Chez Jose' East

Oh god. Why anyone would want to return to this place multiple times is completely beyond me. I have been to this location twice. The first time the food was bland, not hot, just overall not good mexican food. not good food at all really. I decided to give them a second chance... but... nope... same deal. Overpriced, bland, food. I highly encourage the proprietors of Chez Jose to invest in some spices and a competent cook. If you want good mexican food, check out Taqueria Los Gorditos. Chez Jose could learn a thing or two or three or . . . Pros: hmm... let's see... none that i can think of Cons: stupid name, overpriced, bland food,worse than taco bell more

Having only lived in Portland 21 months, there are many restaurants to explore without returning to ones I have already been to. Chez Jose is my exception - I have returned at least once a month because the dining experience is so rewarding. This last time, I took a friend who excitedly told me about coming to Chez Jose at least once a week for many years when she lived a few blocks away. And the day we were there, they had just re-hung their newly refurbished ""Cowboy In The Cadillac,"" three dimensional sign in the patio for the enjoyment of the alfresco dining crowd. My friend was thrilled to see the iconic Cowboy was back after being away for so long! We barely had time to applaud the Cowboy at our patio dining spot when our Cadillac and Strawberry margaritas were placed in front of us so we could toast him! We thoroughly enjoyed an appetizer of taquitos with guacamole - very tastey with margaritas. Our delicious meals arrived very shortly after we finished our appetizers. My friend ordered the grilled prawns and vegetable quesadilla with honey chipotle sauce - her favorite from years before - cooked to perfection. Really missing TexMex food (moved here from Texas) I ordered the crunchy beef tacos - which were seasoned exceptionally well and very satisfying. The rice and beans were BETTER than in Texas. I make a point to always order something I have not previously tried from the menu or one of the specials - my cuisine adventures at Chez Jose have always been delightful. Our wait person was on his toes and engaging at all the right times. And I was so amazed how reasonable our bill was when it arrived, that I treated my friend. As the sun was setting, a light breeze was stirring, and we sat contented with every morsel we consumed and wished we had room for Tres Leche cake and another margarita. Darn! I'll be back! Pros: Outdoor Ambience, Wait Staff, Meal, Drinks, Price Cons: Didn't Have room for dessert! more

So, I felt compelled to write after reading the last couple of reviews. I come here a lot (TRIVIA NIGHT YEAH!) and I have never had a bad experience. The dining room is not for singles or couples without kids though and I do recommend you dine in the bar area if you are allergic to them. Food is cheap and good for what you get, which is A LOT. I take home half my order (that's the problem with free chips). The margaritas are good too. I eat out often and service here is better than most. Fife rules in the bar! Pros: Food and margaritas Cons: KIDS more

Even the water tasted bad at this hole. Let's get the most important thing out of the way here: there was what tasted like a cleaning chemical of some sort IN OUR FOOD. Before we even had a chance to complain, the waitress hurried over and warned us that another table had alerted her to the frightening chemical tasting beans--she told us explicitly not to eat them, but she wouldn't compensate us for the meal... instead we got about $2 off our entire bill. That aside, even the dishes not containing the chemical beans were freakish perversions of mexican food. Both my boyfriend and I grew up close to the border and there's nothing authentic--or even approaching mexican--about the place. We left our uneaten plates in disgust and will never return. You'd be better off at taco bell. Cons: Horrid food, bad service more

We used to go to Chez Jose a lot but hadn't been there in quite some time. So we were surprised last night to see that it's been turned into a day care/restaurant. Many, many kids running around under foot. I assume they were there with their parents but it was hard to tell. The decibel level was unbelievable! I believe there should be kid-friendly restaurants, and I guess this is one now. But there's a difference between a restaurant where families are encouraged to bring their kids and one where they're able to drop kids off to run amok (or so it appears from the non-kids patrons' point of view). I have kids (grown now) and we used to take them out, but if they started getting down and running around, screaming, crying, throwing a fit or exhibiting any bad behavior, I took them to the car to wait it out until they could get it together. It was a good opportunity to teach them about how to behave in public. No such effort was seen from the parents in Chez Jose East last night. Ugh. It doesn't matter what the food is like (I think it was good?) if the ambiance is non-existent, even hostile. Just be aware before coming here expecting a relaxing night out. more

Our overall experience was very poor. We sat in the bar and got drinks fairly quickly, but waited 10-15 minutes for chips, even though 3 bussers were just wandering around. We asked for chips when we where ording our meal and they brought them right away. Our food was good but not amazing. We had to ask for a refill on our chips and for silverware and napkins (necessities when eating, right?) The service wasn't terrible, however we observed 2 other tables getting exceptional service. They were recieving service from the bartender and another waitress. We were right next to them and weren't even acknowledged by the extra server (until she relized we were not happy. She may have been the manager.) Won't go back again...they need some consistancy, so take your chances. Cons: service more

I you like a good laugh, good food and a little mental exercise - check out Chez Jose East on Monday nights. Grab a trivia table and away you go. It was a good time and it's all for fun. more

