Food is good but pricey. They don't have a taco Tuesday or happy hour. Two meals, an appetizer and two margaritas was 90$. Their cocktails taste like there is no alcohol in them. read more

Met up with family at Olamendis - first time for all of us. Stephanie - our server - was terrific. Very patient with all the newbie questions about the place, Richard Nixon, the menu, vegetarian options - on and on we went! The meal started with very fresh tasting chips and spicy salsa; what a nice change from the watery bland salsas that are so common now. We ordered the guacamole - and all enjoyed this fresh pre-meal addition. Drinks arrived quickly; my sis thought the margarita was too sweet - but she's a purist; not a fan of really sugary "margarita mix" drinks. My beer tasted just like beer! Food was plentiful, fresh, and hot. I loved the ceviche tacos! We split a flan for dessert - tasty and a nice way to finish a spicy meal. We all marveled at the crazy decor. No space on the walls and ceiling were left untouched! And of course there's the Nixon table with all the politician pictures around. I'm not a Republican, but the history is still cool. All and all, we had a great time. Check it out when you're in Dana Point. read more

I'm a local SC resident who has bypassed Olamendis for about 15 yrs. Gave it another try last week and it was confirmed why I have stayed away for so long. The thousands of decorations that cover every inch of space are disgustingly dusty, dirty, and just obnoxious. What local restaurant charges for second basket of chips & salsa? That's just wrong and super touristy!! Bland food, weak margarita, and WAY overpriced! Service was very quick and friendly. Won't be going back in the next 15 yrs.. I'll continue to go to our little local secret spot where the Mexi food is delicious!! read more

Freakin gross food. Guacamole was good but thats it. Inside there is a bunch of weird stuff hanging from the ceiling and you know there not cleaning it. read more

Best margaritas & Mexican food!! Great service!! Always a treat to stop by when we're in town for a soccer tournament. The Santos family loves this place!!! Love the decor!! read more

We have been here several times before and enjoyed the food and ambiance But tonight was terrible!! The service was the worst we have ever had!! It took forever for the waiter to greet us and to Finally take our order. We received our drinks and my daughters lemonade was warm with no ice!! Our food was flavorless and disgusting! It took forever to get our check! I am disappointed in the Olamendi's we knew in the past! read more

This place blows!!!Terrible service...Illegal Mexican waitress rude rude rude...left our water,chips and salsa and never saw them again.We got up and left..... read more

We've enjoyed their wonderful food, much of it award winning. It was nicely presented, hot and with very fresh ingredients. Interestingly, they have an extensive vegan menu. The service was excellent and the atmosphere clean and authentic. I unerstand they've been there for 47 years with an interesting history. They're most friendly and helpful. We're very picky and we loved it. read more

This was not what I was expecting! The restaurant was hot, not very comfortable to come in from the heat to the hot! The decor was the best part about it, I enjoyed looking at all the pictures and famous people that had been there. I ordered a Chimichanga and my wife had the Flautas. My wife said the Flautas were good. My Chimi was good to, however it tasted more like an Italian chef had made his version of a Chimichanga. The red sauce tasted more like marinara and it was topped with mozzarella cheese (which they charged me $2 extra for)! Who has ever heard of putting mozzarella cheese on a Chimi!? I have had better chips (that were served when we got there) from a bag from Sam's Club! I had also ordered some Sopapillas to be taken home at the end of the meal. When they arrived, they were NOT what I had ever had a sopapillas (which I know to be bread - similar to Indian Fry bread), but instead it was the same bad chips I had that had been covered in sugar and cinnamon. Then I get the bill - $21 for my wife's Flautas! That dish is NOT worth $21.00! Save your $$ and go to Machaos !! read more

It's been a while since we had been to Olamendis in San Clemente; we used to take our family of 6 there after church quite a bit when we lived in Dana Point. My wife and I went there yesterday after a long sabbatical, and I had a hard time swallowing not the food, but the prices. For 2 people, 2 meals + 1 order of Guac and chips ( $9 )+ 1 Iced Tea ( $4 ) was $45 before the tip. To be honest with you, we have been spoiled with places such as Carlos' on PCH and Taco Mesa where the food has always been fresh, spot on and fairly priced. My chicken Enchilada was dry, and overcooked, and flavor so-so. I don't mind mind paying premium at places like Javier's because their food usually is premium...but that was not the case at Olamendi's this time. It's a sad day when El Torito which is always fairly priced ( especially during happy hour ) has better flavor than what is supposed to be authentic homegrown handed down through the generations Mexican...Maybe all of the Star/ Celebrity pics on the wall have taken a toll on the management's humble beginings ;( read more

