Opinions of San Angel Inn

[cmm]

My DH is interested in San Angel Inn for our next trip, as it sounds from this board like getting a reservation at Le Cellier will be impossible under the free dining plan (at least we went there last year!). Has anyone been lately and can you give me your opinion?
Thanks.

 

[lovmy2girls]

We really like San Angel Inn a lot. Its on my "must do again list" but we also love mexican food, a lot!! We like the atmosphere, sitting by the river is neat! The food to us is very good. The drinks are strong and yummy. I think we are in the minority when it comes to San Angel Inn, but that OK. That just means next time we want a ADR we are more likely to get it Good luck on making your choice. I think you should try every where once! Just to see for yourself.

 

[disneykid4ever]

My husband and I are serious mexican food lovers and we were looking forward to San Angel Inn, but by 5 minutes after we sat down we knew we'd never eat there again. We did not like the food at all and the service was quite bad. It was hard to get the attention of our server and the tables are very close together. The atmosphere with the volcano is nice and all but not enough to see more than once, for us. You should try it to form your own opinion, but we won't be eating there again.

 

[aengus]

I would definitely go for it if you have never been. The atmosphere is fantastic! The food is good, but I will agree with disneykid4ever whole heartedly that the service was not very good. Of all places to not be able to get your beverage right! Throw a little spice at you and when you need a refill they run away LOL

Our server seemed overworked, too many tables, so maybe the bad service was not a regular thing. Only some more responses will show that for sure.

 

[TigerKat]

Agree that San Angel's service is lacking, but that never keeps us away. It is a must do for every trip. It's not Tex-Mex, so if that's what you're used to, this may not be for you. It's authentic Mexican food with wonderful atmosphere and as previously posted - AWESOME drinks!!

 

[lovmy2girls]

That is so sad that so many have had bad service. It must be a hit or miss kind of thing. We have only been twice and never had bad service. Our server was always coming back to check on us. And we always got what we needed quick.

It stinks when it happens, because it can ruin a meal.

 

[aubriee]

It has to be the absolute worst restaraunt in WDW. I hate it. However saying that, I'm going back for my third time in Sept because the people I'm with keep wanting to try it.

In Jan '05 the food was so bad we couldn't eat it (bland and cold). It was my 8 y/o GD who finally had the guts to say 'Can we go someplace else this stuff is yucky, besides it's not real Mexican food'). This from a Texas child who never met Mexican food she didn't like. By the way we had already waved a waiter down (took forever) and had them take it back to reheat it once, but it came back cold again. It took forever to wave him down a second time to get our ticket.

Last Sept my younger son and D-I-L insisted on trying it (despite my elder son and GD telling them how bad it was). We had the free dining plan, but no way was I wasting a TS credit on it. I was going to just order the cheese fundido as my meal using my DDE card, but they wouldn't let me insisting that only one discount could be used at a table and that if my son and D-I-L used the dining plan then I also had to. My D-I-L and I round up sharing her meal. We again left our plates almost untouched and went to the American Adventure to get hamburgers with me laughing and saying 'I told you so' the whole way. We spent the rest of the trip laughing about the bad food and horrible service (it again took forever to get our ticket, never did get soda refills or water refills, and the waiter again didn't even bother to ask why our food was barely touched).

My mom insists the food can't be that bad and really wants to try it for herself, so in Sept I'm returning again already knowing I'll be eating a hamburger at the American Pavillion that night after we leave San Angel. I'm from Texas and we can get good Tex Mex anywhere around here, so why she insists on trying San Angel I don't know.

 

[justplaingoofy]

we love it there!

 

[Buzzandthemermaid]

Noone has commented on how dark the place is. We were on the Mexico Boat Ride that goes by the place and it was cool to sail by people dining but that place was so dark! How do people see their food? Or the menu? Hopefully this is on-topic enough, is Le Cellier as dark as San Angel? I've heard it was dark but I need a comparison.

 

[MJMcBride]

can you give me your opinion?

I love it. Hows that?

 

[sleepydog25]

- Decent ambience, though tables are crowded together too closely.
- Average food.
- Average service.
- Awful margaritas (others will disagree, but mine have been nothing but pure mix with virtually no lime nor alcohol).
- Dark? Yes. Darker than Le Cellier? Yes.
- Return visit? Not likely.

 

[Billpowerrock]

I love it and look forward to going to it each time im in the parks.
i always enjoyed the food and i love looking at the volcano.
Its my fav place in epcot.

Give it a shot

 

[MosMom]

We have been a good 4 or 5 times and we love it. We love the atmosphere and the food. The service is okay, not horrible but not great either. We always go at dinner so we can get the plato mexicano. I only wish their dessert menu had more variety.

On the other hand, most people love Crystal Palace and I think it is horrible. We've given it multiple chances and the food as well as the character interaction were horrible.

Everyone has different tastes so if you want to try it, try it and make up your own mind.

