Biergarten vs San Angel Inn

[Danny K]

Which has better food quality? I have never been to either, and wondering which to try for dinner. I need a good choice because I will not come again for 5 years. I also want to know about seating. Do they both have indoor, and outdoor seating? I know at biergarten I will be sitting with strangers. Can you please explain both about indoor and outdoor seating to? I like both of their menu's.

 

[Pakey]

Both have indoor seating only. Biergarten is going to be a noisy, festive buffet with a band, dance floor for the kids, huge beers for purchase. San Angel is dark, quiet with a menu rather than all you can eat.

I'm not a fan of San Angel's food but that is just my opinion based on too many great meals in Mexico. I have not been in 3 years so it could have changed in that time. Biergarten's food was better than I had expected (the first time we went is because my son begged to go and I was dreading it) and we have dined here a few times, the most recent was 10 months ago. We don't do the dining plan so I find it a bit pricey for an OOP meal because we are not big eaters.

 

[minnie mum]

Both restaurants are indoor. The outdoor areas are CS.

Biergarten: My DH loves German beer, so he is in heaven here. We both enjoy the variety of the foods on the buffet, and find it a very good quality- very similar to the food we enjoyed while living in Germany.

San Angel is not a favourite- we prefer the food at La Hacienda. I've eaten much better Mexican food elsewhere. And while I know that the OP prefers not to have discussions about the ambiance or "experience" at a restaurant, I am compelled to comment about the low lighting levels at this place. I understand that it is all part of the mood that they are trying to create, but when I need to use a pen light to read the menu.....

 

[goofyintoronto]

Biergarten food was good. I wasnt crazy about some of the meat textures thou. Besides the meat, the rest of the food was good. Some dishes were incredible. I loved the communal seating. We had great table mates. It was fun. The band was entertaining.

Both places are very different. I guess you have to first decide on the type of cuisine you want, and if you want quiet or loud.

 

[Danny K]

Biergarten food was good. I wasnt crazy about some of the meat textures thou. Besides the meat, the rest of the food was good. Some dishes were incredible. I loved the communal seating. We had great table mates. It was fun. The band was entertaining.

Both places are very different. I guess you have to first decide on the type of cuisine you want, and if you want quiet or loud.

Which is loud, and which is quiet?

 

[wood8176]

Which is loud, and which is quiet?

Biergarten=Loud
San Angel=Quiet

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I like them both. I prefer the atmosphere of San Angel and the food of Biergarten We had the most perfect table at San Angel last December, right by the water. It was beautiful and quiet. I got the tortilla soup and beef tacos (I believe both are on the appetizer menu). The soup was just okay. I've had better. The tacos were so extremely chewy I thought I was going to choke trying to swallow them down. We had great service, though. Biergarten is noisier and I like the food (especially the Bavarian cheesecake), but if you're in a smaller group the communal seating can be uncomfortable if it's not something that interests you.

 

[JimmyV]

Biergaten is louder than San Angel. And as far as seating goes, unless you have a very large party, you will be paired up with others at Biergarten. But at San Angel, while you will have your own table, it will be so obnoxiously close to two or three other tables around you, it will feel like you have been paired up with others!

I don't give the nod, food-wise, to either place. I enjoy various types of wursts and sauerkraut, so I am always satisfied with Biergarten, but I certainly wouldn't rave about it. Sort of the converse of Pakey, I have had way too many good meals in Germany, Switzerland and Austria to be terribly impressed with Biergartedn, but I don't dislike it. San Angel is not your typical "Chili's" or "Chevy's" Mexican menu, but the dishes there seem to be on par with banquet or wedding food. Too mass-produced for my taste. But again, I don't dislike it. I just wish it were better.

 

[PrincessEmilyRuth]

I would go with Biergarten. The service is similar in both places, but I actually think the quick service food at La Cantina de San Angel is better than the food at San Angel Inn. Biergarten is just a really fun experience, and of the half dozen times I've eaten there, I've only ever had one experience where the people I was sitting with were less than friendly, and even then I think they were just shy.

