Mexican restaurant with volcano at Epcot?

[Cin]

At Epcot inside the Mexican pyramid there is a restaurant next to Rio del Tiempo and it has the volcano smoldering in the background. I can't remember the name of it now. Is the food there decent? Or the other new one they built on the water's edge? Which one would you choose?

 

[darlak]

San Angel Inn. Having eaten there twice, I would have to recommend trying the new one. Food wasn't great and service was terrible, both times.

 

[kecmouse]

We have yet to eat at the new restaurant at the water's edge; however, we did try San Angel Inn and thought it was amazing. The food was really good and it was fun to watch the boats to the ride next door go bye. The ambiance is really nice and their desserts were really good! If you click on my trip report I reviewed the restaurant on August 5th but I didn't get any good shots of the food unfortunately.

 

[Epcot242]

I think the food is really good and the atmosphere is great.

Downsides...not a ton of seating so make sure to get an ADR for it. The service was also just so-so when we've gone. It's not that they didn't come around for us to refill water or whatever, they just weren't too friendly. Could've just been a bad couple of times though!

I'd suggest giving it a shot.

 

[aubriee]

As a fellow Texan I'd say run, run, run from San Angel Inn. Here locally we have the small mom/pop authentic Mexican food from different parts of Mexico, the usual TexMex that we're all used to, and of course the fast food Mexican places. San Angel Inn is none of those. We've eaten there several thinking it had to get better and have gotten lousy service and bad food every time. I'm talking bad food as in cold/greasy entrees, jar hot sauce, and bag Tostito chips. Now saying that, I did get some pretty good duck tacos as an appetizer there last year and a decent margarita. The rest of the food was bad though. My entree was a tiny thin fajita type steak that was all fat and gristle. It was literally inedible.

We haven't tried the new Hacienda yet, but plan to in Sept. I have seen pictures of the food there though and it looks good.

 

[Art 1]

I like the food at the outside restaurant better.

 

[cecilia]

go to a mexican place out in town this place was bad . the prices bad

 

[Hopefully]

San Angel Inn was the surprise of our last trip. I nearly cancelled based on the bad reviews here, but DH wanted to go.
The food was very good - not Mexican chain food that many places serve. Our server was perfect, attentive but not hovering and the setting is pretty.
I would recommend you try it, as long as you are not expecting usual American Tex-Mex chain restaurant type food.
We are trying La Hacienda on our next trip this fall.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

As a native Californian with no shortage of experience in Mexican dining with varying degrees of authenticity, I recommend the San Angel Inn. I've always been pleased with my meals there and find the service competent.

 

[TDC Nala]

I like the San Angel Inn. The food's always been decent to me. However, I do not purchase entrees like steak but stick with the soup and appetizers. Apparently they used to serve Tostitos bagged chips but no longer do (a friend who is a vegan asked about the chips and she was not able to eat them because the server relayed that the oil they are fried in contains lard. If they were Tostitos she could have eaten them). Yes, it is stinking expensive like pretty much everyplace else at WDW.

And the manager refused to move me, a solo diner, from my table when a large group came in and demanded they be given the table I was at to extend the length of theirs. That was commendable, I think some Disney managers would have knuckled under. San Angel isn't operated by Disney, though, so who knows.

 

[Colleen27]

It has been so long since we were at San Angel that my review probably has little bearing on how it is now, but back then ('05) the food was just okay, the service was on the slow side, and the tables were very, very close together even by Disney standards.

The newer Mexican restaurant, La Hacienda, was the best non-signature restaurant experience of our last trip. Really great service, excellent food, and a lovely atmosphere. They really did a good job with the place and we'll be back there again on our next trip. My review of that dinner is here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=40318844&postcount=54

 

[Tiffany507s]

San Angel Inn. Having eaten there twice, I would have to recommend trying the new one. Food wasn't great and service was terrible, both times.

Agree 100% with this post. Food was awful, and the service was the worst I have EVER received in a restaurant.

 

[Cotton's Parrot]

Hmmm, looks like San Angel is hit or miss. We have it booked for our October trip. To be honest, I'm not expecting to be blown away by the food. I just booked it because it always seemed like a neat, quaint little spot for dinner. DGF and I have always wanted to try it, so this time I finally booked it. As long as the salsa is hot and the margaritas are cold, I think I'll be happy.

 

[Vivianne]

We ate at La Hacienda last April and the food was very good.

We mentioned how we like the atmosphere at San Angel but not the food and
were told they're going to change the menu at San Angel soon. Can't remember when.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We prefer San Angel Inn to La Hacienda, the atmosphere is better and the food is sooo much better!

 

[HotMama]

We like San Angel Inn. The atmosphere is our favorite from any other restaurant in Disney. Our first visit there the food was so delish my DH and I talked about it the whole year. We couldn't wait to go back. Our second visit the food was good, but not as delicious as our first visit. We would go again, HOWEVER this visit we want to try La Hacienda. We always like to try new places.

 

[Cin]

"As a fellow Texan I'd say run, run, run from San Angel Inn. Here locally we have the small mom/pop authentic Mexican food from different parts of Mexico, the usual TexMex that we're all used to"


That's what I am afraid of. I am used to the texmex here and what we get is served on both sides of the border and authentic to northern Mexico and so I am already sure I'd be a food snob about it. My DH was so enthralled though and really wants to take me there. So maybe I should schedule an ADR, and then just have a drink and share a dessert with my man and dine elsewhere. That would make hubby happy in taking me there and my taste buds happy. He was trying to be romantic and I saw the hearts in his eyes as he said, "oh Hun THIS is where I should have taken you!" I agree it was a romantic beautiful setting.

 

[TDC Nala]

Just go to the tequila bar. it's not all that romantic but it's fun.

 

[olive]

My family loves it. It's actually our only must do restaurant at Disney, and has been for over 20 years. Love the food and setting. It's a really lovely, unique spot. We have two reservations there for our upcoming trip!

 

[mrsxsparrow]

Everyone in my group enjoyed San Angel. So much so that on our second trip it was one of only two must-do eats.

I think it is important to note that it isn't TexMex. Its Mexican. Most people seem to prefer TexMex. Being from Southern California, I prefer classic Mexican

On that note, most of us stuck to appetizers on our second trip. A friend said the crab cakes (only on the lunch menu) were some of the best he's ever had -- I can't comment since I don't like crab. The tortilla soup is awesome though! They bring it out with all the dry ingredients in a bowl and then pour the broth over it at your table. I pretty much thought that was one of the coolest things ever (apparently I'm easily impressed ).