 

[KellyluvsDisney]

Noone has commented on how dark the place is. We were on the Mexico Boat Ride that goes by the place and it was cool to sail by people dining but that place was so dark! How do people see their food? Or the menu? Hopefully this is on-topic enough, is Le Cellier as dark as San Angel? I've heard it was dark but I need a comparison.

I agree about the darkness! When we were there last time I could not see my food. I think my steak was very RARE, but I ate it any way. Also, I bit into a jalepeno and I thought it was totally something different. My Grandmother done the same thing. The ambiance is to die for. We had a table right by the water. We had okay service, but I dont think we would go back. I am the only one in my Family that likes Mexican food anyway.

 

[KannD86]

I loved the San Angel Inn! You can't beat the atmosphere, it's awesome. Such attention to detail, and a volcano! The food is great. I got grilled chicken on a Mexican version of fettucini alfredo and it was delicious. The waitress was very nice and prompt. There are alway tortilla chips and salsa on the table. I would love to go again. Definitely recommend it.

 

[mking624]

I really love San Angel. We've gone during a time that it wasn't that busy, so we didn't have an issue with service. As someone else said, it's AUTHENTIC Mexican food...NOT Tex-Mex. Tex Mex really is an Americanized version of Mexican...or as I like to say "fake Mexican" food. Those who are only used to Tex-Mex and consider it their "thing" probably will not like San Angel because authentic and Tex-Mex are two different cuisines (it always makes me giggle when people claim to love Mexican only for me to find out it's Tex-Mex they're referring to...I have nothing against Tex-Mex lovers, but it's NOT real Mexican food they're loving). Anyway, really the biggest factor is to decide whether or not you like authentic Mexican. If you do, you'll probably enjoy San Angel.

 

[Kick Save]

Went there last summer...DW, DS(2), DS(5), MIL, FIL, my Gram, and myself. We came away not jumping up and down to go again. Our server was sub-par, and it was really dark as others have mentioned. I'm not a real picky eater, and I found the menu to be pretty lacking. (I think I had talapia, don't remember.) My in-laws ARE picky eaters (and tend to look at the price column first, ingredients column second), and I think my MIL settled for an appetizer of some kind. As an added bonus, you're pretty much wedged into your table, so when DS(2) needs a diaper change (and I mean "needs" in a way for the comfort of others ), it's a production getting yourself out.

On the upside, the atmosphere is pretty cool, and the boats going by are nice. We're never against trying something again after a bad experience (otherwise we would have never been to the AK more than once ), so maybe on a future trip when the kids are a bit older we'll give it another shot.

But, overall, I'd go elsewhere in the WS for dinner, lots better options.

 

[La2kw]

I really love San Angel. We've gone during a time that it wasn't that busy, so we didn't have an issue with service. As someone else said, it's AUTHENTIC Mexican food...NOT Tex-Mex. Tex Mex really is an Americanized version of Mexican...or as I like to say "fake Mexican" food. Those who are only used to Tex-Mex and consider it their "thing" probably will not like San Angel because authentic and Tex-Mex are two different cuisines (it always makes me giggle when people claim to love Mexican only for me to find out it's Tex-Mex they're referring to...I have nothing against Tex-Mex lovers, but it's NOT real Mexican food they're loving). Anyway, really the biggest factor is to decide whether or not you like authentic Mexican. If you do, you'll probably enjoy San Angel.

I live in Southern California, and we have plenty of excellent Mexican restaurants here. Not Tex-Mex, but Mexican. The food at San Angel pales in comparison to the very authentic Mexican restaurants I frequent, and San Angel is not more authentic than those places are. I find the food at San Angel bland and not very well prepared. However, it is located in a theme park, so my expectations are not high anyway.

As for San Angel being more authentic than most Mexican restaurants, I would have to disagree. There are items on San Angel's menu which I would not consider more authentic at all. Nachos, which do appear on San Angel's menu, are hardly more authentic than a taco is. Nachos are more American than Mexican. Mashed potatoes (also found on San Angel's menu) are also not very authentic, either. Black beans are not as commonly used in Mexican food as pinto beans are, yet those beans are heavily used at San Angel. The menu at San Angel is different than many typical Mexican restaurants, but that does not mean it is more authentic.

The problem with San Angel is not the fact that the menu is different, but the fact that even that food is poorly prepared. It is just an overpriced theme park restaurant. Go for the wonderful atmosphere, not the food.

 

[perdidobay]

The seating is too crowded together, service can be spotty, but I love the food and the setting is really nice, if a bit dark...I have to lean my menu toward the candle on the table to read it!

 

[Took]

I swear I must be going to a different restaurant (LOL)! We LOVE San Angel and enjoy the combinations of foods (whether they're authentic or not is beside the point for us). The atmosphere can't be beat--we even like the "darkness" which, for us, is part of the atmosphere. At any rate, try it for yourself and judge. As you can see, you won't get a consensus of opinions.

took