I absolutely love sol agave. The Utah location is my favorite place. The one on Delmar in comparison is sad. Food isn't even close to as good. The butter cake is 1/10. When normally it is my favorite dessert. Pains me to leave this review. But I hope it can somehow boost this location. Get some notes from Utah! read more

We ended up here after finding a two hour wait at South of Nick's. They were able to seat us immediately for a Saturday night so we couldn't pass it up. Our server was fast, friendly and attentive throughout the meal. If it wasn't for the friendly staff this would be a 1 or 2 star review. Unfortunately the overall experience really fell short. We were seated inside where the ambiance was lacking for the price of the dishes. It didn't help that an overhead vent smelled strongly of a public restroom. Our server recommended the tamarindo margarita but it was pretty mid especially if you're comparing it to the one at South of Nick's. Chips were served with a tasty salsa and beans so we had high hopes of a getting a good, authentic meal. The biggest letdown was the "newly added" aguachiles. It was genuinely one of the most disappointing dishes I've had in a long time. It was essentially raw sea bass sitting in a green chili salsa that had absolutely no taste beyond salt water. I'd almost consider it false advertising because it wasn't an aquachile dish at all. We didn't have the heart to send it back, but it was incredibly frustrating to waste $20 on it. Thankfully our entrees were decent and helped salvage the meal a bit. While I appreciate the wonderful service, the prices here are comparable to Nick's, but for half the experience. I would highly recommend exploring other Mexican restaurants in the area before trying this spot especially if you're used to consuming good Mexican food frequently. read more

This used to be one of our favorite places and we would frequent it about --2 month. However service started dropping off about a year ago. A few time half way through the meal we never saw a server until after we were done. Some of the dishes and margaritas are still great, but the last 2 times we ordered ribs, they were like beef jerky, dry, and inedible. On prior occasions they were juicy and fell off the bone. read more

Ordered the Carnitas, which are apparently a chef specialty. They were very good and it was a lot of food. I could not finish at all. Definitely recommended. I wanted to get the chili Colorado, but they were out of it. I was highly disappointed as I wanted to try it because it sounded very good. read more

The ambiance is warm and welcoming but filled with energy! I do miss the traditional battered chile Rellenos. For some strange reason they stopped using batter and are simply grilling the stuffed chiles.. not the same. Other than that they have plenty yummy food to select from and outstanding cocktails read more

The food is great, but the service sucked. We went on Mother's Day to be fair, so it was a busier day. I had to ask twice to turn on the heater. Our server brought me my tea and never came back to take our order. I had to ask for lemon and sugar bc he forgot to bring it. We had to hunt him down to take our order, he never came back to see if we needed anything once we got our food. We needed a refill on our drinks, we asked 3 people for water. We needed a refill on our chips. It seemed like he had too much going on and he was overwhelmed. We had to ask for the bill we had to ask for boxes.. our needs were not anticipated. They brought my hot food out without my tortillas and it took another 15min for the tortillas to come out, by that time my food wasn't warm anymore (it was cold out). Avoid this place on holidays it's too overwhelming for the staff unless you don't mind having to ask for everything.. read more

These good reviews are crazy. Kitchen staff can't even cook eggs. After we showed the waitress the rock solid yolks on our huevos, and the girlfriend's rock solid sunnysides, the kitchen sent out two more eggs in bowl without any dressings. I said "oh, this is like an experiential thing" so I played clean up for chef and scraped the cilantro, seasoning, and sauce off my burnt eggs and onto the new ones and reconstructed the meal. Bill came out the same. read more

Cool place for a nice lunch! Highly recommend the watermelon basil margarita! Sergio was a wonderful server who knows that menu! The chips were a notch above most served with salsa and also a bean dip! read more

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Service was wonderful, my husband's favorite food is tacos and he said those were the best tacos he's ever had. Ambience and a nice quiet courtyard was lovely. Every time we're in San Clemente we plan to eat here . read more

Came by for happy hour Christmas Eve. Eloy was our server and did a great job. I've been here many times. Service and food are consistently great. Fresh chips, salsa and beans to start. Everything I've had is excellent-ceviche mixto, flautas, chorizo/potato tacos, salmon salad, calamari, steak. read more

