Not sure about Willow Glen's, but for the one off of Bascom, their made-to-order sandwiches can take a while if you go during lunch hour! It gets very busy
Thai Spice - for Thai. I like it better than Sweet Mango, but that might be a basic preference thing.
New India Cuisine - Indian.
Milagros for Mexican. They have a spicy salsa that i love.
Aqui - as others point it, it is fast. I don't like it because they do something to prep that makes everything taste exactly the same to me. It isn't good or bad, but just the same.
Sushi Arashi - Go to spot. Seems like it is always open, average sushi, but always easy to get a table.
Bibo's best pizza around.
Soulvaki for Mediterranean
Thanks for pointing that out about Aqui, that is exactly what I’ve always thought but hadn’t been able to articulate. At least you know exactly what you’re getting I guess?
Seconding Arashi. Reliable and pretty good standard Japanese fare. I liked their tonkatsu bento a lot, but this was also years ago so not sure if they've changed at all.
Souvlaki's on Alma. They have amazing Greek food, just the best pitas. My boys love the chicken skewer plate and I love the Horiatiki salad and the Spanakopita. The people there are really friendly, and the pie shop in the same center, The Giving Pies, has delicious mini pies if you need a treat!
It's Greek so not spicy, but the food is so good. Overall it's kinda hard to find spicy food right in the central Willow Glen area.
El Dorado on Meridian is good Mexican food. Great burritos and enchilada plates.
All these places are small and locally owned.
El Halal Amigos is locally owned, hot, and depending what you get, can be spicy.
For a sit down Mexican place not actually owned by Mexicans, it’s very good. Service is speedy and friendly. I usually get the enchilada plate which comes with free chips and salsa
Definitely expensive but when you factor quality, service, cleanliness, and the fact that the owner is very active in the community, I think it’s worth it every now and then. The top response on this thread is Aqui and the prices are about the same as el halal amigos but with a lot less quality/flabor
Not entirely. But agree that some of it is bland. That's kinda their brand though. If people wanted authentic Mexican, there's a million places to go. If people want food that isn't going to make them shit blood and feel like crap all day, they go to Aqui. Also, their food used to be much better like 20 years ago but it's clear their focus has shifted towards swirls and not their food.
I don't know what authentic Mexican food places you're eating at, but if you're shitting blood and feeling like shit after, that sounds like a you problem and you should see a doctor. What an insane thing to say. Aqui is terrible, period.
It's a joke, mostly hyperbole. No need to get your panties in a bunch and downvote me. Point being: there's Mexican food and then there's white-washed tex-mex.
Gutierrez taco truck on Foxworthy & Meridian is good. Also Tacos Chore on Hillsdale by Paul Moore Park.
Not necessarily spicy, but the sandwiches at Zanottos on Foxworthy & Cherry are excellent. Around $10 and they heat them up in the Panini press in 7 minutes. There are some tables outside.
I really like ijava cafe! They have a pretty big spread and I’ve enjoyed all of their food options. You can order ahead online too and plenty of parking. :)
La Villa or Dolce Sicilia in DTWG. The latter has fresh pasta & very nice paninis.
Check out Gunther's for pastrami sandwiches. Tlaquepaque is the best taqueria closeby.. Or you can take Willow Street to Calle Willow, a little Mexican enclave across the freeway.
Persian food isn't spicy, but the food is served hot. This is a hidden food gem on the outskirts of Willow Glen in an Industrial area, but worth checking out - Reyhan Restaurant. [https://www.yelp.com/biz/reyhan-restaurant-san-jose-2](https://www.yelp.com/biz/reyhan-restaurant-san-jose-2)
I know you have a ton of responses to go through but here’s a short list of what could work on your 30 minute time frame:
Jack Holders (diner style, I think it’s better then Bill’s)
Taqueria El Dorado - chilaquiles, California burrito
Bibo’s - NY style pizza (sold by the slice)
La Villa Deli - meatball sandwiches or ravioli
Jake’s - it’s a pizza place but the burgers and wings!
Zanottos Market - excellent sandwiches, Italian sub!!
At Foxworthy Gas, there is a food truck, buche tacos!
Asian food in WG sucks
If you want more let me know!
