The food is usually pretty good but the obnoxious "Cabo San Lucas" music is terrible! It is loud and belongs in a 21 yo nightclub or in Cabo! 90% of the music was reggaeton. Ugh Probably won't be back because of it or may sit outside. read more

Wow, what a wonderful culinary experience. The last time I was at this location was buying Black Sabbath's Master of Reality LP at Cornet's Pharmacy in the early 70's! Now it's all gentrified and serving the locals and tourists walking along Del Mar.. We were in town for the Hula Celebration in late May, and passed the spot on our way down to the Commu its Center. So glad we decided to try this place out. We got seated right away, the gold out the flaps on the round table and all 5 of us sat down and perused the menu while simultaneously taking in the decor and the colorful bartender vigorously mixing libations. I opted for a Watermelon Margarita con Tajin/Chimoy and how TASTY! I nibbled off of my wife's plate of chile relleno, taco and beans/rice. Honestly everything tasted very authentic and hecho con mano, and I say that as a gringo who has loved Mexican food and culture my whole life. (Plus my wife, and group were Mexican with one Hawaiian thrown in for flavor! We will definitely come back again and try the Chile Verde, or perhaps the El Mojo de Ajo entrees...Deliciosa! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Sabor de Mexico... - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

First of all, we love Avila's and have been to most all their locations. On our last visit to the San Clemente location, we noticed the chips were thicker than before. We hope this was an anomaly and the not their new norm. We normally devour two baskets of chips, but last time just one. read more

I've been multiple Avila's location. This is become a must stop when I visiting from Washington! I love how the staff does an amazing job embracing you and making you feel like your family or friends. Even though it's often my first time visiting one of their locations. This is real authentic Mexican food. Their food is always extremely consistent. I always make it a point to find a location when I am in the area. The Avila's famous caldo is worth it! I always enjoy the crispy tacos. But you can never go wrong with the streak and prawns. Parking for this location can be a bit tricky. As there is so much going on in the downtown San Clemente area. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - the entrance to the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

I have been coming here for a couple of years now every other month, as a halfway point between SD and OC to meet family for a good Mexican dinner. We always get the Shrimp Botana which two of us split each time and it is delicious and I can't find this anywhere else. The tortillas are amazing too. The service is always good and attentive, and its dog friendly so bring your pupper. There is plenty of places to sit both inside and on the patio. If you are in the area, this is the place to go. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Shrimp Botana - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

Sat outside on the patio on a nice day. Had the breakfast burrito - good portions. The burrito came with rice, beans, chips + salsa. Service was good as well considering we were outdoors! Would recommend. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

This is a legitimate review five stars the service and the food was great. I had the soup and salad special and my friend had the taco salad and my soup and salad was delicious. My friend loved it too. read more

Amazing food atmosphere service was incredible definitely expensive but it was a really fun experience

It's good, but better quality Mexican food is close by. Love the service and drinks at El Ranchito and their ability to accommodate large parties. The food is great but personally I think the food is a better at sol agave and the price is equivalent. South of Nicks is better than both of them but the price is much higher! read more

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Late post March 2024 3.5/5* Stumbuled upon Avila Restaurant while cruising downtown to my suprise it was Restaurant Week, Orange County Restaurant Week (OCRW) is a fantastic opportunity for food enthusiasts to explore various restaurants in O.C. offering prix-fixe menus at affordable prices. Avila's presented both lunch and dinner prix-fixe menus. Opting for crispy tacos and flautas, my partner and I enjoyed a meal that included homemade guacamole and chips, Mama Avila's chicken soup with broth, chicken, rice, pico de gallo, and avocado. Despite the generous servings of guacamole, which felt excessive since it was served both as an appetizer and with the main course, I would have preferred a non-fried option to showcase something unique during restaurant week. Nevertheless, our server Aurelio was great. The ambiance inside the restaurant was inviting, and the open doors let in the refreshing ocean breeze, keeping the dining area pleasantly cool. Outdoor seating, dog friendly! read more