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Primera ves que venimos aquí mi familia y yo. Me encantó el lugar. Eloy fue muy amable con mi familia y conmigo. La comida estuvo lista a tiempo y todo muy delicioso. Lo recomiendo 100% read more

Sol Agave - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

The. food was amazing. The best mexican restaurant I have been to in quite a while. Fresh chips, crispy carnitas, delicious beans and salsa. read more

I had the short rib Colorado, it was so good! Everything was cooked to perfection and the sauce was outstanding. I'd definitely get this again. My daughter on the other hand had a bowl meal with rice and steak, she said the rice was crunchy like it was scraped from the bottom of the pan,, steak was a little chewy. Could be just be an off day, I don't know, but I'd come back. The service was good, the guacamole was pretty pricy for the amount you get. I don't like feeling like I'm wasting money if it's not with it but everything else was great. read more

Sol Agave - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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The food was delicious. From the guacamole to the octopus to the steak, and the butter cake, you could taste the quality in each bite. We had a large party and the service was excellent as well. read more

Came here for dinner. Nice ambience and decor. Started off with chips, salsa-chipotle type and refried beans-all complementary and yum. Service was great and staff was on top of everything. Ordered the lobster enchiladas. Great portion size and tasted delicious. A side of white rice was included and a perfect compliment. A bit pricier than I prefer to pay for Mexican hence the 4 star yet reasonable and average for a nicer dining style restaurant. I recommend. read more

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Everything was perfect food, service, ambience. Wow what a great and delicious place. Will make it a weekly from now on.

I just looked at my itemized receipt and noticed that they charged me $2.50 for hot water! Mind you, it came in a cup that was covered and dried food! Also $14 for a scoop of guacamole is ridiculous. read more

Sol Agave - I can't believe they charge for hot water. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

What happened to this place?! My husband and I have noticed a HUGE decline in service and food quality over the last fews months. About a month ago we sat at the bar for 15 minutes and nobody acknowledged our presense so we left. Today we went back to give this place another shot. Sat at the bar and had the WORST service. We sat at the bar but the bartender would disappear....nowhere in sight. Water glasses empty as well as my husband's beer. We ordered food and it took a very long time to get despite the fact the restaurant was not busy. Food was OVER salted and just not good. Dishes we had ordered numerous time in the past tasted different (not in a good way.) Noticed sign in the window saying a change in ownership....hope the new owners figure out the issue. read more

Highly recommend to anyone looking for a great experience, food and drinks. They are exceptional! read more

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Food , service and ambience all was great We enjoyed the food a lot. Love the hospitality Staff is friendly read more

Super loud, very limited menu and really expensive. Way different than Sol Agave in San Juan Capistrano. Would not recommend

We have always appreciated the service, quality margaritas and ingredients at Sol Agave, San Clemente. Unfortunately, their Happy Hour Menu has changed; and prices have increased significantly; however, they still advertise original prices online (Happy Hour Menu, San Clemente). The $20 calamari appetizer price that they're charging is a 'Happy Hour' portion -- not worthy of $20 -- it's the most expensive calamari that we've experienced for the portion size. The ceviche appetizer (especially texture) was another issue,; it was extremely chewy (not fresh or perhaps frozen fish) and the taste was extremely bitter. Again, not sure what happened with this appetizer, as it was flavorful, fresh and delicious a few months ago? We are die hard, supporters of San Clemente, Small Business and have lived in San Clemente for over 30 years. Our hope is that Sol Agave, San Clemente can continue to thrive by taking into account constrictive feedback from local resident's and other's, who appreciate the ever changing food scene in San Clemente. . read more

Went here for lunch with longtime friends. They had been here once before. Hostess was pleasant and asked where we wanted to sit- their lovely patio squeezed in between numerous shops or the nicely decorated inside near the bar. Choose inside so we could talk to each other with limited outside noise. Chips were delivered in a cone shape holder ( found a lot more often these days) with salsa and a bean dip. Tasted fresh and yummy. Asked for chip and salsa refills - literally had to chase down the waiter to get them. Hubby and I decided to split their 'famous' Carnitas and a grilled romaine salad. Both were delicious. Everything had great flavor and they were more than generous portions. Our friends had taquitos, one had short rib and the other had pork. They both enjoyed their lunches as well and also said the food was delicious! I would have given five stars but unfortunately the service was too slow for our liking and was just not up to par with the level of the food. The staff was friendly though! We will definitely try another location because the food was definitely worth the money! read more

