Stopped here after the beach with my wife and kids. Quite possibly the worst Mexican food I've ever had. I used to eat at the Laguna location when I was a local and remember that place being great. Not only was it over priced, the drinks were watered down and terrible. Nothing was seasoned and just a tourist trap filled with local seniors happy to eat the equivalent of the Taco Tuesday night at assisted living. Keep driving down PCH and avoid. read more

I ordered the shrimp taco and cheese enchilada, the food tasted amazing, the salsa was very good, and the margaritas were amazing! We sat by the window and had a great view of the ocean, the waitress was really nice too! Definitely will come back here read more

Olamendi's - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

Food was good, service was lacking, margaritas disappointing. Bar tender was partying and looking like he was sampling the tequila. With fewer tables it seem table service should be stellar read more

We ate at Olamendi's several years ago and it was really good. This time the food was bland and overpriced, ten dollars for a mediocre bean burrito was outrageous. The servers were just barely friendly. Next time in Dana Point we will steer clear of this once great establishment. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere for good Mexican food. read more

2.5 until your service improves. Being too busy is no excuse! I've been to enough places where there are hundreds of people hoarding to eat great Mexican food. When that happens, let me know. read more

As soon as you walking you're looking everywhere else, except where you're supposed to sit. The decor is really intense here in a good way. We got here almost at closing time so we didn't wait and it was practically empty. The prices are a little bit pricy for the quality of the food unfortunately. I order the combination plate. Taquitos with rice and beans. It was supposed to come with guacamole and sour cream but I was told they were out of guacamole so instead I got some slices of avocado. So technically they were not out. They just didn't want to make more for me. I see. The bathrooms are outside. It was a little bit scary to walk in a dark hallway to get to the bathroom, so they need some lighting. The staff was nice and there seem to be enough parking. read more

Went with friends on Friday. Seating was immediate. Cool atmosphere. Ordered marguerites and they were awful. Didn't taste as though there was any tequila in the drink. One of our friends had a drink which also tasted horrible. Waiters had no personality. The food came..... the shrimp fajitas were fair. The shrimp were large but tasteless, the chicken fajitas were laden with chicken, pure white and tasteless. The Chile rellenos was ok. Will we go back? - I'm afraid not. Adios, Olamendis! There are too many restaurants in the area which are so much better than Olamendis. . read more

Love this place! Everyone is so friendly. They have excellent margaritas. I tried Hibiscus and Mango. They don't use artificial mixes. They have fabulous vegan/vegetarian choices. So glad they are open and surviving during this pandemic. read more

This is a great restaurant that serves tasty Mexican food. There is a lot of interesting decor, both on the ceiling, and on the walls, of the restaurant. I had never been to this restaurant before, until I went with a friend. I kind of forget what my friend ordered, but I do remember that I ordered two chicken enchiladas combo that came with rice and beans. Those enchiladas were very flavorful, and overall, the meal was excellent. I do remember that my friend also commented, at one point in the meal, that what he ordered was tasty as well. The prices for the food served at this restaurant are a little bit high, but I think that this is justified due to the excellent flavors that are in the food once a bite of the food is taken. The staff at the restaurant were nice, and the service was pretty fast. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to anyone desiring to eat great Mexican food. read more

Meh, rice was amazing but the rest of the food has bland. The chips were stale and service was slow. Decor was overdone but the view was nice. Wouldn't come back. read more

I've lived in San Clemente for 23 years and never dined here before. My friend wanted to try it, so we stopped in for lunch. I'm glad we did. We ordered some margaritas. They were pretty strong. We were happy. Brought us some chips and salsa. Loved the salsa as it had some kick to it. I ordered a taco & enchilada combination. I liked it a lot. Prices were reasonable & service was friendly. We came back a week later just for a drink and to watch the sunset from our table near the front window. I have a few photos to show you the view we had. I will be back soon. I've noticed how packed the parking lot gets at times I have driven past. There were only a few cars in the parking lot when we went. I am wondering how you get out of there when it's full and there is only one entrance. Might have to back out the whole way to Coast hwy. Which would be scary to get out of there when they are coming at you at 50 mph. LOL read more

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I love the location of this place , right off pch beautiful sunset view . It does have a Dia de Los Muertos vibe and very cluttered with pictures all over the wall. Nice to look at when waiting for your order. Staff was friendly , service was quick . I was unsure what to expect as far as the authenticity of the food, unfortunately my food was very bland. I had the chicken poblano enchilada and Chile relleno combo plate. The sauce was very spicy so it hid much of the overall taste. Great memorabilia throughout the restaurant , fun for a dinner out with friends. The margaritas are great! read more

Olamendi's - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

So to be honest I don't review to often, this was worth mentioning. We are Local's and try to eat at as many places as possible and usually we get great service, good food at a fare price. Not that last 2 times to Olamendis, service was super slow 2 hours for lunch and they don't care. If you ask where you food is they say oh yea and walk away. Drinks take for ever to get, the server forgets about you and passes you by like your not there or worth serving. Rude!! We ordered 10 shots of Silver Tequila, they served their brand, it was good I must say. When I got my bill for for the 10 shot for $118.00 I was surprised and asked how much it was for a bottle of their Tequila they said $75.00 I ask if I could just buy the bottle in place of my bill. He said no and that was it. So that was it for me, never going back there.. bye bye read more

