Tavern at the Mission

Name: Tavern at the Mission
Address: 26860 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA, United States, 92675
Telephone: (949) 240-2229
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7 (676)

$31 to $50

American

26860 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Great for outdoor dining
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.

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–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–5:30 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.
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

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 676 people are saying

Tavern at the Mission reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Tavern at the Mission offers "consistently delicious" food and "excellent service." The charming ambiance, both indoors and on the patio with live music, creates a delightful dining experience. Standout menu items include the French onion soup and coconut shrimp. The staff, notably servers like Ruben and Bettie, are praised for their attentiveness.

676 Reviews

P
Patricia
Orange County31 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was a cool day but we sat on the patio where there are blankets if needed. We enjoyed a small lunch menu of soup sandwiches salad and fries. Street noise was not apparent. Ambience very cozy. Easy prepaid parking across the street and behind the restaurant.
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D
David
Los Angeles3 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a lovely relaxing Brunch with our two pups on the patio. Loved listening to Mike Hamilton perform!
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A
Al VIP
Orange County44 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great VIP specials! Our friendly server Bethany did everything from check us in, seat us, and she also provided excellent service. The drinks, sides and main dishes were served quickly and were delicious 😋 Great selection of wines by the glass. We will be back soon!
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C
Chris VIP
Orange County71 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 31, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Nice place, great ambiance, food was very good. View out on the Mission added a lot of substance to the ambiance.
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M
Maureen
Orange County1 review
5.0
Dined on May 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was excellent but I sure miss the coconut cake (hint, hint). I know I heard people complaining it was not the same as the previous owner. Don't listen to them. I tried your version and it was great. Please bring back the Coconut cake. This is still a wonderful place to eat and we go there quite a bit.
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J
Jackie
Orange County12 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Consistently delicious, excellent service, fabulous variety….Tavern at the mission has become one of our favorite go-to’s!!
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C
Carol
San Diego14 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love this restaurant! Ruben, our waiter, made my daughter’s birthday very memorable. We had the time of our life
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s
shealyn
Orange County3 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had a great dinner here! I’ve lived in San Juan for years and have been meaning to try this spot, I’ve heard great things about their brunch but decided to stop in for a last minute dinner. Our server was wonderful and gave great suggestions. We started with the onion soup, clam chowder, and artichoke and everything was delish. I ordered the piccata for dinner and husband got the fish and chips, both were delicious as well! Ordered the soufflé for dessert which we were told takes approx 20 mins, was shocked when it came out because it is HUGE! Definitely able to share with 4+ people. We will be back to eat for sure, can’t wait to try it for brunch soon!
Tavern at the MissionResponded on May 27, 2025
Hi Shealyn, Just sending you a quick note of thanks for your 5 star review. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed your recent visit with us and we hope you become a regular! David Wilhelm Partner
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J
John
Orange County6 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
God price performance. This Tuna burger was fantastic
Tavern at the MissionResponded on May 22, 2025
Hi John, Just a quick note of thanks for your 5 star review. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed our Ahi Burger and we hope to see you back again soon! David Wilhelm Partner
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J
JAMES M VIP
Las Vegas5 reviews
3.0
Dined on May 20, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
This was our first time eating dinner at this restaurant. When we arrived, we asked to be seated in a booth and were seated at a nice booth in the dining room. However, they didn’t bother to tell us that if we had chosen the bar area or the patio we could have participated in their all day happy hour. Because we were seated in the dining room, we were not entitled to the happy hour prices. This is something they should have explained to us when we arrived as we would have chosen a location with the happy hour. The service was a little slow, and when my son ordered ketchup for his french fries, they brought him chipotle ketchup, which was too hot for him to eat, It took some time for the waitress to come back so he could order regular ketchup. We ordered tartar sauce for the calamari, which never came. The food was good with large portions.
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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 676 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

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–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–5:30 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
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

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

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 676 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

Dining areas

Additional information