I love El Adobe, a sit-down Mexican restaurant in San Juan Capistrano. I've only eaten here for private events with set menus but have thoroughly enjoyed my meals here and would happily come for a meal. The set menu began with chips, guacamole, and salsa spread on the tables and I had to slow myself down for the entree because they were so good. I also loved the salad because of the pepita and dressing. The entree was the star of the show though and each component was delicious. The Carne Asada was beautifully grilled and flavorful. I also loved their cheese enchilada as their sauce was so good. I enjoyed the tamale, and the beans and rice paired with the main course so well. I was astounded by the servings and enjoyed leftovers the following days. I've tried 2 of their desserts and preferred their Churro over the Tres Leches Cake, but both were so good. Highly recommend! read more

El Adobe - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Atmosphere was really not well lit. The Cadillac Margurita was excellant. My Shrimp Fajitas were burnt to a crisp.

This is a great local Mexican restaurant. Old school spot that's been here forever serving up Mexican comfort foods and no frills drinks. While this isn't my favorite spot to grab a margarita it is a great place for casual dinner and solid enchiladas. Service is always quick and friendly - love sitting out front when the weather is cooler read more

El Adobe - Shrimp - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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El Adobe is a staple in my life. My best friends and I visit at least 2-3x month. We go so often the staff has gotten to know us! Christian is the best server ever!! He sees us coming and knows to start prep the margaritas! He has all our regular orders memorized! He is like a family member to us! We love the food, ambiance and the staff! We love them all so much, we bring them Christmas treats! We love spoiling Christian and team because they are always so friendly and go above and beyond to make every meal special!! My family also eats here every Christmas Eve! Best celebration with my El Adobe family ever! Thank you Christian and team! read more

El Adobe - Best Birthday Dessert Ever! Churro with ice cream and caramel sauce! - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

This is our third time visiting El Adobe and it will not be our last. Their brunch is delicious. I had the two item combo with a shredded beef taco and chili relleno. We also had the table side guacamole. I usually do not drink, but I opted to this time. I had the Adobe peach that is a blended drink and is fabulous. I am picky about chilis rellenos, but El Adobe's did not disappoint. I am also not a fan of flan. My bestie ordered it for dessert and she also does not like flan, but she told me she likes the one there. I decided to try it and I was shocked. I loved it!! The service is always great and they have mariachi on Sunday afternoons so that is always a bonus. If you have not visited El Adobe, what are you waiting for?? read more

El Adobe - Adobe peach and guacamole - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

As always, food service ambience was excellent. Can't find a better place to eat Mexican food in Orange County. read more

El Adobe - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Why is a harp player playing "sweet Caroline " in a Mexican restaurant? My friend asked how much did he need to pay to have him stop. Where is the mariachi band? They were the best! Also, what's up with the off set lights? read more

El Adobe - The lights don't match. Colors and what not. I miss it being the real El Adobe! I hope they don't add wings and sliders to the mix! - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Amazing experience, amazing food, culture and service! Loved it and enjoyed the delicious food.

Came here recently for their taco Tuesday and I loved it! The service has always been great. And the restaurant is nice and well maintained. They taco Tuesday and happy hour choices are limited but even then the choices they do offer are good. I got a couple of their crispy tacos. Their parking lot is small yet it seemed to be enough for everyone and it was a full house. I love their tamarindo margarita. Will be back for more. read more

Nixon used to eat here so you know it's good. I had the president's plate. Man that's a lot of food. Great friendly service and atmosphere. read more

Saturday afternoon. 4 pm. Had to ask a busboy to get our waiter to take our order. We watched our waiter walk all over the restaurant. Upper level then out of sight. Forgot about us. My feeling was he took on too many tables to give attentive service. Took that many tables By his own choice of course, because he feels he can handle that many tables. Not! Nunca .... Someone needs to tell him. Guy in his 50s with a mustache. And more tips for him of course. Big payday! Yay for him. Food came out room temperature. Not hot at all. Probably the food runners aren't paying attention? Food not brought by the waiter because he was working his 8 tables. Manager's facial expression was sad and bored. A very average experience. read more

