El Adobe de Capistrano

This was a nice Mexican Restaurant. Great Margaritas, tasty Watermelon Margaritas. Table side Guacamole was delicious it was made to order mild or hot whatever is your preference. The Shrimp Cocktail was delicious! Lobster tacos were also very filling and a good size if you are looking for a nice filling lunch meal. This was great place can’t wait to go back and try more dishes!

Been a staple in south Orange County for decades. Food is amazing if you can make it i. For happy hour or taco Tuesday it’s a must. Servers are all friendly. They also have ado up pleat private dinning rooms and a great facility for big events like weddings and special celebrations.

El Adobe is a favorite in our family. I eat here 2-3x a month sometimes more with family and friends! Christian is our favorite waiter and is like family! Every meal is special because the entire staff works so hard to make the food taste so good, the service is amazing and we always love to sit in the bar area because we love the team, big fireplace and patio! Highly recommend for authentic food, exceptional service and a cozy atmosphere. Even held graduation and birthday parties here! They always go above and beyond!

I love the El Adobe Mexican restaurant so much and that's where my parents were married on August 18th, 1990 and it's refreshing their old memories of their love and romance. The mariachi band was truly amazing, especially for the successful wedding of my wonderful sister Marina and husband Wesley.

Fantastic setting in an historic building, with good food and friendly service. We especially happy we could eat outside on the street side, covered patio with our dog. A + for being DOG -friendly.

We came here for Sunday brunch and really enjoyed it. Large menu of breakfast items. Food was outstanding.

I do remember how tasty the food was here during a reception from a wedding that I was photographing. I loved how this venue had an outdoor and indoor area with the roof retracting!

We had the great pleasure of hosting our daughter’s wedding at the El Adobe this year! From the very first meeting with our event coordinator, Daniel, I knew we were in the right place. In addition to delicious food, experienced and efficient servers and bartenders, the attitude was always positive, always “yes” to making our dream for this wedding coming true. I couldn’t be more grateful and recommend the El Adobe highly for any event, thank you to everyone and especially our family favorite Daniel!

Adorable authentic Mexican restaurant in downtown San Juan Capistrano. Highly recommend making a reservation as the restaurant gets busy! Staff are friendly and service is quick, but they are a busy place so they do try to move tables quickly. Their complimentary chips and salsa were delicious. We tried the tostada salad, large enough to split between two people. Highly recommend and already looking forward to my next visit!

+ Wonderful place to host a banquet. We celebrated our friend's licensure. + Pleasant ambience. Elegant layout. + The private event area has an indoor and an outdoor section. Your party can host a dancefloor in either section. + Polite, helpful staff. + Multiple restrooms at this restaurants. + Aesthetic floral decorations along the perimeter of the outdoor section. . Parking was okay. Only one entrance/exit. Just about enough spots for the venue size. + Just a 5min walk from River Street Marketplace & River Street Ranch (formerly Zoomars).

I've been to SJC before but this was my first time eating here. Loved this place! The food was excellent! Oscar our server was so nice. He had a great attitude and was very attentive. He always had a smile on his face. He was very pleasant to talk to. He gave us a bit if history on SJC and the restaurant. I will definitely return when I'm in town. Adobe is such a great restaurant. Thank you Oscar for your excellent service.

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

I just love bringing people to this local Mexican historical, classic traditional restaurant. The service is unbelievable! I enjoyed the coconut, pineapple, margarita and believe me it did not disappoint . The short rib taquitos are delicious, but you absolutely must have the table side guacamole ... The Best...

Today, at Happy Hour, Vicente was on top of everything as there were no bartenders present for a while. With a few requests, he missed nothing. Thank you. Our faves here are the shrimp cocktail (campechana) and the nachos. Nice to have affordable appetizers in today's market. This place has been here a long time keeps the vibe the same consistently. Also, on the fave list is the molcajete which is plenty for two and then some. A local favorite for us.

Beautiful surroundings, it makes you feel like you were in Old California. The service was great. Our waitress was so nice to us. We felt at home. The pictures on Yelp and the reviews were impressive. We ordered Empenadas and Fajitas. Everything looked amazing. The Fajitas came out sizzling and smelling fantastic. We started to feast. The taste of the food set us back. Everything was bland. The salsa was just okay. The fajitas had no seasoning on them at all. The food tasted bland. The empenadas were room temperature on the inside but hot on the outside. That makes we wonder if they used a microwave? The food here is just okay. Everything else is five stars.

