Tavern at the Mission

Name: Tavern at the Mission
Address: 26860 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, CA, United States, 92675
Telephone: (949) 240-2229
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.4

4.4

116 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Top Tags:

RENOWNED ORANGE COUNTY RESTAURATEUR DAVID WILHELM, ALONG WITH LONGTIME FRIEND AND PARTNER GREGG SOLOMON, RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS ICONIC RESTAURANT IN THE HEART OF CHARMING DOWNTOWN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO OVERLOOKING THE JEWEL OF THE CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.
It will continue as Cedar Creek Inn in the near future but Wilhelm will be introducing 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.

Cedar Creek Inn has a beautiful tree covered patio with views of Mission San Juan Capistrano and a warm interior with two fireplaces. Wilhelm intends to have this restaurant continue to be a neighborhood favorite.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 23, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 25 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
American, Comfort Food, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 11:30 am–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:30 am–8:00 pm
Phone number
(949) 240-2229
Website
https://www.tavernatthemission.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
DAVID WILHELM
Private party facilities
Private dining room and patio areas available for large groups.

Location
26860 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Neighborhood
San Juan Capistrano
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 116 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.5Service
4.5Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Orange County
Great for outdoor dining
South Orange County
Great for outdoor dining

116 Reviews

F
Frenchrunner
Los Angeles
76 reviews
vip
5.0
76 reviews
Dined today
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great meal. We were in a bit of a rush and the staff accommodated us. Parking was a bit tough.
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m
mbgamelia
Orange County
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We have been on the radar of this restaurant for many years. The Mission connection is an added attraction. With David W. taking over the menus (and we have been to many of his other venues) this is a winner from the first day on. We will happily return very soon and share another memory based on excellent food, service and ambience. Thank you! MBG
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T
Tegan
Las Vegas
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
overall4food4service4ambience5
The best patio in South OC hands down. I love the ambience and the nights with live music. The food is really great and the portions are massive. I'd love more pasta options on the menu.
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l
lesleyvan
San Francisco
25 reviews
vip
4.0
25 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Tried for first time since new ownership. Fantastic meal! Poke on Santa Fe salad and peach dessert pie were amazing. Lovely outdoor patio and Betty was a great and helpful server.
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MS
MargyS
Palm Springs
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall4food5service3ambience4
Our waitress was great and food very good (I had the lobster and shrimp salad). The only problem was they kicked us out at 8:30 p.m. so the cleaners could come in.
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M
Mimi
New York Area
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food4service5ambience5
Nice menu although I wish the new owner had saved a few more of Cedar Creeks favs, Marcy Salad, Seafood Salad although the lobster shrimp Louie is good. Love some of their additions however, especially the duck pate and lunch combo. The patron appreciation is also a nice perk as our table received a free piece of the fabulous Coconut cake at no charge. Nice entertainment on the patio as well.
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D
Dlaw
Orange County
31 reviews
5.0
31 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
The food is so good. The staff works at making you, and them, have a good time.
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JN
JoeN
Orange County
22 reviews
vip
4.0
22 reviews
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
Need real martini glasses and not champagne glasses for martinis a and similar drinks otherwise great spot.
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S
Snowdrop
Orange County
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
A very big thanks to the assistant manager, Josh, and server, Davis for an excellent experience at Tavern at the Mission. We felt thoroughly welcomed and enjoyed the entire experience from our filet and mashed potato martine, Brussels Sprouts, kitchen-made potato chips and our fabulous dessert.
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K
Kiki
Orange County
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
We enjoyed our lunch. The service was good and the drinks were great!
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LB
LisaB
Orange County
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Great atmosphere, great drinks, great food, great music
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DL
DawnL
San Diego
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The service was excellent! We had Lukas (who was in training) and Emma. Both were exceptional and paced our drinks and dinner well so we could relax. We had the Tavern burger and Chicken Piccata. I like their chicken piccata because they don’t “over sauce”….but you can always request additional sauce on the side if you like it that way. Portions are large….2 large, thin breasts. The only drawback is the pricing. The chicken Piccata at $28 is probably the cheapest entree and the cocktails (which were just standard) ring in at $18 each! So it was expensive for just the two of us at $176! That was only three cocktails and two glasses of wine which made up more than half the bill.
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JG
JenniferG
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service was great, food came out super quick. It was a really nice experience
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Orange County
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
They were very accommodating and made a lunch menu item for my husband for dinner. Emma our server was fantastic!!
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M
Mimi
Orange County
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very lovely lunch with excellent food and service. Betty was an especially efficient and friendly waitress!
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l
luv2dine
Orange County
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service, food & atmosphere. Table was ready when we arrived.
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R
Redbird457
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very nice spot for a good family dinner. Tasty food, creative menu, good portions. Gluten free options. Very nice service. Big outdoor patio. Would go again
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TR
TracyR
Central Coast
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Will definitely be going again! Food was great, service was just super friendly and attentive, awesome atmosphere and a nice selection for Happy Hour! We went on a weeknight and enjoyed live music, which was a great surprise! Felt like a warm and inviting place. We will be going back soon!
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KS
KathleenS
Orange County
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 28, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
The service and food were above average. I was disappointed that my favorite salad which had been a mainstay on the menu is no longer offered. The half turkey sandwich with salad was, however, very good. I will return to try other items that are new to the menu. I’ve heard the restaurant will be temporarily closing for a remodel. My husband and I will look forward to its grand re-opening.
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b
bobbigrace
Orange County
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
