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    Don Jose's Restaurant

    2.7 (648 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Combo 2 Items + Rice & Beans
    Britty B.

    This restaurant has a fun outside inside decor. I really liked all the star lanterns hanging from the ceiling. I ordered the two item combo with the cheese enchilada and chili relleno. Great flavors and I liked that you could add a side of guacamole or sour cream free of charge. Excellent service! Our waitress was very attentive. The chips and salsa were not that great so had to take off a star for that but I would definitely eat here again.

    Chimichanga
    Donskies p.

    I don't know how this place has such low reviews. We almost didn't go because I read some of the reviews, but I'm so glad we did! I got the chicken and beef chimichangas and they were incredible! The guacamole was amazing, super crispy, super flavorful. The service was great, very fast and checked on us a lot. This is our New Mexican food spot!

    Flautas (2) & Shirley Temple
    Mary A.

    Was recommend by a colleague since she grew up loving Don Jose. Decided to come for dinner after bowling. Seever was friendly and attentive. -Flautas were not crispy. Chicken had no seasoning. -Camarones a la diabla was on the saltier side. -Super Burritos (carne asada) were nothing special or note worthy. -Taco Trio was said to be good (from a teenager). -All rice were hard and almost inedible like it was uncovered from the day before. We didn't take a good look at the bill until it was paid and we had came home only to realize they charge an adult double the price for soft drinks compared to kids. Don't know why the up charge when it's the same exact drink. Won't be coming back here. One and done!

    Chips and salsa
    Juicke C.

    My go to place locally for Mexican rice and beans, chips & salsa, and soda refills. The service is friendly and attentive. It's been here for ages and there's plenty of competition nearby. My usual order is the two items combo with chile relleno and burrito. The combo comes with refried beans and rice. The burrito is on the smallish side. I was full with chips before my food arrived. I eventually finished my rice & beans and most of the chile relleno. I took my burrito and remaining chile relleno home. It was a pleasant lunch.

    Cancun platter
    Marquitta H.

    This is a rescue restaurant. They need to reach out to Gordon Ramsay or one of those shows that brings the love back to their business. The restaurant it self is large nice floor layout, patio seating , and beautiful bright colors and decor throughout the restaurant. I ordered the Cancun platter and most places make this dish with some sauce . They gave me dry chicken, shrimp ,onions and peppers over smothered in cheese. I ordered the spicy or jalapeño margaritas and it was tasty , but I had to send my first margarita back because it tasted like a sprite soda . I would not recommend this place unless they do a 360 on the food . But the restaurant itself is beautiful.

    Chicken fajitas. Just on the dry and bland side for Us.
    Pheap S.

    Mm.. just a personal honest review. Staff was super friendly. Food was okay. We had the chicken fajitas. It was dry and bland. The fried chicken wings was the more seasoned dish. Ambience was casual. I get Christmasy vibes from decor. Not sure why.. lol maybe the reds and woodsy feels. Nothing wrong with that. Just saying.

    Lemon drop, chips and salsa
    Melanie A.

    Great food great drinks great atmosphere. Great service love everybody that works there. Great place to go and eat.

    Suki M.

    I have been here a few times before writing this review. First time we loved the food & beer but the margaritas were not good. On our 2nd visit we ordered lots of delicious food burritos enchiladas and everything off the happy hour menu quesadillas flautas and jalapeno poppers all the food was good, again margaritas were terrible. The next time I didn't want to order a margarita so I got a whiskey drink and it was terrible. The food here is good though so next time I will drink water or soda. Not sure why the drinks are not only par with the food but this place is convenient in the middle of town near shopping, gas etc.

    $19 super steak burrito. I ate the half
    Johnny D.

    19 dollar super steak burrito omg came with no bean rice on the side. I ate the half how is this ok... plz

    Carnitas plate
    P A.

    Today's visit was great. Everything came out hot and fresh. Much better than the last time I visited which was years ago .... The menu is very reasonable priced. Full bar and kids menu.

    Tex Mex
    Jazlene T.

    Don Joe's is a Castro Valley classic whether you think it's good or not. The reviews are pretty bad but you can't expect authentic taste everywhere. Of course you can find better Mexican food somewhere else. Going into this restaurant is for the experience, they have a cute bar and it's family style. The service is pretty good, the bartenders and servers are always on the go yet you can easily catch their attendance. It's nicely decorated for the holidays during this time of year. All of the patrons I've met are real sweet. Sizzling fajitas combo for 2 people came with a big amount of chicken, shrimp, & steak--really hot. The Tex Mex was too good, you wouldn't know there was any liquor! They brought out a lot of chips & salsa. Fajitas combo - 8/10! Solid, good portions for 2 people. Big prawns. Wish there was more flavor in the meats or regular salsa instead of guacamole though. I should've asked. Tex Mex - 10/10 dangerously tasted like juice... You get a bang for your buck Potato skins - honestly one of my faves 9/10 you can't go wrong! chips & salsa - another win, they constantly give you more without asking. they're fresh but I wish it wasn't in a paper container lol 8/10

    Taco Trio Rice & Beans
    Ronald L.

