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El Adobe de Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA

El Adobe de Capistrano

4.7
4.7
1031 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 42 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
Enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine in a historic setting at El Adobe de Capistrano. This landmark features a wedding chapel, stained-glass windows and additional beautiful architectural details. Its kitchen has a mesquite-burning grill where chefs prepare deliciously flavored seafood and steak dishes. Soups, salads and appetizers are also on the menu, including tasty desserts.Owners Tony Moiso and Gilbert Aguirre have kept the atmosphere and traditions of the El Adobe de Capistrano going. This establishment still prepares the dishes that President Nixon and his wife enjoyed while visiting during his administration. It has a full bar that serves various drinks, a lounge area for socializing and a patio in the front. El Adobe de Capistrano offers private rooms for banquets and other events. The Palenque features a retracting roof, making it ideal for hosting an event under the night sky. It offers brunch and has a Happy Hour.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Seafood, Grill
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Sat 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (949) 493-1163
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Carlos Hernandez
  • Private party facilities
    El Adobe is the perfect spot to have your private events taken care of! We offer three different room options depending on the size of your group. We have many different menu options, linens and more that come with the room! You will have your own server working specifically only for your event.

What 1,031 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • South Orange County

    Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Adobe de Capistrano offers a delightful dining experience with "excellent food" and "superb service." Known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, this historic venue charms guests with its "beautiful ambiance" and lively atmosphere. The tacos and margaritas are highly recommended. While it can be noisy, the vibrant setting is part of its appeal, making it perfect for celebrations.

1,031 Reviews
  1. Steve

    Central Coast

    35 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I ordered the vegetarian tostado and it was absolutely amazing! My favorite dining spot and Pedro is the best waiter!

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  2. Bill

    Orange County

    17 reviews

    4.0

    17 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Service a bit slow, and b-day greeting non existent. We did get a free dessert. Food was very good.

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  3. patrick

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    i'm a big fan of El Adobe restaurant, so you're always going to be an excellent review from me.. however this trip was one of my favorites. There was a wedding reception in the back area, which led to some extra excitement, but they also had the live harp player inside. The harpist played a Beatles song, and when we requested another Beatles song, he came over to our table to play an amazing version of "Hey Jude". the food was on point, our server Gil was a sweetheart, and the drinks were fantastic.

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  4. Sue

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 21 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful food, beautiful building & great service! We’ll be back!

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  5. Steve

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 20 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic service and food - good value! Thank you!

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  6. Raffi

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great! Ambience was quaint. Ceviche was extremely fresh! Meals were big and tasty!

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  7. David

    Los Angeles

    23 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on 8 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    The evening was terrible because of the excessive noise coming from a party on the patio. Their music was so loud everyone in the restaurant had to almost yell to hear each other. So I will always ask if there is a party booked before I make a reservation. Also the server seemed disconnected, maybe because he was frustrated with the noise too. The food was OK. Not the norm for this restaurant. Again probably because they were dealing with the party outside.

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  8. John

    Phoenix

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 7 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience with delicious food and excellent customer service

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  9. violet

    San Diego

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on 1 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    We drive an hour to dine in at this restaurant. We love the food, it’s delicious and exceptional. We also love the service. Must have the flan 🍮 yummm

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  10. Roxann

    Orange County

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on 27 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Margarita, our server, is so good. We always ask for her or Gloria. Food here is wonderful & drinks are great. Always a very good meal!!!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

El Adobe de Capistrano offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (949) 493-1163.

El Adobe de Capistrano is rated 4.7 stars by 1031 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 42 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for El Adobe de Capistrano

31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Additional information

  • Area
    San Juan Capistrano
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Sat 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Seafood, Grill
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private parking lot behind the restaurant
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Carlos Hernandez
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace
  • Phone number
    (949) 493-1163
  • Private party facilities
    El Adobe is the perfect spot to have your private events taken care of! We offer three different room options depending on the size of your group. We have many different menu options, linens and more that come with the room! You will have your own server working specifically only for your event.
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