Sol Agave - Grilled Romaine Salad with Chicken - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Been here a couple of times. Everytime I walk in Emma... the manager, always remembers my name. Food is great and service is excellent!! Will be back. read more

Sol Agave - SO good best butter cake in town and the service is wonderful. Love chef Alex, staff is incredible - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

First time and I've lived in OC for 35 years. This place impressed me. You can tell the food is carefully well prepared, the flavors prove this. My wife and I came here today from Aliso Viejo, to check it out. We might try the San Juan Capistrano place next time. The service was great, the vibe is very casual. Parking can be an issue, especially on weekends. This place is a total recommend in my opinion. read more

My wife and daughter stopped here after walking around downtown. We were seated immediately and opted for a table outside. Happy hour was taking place so we ordered the chile verde taquitos of chicken flautas it and the chicken mole and carnitas soft taco combo. The order came out quick and the food was delicious. The portions were good size and the flavors were so good, especially the mole sauce and fresh guacamole. Easily one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever been to of the 200+ I have visited. Checks every box including a great atmosphere with lots of seating inside and outside. A must visit! read more

I would love to give this place another chance but my biggest issue was the ambiance and pricing. To start, we came on a Saturday night looking for a place to eat since most places had a long wait and sol agave didn't. We were a party of 2 and seated outside. I didn't enjoy the fact that the sun had set and I couldn't see anything on my table. Maybe it was the location of our table and lack of lighting outside, but I had to use the flashlight on my phone to eat. Not the biggest issue so I didn't bring it up. Our server was super nice and patient with us. We ordered food and drinks. Drinks were fairly priced but I thought the food was a little above average price. Everything tasted fine except the shrimp ceviche was too spicy for my liking (I've never had shrimp ceviche that was too spicy for me so that was a first). The server offered us chips and salsa, then offered us guacamole and this is where things go south. I usually expect chips and salsa to be free when eating at a Mexican restaurant. Will I still pay for it if I'm charged? Yes. No questions asked. I'm willing and able to do so. The server then asked if we'd "like guacamole as well" and I said sure. Again, I expected it to be free but am willing and able to pay for it. I receive the bill and a side of guacamole is $13??? That's the price of an average alcoholic drink in my opinion. If I would've known I was going to be paying $13 for a side of guac I wouldn't have gotten it. ***to be clear, i was ONLY charged $13 for guac not charged for chips and salsa. If i was charged $13 for chips, salsa, and guac I would've been fine and probably wouldn't be writing this review. But to see that guac is $13 is ridiculous. (I've attached the receipt as proof) I'm willing to come back and do things a little differently but for now this was my experience. read more

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Sol Agave is a reliable, tasty chain of restaurants - and San Clemente lives up to the brand. Located at the top of Avenida Del Mar, which is the main thoroughfare for the town, it offers limited indoor and a good amount of patio seating. The food is always flavorful and well prepared. Drinks are tasty but sometimes mixed with a very heavy hand. Inside it can get a bit loud - especially if there is a birthday which has a literal flare candle and hearty singing! In terms of pricing, they run on the higher end of Mexican restaurants ($16+ margaritas, $20+ taco platters/entrees) so a two person meal with a starter or an extra round of drinks tops $100. Overall, I love some San Clemente Del Mar for a night out and Sol Agave is a regular spot for the start to my night out. read more

Sol Agave - Their 2 person meal platter ($70+), of shrimp, steak, carnitas, chicken, queso and vegetables. Comes with tortillas and sauces. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

Location on Del Mar is great. Food is tasty, but it's really odd - especially in CA - that you have to request a vegetarian menu...why aren't all the menu options included in 1 menu? It wasn't even offered to us by our server. I only knew to ask because I had seen other options on their website. Service was spotty- the place wasn't crowded, yet we had to ask for refills on water & chips more than once. read more

