Which Mexico TS do you prefer, San Angel or La Hacienda?

[Coconuts]

We will be traveling with another family of 5, so total 10 people, and want to eat a Mexican dinner on one of our Epcot days.

The other family we'll be with has already eaten at San Angel and liked it. They said they don't care eating at the same place again. I also thought that eating in the pyramid with the ride passing by would be fun. We will be eating @5:30-6:00 because of the kids, so catching Illuminations at La Hacienda wouldn't be an option.

Our family has never eaten at either so we don't know which food we'll like better. My DH is really the only adventurous eater of our bunch, so which place has food that will please our boring palates?

I have looked at both menus but don't know anything about Mexican food, so I don't understand what any of the entrees mean, like mole or poblano, etc. Can anyone also help to translate the menus?

Any dinner recommendations at either place?

Thanks for the input.

 

[magicalcouple]

Hello!
We have eaten at both and I enjoyed San Angel Inn better. The mole sauce was extremely strong. Both menu's are fairly adventurous, but I find the fun atmosphere of San Angel to win for me.

 

[annnewjerz]

+1 for San Angel Inn. We have dined at both and while the food was good at SAI and La Hacienda, DH and I both prefer SAI mainly for the themeing. If the menu at La Hacienda is preferable though, it's definitely not a restaurant we would consider bad by any means...just not much different feeling than some Mexican restaurants we have eaten at while we're home.

 

[Chelle's Belles]

LOVE the whole pyramid/river thing at San Angle Inn. It's SO Disney!!

 

[chartle]

I have looked at both menus but don't know anything about Mexican food, so I don't understand what any of the entrees mean, like mole or poblano, etc. Can anyone also help to translate the menus?

Thanks for the input.

This will get you started mole is a sauce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)

poblano is a mild chili pepper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poblano

Mole pablano is a sauce made with pablanos. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)#Poblano

Just so you know its not the same Tex Mex that you find at Don Pablo's or On the Boarder.

 

[Pugmalion1]

I can't say, yet, as we have reservations for our first La Hacienda visit in a couple of weeks, but I feel I should say that I've never had a bad meal at San Angel. I don't really understand the bad reputation that it seems to carry around here, but I personally love it.

I think, in either case, it's generally true that anything goes better with margaritas.

 

[Cafeen]

For the past 2 years, I can't pick one over the other, so I do both. I do prefer SAI's lunch menu to dinner (I'm picky), so that makes it a bit easier.

Forgetting about the menu and my pickiness, else being equal, I'd likely pick SAI for the atmosphere. I do plan on doing both of them repeatedly though.

I can't say, yet, as we have reservations for our first La Hacienda visit in a couple of weeks, but I feel I should say that I've never had a bad meal at San Angel. I don't really understand the bad reputation that it seems to carry around here, but I personally love it.

I think, in either case, it's generally true that anything goes better with margaritas.

I'd suspect there are 2 reasons.

#1 - People think Mexican and see tacos and burritos. The differences between Americanized "Mexican" and more authentic Mexican is a bit of a jump.
#2 - Many of the poor reviews came from the same period of time and many of the impressions were made then. While it's not quite the case anymore, those impressions will stay with people (and when you have limited time, I can't blame them for not wanting to go somewhere they had a poor experience prior). For more recent experiences, the reviews have been considerably better than before (though, since it's highly subjective, by far not all of them).

 

[Kelblum]

We have eaten at both numerous times and have always enjoyed both. San Angel has a better atmosphere, but we like the food at La Hacienda better. You can't go wrong with either one though!

 

[Kelblum]

Sorry duplicate post!

 

[KathleensKid]

We enjoyed them both. IMO, the food was better at La Hacienda but my kids loved the theming at San Angel. They enjoyed the steaming volcano in the distance and the feeling of being in a dark cool Mexican village in the evening (with stars twinkling in the ceiling) while it was actually 90 degrees and sunny outside.
We love authentic Mexican food and thought it was all good. I think, as a pp mentioned, people are so used to overly sauced "mexican" food drowned in cheese and sour cream, that this doesn't seem good to them. The Mexico pavilion is trying to serve Mexican food - not Taco Bell food. Adjust your expectations accordingly and you'll have a great time.
Be sure to request a seat next to the water if that is important to you. Not all of the tables can see the boats go by - and even if you make that request they might not be able to seat you there (just incase the "we can sit by the boats" is a deciding factor as you might not see them from your seat. )

 

[Coconuts]

Thanks for all of the detailed replies. I think that if the menu/food is mostly comparable, meaning one restaurant's food isn't way better than the other, I think we'll go with SAI. The kids will love the theming and maybe they'll get a chance to practice their Spanish on the CM's.

BTW, any dinner recommendations at SAI?

 

[chartle]

The kids will love the theming and maybe they'll get a chance to practice their Spanish on the CM's.

Just so you know there are CM's that speak Spanish all through the parks. They will have a little extra thing with their nametag that will let you know.

If you want to go further only allow them to use Spanish Guide Maps. Last trip I gave a German one to my DS20 since he had three years in High School a little in college and also my wife took a college level class.

 

[Coconuts]

Just so you know there are CM's that speak Spanish all through the parks. They will have a little extra thing with their nametag that will let you know.

If you want to go further only allow them to use Spanish Guide Maps. Last trip I gave a German one to my DS20 since he had three years in High School a little in college and also my wife took a college level class.

Thanks, good to know.

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

the chicken with the mole sauce is AWESOME!!