La Hacienda de San Angel

Picture Reviews:

Dinner review

Food Type: Mexican

Location: In the Mexico Pavilion, outside across from the pyramid on the lagoon. San Angel Inn is the table service restaurant inside the pyramid and La Cantina de San Angel is the quick service outside.

Dining Plan: 1 Table Service.

Cost: Appetizers: $7 – $13; Entrees: $24 – $27; Kids: $8 – $10. Two Mixed Grill designed to feed two people are available for $58 each.

Discounts: Does not participate in Tables in Wonderland. 10% Disney Vacation Club, excluding holidays.

Menu:

Dinner (4pm – Park Close): https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/hacienda-de-san-angel/menus/

Bar: None inside the restaurant. Head to La Cava del Tequila inside the pyramid for similar quality margaritas.

How La Hacienda Works: From 11am to around 3pm, the air-conditioned seating area is open to those who purchase food from the adjacent La Cantina de San Angel counter service. La Hacienda opens as a dedicated sit-down restaurant at 4pm. After 4pm, La Cantina counter service guests are invited to sit in the dedicated La Cantina patio area that seats about 150 people.

Setting: Like its sister restaurant, San Angel Inn, La Hacienda de San Angel is a beautiful restaurant. Unlike San Angel Inn, which sits underneath “perpetual twilight,” La Hacienda features vibrant colors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and views of the World Showcase Lagoon. Each room in the restaurant is modeled after a different section of a hacienda (estate) – you might find yourself dining in the artist’s studio, family room, or grand salon.

Advantages:

• The restaurant sits directly on the Lagoon and has one of the best vantage points to enjoy the evening fireworks and laser show, especially if loud noises are likely to startle youngsters (or adults).  The windows keep most of the loud noises out, while still offering outstanding visuals. During Illuminations, the lights in the restaurant are turned down and the Illuminations soundtrack is played inside the restaurant just like you would hear outside.
• Margaritas are fresh and unique.
• Menu items are presented beautifully, with careful attention to detail and gorgeous colors.
• Appetizers are flavorful and inspired. Service is attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly.
• Kids’ menu includes chicken tacos, beef tacos, cheese quesadillas, grilled chicken, and grilled fish, all of which are a nice change of pace from the usual burgers and nuggets.

Disadvantages:

• Some tables have an excellent view of IllumiNations, but most have a restricted view or no view at all.
• Limited menu, with only seven appetizers, seven individual entrées, and four dessert choices.
• Margarita menu is limited with prices starting at $13. Just ask if you’d like them to prepare a different drink – the bartenders are knowledgeable.
• Individual entree portions are small. The churro dessert consists of about four bites of churro and a few sips of a so-so hot chocolate for $8. While “sensible” portion sizes aren’t necessarily bad, the high prices don’t reflect it.

Tips: Don’t book La Hacienda with the express purpose of a great IllumiNations view. Most people dining around 8pm have the same idea and it’s unlikely a table with a great view will open up. The $58 Mixed Grills offer a nice variety of options and a ton of food – easily as much as three entrees.

Value: Below average. The quality of the food isn’t there and the variety of entrees is among the lowest on property.

Reputation: It’s rare to hear anyone rave about La Hacienda, but it’s worth a try if you’ve tried most everything else.