I like this resteraunt alot. It is casual and VERY kid friendly. If you don't care to be around the kiddies there is a back bar area where you can escape the commotion and ignore the squealing from the adjesent dining room. A flat screen television is always playing the most popular sports game and you can run in and check the score if you've been drawn out on an important sports event. All the food is delicious but my favorite is the lime chicken enchaladas. I highly reccomend this place for families and groups, and even kidless people that have the opportunity to sit in the bar. The specials are always very good. more

Our party of six dined here last night celebrating a friend's 50th birthday. They wanted Mexican food and something reasonably priced so we picked Chez Jose. We all had different types of Margerittas. I had the Cadillac which was good and potent. Their chips are home made and served with two different home made salsas - hot and mild. They are both unique and good. I can see how some people would be disappointed since they aren't traditional but I've been eating their salsa for years and love it. I've never heard anything but good reviews except here. I had a fish taco / squash enchilda combo that was really tasty. Served with black beans and rice, it was really yummy. Everyone was very pleased with their food and the birthday boy who ate Chicken Enchiladas loved them. I'd definitely recommend Chez Jose as a great place to get Mexican food that is a little outside the box. The service was above average. It should be noted that this must be a great place for kids since there seemed to be a lot of families with kids. Pros: Butternut squash enchiladas Cons: A bit hectic with lots of kids more

Chez Jose use to be good but the last two times it's been bad. My food along with the others I was with tasted like it was out of a can and just warmed up. Plus our waiter was creepy. Didn't look like everyone else who works there. Looked like a guy that would be on ""Dateline To Catch A predator."" He also checked on us every 3 minutes to see if we were ready to close out so he could go home. more

I think I can sum my experience up there in one word: meh. If this is what Portland considers Mexican food, then I guess Panda Express is Chinese food. The chips and salsa seemed like ones you could find at Safeway, the guacamole was clearly sitting in a refrigerator until we ordered it (not nearly as fresh as it could/should be), but the margarita was decent. Our dinner came out quickly, which was appreciated, but it was nothing special. As another review said, the enchilada sauce was nothing more than the salsa we just had with our chips. $7.50 for one cheese enchilada, rice, and beans should include at least a different sauce than the one we just had. I think I'll stick to our local burrito place, King Burrito, for a more authentic taste in the future. Pros: Margarita was just okay Cons: Way too pricey for what you get more

Chez Jose has great margaritas (try the special or the blue) and wonderful lime chicken enchiladas. The service has been consistently great over the 7 - 8 times we've been there. I'd also recommend the chili rellenos or the veggie burrito, which are delicious. The best part: you get a heaping basket of chips with both a hot and a cool salsa. The menu has some odd items, including a squash burrito with a peanut sauce - Tex Mex this isn't, thankfully, but then again, why go looking for authentic Mexican flavors in a place called ""Chez"" Jose? Pros: Service, Convenience, Outdoor seating Cons: Can be noisy more

Without a doubt Chez Jose prepares the best lime chicken enchiladas in town. They also make a mean Margarita. Pros: Good Quality food, Inexpensive more

We were lured by the neon Corona signs and the Tex-Mex decor...but this place is not Tex-Mex. It is some weird alien offshoot of Tex Mex. All of the flavors were just wrong. The chili had cloves and cinnamon in it -- disgusting! The beef enchilada had large pieces of stew beef in it, topped by tomato sauce instead of enchilada sauce. (Oddly enough, the ""warm sauce"" served with the chips would have made a great enchilada sauce). Everything was just a bit off, like a Minnesotan's idea of what Tex Mex should taste like. Good service though. Pros: Nice space, Convenient location, Good Service Cons: , Not authentic, Not Tex Mex more

The food is excellent. The salsa though, the warm one... it is beyond excellent! So delicious... yummmm! I recommend it to anyone. Pros: Salsa, Food, Atmosphere Cons: Service Sometimes more

The food at Chez Jose is fantastic!! I had the Lime Chicken enchiladas, and the chicken was cooked perfectly....wonderful texture! Their black beans and rice have a rich flavor, and the chips served with warm salsa were wonderful. The prices are reasonable, and the service was decent. Other than the no free refills, this place is perfect. Pros: Chips & Salsa, Lime Chicken Enchilad, Service Cons: No free refills more

A long time customer of this restaurant, I will never return. My fiance and I were having lunch there for our last time recently due to the worst service I have ever had in any restaurant EVER! When there was an obvious discrepancy on our bill that we asked to be corrected, the server and manager refused. The correction was for 1.50!!! When I asked the manager if she was prepared to loose regular customers over 1.50, she told me I was ridiculous and she didn't care what I did. So, I guess this is what I decided to do. Submit the lowest rating possible. Zero Customer service at this restaurant. Zero. Pros: Salsa & Chips Cons: Poor Service, Poor Service, Cold Food more

The food was amazing. The atmosphere was great. The waiter was very nice. But....no refills on soft drinks?? more

Even if you hate Mexican food you need to go here for the margarita's SO GOOD you will not be sorry....... more

We go to Chez Jose at least once a month and always have excellent service and great food. The Jose Special margueritas are wonderful -- beats Esparzas any day. The wait staff have all been there for the 6 years we've been eating there so you know they're treated right. Try the Lime Chicken Enchiladas! Pros: great food, friendly staff, kid friendly Cons: can get loud more