    Second time here the service has improved compared to the last time I was here it was really slow last time I was here. Our waitress was very tentative and the food came out quickly. Plenty of tables and has a bar. The food isn't too bad but my only that after dinner it didn't sit too well. Hopefully next time if we come back that the experience will be better.

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    5 months ago

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    2 months ago

    The service was friendly and the food was good. The margarita was perfect for me, not too strong. The server didn't rush us.

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    6 months ago

    sat us almost instantly, gave us menus, and never asked for our order. 30 minutes wasted. Yeah, I'm not going here again.

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    Page 1 of 17

    Don Jose's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

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    Tacos El Compa - Small Quesadilla beef. Delicious

    Tacos El Compa

    3.9(199 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    As someone who moved to Castro Valley from Hayward, I can honestly say that the choices for Mexican…read morefood isn't as plentiful. Im kinda particular about Mexican food because not many places has the more exotic meats choices like cabeza, lengua, and my favorite tripa. So as I was settling in to Castro Valley, I was very happy to have found Tacos El Campo. I have been here about 10 times in the 7 or so months I have been living here and have enjoyed every meal I ever had. The family that runs the place is very nice every time I come in. They do offer a discount if you pay cash to make sure you disclose that when ordering if you are paying by cash or card. The food comes out really fast, Id recommend ordering there in person instead of calling in so your food can be hotter. A MUST try is their vampiros, which I have never seen on a menu before coming here. It is basically a marriage between a taco and a grilled cheese sandwich. I have been to a lot of taquerias and not many places have these on the menu so I cant stress enough that you should give these a try. If I was younger, I could easily put away 5 of these and a big bottle of Mexican coke. If I tried that now, Id be asleep for the rest of the day and probably gain 5 pounds but if you dont care, go for it, it's a good way to put yourself to sleep. I have tried their burritos and tacos and they are solid, I usually get tripa or cabeza. Their tacos some with a side of grilled peppers and onions. There is also a good sized salsa bar as well. While I do miss Hayward, Tacos El Campa has made adjusting to life in Castro Valley much easier. This is my go-to spot for Mexican food and gets my vote for best Mexican spot in Castro Valley.

    *** 3 - 3.5 stars for the tacos *** Tacos El Compa is…read morelocated on Castro Valley Blvd...spot has housed various businesses from the original (structure) Taco Bell, Korean food, Vons Chicken and now Tacos El Compa. I've only had the al pastor and fish tacos...unfortunately, wasn't a fan of chopped tilapia but the pork had a slight sweetness which I liked. Pretty standard and nothing wow but what I like is their salsa bar! Plus a STAR! Variety of items like pico de gallo, hot/spicy sauce, salsa verde, orange sauce and Mexican pickled vegetables (escabeche). Friend really liked the pork chili verde plate and said it flavorful . Plenty of items on the menu and will try their burrito, breakfast, nachos or a combination plate and agua fresca next time. Place is clean with tables for dine in. Service straightforward and wouldn't say it was welcoming (as noted in other reviews) when I visited. Small discount (credit card fee) offered when paying in cash. Private lot parking so you don't have to find a spot on the busy Boulevard. Drive thru available for call in orders/pickup

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    Ordering station

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    Flan on the right!

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    El Taquito Restaurant - Carne asada taco with grilled onions is the way to go. Their tacos are Huge & Super good.

    El Taquito Restaurant

    4.1(742 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    I picked up a to go order over the weekend and went with the wet burrito with steak along with a…read morefew carnitas tacos. The burrito is still just as good as I remembered. The sauce has its own unique flavor and the burrito itself is huge. I finished mine but was completely full after. My wife enjoyed the tacos and usually one or two is more than enough for her. This is an updated review and this place continues to be solid. The staff is hardworking and friendly! Dining in is just as good.

    Came in for a Wednesday dinner and it wasn't too busy, which made for a relaxed experience. Service…read morewas prompt and attentive throughout, and there seemed to be plenty of staff on hand. We were brought fresh tortilla chips to start, which were great, along with a Lazy Susan-style setup of salsas and toppings. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a miss for me--there were raw onions, raw jalapeños, a green salsa, and more of a plain red hot sauce rather than a true salsa. I would have preferred something more traditional like a good pico de gallo or a more balanced house salsa. Ordered a bottle of Dos Equis, which at $7 felt a bit steep. Most entrées were priced between $17-$25, which is pretty standard. I had the carnitas and they were excellent--really flavorful and well-prepared. I also tried a bite of the chile relleno, which was solid as well. Overall, the food was good and the service was strong. That said, it's a bit out of the way for me, and while I enjoyed it, I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back.

