Jose & Tony’s Mexican Restaurant

Everything about terrible trash n over priced that’s this place! I’d rather eat out of a fast food dumpster. Be cleaner and taste better how is this a business?

The absolute, worst fake Mexican restaurant in all of the land.
This place is in the top rankings for the worst restaurant experiences as far as ambiance and food. Service was more like a hipster food truck that did not know what they were doing. Avoid at all cost. Wow. I have nowhere to begin, other than this was our first take on Pittsburgh cuisine and it was downright confusing, aggravating, and really just yuck. The food was more reminiscent of TV dinners and Oscar Mayer Lunchables than crafted cuisine. Actually, microwaved Mexican snacks are better. We left absolutely stunned.
If the Huffington Post’s Latino Voices section got a hold of this joint, they would label it as racist and it would appear across the national media, because it is just that absurd and confusing on all levels. Even for someone that would never call someone racist for a cultural misunderstanding. Whew. Breathe.
It is mind-​boggling that this place is still in business as I was very surprised to see the sign still up as we happened by it earlier this evening. The only thing keeping this place in business is the bar — which is certainly NOT a Mexican or even a Cali/​Texas bar experience or anything to write home about. And you will seriously have to get blitzed beyond any other shitty Mexican experience to keep this food down.
If you want an incredible Mexican experience in relation to this place, simply go to Chipotle, order yourself something — ask for extra meat as they are typically skimpy in places like Pittsburgh — and order a Negra Modelo or Chipotle margarita. If you close your eyes and allow the alcohol to do the work, you may just find yourself in Mexico. In Jose & Tony’s case, they obviously have never even experienced Chipotle to know the difference to pop their balls of confidence to open this place in the first place.
To offer positive comments to improve: Drop the fake Mexican and just go for bar with the basics, you already have the concession-​like experience of a sports stadium to succeed within that category. I would assume ice cold light beer and the nacho cheese would be an extremely popular item for people to provide positive Unilocal reviews. Otherwise, take a flight to Mexico with some armed guards or take a weekend in Houston and you’ll know Mexican when it hits you in your face with authenticity, experience, and flavor.

Didn’t try the food, but the margaritas and chips and salsa were great :) Fun people and good atmosphere.

Awful food and a 30+minute wait for 6 wings. The cheese enchiladas were not even melted and had no flavor. My sons highchair was still filthy after the highschool girl sprayed it down with windex and a dirty rag– I went over it with a wet wipe and it was brown. Don’t waste your time or money– totally sub par all the way around!

Yes they were taken over by new management but its the same story. Quality sucks, price isn’t fair and they didn’t change anything contrary to what we were told.
If I want to get drinks that are just slopped together without proper measurements or consistency then I’ll waste my money here. Food is just mediocre as its ever been here

Stopped in for a quick lunch and was very disappointed. The bartender was friendly and the service was great but the food was bad. The chips were stale and the salsa looked like wet dog food and it tasted worse than it looked. The tacos really had no taste. As I sat there after I ordered my food and tried to eat it I thought what a mistake coming here. I don’t like to put negative feedback out but it was so bad it was a must. I was also told a new owner took over a few months ago and I’m not sure that’s correct but either way I will never go back even if the food was free. This place didn’t seem very clean either, as I sat at the bar to eat my shirt sleeves stuck to the bar a few times as I reached for my drink or food. I feel bad for the bartender cause he seemed to be a nice guy and he can’t be doin very well with the product the owners put out.

Pricey for what you get, and basically plain old mexican food. Nothing special. I recommend Mendoza express in Carnegie-​much better quality authentic food.

New menu matches Josephs and Anthony’s but I went for Jose and Tony’s. Still had happy hour beer price. Hope transition goes well. The now $ 7 or $ 8 burrito, no sides, was average. Miss the specials and sloppy Joe.

Not going to lie, I don’t get the hate against Jose & Tony’s. I really don’t. I’ve been visiting this place occasionally for years and have grown to love this interesting little place, which has a bar on one side and a little eating area with a stand you can order from on the other. In fact I stop in here now and again when I want to grab a drink specifically because they’re a Mexican restaurant/​bar combination, not just an eatery.
Drink-​wise, I’ve never had a bad experience. They make ok Long Island’s (not the best admittedly) and extremely good, strong margaritas that are hard to top elsewhere. The bartenders are always extremely nice and have actually made some really good impromptu drinks on the spot for me when ingredients for my favorite beverages run out. So drink-​wise, these guys win in my book.
As for the food, while it’s not exactly out of this world spectacular it’s honestly really good considering the fact that I’m just looking for something to eat as I enjoy my drink. I look at the options as bar food, and by that standard things here are really quite good. You can’t go wrong with chips and salsa, and their beef quesadilla’s are honestly quite good as well — I ordered one last night and couldn’t get enough of it. (By the way, these guys are one of the only places where their quesadilla’s come with mushrooms — that’s a big plus in my book!) I’ve had the Mexican dessert as well and really, really enjoyed that. Honestly my only complaint about Jose & Tony’s is that they don’t offer smaller portions for late night snackers like myself — I always bring a friend or family member with me so I don’t have to eat my entire dish.
You’ll definitely see me stopping in again in the future — here’s hoping more people show some love for Jose & Tony’s soon!