Went for lunch and everything was great. The place looks and reminds me of history. It's obvious it's been around a long time, not because of being old, it's seriously kept up and clean, but because the food, service and decor is all perfect. Both me and my buddy's food was perfect. I've seen, many times, guacamole made table side but still, this guacamole was great...10 out of 10. And the food (see pics) was all 10 out of 10. The hostess was nowhere in sight. A waiter came and asked if we've been helped and the , get this, in this day and age of awful service everywhere, this guy took care of us. AND he stayed and was our waiter even though it wasn't his section (obvious because he was in his section waiting on people when he came to help us and there was a waitress helping everyone else where we were). read more

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Great food, service, and Mariachi ... parking can be tricky during prime time. Always delicious

My wife and I visited El Adobe for Easter Brunch and it didn't disappoint. The buffet had quite the variety of options and the service was top notch. They even had mariachis playing throughout the restaurant. The overall setting was perfect!!! read more

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Went out for my dad's birthday... I ordered enchiladas and what I got was a hard block of cheese with minimal sauce... it was so bad that I threw it away. How disappointing, ambiance is nice but the food it super overrated. I will not be returning ever!!! read more

Came up from San Diego with high hopes to meet my son and his wife after reading the history of this place. It was our first time there. The main problem here was the service it ruined everything. The waiter was missing in action most of the time and I had to flag out other people to try to get anything. Couldn't get our drink orders in until we finally had to order food and it took forever for them to come. Our food ihaf obviously been sitting out for a long time because it came cold too. Fajitas tasted very cold. I asked for flour tortillas and I got two small size tortillas not enough to handle the fajitas. No waiter to ask for more. No waiter to ask for anything. This was the worst service I've seen in a Mexican restaurant in a long time. They just simply acted like they didn't Care and didn't want to help. There was no friendliness, no talkativeness no nothing. I guess things have changed since President Nixon came. Too bad I won't be going back. read more

Visiting a friend who bought the "WISH" house in San Clemente. After seeing the castle, like 16000 sq ft, went to lunch. This Mexican restaurant was busy at 1 pm. Good sign. Service was great and food the same. Historical place that Nixon used to eat at. Had his fav plate. Taco chix Enchilada Chili Relleno and beans rice. Very good. Chips good and salsa tasty. Recommend read more

El Adobe - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Dinner was good, service was horrible , it is so loud in the restaurant it was difficult to hear anyone at our table.

Got to go to Taco Tuesday, sat at the bar for dinner, fun, busy, excellent service, Pedro was a blast, friendly, accommodating and all around a very nice person. Love El Adobe. I've lived in San Juan for over 40 years and it's always a pleasure to be a local and be noticed and taken care of by stal staff. read more

My wife and I ate here for the first time in a few years and the food continues to be great. Today I had the President's Choice...chile relleno, chicken enchilada and crispy beef taco with rice and beans...not to mention, chips and salsa...that was lunch but I was sorted for dinner too. The food was wonderful. It really hit the spot. My wife had the shrimp enchiladas. It was also a great and very filling dish. The shrimp was fresh and well prepared. The ambiance of the restaurant continues to be amazing: with a polished, atmospheric vintage interior with interesting paintings, stained glass windows and tiled floors. Part of the charm of eating here is admiring the architecture. The restaurant has been open since 1948 and it has aged very gracefully. The service is great too. Lastly, the restaurant has an interesting history: it was Richard Nixon's favorite restaurant. He signed a menu cover, which is framed along with photos of him and Pat. read more

Historic building, popular location, massive tourist and event clientele... They could totally half-ass it and still make money, right? My mom, daughter and I came in at lunch time on a Saturday with no reservation and were immediately seated in a perfectly lovely patio. The waiter was charming and the food was perfect. I mean PERFECT. I'm a 4th generation Southern California snob when it comes to Mexican food. Everything from chips to drinks was done with attention to detail, great ingredients and high standards. I will absolutely go back the next time I'm there. Great job, El Adobe! read more

