Taqueria San Jose is back! I am not sure if it's the same owners or the same family, but everything is just as good as before. We had a group of 7 people stop by for lunch recently and I loved the food. There are a few small tables inside, but the majority of their seating is outside. Luckily it's all shaded and we were able to get one of the large picnic tables, but many people opt for takeout. I ordered an asada quesadilla and the table shared some chips, guacamole, and queso. I loved the queso as it was smooth and creamy, and the guac was chunky which most people at our table enjoyed. Some of the chips seemed a tad stale, but I was holding out for my main event: the quesadilla. It's a large size, and comes with tomato and shredded lettuce inside. The lettuce makes it a bit tough to eat, but it was so delicious. I had plenty of leftovers, too. The steak was flavorful and tender. I added some of the hot sauce which gave it the perfect kick of heat. I tried some of Nate's barbacoa taco, which was just as I remembered, super flavorful and tender. The only thing I didn't love was the horchata - it had a chalky texture and a bit of a weird taste to me. The large is huge! The jamaica was also sweeter than I would like, but still refreshing. read more

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The tacos. Get them and you won't regret it. Quick service, kind staff, and a fun little drive in vibe. The barbacoa taco and the asada taco were my faves. The guac was also veryyy fresh and yummy. One of the best taco spots in GR for sure! read more

One of the best spots in GR! The owners, workers, and cooks are so sweet and continuously checked in to see if we needed anything. The barbacoa tacos are my favorite. The meat is so juicy and flavorful, I could easily just eat it on my own. Their California burrito also had the perfect ratio of ingredients where I feel like ever bite was the perfect bite. The prices are really affordable also! It feels very homey when you go and eat inside because you can tell how much everyone cares about the restaurant and their food. Lots of parking also so you never have to worry about that. Highly recommend! read more

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Excellent tacos & very friendly staff. Outstanding guacamole! We will definitely be eating there again.

They're back baby! The original owners reopened and their amazing food is again available. We enjoyed our tacos they were as good as I remembered! read more

Taqueria San Jose - Lengua, barbacoa and tripe - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Randomly walked by on a rainy day 3 tacos de res(beef),2 tacos de pollo Food and sauces were amazing, 10/10 this visit Chill service, chill atmosphere read more

Taqueria San Jose - 3 tacos de res(beef), 2 tacos de pollo(chicken) literally walking by on rainy day Food and sauces were amazing 10/10 on this visit - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I'm so happy that the original owner and chef are back after three years of trying other places without success. The tacos are made with double tortillas and the standard size (El Milagro, the best), with good portions of meat and lots of flavor. You can choose takeout or eat there. Stop by and try it -- I know it looks like a small place, but the food is fantastic! read more

Taqueria San Jose - Four tacos - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Wow, this place is highly rated for a reason! The food is excellent and authentic, and the prices are very reasonable. Dining is fun - outdoors under an old A&W type drive-in overhang. We've eaten here twice and will definitely be back many times. read more

This is the best Mexican restaurant I've ate at in the US. Everything is hand made here. I ordered home made chips, guacamole, tacos and all were amazing and super authentic. read more

The food at Taqueria San Jose is exactly as we remembered it! It was such a sad day for many of us Grand Rapidians (inclusive of all neighborhood!), when they decided to move up North! What a wonderful day it was when my hubby saw that they had returned we decided to make sure we were going to go there this week! It was EXCELLENT! I got the Barbacoa Burrito & hubby got the Steak Burrito. To me & the hubby, the food tasted just like it did when last they were here in town! Their Salsa was also terrific! We also each got a Pork Tamale which was also out of this world!! Masa was flavorful and the filling tasted like a long lost memory! I could only manage a bite because I was too full, but I completely concur!! While hubby was waiting for our take out, he chatted with the owners, who were very happy to be back and we're equally delighted that they're back, too! I can't wait to go back and grab a Horchata & try their other wonderful products! It's all so good! I must add that the place looked & smelled just like it always did, and it was such a pleasure to see their smiling faces behind the counter once again!! read more

