Petiscos
Petiscos: A Portuguese Tapas Experience in San Jose
If you're looking for a taste of Portugal in downtown San Jose, look no further than Petiscos. This charming restaurant offers a unique dining experience with its focus on tapas and small plates, particularly highlighting seafood dishes. From tongue, pork, and clams to grilled octopus and cod, Petiscos serves up fresh and flavorful ingredients cooked to perfection.
Customer reviews rave about the knowledgeable and friendly waitstaff, as well as the extensive Portuguese wine list. The ambiance is described as trendy, romantic, and upscale, making it a perfect spot for a date night or gathering with friends. The restaurant also offers a range of amenities, including outdoor seating, free Wi-Fi, and a full bar.
One standout dish that customers can't get enough of is the duck rice, a flavorful blend of duck and bacon served in a cast iron skillet. Other must-try items include the flamed chourico, roasted octopus, and cheese bread. While portions may be on the smaller side, the quality and taste of the dishes more than make up for it.
If you're a fan of Portuguese cuisine or looking to try something new and exciting, Petiscos is definitely worth a visit. Whether you're indulging in a leisurely lunch or a fancy dinner, this restaurant promises a memorable culinary experience that will transport you to the streets of Portugal.
Petiscos Menu
Location
Address: 399 S 1st St San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: (408) 320-2884
Business info
- Takes ReservationsYes
- Offers DeliveryYes
- Offers TakeoutYes
- Vegan OptionsYes
- Wheelchair accessibleYes
- Accepts Credit CardsYes
- Accepts Android PayYes
- Accepts Apple PayYes
- Accepts CryptocurrencyNo
- Outdoor SeatingYes
- Trendy, Romantic, Classy, UpscaleYes
- Moderate NoiseYes
- Good for GroupsYes
- Good for Dinner, DessertYes
- Street ParkingYes
- Waiter ServiceYes
- Free Wi-FiYes
- Full BarYes
- Dogs AllowedYes
- TVYes
- Women-ownedYes
- Heated Outdoor SeatingYes
- Gender-neutral restroomsYes
- Offers CateringNo
- Drive-ThruNo
- Covered Outdoor SeatingNo
- Private DiningNo
- Provides reusable tablewareYes
Last Reviews
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Author: Susan B.
Terrific restaurant, lots of charming details throughout the largish dining room. Our waitperson was very knowledgeable about the dishes, and having done a tour of Portugal, she knew lots about their Portuguese wine list. We chose a selection of dishes to eat family style: the tongue, pork and clams, the grilled octopus, the cod and the corn bread. All the ingredients were fresh and cooked to well. I enjoyed all the dishes. On a Tuesday afternoon, street parking was pretty easy in the area.
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Author: Aileen A.
TLDR: This place is decent and cute for a date night. It got my attention due to its association with now defunct Michelin starred Adega. I hope they consider reprinting their menu to include descriptions of what an item is vs relying on a waiter to remember to describe what entails or the customer to inquire. This would help manage expectations better. I participated in this year's annual Dine Downtown Restaurant Week and ordered from their menu which consisted of a 3 course meal for $45 which is a good value. I arrived at 7pm and found myself in a crowd of couples and small groups. There were no available seats at the table and I was lucky to snag a seat for 1 at the bar. Whew! With several options on the restaurant week prix fixe, I enjoyed their flamed chourico (appetizer), roasted octopus (main), and orange tart (dessert). I should have asked but I feel like it should've been indicated in the menu that bread was included as I ended up extra bread that I didn't need (albeit I ordered the cornbread/ bread combo). The bread (Portuguese wheat bread) and broa (Portuguese corn bread) that I unnecessarily ordered arrived with butter and olive oil. Both were thick and wheat-y if that's your thing. Personally, I'd skip this. Next the flamed chourico (chorizo like sausage) arrived and announced itself in literal flames. It was tasty and had a nice snap. Finally the roasted octopus arrived with potatoes. I was surprised to seee the potatoes on plate as nothing on the menu indicated it would be included. I welcomed this as I was actually looking to order some and would've also ended up ordering them as a side (it's not on the menu as a side) and find myself with a dilemma of over-ordering. I also enjoyed two drinks (Pisco sour and oaxaquena) both of which were tasty. Ambiance is cute, great lighting, and the space is moderately sized. I didn't notice any private space (open floor plan). Service was good and friendly.
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Author: Leslie N.
I went here for a gathering with friends and I would say it was a cute experience. The atmosphere is cozy and date vibes. The service was amazing. I would also say the food is good too but the portions are small so if you're looking to get full, this isn't the place. My fave items were the duck rice and the flamed chourico. The clams and mussels were also yummy too. I'm not too much a big fan of the mushroom rice. The cheese bread is a must get!!
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Author: Jacqueline Z.
This place has been on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, so I wanted to try it out! I've been to Portugal before, so when looking at the menu items, they did seem to have a lot of Portuguese items. My partner and I made a reservation ahead of time, but when we came at 7:45 pm on a Friday evening, there were plenty of empty tables, so walk-ins should be fine as well. It is located in Downtown SJ, so factor in some time to find parking. This place is like tapas style, so expect the dishes to be small. We ordered the following: - Acoriana (4/5): This was a passion fruit, coconut cocktail with a rum base. The foam from coconut was delicious! One con was that the passion fruit purée was all concentrated at the bottom. Bit steep for a cocktail in price ($19). - Cheese Bread (4/5): For $9, you get 3 pieces. However, cheese bread is quite dense and unexpectedly filling. The inside was so soft and you could see the cheese inside. - Meat Croquettes (3.5/5): By itself, the croquette is a bit salty and not very memorable in flavor. But with the sauce, it is good and brings the flavor to the dish. This was $9. - Duck Rice (4/5): This was recommended by our server as a favorite. For $19, it is quite small in portion size. However, it reminds me of a mini paella because the edges of the rice were crispy and it comes in a cast iron skillet. This was delicious, with additional meat chunks on top. Would recommend ordering this. - Pata Negra Fries (4/5): We originally were going to order just the pata negra, but upon asking the server about what the fries version entailed, we decided to go with that, which was $34. It did not disappoint. The fries are laid on top with the meat and drizzled with this chipotle sauce. If you've ever had patatas bravas sauce, this is what that sauce reminded me of. The sauce was really the star of the show. I do wish that they had drizzled it more throughout the fries rather than just on top, since the fries at the bottom ended up being quite plain. - Pastel de Nata (2/5): I was really excited for this because I loved these in Portugal, but this one did not hit the mark. For $5 a piece, it is quite steep in price. The crust was flakey but also dry and sort of tasted... stale? The custard was a tad bit sweet and even the cinnamon could not balance it out. Service was decent - our server was nice and helpful with the ordering process, but nothing outstanding. Overall, I think the food here is decent. Price-wise, it is a bit steep since each dish is expensive but small in portion. They also charge a 5% living wage surcharge on top of your bill. Altogether, it came out to be around $70 per person after taxes and tip. Good for a fancy occasion or date night.