Dennis Martel

Busy day in downtown street music festival. They were able to seat us quickly. Served us quickly. Tables were clean,server was friendly. This Restaurant is downtown lots of window seating. Parking is tough here especially today. Big bar bathrooms were clean. Food we ordered was served quickly and was terrific. I had a great experience here today. Thank you.

Stephanie Scheffler

Yummy food and house margaritas. We had the shredded chicken nachos and a hard taco and were happy! Good service and great location in downtown San Clemente. We sat on the patio with our pup!

Rosalinda Silverstein

Avila’s was absolutely delicious! I took the family after a day on the beach! I had the chicken soup!!! Their coffee was soooo good too they grind the coffee beans with a touch of cinnamon and it rocked!!! My kids had fajitas, my daughter in law ordered Chile Colorado and loved it. My younger daughter ordered a bowl of with her choice of meats. I also had their homemade agua strawberry jaimica yummmm!

+3

Shalini Bakshi

We really enjoyed the food here and they had a great variety of dishes. They are also very generous with portions. Their chips and salsa were delicious, the restaurant itself is in a nice location and was easy to get to, and the ambiance inside was homely. We really enjoyed our food and appreciated the quick and friendly service.

+7

Tawny V

Late post March 2024 3.5/5* Stumbuled upon Avila Restaurant while cruising downtown to my suprise it was Restaurant Week, Orange County Restaurant Week (OCRW) is a fantastic opportunity for food enthusiasts to explore various restaurants in O.C. offering prix-fixe menus at affordable prices. Avila's presented both lunch and dinner prix-fixe menus. Opting for crispy tacos and flautas, my partner and I enjoyed a meal that included homemade guacamole and chips, Mama Avila's chicken soup with broth, chicken, rice, pico de gallo, and avocado. Despite the generous servings of guacamole, which felt excessive since it was served both as an appetizer and with the main course, I would have preferred a non-fried option to showcase something unique during restaurant week. Nevertheless, our server Aurelio was great. The ambiance inside the restaurant was inviting, and the open doors let in the refreshing ocean breeze, keeping the dining area pleasantly cool. Outdoor seating, dog friendly!

+25

john m.

Had the chicken picado with corona n.a. Lacked flavor for my tastes. Kept adding salt but didnt taste any of the mixed veggie flavor you might expect. More onions in it than I cared for but a good size bowl of food along with the chips an salsa. Nothing wrong with this place though in a prime Del Mar Street location. My second ever visit.

Feng Tian-Davey

I love the salsa sauce here. Very spicy 😋!! All food have big portions, even the kids menu! If your kids don't eat much, don't order too much. The grilled chicken salad was okay; the sauce was too sour. The burger was huge. The fries were okay.

Tony Medina

A Mexican Surf-Themed Gem in San Clemente Avila's El Ranchito in San Clemente offers a delightful dining experience with its Mexican surf-themed ambiance, delicious cuisine, and a well-equipped bar. Avila's El Ranchito stands out as a Mexican restaurant that not only excels in delivering authentic cuisine but also creates a vibrant and enjoyable environment. I had the Garlic Shrimp Mojo alajo plate and my wife went with the surf and turf fajita plate. Great portions enough to have space for drinks and desserts. The chips would be my point of contention, a bit too firm and the salsa was just too ordinary I like my salsa to have a more smokey taste with some bite. The service was great and fast despite it being busy. Whether you're a local seeking a family-friendly meal or a couple looking for a charming date spot, this surf-themed gem in San Clemente has something for everyone.

+1

Pam Stahlak

Happy to discover free parking areas up to 3 hours near restaurant. Upon entering we were seated inside & we waited about 10 minutes until finally someone came to our table & took our drink order. I ordered the carnitas plate which was ok & I wished that I had ordered the meat crispy. I was disappointed that there was minimal flavoring of the meat, the refried beans were bland and the rice had no flavor at all. My husband had chicken enchilada with egg plus w/ beans & rice and he loved it! The chips & salsa are great, not to large of a portion but tasty. Overall, it was just a ok experience for me.

Great food and lovely decor. We got the table right next to the fire. But today is February and it was a cold day (relatively speaking) and windy. After my request someone closed ONE of the front doors, but one remained open plus the side door kept getting propped open. We were miserably cold, which made it impossible to enjoy the excellent food. We were told that the door had to be propped open because the servers had to go back and forth outside carrying plates. Yes, I've seen this phenomenon before - like at every single restaurant with an outside patio. Somehow it was managed without facilitating the cold wind blowing on customers. We were told to move if we didn't like it. Every seat was either near the front open door or side open door so that was not a helpful suggestion. So they did not care that their customers were uncomfortable. Very disappointed because as I said, the food was fantastic. Will not return.

Kyle Paul

I was expecting better for a few reasons. One, I named my dog Avila! And she's a lab! And they have a statue of a lab outside! It's a Mexican joint in SoCal!! But overall it was mid-level cuisine. Maybe other locations are better but I'd skip the San Clemente one.