Lunch at San Angel Inn - Mexico Pavillion, Epcot

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food Blog. Follow the link for more photos.

We love good Mexican food but have always heard mixed reviews here. Anyone got any personal experiences to share?

Guest Review: Lunch at Epcot’s San Angel Inn

May 8th, 2012 by AJ.

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Welcome back guest author Catie Hiltz with a review of lunch at the San Angel Inn inside Epcot’s Mexico pavilion.

While in Disney World over Spring Break, my husband, parents and I dined at San Angel Inn, the restaurant inside the Mexico Pavilion pyramid at Epcot’s World Showcase.

I have always walked by the restaurant wistfully, thinking “I wish I could eat there;” and this time, I actually got the chance to do just that!

Atmosphere

We arrived at 1:20 pm for our 1:30 pm Advance Dining Reservation. We weren’t seated until 1:40 pm, which gave us time to roam around the pavilion and take in our surroundings!

San Angel Inn Dining Room

And we had a chance to check out what delicious dishes we were in store for us, too! The menu didn’t have a large number of options, but the items on it sounded like they would be worth a try.

Lunch Menu -- click for larger image

One thing that was a *slight* negative was that the waiting area for the restaurant is TINY (basically non-existent), BUT the fact that there are plenty of Mexican-inspired souvenirs to peruse right outside the restaurant makes up for that!

Once we were seated, I could really start to get an idea of what the restaurant was all about. It was dark (I never really did adjust to the darkness!), crowded, loud, and packed with people. The tables were pretty close together, but since it was so loud it didn’t feel like we were having lunch with the people next to us, which was a good thing!

(Editor’s Note: San Angel Inn recently switched to a more upscale feel, re-orienting tables, adding tablecloths, and upgrading the menu.)

Eats

We were greeted almost immediately by our waitress, who took our drink orders. My father and husband both chose a Dos Equis –- a beer that is usually served in bottles, but they had it on tap at San Angel Inn. They both really enjoyed this, saying it was better tasting than the bottled variety.

We all then took some time to review the menus.

Margarita and Tequila options - click image for larger version

While we were deciding, our waitress brought us some chips and salsa. The chips were not hot from the fryer, but were definitely fresh and crisp, with just the right amount of salt.

The salsa definitely had a kick. It was a medium spicy salsa that had more of a smooth, sauce-y texture (versus chunky salsas). It seemed like the spice came from roasted peppers, and we all enjoyed it (it disappeared quickly!).

Chips and Salsa were a delicious start to our meal!

Our meals were brought out about 15 minutes after ordering, which was good timing as we had just finished the chips! When it came to menu choices, my mom and I both had the “Enchiladas Verdes De Pollo” (Chicken Enchiladas).

The chicken itself was shredded chicken breast inside of fresh tortillas, and while the chicken was plain, it was moist and overall had a good taste and texture. The tortillas were topped with a green tomatillo sauce, which was very mild and had a strong cilantro taste (which I enjoyed). They also had a drizzle of sour cream and some chives (which were there more for decoration than taste).

The dish was served with a mildly spiced rice and black beans, which complemented it well. Overall, it was a delicious dish and we both enjoyed it thoroughly!

“Enchiladas Verdes De Pollo”, served with rice and beans

My husband had the “Lomo de Puerco en Pipian,” grilled pork tenderloin served with grilled vegetables –- onions, peppers, squash and zucchini — and topped with a spicy tomato/pepper sauce that had a hint of cinnamon. My husband said the pork was grilled perfectly and the sauce was almost like a gravy that went really well with the meat and vegetables.

He gave it an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up!

“Lomo de Puerco en Pipian”, Grilled to perfection

My father chose the “Pescada a la Veracruzana”, or “Catch Of The Day.” This was Mahi-Mahi served on a bed of poblano rice and topped with onions, peppers, green olives, tomatoes and scallions. He really enjoyed it, and while there was spice on the fish, he said it was mild and cooked just right.

“Pescada a la Veracruzana”, and yes, there actually IS fish under there!

But we didn’t stop there, because after any great meal comes dessert. So of course we had to sample some of the amazing-sounding dessert options.

Both of my parents ordered the “Helado De Dulce De Leche”, or Caramel Ice Cream, which was a fresh tasting vanilla bean ice cream with thick swirls of a caramel custard. You would think this might be overly sweet, but it wasn’t; it was refreshing and delicious.

“Helado De Dulce De Leche”

I opted for the “Natilla De Cajeta,” which was caramelized custard topped with berries. It was the same custard that was swirled into the caramel ice cream, and it had a perfect texture — nice and smooth — and tasted almost like dulce de leche. I scraped the bowl clean (that’s how good it was!).

“Natilla De Cajeta”

My husband definitely won the award for the oddest looking dessert –- the “Isla Flotante” — which was key lime meringue with berries and vanilla sauce. It was spongy and lime-y, and had an odd texture; but the taste was light and refreshing.

The vanilla sauce was not too thick and went well with the lime and berries.

“Isla Flotante”

The costs of the entrees ranged from $17-$24 each, while the desserts were around $7 each. Since we were on the Disney Dining Plan, we each received a non alcoholic drink, an entrée, and a dessert and only paid out of pocket for the beers and tip.

Overall

We really enjoyed our experience at the San Angel Inn, the food was delicious, the service was great, and the only complaint I really have is the fact that it was dark and kind of loud (which is probably to be expected, considering there are also shops and a ride in the same area as the restaurant!).

That being said, I would definitely go here again, maybe for dinner and some margaritas! If you like authentic Mexican food, you’ll definitely want to make plans to dine at San Angel Inn on your next Walt Disney World Trip!

Have you dined at San Angel Inn lately? Let us know your favorite dish!

Catie has been a Disney fanatic ever since her first ride on Space Mountain at age 4. She is the author of Living in a Grown Up World, and she is a huge fan of food, Minnie Mouse, and all things Disney!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/05/08/guest-review-lunch-at-epcots-san-angel-inn/

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I am interested in people's thoughts too. I have thought about an ADR there the past couple trips but then decided against.