"EL ADOBE" RESTAURANT Review

The food was delicious, full bar and customer service excellent.
The place is clean, good for large events, have inside and out side sitting area.

The History of this place! The staff and the food! President Nixon was Right!

Well positioned in beautiful SJC, food was fine but not special. Nice dining area.

Delicious food, good service. The restaurant can fit many people, but there is only one restroom.

Taco Tuesday is excellent. Seating is very difficult though.

A little pricey but totally worth it. Food is great!

A great location and a nice mariachi band playing, too, this is a nice place for family get togethers or romantic dates. I will admit it is pretty costly, specifically the tacos which I got 3 for $18 and one didn't really taste too well. Go over the menu before hand and and enjoy the interior decor once you get there, it's very authentic!

I been dining here for years. It's always been a wonderful experience. Love the food and the atmosphere.

Love this place. Wonderful food, excellent service and really cool ambience.

Food was okay ordered combo fajita shrimp and chicken had taste but the meat not the best meat to chewy.

Was nice and friendly
Service was excellent
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Pasole is awesome! They offer a brunch on Sunday but we ordered off the menu and loved it all. Servers are friendly!

Chili cook-off live music and handmade jewelry. What else could you ask for

I got to thinking abot Mexican food for lunch - then I remembered my fav place to eat mexican food ... Next time I am in town - I am eating there.

Fantastic and delicious food, I loved the atmosphere the spot has, and the cashiers were very welcoming. I will surely eat here again.

The often is totally horrible, some guides are expensive but rich.

An old school gem with great food, perfect aesthetic, fantastic service and excellent margaritas. Great for families and groups.

Highly recommend! My expectations were high considering the clout this restaurant has as Nixon's favorite, but they were definitely met from the moment I sat down to almost throwing up in the parking lot afterwards. The building has a lot of history, and it was exciting to be able to eat a floor above (and also briefly walk through) a jail cell. Don't let that $$ fool you - this is definitely a three dollar sign establishment if you order enough apps.

Love the area it is in. Thought it was so cool this was Nixon's favorite Mexican restaurant at the Western White House. Food is decently priced and delicious. Parking is awful and there seems to always be a wedding happening.

Other than that, I'd suggest this place if you have some time to enjoy historic SJC.

The first time I dinner at El Adobe was in 1965. The place was a lot smaller then, but they have kept the same tradition of good food and great service.

I officiated at a wedding there today. It was the first time I officiated at this venue. The wedding was held outside in the courtyard and then we went into the reception area adjacent the courtyard. The staff and the grounds were very accommodating for this type of venue including a little chapel area. I would highly recommend the El Adobe for a wedding venue. The buffet style Mexican reception was very appetizing. The staff did a wonderful job serving appetizers and drinks while the bride and groom were getting their pictures taken. 5 Stars for this San Juan Landmark...The El Adobe!

Great meal chile Colorado was excellent chili verde was awsome and the steak dinner was the best part of the meal

I tried this place once with a friend and I am hooked since then. I enjoy the excellent vibes and delightful dishes and drinks. 5 stars.

My family took me here for a birthday lunch (we let the hostess know as such, but there was nothing special done for birthdays apparently). The ambience is somewhat rustic. The waitress was nice and attentive. They brought us some chips and salsa (a little on the salty side, and almost tasted like a marinara sauce). I had the shrimp enchiladas -- asked for the pico de gallo on the side, but it somehow made its way inside; fortunately, it tasted good enough for me not to mind it. My wife had the carne asada plate. The flavor was good, she said, but the cut of meat was a little chewy and fatty. The black beans and rice was okay, but a little too much tomato flavor in the rice for my taste. The cost was a little on the expensive side, now that I think about the value of the meal. Overall, the experience was simply "okay."

Food Amazing !!!! Little crazy regarding the service !!!

Old Nixon hangout is like an upscale El Torito in an original 18th Century adobe.

Good food, service was excellent and quick, price for food was a bit on the higher end but well worth it.

This restaurant is my preferable restaurant. Of all restaurants I know I like it most. I never miss an opportunity to go to that place. Whenever I feel like having a good lunchon, this place comes straight to my head. extremely good and many types of food and a large list of dishes.courteous staff members, and pleasant atmosphere. Also important, the price is affordable. I praise this place with no hesitation.

The food is authentic, the taste is excellent and the amount of "spiceyness" is just right. You'll enjoy dining in a historical hacienda style setting in downtown San Juan Capistrano.

The best enchiladas poblanas that I have ever had! The mole was fabulous.

OMG this place is outstanding. Mariachi plays as you eat. The place is so beautiful.

