Consuelo Mexican Bistro, San Jose

Located on Santana Row, Consuelo Mexican Bistro echoes the grand restaurants of Mexico City during the 1900s, both with its food and its atmosphere. Servers prepare guacamole table-side, and the kitchen churns out a seemingly endless stream of handmade tortillas and homemade sauces. Entrees, meanwhile, include filet mignon served with goat cheese ancho chile, plus vegetarian options, such as tacos loaded with butternut squash, kale, and a cashew cream sauce.

While diners dive into their authentic Mexican dishes, iron chandeliers imported from Mexico hang from the bistro's high-beamed ceiling. Faux 20th-Century lanterns illuminate blue and yellow walls, and painted pottery pieces add an extra touch of elegance throughout the space. Outside, a patio presents an ideal spot to kick back and sip on the bar's massive selection of tequilas, mezcales, sangria, and wine.