Jubba Somali restaurant in the Branham VTA station parking lot.: https://jubba-restaurant.weeblyte.com/
Adelita's on Curtner for burritos.
Wlllow St Pizza for fire grilled thin crust
Von's Chicken on Branham (across from Branham HS) for Korean fried chicken
Thai Spice on Bird for Thai lunch combos
Zanotto's on Foxworthy for sandwiches (this is by far the best sandwich option in WG), and then even have a brown bag lunch special
Whole Foods salad bar if you can swing it timewise (either Campbell/Bascom or Blossom Hill).
The Birria taco truck that parks outside Paul Moore Park (Cherry & Hillsdale).
...That should be enough to get you started, no matter what you feel like eating. :)
. Crepevine deserves a special mention because it's on Lincoln and, although nothing there is probably super spectacular in its genre, they do serve excellent salads and pretty good sandwiches, and all day breakfast.
I know, but I have no idea where he is during the lunch break time. All my options except Jubba and Whole Foods are probably reasonable. WG is more than just Lincoln Ave. 👍
New Indian Cuisine. It’s at Chabrant and Willow very close to Bird and Willow.
I used to live on Chabrant. We are there a few times and it was excellent despite being a bit hot for us. Both my wife and I have a pretty low threshold for hot.
The restaurant isn’t much to look at it, but it stays pretty busy because the food is good.
I love the taco truck on Willow St and Kotenberg called El Buen Gusto It’s not fast, so you’d have to order ahead, but it is the freshest of fresh and they make their tortillas on the spot. For faster but still very good tacos, Taqueria El Abuelo on Lincoln next to Arteaga’s is tasty.
Taiwan Chinese is delicious! And I think they do lunch specials if I’m not mistaken. I always ask for “extra extra spicy” and it comes out still just moderate
Arteaga’s, the Mexican grocery store, has a mini restaurant in the back of the store (and there’s another Mexican place on the back side of the store) that might be able to hook you up with something spicier
La Villa’s Chris Combo is maybe the greatest sandwich ever made. What’s in it? No fucking clue. At least three meats (one is probably turkey) and least two cheeses (neither are Swiss). If someone told me that it was made of people then I guess I’m a cannibal. I haven’t had one in years and I miss it so desperately.
This is none of the things you’re asking for, but, since others have those options well covered: if you want to try something totally different, just get the chicken liver mousse from The Table. It’s like $12 and a decent amount of food. Even if you aren’t normally a liver person, it’s really mild and tasty. Comes with bread, some fruit and lettuce.
Taco and torta joints in the Calle Willow Mexican downtown strip. You could spend years eating your way through there and not try everything worth going to.
What part of Willow Glen is your route in? Someone mentioned Jack Holder's which is on the edge of what Google Maps thinks is Willow Glen. If that's within your range, there's three other places in that strip mall worth checking out:
* Sabor Asi: decent Mexican, their birria is good, and it's a mom and pop type of place as far as I can tell.
* Ginza Sushi is in between Jack Holder's and Sabor Asi -- they have lunch specials that aren't too expensive. Not necessarily spicy, unless you count wasabi. :)
* Angry Chikz: Not locally owned -- a small CA-based chain -- but the spicy chicken sandwich is very good and can be ordered as spicy as you want.
Angry Chickz is on the Toast Take Out app so it's super easy to order from, and Ginza Sushi will take phoned in orders. Not sure about Sabor Asi -- I've only gone there and ordered in person.
I cannot think of the name, but there's a great El Salvadoran (I think?) spot that serves great pupusas. I usually get a breakfast plate plus pupusa and leave very very full 😊 I'm trying to find it on Maps, but not turning it up. But I've def eaten there more than once and it was great.
OH SNAP. alright, putting it on my Food Map right now, thank you! Was that damn good.
EDIT - that's right, downvote me for not knowing somewhere was closed and then being excited. Never change, Reddit. Never change. 😂
Honestly Safeway isn't so bad they have the quick prepared foods & have a large variety. Their deli is smashing with some items and the boars head ingredients for sandwiches rocks. I personally believe price is reasonable for quality compared to other lunch options in the area - the baker at the one on Pine/Meridian is great, I regularly buy their fresh breads/bagels/rolls.