Went here on Sunday 7/6/2014 around 8:00 P.M. Food was very mediocre put nicely. The carne asada was extremely chewy and we waited roughly 40 min for our food to come after ordering. Would not got back, there are better options for mexican food in area. read more

The service was quick, and the food was great! All of the staff was very nice. I have gone a few times, but when I was much younger. I will definitely be going back on my next trip to California! read more

OK food, but not great. Have been here several times and have tried several menu items. Watered down margaritas. This place is overpriced for the food quality (greasy, overcooked) and slow service. There are much better Mexican restaurants in the area. Great location, though -- right across from the beach! And the decor is cute, kitchy Mexican. Always have encountered nice staff, servers, and patrons alike. read more

Sorry to say but as long time customers we probably have made our last trip to this restaurant. The problem began soon after the place was bought by the new owners and it is with the level of service you now get. The food is as good as it ever was but the level of service has reduced to levels one can not ignore. Last night we arrived around 5:45 pm and was promptly seated but after waiting 10 minutes for a waiter or waitress we just got up and left. Its not that the staff was busy they were not but not a single wait person could be found. Shame this was at one time a great local place. read more

Pretty, but the food is not what I remembered. How do you mess up a $16 burrito? The empanadas were not empanadas. The beans were soggy and blend. Service was slow and not very friendly. read more

I want to love this place and I will try it again maybe in a year... It is historic and interesting. The staff was cold and the food was bland. The guac looked great but is it perhaps salt-free? and cilantro and garlic -free? maybe old frozen onions..? I don't know.. some lime, salt, and jalapeno would help. We ordered 2 guac is and had one full order leftover so brought it home. It was not brown AT ALL the next day which tells me, there must be something to preserve it in there? Not sure but that has never happened! My son did not touch his burrito- there was only meat inside and just a plain tortilla on it!? Maybe we ordered the wrong thing? I don't know how she let us order that- so plain- I've never seen a burrito like that! There was no sauce nor cheese, even my chile relleno wasn't tasty, the nachos could have used more sour cream and toppings.....This place is cute inside, I think they need to work on customer service and somehow add some flavor. The marg was delicious but very small ($13). The prices seemed high.. Sorry but will update if it is different next time. read more

Just enough for a 3 star. The locals love this place...I agree if you're a hippie. This is not the best authentic Mexican food on the west coast...the food and menu choice is not as good as the locals say it is. We have been visiting SC for 23 years and have eaten here 3 times, each time to be disappointed. Hands down, there is much better authentic Mexican food elsewhere... Even El Ranchito's on Del Mar is better. read more

I couldn't tell you how many years they have been here. They are a Mexican staple in the fish taco community of So OC. I am a picky Mexican person, having grown up in the OC and it being basically a food that is more part of our community than any other nationalities'. I went to school is=n AZ and it is easily the best Mexican in The west, but this is still the real deal. They have a really fun atmosphere, that shouldn't be b=missed. They are making themselves more current by adding a new sign outside and showing they don't just let the place go to hell. I love the drinks and the food is good. The location is awesome, but parking can be an issue at times,. What do you expect at the beach? I went for my regular chili rellano, and as always it was good, but drowning in cheese and sauce, which is not my favorite presentation. The rest of the menu is the same staples as other spots and good food, nothing to write home about but defiantly worth the atmosphere to come in for a meal. read more

I wish this place could be given zero stars. Today is Cinco de Mayo, and unfortunately after waiting 30+ minutes for some simple entrées, we decided that we wouldn't wait any longer. An individual from this restaurant had came out to apologize for all the inconvenience acting as if he was a manager while the reported manager was righ next to him giving us dirty looks. Claudia was a fake absolutely obnoxious individual presenting herself as a manager, while the owner Jorge's daughter ismerelda would not even come out to talk to three gals trying to celebrate cinco de mayo! Ultimately they lied about trying to take care of the bill for all the inconveniences and said they never heard our questions and just said yes to things! These individuals had the audacity to say they made a mistake, they will take care of the bill and then as we walk out impolitely indicate that we heard incorrectly! This place should be reported for the worst service I have seen in the world Their decor look like someone who has bipolar was decorating the place while on drugs! Horrible, service, horrible decor, horrible chips! This place should be closed down!! read more

