Has something changed with the San Angel in Mexico?

[vcgirl925]

I remembered last year and prior to mainly hearing negative food reviews of San Angel. But lately i'm reading a lot of very positive reviews from there. Also a friend of mine just got back and she said this was her most dreaded ADR but ended up being really great.

Just wondering if they got a new chef, new menu, or something?

 

[shalecesjourney]

We were there last August and it was amazing. Then, this year in June it was awful. The food was bad, the service was worse. We've taken off our list to do in October and December because it was so bad!

 

[hmillerbarilla]

We had an usually good experience there this past May. So much so that my DH is wanting to go back on our next trip! I think it has improved greatly. I thought the food was much better.

Enjoy!

 

[Belle5]

I could be off on my dates, but if I remember correctly, sometime around Oct. 2009 they did change things...new chips and salsa which are soooo much better than the stuff they used to put out and some other great menu changes.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Ah--but it's still the same old San Angel with crowded tables, noise and very slow service.

 

[tony67]

I have posted this before but I had a long talk with someone who works in the pavilion.

The agreed with all the issues I mentioned with the restaurant and they told me that they had a warning from Disney to fix it. (It is not owned by Disney)

They said even the servers were unhappy with the food at the time.
BTW: They said part of the issue was the DDP - they only get $15 per meal from the DDP

They were not happy with the complaints from customers about the food (bagged chips for example) and that was part of the service issues.
Customers complaining all day makes for unhappy staff.

Anyway they assured me it would be addressed and with the food I had at the Tequila Bar it seems they were on the right track.

All the food at the Tequila bar comes from the same kitchen.

 

[redzinner]

They said even the servers were unhappy with the food at the time.
BTW: They said part of the issue was the DDP - they only get $15 per meal from the DDP.

$15 per meal is ludicrous when you consider wait staff costs, kitchen staff cost, overhead and food costs and then profit for San Angel Inc. Lord, no wonder DDP has caused the quality of food to tank. Get real Disney! I hope that the Swan & Dolphin signature restaurants NEVER particpate in the DDP.

 

[Belle5]

Ah--but it's still the same old San Angel with crowded tables, noise and very slow service.

Very true, very true...but the food was improved. We were determined to not dine there again but friends returned from the world raving about the improvements, so we wanted to see for ourselves. We did enjoy the food! The service, however, was surly--even more so than we have experienced in the past. Our server made me feel nervous about asking for anything! It was very uncomfortable! The tables were just as close together and it was noisy.

 

[tony67]

$15 per meal is ludicrous when you consider wait staff costs, kitchen staff cost, overhead and food costs and then profit for San Angel Inc. Lord, no wonder DDP has caused the quality of food to tank. Get real Disney! I hope that the Swan & Dolphin signature restaurants NEVER particpate in the DDP.

I agree assuming that is correct - the source was very good though.
That was for the meal only BTW - I think they also got a few dollars for the dessert as well.

Plenty of small quality Mexican restaurants sell fajitas or chicken mole for 16.95 and would be happy to sell them for $15 if it meant the place was packed solid from 4-9.


If it cost $39.99 per day last year how much of that could they give to the restaurant?

They still have to deal with the snack and the CS as well as taxes and promotional costs etc...

Of course the restaurant (I assume) has access to the Disney bulk food and that would save them a lot unless Disney makes a profit on that as well.

Still $15 for the main meal is not a lot, I think the people who pay OOP and buy drinks at the tequila bar keep the place going so I do not feel too bad for them.
One reason I will no longer dine at a TS OOP, but I love the tequila bar.

It took them 5 years to get the tequila bar approved by Disney, but it should help them offset any costs related to the DDP.

 

[ricktib]

We've always had very good food there, but slow service. The CS outside has always been poor, so I'm looking forward to the new incarnation.

Just don't drink the water.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

We had a fabulous dinner there a few weeks ago. The service was excellent and the food was really good. We were talking to the server and he mentioned that they did just get a new chef who was really working hard to change the menu..his goal was to keep the options familiar but with a new twist. Don't know if it is true but we loved the things we had.