San Angel Inn is located inside the Mexico pavilion at EPCOT and can be seen from the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. The restaurant is based on it’s namesake in Mexico City and offers authentic Mexican dishes and many of the margaritas also served in La Cava de Tequila.
It’s been a while since our DIS Unlimited team visited this unique restaurant, but we have often walked by and wondered if it is as enjoyable as it looks! There are many tables with a view of Gran Fiesta, and depending on availability, you can request a table by the waterside when you check in. We were seated in the middle section of the restaurant but could still soak in both the attraction and the atmosphere of “Mexico City” at night.
When in Mexico, our group decided to start our meal with margaritas! Ryno chose the San Angel Inn Margarita made with Centinela anejo tequila, Alma Finca orange liqueur, rose wine, Abasolo corn whiskey, fresh lime juice, black ant salt rim for $24. This margarita is not included on the Disney Dining Plan and Ryno felt like the rose wine came through pretty strongly. While it was a unique margarita, the price point was too high compared to the other options.
Pictured above, I chose the El Diablo margarita. This margarita is made with Tromba blanco tequila, fresh cucumber and lime juice, orange liqueur, Abasolo corn, whiskey agave, Tajin chile-lime powder rim for $17.50. This is a favorite of mine and offers a nice level of spice. To me, this is one of the best margaritas in EPCOT and still falls below $20.
To mix things up, Craig decided on the La Paloma made with tequila, grapefruit, lime, and agave nectar with a Tajin rim for $19. Craig especially appreciated the addition of the Dos Hombres Mexcal inspired by Breaking Bad. Just like Ryno, Craig didn’t feel like it was worth the $19 price point but still an enjoyable cocktail.
We then sampled three different appetizers, including the Totopos – corn chips with sides of white cheddar cheese and salsa for $8.25. We were very happy to have our server replenish our chips and accompaniments for no additional charge. We all agreed the chips were fresh, and the salsa had a great spice. This is something you could easily fill up on and was a winning combination!
Next up, we had the Tostadas de Pollo, made with crispy corn tortillas topped with beans, chipotle chicken, cilantro, queso fresco, and crema Mexicana for $16. We all agreed this was the standout appetizer and was perfectly cooked. The beans slightly over-powered the chicken but the flavor was still great. This dish comes with two tostadas, making it a decent value and shareable with 2-3 people.
Last and maybe least, we had the Tamal de Rajas – traditional Mexican vegetables in a tamal topped with Ranchera salsa, crema Mexicana, and queso fresco for $15. This appetizer is both gluten free and vegetarian and while the flavor was good, it wasn’t a memorable dish and the price was very high for one tamale.
For entrees, Ryno decided on the Pollo a Las Rajas – grilled chicken breast over roasted potatoes with onions, Poblano peppers, corn, and a Poblano cream sauce, topped with queso fresco for $32. The chicken was perfectly cooked, but overall, the dish could have used a little more spice. The base was more similar to a creamed corn texture, and the poblano peppers were cooked down, giving them a softer texture. While this was a filling entrée, Ryno would likely stick with ordering the enchiladas next time which are currently the most affordable entrée on the menu.
I chose the Camarones a la Diabla made with chipotle pepper and garlic sautéed shrimp atop a corn rice medley with roasted vegetables for $31. I loved the flavor of the chipotle pepper sauce and appreciated there was enough to mix with both the rice and vegetables. This was a large serving, and with the appetizers, it was too much to finish. The vegetables gave this dish a variation of textures and is less likely to weigh you down in the hot Florida sun.
Craig selected the shaved ribeye tacos served with Poblano and red peppers, onions, bacon, and Monterey Jack cheese, accompanied by corn tortillas and plantains, topped with crema Mexicana and cotija cheese for $34. Craig was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the shaved ribeye and could have eaten it as is without the tortillas. His favorite part of the dish was the sweet plantains that complimented the spice of the tacos and the creaminess of the cheese.
We were extremely full at this point but felt we had to get a tour of the signature desserts! To start, we had the Pan de Elote Tres Leches – rice milk-soaked Mexican cornbread topped with sweetcorn gelato and toasted almonds for $12. This was mine and Ryno’s favorite of the desserts. The sweetcorn gelato was a unique addition but the toasted almonds were an unnecessary garnish. Not a stellar Tres Leches cake but still great if you’re a fan like Ryno is!
We also tried the vanilla flan with toasted almonds, berries, and whipped cream for $12. The flan was perfectly prepared and while not the best we’ve ever had, but still a good dessert. The portion size was small for the $12 price point but would be a good dessert if you have a sweet tooth!
Probably our most unique dessert choice was the sweet corn ice cream with popcorn and chili powder for $10. We loved it! The ice cream was both sweet and salty with kernels of corn throughout. Yet again, the price is high on this one. I also don’t feel the popcorn was a needed addition and would have just loved more of the ice cream.
Time for our overall scores! Ryno gave the ambiance a 7, food presentation/ preparation a 7, quality of taste a 7, service a 9, and cost a 5 for a total of 3.5 out of 5. Ryno did enjoy the location of the restaurant but felt the tables were too cramped, making it slightly uncomfortable. Also the high price point, even for Walt Disney World, made it hard to want to come back.
I scored the ambiance a 9, food presentation/ preparation an 8, quality of taste an 8, service a 7, and cost a 7 for a total of 3.9 out of 5. To me, the ambiance helps give some value to the high prices. There are very few restaurants inside a Disney attraction plus who doesn’t love that “Disney water” smell? I would likely come back and request a table by the water and likely just get appetizers and maybe split an entrée.
Craig gave the ambiance a 9, food presentation/ preparation a 7, quality of taste a 9, service a 7, and cost a 6 for a total of 3.8 out of 5. He overall felt there are much better versions of these dishes outside of Disney at a much lower cost but echoed my same thoughts about being able to dine inside a Disney attraction.
Have you dined at San Angel Inn? Let us know if you agree with our thoughts and check out our full dining review here!
Hannah Anderson is a Dreams Unlimited Travel Agent, DIS Contributor, former Disney Cast Member, and Orlando local. Mostly importantly, she is a mom and loves spending time in the Disney Parks each week with her family.
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