If you’ve never had El Halal Amigos, it is worth the try. El Halal Amigos is a Halal Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Willow Glen in San Jose, California.

The owner and executive chief, Hisham Abdelfattah, created the El Halal Amigos food truck in 2020 where it took off and became a restaurant.

Before walking in the restaurant you can hear music playing, and you can smell the mouthwatering Halal Mexican food. The restaurant displays murals along the walls along with two TVs, one playing a movie and the other showing ESPN sports highlights.

As I walked toward the front to order, there were not too many people inside, but a line was starting to form. I found the menu easy to browse and there were many appetizing meals to choose from.

I ended up choosing the lunchtime special; two al pastor tacos with rice, pinto beans and a horchata as the drink of choice. The meal cost $20.47, $12 for the lunchtime special — available Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — and $6 for the horchata, plus tax.

The wait staff were respectful and efficient. Once I took a seat, I was immediately given free chips and red sauce. As nice as it was nice to receive chips before my meal, they were average at best.

My food was served within an impressive five minutes and the presentation was amazing.

The tacos were stuffed with meat and also had onions and pineapple, garnished with cilantro. On the side were beans and rice, extra roasted onions, beets, a lime and a roasted serrano pepper.

The portion size was great and it was colorful, making it tempting to dive into immediately.
The horchata was amazing. It had the perfect blend of cinnamon, sweetness and creaminess, and was not watered down at all. My only gripe was the size of the cup, which was only offered in one medium size.

The al pastor tacos were delicious. The flavor immediately hits you as you take the bite and the taste of the onions, pineapple and cilantro fit in perfectly.

The rice was just as good. It had a ton of flavor and was not squishy or gritty.

On the other hand, the pinto beans were flavorless and plain.

The tables, floors and bathroom were also clean and spotless. This could be because I went when they first opened, but they had some customers eating inside when I arrived.

My biggest complaint has less to do with the restaurant, but the parking. There is one little parking garage right by the restaurant which was packed.

I ended up driving two blocks away to park on the side of a street and had to walk another 15 minutes just to get to the restaurant, which could be a hassle to some.

Overall, the portion size is great and the food is flavorful.

• Restaurant: El Halal Amigos
• Cuisine: Halal Mexican food
• Hours: Open everyday from 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Address: 1100 Lincoln Ave. #160 San Jose, CA 95125
• Phone: (408) 645-5571
• ⭐️ Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
• https://www.elhalalamigos.com/