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    Los Molcajetes Mexican Restaurant - Steak fajitas

    Los Molcajetes Mexican Restaurant

    3.5(399 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Small homestyle Mexican restaurant that has good food, strong drinks, parking lot, and decent…read moreprices. Went there for lunch and shared a pitcher of top-shelf Margarita and the Chile Verde lunch special with an accompanying salad and three tortillas... a bargain lunch! Service is a little slow but hey, I wasn't in a rush.

    We decided to give this place a try. We live in Castro Valley and want to support local buissneses…read more My wife ordered a 2 item plate with a chicken soft taco and chile relleno and I the Molcajetes Tradicional. My wifes chicken taco had plenty of chicken and she said it was ok. The chile relleno was thickly battered and a bit bland. My Molcajetes had beef, chicken, chorizo and shrimp. The only thing edible was the shrimp. The chorizo was hard and dry. The beef was literally like chewing on leather. Over cooked and dry as sawdust, I had quite a time just cutting it into bite sized pieces. Unedible! The chicken was not much better. The server asked if everything was ok. I calmly told him no and what the issue was. I said I will pay for it but you can throw it away. He offered something that I couldn't understand what he said and I said to get rid of it, I don't want it. Didn't offer to reduce or remove the cost. I usually roll with it when things aren't great but this needed to be addressed. As expensive as things are restaurants can't rest on their laurels. You had better be on your "A" game or you will be out of buisness. I literally do not want mexican food in my future for some time based on our experience at this restaurant. -5 stars.

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    Inside/bar area

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    Casa Del Toro - Parrillada Mixta

    Casa Del Toro

    4.2(548 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$$

    A friend recommended this restaurant…read more We arrived at 11:30am on a Wednesday and were seating immediately. Our party of 3 ordered a Charcuterie Board and Ceviche Trio to share. For our entrees, we ordered the Argentinian Skirt Steak accompanied with Frites, Sautéed Greens, Fries and Chimichurri Sauce -- and the Mezcal Glazed King Salmon with Cashew Relish, Purple Potato Puree (so interesting!), Shaved Brussels Sprouts, and Chipotle Butter Sauce. Food was fantastic -- straight to the point and with boldness from the Latin influence. The ambiance aims for a higher end dining experience, and there is a full bar with additional seating. Must be a local favorite for Happy Hour and dinner. Jonathan was our server -- shout out to him for his efficiency, attentiveness, and professionalism. He responded at every interaction with enthusiasm and a smile. Would definitely return.

    John, our server was wonderful and friendly, and offered great recommendations…read more The atmosphere and background music was comfortable and uplifting. I started with a margarita and it was delicious. I would highly recommend the fried calamari and the Del Toro salad with medium well steak was so flavorful and the steak was grilled perfectly. While the starters were wonderful, the main dishes, Mary's chicken and boneless short ribs were tender, juicy and flavorful. If you're in the area, you've got to stop by. So worth it.

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    Casa Del Toro - 4/25/25 FYI. Bar

    4/25/25 FYI. Bar

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    Juicy pork belly

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    Porque No? Tacos - Nachos with chicken

    Porque No? Tacos

    4.5(823 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$

    Was looking for a taco spot after an event in San Jose. I could've stayed in San Jose but the rain…read morewas super heavy and I wanted to go somewhere closer to home. Not a lot of taco spots are open late at 10p but I saw that PNT was open. My family and I pulled into the driveway and were confused because it looked and sounded like a bar. There were a few people standing outside and I asked if this was a bar or restaurant and the gentleman said it's a restaurant. We walk in and got some stares because it was late and we had kids. Didn't matter to us. Everything on the menu sounded delish and they had al day breakfast items. We ended up going with the following: 1. Chicken sandwich- 10/10 my teen loved this. It was a crispy thinly sliced chicken breast with all the fixings, and pressed to perfection. 2. Chicken Caesar salad - 10/10 the lettuce was Romain, tossed in Caesar dressing and parm, with grilled chicken filet. 3. 4 tacos de asada - 10/10 yummy chopped steak, seasoned and grilled to perfection. I'm not sure if the evening chef cooks better or maybe we were starving, but the food was great! Ambience at the time was pretty loud but I figure it's because people hanging out in the bar area. Definitely will be back.

    Great spot for tacos. I've had their asada, pastor, and lingua. Highly recommend them all! Quick…read moreservice. Good for family and friend get togethers. They share a space with the bar for adult beverages.

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    Don Jose's Restaurant - mexican - Updated May 2026

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