jersey

Simply amazing food. Fresh ingredients. The wait is part of the allure, because Jose Texas is actually worth the wait

I came here a few months back with my family because they wanted some Mexican food. When I received my food, I thought it tasted pretty okay, but was not anything special. The pricing is low so that is why most people go for it. However, my cousin had to send her food back due to it not being cooked right. The management and staff handled everything well, but I will not be coming back. read more

Today for the first time since I was 14 yrs old, I convinced my bf to go during our furniture shopping day. My last memory of Jose Tejas was it being very flavorful, quality good food and an overall great experience. The empanadas that were ordered were undercooked, my fajita order came out not on a sizzling platter but was indeed luke warm and my food was cold, and not to mention that the portion was very small and didn't extend to the end of the platter. The jambalaya wasn't flavorful at all and got left to the side. The staff were accommodating and did offer to replace the dishes which was great but we decided to just leave instead. We won't be visiting again. read more

I love their frozen strawberry margaritas! Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Favorites include Blacken Salmon/Chicken and Chimichurri Steak. read more

Jose Tejas - Frozen strawberry margarita - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Iselin, New Jersey

I love coming here! The food is great! My kids love the food and my son is picky! If you go early or late there is barely a wait! read more

Jose Tejas - Burros! Its so delish! My favorite! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Iselin, New Jersey

One of my all time favorite places in New Jersey. The margaritas are great, food is good(limited vegetarian options though). I just wish the wait wasn't so bad but it's totally worth it. Tip- you can sit at the bar while waiting and even order food there itself ! My friends and I usually just end up eating at the bar instead of waiting hours. So unless you're really inclined towards tables this can save a ton of time .. read more

Food and drinks are always delicious. Be patient because there is usually a long wait time.

Pretty good Mexican food. It always packed and busy. Coronas are fresh! They usually get the food out super fast. I go off peak hours. I can't really find a reason to complain. Not crazy about the Jalea. I'm not really sure what it's supposed to taste like but It taste like dirty rice. Maybe that's just a me thing. You can tell they just flip tables. ( get people in and out ) I'm cool with that as long as my food comes out. I don't need a show or a jester waiter. Im happy with a subtle and brief greet. A few minutes later my food is in front of me. I've never left unhappy. read more

I've been coming here for 30 years. Jose's was my favorite restaurant on the planet. Was. The menu is now significantly smaller and they removed all of my favorite dishes. No more chicken Guadalajara or seafood enchiladas. Unfortunately, won't be back. End of an era. read more

Went with my girlfriend last Sunday. Had to wait in the car until texted. About 30-40 minutes, no problem. Very tasty food. Good drinks and reasonably priced. How did I not know about this place. Our new go to spot. read more

Love everything (food, drinks, price and atmosphere), but the wait and the wait is definitely worth it. Jose never disappoints.

I give it a star for the lack of friendliness at the front Just because your busy - does not mean you can't show some patronage read more

I have been known to drive the half hour to this place more than once a week Great staff good food good drinks Worth the wait for a table read more

So popular place! The turn over of the food is great here! Always full of people, which means food is very fresh! Nice portions and really really good prices! Margaritas are always tasty and strong! Very informal place. read more

Came here while I was traveling for work and after finding this place on yelp. After waiting 30 minutes on a Tuesday I was really expecting some spectacular Mexican food. Their freshly squeezed lemonade was AMAZING and I like how there are free refills. Their chips are also nice and warm, but their salsa left much to be desired. The entree, however, was sub par. The jambalaya rice was bland and I didn't enjoy my enchiladas at all. The real kicker is that when I asked for their dessert menu, they said they didn't have one. No dessert at a Mexican place? Not my kind of place! read more

Mike the waiter was AWESOME! Very attentive and kind. Great job Mike thank you for you services!!!!!

