LUNA Mexican Kitchen - The Alameda

Food - 5
Service- 5
Ambience- 4

Overall great experience. I definitely recommend stopping in for a dining experience if you happen to be in the area.

Great spot! Casual, easy to get in, good service, and delicious food.

We walked in pretty hungry, and our eyes were a little bigger than our stomachs. We started with a cucumber and watermelon (the special) Margarita, chips, salsa and guacamole. Both margaritas were great, definitely not too sweet. They have a green salsa that is so good I could eat it every day! The guac was also good, but we were already a little full considering what was coming.

We shared the mixed grill platter for two. It came with lobster, short rib, carnitas, chile relleno, chicken, bacon wrapped shrimp and sweet potato. It may have been better split between three or four people. Don't get me wrong, we pretty much ate it all, but it was definitely too much.

Somehow we still made room for dessert, which really was the worst part of the meal. We ordered churros, and they weren't very good. They were too dense, not light and crispy, and the chocolate sauce was just okay. That said, it was still a really good meal!

Lo único rico fue el café
Pero los chilaquiles estaban muy malos nada que ver

Se despadazo toda la tortilla parecía comida para pollo

When traveling, one must find a restaurant that he/she cannot get back home. In my case, for San Jose, after some foodie research, I chose Luna Mexican Kitchen.

Luna Mexican Kitchen is noted in Michelin Guide as "Bib Gourmand" for good quality and good value cooking. The name "LUNA" means "MOON" in Spanish, but is also an acronym.
- L - Local
- U - Unrefined
- N - Natural
- A - Authentic

Their website also notes:
- Eat like an Ancestor - food that thousands of years in the making - just like great great abuelita used to cook
- Our Food - clean ingredients, ancient methods, no shortcuts

We sat in the outdoor patio area.
Between my friend and I, we tried the following:
- Guacamole - avocado, onion, cilantro, serrano, lime, choice of chicharrons or tortilla chips
- Ceviche de Cameron - wild caught shrimp, fresh salsa cruda, mango, red onion, avocado, cucumber, habanero, cilantro, housemade tortilla chips
- Queso Flameado - flamed jack cheese, fire roasted poblano pepper, handmade corn tortillas
- Salmon Tacos - pan seared Norwegian Kvarøy salmon, avocado pineapple jalapeño salsa, chipotle aioli, creamy serrano lime slaw, with epazote black beans
- Lamb Barbacoa - slow-cooked Niman Ranch lamb marinated in adobo for 24 hours, with Rancho Gordo pinto beans, onions and cilantro, escabeche and handmade corn tortillas

We definitely over-ordered; there was more food than our stomachs can handle. Faves were guacamole, ceviche, & tacos. We ended up putting some of the queso on the tacos. Cheese is good on everything!! Don't lie!! LOL. The lamb barbacoa was pretty good but a little more gamey than I expected; felt more like in the mutton territory rather than lamb. Again - my personal opinion. The flavors were awesome though; just the meat itself.

For cocktails, we tried:
- Oaxacan Skies - mezcal, coconut syrup, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, blue curacao
- Death & Taxes - reposado tequila, mezcal, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, lime, organic agave, bloody mary mix and a Tajin rim (I ordered mine with Mezcal only; no Tequila).

Cool vibe. Loved the food and service. ENJOY!

We got one veggie and one chicken mole enchilada and both were delicious. Both came with salad, beans and rice. The portions are reasonable and each plate was about $15. The chips and salsa are complimentary.

They have indoor and two outdoor sections so plenty of seating available. The parking is small but there should be street parking available.

The ambiance is casual with a lady making fresh tortillas on the side. The seating is comfortable and spacious.

The service was friendly with the staff being courteous and welcoming. I would definitely come back again!

The parking was a pain. I had to park on the street and walked a little over a block.The restaurant was nice and cozy but a bit loud.
The service was good. Our server was very attentive and made multiple useful recommendations.
We ordered chile verde which was really yummy- tasty and tender. Chili Rereno was ok. It margarita was good (not very strong though)
The bill had some hidden surcharges which I didn't realize till after.
Overall experience was good and I would come back.

Scratching my head on the high reviews here. The ambiance and decor were very cute, but the food itself was just ok.

- Sweet heat ($15): Something in this gave it a creamy mouthfeel. Yum! 4.5/5
- Complimentary chips and salsa: First round of chips were covered in grease, the second was perfect: thick and crunchy. We loved the green sauce which packed a big of a punch!
- Shrimp ceviche ($22): Standard. I liked the juice and made sure I drizzled some on every bite. 3/5
- Carne asada tacos ($14): These needed the second tortilla, as just the one crumbled in our hands. Decent amount of carne asada with a good char flavor, but after a few bites we found them boring (and some pieces were very tough and dry). 3/5
- Mole poblano enchiladas (2 for $20): The chicken was dry, which you'd think with all the sauce the enchiladas wouldn't be. The mole sauce was nice. 3/5

No reservations. We arrived at 2:45pm on a Saturday thinking we would walk right in but there were people waiting! Not too bad of a wait though, we received a text our table was ready about 15 minutes later.

Service was ok. We had to ask for utensils and napkins before our entrees arrived, as they weren't at the table already when we sat down. 3.5% living wage surcharge.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Luna Mexican Kitchen, and it was an exceptional experience! Despite the packed house and our waiter's occasional forgetfulness (understandable given the chaos), the food, ambiance, and decor made up for it.

The fish tacos, ceviche, and fajitas were bursting with flavor and freshness - a true testament to the kitchen's skill. The mural in the parking lot and the rustic interior added to the vibrant atmosphere, immersing us in the rich Latino culture.

My only suggestion? More murals showcasing the Latino community's beauty and spirit would elevate the space even further. I'd love to see a collaboration with inkvisuals.com to bring more stunning art to the building.

Minor quibbles aside, Luna Mexican Kitchen is a must-visit for anyone craving authentic, delicious Mexican cuisine in a lively and beautiful setting. Don't miss out on this San Jose gem!

This is a great authentic Mexican restaurant. The service is top notch and the food was amazing. The restaurant is clean and cozy. I posted a picture of the guacamole dip but forgot to take a picture of the meals. Trust me I have eaten a lot of Mexican food and this ranks in the top 5 if not number 1!

Food was great, but service was not.
I actually really enjoy the other Luna location and thought that I would have the same experience with great service and delicious food. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
The wait staff was not attentive and gave attitude to my party. They kept us waiting for refills of our water and were rude when we paid, snatching the card reader as I was in the middle of signing for the digital receipt. I would have hoped for better service given the numerous 5 star reviews, but I am disappointed with my visit.