Delicious. We walked over from the new shopping/eating area for some classic San Juan cap eats. Everyone really enjoyed their meals, ceviche and margs! Service was quick and super friendly. read more

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This restaurant has been great for like over 40 years . My uncle introduced it me back in High School. It's always been amazing place to visit if you are in SJC. We come here every time we are down here, probably like 4 times a year. Food is great and they have amazing tortilla chips. White wine is chilled perfectly too, for a Mexican restaurant that is saying something. read more

Wonderful experience on a Sunday for lunch! Food was delicious, live Mariachi music, ambiance charming. We loved sitting on the outdoor patio in the back. read more

El Adobe - Delicious food and friendly exemplary service. - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

It'd been years since I stopped in San Juan Capistrano, and upon doing so, we soberly stumbled into El Adobe one Sunday afternoon. The building seemed vaguely historic, but the historic dates didn't seem to match on the various signs, a conflict probably completely ignored by the famously historically-challenged denizens of Orange County. But I digress... The place is very cute, but it was slightly odd that we and everyone else were all seated in what was by far the least interesting of the various dining areas in this quirky building. Although this space wasn't unpleasant, you would think that the restaurant would want to highlight it's best areas when it wasn't particularly busy. Our server was very funny and nice, which was refreshing in a touristy place like this. I ordered the enchiladas suizas, which were good but not amazing. My girlfriend very much liked her fish tacos. The cilantro cucumber margarita was a very well-done and refreshing take on an old standard. It's a great hot day drink, and both of us would order it again in a heartbeat. On the downside, the salsa was very tomato-y and the refried beans quite sub-par. Another oddity -- the weird square plates were way too modern for place that is leaning on a sense of being historic. It seems like a small detail, but is very jarring in this environment. After eating, we poked around the rest of the space and found a pretty cool bar area and an interesting event space. All in all, El Adobe was a bit of a mixed bag, but I'd go definitely back if I was in the area. read more

Always great food and always great service. We love the feel of this place too, has great atmosphere. We are definitely regulars. Try the short rib taquitos a happy hour special. They are delicious!! read more

Went here for the 1st time & thoroughly enjoyed our experience. From the minute the doors opened to the second we left the service was incredible!! We had 4 or 5 restraunts in mind but we rolled the dice & said let's go here, incredible decision on our part. Food, drinks, chips & salsa were delicious! TY, guys, Happy New Year & we will see you SOON!! read more

I've always loved this historic restaurant. The food has never been bad, it also has never been outstanding. I really like the black refried beans. I mainly go for the history of the place and ambience. It's also a great location for an event. I feel it's definitely worth a visit. read more

El Adobe - Chicken Enchilada and carne asada taco 2 item combo plate. - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Still stand by my previous review; food just average. Shrimp taco ok, fish taco not so much. Guacamole was the only thing that was good, but 16 dollars is a hefty price tag for Guac- read more

El Adobe - Blackened fish tacos - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Adorable ambiance. It feels like you have entered an old Spanish era. We came here super early in the morning so we got seated very quickly. The restaurant did fill up closer to 12 pm. Our server was pleasant. We got the skinny margarita and the fall sangria to drink. The margarita was decent. The sangria was delicious and very light. The alcohol content was pretty low overall. The complimentary chips and salsa were ok. I would've liked the salsa to have more of a hit. For food, I got the blackened fish tacos and my friend got the President's choice combination plate (chilli relleno, enchilada, beef taco with rice and beans). The tacos were delicious and definitely filling. I only ate one of the two. I got the Spanish rice with chicken broth and it was so so yummy! Highly recommend that option over the white rice option. The chilli relleno was excellent and not spicy. The enchilada was also delicious. All in all, a good experience. I would recommend this restaurant to people exploring this area. read more