I have been here a number of times, mostly because it’s convenient and near friends, additionally they have trivia on Tuesday nights and a good taco special.
The food is alright… if you are comparing it to taco bell, HOWEVER they have reasonable drink prices and a good atmosphere. They also have very good prices comparatively to other Mexican joints.
It’s a good place to hang and have a beer with some friends, the food though is there… nothing special, not good, not bad, just bland.

In business for longer than I have been on this earthly plane, Jose & Tony’s is the «The Room» of Pittsburgh eateries if they are to have a cinematic turkey of an equivalent. For most of my life, I’ve been told by friends, family members, and strangers to avoid the J And T. Yesterday evening, Kay and I took a gamble on Joe ‘n Tony’s since they’re near our chiropractor… just to experience it for ourselves.
And it really wasn’t THAT terrible.
To begin, we found J&T’s to be warm, cozy, clean, and welcoming. The place was not at all sketchy or grimy. Our chipper, pretty young server was a joy to be around. She appeared to almost dance about like a ballerina or a sprite as she waited tables, charming patrons both regular and unfamiliar of all ages. We adored her. The clientele was well-​behaved, and the ambience was surprisingly tranquil. No one was rowdy, loud, or noticeably sloshed.
We shuffled up to a counter and referenced a menu on the wall located just past a cartoony mural prior to choosing our poison. Astoundingly cheap for Mount Lebanon, we ordered aplenty, and our cute, fun new friend brought all of our food to our table without delay after we paid up.
I’m hand-​wringing here as I compose this review, and it’s mainly due to the fact that, well… J&T’s apparently nukes everything and makes no effort to disguise it. The unshaven cook and I even met eyes when he did the radiation tango with my Burrito El Grande. Almost shrugging, he seemed to say to me with his facial expressions, «What? You got a problem, mac? This ain’t Casa Reyna.»
Served between piles of Spanish rice and refried, cheddar-​riddled beans, the large burrito was filled quite generously with ground chuck…
…and hell, my Mom makes better Mexican than this. I coulda made this myself. The beef wasn’t even seasoned. There are packets of spices sold for this sort of thing, y’know?
Las Palmas Carniceria, a local chain of Mexican groceries known for their popular sidewalk tacos, grills all of their beef regularly on a flat-​top. Whatever isn’t used immediately goes into a steam pan. There you have it: Zero excuses for microwaved entrees in a restaurant.
I couldn’t view all of the kitchen action, but it seems to me that the cooks merely assemble each precooked dish and irradiate it for service.
If you keep the food hot or cook it to order, you shouldn’t have to do that, right?
Robert Irvine would be livid. I can see that muscled Brit of Food Network and rescuer of eateries gone awry pacing about now.
Spare yourselves the drama, guys. My mom”ll teach yinz things ya never knew about homecookin’. That’s if you want help, and judging by the attendance figures, your business is still surviving and thriving.
J&T’s also sells burgers, pizzas, hoagies, and… what’s that?
Mmmm…*crunch.nosh…licks fingers*
They do make dandy, juicy, crispy, meaty chicken wings, and they were only $ 5 last night! In fact, our entire meal only cost about $ 30, which is theft or charity in this end of town.
What else did we dig?
OH! Jose and Tony also make their own «sour cream dressing» as they call it, and rather fetchin’ it is. It almost tastes like a prepared dip you’d find in your supermarket’s frozen section OR as if they married crème fraîche to Hellman’s mayonnaise. It went swimmingly well slathered onto my phat burrito, one that really didn’t kill the pooch despite its prefabricated origins.
I also indulged in their *ahem* «Mexican Dessert.» Psst. It’s fried tortilla chips dusted with cinnamon sugar, and yes, they too were appetizing in a state fair kinda way. Gimme a paper cone of ‘em and show me where the ski ball booth is. I got a teddy bear to win for my gal.
This is their other dessert offering, and I am not putting yinz on. 2 bucks gets you… this…
*Beep*
*Slam*
That goddarn microwave wouldn’t be ignored.
Ah! I ordered guacamole too. It wasn’t inedible either (nothing we had truly was), but it did have a little too much acid and not enough salt. I prefer it to be chunkier to boot, but hell, I doubt it was bought from an outside vendor.
At least I hope not.
Feck it, though, I make better guac than than Jose and Tony’s! It ain’t hard. I break up the avocado with a spoon, add kosher salt, some mashed garlic, and a squirt of lemon juice. Magic.
To conclude, think of my 2 star rating as a strong 2. Crud, all they need is a good chef or my mama’s recipes. *nudge* She’s as Latina as Don Sterling is a soul brother.
P. S. I didn’t enjoy lambasting Jose & Tony’s. Honestly. Color me frustrated more than snarky. Damn it. I wanted to like them! I wanted the haters to be wrong! For a neighborhood institution, that grub should be fresh and scratch-​made!!! I wanna see a meat grinder! A tortilla maker! I want everything to be fried in lard! NO. MORE. MICROWAVING!
P. P. S. The outside of the joint has been gorgeously redone.

