The decline of Jose Tejas

Submitted by t3_11p3xko in newjersey

I know a lot of people wouldn’t consider Jose to be traditionally Mexican or hell, even Tex-Max but it was still a fairly popular restaurant in the state and man has that place deteriorated post COVID.

There used to be lines at this place, a solid 30-45 minute wait even on a weekday but now even if you’re going there on a Friday night, there’s no wait. The place is literally empty.

The menu has been slashed to half of what it used to be, entrees are priced at $25 and drinks at $12.

I really hope the management gets their shit together. I mean, I’d called for a fajita and all I got was 4 chicken tenders as the fajita. You can’t possible be serving food at these prices

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t1_jbw50jn wrote

I know the menu has been cut but I still find the food to be just the same - very good. Chips are still hot and salty and I find the fajitas to be the same - still great to me

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t1_jbw4k1m wrote

i think a lot of chain restaurants have gone to shit in the pandemic. prices for crappy food have gone thru the roof.

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t1_jbw56cg wrote

Would you really consider this to be a chain? I think there's like 6 or 7 of these across the US.

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t1_jbwcv7i wrote

i mean, just because it's only a few places doesn't mean it's not a chain. it's just a small one.

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OP t1_jbw5cwt wrote

There’s like 4 on the east coast and that’s it.

2 in Jersey, 1 in Boston and 1 in Delaware.

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t1_jby9pp7 wrote

3 in NJ. They just opened in Mt Laurel. It’s good but Woodbridge is better.

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t1_jbw75ax wrote

Decent restaurant, never understood the hype though

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t1_jbx2j65 wrote

cheap, loud, family friendly. perfect for young kids and babies as its so loud there no one will hear whining and crying

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t1_jbztdxt wrote

the prices. always realy solid food and huge portions for absolutely dirt cheap relatively speaking

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t1_jc0hgme wrote

Cheap food for the portions you get, crazy fast service (all things considered)

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t1_jbx9eye wrote

The seafood dishes they had pre-pandemic are all gone. The crawfish etouffee, for example, was pretty unique and my goto dish for many years. The menu changes caused me to stop going there.

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t1_jbxms98 wrote

This place is a perfect example of having a strategy that worked well and once they got complacent it all fell apart. Think of how much business is lost since they’re “too busy” to do take out. A lot of these nj restaurants simply don’t understand the cut throat competition. Slash their menu and don’t do take is an automatic deduction in sales. And a lot of these places trying to dictate to their customers how their experience will be. Just stay in the kitchen

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t1_jbw69of wrote

I'm just happy they take to-go orders now, even if it is a limited menu.

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t1_jbxb7bs wrote

I do miss their pre-covid menu, that’s for sure. Otherwise everything else is great. Yes prices are higher, but all restaurants have raised prices.

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t1_jbxjhez wrote

do they still have the Chicken Guadalajara? oh I loved the little tomato rose that came on it.

oh, and getting blasted from the super potent margaritas.....

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t1_jbx4nx0 wrote

Tio tequila has brought competition to Jose tejas.

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t1_jbzpsg6 wrote

I went there once, wasn’t impressed

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t1_jbztbsp wrote

But you’re impressed with Jose tejas?

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t1_jbzx6pv wrote

At Tio you have to pay for chips.. Fuck that

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t1_jc0qlen wrote

Went to grub hut in manville once a few years ago. Had to pay for chips and salsa and it wasn’t a big serving. Asked for more and they said they would charge us for another order. We paid for the chips we ate, our drinks and walked out. Never went back.

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t1_jbyo392 wrote

100% agree. They had great options pre covid and the prices were very affordable. That all changed when they dramatically increased the prices and took away half the menu. Wouldn't go back.

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t1_jbx7hxu wrote

Agree with you, pass by recently and it was it was like a complete different place, empty without the vibe it used to have. Food was ok.

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t1_jbxc8z4 wrote

Thank God! I’ve been waiting YEARS to get into that place!

That’s how it felt waiting in the past that is. Recently, not so much.