Ok, but not as good as they used to be before they closed a few years ago. The carne asada taco was fine, but they didn't taste like the steak was char-broiled like in the past. I tried the burritos twice. First time ordered california chicken burrito to go and found out I got steak instead. They grilled it in oil on the flat top, and it turned out soggy. Ordered the chicken the second time and asked for no oil on the grill, which they did, however they didn't drain the chicken when adding it to the burrito, making it a wet mess. The guy cooking looks like he's about 15, not to say a 15 year old can't prepare food, but it wasn't great on either occasion. Hope they can improve and wish them the best. read more

SERVICE: 5 FOOD QUALITY: 4 DRINK QUALITY: N/A ORDER TIME: 3 AESTHETICS: 3 NOISE LEVEL: 5 MENU SELECTION: 5 OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 4.16 I had high hopes for this place after reading many reviews for the authenticity of their tacos, but I was a little let down. The meat was very oily, which I find to be a common thing in Grand Rapids. The food wasn't bad, but I tend to compare my Mexican food to southern Californias. The service was wonderful, and the woman at the window was very nice. The order time was not as wonderful. It took us over 30 mins to get our food for a fast food drive up restaurant. If you're in the area it's worth the stop. Overall I find this place to be better than a lot of others I have tried, and while I don't personally think it's the best thing to offer Grand Rapids, many others do. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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I love everything about Taqueria San Jose. Tiny little eatery with a family that is friendly. Our favorite thing to get are tacos, LOTS OF TACOS! They're authentic and delicious. We have also had a burrito that didn't disappoint and a torta which was also outstanding. When you go, order 1 taco of each kind of meat, that might be like 6-8 tacos, but who's counting? All drinks are bottled and no refills, no biggy. Pre-Covid there were about 4 tables inside to eat at. Now you can not go inside to eat or order. It's located at an old drive in which I think is really cool. You can choose to eat at one of their picnic tables or in your car. I highly recommend eating at Taqueria. read more

When I lived in Mexico, my host family used to do goat tacos every Sunday. Goat is, unfortunately, pretty hard to find in the US--trust me, I've been looking. I appreciate the fact Taqueria San Jose has goat on the menu every day! This made me very happy. I ordered chips and salsa and it was not the best salsa and not the best chips. Order another side if you are wanting one. I thought the corn tortillas used for the tacos were some of the best I have had, and they were grilled to perfection. The goat was very greasy...I've never had an issue like that. But it was goat so I got over it, let's be honest! The bottles of salsa that came along with the tacos (I dined in) were nothing to write home about. I also like heat and spice, and there was no heat or spice to be found in these salsas. I will definitely be back if in GR for the goat. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I love that the tacos come with cilantro, onion and lime - not to mention 2 types of delicious salsa! I had 2 al pastor and 1 Barbacoa. I could have probably eaten 2 and be satisfied. My husband had the asada. We didn't get any guacamole this time but had it last week and it is also delicious! The outside of the building is reminiscent of an old drive up ice cream shop. You go inside to order and it takes maybe 7 minutes? If you are looking for some cheap eats - this is the spot! Most of the tacos are 1.99 and "special" tacos like lengua (tongue) are something like 2.50. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Taqueria San Jose is now closed and under new management. Now it's called Tacos Yanga. Just as good as before. read more

Came here for lunch on a Monday afternoon. The place was pretty busy but we placed our orders to go within about 5 minutes. I ordered 5 tacos (2 steak, 2 chorizo, 1 chicken). I also got chips and salsa. Yes I eat a lot. Our food came out in about 10-15 mins and we took it to go. All of the tacos were really good!! The cilantro and onion was fresh, the meats were juicy, the tortillas were flavorful, overall excellent tacos. The chips actually surprised me a lot. When you order chips and salsa, you usually don't have crazy expectations, but these chips were so tasty. The salsa was a little watery and nothing special so I actually ended up just eating the chips by themselves. The price for all my food was not bad at all, especially for how good it was. I'm not in the area often, but if I was, I'd be back here for sure. I definitely recommend this place! read more