Nachos and Mexican torta were not that good, plus it's pricey

Decent food, bit expensive but what can you expect.

Good Mexican food and classic atmosphere plus it was good enough for Nixon. ;)

Service is good but can be a little slow if it's busy food is absolutely amazing and the staff is great guaranteed you'll walk out of there satisfied.

Great service and excellent Mexican food but not just "the usual" food.

I love their deals. Talk Tues, good happy hour prices!

Historic location with great service, great food and margaritas!

Good food with a great family friendly ambient. We really enjoyed the live music played by a harpist. The artist came off the stage and played by our table songs we requested. Parking is free and located at the back of the restaurant. Reservation is highly recommended, specially if you would like to come on Saturday.

Everyone forgets about the old jail down below...you gotta check it out.

Food tasted mediocre and was on the expensive side. Service was good and there was no wait to be seated

Was there for a wedding event. A nice roomy venue with a big outdoor patio area and large indoor reception area. The staff was efficient, the food was delicious. Good location, close to fwy.

Just down the street from the Mission, this charming restaurant fits right in with it's historic architecture, photos, and decor, warm and inviting like you're walking into a grand hacienda. The food is delicious with traditional Mexican and a great selection that add a gormet twist to create receipes that will make you crave this place again. The sangria is muy bueno! So glad we stopped!

They make the guac right at your table. Food was delicious and drinks good too. Fiesta platter really good.

Easter brunch was great !! Even better than last year. Service was great. We will be back.

Great dining room. Taco Tuesday was standard but delivered as expected. Crispy tacos actually have a good amount of protein in them. The protreins at the outside the taco stand all taste good. The toppings/condiment bar are kinda SAD compared to other taco Tuesday locations. Would love to see some "cotija" out there and/or fresher ingredients. Thankfully the tacos themselves are good.

Food was good, not great and same with the service. I think it has lost a little since its heyday, but still a good Mexican option.

I love el adobe, we have been coming for years now and I have my regular items I order. The enchilada salad and a combo plate. Chips and salsa is amazing and the restaurant inside is beautiful. They have a taco Tuesday special and they are walking distance to ships and downtown. A must visit

I have had the greatest experience ever in this place, from the moment of walking in and being served. Not to say the food is amazing. Max the manager & all servers treat you like family , you won t be disappointed, you will leave talking about El Adobe for months to come 10 stars if possible.

I thought this place would never end! There is like 4 floors or more of this amazing restaurant! Unfortunately I was not there leisurely, I had to attend my grandmother's funeral, but the food, service, desert and drinks were beyond exceptional and I would come here time and time again!

I've never been there before, and I wish could say nice things about the place but this is not the case unfortunately. Our waitress was dry and seemed to have an attitude problem. We ordered the enchiladas and the adobe burrito, the water tasted weird so we ordered a coke. The gentleman that served our food was nice, but the waitress was stuck in her gloom.
Here is where things get unacceptable -my mother ended up getting food poisoning and threw up all night (enchiladas). I wouldn't expect this from a nice and modest restaurant with a nice atmosphere. Yet I was disappointed with the service and the food poisoning my mother went through, that's just unacceptable.

Food is spot on, excellent place to grab a bite to eat. Would highly recommend.

We enjoyed our lunch meal at this place. The mission style environment adds a nice touch to the experience. It's large and can easily host parties. Best of all, our waitress was friendly and the meals were good. If you head to this place, there's parking in the rear.

We're happy to have found this spot to eat at while on our way up to Los Angeles from San Diego.

This spot always delivers. They serve good dishes for affordable pricing, there no long wait even when the spot is full.

This place was amazing, great food, stellar service. Hospitality=10!

The food is delightful. I loved it. The person who served us was very kind and a great variety of food and it is not expensive

Great atmosphere, a historic building, and delicious authentic Mexican food makes this restaurant a fantastic place for a nice dinner

Had a great meal here with the family for a birthday. Good food

Good Margaritas and very tentative service. Out table was wobbly and they fixed without us asking. The shrimp empanadas were very tasty.

We went here for a large group lunch with around 35 people. The service was amazing. They made serving 35 adults at one time seen effortless. The food and drinks were authentic and exceptional. I would definately go back if in the area.

Awesome place for Monday BBQ Ribs....Fer (bartender) introduced me to them and I really did enjoy them Ribs!! Great price too and awesome customer service from service assistant! Thank you Fernando!

BEST SALSA EVER!!! def recommend to anyone visinting orange county or anyone living here.

Great food! Fluffy rice, perfectly marinated meat, best in San Juan Capistrano

Good food but the bar is a nice place to sit and visit with friends. The atmosphere is authentic and Mariachi music is a blast!