Very nice dinner with work colleagues. Decent wine/spirits list. Waitress was very attentive and checked on us regularly. Spring rolls are ok on their own, but are really elevated by the spicy mustard sauce. Mushroom Tartelette was flaky and light - good for a small appetizer. Steak and veggies were nicely done.

The food here is really good. The salad nicoise and ceviche were good sized portions and quite good. The short rib bourguignon was an interesting fusion of French boeuf bourguignon and Vietnamese bò kho. It was super tender and the fries were nice and crispy. The garlic noodles were tasty, though if you have small kids the flavor may be a bit too garlicky. The ambience was a bit strange because the place was large but not as bustling as you would expect on a Friday night. The tables are also a little high compared to the seat height, which made it difficult for the kids to eat. Overall, a nice meal.

BFS

Such a fun and satisfying meal. The service is exceptionally prompt (rare these days) and it’s so clean. Top to bottom wonderful experience, we met the owner! Such a nice guy!

Jose Gonzalez

This is one of those San José best kept secrets, the place is fantastic, the atmosphere is great, food and drinks are top notch and the prices are very reasonable. This is one of my favorite restaurants in downtown and am so happy they still deliver great quality Oaxacan food. I love Mole Negro, Enfrijoladas, Enchiladas Suizas and Tlayudas con Tasajo

William Cord

We just got lunch here and absolutely loved the experience. The food was incredible, every dish was so good! Our server was so personable and made us feel genuinely welcome the whole time, even chatting with us about the music. The owner even stopped by our table to chat, and he was so kind. The atmosphere was warm, inviting, and full of charm. You can really tell this place is run with care and pride. I’ll definitely be coming back!

A Google User

We’ve lived in downtown San Jose for a few years but had never dined here before. We’d tried stopping by on a few Friday evenings, but it was always packed—a good sign! :) This time, we came for a late lunch and really enjoyed the experience. The service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the overall vibe was relaxed and welcoming. We ordered the fresh guacamole, a mezcal and tamarind cocktail, tacos, and a chicken burrito—everything was great. We’ll definitely be back!

Wojtek Las

It was quite unexpected to see such a beautiful decor and style inside the restaurant, made you feel like your in a place far away from SF. We ordered guacamole and chips to start and tacos for lunch. We head some questions about the manue and the waiter brought out a sample to try, so nice. Definitely a place will revisit next time we are in the area.

+2

Yue Cai

Love the painting and music there, the kids menu is great also. Big portions of food and nutritional items to choose from, though I don’t speak Spanish, I can still get good food and drink there!

+5

Bobbie chavarria

Helpful friendly professional staff. Great suggestions from behind the bar. Great vibe. Delish food

+8

George MacCartney

We’ve lived in downtown San Jose for a few years but never had a meal here. We tried a few Friday evenings but it was always too crowded, I guess a good sign :) We had an afternoon lunch and really enjoyed our experience. The service was great, food was delicious, and overall the vibe was nice. We ordered the fresh guacamole, a mezcal and tamarind drink, the tacos, and a chicken burrito. We will be back!

+1

Marsha M

Truly great. The food was so flavorful and special. It was food that you would be familiar with like a tamale or a fajita but made with authentic ingredients and according to oaxacan tradition and technique. The tamale was steamed in a banana leaf giving it a fragrant quality that you don't get from the corn husk. And the mole served with it was incredibly flavorful.

+5

Patrick Moorhead

What a great find in San Jose! Really great tasting, authentic regional Mexican. I ate at the bar, and thought the service was fun and friendly. Started with the grasshoppers (!) Which I really enjoyed. They offer three types of mole, I sampled them all and happily chose the Colorado enchiladas. Finished with the chocolate cake, exceptional. Would definitely go back!

+2

I'm rarely in San Jose but this is always a must, the inside is amazing, the decorations are fun and exciting. The food to match, I order a few things but for a first time the carne asada tacos a…

Two things here are great:\n4.8/5: Tamal mole with chicken. You unwrap it and pour on the mole sauce. The mole has a complex smokey flavor profile. \n4.7/5: Memelitas: These are super simple, but r…

The food was delicious and full of flavor. The service was also great; we ate outside on the patio and they brought out a water bowl for our little dog. Overall, great experience!

Great food, great drinks, and great service! We loved everything we ordered and our server was helpful and attentive. 10/10 would go again.