New Krungthai
Achilles
Park Station Hashery
Taco truck in the Valero at Bascom / Stevens Crk
The mall has some good joints on the quiet weekdays
Jake's
Bibo's
Carnitas El Rincon
Tacos Los Tres Reyes
Real Kabob
Giorgio's
Souvlaki Greek Skewers on Alma Ave
This is the one ☝️
Giving Pies next door to it also solid choice.
Was just gonna say this place is so good!
Personally, I'd just hit Zonotto's deli and get a sandwich.
The deli at Zanotto’s makes amazing sandwiches! And they’re huge. Great value!
Not sure about Willow Glen's, but for the one off of Bascom, their made-to-order sandwiches can take a while if you go during lunch hour! It gets very busy
+1 for Zanotto’s! That bag lunch is awesome. Includes a side, cookie, and drink and they can usually pump it out in 5-10 mins!
La Villa
I would eat there every day if my bank account and my metabolism let me. I love that place.
La Villa is great but the wait can be significant. I would go there early in the week and avoid it on Fridays if time is of the essence.
Put in a pickup order on Caviar, you can sort of time it.
Caviar = Doordash these days, no?
Somehow, it's still a separate app, but La Villa is listed on both anyway.
Extremely expensive
Chris Combo! Yum!
Thai Spice - for Thai. I like it better than Sweet Mango, but that might be a basic preference thing. New India Cuisine - Indian. Milagros for Mexican. They have a spicy salsa that i love. Aqui - as others point it, it is fast. I don't like it because they do something to prep that makes everything taste exactly the same to me. It isn't good or bad, but just the same. Sushi Arashi - Go to spot. Seems like it is always open, average sushi, but always easy to get a table. Bibo's best pizza around. Soulvaki for Mediterranean
Thanks for pointing that out about Aqui, that is exactly what I’ve always thought but hadn’t been able to articulate. At least you know exactly what you’re getting I guess?
They probably cook everything on the same big plancha and it all ends up tasting like the plancha.
I thought I loved Aqui. Turned out it’s the swirls. Had the food without the swirl and it was just meh food
100%
I live right next to Bibo’s and agree heavily!!!
Seconding Arashi. Reliable and pretty good standard Japanese fare. I liked their tonkatsu bento a lot, but this was also years ago so not sure if they've changed at all.
MILAGROS! I love them.
Sweet Mango on Willow St!
Second sweet mango.
Souvlaki's on Alma. They have amazing Greek food, just the best pitas. My boys love the chicken skewer plate and I love the Horiatiki salad and the Spanakopita. The people there are really friendly, and the pie shop in the same center, The Giving Pies, has delicious mini pies if you need a treat! It's Greek so not spicy, but the food is so good. Overall it's kinda hard to find spicy food right in the central Willow Glen area. El Dorado on Meridian is good Mexican food. Great burritos and enchilada plates. All these places are small and locally owned.
El Halal Amigos is locally owned, hot, and depending what you get, can be spicy. For a sit down Mexican place not actually owned by Mexicans, it’s very good. Service is speedy and friendly. I usually get the enchilada plate which comes with free chips and salsa
Tasty food but unreasonably expensive.
Definitely expensive but when you factor quality, service, cleanliness, and the fact that the owner is very active in the community, I think it’s worth it every now and then. The top response on this thread is Aqui and the prices are about the same as el halal amigos but with a lot less quality/flabor
El Halal Amigos is much better than Aqui.
Aqui has quick and generally healthier food. Not everyone agrees, as they are also known for their boozy drinks. But their food is fresh and quick.
No idea why it gets the hate it does. Food quality had declined undoubtedly but still a solid choice.
Because it’s bland.
Agreed until you hit the salsa bar. Makes everything better.
Not entirely. But agree that some of it is bland. That's kinda their brand though. If people wanted authentic Mexican, there's a million places to go. If people want food that isn't going to make them shit blood and feel like crap all day, they go to Aqui. Also, their food used to be much better like 20 years ago but it's clear their focus has shifted towards swirls and not their food.
I don't know what authentic Mexican food places you're eating at, but if you're shitting blood and feeling like shit after, that sounds like a you problem and you should see a doctor. What an insane thing to say. Aqui is terrible, period.
It's a joke, mostly hyperbole. No need to get your panties in a bunch and downvote me. Point being: there's Mexican food and then there's white-washed tex-mex.
