Jose's Cantina

We popped in for a quick lunch on our way to Houghton from Lansing. A cool early fall day saw us sitting on the deck overlooking the lake. We came for the whitefish tacos and also got their birria tacos, and it was everything we expected and a little more. Our server was awesome, and food and service were both prompt. Can't wait to come back next season!

Good food, good service! I had seen the sign for the cherry Margarita a year or so ago & went back to try it as I haven't found anyone else offering them. We were able to get a set outside on the deck. It was a beautiful July day for lunch by the water and the Margarita was great!! I would recommend. Complimentary chips & salsa included.
Went a 2nd time over Labor day weekend 2023, still great food, sat on the patio. Had the burrito & another cherry margarita.
The waiter was attentive.

Honestly one of the three best places to eat in St. Ignace, and to my surprise probably an unrivaled top two of all the Mexican restaurants I’ve visited in recent memory. Top notch food, cozy (if not upscale) atmosphere and friendly waitstaff. Also full bar with some surprisingly cool drinks (see photo) such as the sweet and spicy “Mangonada”. This is always a stop for us on our annual St. Ignace trip.

This was a good choice for us while visiting the area. Live music was a surprise and nice addition to our evening. Wait staff are great. This place is very busy and takes no reservations so plan ahead. Excellent menu. There was a ton of variety. Deck seating is fabulous. 5 stars all the way.

Fantastic meal!! We shared the chef’s special to try multiple dishes and the fish tacos were SO SO good! Everything was great and queso is fantastic. Service was really great friendly and fast without any compromise even being in right before closing!

We visited on a Saturday night, about an hour before close. This was convienently located next to our hotel. The live entertainment tonight was not very good... However, the food was amazing! Very friendly/attentive service as well. Highly recommend the Cantina Burrito and fish tacos!

Hear ye hear ye, I proclaim there is good Mexican food in St Ignace MI! I was pleasantly surprised to find such good Mexican food this far north of the southern border. The Horchata wasn’t bad either. The Birria Bites, California Burrito and deep fried ice cream were delicious. Very flavorful! Staff were very helpful as well.

Had some awesome tacos here ! Whitefish tacos were the best ! Dry burrito was also one of my favorites!
They also had a pretty unbeatable view of mackinaw Island and just the water landscape !

This place is amazing. Not a lot of the restaurants in the area offer vegetarian options. This place has so many options! The food and drinks are delicious. We will be back next year when we came back up here. Highly recommend for vegetarians!

Drove to St. Ignace across the bridge from Mackinaw City for something to do and stumbled across this nice spot with Lake & Straight view.

The salsa and chips started things off well with a good spice to the salsa. My quesabirria tacos were so delicioso that I even forgot to take a picture.

Family enjoyed the meal and our waitress did a nice job, but could have been a bit more attentive with beverage refills and, service and checking us out with the bill. We sat outside so perhaps got lost in the shuffle. Definitely consider this location if you’re crossing into the U.P. In town and want una comida mexicana excelente.

amazing! best chicken fajita's ever- fresh, hot, and flavorful
we love the queso and guac!
+ the shredded beef plate was awesome too!

Absolutely loved Jose’s cantina! We got there 15 minutes before they stopped serving food. It was still pretty busy at that time.
The waitstaff was all very nice, no one seemed angry that we arrived that late.
(We didn’t intend to get there late, that’s just how it happened)
We ordered the nachos to split for our meal. Very good! They were out really fast too!
Our waiter was an exceptionally nice and polite young man. He told us to take out time, it wasn’t necessary to rush out.
Just a great experience!
They sell Jose’s cantina merch, I got a T-shirt!!

Very good quality food, and thats coming from an afficionado of Mex/Tex-Mex food. Loved the whitefish tacos. Lovely view of Lake Huron and Mackinac Island.

The food here was delicious! Not the most authentic Mexican I've ever had but we really did enjoy everything that we ordered. I had to try the fish tacos since they were voted number one in the state by MLive. They were very good, really enjoyed the crispy shell. We also ordered the carne asada tacos which were delicious! They were very generous with the filling and the beef had a nice grill flavor. the nachos were delicious, those pickled jalapenos or spicy so if you are faint of heart, you may want to pass on those. The highlight of the dinner was definitely the fried ice cream with the crispy coconut exterior. Definitely my favorite thing I had there. That dish alone got them the five stars. Overall a great stop on our trip in the UP, would go back. The service was great! We got there at a good time so we didn't have to wait too long.

This place was fantastic! The Michigan cherry margarita was the best I've ever had. My husband really enjoyed the whitefish tacos. And the quesabiriatacos were by far the best Mexican beef I've ever had. Also, the service was great, and eating on the deck overlooking the lake just made this a super enjoyable dining experience. If you're in the area, definitely go there!

Despite the limitation Covid has inflicted on so many restaurants and small businesses, the staff at Jose’s Cantina did not disappoint! Our wait to be seated was minimal. We were greeted by the hostess as well as our waitress with a smile and kind words. The menu was extensive and had something for everyone! (Even vegan and health conscious options!) We received complimentary chips and salsa which were delicious! The chips were home made, light and crispy, and still warm! We were really just getting nicely into the chips and our food was ready! The presentation was very nice, it smelled delicious and the food was hot. My husband enjoyed his meal, and my whitefish tacos were amazing! The portions were very generous and the prices were very reasonable. We had read some less than favorable reviews so we were somewhat reluctant to try Jose’s Cantina, but let me just say this…..do NOT hesitate. You won’t be sorry!

This was a fun, delicious, happy Mexican restaurant with really delicious food! Besides that, the place is so bright with colors and decorations you can't help but feel satisfied- inside and out! And you can eat on the porch over-looking Lake Huron! Even more beautiful on a sunny day.

Finally got to eat here! It’s not open when there’s snow on the ground. It’s festively decorated and fun to look at. Parking lot was packed when we got there, so we knew we might be waiting a while for a table. We waited about 10-15 min to be seated & another 10 to order. Food came in another 15 minutes. The food was great! We ordered a chicken combo, beef Jose’s Enchilada plate with verde sauce instead of Roja and liquid cheese. Both come with rice and beans. Also had a blended mango margarita (so good!) and Traverse City Cherry margarita (s’ok.) Chips and salsa are complimentary and the salsa rocks. Tastes kinda smoky. I highly recommend eating here. You have until the end of October!!!

Food was great, we had the portobello mushroom chimichanga, it was delicious! The only pause I can think of is that the beverages were not served until after the entrée was delivered. It was worth the wait however.

Super friendly staff and the best white fish tacos in the world!!