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Seating was fast, and ample around 6pm on a Thursday night for a party of four. Drinks were offered and mostly on the rocks. The house margarita was tasty, and packed a sweet punch. For the food, I had the Mayan Burrito, shredded chicken with rice, smothered in tomatillo sauce. Unfortunately, the burrito was mostly rice and the shredded chicken was a lesser quality of dark meat. I also encounter a small chicken bone in the burrito. It could have cause a choking hazard for anyone. At that point I was finished with my meal. Overall a place maybe for drinks versus food, but other in the party were happy with thier food. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mayan Shredded burrito. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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So after a short weekend in San Clemente, I found myself looking for somewhere to eat before I got on the road. Why........because the place I settled on was closed.......like out of business closed. So I walked around and I found this place. The bartender was very attentive and took my food and drink order quickly. In turn he served up some chips and salsa. The salsa has heat, so you've been forewarned. I got one of each taco and I can say I made the right choice over breakfast. The rice and beans went well with the tacos, plus adding in the occasional bite of chips and salsa. One of the few Mexican restaurants in this area and it holds its own. The tamarind mule was good, but I could have done without the garnish around the rim. Great place, great food and centrally located in San Clemente. Check it out. read more

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Upon arriving and receiving our water cups, I instantly noticed a lot of floating elements in my cup and no it wasn't ice. Yuck! Went to salt the chips and there was a bug in the salt. I absolutely hate leaving one star reviews, but the food was subpar at best. The rice and beans were so bland, as was the chicken taco. Service was lacking for sure and I think Taco Bell would have been a better option. To top it all off, our waiter added extra to his tip. Less than one stars, would not come back. read more

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The food came quickly and the value was great for medium/high end Mexican cuisine. Kids eat free on Wednesday was a nice surprise. Staff was very friendly. Was $20 for two crispy tacos w/ rice and beans and a free kids meal came with that. Hard to beat for $20 for me and my daughter for fresh healthy Mexican food at a nice sit down restaurant. read more

Very bland food. Ordered the carne asada and it was overcooked and not seasoned. Extremely sugary skinny margaritas. The atmosphere is nice.

Stopped by for lunch on our way back from San Diego. Great spot, good food, excellent service and ambiance to boot. The food is served hot and tasty. Recommended read more

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Just perfect of a restaurant for our entire family of 7! Food was plentiful, delicious, and worth the price most of all! Only complaint I have was our waitress could have been a tiny bit more attentive in the beginning with chips, drinks, and ordering. Otherwise, everyone left very happy! Awesome place! read more

We ordered catering from here for a party of 25 and the food was on time, the headcount estimates were accurate and many people complimented the food! They packaged everything nicely and it was ready to serve. Thank you for the great service and experience! Will be ordering catering from Avila's again. read more

We went on a Tuesday and it was packed. We didn't realize it was taco Tuesday. So we got their special for tacos and it was very good and reasonably priced. read more

This was one of our stops out of many on a birthday celebration. The only food we tried was chips and salsa with guacamole, which was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming to our group as we took over the bar for shots of Casamigos reposado. It was fun and they brought over, some people to sing a great happy birthday song and bought us another round of shots. The place has a great vibe and high open ceilings and a large bar and a big seating area with lots of windows. I would definitely love to come back here for food, which I've heard is very good. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Avilas, El Ranchito, San Clemente - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Best food! Beans and rice are awesome! Crispy tacos and Mama's Chicken Caldo soup is the best too!!!

Delicious! The combo options were my favorite These were great: Tamale & taco Enchilada & taco Quesadilla read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

I would give Avila's a 3 1/2 star rating. This San Clemente location is in a prime spot. Service was amazing as the server was very attentive. For beverages we ordered a Tito's Strawa and a Pacifico. The Strawa was good but lacked in presentation. The watermelon wedge was mushy and looked old. Food is good but nothing exceptional today. We ordered the Avila appetizer platter which came with two shredded beef tacos, a couple of beef taquitos, cheese quesadillas and chicken flautas. One of my flautas had some cartilage in it so that turned me off a bit. Tacos and taquitos were good. The prices have gone up a bit too so their food prices are comparable to their two competitors down the street. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - The strawa drink with strawberry and watermelon purée. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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It was an extremely overcast late afternoon in the perfect weather for a bowl of hot meatball soup with vegetables from my favorite Mexican restaurant in San Clemente called Avila's. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - The check for soup. It included so many meatballs chips and salsa and tortillas and club soda with lime. ‍ - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Marvin the manager made us the best bloody Mary. They have a really good salsa and chips. Good music good vibe really recommended. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