One stop shop ! Very good food and drinks you won't be disappointed. Owner Adolfo and staff take good care of any customer that walks through the door . Hidden Gem in San Jose for sure !

I arrived w/3 friends on a busy Saturday evening without a reservation thinking we may have to wait a bit, but the hostess was quickly able to accommodate our party. The ambiance/decor is delightfu…

The street art on this corner restaurant attracted me. Their website enticed me, I walked in for lunch and was immediately enchanted by the decor, and the food made me want to sing, Mole, Ole, Mol…

We had to be quick because our show was starting shortly. They accommodated us with seating is quick and taking our order immediately. The food was delicious! I would definitely go back!

We had to be quick because our show was starting shortly. They accommodated us with seating is quick and taking our order immediately. The food was delicious! I would definitely go back!

We were warmly greeted and seated right away. The menu is small but very creative. food was served promptly and was excellent. My wife especially liked the jalapeño margarita. I had the chicken w…

We were warmly greeted and seated right away. The menu is small but very creative. Food was served promptly and was excellent. My wife especially liked the jalapeño margarita. I had the chicken wra…

Very good Oaxacan food in downtown SJ. Excellent mezcalarita and the enchiladas suizas were very tasty! Reasonably priced for quality of food. Recommend highly!

I had high hopes for Elyse, but our experience left much to be desired. Despite being seated before two other parties, we noticed both received their food ahead of us. As a result, my son’s Wagyu arrived overcooked. I hesitate to suggest bias, but as minorities, it was disheartening to see that the table served ahead of us was not. Service was also inconsistent. Our server didn’t write down our order, which led to a billing error—we were charged for a more expensive Chardonnay than the one I ordered. Additionally, a simple request for salt and pepper was never fulfilled. I chose not to escalate these issues at the time, as it seemed the restaurant was understaffed, with one person managing the entire front of house. That said, aside from the overcooked Wagyu, our entrees were absolutely delicious, and the kitchen clearly has talent. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and considers improving staffing levels and training. Elyse has real potential, but the service must rise to meet the quality of the food.

Not too many dishes on the menu though, I really like the lamb and the short ribs, appetizers are also meet my expectations. However, the environment downgraded the total score here. Food, service and the location are really good. If they can change all the cookwares, furniture and lighting here, the experience can be much more better.

Was there for a long private event (dinner) . The starters, specifically the garlic noodles were fantastic! The crab amuse-bouche was also a delicious starter! I had the short ribs and they were flavorful and presented well b it the seabass my friend had was the star! Dessert was a flan and it was fine but I’m rarely blown away by flan from whomever makes it Would definitely visit again

TLDR: A nice restaurant with good food, but really needs to a) lean into the Vietnamese more, and b) provide more vegan options. Atmosphere: Elyse is a very nice restaurant that is quite unassuming from the exterior. I greatly enjoyed the simple, but fine details. Service: Generally good, kind, but seemed a bit bored because we were the only table being served. Food: Due to an unusually long wait time (even though we were literally the only table at the restaurant at 6:00 on a Wednesday), they graciously brought out a free jackfruit salad. This was quite tasty and was a refreshingly good start to the meal. Our table also ordered the crispy brussels which were also very good. I as the vegan was really excited for some vegan Vietnamese food and the menu online noted I multiple options that are no longer available unfortunately. My only entree option was a cassoulet which was good, but nothing mind blowing. Without any form of plant-based protein, it was more a bean stew that really needed a kick of pepper or something to bring it out of averageness. Compared to the apps, it was very boring. The two omni's enjoyed their food as more so. If I was rating this solely on a vegan's perspective, I would probably say the food is around 3-3.5 stars, but with the omni's enjoying their food, I bumped it up to a solid 4: Good, but not great. Overall, I would definitely try Elyse again next time I am in San Jose, but only if there are some actual Vietnamese options on the menu. While I understand that France colonized Vietnam and the cuisine's are intermixed, this feels more like a French restaurant with a tiny dash of Vietnam.

A new dining spot joins the downtown scene. A mix of French and Vietnamese cuisine (leaning mainly towards the former). Decent selection of dishes and flavors were excellent. A little slow on the service, but it could have been an off night. Nice interior, although a few curtains would help soften some of the hard surfaces and lessen the sound bouncing everywhere. Staff were very friendly and courteous. We look forward to dining here again.