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They have a large parking lot and beautiful ambiance. The restaurant is well lit. Service could be better. The server seemed impatient and kept on hovering around us after we told him we needed more time to decide. We felt pressed to order right away just so he would leave us alone. And while we were dining, he kept on interrupting when we were mid conversation. I understand that he needed to do table touches but we would have flagged him down if we needed anything. Reading the room goes a long way. Food was just ok. Nothing stood out. They have the same side condiments for the appetizers so everything seemed to taste the same. Nice restaurant if you're a tourist. read more

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Here before a pregame tailgate. Geez, haven't been to San Juan Capistrano in... well let's say it was much smaller town then. Everything we pass has the look of early Spanish architecture including this place. Once inside the interior was vintage. It's been around for awhile - there's a photo collage of Richard Nixon while he was prez on the wall. It's plenty large with an area that could hold a large group. The outdoor patio is a nice venue, they were setting up for a wedding when we arrived. We ended up in the bar for their happy hour specials - the adult beverages were surprisingly reasonably priced. We got the Carne Asada street tacos off the happy hour list. The meat was tender & flavorful, toppings were served on the side. Unfortunately while the meat was delicious it was overly greasy. Hopefully this wasn't a representation of their sit down food. read more

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Our favorite Mexican restaurant. El Adobe is in a quaint historic building in beautiful San Juan Capistrano. The restaurant is large, and very nice. We have celebrated various special occasions at El Adobe and it's always been a good experience. Our guests enjoyed the food and the ambiance. Their service is always very good and their food is great. A special place, love the President's platter, named after President Nixon. read more

Went here on a double date. We had reservations. If not for reservations there would have been a wait. Busy restaurant, however the service was great and efficient.The food and drinks were good. I ordered the carne asada. The meat could have been seasoned a little more for my taste, however it was tender. I would recommend this restaurant. read more

El Adobe - Carne Asada - Latin American Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

I hosted a 40th Birthday Party on a Monday a few weeks back, and it was both smooth and amazing! Javier and the staff were perfect, their food options were endless with plenty of options to choose from. Staff was on point from beginning to end. I decided on a taco bar with rice and beans. Staff were very accommodating with no host bar. Would definitely recommend this as an option for any aevent, plus they were kid friendly read more

This Mexican restaurant is a classic in San Juan Capistrano and it is located within a historic site. The atmosphere checks all the boxes for an authentic Mexican restaurant experience. The mouth-watering guacamole and chips was a great way to start. I wish the chips would have been a bit saltier but that's just my preference. I ordered the two enchilada salad. Basically they just substitute a Romain lettuce salad with pepitas for the rice and beans. It was good. Not the best enchiladas, in my opinion, but ok. Our server was attentive. There was no shortage of drink refills which is always a plus. Don't forget to have some dessert. It's definitely worth it to eat here for the beautiful decor and ambiance. read more

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Went there for our company Christmas party yesterday. The food was absolutely amazing the atmosphere was great and the mariachi band was magnificent. The best flan I've ever had in my life no joke it's a must try. The waiters and waitresses were friendly punctual and on point with their customer service it was an amazing experience. My daughters loved the restaurant as well read more

We go to El Adobe on a regular basis and the food is always delicious! But no second to the food is the service!! One of our regular servers is Pedro who is always there to meet us with a welcome and a smile! He has a great sense of humor and takes great care of us. We can't say enough of his friendly and professional demeanor! Thank you Pedro for always taking care of us! Another server who should be mentioned is Manuel. He again has a great personality and knows how to treat people! El Adobe has a great laid back ambiance with great happy hour prices and a nice Taco Tuesday menu. read more

The food is consistently the best, tasty and good portions. The staff is the reason I go to Taco Tuesdays and for family events. The drinks are excellent and Pedro and Ignacio are always friendly and efficient. They always put a smile on my face and make me laugh! I refer friends there all the time. Keep up the good work, and see you on Tuesday! read more

This is our favorite Mexican Restaurant in South Orange County!!!Love sitting in the bar where the action is! Seek out Pedro he is Amazing!