Tavern at the Mission

4.7

562 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 13 times today

Great for outdoor dining
Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions

Renowned Orange County restaurateur David Wilhelm, along with longtime partner Gregg Solomon, purchased this iconic location in the heart of charming downtown San Juan Capistrano overlooking the Jewel of the California missions.

The menu features many of his signature classic comfort foods such as his Famous Buttermilk Fried Chicken, French 75's Onion Soup, and Whiskey Shrimp Dijon, featured at his Tavern House Kitchen+Bar in Newport Beach.

Chef Wilhelm is a longtime South County resident, well known for the many concepts he has created over the years including Kachina, Sorrento Grille, French 75, Savannah Chophouse and Jimmy's Famous American Tavern.

Tavern at the Mission has a large, tree covered, pet friendly patio with beautiful mission views. The interiors have been beautifully renovated with a chandelier lit dining room and a warm central fireplace. Our' Tumbleweed Bar' is designed as an homage to San Juan Capistrano's Equestrian and Vaqueros history.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Comfort Food, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Brunch Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Mon 4:00 pm–8:00 pm Tue–Sun 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Phone number
(949) 240-2229
Website
https://www.tavernatthemission.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
DAVID WILHELM
Private party facilities
Private dining room and patio areas available for large groups.

Location
26860 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Neighborhood
San Juan Capistrano
Cross street
Old Mission Road & El Camino Real, Public Lots $2 Validation w/ Ticket
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 562 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

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Tavern at the Mission is a beloved spot with "great food and great service," offering a cozy ambiance, especially on the inviting patio. Diners rave about the squash blossom flatbread, soufflé, and French onion soup. With attentive staff like Reuben and Bettie, this restaurant consistently delivers "outstanding" experiences, making it a favorite choice in South Orange County.

562 Reviews

L
Lynette
Orange County
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service and delicious food…enjoyed the evening
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J
Jan
Orange County
54 reviews
5.0
54 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything I’ve had here is excellent. Our server was so good. The sole is fabulous and the sea bass is too. I have never had even a mediocre meal her. I love Tavern.
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K
Katherine
VIP
Orange County
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service, our waitress was very informative and attentive to our needs!
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S
Sydrah
San Antonio
38 reviews
5.0
38 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is one of my favorite places in SJC. Charming and it has a lovely courtyard and outstanding food! The new chocolate soufflé was HEAVENLY and not to be missed!!!!💕💕✨💕
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d
donald
Orange County
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was just totally very well enjoyed with the best onion soup ever. i mean ever.....as having lived in Paris in the 1960's where Fouquet's was the epitome and Charbon du Bois was just behind. Don
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L
Linda
Los Angeles
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious French onion soup. The new biscuits didn't impress me much.
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C
Caroline
VIP
Orange County
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
I made a reservation for 7pm. I showed up on time and was seated. While eating dinner, I received a call and voice mail from the hostess asking why I did not show up for my reservation. Huh??? Then open table emailed and asked the same thing. How annoying. Also, I was seated at a table where guests and staff repeatedly walked behind my chair. I don’t think I’ll return to this place. There is better out there for the money. I spent over $350 on dinner.
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J
Jackie
VIP
Los Angeles
11 reviews
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
This restaurant was very nice and had good food. Service was a little slow but all together was good and I do recommend it to others. Nice fireplace outside.
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B
Beth
VIP
Orange County
26 reviews
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on January 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of our favorite neighborhood haunts and always a pleasure. We especially love the patio. The weather did not permit patio seating this particular night with the combination of Santa Ana winds and a particularly chilly temperature for SoCal, but we found the interior a lovely change. During the weekend the dining room can get a bit loud as the acoustics aren’t great, but since we were here during the off season for SJC (and on a weeknight) it was fairly quiet. Our server was fabulous and the food was exceptional. The squash blossom flatbread is a must!!
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L
Lorri
VIP
Palm Springs
69 reviews
5.0
69 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The menu is excellent with too many great choices! Our server was very experienced from managing restaurants and gave us many good suggestions. We all ordered fish main courses. Each fish was delicious, salmon, sea bass and sole. Vegetables were perfectly cooked as was the fish. We shared the Caesar salad and coconut shrimp appetizers-also great! Don’t miss the hot carrot cake!
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FAQs

Tavern at the Mission offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (949) 240-2229.

Tavern at the Mission is rated 4.7 stars by 562 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 13 times today

Order delivery or takeout

26860 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Old Mission Road & El Camino Real, Public Lots $2 Validation w/ Ticket
Neighborhood
San Juan Capistrano
Hours of operation
Brunch Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Mon 4:00 pm–8:00 pm Tue–Sun 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Comfort Food, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
DAVID WILHELM
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.tavernatthemission.com/
Phone number
(949) 240-2229
Private party facilities
Private dining room and patio areas available for large groups.

Tavern at the Mission

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 562 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Tavern at the Mission offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Tavern at the Mission restaurant rated?

Is Tavern at the Mission currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information