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Jose's
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August 7, 2009 1:25 PM by Jess
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By Amanda Koch
July 2009
Of the Frontpage Milwaukee staff
Restaurant Review
Jose’s Blue Sombrero Restaurant & Cantina
6430 Washington Ave, Racine, WI 53406-3920
(262) 886-5600
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:00am – 10:00pm
Friday – Saturday 11:00am – 11:00pm
Sunday Closed
Cuisine type: MEXICAN
Price per entrée: $8.49-$19.99
Attire: CASUAL
Reservations: NO
Payment: CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
I’m looking to have a fun night out with my friends, but no one has an opinion of what to do or where to go. Where’s an affordable place where we can eat, drink and be wild? For me this is simple! The first thing that comes to my mind is margaritas, guacamole, chips and salsa. What better place to get your fix of all those things at a great price than Jose’s Blue Sombrero Restaurant & Cantina.
Jose’s Blue Sombrero Restaurant & Cantina has two locations, one on Bluemound Road in Brookfield, and the one that I frequent on Washington Avenue in Racine. Your typical Mexican food and beverages are offered here. The décor inside has a Mexican feel with bright flashy colors, and the up beat music makes you want to get up and shake it! Be warned though, this place is busy, with wait times on weekends usually around 45 minutes. It is possible to call ahead and get your name on the list though!
I would eat at Jose’s everyday if I could. The chips and salsa are the best in town, and the guacamole cart that comes to make the guac right next to your table cannot be beat. Though you may have to wait to be seated, the service is fast and your chip basket is never empty.
Some, unique features about Jose’s are the cool decorations that they have. At the Racine location there is a mariachi band made out of metal! In the bathroom they have Spanish lessons running where you can learn useful phrases while using the facilities. Although I already mentioned the guacamole, it is SO worth mentioning again. Hearing the sweet sound of the wheels of the cart bumping over the stone floor makes my mouth water. Jalapenos, onions, avocado, cilantro and tomato make up the mix, the making of which is entertaining to watch, finished off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The location itself of the Racine location is not ideal, nestled between two buildings making it easy to miss. Though there is another Mexican restaurant very close by, Jose’s is the better choice.
Last Tuesday I took a half day off of work to spend some quality time with the fiancé. The minute I walked in the door Andy asked if I’d be interested in going to Jose’s for lunch. I hesitated a moment only because I had plans to go there on Thursday with my girlfriends from work, but of course I said yes. You can never visit Jose’s too often! We arrived at the restaurant at around 1pm. There was a good amount of people in there for it being an odd time and a Tuesday, but we didn’t have to wait to be seated. Andy isn’t a fan of guacamole (even though he’s never tried it) so I knew that unless that was going to be my whole meal that I’d have to wait until Thursday to have that. Andy ordered his usual, the chimichangas with shredded beef, and I tried something new, the taco salad with chicken. I didn’t really care of the lettuce in the salad because it was dipped in some sort of lemon dressing, but the mix of meat, cheese, tomatoes and guacamole was perfect. Andy’s chimichangas were just as good as he remembered, cheese oozing out after the first slice into it. Everything was delicious, and we were out of there in less than 30 minutes.
The service is so speedy here you won’t believe it. Your food will be delivered to your table less than 10 minutes after you order it, no matter how busy the restaurant is. At night there is someone who’s sole purpose is to make sure that your chip basket and salsa bowls are never empty, and with a pitcher of water with glasses on the table before you even sit down, you are never thirsty! The servers are very friendly and even with a casual uniform, they always look presentable. They have knowledge of the menu and how the food is made, and they have no problems customizing dishes. The servers always come back for a satisfaction check, and they will bring you something else if you don’t like your dish. The staff is very accommodating so satisfaction is guaranteed!
When you walk into Jose’s in Racine there is a small lobby and two doors. This is a bit confusing as which to choose. One leads to the host station and one leads to a dining room. Even if you chose the wrong door, it’s not hard to find your way to where you need to go. The lighting is dim, the walls are the color of clay, and the décor is bright and vibrant. The look of a typical Mexican restaurant I would say. One down fall to the ambiance is how LOUD it is in there.
This is definitely not the place for a romantic dinner, but a great place to meet up with friends or have a birthday dinner. The birthday boy/girl gets serenaded by the wait staff while wearing a giant sombrero, which they get to keep and a yummy dessert on the house. The floor in one dining room is made of stone while the other is carpeted. The smell in the air is spicy.
The entrées are not unlike every of there Mexican restaurant in Wisconsin. You have your fajita’s ($12.99), sautéed onions & peppers, soft tortillas, lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese and grilled chicken breast. They also offer grilled skirt steak or sautéed shrimp as options for an additional $3.00. I personally go for the chicken because it is so moist and delicious. Then we have Andy’s favorite, the chimichangas ($9.99), shredded or ground beef, chicken or pork, rolled w/cheese and beans, and then deep fried. Here too I go for the chicken usually. Andy prefers the shredded beef.
I personally recommend staying away from the ground beef here. I’ve never had a dish with it that I liked here. It just has a different taste than I prefer. Another favorite of mine, which is a bit boring, is the quesadilla ($9.49). Here again you can choose beef, chicken or pork, then add cheese and top it with lettuce and pico de gallo. I always add a little guac to the top for the added goodness. It costs a bit extra, but to me it’s worth it.
They have some fun drinks here too, although I prefer the drinks at other restaurants over these. Their margaritas are subpar. They don’t use enough alcohol, and a lot of times, no matter what flavor of margarita I try, it ends up tasting like coconut. They have frozen sangria, which you don’t find at too many places, and when the twist it with margarita, it a unique treat.
Compared to other Mexican restaurants in the area, Jose’s would be my pick, mainly because of the guacamole, but also because of the quick service and friendly staff. For me, the perfect Mexican restaurant would be a mixture of La Fuente’s drinks and patio, La Perla’s giant jalapeño pepper, La Merenda’s tapas and Jose’s guacamole, chips and salsa, and chimichangas. Unless I open my own restaurant, it will be pretty difficult to achieve such perfection in one place.
Overall, I love Jose’s! Whether you’re looking for a place to have after work drinks, looking for a place to take a big group before a fun night out, or if you just have a craving for some delicious Mexican food, and unbeatable guacamole, Jose’s is the place to go. I highly recommend it! Besides the good food and fun atmosphere, it is high affordable compared to other restaurants in the area. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food or a quiet night out, I would not venture here, maybe head to one of the more fancy places in the city or downtown.
Rating:
(4 out of 5)
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