We were in the area for my son's birthday and had to go here for lunch. We were very intrigued with the history Restaurant is beautiful Customer service was excellent Food was delicious and drinks were great We loved how fast the service was and that each person we came in contact with was so friendly and helpful They told us a few ghost stories and we got to go into the wine cellar and check it out Would highly recommend this restaurant to everyone

Good had great flavor, Service was exceptional, Ambiance was great soft music. Awesome place . I will be back.

Met a friend here for lunch. I'd been many times previously but it had been a couple years since my last visit. I had the cheese enchiladas with salad. Service was excellent and the restaurant is always clean and organized. I love the decor and vibe of the place. It was Richard Nixon's favorite restaurant in fact his old table and chairs are still there. I sat at it once - it was a bit uncomfortable to me so I've avoided it since lol. If you in town I recommend it.

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!

A milestone celebration made perfect El Adobe gave us a night to remember! We hosted my in-laws' 65th wedding anniversary in the Portola Room, and from start to finish, the experience was exceptional. Our server Ricardo went above and beyond--when I realized I'd forgotten AA batteries for my strand lights, he returned with them in hand. That kind of care was unexpected and deeply appreciated. The service was flawless: food arrived with perfect timing, no guest was left waiting or wondering, and every request was anticipated before we had to ask. The food itself was outstanding--we chose the Yorba Especial menu, and our guests are still talking about how delicious everything was. While I don't know the names of the other servers who assisted Ricardo, please let them know how grateful our family is. The entire staff made this milestone celebration joyful, elegant, and stress-free. El Adobe is truly a gem for any special event. We left with full hearts, full plates, and unforgettable memories.

We had a wonderful delicious lunch at this long and lovely historic place. El Adobe Restaurant opened auspiciously on July 8, 1948. I had the Camaron Enchiladas. It was hearty and yet so flavorful! Served with Spanish rice, guacamole, charro beans and aioli sauce. My husband who is a history buff had The President Choice! It was President Nixon and Mrs Nixon's favorite entree at El Adobe. The dish was a very hearty as well served with Spanish rice, chile relleno, chicken enchilada, crispy shredded beef taco, refried beans. Both dishes were served generously with cheese just like most Mexican cuisine. Having a big appetite is recommended! Service was prompt and efficient. Will definitely come back again when another craving for a hearty Mexican meal comes along.

OK, so here's the scoop, my favorite Mexican restaurant in Sa. Juan is a five minute walk from here but will it be after this meal let's find out together. Firstly, my favorite item is basically two things flan and a chili Riano. I pretend that I'm an expert on both of these especially because most of my students parents and the PTA would prepare these authentic food items for the staff! Well, the chips arrived, and I wasn't too thrilled with the taste of the salsa. Chips were warm salsa did not have chunks of fresh tomato. Please keep in mind. These are my personal Preferences / flavor, palette in regards to Mexican food. Carne Sada taco, spot on yet it was warm and not hot. The Chano aesthetically was very beautiful once again not hot, just warm. Taste was good, but you could tell it was a "safe taste". The best part of this experience was the waiter. I believe his name was Luis, charismatic made the margarita and the rest of the families margaritas perfectly not too strong, not too weak. The flan dessert was great, probably the best part of the meal with the restaurant, making the cream topping themselves from what I hear and the flan in the restaurant as well. In conclusion, taking into consideration, my two favorite items, flanand chili Reno, the charismatic waiter/bartender, cleanliness, the price/budget. In all honesty, I would have much preferred to have taken the five minute walk to go get the hot and messy, flan and chili Riano, from the place five minutes away! They get four stars. I should make it three because I don't like hearing how wonderful their food is and how they've been there 70 years multiple times. Usually I see a line outside, and I'm glad that I finally went here, because I'm fairly sure now what I like. The other place would've been at least $20 cheaper. And the food would've been super hot, steam coming off of it, and I would have to let the plate cool down, the complete opposite of this place.

I visited this restaurant recently. The decor both inside and outside are extremely nice. The staff was nice enough to give us a table away from the stairs so I did not have to walk up a flight of stairs with my cane. The menu has a wide selection of Mexican food such as empanadas, fajitas, Chile rellenos, and tacos. The food tasted bland however. The food seemed underseasoned.