All four of us dining on Sunday for brunch enjoyed our experience. The food was excellent, the patio was perfect and most of all the staff waiting on us was totally delightful. I am not related to anyone working at the restaurant. So there!
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NB
NinaB
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Tavern at the Mission had excellent food and service--thanks for keeping Cedar Creek Inn's wonderful coconut cake! Please consider bringing back rack of lamb!
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S
Sandy
Palm Springs
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good food, nice selection. Waiters were nice.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and service. Ambiance was nice too. Breeze felt good and the manager brought us a complimentary dessert.
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H
Howard
Orange County
271 reviews
vip
4.0
271 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Food was ok. Didn’t like the entrée choices, had starters and salad Drinks… smoked old fashioned.. was great ( piggy back rye makes it perfect) Entertainment fantastic. (Friday 8/25/23 I think was the date) Friendly people Ambience outside patio was wonderful Overall good experience
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AR
AnitaR
Orange County
24 reviews
vip
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Sat in the patio nice breeze in the evening. Female singer 8/25, she was fantastic. Coconut shrimp and Prime roast sandwich was so good!
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AB
AndreaB
Orange County
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great variety on menu. We had a southwest Caesar salad to start. Great salad. I would have it for lunch or dinner and add protein I had the sole almond one. Delicious. My hubby had friend chicken. A lot of breading. Very generous portions
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Orange County
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall2food1service2ambience2
Very poor designed menu , everything slathered in cheese, very greasy and cheaply made. The place wasn’t remodeled as claimed, same old furniture, musty smell inside. Service was just okay, server got very comfortable with my husband calling him “brother” all the time.. not a place to go back
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PH
PaulH
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Wonderful patio! Food is very good with very large portions. Service is good but seems a bit understaffed. I think that I would give five stars if they had more staff to be more attentive to customers and maybe focus on make the food even better than it is and expanding the menu a bit. Just making huge portions is not always the best
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DP
DianeP
Orange County
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Our food was delicious, ambience great, our waiter was very good but very hurried. All around an excellent experience. We will definitely be back.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic service from Ruben. Best Prime Rib French dip ever!
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JA
JoAnne
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
The lunch was delicious, Cobb Salad and Lobster Salad. Our server, Bettie, was the best! Great personality and most attentive to our needs!
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S
Sandy
San Diego
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ruben was our waiter and added an extra special “vibe” to our lunch. Food was delicious, atmosphere was nice, but most of all the music was lovely and at a volume where we could have conversation and not talk loudly to hear each other. I would recommend this restaurant! It ticks all the boxes.
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m
marcello
Orange County
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Prices too high for lunch selections. Fewer selections available as previous Cedar Creek!!
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KB
KateB
Orlando
16 reviews
vip
4.0
16 reviews
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
onion soup , chicken picata and the sensation coconut cake must haves!
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J
Jalapeno51
Orange County
24 reviews
vip
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
My 2nd visit within a week. Saturday a group of friends celebrated a birthday luncheon as was our tradition at former Cedar Creek. We each ordered a different salad and one Buddha Bowl. The food was a hit. Very fresh, full of flavors and generous. The coconut cake for dessert is as good as ever. So..went for happy hour yesterday on the patio. Noted new chairs are more comfortable. We each ordered the special for $15- cheeseburger, crispy fries and choices of beer or wine. Burger was charbroiled and we decided best burger we’ve had in years! Service was attentive, food came out quickly and we enjoyed the shaded patio despite hot Sun! Can’t wait to go again and try some of the other items on menu.
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B
Beachwalker
Orange County
14 reviews
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on August 14, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
The patio setting and service were great, but the lunch food was a bit disappointing. We always loved Cedar Creek Inn’s (the prior restaurant) curried chicken salad with papaya, but that dish has been changed by the new owner and is now less appealing in presentation and taste. Prices are higher, too. May give it another chance in the future to see if the menu improves.
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j
jaeg
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on August 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our waitress Kristi was great and took care of our every need. The food was delicious and portion was nice.
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KD
KatherineDM
San Diego
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
We came here to celebrate a birthday and picked opening time 10:30. We were greeted with a smile and had a lovely outside edge patio table. Our servers were attentive but not hovering. We ordered brunch and no alcohol (everyone was driving). We stayed for over 2 hours and no one made us feel like we had to leave or we did not order enough. One person had the hash and devoured it. I had the Christmas scramble and enjoyed it. I was a little surprised to find tater tots inside. The last person has avocado toast and found it good as well. The patio was super pleasant. A very nice meal. And they brought a small birthday dessert and 3 forks!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The BEST chicken piccata, Reuben & an extraordinary seasonal dessert called Peach Fluff
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E
carrieE
Orange County
22 reviews
vip
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
I love David’s restaurant in Newport and I was certain I would love this as well. My husband had a combo lunch plate with French dip and French onion. Soup. We just got back from France we’re we were dying to have good French onion soup. We never got any in France than was any where near as good as at the mission. The Cadillac margaritas we had with Don Julio balnco is up there with my two favorite places to have a fantastic margarita! We will be back next for happy hour!
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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Tavern at the Mission using the Order Online button.

Tavern at the Mission is rated 4.4 stars by 116 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 23, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 25 times today

Order delivery or takeout

26860 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
San Juan Capistrano
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 11:30 am–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:30 am–8:00 pm
Cuisines
American, Comfort Food, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
DAVID WILHELM
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Popular dishes

Chopped Salad

Chicken Piccata

Charred Brussels Sprouts

Menu

What 116 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

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

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information