A Teen’s Review of Epcot’s San Angel Inn Restaurante

*DIS Contributors review meals, resort stays, and entertainment that they have paid for during their own vacations. They only utilize discounts and offers if they are available to the general public, such as annual passholder discounts, Tables in Wonderland, or DVC membership discounts. They receive no additional compensation for dining experiences or events, so that they may give their honest opinions about price and value.

My family and I have been going to Walt Disney World every year since I was 5. I’m now in high school, and over the years, we’ve been to almost every restaurant, on every ride, to all of the shows, and a few special events. A few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to go to a restaurant that I have never been to, San Angel Inn Restaurante. I would like to tell you about my experience with the restaurant, from a teen’s perspective.

In case you didn’t know, San Angel Inn is one of the table service restaurants at Epcot, located inside the Mexico pavilion next to Gran Fiesta Tour. On one side of the restaurant is a river, which the ride goes through, and on the other side is a small Mexican-themed plaza.

Upon check-in, cast members will guide you to a small seating area behind the check-in counter where you will wait until they call your reservation. I recommend asking for a table close to or right next to the river, as it creates some nice scenery and sounds as you eat your meal. Once they call your reservation, a host or hostess will guide you to your table.

The table I was seated at was one row away from the river, and although I wasn’t right up at the river, there was still a nice view. Each table had a kerosene lamp, which was the main light source for the table as the surroundings are pretty dark. The Mayan pyramid and volcano were easy to see, and the volcano occasionally ‘erupts’ and spews out a bit of lava and makes some noise, but not enough noise to be annoying. The crickets and birds chirping near the ride entrance to Gran Fiesta Tour also created a nice, nighttime-like experience that made it feel like you were sitting in an outdoor restaurant.

The meal started with a basket of crispy corn tortilla chips with salsa and an order of Queso Fundido ($14). The queso was topped with chorizo, a sort of beef with a bit of spice on it, Poblano peppers, onions, and melted Monterey Jack cheese. The Monterey Jack on top added a nice flavor to the queso, however, the queso was not very soft or gooey, and I had to use a fork to separate it. If you only like the branded salsa that you might buy from a grocery store, then you may not like this salsa as much, as it was made in-house. The salsa had a strong taste and was very cold.

For my entrée, I ordered the Camarones al Chipotle ($28), a plate of green beans with chipotle marinated shrimp and roasted potatoes. The presentation of the dish was nothing to be excited about, as the green beans were piled in the middle of the plate with a few potatoes and shrimp around the outside.

The green beans were topped with pico de gallo, a mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Surprisingly, they added lots of flavor to the green beans and had almost no spice at all. They were also not overcooked at all, for those who like softer green beans. The plate included lots of green beans, so they can easily be shared between two people.

The potatoes had a nice crisp outside and tasted like they were topped with a bit of garlic. They were soft and warm on the inside. Not very many potatoes were included on the dish, and I feel like they could have added more garlic for more flavor.

The shrimp was cooked nicely and wasn’t too spicy. The tails were still on the shrimp, but it was no hassle at all to take them off. It had lots of flavor, and would be good to order if you aren’t a fan of spicy foods. On the other hand, they could have used more spice since they were marinated in chipotle sauce, which is traditionally spicier than what was on the shrimp.

Although I didn’t purchase any dessert, they had a variety of options available on the menu, including a coconut custard, dark chocolate mousse, caramel ice cream, and cheesecake with caramel sauce, all of which were $8 each.

In all, this was a great experience, and the food was very good. Teens would like this restaurant because it provides a unique, realistic experience with tons of theming. The environment at the restaurant is very peaceful and feels like something that you might see at a real place in Mexico, minus the Mayan temple across from the restaurant. The servers were very friendly, and the food wasn’t too expensive. I would definitely go again. If you happen to be at Epcot for a day and like Mexican food, then this is the place to go.