My first time at taqueria San Jose was last week, when I decided to order takeout. We had a relatively small order, only 2 fish tacos, 2 al pastor tacos, and 2 sides of rice and beans. The order was ready when I got there, and the staff seemed busy but nice. The fish taco didn't have a lot of fish in it, but it was pretty good with good quality corn tortillas and went well with the salsa verde that was provided. The al pastor taco was the better of the two in my opinion, as it had more filling and a more distinct taste. The tacos were reasonably priced, but higher than what online searches revealed to me before ordering (they recently increased prices on the menu on their wall). The rice and beans were pretty good, although I've had better Spanish rice and the beans would've been much better with some queso fresco. Overall, Taqueria San Jose is a great local and authentic Mexican restaurant. I look forward to trying more of their many taco types in the future! read more

Taqueria San Jose - Al pastor taco - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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This place is five stars all the way. It's a total hole in the wall, but don't let that stop you. The guacamole is freshly made (the chips are nothing special, I just ate it straight out of the bowl with a spoon!) I ordered three tacos; Shredded Beef, Marinated Pork and Steak. So freakin' good. Even the tortilla was delicious. The outdoor seating is very retro 50's (not on purpose. That's the best part. It just is!) If you love tacos auténticos, put this spot on your list. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Shredded Beef, Steak and Marinated Pork Tacos. And some guacamole on the side! Delish!! - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

First off, the passive aggressive signs on the ordering window are hysterical (and mostly to ward off rude customers who think they can treat restaurant workers like garbage). One of the few places I know of here that actually has cactus tacos, and authentic ones at that. They don't have sides of grilled onions, just jalapenos, but a good mixture of 7 goat/barbacoa/fish/other tacos and a horchata will prepare you for a great nap afterwards. read more

Visited with a friend of mine who is bold enough to try new foods lol....I'm still on the hunt for great authentic food in GR. Coming from Miami, it's been a bit of a challenge, but I won't give up! We pulled up to the "shack", yup don't be fooled though. The ingredients were fresh, flavors were great and the service was just down to Earth and chill. All smiles when I placed my order, and I even joked around with our different Mexican/Cuban dialects. My friend ordered the asada (steak) and I started with chicken, just to sample and see if I can go in on these $2.99 tacos. Wow! I was so happy, I think I almost cried lol.....see tacos are one of my favorites, but the real thing, not what you get at "Chipotle" :/....I ordered 3 more, carne ripiada, pollo, and asada. I also added the grilled pepper which was spicy but not overwhelming. The sauces are all spicy, but not overpowering ( warning I do enjoy spicy food). They use two corn taco tortillas because they fill them up with lots of meat and toppings (cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes). One tip: ask for the extra toppings, otherwise you're just getting onions and cilantro. My only dislike would be that the tacos shells are too greasy. I'm not sure if it's because they grill them with oil or if it's from the meat. I'll be back to try their taco de lengua and their burrito ! SYOY! read more

Taqueria San Jose - Tacos de pollo, asado, y carne ripiada. - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids did not disappoint this weekend. Hands down the best tacos in the city. I loved the steak tacos and added onions and cilantro but the chorizo taco was the most flavorful and my wife and I's favorite. double corn crispy soft shells and the salsa was amazing. Lovely night sitting outside under their covered area enjoying tacos and guacamole. It's a must try if you're ever in Grand Rapids. read more

This was a great stop for great street style Mexican food! Carne asada tacos-great (not the best I've had but really good) Carne Asada quesadilla- delicious Barbacoa taco-delicious read more

Yes, so I'm not from here but my friend was raving about this place so we had to check it out. Let me tell you their tacos are delicious along with their guava margaritas! The al pastor was super yummy and very moist, I think about these tacos a lot so next time I'm back at Grand Rapids I will have to come back for more! Check it out, it's a cute quaint place and there are out door seatings! read more

Taqueria San Jose - Al pastor - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

This place is the epitome of street food. No doubt that this was once (a very long time ago) a drive-in restaurant, with just a few tables lined up under the long awning, and a few tables in the small building where you order your food. There are very few comforts here. Seriously, think street food. But there is a reason the line is out the door! We were a big group and ordered a lot of items from the menu. The guacamole and salsa are exceptional! We really liked the burritos, the quesadillas (which were huge!), and the tacos. My very favorite - the taco that is calling me back - is the spicy chicharrone. Mind-blowing good! It is truly spicy and not for the faint of heart. My soon to be son-in-law is from Texas, and declared that this was as close to the food he gets "at home" as he has found on Michigan. The barbacoa taco was his favorite. The only decention was the horchata. Half loved the level of cinnamon, half thought it was overwhelming. I didn't mind it, but there was a lot of cinnamon. This is not a place to come for the atmosphere. A group our size only had a choice of mildly dirty picnic tables on which to eat. I would actually bring a table covering the next time I go. But food is absolutely delicious and the staff is really lovely. read more

