Coming from Texas , I can say that I truly understand really great Mexican cuisine. In the Columbia SC area, there are just a few restaurants that mimic what you would find in Mexico. San Jose has a good selection of foods and have tailored their menu to the local clientele with US menu items along side traditional Mexican dishes. The food prices are consistent with local area, but expect to pay higher than normal prices for the beer, wine and alcohol selections. read more

Great food ! Chips and salsa were delicious Casada Mexicana was excellent and you get two in the order. Great value Highly recommend read more

A favorite of ours. Fast and friendly service. Food and drinks are always good. We'll be back for sure!

Always friendly, always fast, always good food and cold beer, ha ha ha! Definitely one of my favorite Mexican restaurants.

I came here because I was craving a margarita and did they deliver?! The drink was strong I could barely taste the mango which was a good thing. The chips and salsa were good but chips didn't taste fresh. I had the chimichanga with chicken and rive instead of beans. Omg it was so amazing I ate everything. The waiter was quick and very helpful when ordering the drinks and food. We went at 9 which was about a hour until they closed but the still served us as if nothing was going on read more

We've been here before and we were pretty much HAPPY with the place. Not so this time. The food was edible but EVERYTHING tasted the same. I think somebody forgot the seasonings (and their taste buds). Service was mediocre - not outstanding but acceptable. We both felt the waiter's beard was going to be found in our food at any minute. I don't recommend the place. Ambiance was killer - killed my hearing that is. So loud we couldn't hear our thoughts. read more

Love this Mexican restaurant, good quality food , great service and the portions are huge

It's ok. Clean dining area. Basic Mexican food. Check out is slow at times. Staff ok. Prices reasonable

Came here for a last minute dinner and was pleasantly surprised. First off, I appreciated how diligent they were about following precautions: the staff was wearing masks, there was hand sanitizer available, and they'd closed off every other table and booth indoors to keep distance. The staff was quick and kind, which is always appreciated. The food was yummy! My friends got different types of fajitas, which were generous portions. I got the street tacos, and they were authentic. For appetizers, we got the queso dip with refried beans and chunky guacamole--and we blew right through both in addition to the house provided salsa and chips. Overall, would recommend this as a pretty authentic Mexican restaurant in small town. read more

Our second home for dinner. Never had a bad meal. Giant margaritas. Food is always amazing. Date night destination for us

Loved this restaurant ! The food was soooo good. All the way down to the traditional chips & salsa. We had the nachos with beef & two orders of street tacos! Delicious ! I'm not gonna lie the workers there didn't seem too happy but it may have just been a bad day, ya never know. They were still trying though. But our server Fernando was great! Cup never went dry and everything came out in a timely manner plus he was just super friendly & gave great customer service. Overall would definitely recommend going. read more

The last few times we've eaten here, we got sick. Quality and sanitation need work. 3 different orders, chicken, steak, and burrito and they all got us sick. read more

On this day, Tuesday 14 March 2023, I had the best Chorizo Chicken that I've ever had. We lived 5 years in Texas, in Arizona for a while, and all over the USA. My compliments to the chef, I have a new favorite read more

I don't usually write negative reviews, but this restaurant was seriously lacking. Our server was short with us and seemed to be in a huge rush. The pink lemonade must have been mixed with some sparkling soda of some kind with a weird melon flavor, it was so off-putting that my kids wouldn't even drink it. The food was very salty and dry. The chips and salsa were good though... All in all, we will not be returning. read more

Amazing food!! Best guacamole and salsa I've had here in South Carolina. Fast service so fast I didn't even notice him grab our glasses for a refill! Beautiful decor too! Highly recommend. read more

Great family restaurant. Food is always hot, fresh, and fasts. The staff is alway friendly. Relaxed atmosphere.

The food is good,service is great unless you call for takeout then they never answer the phone, love the decor in the restaurant!

Enjoyed my meal "Parrillada", sophisticated blend of seasonings for this type of cuisine and of course it's location. Lots of flavor. I am only giving four stars because I would have appreciated if the server was a little bit more attentive. read more

San Jose Mexican Restaurant - Parrillada - Mexican Near Me - Elgin, South Carolina

I must say I am not usually a fan of San Jose restaurants. I've been to two others here in Cola and I vowed never to return. The food is just so-so, not very authentic, and the margaritas have been terrible. BUT, I've had a friend recently tell me that this San Jose is different than the others. I've also heard it from a Yelper message on one of my previous reviews of a Mexican restaurant. So I told my wife last Friday that we should try this one out in Elgin. Got there about 6:30 and it was packed. Nice outdoor seating area also. They said it'd be about a 15 minute wait so we had a seat at the bar. We decided that we'd try a Margarita, since we hadn't had one in about a year. The bartender asked what size, 8, 12 or 24 oz. We were going to go with the medium and he said they were $10 each and that a pitcher was $17.95. Well, we ordered a pitcher! He brought us out two glasses half full of Margarita and a full (I must say quite large) pitcher. We were seated shortly and had a hard choice in deciding what to order. We usually order burritos and tacos or something typical. The waitress and bartender recommended the Pollo Loco or the Chori Pollo. My wife took the Loco and I ordered the Chor Pollo (Chorizo/Chicken). They were both excellent. My chicken was chopped in bite size pieces and had hot tortilla's for wrapping. I'd order it again anytime. The also brought out a large bowl of salsa (which we excellent) along with chips (also good). I must say we were both surprised at how good everything was. Service was good, Margarita's were good (and this good review is not because I was heavily influenced by drinking a pitcher of margaritas!). I'd highly recommend this San Jose. However, I don't think the two of us will order a pitcher of margaritas just for us the next time we visit. I'd almost consider giving it 5 stars, but figure I'd hold off (since I don't think they had tortas on the menu). It may not be as authentic as Real Mexico, but it's very good. read more

