Dining Under the Stars at San Angel Inn
Written: May 20 '05 (Updated May 01 '07)
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Pros: Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere! Great service, fabulous margaritas
Cons: Overpriced food
The Bottom Line: Worth a try just for the great theming.
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| chelledun's Full Review: San Angel Inn |
The San Angel Inn is located at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center. Specifically, the restaurant is inside the Mexico pavilion in the World Showcase. Stepping into the pavilion is truly like stepping into another world. From the outside, the building is a pyramid modeled after Aztec architecture. Visitors enter through a small gallery with a focus on Mexican art. From there you will proceed into a beautiful marketplace. The building is lit so it always appears to be night time. Take a moment to browse among the colorful stalls selling everything from pinatas to clothing and jewelry.
Restaurant Atmosphere
After admiring the lovely marketplace area, you will proceed to the restaurant entrance. The dining area itself is open to the rest of the pavilion, so it gives the overall impression of dining on a patio under the stars. The view out the back side of the restaurant overlooks the pavilion's El Rio de Tiempo boat ride, which I like to experience before dining to 'get in the mood.' You can also see the Mayan temple which is the first scene of the boat ride. The atmosphere is fairly elegant, with white tablecloths. The best locations in my opinion are either directly next to the balcony overlooking the ride, or along the wall on the right side when you enter. It seems your chances of getting one of these more secluded tables are best if you have a party of two. Larger tables are likely to be seated at one of the round tables more in the center of the restaurant. Regardless of where you are seated, though, the atmosphere is amazing and surprisingly quiet and peaceful.
The Food
The food is pretty good, overall, while perhaps overpriced. First of all, if you drink margaritas at all you simply must order one because they are great here. The strawberry is my favorite, and the portion is generous. Be careful as they are pretty strong! The meal is started off with chips and salsa. While the salsa is good, I haven't been overly impressed with the freshness of the chips.
My favorite dish by far is Mole Poblano, a delicious chicken in a spicy chocolate sauce for around $18.00. The Plato Mexicano is nice if you aren't sure what you would like to eat, as it includes several different items such as an enchilada and burrito for $19.50. There are several beef, pork, and seafood options available. Be sure to try the Chipotle Pepper Mashed Potatoes regardless of your entree, they are really yummy! I've never had dessert at this restaurant since I always visit the pastry shop in France instead. You probably won't be disappointed in a meal here and it is a good place to try some unique dishes. However, this is definitely a place I enjoy more for the fabulous atmosphere than the cuisine.
Service
The service here has been outstanding on every visit. A server once told us that staff are required to work in the restaurants at Disney for at least two years before being allowed to wait tables at the San Angel Inn. The servers here are fabulous, and always enthusiastic about finding a good angle to take a photo or grant a special request regarding the food. I've had nothing but good experience with the service here.
Reservations
San Angel Inn is one of Disney's most popular restaurants, particularly for dinner. Occasionally I have been able to slip in for lunch at the last minute, but dinner usually has a wait. You can get advance priority seating well before you even leave home by calling 1-407-WDW-DINE. Keep in mind that priority seating is not the same as a reservation, exactly, but usually I have been seated within 15 minutes of arriving at my PS time. If you want a seat with a view of the boats, request this when you make your reservation and again upon arrival at the restaurant. Disney park admission is required to visit the San Angel Inn.
Overall...
This is one of my top ten restaurants at Disney World because of the fabulous atmosphere. I've made a couple of visits here and enjoyed each one. Even if you aren't a big fan of Mexican food it is worth giving the San Angel Inn a try to enjoy dining under the stars in a Mexican marketplace without leaving the country.
Check out my top ten places to eat at Walt Disney World!
Recommended:
Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Mole Pablano, Margaritas
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening
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