San Angel Inn or La Hacienda de San Angel?

[DrummerBoy523]

What are the main differences between the two? Yays? Nays? Thoughts? We have 2 boys DS 9 and DS14. I've eaten at the one inside the pavilion, but just wasn't sure which one is better option. Would love your thoughts.

 

[disneyvoice]

Oh my! We love both of these places. I prefer the food at La Hacienda but the atmosphere at San Angel (although we were once seated at a lovely window at La Hacienda and it was very nice). At San Angel it is every man and woman for themselves, at La Hacienda my DH and I are split one of the platters for two. I tend to feel less rushed at La Hacienda. One of my all time best meals was at San Angel but it looks like what I ordered is no longer on the menu. I have read that because you check in outside at La Hacienda there have been people stuck outside in a torrential downpour when a storm suddenly came while waiting to go inside and they wouldn't allow people to go into the inside waiting area. We have never had that issue before but it might be something to consider if you are going during a time when storms popping up can happen frequently. I think that your boys would probably enjoy the atmosphere more at San Angel.

 

[DrummerBoy523]

Oh my! We love both of these places. I prefer the food at La Hacienda but the atmosphere at San Angel (although we were once seated at a lovely window at La Hacienda and it was very nice). At San Angel it is every man and woman for themselves, at La Hacienda my DH and I are split one of the platters for two. I tend to feel less rushed at La Hacienda. One of my all time best meals was at San Angel but it looks like what I ordered is no longer on the menu. I have read that because you check in outside at La Hacienda there have been people stuck outside in a torrential downpour when a storm suddenly came while waiting to go inside and they wouldn't allow people to go into the inside waiting area. We have never had that issue before but it might be something to consider if you are going during a time when storms popping up can happen frequently. I think that your boys would probably enjoy the atmosphere more at San Angel.

Thanks - I have reservations at La Hacienda, but am thinking about moving them inside the Pavilion instead to San Angel. 2 years ago, it absolutely poured on us at Epcot and we spent about 45 minutes inside drinking Margaritas while waiting on the storm

 

[Dakota731]

I didn't know there were two different places - are that at the same country? Is one counter service?

 

[disneyvoice]

There are much worse things to do than spend your time drinking yummy margaritas while you wait out the rain!!

 

[disneygolfer1985]

I took my fiancee to the world for the first time over Thanksgiving and we ate at both restaurants. She is Hispanic, so she wanted to eat Mexican food. I find San Angel Inn more of an authentic Mexican food with a nice ambiance and I find La Hacienda as almost more Baja California. I live in Texas, so these are more of my observations from both. The chips and salsa the same at both restaurants. She liked San Angel Inn because it reminded her more of her mom's cooking as she grew up by the border. The food at both is great, but I think La Hacienda can be more romantic because you can have a table to yourselves. The shared platters at La Hacienda are really good. La Hacienda dinners are all served with rice, beans, and corn tortillas. I hope this helps. I enjoy both restaurants.

 

[DrummerBoy523]

but I think La Hacienda can be more romantic because you can have a table to yourselves.

So, San Angel is "family style seating"?

 

[Hopefully]

I didn't know there were two different places - are that at the same country? Is one counter service?

Yes these are both Table Service restaurants at the Mexican pavilion. San Angel Inn is inside the large Mexican pyramid pavilion. La Hacienda is a new TS that is outside, across the way, on the lagoon. Attached to one end of the building is the 3RD restaurant at Mexico, La Cantina de San Angel which is a Quick Service restaurant. It has outdoor seating along the lagoon.

So, San Angel is "family style seating"?

No It is individual tables, but they are placed closed to each other

 

[loves to dive]

When my son was younger, San Angel was a must do for us. We would ask for a table by the water and he would have a ball waving at the people on the ride and trying to see how many he could get to wave back. The food was a little better back then. We stopped going a few years ago because the menu had changed, the food not as good, the service sucked big time and they stuck more tables in making it way too crowded. We have eaten at La Hacienda and enjoyed it. We tried San Angel again this past December. The food was o.k. but again the service was not great and it was way too crowded. With so many other choices in WS we probably won't go back for another 10 years, although we do love La Cava.

 

[Wood Nymph]

What are the main differences between the two? Yays? Nays? Thoughts? We have 2 boys DS 9 and DS14. I've eaten at the one inside the pavilion, but just wasn't sure which one is better option. Would love your thoughts.

We have eaten at both retaurants and have had good food at both of them. San Angel Inn is very dark and the tables are squeezed very close together. There is a lot going on around you, too. They take the AP discount and the TiW discount, if that matters.

La Hacienda is a little more of a regular restaurant layout. There is a lot of light from the huge windows, which have a view of the Epcot lake. We ate dinner there with our grandchildren who were age 6 and 8 and they devoured the food. I think they were hungry. The entrees are different than what they serve at San Angel. You can review the menus and see which one you prefer. The down side to La Hacienda is that they do not take the AP discount or the TiW discount. Both restaurants take the Disney dining plan.

 

[amberpi]

San Angel had a bad food run for a bit, but in recent years has totally changed that and the atmosphere? You just can't find that anywhere else. La Haceinda is perfectly serviceable, but you can have a better similar meal in your local community unless you live in a super rural area.

 

[Chrelaine]

We really enjoyed the food at La Hacienda and loved looking out the windows. We didn't eat at San Angel because it looked so dark and crowded.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

So, San Angel is "family style seating"?

As stated above, both are typical setups, but San Angel Inn has more closely packed tables. La Hacienda has some nooks setup where there are tables that can seat four but is better for two. I find it more romantic personally.

 

[DrummerBoy523]

lol, the range of opinions on both. to each their own I guess Thanks everyone!

 

[Dug720]

Just as a note if there is a gluten issue, according to www.glutenfreedairyfreewdw.com the chips at La Hacienda are no longer made in a dedicated fryer. I know that took it off my list - I don't want to go and not be able to have chips and guac.

 

[Anniefrances]

La Hacienda is my favorite EP TS. I think the food is more upscale at LaHacienda and I agree the seating is better. Also, if you can time your ADR to coincide with Illuminations it's a nice spot to watch (if you can snag a window table).

 

[cigar95]

La Hacienda is intended to represent the food of southern Mexico, the Inn represents northern Mexico - thus the styles are somewhat different. I've always had excellent service at La Hacienda.

 

[mkh531]

The best thing that ever happened to me was when I went from a scorching hot day into the cool, darkened pavilion and then to my seat at San Angel Inn, where a margarita and chips appeared. It's my favorite place at Disney.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

San angel inn is my favorite place in Epcot and definitely one of my favorite meals in all of Disney. I've never done la hacienda

 

[rg35]

We like both of them a lot.