El Grullo Restaurant Introduce
For California locals seeking an authentic and consistently excellent Mexican dining experience in San Jose, El Grullo Restaurant is a highly-regarded and established destination. Located on South Jackson Avenue, this restaurant has been serving the community for nearly three decades, building a reputation for clean, fresh, and generously portioned meals.
El Grullo is celebrated for its commitment to classic, homemade flavors, which include their "phenomenal" house-made salsa and the careful preparation of every dish. Diners consistently praise the perfect ratio of ingredients in their popular items, such as the famous Super Burrito, where fresh meats and a whole avocado complement the rice and beans without overwhelming them.
The atmosphere is casual and cozy, making it an ideal spot for everyone—from solo diners needing a quick bite to families and groups enjoying a relaxed meal. With fast service being a major highlight, El Grullo ensures a quality dining experience, whether you're starting your day with breakfast, grabbing a quick lunch, or enjoying a late-night meal.
El Grullo Restaurant is conveniently situated at 41 S Jackson Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA, making it a familiar and accessible landmark in the East San Jose area. This location is designed to accommodate all patrons, prioritizing accessibility and comfort.
For ease of visit, the restaurant provides extensive accessibility features and parking solutions:
- Accessibility: The facility ensures full compliance for all visitors, featuring a wheelchair accessible entrance, wheelchair accessible parking lot, wheelchair accessible restroom, and wheelchair accessible seating.
- Parking: Guests benefit from a free parking lot as well as free street parking options, simplifying the process of stopping by for a meal.
- Atmosphere and Seating: In addition to a cozy indoor dining area, El Grullo offers Outdoor seating, allowing diners to enjoy the pleasant California weather while they eat. The seating arrangements include table service, catering to groups and offering a full dining experience.
- Amenities: The establishment includes a functional and consistently clean Restroom, which adds to the overall pleasant dining environment.
El Grullo Restaurant provides a comprehensive set of services to accommodate the diverse schedules and preferences of the California local market:
- Dining Options: The restaurant covers all day parts, serving a full range of meals including Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert.
- Convenience and Speed: The "Fast service" highlight is consistently mentioned in customer reviews, ensuring that a quick and satisfying meal is always available. The offering also includes Late-night food for those needing a meal after hours, and Quick bites for a fast stop.
- Order Fulfillment: Customers can choose from multiple options, including enjoying the atmosphere with Dine-in and Outdoor seating, or utilizing Delivery and Takeout services for maximum flexibility.
- Payment Methods: Modern payment convenience is provided, accepting Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.
- Family and Group Focus: The restaurant is "Good for kids" and provides High chairs and a dedicated Kids' menu, making it an excellent choice for families. The atmosphere and seating options also make it ideal for managing Groups.
The menu at El Grullo is an expansive celebration of Mexican flavors, with several items achieving local legendary status:
- The Super Burrito Experience: This is a cornerstone of the menu. The Super Burrito is lauded for its perfect ratio of ingredients, which include generous, non-oily meat options like Pastor (marinated pork), along with rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, and a full slice of fresh avocado (guacamole).
- Complimentary Chips and Salsa: The restaurant sets itself apart by serving house-made chips and salsa while you wait—a seemingly simple offering that customers describe as "phenomenal." The chips are made from cut and deep-fried tacos, providing an incomparable crunch and flavor that is "the best."
- House Sauces and Seasonings: The main house sauce is described as having a "great flavor" and a manageable heat level. Each table is equipped with additional seasonings and common sauces, allowing diners to customize their experience perfectly.
- Full Meal Service: El Grullo offers much more than just quick-service items, with extensive Mexican Dinner Plates like Steak Ranchero, Flautas, Chicken Enchiladas, and a wide variety of soups (Pozole, Menudo, Caldo de Res) and seafood dishes (Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, Caldo 7 Mares).
- All-Day Dining and Offerings: The menu includes a robust Breakfast selection (e.g., Huevos con Chorizo, Chilaquiles) and a comprehensive beverage list featuring Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, and Coffee, making it a viable option at any time of day.
- Ingredient Quality and Cleanliness: A standout feature is the commitment to quality, with customers repeatedly noting the freshness and cleanliness of the ingredients and the consistently fresh oil used for frying, ensuring a clean and satisfying flavor with "never any after taste issues."