 

[RMulieri]

We like Biergarten more...The food is better, the communal seating fun.The band was awesome and we had great beers.It was fun for the whole family
San Angel- Our table was wedged in between 2 others, the food was not so good and our server we never saw the whole time.We liked the ambiance of the restaurant.

 

[DizDaD7]

It just so happens that we tried both of these restaurants this past trip for the first time. Although I really like both, my wife wasn't really into the biergarten as much. Not so much because of the ambience but because she's not a meat eater. As pp's stated they are 2 very different experiences. You'll need to look into which 1 suit you more, but both are above average though. Good luck

 

[rowanb73]

Both are pleasant places to eat, but for very different reasons. I assume you've looked at the menus and would be comfortable eating in either places. The German buffet at Biergarten is not light (good Bavarian food never is), but for me (a meat eater) I found some of the better buffet food I've eaten in Disney World. The San Angel Inn menu is not the Mexican fare that most chain restaurants serve, but I enjoyed eating there. For folks who aren't that adventurous they used to have a really good skirt steak.

As others have mentioned, there is no outdoor seating in either location, though the inside of the Mexican pavilion is designed to look like it is outside. I found both places to be on the loud side and San Angel Inn is very dark (we dropped something on the floor during the meal and needed a flashlight to find it). That said, if you're near the river (we were) it offers as good a view as you'll have dining indoors. If you would prefer a view of World Showcase Lagoon and a brighter atmosphere, then I would suggest La Hacienda de San Angel (the table service restaurant outside the pyramid).

 

[heidijanesmith]

Our meal at San Angel Inn was the worst food and service I have ever had, in or out of WDW. I would never go back there.

We tried Biergarden this year and liked it. The Ompah band was super fun. It is expensive and a buffet, but we liked the food. The kids are more picky and had a harder time finding food they liked. I loved the cauliflower soup, homemade bread. I thought the chicken was greasy. DH liked the beer, sauerkraut, bratwurst and sauerbraten. It was worth checking out, but we won't be going there again.

We really liked Cape May at BC, awesome seafood buffet. Well worth the price and tons of food for every person's taste.

 

[FiggieFan]

I vote for the Biergarten. We did San Angel once and that was enough. I like the setting, but everyone seems packed in there like sardines. We have made the Biergarten a must-do every trip. We usually go for an early dinner so it is never too crowded or too loud - usually have a 4:30 ADR which is when dinner starts and the band usually starts at 4:45. They played cow bells last time which I thought was very interesting. We like the food, except for the German meatloaf, but everything else was good.

 

[Dizzytime]

Which has better food quality? I have never been to either, and wondering which to try for dinner. I need a good choice because I will not come again for 5 years. I also want to know about seating. Do they both have indoor, and outdoor seating? I know at biergarten I will be sitting with strangers. Can you please explain both about indoor and outdoor seating to? I like both of their menu's.

You already read about the seating, quieter (and that's a very relative thing at DW restaurants, isn't it? hah!) but I'm glad you like both menus becasue we feel the same way. Obviously, San Angel is not your typical Mexican-American menu, and we've had many delicious meals in that very special and unique setting. It's great.

Biergarten has DELICIOUS food, also. It's a lot of fun, with the seating and music can be a lot more lively for sure, and when I leave I can't wait to go back.

We do both. For us, no trip is complete without the two of them, so if possible I'd suggest that for anyone.

Regardless, I know you will have a great time!!

 

[myzel]

Which has better food quality? I have never been to either, and wondering which to try for dinner. I need a good choice because I will not come again for 5 years. I also want to know about seating. Do they both have indoor, and outdoor seating? I know at biergarten I will be sitting with strangers. Can you please explain both about indoor and outdoor seating to? I like both of their menu's.

I would suggest a late lunch at the Biergarten, you will get the same experience with the food, I thought it was very authentic. The crowds will start to thin and you can enjoy conversation with your new friends.