Chez Jose' East

worst mexican food ever!. 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 . . .…

A Perfect Patio Summer Dining Experience. 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!…

What's not to like?. 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!…

DO NOT EAT HERE - worst experience ever. 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.…