For ordering takeout, checking current hours, or making any inquiries, please contact El Grullo Restaurant using the following details:
- Address: 41 S Jackson Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
- Primary Phone: (408) 937-6083
- Mobile Phone (Alternate): +1 408-937-6083
For anyone in the San Jose, California area, choosing El Grullo Restaurant is choosing a proven local institution with a long history of culinary excellence and customer satisfaction. This is not just another Mexican restaurant; it is a place where every element—from the house-made chips and salsa to the perfect ratio of ingredients in the Super Burrito—is executed with consistent care and quality.
What sets El Grullo apart is the exceptional balance between classic, authentic Mexican flavors and a highly efficient, friendly service model. Whether you're a long-time resident who appreciates the consistency of their 30-year track record, or a visitor seeking an authentic taste of California's Mexican food scene, the fresh, non-oily meats, generous portions, and personalized customer interactions make it a must-visit.
The ability to enjoy a full breakfast, a fast lunch, or a late-night meal with the option of outdoor seating and a full beverage selection, all while knowing that the kitchen prioritizes clean, quality ingredients, makes El Grullo the ultimate choice for satisfying your Mexican food cravings.
El Grullo Restaurant Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
Popular for
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Late-night food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
Dining options
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
Crowd
- Groups
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
- Kids' menu
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
- Parking
El Grullo Restaurant Photos










El Grullo Restaurant Location
El Grullo Restaurant
41 S Jackson Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
El Grullo Restaurant Reviews
burritocaldosalsahandmenudoshrimpcarnitasavocadosodalengua
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm from Connecticut and we don't have places like this. Everything about El Grullo Restaurant was great. The woman who served us was kind and friendly. The restaurant was clean and airy. The service was super quick and the food was amazing. I had a burrito and I'm not entirely sure what was in it. I asked her for the best one and she brought me the one she likes. The flavors in it were perfect. The sauce she said was hot had a great flavor and I didn't find it to be terribly spicy. I would go back often if I could.
July 16 · Andrew D.For context I am not Latina and am no authority on Latin culture or food however I have been coming here for near 30 years for Burritos and Taco’s and can only speak to those items but will say the varieties of meat and seafood dishes are amazing.So I always order the super burrito with everything and pastor and my wife orders the super and regular tacos and we order fries on the side.They always serve house made nachos and salsa while you wait for your order and let me tell you this very simple nacho and salsa is phenomenal. No one makes a better house salsa and having cut and deep fried tacos for nacho chips is the best. There’s no substitute. They also serve ice cold water while you wait for your food.Now the food. All the ingredients are fresh and generous yet the ratio of ingredients is done to perfection and done so consistently every time we come no matter what day or time. They are generous with their meat the avocados (a whole avocado) and they don’t overwhelm you with rice and beans. The other ingredients like onions and greens complement each dish beautifully.The meats are not oily and don’t flood your hands and mouth when you eat. The house sauce is delicious and each table has seasonings and other common sauces if preferred. Each table also has napkins that are never empty.The service is exceptional and in Spanish yet they know enough English to complete an order. With me they already know what I want so all is well.Come here for freshly prepared and clean food. Always delicious and never any after taste issues due clean ingredients. The oil they use is always fresh and never old.This place always satisfies and brings me joy for almost 30 years.One last thing. The restroom is always clean, could use an update but absolutely functional.
August 19 · Ayden NathanTacos and quesadillas are actually really good and their red salsa is great. I usually don't like red salsa but theirs is my favorite. I use to go here everyday when I worked near by. Probably my favorite Mexican spot in san jose. I haven't found anyone better.
May 22 · Malia HernandezFor those who get to experience this restaurant without any seasoning or any additives I tasted this soup in the Menudo best in the bay I've had from the portion to The Taste to the texture everything is made again beautiful environment and so clean you can eat off the floor
October 24 · Willis MurrayWe always get great service which is why we come back. The coffee is always fresh and Liquados on point! The food is hot and tortillas all hand made. Staff is really friendly.My caldo de res was delicious 😋
August 14 · Trina H
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