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Tavern at the Mission, San Juan Capistrano, CA

Tavern at the Mission

4.7
4.7
557 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM

Select a time

Booked 17 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
  • 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.
  • 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 557 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
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

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.
557 Reviews
  1. Linda

    Los Angeles

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    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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  2. Caroline

    VIP

    Orange County

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    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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  3. Jackie

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    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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  4. Beth

    VIP

    Orange County

    26 reviews

    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    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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  5. Lorri

    VIP

    Palm Springs

    69 reviews

    5.0

    69 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    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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  6. Barbara

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    64 reviews

    5.0

    64 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a chance to try their soufflé…best dessert ever. Don’t miss this!

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  7. JOE

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic dining experience as always and VIP Tuesdays are the best deal in all of South OC!

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  8. Nick

    Orange County

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent! Bettie was our waitress and she was phenomenal

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  9. Debra

    Orange County

    34 reviews

    4.0

    34 reviews

    Dined on January 5, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Reservation time honored, service and food was great

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  10. Cecily

    VIP

    Denver

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our party of 8 celebrated an 85th birthday recently at the Tavern. We’ve eaten there several times on the patio, but this was our first visit in the dining room. It was beautiful! Every table in the room was seated, but it never felt crowded or noisy. The food was wonderful - short ribs pappardelle and the mahi special were among our favorites. The waitstaff was attentive and patient with our large family, and the birthday girl was made to feel very special. It was a wonderful evening, and we will definitely be back.

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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 557 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM

Select a time

Booked 17 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Tavern at the Mission

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
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