From the outside, Joselito’s Mexican Restaurant in Montrose is a location that’s easy to miss because of its unnoticable appearance. Though it’s quiet-looking from the outside, inside the restaurant is completely the opposite. Greeted by a hostess, you see a room that resembles a restaurant from Mexico itself, filled with the aroma of authentic Mexican food and colorful decorations. Unlike may American restaurants, instead of starting off your meal with bread and butter, the friendly waiter brings over a bowl of red, green and yellow tortilla chips, along with green tomatillo salsa and red tomato salsa.

Joeslito’s has a lengthy and thorough menu that includes classic items such as carnitas tostadas for $10.95 and chimichangas for $11.25. Though the menu items are written in Spanish, they are accompanied by a detailed description of each dish in English.

Since I wasn’t feeling extremely hungry, I went with the “Sopa de pollo y tortilla,” or chicken tortilla soup, which cost $6.75. While I enjoyed the tortilla chips with my cousin and waited for our food, a group of three men in Mariachi costumes came to our table. They played guitars and sang Spanish songs until our meals came. We weren’t expecting their appearance, but the other customers didn’t seem surprised. Once they left, our food arrived.

My chicken tortilla soup came in a blue bowl with a red plate and a paper doily in the center, keeping even their food presentation vibrant. The soup itself was a hearty portion, garnished with a dollop of sour cream, half an avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro. The chicken was moist and the tortillas didn’t get soggy like they do in other chicken tortilla soups.

The only negative I found was that the soup wasn’t as hot as I am used to. Because of the cold sour cream, the soup began to lose its heat, but that didn’t take away from its amazing taste.

Along with their daily menu, they also offer 99-cent tacos on Mondays and a Sunday Champagne brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $12.95. Overall, Joselito’s is a must-try place for those who want to step out of the typical restaurant experience yet still pay an affordable price.

Address:

2345 Honolulu Ave.

Montrose, CA 91020

Phone number:

(818) 957-1901

Hours:

Monday – Thurs. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sat. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.