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El Adobe de Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA

El Adobe de Capistrano

4.7
4.7
1035 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican
A photo of El Adobe de Capistrano restaurant

El Adobe de Capistrano

4.7
$30 and under
Mexican
San Juan Capistrano

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 29 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
Enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine in a historic setting at El Adobe de Capistrano. This landmark features a wedding chapel, stained-glass windows and additional beautiful architectural details. Its kitchen has a mesquite-burning grill where chefs prepare deliciously flavored seafood and steak dishes. Soups, salads and appetizers are also on the menu, including tasty desserts.Owners Tony Moiso and Gilbert Aguirre have kept the atmosphere and traditions of the El Adobe de Capistrano going. This establishment still prepares the dishes that President Nixon and his wife enjoyed while visiting during his administration. It has a full bar that serves various drinks, a lounge area for socializing and a patio in the front. El Adobe de Capistrano offers private rooms for banquets and other events. The Palenque features a retracting roof, making it ideal for hosting an event under the night sky. It offers brunch and has a Happy Hour.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Seafood, Grill
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Sat 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (949) 493-1163
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Carlos Hernandez
  • Private party facilities
    El Adobe is the perfect spot to have your private events taken care of! We offer three different room options depending on the size of your group. We have many different menu options, linens and more that come with the room! You will have your own server working specifically only for your event.
  • Neighborhood
    San Juan Capistrano
  • Parking details
    Private parking lot behind the restaurant
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,035 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Orange County

    Mexican

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
El Adobe de Capistrano offers "fantastic" Mexican cuisine in a "beautiful and historic" setting near the Mission San Juan Capistrano. Known for its "authentic ambiance" and "superb" service, it's perfect for family gatherings or special celebrations. Highlights include Taco Tuesdays, table-side guacamole, and "delicious" margaritas.

1,035 Reviews
  1. Lonna

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service staff attentive, timely and very pleasant! The food was delicious! Nice environment to catch up with friends!

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  2. Mitch

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 6, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nice place, good service, ample parking, but overpriced.

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  3. Stuart

    Hawaii

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 30, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Carnitas and Chili Verde amazing! Always love going to this restaurant when in town

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  4. Steve

    Central Coast

    35 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I ordered the vegetarian tostado and it was absolutely amazing! My favorite dining spot and Pedro is the best waiter!

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  5. Bill

    Orange County

    17 reviews

    4.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Service a bit slow, and b-day greeting non existent. We did get a free dessert. Food was very good.

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  6. patrick

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    i'm a big fan of El Adobe restaurant, so you're always going to be an excellent review from me.. however this trip was one of my favorites. There was a wedding reception in the back area, which led to some extra excitement, but they also had the live harp player inside. The harpist played a Beatles song, and when we requested another Beatles song, he came over to our table to play an amazing version of "Hey Jude". the food was on point, our server Gil was a sweetheart, and the drinks were fantastic.

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  7. Sue

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful food, beautiful building & great service! We’ll be back!

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  8. Steve

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 20, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic service and food - good value! Thank you!

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  9. Raffi

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great! Ambience was quaint. Ceviche was extremely fresh! Meals were big and tasty!

    Is this helpful?

  10. David

    Los Angeles

    23 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    The evening was terrible because of the excessive noise coming from a party on the patio. Their music was so loud everyone in the restaurant had to almost yell to hear each other. So I will always ask if there is a party booked before I make a reservation. Also the server seemed disconnected, maybe because he was frustrated with the noise too. The food was OK. Not the norm for this restaurant. Again probably because they were dealing with the party outside.

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FAQs

El Adobe de Capistrano offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (949) 493-1163.

El Adobe de Capistrano is rated 4.7 stars by 1035 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

A photo of El Adobe de Capistrano restaurant

El Adobe de Capistrano

4.7
$30 and under
Mexican
San Juan Capistrano

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 29 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for El Adobe de Capistrano

31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    San Juan Capistrano
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Sat 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Seafood, Grill
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private parking lot behind the restaurant
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Carlos Hernandez
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (949) 493-1163
  • Private party facilities
    El Adobe is the perfect spot to have your private events taken care of! We offer three different room options depending on the size of your group. We have many different menu options, linens and more that come with the room! You will have your own server working specifically only for your event.
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