I really wanted to like this place. I saw that they had a vegan menu and was excited to try it out. When ordering I let them know it was an all vegan order and began. They don't have tofu, and the guy said they haven't had it in a long time. They also had to check if they had quinoa. I ordered potato enchiladas and guacamole. After ordering and paying they brought the food out and let me know the chips aren't vegan. The menu says vegan chips are available.. and if there aren't why in the world would you let me order a $10 appetizer of guacamole knowing I wouldn't have anything to eat them with? Enchiladas were meh. I'm super disappointed, and a bit mad about the chips/guacamole thing. read more

Olamendis Mexican Restaurant has been a family favorite for years! As 34 year San Clemente locals we have enjoyed eating at the restaurant for years. The restaurant is COVID compliant, and the restaurant offers deliver during these tough times with COVID-19. Our family enjoys either take out or dining in the restaurant! A Torcaso family favorite! Try it, you will not be sorry! read more

Olamendi's - San Clemente local family - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

Decided to stop here for the first time for an early lunch. Mango margarita and carne asada tacos were excellent. Nice view of the ocean across the street. Definitely try out Olamendi's if you are in the neighborhood. read more

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STOP HERE!!!!! My girlfriend and i LOVE this place. Amazing margaritas and amazing authentic food. ASK FOR MY BOY GEORGE!!!!!! He will make your drinks right. Overall this place is a gem. Not many like it anymore. read more

Some of the best Mexican food I've had in a very long while. We had three different style margaritas-top notch! The salsa was homemade,the sauces along with beans and rice were authentic and perfected. Love the ocean view along with the wonderful decor. Don't pass up this gem of Orange County. read more

Olamendi's - Mango margarita. - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

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The decor is great, lots of it. Food is good. Salsa has some kick to it. Chip tasted hard/over cooked and stale. Pitcher of house margarita was week. read more

Came here for a taco Tuesday and was able to sit on the outside patio. The tacos were bland and although discounted, I feel like they weren't worth the money or calories. I got the fried fish one and it was soggy, not crispy or fresh at all. We also got margaritas but they were so expensive for what we got. $15 for a plastic to go cup. They were tasty but surprising for a taco Tuesday they didn't have a better deal. We got the churros for dessert and they were amazing! Probably wouldn't go again. read more

Really bad service.. walked in and was greeted with an attitude. Came in at 8:30pm and ordered to go.. didn't leave u til 9:30pm.. I ordered the Capo beach burrito.. No flavor.. got the Nachos a la Olemendi ($16) they didn't even add the guacamole, sour cream or tomatoes smh. Couldn't go back because they were closed. Horrible service. Plus their food doesn't even taste like authentic Mexican food and their salsas, disgusting. Anyone that says this place is good is lying. read more

This is a small restaurant with fantastic Mexican food, but let me first start off with the Cadillac margarita. It was $15 but it was worth every single penny. It is possibly the tastiest Cadillac margarita I've ever had and you can taste the quality of tequila in it. For an appetizer, we had the standard chips and salsa and we ordered the nachitos. I don't know what cheese they use but it was delicious. I ordered a steak burrito with red salsa and it was just as good as everything else that I've had up to that point. As far as the service, it was top-notch. There were two older Hispanic waitresses that took care of us. They were very affable and make sure that we were having a great experience. The meal for two was approximately $50 including the two margaritas we had. Would I return? Anytime that I'm in Dana point I will make an effort to eat at this restaurant. read more

Service is hit or miss. Mostly a miss in my case but the food is good, better than most and convenient if you are wanting to get something to go and chill at the beach. Plenty of options if you are wanting to eat meat, vegeterian or even vegan. If you use the yelp check in I think they purposely mess up your food orders. I've tested this theory. If you use the check in, they treat you like garbage! I like the tacos and the vegan enchiladas. read more

Not sure what happened, it's not edible anymore. The branded Tequila, chips and salsa is great unfortunately the food not so much.

I highly recommend not eating here! There is absolutely no passion or love put into the food or service! The 2 stars are just some encouragement to find some meaning behind what you are doing. There is one life to live and if making and serving food with love isn't it then try something else! read more

Service was terrible! Our server was so rude & not attentive! We had a party of 10 & she was annoyed from the moment we sat down! Plus on top of shitty service she hand writes the tip on the check, she added for 20% which is totally illegal to add gratuity to large parties now since the law changed! Even worse she counted out the cash in front of us on the table ...to make sure we didn't bail on the tip! We would consider going back because the food was good but service is terrible & they're shady!!! read more