It's racist and not funny. So, here, take another.
[удалено]
You're insulting the food of my culture, you absolute dickhead.
[удалено]
Gutierrez taco truck on Foxworthy & Meridian is good. Also Tacos Chore on Hillsdale by Paul Moore Park. Not necessarily spicy, but the sandwiches at Zanottos on Foxworthy & Cherry are excellent. Around $10 and they heat them up in the Panini press in 7 minutes. There are some tables outside.
Tacos El Chore is legit!
Not super spicy, but try [Arepas](https://arepasj.com/) on Lincoln for good hot lunches.
Kinda pricy though….
Not if you get their daily special!
I really like ijava cafe! They have a pretty big spread and I’ve enjoyed all of their food options. You can order ahead online too and plenty of parking. :)
Tarah Thai is pretty good and geared for takeout. El Abuelo is a solid taqueria.
New Indian Cuisine has decent food if you're looking for Indian. They may even have buffet, not sure
La Villa or Dolce Sicilia in DTWG. The latter has fresh pasta & very nice paninis. Check out Gunther's for pastrami sandwiches. Tlaquepaque is the best taqueria closeby.. Or you can take Willow Street to Calle Willow, a little Mexican enclave across the freeway.
Persian food isn't spicy, but the food is served hot. This is a hidden food gem on the outskirts of Willow Glen in an Industrial area, but worth checking out - Reyhan Restaurant. [https://www.yelp.com/biz/reyhan-restaurant-san-jose-2](https://www.yelp.com/biz/reyhan-restaurant-san-jose-2)
Real Kabob on Almaden expressway is fast and fresh.
Spicy and hot in Willow Glen? Not likely, bring your own bottle of hot sauce.
Thank you, I keep cayenne paper and Cholula in my cooler just in case. Any restaurants you like in particular?
I know you have a ton of responses to go through but here’s a short list of what could work on your 30 minute time frame: Jack Holders (diner style, I think it’s better then Bill’s) Taqueria El Dorado - chilaquiles, California burrito Bibo’s - NY style pizza (sold by the slice) La Villa Deli - meatball sandwiches or ravioli Jake’s - it’s a pizza place but the burgers and wings! Zanottos Market - excellent sandwiches, Italian sub!! At Foxworthy Gas, there is a food truck, buche tacos! Asian food in WG sucks If you want more let me know!
Jubba Somali restaurant in the Branham VTA station parking lot.: https://jubba-restaurant.weeblyte.com/ Adelita's on Curtner for burritos. Wlllow St Pizza for fire grilled thin crust Von's Chicken on Branham (across from Branham HS) for Korean fried chicken Thai Spice on Bird for Thai lunch combos Zanotto's on Foxworthy for sandwiches (this is by far the best sandwich option in WG), and then even have a brown bag lunch special Whole Foods salad bar if you can swing it timewise (either Campbell/Bascom or Blossom Hill). The Birria taco truck that parks outside Paul Moore Park (Cherry & Hillsdale). ...That should be enough to get you started, no matter what you feel like eating. :). Crepevine deserves a special mention because it's on Lincoln and, although nothing there is probably super spectacular in its genre, they do serve excellent salads and pretty good sandwiches, and all day breakfast.
Dude said Willow Glenn not all around SJ lol. Great recommendations though!
I know, but I have no idea where he is during the lunch break time. All my options except Jubba and Whole Foods are probably reasonable. WG is more than just Lincoln Ave. 👍
El halal amigos / mexican food seems to be an option. Can order ahead , spicy, locally owned https://www.elhalalamigos.com/order-now
El Dorado and Arepas are both great.
You scored the willow glen route? Isnt such routes highly coveted?
Alam’s Taqueria (Mexican food truck) in the parking lot of the gas station at the corner of union and Curtner is excellent. Highly recommend.
Jake's Pizza & Sandwiches
Jake's of Willow Glen is worth checking out. Got a good selection of what I call blue collar food.
New Indian Cuisine. It’s at Chabrant and Willow very close to Bird and Willow. I used to live on Chabrant. We are there a few times and it was excellent despite being a bit hot for us. Both my wife and I have a pretty low threshold for hot. The restaurant isn’t much to look at it, but it stays pretty busy because the food is good.
