Jose’s

Jose’s Mexican Restaurant

Location: 3765 La Sierra Ave Riverside, Ca 92505

Type of Food: Mexican

Price Range: Cheap!

Date Potential: Not a first date, but friends and relationships are great.

Website: www.josesmexicanfood.com
Jose’s Mexican restaurant is located off of the 91 freeway on La Sierra Avenue. It is across the street from El Pollo Loco and Panda Express. Jose’s features dine-in style food at take-out/fast food prices.
Food:
The food at Jose’s is one of the best deals in the area. The funny thing you will realize is that Jose’s looks like a typical sit down and be served restaurant. This is not the case! Upon your arrival, you order at the counter, and then choose your seating. On the menu you will find many traditional Mexican items such as fajitas, burritos, tacos, and enchilada platters. After you order, you may help yourself to unlimited chips and salsa.
The food at Jose’s for the price is above average. Since you do not have server’s waiting on you, they are able to lower the cost of the food. I would compare the food on par with a restaurant such as Don Jose’s across the street from Jose’s, which is substantially more expensive.
Atmosphere:
Jose’s restaurant features a large dining area with booths and tables to accommodate at least 200 people. This is great on a slow day at Jose’s, because you will more than likely end up with a private section. The bright colors add to the Mexican feel and the salsa music is, of course, fitting for the carefree environment.
Service:
The service at Jose’s is above average. Once you order at the cashier, your food is brought to you by one of the server’s who also offers to bring you napkins and silverware. The timeliness of their service is very fast and you can expect your food on the table in as little as 5 minutes after you order.
Date Potential:
I am definitely a fan of bringing a date to Jose’s. However, this may not be suitable for a first date. In a relationship, this restaurant is very nice since the food is not expensive yet it provides a nice atmosphere to socialize and enjoy company.

Brandon’s Diner

Brandon’s Dinner

Location: 10271 Magnolia Ave  Riverside, Ca 92503

Type of Food: Mexican and American
Price Rang: Inexpensive
Date Potential: Only if you have been dating for a while!
Brandon’s Dinner is one of the local favorites in the area. It is located across from Tyler Mall on Magnolia Avenue. To the locals, Brandon’s is known for its low prices yet hefty food servings.

The Food:
Brandon’s serves up a variety of items particularly a blend of Mexican and American dishes. On the menu, you will find your traditional American breakfast such as eggs, bacon, and hash browns, or Mexican dishes such as huevos rancheros or huevos a la Mexicana. I must note that breakfast is the most popular meal of the day at Brandon’s; they are known for their large portions and delicious quality.

Service:
The service at Brandon’s is friendly yet slow, especially in the mornings. Be prepared to wait for the service to catch up as it is slower than most places like International House of Pancakes or Denny’s. I must also add that if you are arriving for breakfast on the weekend, know that you will probably be informed that there is a wait anywhere between 1 and 2 hours.

Atmosphere:
The atmosphere at Brandon’s is a little rough around the edges. The tables aren’t very clean, and the floor could use a mopping or two. Sometimes the silverware will contain tiny pieces of food that was missed in the wash. Although this may be discouraging, don’t hesitate to ask for anything to be cleaned and it will be done with a smile. The atmosphere at Brandon’s also welcomes a diverse crowd. Sometimes you will find people who look a bit “homeless” sitting at the bar or in a corner table. Again, don’t be discouraged; their looks may be intimidating but, they mean well.

Date Potential:
This is a great place to take a date, only if you have been dating for quite some time. A breakfast date would be perfect, the booths are comfortable and the laid back atmosphere is great for conversation.

Don Jose

Don Jose

Location: 848 La Sierra Ave Riverside, CA 92505

Type of Food: Mexican

Price Range: about $12 per person

Date Potential: Great for a first date

Website: www.donjose.net

Don Jose is one of the prime destinations in Riverside for those seeking Mexican cuisine in a traditional Mexican restaurant/cantina atmosphere. Located on the corner of La Sierra and Magnolia, Don Jose’s provides a suitable choice for any outing or party.

The food at Don Jose is traditional Mexican cuisine featuring delicious tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, and taco salads. One specific item that I recommend are the beef and chicken fajitas combination. The meats are perfectly seasoned and garnished with an array of peppers and onions. The chips served with your meal are also fresh from the fryer and accompanied with the best restaurant salsa I have tried to date!