Great staff solid dependable food every time. Chips and salsa (gratuitous) GOOD. No IPA on tap or can :( but decent (cheap) good beer nonetheless. Our go to spot read more

This is a chain across Columbia! I typically order my food to go. Occasionally I have issues getting the restaurant on the phone to place an order which is a pain but when I do, my food is usually ready very fast and taste great. It's always packed when I pick up. I love the queso and can eat a cup by myself. read more

Awesome, authentic Mexican. Great margaritas!! It tends to be really loud inside, but that's because so many people love going there!

I'll be back and I expect I will up my review rating. What is up with this part of the country and shoving ground beef all up in my sweet chile rellenos? I'm over it. And this place does it too. Good salsa and fresh warm chips. Full bar in the background, though I didn't partake. My husband loved his tacos al pastor and they did look pretty--especially since they give you doubles on corn tortillas. Muy authentico. I had... something that wasn't memorable. But it's close enough to our (new) crib, cute enough interior, with decent service. We'll undoubtedly be back. I just gotta find the right thing on the menu. read more

See all

Food is a little in the pricier side, but they food is good and they have great salsa. Service is somewhat unwelcoming, but other than that it's good read more

Super good food and good customer service, will definitely come back!!!!!!!! Bendiciones read more

Excellent place to visit if you're interested in tasting authentic Mexican dishes. I highly recommend to others. read more

San Jose Mexican Restaurant - Ambiance is quiet but the place is hopping with patrons. - Mexican Near Me - Elgin, South Carolina

Very very good Mexican food. We are from California and found the food to be fresh and authentic. Salsa excellent, chicken enchiladas and combo fajitas all top notch. Pleasantly surprised. Staff and prices on point as well read more

My favorite restaurant In Elgin! Great staff and amazing food hands down the best salsa

The food was great and it was fast but the hostess was very rude and was on her phone the whole time. When we walked out we said goodbye and have a nice day but they continued to type on their phone and never looked up or said anything. Very unprofessional! read more

Absolutely love this place busy or not. I've never had bad service or a bad margarita. Thursday are my favorite because it 5 dollar margarita night but if you come on Thursday be prepared to wait... read more

She said..." I've been to a bunch of San Jose's in Columbia, but this one is probably the cleanest/nicest I've been to. The restaurant itself is very clean and trendy...it seems new too. The staff is very quick and nice to serve you. This place is really cheap for lunch, my fiancé and I ate there for lunch and only spent 9$ for the both of us. The food was good, I would definitely come back to this place." He said..."Lunch for two for 9 bucks...only in Elgin SC will you find that. I'm not a fan of Mexican food so I always order chicken enchiladas and rice. At least this chicken didn't smell like cat food like the one in Starke, FL did. So for a cheap meal go here, its fast and not that bad." read more

This place had been built up for quite some time so I was looking forward to finally trying it. Not. Disappointed. The queso was delicious. Period. I ordered the steak/chicken fajitas and left stuffed. There was a solid helping of melted cheese on top of the fajitas. Three tortilla shells were enough to make me happy. San Jose lived up to the hype! read more

Best soup I've had. I have had the quesadillas normally. Staff is quick and always stop in everytime I'm in town! read more

San Jose Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Elgin, South Carolina

Used to love this place, but over the past few years, the service has really been horrible. Rude waiters and over salted food is what you can expect anymore. read more

My order was incorrect. I called, and in a rush the guy who I spoke wirh said let them know I called and would get the item free that was incorrect. Less than 2 weeks later the aragant and RUDE staff said that made no sense, i could not remember name so he just looked at me like I was an idiot...did not apologize for the misunderstanding, just basically ignored me. So I paid for my food and will NEVER GO BACK. San Jose in Lugoff has always been better and more customer service driven and the food is better anyway. I would suggest anyone should go there over Elgin. read more

This is my Tuesday night margarita place. Chips are warm, good salsa, queso is off the hook. Hate their tacos, made from some soggy weird flour thing lol. Mexican cheesesteak is my all time favorite, (not helping me loose weight here.) All around descent food tho. Waiters, eh, depends who you get but nobody sucks at it. Some get distracted a bit more easy than others. I still love coming here regardless. Never had a "bad" experience. read more

Always friendly, fast and HOT food every time! I find myself craving what I ordered the last time it's that good!

Best Tex mex in Columbia Metro Region. Worth the drive from anywhere. I have tried half the menu and there isn't anything I wouldn't recommend. read more

The salsa, quality & amount of food is amazing 70% of the time, the other 30% it's as if something drastically changes and the quality is gone. More consistency would be great. read more

San Jose in elgin has the worst service I've ever seen. I gave the waiter my card & he gave me back a receipt with $16 and some change, I signed it and left. I check my bank account later the next day, it says $41! I go up there to try to fix the problem and instead the manager acts like it's my job to fix it myself. I can assure you I did not spend $41 on one person and not understanding how I received a receipt with the correct amount and then a very different amount on my bank statement. Maybe you thought I wouldn't notice you triple charged me, but you tried it on the wrong one. I am a broke college student I would notice if $3 went missing. read more