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t1_jbxkpzg wrote

It’s always been ass. There was a long wait last Saturday when I went, over 1h30 for a table. The food was garbage , as always. Girlfriends family loves it though.

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t1_jbyq6yr wrote

Miss the gulf coast enchiladas and the chimichurri steak. They were my favorites there as well as the crawfish étouffée. Love the pastellitos which they still have. Margaritas were always great and not watered down. They were always a good value before but like everyplace else had to raise their prices. I would gladly wait the extra half hour if they brought those other menu items back. Now I’m sorta meh about going there. I can get fairly similar items on their current menu for the same price locally instead of driving 40 minutes and then waiting another 40.

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t1_jbzkbtx wrote

Thought about taking my partner there after years having not gone, but I looked at their menu and was shocked at how many of my old favorites were cut. It's a shame to hear the quality has gone down in addition to the prices going up and the menu being slashed.

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t1_jc0a91k wrote

We loved the vegetarian menu before covid. There is almost nothing now. Stopped going there all together now.

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t1_jc0qcrt wrote

We went there a lot when we lived nearby. Aside from being cheap, the insanity to get in never made up for it. Also staff looked absolutely positively suicidal all the time.

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t1_jbyqxb2 wrote

Everyone has been phoning it in since covid. Not surprising.

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t1_jbytzmn wrote

I noticed similar with my fave casual Mex in Morristown Titos. Then I realized 4 other Mex places opened nearby. There are def lots of competing businesses all around.

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t1_jbyvqkc wrote

My wife wants to go here and I refuse to 1) drive around the lot to find a parking space like it’s Christmas at the mall and 2) wait to eat crap food. The food was always tastless and flat. Never understood the lines. We went there once and there was a 15 minute wait just for a pager. We walked out.

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t1_jbw23ag wrote

I tried this place for the first time recently after hearing about it for years. It was just okay. Not any better than other chain Tex-Mex places like On the Border or Chilis.

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OP t1_jbw4et1 wrote

I mean, imo, it definitely is better than chilis on any given day.

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t1_jbw5ktd wrote

100% I’ve been to the new one in Mount Laurel twice now and would choose that over chilis or on the border every time.

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t1_jbyf2tf wrote

During the height of the pandemic a new owner took it over and changed some things. Probably streamlined the menu to max out profit margin, which came at the cost of quality. Fortunately my favorite dish hasn’t changed that much. Agree that it’s not even close to what it used to be, but I still like to stop in when I’m hungry and passing by on the turnpike.

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OP t1_jbyfe3n wrote

You sure about the new owner part?

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t1_jbyfqve wrote

yeah that’s what I heard. Maybe it was either a new partner or a management group or something. But back then I heard someone new bought in and adapted the place to the “new normal”. Hence the departure of the old ways

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t1_jbzaohd wrote

We ate in the Parsippany JT and it was great as always. It was fairly crowded and there was a 30 minute wait. Prices were higher but in line with all the other restaurants in the state.

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t1_jc0de3y wrote

I agree as well it has declined in recent years. Higher prices, limited menu, no more sizzling fajitas… it’s a shame, was my go to on the regular. Such is is life, all good things come to an end.

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t1_jc4q0jm wrote

  • Prices went up
  • Selection went down
  • They aren't playing the same 4 songs over and over
  • They call your phone instead of having those restaurant pagers
  • Crowds are still here
  • They added tent seating, but never saw it used. Too cold still.

It's ok. Not as hype as it was in the past. Seems like their reputation has solidified their survival.

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t1_jbxh9c0 wrote

You live in New Jersey, support a local diner AND get better quality AND better pricing.

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t1_jbxj3ur wrote

For real, everyone knows diners serve fantastic Mexican/Tex Mex.

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t1_jbxrf0x wrote

Look, I know they don't, but there are most likely local family run AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurants nearby. Once again. It's New Jersey.

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OP t1_jbxraq2 wrote

Ah, yes. Love it when my local dinner has margaritas, chips and fajitas.

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t1_jbyriqz wrote

Your local non chain mexican restaurant probably does. Geez. 🙄

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