The mushroom appetizer was so delicious! My mouth is salivating just thinking about it. The drinks were also very well made and creative. I ordered the short ribs which were cooked perfectly. I thought it was a little bit bland but it might be my own ignorance to what French cuisine is supposed to taste like. My boyfriend got the ribeye with mushroom sauce and, again, the sauce was amazing. So flavorful and delicious!!! The tiramisu was a bit of a disappointment. No lady fingers and perhaps no amaretto??? The service was incredible though and I love the ambiance of the place. Super cute! It's a great date night spot.

Food was delicious and the employees were very nice. Highly recommend the brussel sprouts, coq au vin, the short rib, the pho, and the lava cake was delicious too. I found the space pretty interesting and spacious. Overall pretty great experience would come here again.

Jaime Torres

Nice restaurant and good food, I recommend memelitas are delicious. Muy buenas.

Izzy H

We ordered tacos , enchilada mole, and salmon burger. Food tasted okay. It's not really good but not bad, mediocre. The food prices are a bit on a high side. Good service. The waiter/s are very attentive.

Prudence Pingrey

Quality Mexican food. I tried the vegan enchiladas and was kind of disappointed, they were really sweet, no spice added. However, I asked for a more spiced sauce and that was pretty good. The rest of my party really enjoyed their food. The inside of the restaurant was really nicely decorated and it was loud and bustling! Churros were really good! They could have saltier chips but maybe that’s just me

judy Navarrete

The restaurant is good with an excellent vibe. The relationship quality price is excellent. The mole negro is ok. The rojo is only Chile guajillo so don’t expect more. The mocktail is a very interesting combination between the sweet and the sour. Personally I believe that the chapulines had a lot of salt. But that is personal. You should give a try to this Oaxaca restaurant.

Josh Diaz

Our party loved the food and drinks at this cozy Mexican spot. We sat inside but they had an outside area that was completely covered with heaters but patrons still appeared to be cold. Service was great once seated. However, my only issue was we had reservations but when we arrived on time they said they had overbooked. And there was nowhere to stand as we waited since it's a smaller space. However, it's worth checking out though and I would definitely come back.

+2

Irene Lu

Beautiful patio seating area, don't forget to make a reservation! I usually dislike dining outdoors, but Mezcal's patio area is covered to protect you from the elements, with peeks of the open sky and fresh air flow. Came here for a team dinner and we tried a bunch of stuff, but I'd definitely recommend the octopus and the guacamole! All the dishes were presented nicely. There weren't too many fun non-alcoholic drinks, but the tamarind drink I got was tasty.

+3

Went here with a large group for a work dinner. I loved their extensive list of mezcals and interesting menu options. You can tell this is a very local mom and pop shop making everything from scratch…

Amazing service. Brought a high chair for kid and even offered cartolas and paper for when the kid had a time settling in. \nMemelitas were our favorite. I liked their sauce and chips. Used that'…

Amazing service. Brought a high chair for kid and even offered cartolas and paper for when the kid had a time settling in. \nMemelitas were our favorite. I liked their sauce and chips. Used that'd …

Stopped here on a work trip. I had the Salmon. Great cook and portion size. Could have used a touch more salt but great flavors. The staff was very friendly. Nice interior with a handful of tables. I…

Stopped here on a work trip. I had the salmon. Great cook and portion size. Could have used a touch more salt but great flavors. The staff was very friendly. Nice interior with a handful of tables.…

Stopped here on a work trip. I had the Salmon. Great cook and portion size. Could have used a touch more salt but great flavors. The staff was very friendly. Nice interior with a handful of tables.…

My husband and I visited Mezcal over Valentine's Day and we really enjoyed our meals! The food, service, and atmosphere were great.