Worst food ever. Hit one star by accident. Should be negative stars. May have been canned Mexican food. No taste. We sat and listened to young women talking very loudly with her two thug friends use F word about every fourth word for 30 minutes.

Good place to grab a cheap, easy lunch.

It hurts my heart a little to see all the one star reviews. Jose and Tony’s isn’t the best, I’ll admit. Could I get better food somewhere else? Sure, in fact I could probably make a better burrito at home. But the prices are reasonable and the bar has excellent drink specials.
I’ve tried several items on the menu and yes, nothing is all that spectacular. But you know how sometimes you just want to taste that square pizza from the school cafeteria again? Jose and Tony’s makes me think of the tacos also made available in grade school cafeterias. The smell and taste just take you back to simpler times — before taco shells tasted like Doritos.
More importantly, you just can’t put a price on nostalgia. I started coming here with a friend who came to Jose and Tony’s when she was growing up. She always had fond memories that she shared with me. Combine that with a pitcher of reasonably priced margaritas and I start to feel all warm and fuzzy. I will always have room in my heart and my stomach for one more taco salad from Jose and Tony’s.

First thing I’m gonna say is dont take a bus full of nun’s here. My grandmother would not enjoy this place. Its a little dirty, kinda shady, but solid grub.
I enjoy these kinds of places because I feel like I could spill things on me and not have to worry about people scoffing at me (people are probably too drunk to notice here).
I’ve probably been to better mexican places in wyoming but hey it’s better then a microwave burrito and after a few beers, who cares. Don’t pay attention to the 1 stars, just go check it out yourself.

Well, Here is another once «Great» restaurant that has thrown away the quality and reduced portion size. …WHY ???
You had a good thing going? I was always hooked on the California Burrito, It had great flavor and great size. Now it tasted like a ground up wendies burger with very limited spices.
Please bring my Burrito BACK !

Not sure why all the one star reviews, this place has decent «Mexican» style food. The chili is top notch, no beans, meaty, savory and has great umami features.
The California Burrito is gooey with cheese, great filling and a delicious sauce. Sure, everything is served on paper and you get plastic forks and knives, think of it as good truck food without the truck.
Good beer selection and specials.

Jose and Tony’s? My husband reckons there was a misprint on the sign and it should read «Joe’s and Tony’s». This is terrible Mexican food and a drab environment.
All of the food tasted like gas station food. The spanish rice tasted like rice that someone just squirted a bunch of ketchup on. There is no natural light in the place. Food was served on styrofoam and paper plates.
PLEASE AVOID FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD!

If it was possible to give a restaurant negative stars on Unilocal,as in minus 3, I would do that here. Jose and Tony’s is a bar masquerading as a Mexican restaurant, and doing a very poor job of it. I do not believe that anything is made from scratch here, everything we had was microwaved (I watched), and I imagine you can get better Mexican food from the frozen food section of your local Giant Eagle. In fact, I suspect that’s exactly what the owners of this place have done; raided the local grocery store aisles for pre-​packaged, canned and frozen «Mexican food». For shame. I would fill out the «additional tips» part of this review, but who cares? Just don’t go.

This is a tale of two teachers, a married couple, looking for cheap and good Mexican eats the week before their first paycheck since June. They ended up at Jose and Tony’s, and they got the cheap part, at least.
The good part, not so much.
Now, I’m known to be a lover of food. I especially like seefood, meaning just about any food I see. I’m also one to give the benefit of the doubt in my Unilocal reviews because any restaurant can have a bad night. But for some reason I can’t do that for Jose and Tony’s. Why, you may ask? Read on, MacDuff.
Question: How does one mess up a Patron Reposado margarita? By using something akin to prestone antifreeze for the mix and taking fifteen minutes to make the damned thing even though there were only 5 people in the whole restaurant. Mystery meat tacos that reeked of meat left one day too long in refrigerator before cooking. Tortilla chips that were stale and partially rancid.
See what I mean? I can’t even say «nice…, not thrilling, but nice.»
Again, it was cheap. Under $ 20 for drinks and dinner. I only wish I could have finished any one of the items I ordered without feeling sick to my stomach.
So in summary… in my college days, maybe… juuussst mayyybeee… I would have enjoyed the place, but only because I wouldn’t have known any better.