LUNA Mexican Kitchen - The Alameda

Loved it all, the flavors, the vibe, prompt accommodating service, and the neighborly atmosphere. I was by myself and had places to go. Next time, it will be with friend and take time to enjoy more tastes and drinks.

Suggestion: Cook those yummy Rancho Gordo beans a bit less - al dente, por favor.

Food: the steak salad is by far the best I've ever had! The meat is tender and the whole salad is filling and well seasoned. You get free refill nachos as appetizers with their delicious salsa. Don't forget to try their drinks; ask the staff for recommendations!

Service: warm and nice. The staff is busy but always make sure we're good whenever he passes by.

Ambiance: definitely consider as a dating spot; the patio seating is nice at night with a good vibe with the lights. Casual gathering and hangouts are good as well.

First time at this location, I've been to the one at the Pruneyard and loved it. I will say finding parking is a lot less stressful at this location, we came on a Sunday at 11AM and were seated right away. The hostess and waitress that helped us were both very lovely.

The food came out in a timely manner. The cafe de olla was sweet and tasty. 10/10! The horchata French toast was my favorite I'll definitely be ordering that again. The chilaquiles were a little soggy and plain compared to the last time I've had them. I was a little disappointed but I still left with a happy and full belly.

Definitely a great spot if you're feeling Mexican food for breakfast. The earlier you get here the more likely you'll avoid the busy rush.

Luna Mexican Kitchen isn't practically where I go when I'm craving Mexican food but it's a high contender. It's somewhat of a healthier version with more unique options.

For appetizer, my all my favorite is their camote. Slowly roasted sweet potatoes that ooze with flavor. The char in each bite pairs so well with their chipotle aioli and I often find myself craving this unique dish that I don't find at any other Mexican kitchen. My least favorite dish is their guacamole which is somewhat lacking in flavor and ingredients. I was searching for the lime and onions. It's served along tortilla chips that tasted a bit dry.

My go to entrée was their steak chimichurri bowl. I'm not sure if they still have it but it was a beauty to look at and tasted even better. If that's not a thing anymore the steak salad is pretty good too. I'm not usually a meat eater but for some reason I really like their skirt steak here.

Overall, I appreciate the ingredients Luna uses in their dishes. They allow us to nourish our bodies with ingredients our ancestors used to cook 100's of years ago and you really can't go wrong with that.

This Luna location is my boyfriend and I's favorite place to go (we try to make it once every few months). The service is truly top notch - every waiter we've had has been amazing. Their guac and food options are great as well. The appetizer list is unique and there are so many options to choose from. Definitely try the queso flameado and yams!

We love to split the 1/2 pound fajita entree and it never disappoints. The presentation, price and entire experience are once of a kind for this area. I highly recommend this place to all who want good food, a yummy margarita and an amazing, enjoyable dining experience. Thank you Luna and we will be back soon!

Went here for my boyfriend's birthday, and it was a cute set up but expect a louder ambiance. I originally ordered the tamales but unfortunately they were out by the time I got there.

The service was very nice but pretty hard to hear.

I ended up getting the salmon tacos but I would more so recommend the enchiladas! The chips were a bit greasy but nice and crunchy!

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!

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!

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.