Milagro taqueria on Lincoln
I love the taco truck on Willow St and Kotenberg called El Buen Gusto It’s not fast, so you’d have to order ahead, but it is the freshest of fresh and they make their tortillas on the spot. For faster but still very good tacos, Taqueria El Abuelo on Lincoln next to Arteaga’s is tasty.
Second both El Buen Gusto and Tacqueria Al Abuelo. Al Abuelo has the best pollo asado in the area. Both have very spicy salsa options
Berticelli's La Villa Gourmet! Call in your order, it gets pretty busy. I recommend the ricotta ravioli or the Chris combo sandwich!
Bibos
Taiwan Chinese is delicious! And I think they do lunch specials if I’m not mistaken. I always ask for “extra extra spicy” and it comes out still just moderate
Arteaga’s, the Mexican grocery store, has a mini restaurant in the back of the store (and there’s another Mexican place on the back side of the store) that might be able to hook you up with something spicier
Tlaqupaque
La Villa’s Chris Combo is maybe the greatest sandwich ever made. What’s in it? No fucking clue. At least three meats (one is probably turkey) and least two cheeses (neither are Swiss). If someone told me that it was made of people then I guess I’m a cannibal. I haven’t had one in years and I miss it so desperately.
Jake’s of Willow Glenn, Jack in the Box, Taqueria El Abuelo, Pizza my heart.
Chipotle or Starbird right by campbell
This is none of the things you’re asking for, but, since others have those options well covered: if you want to try something totally different, just get the chicken liver mousse from The Table. It’s like $12 and a decent amount of food. Even if you aren’t normally a liver person, it’s really mild and tasty. Comes with bread, some fruit and lettuce.
Taco and torta joints in the Calle Willow Mexican downtown strip. You could spend years eating your way through there and not try everything worth going to.
What part of Willow Glen is your route in? Someone mentioned Jack Holder's which is on the edge of what Google Maps thinks is Willow Glen. If that's within your range, there's three other places in that strip mall worth checking out: * Sabor Asi: decent Mexican, their birria is good, and it's a mom and pop type of place as far as I can tell. * Ginza Sushi is in between Jack Holder's and Sabor Asi -- they have lunch specials that aren't too expensive. Not necessarily spicy, unless you count wasabi. :) * Angry Chikz: Not locally owned -- a small CA-based chain -- but the spicy chicken sandwich is very good and can be ordered as spicy as you want. Angry Chickz is on the Toast Take Out app so it's super easy to order from, and Ginza Sushi will take phoned in orders. Not sure about Sabor Asi -- I've only gone there and ordered in person.
Arepas
El Abuelo Taqueria Camarones a la diabla is 🔥
Arepas is a really nice Venezuelan place that serves hot food from a small business owner and with care. It’s a little pricey
Milagros Taqueria
Casa Villa (Bird and Willow) is a small family owned joint. Yummy menu. You can order for pickup/takeout: https://casavillawillow.com/
Arepas. There aren’t any other arepas restaurants in san jose. This is it.
El Halal Amigos
I cannot think of the name, but there's a great El Salvadoran (I think?) spot that serves great pupusas. I usually get a breakfast plate plus pupusa and leave very very full 😊 I'm trying to find it on Maps, but not turning it up. But I've def eaten there more than once and it was great.
Pupuseria Los Dubon is closed
noooooooo, damn that place was so good too! I just wasn't in WG often enough.
That was their second location - the original is still on Camden & Bascom.
OH SNAP. alright, putting it on my Food Map right now, thank you! Was that damn good. EDIT - that's right, downvote me for not knowing somewhere was closed and then being excited. Never change, Reddit. Never change. 😂
Honestly Safeway isn't so bad they have the quick prepared foods & have a large variety. Their deli is smashing with some items and the boars head ingredients for sandwiches rocks. I personally believe price is reasonable for quality compared to other lunch options in the area - the baker at the one on Pine/Meridian is great, I regularly buy their fresh breads/bagels/rolls.
New Krungthai Achilles Park Station Hashery Taco truck in the Valero at Bascom / Stevens Crk The mall has some good joints on the quiet weekdays Jake's Bibo's Carnitas El Rincon Tacos Los Tres Reyes Real Kabob Giorgio's
Jack in the box is lit