I really loved the beef tacos. The meat has a seasoning I enjoyed a LOT. Crunchy and moist, can get messy. My wife was not as ecstatic, so that's the rating. The rice and beans are okay, think Nixon level excitement on their own. But the salsa packs a hot flavor punch, so mixing that into the rice and beans, scoop with chips, and you get happy real fast. The atmosphere is jam packed with visuals, from dolls to photos to signed shirts. If Toy Story is real, this place has a full movie and sequel of characters. If you are mischievous, bring your OCD friends (like me) here, and watch them come unglued. read more

Olamendi's - Beef tacos combo to go - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

Our first time there and we will absolutely be back! The food, the atmosphere and the staff are second to none! Add to that their amazing tequila and there is not a more amazing place to go ... for lunch, an afternoon and on into the evening! You just don't want to leave. And if you are lucky and go on your birthday, you are treated to the most amazing song imaginable. Again, our first time there but it's just the first of many more to come. At Olemendi's, friends quickly become family!! read more

Olamendi's - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

If you want great Mexican food....come here! You won't be disappointed. We were here for a rehearsal dinner so my review is based on what we were offered and the service we received as a group. I tried almost all foods that were offered and every bite was delicious. The wait staff was very friendly and always around when needed. The decor is loud and interesting. Clean establishment as well. read more

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Oh my gosh I can not veto have never ate here before. The chips and salsa are tasty and the service is great.

Hubs and I had Arnold palmers and shared guacamole and a grilled fish taco combo. Food was good, not even close to great. Arnold Palmer has an odd flavor I didn't really understand. The main deal about this place that brings down my score is the service. Our server was super rude. The bussers were great with chips but overall I'm not excited to return. Living in SD, we have endless opportunities for cute local mexican food and breathtaking fish tacos. This place wasn't special. read more

Absolutely awful service. Disappointed with our experience. Will never go back. A taco truck would be better than this place.

Bummer. Used to be a nice "go-to" spot. But not anymore. Came for lunch today, seated myself as no one noticed I was standing there for 5 minutes. Not busy at all. Chips and salsa comes, seems very small like 7-8 chips after about 5 minutes seated. Ordered a taco. It was very average and asked for more chips. About the same amount...Noticed other tables had full baskets. Easily over 15+ chips. Noticed bigger tables got better service. Another 5 plus minutes to address my bill. Oh yeah the lady waitress left a giant water pitcher in front of my plate the entire time I was there. read more

The owner of this restaurant has the absolute worst customer service. We were 15+ year customers and came to eat. We waited 45 min for a table to then be told to leave because they were closing. We returned the next day for dinner and ate and tried to redeem a coupon toward the bill but the owner refused to use it because it was holiday. The owner refused to come to the table to speak with us. They have lost a 15+ year family and thousands of dollars we would have spent over not redeeming a 20% coupon. The food is good but we were treated so poorly for being loyal customers read more

The first time I came here, I was a big fan. Excellent food and service. This time- not so much. My wife ordered the tamales which seemed very old. Very dry and gritty texture. I ordered the tacos and they came with lettuce and tomato instead of onions and cilantro. Completely different than expected. The place was not busy at all and the service was below average. read more

This used to be the Gem of Capistrano Beach, across the street from the beach great margaritas, the Carnitas was the best in town. Growing up in San Juan Olamendis was a staple stop after a day at the beach. I've moved away and tried it a couple more times hoping it was as good as it what I remembered and each time disappointed. This place needs a visit from Gordon Ramsey "Kitchen Nightmares" cause this place is definitely a nightmare. Way way over priced. Disgusting food. No more not until they change. read more

I come to Dana a lot and this was my first time coming to Olamendi's, it has excellent food. my new favorite mexican place here. margaritas are delicious and strong. the service was amazing. read more

It used to be that going to dinner meant that on some level it's better cooking than at home or so different and yummy that you just need to have it. For this place I nearly gagged with my first spoonful of albondigas soup. Not because I don't like the idea of meatballs in soup (ok maybe it's weird now that I think about it), but because it was Off. Off in such a way that if I took one more spoonful I'd chance being up all night with something. Oh shit now I'm worried the night is young! After sending that disgusting putrid sorry ( I can't mince words here) soup I ordered a quesadilla. Bland bland and felt even George Forman'd, panini maker pressed. Another words it felt manufactured, I shoved it down. But the BEST PART of all was the black guacamole! Yeh!! Cherry on a Sunday. Blech time to pray I don't throw up tonight. Sadly I am abandoning this joint. Just because it's the Only restaurant on PCH doesn't mean you shouldn't drive a little farther down to SJC or San Clemente.. you'll thank me. read more

My first time here and I'd have to say it was amazing food! My only complaint is our bartender. He was beyond rude & stuck up. Our waitress was wonderful I wish I could've got her name to put it on here. Clean restaurant read more

Olamendi's - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California

This is my favorite lunch spot! I have been to Olamendi's at least 8 times and just love everything about it. The service is exceptional, the staff is friendly, the decor is festive and the food is to-die-for. Normally I get the Potato taco for $4.50 but today I tried the ceviche taco and it was just as delicious. This is my go-to spot when I'm craving a taco or authentic chips and salsa. I promise you will love this little place! I know I do! read more

Olamendi's - Mexican Near Me - Dana Point, California