Fonda San José

I can't say enough good things about this place. The food was excellent and the staff was polite, amiable, and efficient. My son-in-law, who is himself a chef, declared that, "There is a new contender for the best carnitas in Chattanooga," after finishing his. The portion sizes were generous, the food -- from chips and salsa to sopapillas -- was freshly prepared, the cost was reasonable, and the restaurant, including the ladies' room, was clean. Highly, highly recommend.

First time here, the salsas are fantastic. They brought us mole and regular and it was some of the best I've had in a long time. We shared the fajita express, chicken and steak and omg, the marinade on the meat was fantastic. Drink specials are also fantastic.

This place was OUTSTANDING! My husband took me here because it advertised authentic Mexican, and it definitely is that, more than the "Mexican" restaurant chains downtown. The decor is more upscale, while still feeling like you are in a Mexican restaurant. The outdoor seating is nice to enjoy downtown Chattanooga, as well. But the star of the show is the HOUSE MARAGARITA! Wow. Best margarita I've ever had. It is not weak at all, and I was good with one, which is saying something. I ordered the medium - HA! - for only $8. Our fabulous server Chris, told me that their drink specials on M-F 2-7pm knock these drinks to $3! How crazy is that? My husband and I ordered the steak burrito and brisket burrito. Packed with delicious meat! (I'm giggling right now!) This place is totally worth a stop! Check it out!

I ate here on Tuesday evening around 7:30. The restaurant was pretty empty, but there were a few parties both inside, at the bar and out on the patio, so moderately busy.

The restaurant is well kept and the décor is nicely done. The waitress was friendly and promptly sat me.

I ordered the Shredded Beef Chimichanga for my entrée and finished the meal with the Fried Ice Cream.

The waitress brought out some fresh tortilla chips and what appeared to be a house made salsa. The chips were warm, thin, crispy and not too salty. This checks all my boxes for tortilla chips, so that was a pleasant surprise. The salsa was mild and didn't have any real heat to it, so it was a good house salsa that most people would like. Fresh ingredients like onion, tomato and cilantro were visible in the mixture.

Within 10-15 minutes my entrée arrived hot fresh and large! Checking all the boxes again. The Chimi was lightly crispy and filled with a beef and refried bean mixture. The refried beans were not overwhelming, tasted good and the shredded beef definitely was the primary component (check). It was smothered in a delicious cheese Queso and was accompanied by Spanish rice, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, Lettuce and Sour Cream. The Spanish rice had bits of vegetables like peas and chopped up green beans and was pretty tasty. The Guac was flavored great and the Pico was good as well (are you seeing a trend here?).

The waitress was attentive and kept my soda filled.

Half way through the meal, I had to throw in the towel so that I had room for the Fried Ice Cream and guess what? I'm glad I did. This thing was huge! Definitely big enough for 2 people. The vanilla ice cream (which was covered in a delicious, crunchy topping) was smothered in whip cream with chocolate drizzled over the top and 2 cherries to top it off. Not to mention the churro bowl it was served in! ...Um Yummy...

All of this and a soda came to just under $27. Plus I have lunch for tomorrow.

A great place for a downtown lunch! Friendly and attentive staff, clean tables, and fantastic food! I had the Pollo Mango Glazed and it was divine! Will definitely be returning!