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?

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!

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.

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

Wonderful food and ambience. A historic landmark, El Adobe used to be the jail in San Juan Capistrano and the favorite place for President Nixon to dine. I dine here 1-3 times a week and I am a foodie so that should say something. But the biggest reason I come here is the staff. Beyond amazing. Pedro is my #1 but I also love Ignacio, Roberto, Junior, Vicente, Gil, Miguel, Max and a big shout-out to Vicente the super star . Every staff member treats you like family Run don't walk to eat here...ps the Chile relleno is beyond superb!

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).

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.

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!

We love this restaurant when we're in town. They have the best margarita I've ever had - a Blood Orange Margarita! Talk about a slice of Heaven! We have reservations for Christmas Eve and I hope it's still on the menu!!

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!!!

We love coming to El Adobe, Great food and drinks. We love the ceviche and tonight Pedro suggested the Monday night special dinner which is the BBQ pork ribs. That was a super delicious meal. It came with French fries and corn on the cob. Thank you Pedro for the suggestion and your great customer service.

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.

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

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.

I love this place! The food is excellent and the service is awesome. We go for Taco Tuesdays and Happy Hour, Pedro our waiter is always welcoming and fun. I highly recommend El Adobe! For me it's my favorite Mexican restaurant. See you there!

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.

We had dinner with family on a very busy Tuesday night. The front desk was welcoming, even though crowded and no reservations they found a table for us. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and provided great service. The food was delicious, traditional Mexican food and flavors you cannot get in other areas of the country. Orders included fish, shredded beef and steak tacos. Quesadilla with steak. The cocktail's, beer and Mexican coke rounded out the dinner. We're going again tonight less than a week later.

Christian and lounge team always greet their customers with a smile and prompt service. Even my kids ask if we can go visit. The food is great, drinks are on point, and ambiance is relaxed. Thank you!

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.

Always a great time with great Mexican food and-ambience . It was our grand daughter's first birthday and they couldn't have been nicer and friendly . We have been going for 30 years and always consistent

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.

El Adobe is a win all the way. The service is the first win.The beginning of an enjoyable dining experience begins with the service. Friendly, respectful, and hard working, all the servers strive to make your experience a happy one. Christian and Junior (Ricardo) are the best. They are efficient, friendly, and genuinely good people and it shines through in their warm and welcoming ways. The food is the next win. Everything is fresh and delicious. Salsa, fresh guacamole made table side, and the tacos will bring you back. Experience all the other delicious items on the menu, too. The ambiance is the third win. It is an ideal place for family to gather, friends to meet, date nights, or to dine alone. One thing is for certain, you will be surrounded by happy people. Being at El Adobe feels like being among friends and family.

I walked to the downstairs patio and some Guys started yelling at me " it is a private area " I was shocked by the hustle approach so I brought the issue up to the manager named Max . He says yes that is a private area so I asked how should I know when there is no sign. He insisted there was and asked me to follow him so he can show me the sign but of course when we walked there together there was no sign saying private party then instead of apologizing He pointed at the exit sign saying " exit from the front door " ..

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-

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.

El Adobe has always been a favorite to my family and myself This time at this establishment Angel was helping us and was the most vanilla bland server you could meet. Got orders wrong and barely talked. I'll still come back as I love the food and ambiance but hopefully to have a better server.

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.

Loved our time at El Adobe last Saturday. Atmosphere is fun and friendly and our server was so great and friendly. Went to celebrate a couple birthdays and they brought out two desserts and sombreros to wear while they serenaded us! Really love this place.

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.

Today was the 3rd time that it took over 25 minutes to be served any form of drinks . Sat at 1242pm and left at 120 after zero interaction from staff. Clearly running a skeleton staff. It's too bad as the food is good but the prices are going up and the service is going down. Will likely go to Ricardo's down the street instead moving forward

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

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.

This is a beautiful historical restaurant, amazing service and delicious authentic Mexican food!

So, I ordered the President's Choice plate today. I asked for a shredded beef enchilada, and let me tell you, the shredded beef is always a hit. But Today, it had a bit too much fat for my taste. Lot of pieces of fat. On the bright side, the service, food, and atmosphere are always top-notch.