A couple of my coworkers and I had lunch here. We arrived before noon and were surprised by how packed it already was. I could've made a lunch out of the chips and salsa they brought to the table. At the recommendation of a client, we had the chicken bandera. It has a minor amount of heat (spice) to it, which was good. Unfortunately since it was a working lunch, we couldn't try the margaritas. The staff was friendly. If I was in the area again, I would return. read more

Super packed, the wait is long but the time they tell you is the time it'll take. The food is good, best salsa and best tortillas I've ever had. BUT you can't order food to go. & the management will be unforgiving and give you backwards reasoning for not allowing it. Telling us the food doesn't travel well. Yet they let us bring our leftovers home... very odd. Basically. Bad service. Long wait. In total? I wouldn't say worth it. read more

Staff at the front are rude-specifically the short girl with curly brown hair and highlights. The waiters are overworked and don't really check on you-once they gave the check WITH our food and never came back. Food is on the cheaper side, but very salty. I like the vibe though read more

This place is the best for Tex mex in NJ. Their chips are made fresh, and their salsa is on point. You can not go wrong with any dishes you may order. Go with the burro. It is a massive oven baked enchilada which is fantastic. Everything is melted together and it's awesome. The service is also great. Everyone is more than happy to serve you and the food does not take forever to come. Will be a repeat customer here for years to come. read more

I love this place! Super good food and awesome environment. Only issue is how busy it is. There is always a wait. But that just goes to show how good it is. read more

Jose Tejas is always great, but our server David made the night for us. He was polite, super friendly, gave great recommendations, and made the evening super fun for us. David, you're the man bro! read more

Read many reviews & knew I had to go! It is true what they say- easy to miss & very packed! I went for lunch by myself while on business & found one seat at the bar. I only wanted something small and quick because I wanted to return for dinner that night. I usually never order chicken, but one of the patrons leaving recommended the blackened chicken tenders. I ordred them & they were really good. They were spicy so if you tend to not like food with a kick, pick something else. Sad to say I never made it back for dinner & am really regretting it. Would love to return to the area just to have dinner here! read more

This is a great Mexican restaurant. The salsa and chips are always delicious, the food options are a mix of authentic Mexican and chain restaurant Mexican to satisfy every appetite. The margaritas are also out of this world. The only complaint I have about Tejas is that they do not do takeout orders. I work very close to here, and we would definitely order takeout at least once a month if not more. Be prepared to wait if you go during dinner time on a weekend. It's insanely popular and the bar area fills up fast, too. read more

I looooooove Jose Tejas! Be warned... There will ALWAYS be a line out the door... Monday-Sunday. That should be a good indication of how great this place is. Worth the wait. My favorite dish is the steak chimichuri. I had to deduct a star because the last time I was there I was informed that they no longer carry Patron and now Avion is their top shelf tequila of choice. I'm sorry. Avion is not worth the up charge. #teampatron read more

Blackened Chicken Fajita. If you've ever been there, then you know. If you haven't, go get cha some! Best fajitas I've ever had and probably will ever have. read more

Love this place. I stay too close to Jose Texas however due to the wait times I tend to not go often. Love the food and keep coming a few times a year. read more

You can never go wrong with Tejas. I love the whole menu and the server named Mark is an exceptional worker!

This restaurant is near impossible to get into. There is always a huge wait. My friends and I went on a Friday night and the wait was two hours, so we left. I returned a few weeks later on a Saturday afternoon around 1 for lunch, and there was no wait, but it was very crowded. This place has a big bar and looks like a fun place to come at night. The chips and salsa are yummy, and I had a cheese quesadilla, which was also pretty good. My friends had chicken quesadillas, which they also liked. I'd like to come back, but you definitely need to come at an off time or be prepared to wait. read more

Love this place!!!! Fabulous food and a festive atmosphere! There is always a wait on the weekend, but yes it is totally worth the hour wait. The crawfish bites and cajan popcorn are very tasty so is everything on the menu. They also have really good hurricanes, margaritas,and sangria. If you have never been here you must try it once, and then you'll be hooked. read more

Very delicious. I would not wait 45 minutes like I often hear people do, but if you can get in and get seated, it is a great experience. The drinks were good, prices moderate and the food came quickly with great service and quality. This place is very busy, which can be a good sign but I did not think it was THAT amazing to wait around the corner like I have seen people do. Good place for casual dates and I saw a lot of families there as well. I would go back. read more

Long waits but that's because the food is so darn good, its understandably busy. Totally worth the wait.