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This place is still the ultimate taco spot in GR. Unfortunately, they are horrible at answering the phone. I tried 3 separate times to call in a take-out order but it would send me straight to a full voicemail. The wait was pretty long once we arrived ~30ish minutes, but SO WORTH IT. Chorizo tacos are still my fav and I will continue to come here every time I need tacos read more

Taqueria San Jose - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Some of the best tacos I've had!!! Just as good (if not better) as the taquerias in Chicago. I'm in GR for the weekend and saw this place on Yelp. If it's getting a solid 5 stars, then it must be good. And it really was. Thanks Yelpers! I love taquerias that offer more than just steak and chicken and San Jose has just that. I got the goat, steak, tripe, and chorizo. As much as I love me some good Mexican steak, the goat and tripe tacos stole the show here. The tacos are served the way they're supposed to- with just onions and cilantro. My mouth is salivating as I'm remembering the deliciousness. The waitress (also the cashier) suggested the orange colored sauce with the goat. It was a great combo, but beware. It was very hot! I prefer the more mild taste of the other sauces. However, all the sauces were good and tasted home made. You can really taste the love that was put into each taco. The exterior isn't the most inviting, but isn't what's inside that counts?? The owner came out to say hi and ask us how we liked the food and to invite us back again. If I'm ever in Grand Rapids or passing by, I will definitely come back! For you locals, please support this amazing little taqueria. read more

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Great street tacos served in an abandoned Root Beer Stand-kind of structure. For reasons beyond understanding, this is the highest rated Grand Rapids restaurant on Yelp. It's good, but it's not the greatest thing ever. When you roll up, the building itself looks seriously run-down. With Mexican or BBQ joints, that's often a sign of quality. Don't ask me why. If you eat here, you'll likely sit outside. As we did, we were swarmed by bees. Not the most inviting situation. The tacos themselves are pretty awesome. I had barbacoa, asada (steak) and pollo (chicken). Each was simply adorned with cilantro and onions. I splashed on some salsa from the squeeze bottles and that made each taco pop. Without the salsa, they were mostly kind of dry. Chicken was my favorite. If you're looking for a simple, tasty meal, Taqueria San Jose can hit the spot. It's not gourmet and it's not the place you'd take a date, but it's darn tasty. read more

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This review is based on a single visit on what probably wasn't their best day. They were making something like 200 tacos for some event, so they were *only* making tacos. They don't tell you that until you get to the counter, so you wait in line and then find out afterwards that you can only order tacos. Good job, guys. How about a sign at the entrance? And something bigger than you posted? Also, how does this make sense? If someone needs 200 tacos, you can't make a burrito? On top of that, our two single orders of tacos took quite a while to be made. Another thing that makes no sense. There's plenty of room on that grill. Using space to make a few tacos for us is the way to go. If you can't serve customers until your large order is done, then close the door and reopen an hour later. And then our table had no napkins. Look, the food was...OK. I mean, this sort of "authentic Mexican", at the end of the day, is nothing special. Every "authentic" place tastes basically the same. So, as far as tacos go, if you want authentic Californian Mexican, this place seems good enough, based on our one visit. But seriously guys, you need to get your act together. I have no desire to come back, other than the fact that I actually wanted to try your burritos. I dunno. If you're in town from California, give this place a shot, I guess. It's certainly dirty and shifty enough to be just like what you're used to at home. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Menu from September 2019 - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

The tacos were "muy delicioso". I got the shredded beef, steak and marinated pork. Out of the three my favorite was the shredded beef, I'd definitely recommend! Also, they had the Coca Cola from Mexico with actual REAL sugar, always a plus! This restaurant is very small and only has a few tables inside. The best time to go would probably be during the summer since they have a lot more dining space outside. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great food! Large portions and wonderful staff make this a great hide away in Edmore!