Food was tasty. Great location. Nice vibe with street parking. Service was slow. It wasn't that busy and we waited forever to get the check and u tried eyeballing the servers but no one cared or came. If it wasn't for the tasty food I'd have to give this place a three. Too bad it's mismanaged but it seems to be doing well. I'd recommend it but make sure you have time to wait read more

Love the food here now. Didn't like Sol Agave back in the Covid days...but love it now. Favorite dish is the steak fajitas. Perfect portion size. Not too big. And the steak is amazing. Like to sit at the bar where the service is always good. Their bartenders are awesome. Perfect higher end Mexican food. read more

Have been coming here for years! This time I decided to write a review for not only Alex, but Dannny for the phenomenal service it's above and beyond I couldn't be more happy and the food... MIND BLOWING read more

Loved our food from the starting tortilla chips to the butter cake! Great service and ambiance!

Great ambience and kind service. The food was high quality and tasty. However, the mahi mahi for tacos Del Mar were on the drier side; though the fresh mango added a nice brightness. Fun marg flight with interesting flavors. Tajin rim FTW! The chips and guac were truly a highlight. Also, very flavorful mole sauce--don't skip out. read more

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We became extremely ill with norovirus after eating here. The waiter looked sweaty and kind of like maybe he wasn't feeling well... I thought oh well maybe he's hungover and came to work to bust ass anyway. I now suspect he was knowingly ill while working, especially since after I used the restroom he had just came out of, it stunk SO egregiously awful. Will not be back. The food wasn't that good either, not worth the price at all. Tiny pitiful portions for the price seriously. Honestly, just stay away from any overpriced "fancy" place that sells "Mexican" food it's usually an inauthentic rip off and totally not worth it when you can get authentic Mexican food for less than half the price anywhere in California lol. On top of that, they don't know how to dress and have a waitress walking around with completely see-through leggings. Disgusting for an eating establishment. read more

I'm a local and had some friends visiting San Clemente. We were in the mood for Mexican food, and this restaurant looked promising. We chose to sit outside, the first table that they sat us at was right in the middle where the entry way is. We asked to be moved, the server was hesitant but alas he confirmed another table. The server came and got us our drinks and then disappeared for 20 minutes before getting our order. We didn't mind waiting but that was excessive . A group of 8 came in and were sat in front of us. They were prioritized as they had gotten their starters even before we could even get the server to take out order. He rarely checked up on us, we had to stop him to get a refill for my child's drink. The staff just didn't seem welcoming or warm, they had serious faces, it wasn't even busy so you would think they could at least show a more welcoming attitude. The only positive thing I will say was that the Enchiladas de Langosta were very good. However, the tostadas that came with their ceviche were super stale. We used the chips that came with the salsa instead. Overall, I wish they can work on their customer service. read more

I walked in on the middle of the adventure where i was greeted by a lovely hostess. She invited me to glance at the menu. When I told her I was allergic to shrimp and that if it was an issue, she reassured me that the chef would make accommodations and to let my server know. That being said, i walked in and sat at the patio. I ordered an orange mimosa for $11 and chilaquiles rojos for $16. Mimosa - perfect balance of orange juice and champagne, a lil sour so i wonder if its homemade Chilaquiles - cooked perfectly and spicy, the beans compensate the spiciness (10/10) The server was awesome and I never saw the inside but they have lovely spacious patio seating. It was a good day to be at Sol Agave. read more

Sol Agave - Chilaquiles from their brunch menu - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

We weren't looking for a spot to eat, but this place caught our eyes as we walked by. We only planned to stop in for a margarita flight and those drinks were delicious! While we waited, they brought out chips and beans, and those were just as tasty. Service was fast and very pleasant. read more

NEW OWNERSHIP! Food was good, service was good, vibe was good! Appetizer chips and beans are so good!

First time here. The food is fantastic, arguably the best Mexican food I have ever had in OC, and I've lived here for 35 years. My wife and I shared 3 Appetizers and they all had so much flavor, their sauces are perfect pairings with the food. Prices are a bit high, but that comes with the location on Del Mar in San Clemente. Service was quick and efficient. Only complaint was the music was a bit too loud. Will probably try the San Juan Capistrano one next time. read more