My husband and I love Taco Tuesday at Avila's! We both start out with nice size Cadillac Margi's As they bring out the fresh Warm Chips and Salsa, we always order a side of refried beans to dip in! Very tasty! I usually order a Crispy Beef Taco OR I change it up to the Abondigas Soup! My husband always orders the Carnitas Soft Tacos. The place is nice and the servers are pleasant and always friendly! read more

Came in a few weeks back. I'm a vegetarian. The chips, beans, rice are all made with lard/ animal stock. The waiter said there were no options for me but a green salad. :( read more

I love going here for many reasons First: they open early when lots of other places don't open until 4:00pm. Second: the food is excellent Third: I love the ambiance and all the sports on the tv's. Fourth and most important the following staff Maeghan,Jimmy,Aurelio,Camille,Jesse,Marvin,Nancy,Dora,Braden,Violeta at one time or another everyone of these marvelous people have taken care of me as though I were family. I highly recommend this lovely restaurant you won't be sorry. Regards Jeannette R read more

Got the fresco burrito and the waiter added $4 for mahi mahi and when i asked why she said the sea food was extra, but the menue clearly says it's extra for shrimp not mahi mahi. When I told her this she said she asked her manager and they cannot do anything about it. Secondly we asked for green salsa and they charged 1.75 for it and never told us it was extra. This type of over charging is not acceptable read more

Always a favorite! Unfortunate that the prices have gotten so high, so it's become a splurge instead of a regular spot. Food is always great, service was good just a little slow and we love the vibe of the restaurant. read more

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We moved away few years ago but whenever in the area, we always come back to Avila's. Out of all their locations, this is our very favorite. They are very dog friendly in the patio. The restaurant portion is large and it's great for date nights, families and large groups. The service is amazing and so is the food. We ordered... Mango Margarita Corona light Guacamole fresco Avilas appetizer Tacos de papa Small bowl of chicken for the dog Everything was fresh and delicious! We all enjoyed our meals (even our dog). Definitely will be back when in town! read more

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Service wasn't great even though not very busy, it was Super Bowl Sunday. Bartender forgot my order and then said what did you order. We ordered the appetizer sampler, perfect! They turned on the game but no one seemed to care about game. Mix of young and old. Not too loud in there read more

Sat on streetside patio and enjoyed the great service and the ALWAYS GREAT food...love this family owned and operated spot!!

My friend who lives in San Clemente brought me here for lunch. I had a crispy beef taco and tortilla soup. Tacos? 10 out of 10! I am picky when it comes to tortilla soup- I can honestly say it was the BEST tortilla soup I've ever had (and I've had a lot!). Big pieces of chicken and the veges were the perfect blend for a delicious broth. Maeghan was our bar tender and she made us the best skinny margaritas ever- light, tasty, and they made us feel full of joy! What more can you ask for? We started chanting Maeghan Maeghan Maeghan! Danny was also so fun! The room was full of fun people who were out enjoying the beautiful day and the Olympics- I will definitely be back and I'm taking soup home for my husband. I highly recommend this restaurant/bar and Maeghan! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Skinny Margarita by Maeghan - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

We had dinner at this Restaurant twice. The first time the food was excellent and the service was really good. However, the second time the food was just okay and the service was lacking. I guess it depends what you order and what night you are at the Restaurant. My rating for the first night was a 5. The second night a 3. That is why I gave a score of 4. read more

Been here multiple times. Decent food. You get what you come for just some average Mexican food. But tonight my service was atrocious and it's not even busy. Do better. read more

I love this place ! Food & drinks are Awesome! The best part of Avila in San Clemente is their great service. Juan was our bartender & server. He is the BEST! He is caring and fast. He makes the Best Margaritas !!! A Must ! They are so delicious. My husband & I highly recommend this great Mexican restaurant. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - A wonderful Margarita ! Cheers - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

Avila's is a wonderful spot in town for fresh Mexican food, friendly service and drinks. I met up with a friend recently and when posed with the option of where to go, I chose Avila's because of the friendly bar scene and cozy fireplace. We enjoyed skinny margaritas, hard shelled tacos and Mama's chicken soup, which is also known as Mama's penicillin for its ability to help cure a cold. (Served with flour or corn tortillas.) Chips and salsa, guacamole are all delicious, along with most items on the menu. read more

Hands down the best chili Verde burrito I have ever had. And let me tell you I have had a lot of them. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

We've been to other locations this was our first time in this one. We had a great night. Great service, we sat at the bar and had a drink, chips and salsa. Friendly service, great atmosphere and it was a busy night. read more

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