This is one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever been to. The people you're very nice they have a very good selection of food. I had the beef tacos and a pork taco. The paper that they serve with his hot. So beware of bitting into it. It's very good though. I cut some up and put it on my taco. Go here people and eat read more

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Yes, yes, YES!! They are by far one of the best hole in the wall Mexican food places I've have ever been! I wouldn't recommend going eeeveryday because of how greasy and VERY unhealthy it but on a day where you need to treat yourself!! read more

Some of the best tacos I've eaten in MI. Def a hole in the wall place. Love the asada, tongue and pork skin taco. House made hot sauce is great. Will come back! Service is just okay, not the most friendly people. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Small little taqueria that always has their Christmas decorations. I love their tacos, tortas, tamales de pollo and horchatas! The service is very nice and they even put Univision (TV channel in Spanish) which was great to watch novelas while eating tacos. They also have seating outside and overall always had a good experience. read more

We made a stop for tacos to this little tiny shack on the way to the zoo. The inside was cramped, hot and a little bit messy. You walk up to a window cutout from the kitchen to order. Then they bring your food out to you, whether you sit inside or outside. They did have a couple bottles of hot sauce available to you as well. There is very little seating inside (I think there were 2 tables), but plenty of outdoor seating, which is also covered. The place doesn't look that inviting from the street, but it was worth a shot! Between the 2 of us, we tried the chorizo, pork, steak and cactus tacos. The steak and the cactus tacos were excellent. The pork was very dry and the chorizo was just okay. They come with standard raw onions and cilantro on them. The double corn tortillas were AMAZING. They weren't soggy, they didnt fall apart, and the edges were crispy! So great. The only beverages that I saw for sale were the Mexican soda's that come in a glass bottle. I would be interested to try other food from their menu. read more

You're going to get the full taqueria experience here! First, you get to glide your car into one of many parking spots of an old school drive-in restaurant. Next, you have to make the tough decision on what kind of taco to get, all of which comes with fresh cilantro, lime and 2 tortillas. If you're a carnivore, I recommend the goat which has some amazing flavor but watch out for those bones! On a hot day, there is nothing better than the great selection of Jarritos with everything from tamarind to guava. Or, get some of the rice-a-licious horchata! You can dine inside or out. Both have booths but only inside will you find a television with the latest telenovelas and a poster of Pope Francis. It doesn't get any more authentic than this! read more

Taqueria San Jose - A true Mexican taqueria experience: tacos loaded with flavor (cilantro & limón), Jarritos, telenovelas in the background & Papa Francisco. - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Easily the best Mexican food in Grand Rapids! If you like Mexican, but it's really the cheese that you love, don't come here. If you like authentic cuisine, and an authentic atmosphere, this is your place. Have you ever heard that you can tell that a place is a gem, simply by looking at how the menu is displayed? Check. Whenever I visit, the clientele is from numerous races, speaking numerous languages, and I imagine, spending from wallets of varying sizes. To me, restaurants like this are extremely hard to find, and are usually gems. No exception here! Undecided on what to order? I've tried nearly everything, and the barbacoa burrito is probably my favorite. read more

Taqueria San Jose - Cute, clean, and quaint. - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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The best taco place in Grand Rapids hands down! Not to create a taco war, but how can you not love their al pastor (marinated pork) and chincharron (pork crackling) tacos! Specialty tacos like cactus or tongue also occasionally available. Yummy homemade verde and roja salsas in little plastic containers are given to you with takeout orders. Service is simple and fast. They have a great old school drive-in to sit at in front of the restaurant itself. You can call ahead for your takeout if you don't want to wait, as the indoor space is somewhat small. It's hard not to avoid letting your mouth water thinking about this place. read more

First time going here and we are NOT disappointed! The taco place we usually go to is about 30 minutes away and for a 14 minute drive for the same amazing quality and service it's a 10/10 from me. I got 2 pollo tacos, and 1 barbacoa taco. My husband got 2 al pastor tacos and a al pastor torta, and The salsa verde complements everything. We Also got some horchata and a jarrito. Everything was DELICIOUS. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone read more

Taqueria San Jose - 2 tacos de pollo, 1 taco de barbacoa - Mexican Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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