San Angel Inn or Teppanyaki?

[RC Fan]

Hi!

I know these two are completely different, but which has better food?

I would like to try both, but I am not sure we will have time. Any advice would be great!

Can't wait!!!

 

[jkovick]

Teppanyaki. Definately. San Angel food is just ok, but the service is very poor.

 

[disney queen]

another vote for teppanyaki!! we did not care for the food at san angel inn even though we knew going in it would not be tex-mex. have dined at teppanyaki several times--always great!!

 

[dzneelvr]

Another vote cast against san angel for it's food. The food is just ok but the Margarita's are like water. No real flavor. I was very disappointed.

But go through the marketplace there, ride the boat, watch the volcano and the glass sculptor. It's a cool and refreshing escape from the heat in the summer months.
We just choose to eat elsewhere....
WDW ON JUNE 24

 

[Took]

Sometimes I wonder if the same DISers are eating at the same disney restaurants or if there is some kind of Twilight Zone in EPCOT which changes the "good" San Angel (the one we always visit and love) with the "evil" San angel (the one a number of DISers hate)! LOL! We have always gotten good food (though it's definitely nox Tex-Mex), good service, and great Magaritas. We though Teppanaki was just ok.

Which, I guess, just goes to say that tastes and experiences differ. RC Fan, you might make priority seatings at both restaurants (I'd choose an off-time, if possible) then go to the one you're more in the mood for at the time (and cancel the other).

Took

 

[RC Fan]

Hi Took!

Great Margaritas are always of interest to me!

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Forever42]

I'd say neither - the two of those were the most disappointing sit down restaurants I've been to at WDW.

Teppanyaki was boring and I've had better food and better chefs at other Japanese steak houses with the same idea.

San Angel Inn was mediocre food for the price. I love authentic Mexican food, but this definitely wasn't that.

 

[Noelle]

I'd say Teppanyaki, for sure!

San Angel's food is pretty bland for Mexican Food. (Of course, I do live in Los Angeles and I'm used to Spicy Authentic Mexican Food.) I has a nice atmosphere though.

 

[autumnblue]

I feel like I'm in the minority here but I liked them both.

At San Angel you can't beat the atmosphere or the tortilla soup.

Teppanyaki is a lot of fun , yes it isn't any better than local hibatchi places but I do enjoy it just the same.


Autumnblue

 

[cboudre1]

I know a lot of people don't like it but we like the San Angel. The mole pablano is great and the margaritas.

 

[travelitis]

We've eaten at the good twin San Angel twice and had good service and good food. A burrito is pretty hard to mess up, and the atmosphere is wonderful. I haven't tried the other one, because we haven't been interested. There's nothing about it that seems unique to Disney, and we like the combination of good food and Disney atmosphere.

 

[jimmalru80]

Our family has been to both. We had dinner at San Angel once and it was fun, but Teppanyaki is our restaurant of choice. After year #1, we have been there for lunch and for our final night's dinner each and every trip.

 

[crisi]

We enjoy them as well (we also live in the doppleganger world where service and food at San Angel is fine).

San Angel - dark and kind of crowded, but you will look across the table at each other. But one of Disney's better themed restaurants - overlooking the Rio de Tiempo and the "volcano." The food is not what most of us think of as Mexican, and not highly spiced, but fairly complex - i.e. sauces, sides, etc.

Teppenyaki. Crowded in a different way, kind of noisy, and hard to carry on a conversation as you are seated next to each other at a grill (which makes it fine for two or maybe three, but hard to talk to the far end of your party if you have more than three). But you won't have much time for conversation anyway, as the idea is to watch the chef. The food will be grilled and simple - although they have wonderful sauces. Stir fried steak, shrimp, chicken, scallops etc (very little sauce, basically heated on the grill in front of you) with vegetables and rice.

We actually had one of the few wait people in our experience I'd describe as surly at Teppenyaki - the chef was wonderful, but both the servers who brought salads, drinks, rice etc were less than completely pleasant - and one was close to actually hostile.

In some way, the complaints against these two restaurants are complementary. Some people don't like Teppenyaki because its like any Benihana (or other Teppenyaki grill) in any medium to large city - with theme park pricing. And people don't like San Angel because its unlike nearly any Mexican restaurant you are likely to have gone to.

 

[vicb]

We liked them both too!

We did SAI for lunch as we wanted more tex-mex type food (enchiladas, quesadillas etc...) and we did Teppanyaki for dinner (had a great chef and wonderful food). But we didn't do them on the same day!

 

[MHopkins2]

IMO, San Angel Inn is the way to go (and I don't usually like Mexican!). Their nachos are the best I've ever had, and the ambience is awesome - it's such a great respite from a hot day, especially at lunchtime. The food and "show" at Teppanyaki is just like every hibachi-style restaurant I've ever been to, except that the decor is much nicer than the average.

The only thing that would change my vote is if you have one or more rambunctious or antsy kids - Teppanyaki is more likely to hold their attention and therefore provide a more relaxing meal for Mom & Dad.

 

[wdwdvcdad]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Teppanyaki!!!

 

[sugermouse]

Teppanayaki by far! It is our favorite restaurant.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

We're among the San Angel Inn fans - we've always had good food and good service at this restaurant. I always try to order something unlike an American-Mexican restaurant would have. Always very good! And, we love the night-time atmosphere, and watching the boats float under the volcano on El Rio del Tiempo!!

 

[flyball]

We've eaten at both and we were not impressed with San Angel. We've had dinner there twice, and both times the food was mediocre at best and the service was pretty poor. The atmosphere is beautiful, but we won't be going back to eat there. We've also eaten at Teppanyaki twice for dinner and the food was good both times. Last time we ate there (Aug 03), our chef was not very entertaining, but I'm sure they're not all as tepid as he was.

 

[jennymouse]

We enjoy San Angel too. I missed going there in February but my father won't do Mexican food. We've never tried Teppanyaki yet but I have a PS for this coming trip. While I've eaten at the Japanese restaurants that have the grill, the other 5 in my group this trip hasn't. This includes 4 little girls ages 7-11 that I'm sure will think eating with chop sticks and watching the chelf pretty cool.