My husband and I visited Mezcal over Valentine's Day and we really enjoyed our meals! The food, service, and atmosphere were great.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a lacklustre experience. Same-day reservations were available and our table was ready upon arrival. \n\nDining is available inside the dining room or o…

I love mexican food and remember hearing about this restaurant from my parents who said it was decent and they are not wild about the cuisine in the same way as me. I saw that they were participati…

Service was terrible. I made reservations for a party of 5 who are co-workers. We went for lunch during GTC so we all had our own budget to expense. I asked the waiter if he can charge each of us s…

The ambience was good. The food was ok I guess. \n\nI ordered enchiladas with cheese and onion - as present on the menu with no changes. I was asked if I want sour cream on the side and I said yes.…

Called to make a reservation on a Friday night and it was fast sitting at my arrival. Good salsa and chips offered. Also we ordered some chapulines (grasshoppers ) for appetizers. I drink some sang…

Love that they have vegan friendly options! Great service and accommodating staff. This is a must visit place

Fantastic atmosphere and super server for our group of 12 on a Saturday night. Menu quite heavy on mole if you are a fan which I am not. The homemade guacamole was wonderful as was the layered stra…

Fantastic atmosphere and super server for our group of 12 on a Saturday night. Menu quite heavy on mole if you are a fan which I am not. The homemade guacamole was wonderful as was the layered stra…

Victor Sanchez

This place is OK. Let's start with the chips and salsa. The chips were ok but the salsa was more like an enchilada sauce than it was a salsa. Maybe it's great for the region this place is known for? But not my preference. Not very spicy either. For dinner, my date ordered a salad with shrimp and avocado, sorry can't remember the exact name, and I had Enchilada Suiza with chicken. My date really liked her salad, but I was not super excited about my dish. The flavors were decent, but nothing great. My other issue was the portion size for the cost of the dish. Very small portions. Not sure I'll be back. There are much better choices.

This is an Oaxacan style restaurant, meaning if you're used to mexican food being taqueria style burritos, you won't find that here. My husband and I decided to share an order of their red mole chi…

I came here with a group of friends before an event, and was very excited to try their mexican food. However I have to say that nothing really blew me away.\n\nI ordered their mole, which I was tol…

Food was decent I had the chicken torta and it was not my favorite but did not want to ask for a change. The place is very nice inside and service was good. If I go back might try something differe…

Food was mediocre. The chicken in the mole was dry and very small. The enchiladas weren't stuffed with anything, it was a rolled up tortilla, covered with sauce and topped with an (add on) meat. Fo…

One of the worst meals I’ve had. It was more or less inedible. I did complain to our waiter but was met with complete indifference. No apologies were made and was charged the full price. Didn’t leave…

One of the worst meals I’ve had. It was more or less inedible. I did complain to our waiter but was met with complete indifference. No apologies were made and was charged the full price. Didn’t lea…

I was really excited to try this French fusion restaurant since it’s the first one I’ve come across. After reading so many 5-star reviews, I had high expectations and was genuinely looking forward to the experience. Unfortunately, it was disappointing from the start. After being seated, it took over 15 minutes just to receive water, and from there, about 45 minutes for our food to arrive. When the plates finally came out, they didn’t live up to the wait. I ordered the Braised Short Ribs Bourguignon, but there were barely any carrots or beets included, which made the dish feel incomplete. The mango ceviche was also unbalanced, it had an overwhelming amount of shallots, serrano chili peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions, with very little shrimp and mango. The proportions were off, and it didn’t feel worth the price. Overall, I was really hoping for a better experience given the reviews, but sadly it didn’t meet expectations.

Revati Deshpande

The food was abysmal. The guac was under seasoned. No like, no salt. The mole chicken was bitter and the chicken had a chicken-y taste to it. The chicken tacos were dry and lacked taste too. The only saving grace was the tamarind non alcoholic drink. Great vibe though but unsurprisingly empty.

H H

Server was not very pro, and he came way too close to our personal space to serve things. We sat outside, in the patio space they had. La Paloma just tasted like salt water with some alcohol, tasted terrible. Perfect margarita tasted better but it had so much ice it wasn't even two sips and it was done. Not going back.

sanvi16

Pricey, worst Mexican food I’ve ever tried, and rushed service. The only good thing is the mural outside and decor. - Almost $5 for a “Mexican Coke” which tasted like regular fountain soda, highly doubt it was the real thing. - Calamari was ok. - The Tlayuda had no flavor except for burnt. I choked on it because it was so dry. - Tacos were ok, but the red onion side was not good. The server didn’t even introduce himself, maybe he knows this place gets bad reviews, and kept rushing us to order. The atmosphere was not good either. You get all the noise from the sports bar next to it, but I’d recommend eating somewhere else and taking photos of the mural outside if you really want to.

+4