The drinks at Don Jose are also talked about among the locals. The bar tends to be a popular hangout for weekends and weekdays alike. Margaritas are the drink of choice at Don Jose. The restaurant original margarita called “the Gulf of Mexico” is so large that the restaurant limits two per customer. Although don’t expect to drive if you consume more than one it is highly likely you will be a danger to those on the road!

The service at Don Jose tends to vary depending on the amount of people dining. Some nights are slow, but on others expect to find a half and hour wait before getting in.

The atmosphere of Don Jose’s is dimly lit with many booths and tables suitable for an intimate date or large gathering. I wouldn’t recommend having business meetings at this venue; the dim lights would negatively effect your ability to read documents or other paper information.

Las Campanas

Las Campanas

Location: Dowtown Riverside, Mission Inn

Hours: Lunch and Dinner
Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm
Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm
Champagne Sunday Brunch 10pm-3pm

Price Range: Lunch $9.50-$14.50
Dinner $8.00-$23.00

Date Potential: So Romantic!

Website: www.lascampanasrestaurant.com

I am a huge fan of Mexican food and when I find an incredible Mexican restaurant I want everyone to try it. I have, indeed, found a great Mexican restaurant, Las Campanas, located downtown Riverside at the Mission Inn. Not only is Las Campanas have delicious food and drinks, the lushly landscaped patio is a must see. Las Campanas is the perfect restaurant for a fun lunch date with friends or a romantic evening.

One of my favorite items on the menu is the Filet Mignon Tacos complimented with homemade beans and rice. The filet is cooked to order and toped with fresh pico de gallo, cabbage, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese. This dish comes with two tacos and I am warning you, you will have one to take home. They are so big and juicy; you wish you would never get full.

Another great item at Las Campanas are their top shelf margaritas. The grande margarita definitely holds true to its name; one is all you need.

Out of all the restaurants I have been raving about, I do want to place this restaurant in the highest category of date potential. The patio truly is gorgeous. At night the trees are lit in little white lights, the tables are set with a candle, you can hear the water fountain, and the music is softly playing in the background. If Las Campanas doesn’t scream romantic, I don’t know what does. This is a perfect evening date. As I mentioned before Las Campanas is located in the Mission Inn and that, as you all know, just adds to the romantic date potential. Imagine after a great dinner filled with scrumptious Filet Mignon Tacos, a couple Grande margaritas, and some dessert, taking your date on a romantic walk through the Mission Inn, stopping in the courtyard to sit on the fountain and star gaze. Boys, let me tell, this would make any girl weak in the knees.

Las Campanas is open for lunch and dinner and also serves a champagne brunch on Sundays, so go ahead try this hidden treasure; I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Chilitos Mexican Grill

Chilitos Mexican Grill

Location: Pierce Street, Riverside, Ca, Across from Farmer Boy’s Restaurant immediately off of the 91 freeway

Type of Food: Mexican grill

Price: Moderate ( more expensive than Taco Bell! )

Date Potential: For the everyday girlfriend boyfriend day date

Chilitos Mexican Grill provides excellent Mexican dining in a quick and convenient, yet upscale environment. The location of the restaurant is in a new ( 2 year old ) complex in a good part of town. The restaurant compared to many other Mexican “fast food” hole in the wall is remarkably clean and classy.

The menu of Chilitos’ is diverse and offers items such as burritos, tacos, enchilladas, tostadas, salads, nachos, fish tacos, and fajitas among many others. Expect to pay $3-5 for a burrito and up to $7 for a carne asada or fajitas plate.

The food proves well worth the price as the quality and presentation is higher than expectations. Don’t expect a sloppily folded burrito with the beans leaking out the back! The meat is well marinated and vegetables freshly prepared.

The service of Chilitos is also very good. Following your order, expect to be brought a basket of chips and metal eating utensils ( uncommon for most quick dining ). One thing I must note is the fresh salsa bar. Chilitos offers 5 different salsas ranging from mild to very hot. These salsas are also very fresh and add a lot to the overall flavor of the food.

Once finished with your meal, don’t worry about finding the trash as one of the restaurant employees will promptly clear your plate. Overall this restaurant is reliable and somewhere you will want to eat regularly.