This is probably one of the worst Mexican restaurants in the area. The food is terrible. The service is horrible. My family was seated and it took fifteen mins for a server to ask for a drink order. Apparently our waitress has gone on break, per the bar tender. We have tried this place twice and each time our party was extremely disappointed. We will not be back. read more

This is the WORST Mexican food ever (and not even close to comida Poblana) and super expensive given the quality. The salsa and guacamole had big chunks of (raw) onion in it. The beef taco was dry and the taco shell tasted old. The margaritas tasted like watered down sweet and sour mix. The refried beans were bland (no one at our table of 8 ate them) and the Spanish rice was plain. The Enchiladas Suizas were $22 and were some of the worst I've ever had. Service was not great either. We ordered 3 kid's meals and had to keep reminding them to bring the drinks and the dessert. We will not be going back and there are MUCH better Mexican food places in Dana Point/Laguna. read more

It must be all about the great PCH location & funky decor, because the food was overpriced & terrible! The beans "tasted" okay, but $18 for 2 puny tasteless flautas with about 1/2 cup of refried beans & a small scoop of rice? Come on. The margaritas tasted like they were made with bottled mix like you would buy anywhere. Too sweet & otherwise no taste. The chips were greasy but okay, and the salsa was bland. Their sign says they've been in business since 1973, so maybe we didn't order the "right" thing, but it was all so icky, we won't be back for another try. Not to mention the giant mysterious bug that fell onto my lap from who-knows-where & the server tried to cleverly push it aside with her foot. Ugh. A bad, bad experience.... read more

Never again! The food was less than mediocre and the server lost my ATM card when I went to pay. They barely helped me look for the card on the floor and it was never found. I filed a Police report and had to cancel my card on a Friday so nobody could go on a spending spree over the weekend. I've been to this location probably twenty times in my life and I'll never go again. When I called to get an email address for the owner, so I could tell him about my experience, the staff gave me the run-a-round. I've lost all faith in this restaurant! Take your business elsewhere! read more

I have been going to Olamendi's for 31 years. The fish Taco's are to die for Yummy!!!!!! The Pico De Gallo is terrific and the Creme Fresh is delightful. read more

I don't go on yelp very often but I feel I needed to review. My husband and I used to go here a lot but the food has gone down hill. Service is horrible, I had to go get the check after 30 minutes of waiting. Don't waste you time if your looking food and service, drinks and atmosphere are fine. read more

Best chili rellenos! Love the restaurant decor.

We have been coming to Olamendi's for a while now and I remember it being a lot better than it was tonight. We made a reservation at 7 and were told that a table would be ready in about 5 minutes. So we stood by the bar and were not serviced for quite a bit, even though plenty of servers were walking back and forth behind the bar. We got sat about 10-15 minutes after the reservation. The hostess told us that they "weren't expecting [us] five minutes early." Ok. We didn't have to wait that long and it wasn't a huge problem. We sat down around 7:10. Chips for the table were a bit stale tasting. Salsa was too spicy for a couple of us at the table. Ordered some drinks but felt like we were waiting a while to get them. We ordered a pitcher of the strawberry margarita, but it was pretty weak considering I drank a lot/ most of it and didn't even feel like I had even had a drink! Just tasted like a strawberry slushie. About 15-20 minutes after our server took our order, he came out to tell us that they were out of pork tamales. It took that long to find out? We didn't even eat until 8-8:10, about an hour after we got there. My dad ordered a burrito with green sauce and got red instead. Food was just ok. Service was pretty slow on a Wednesday night with a lot of empty tables. They add a 20% automatic tip for parties of 6+ which is written in on the check. I feel like if you are going to add a 20% tip, you should be providing better service that deserves it. read more

Great chiliquilles!!! Made to order. Soak in wonderful chili verde sauce, added carnitas. We will be back again!!!

Beautiful restaurant. Food was delicious. The only reason I give 2 stars We went in on a Saturday around 8:30 p.m., it was a pretty busy night. It was our first time there. All I can say is, we barely made it through dinner. I am quite disappointed in the service received. We waited 30 mins to get a table, when we were told it would be a 5 to 10 minute wait. Once we were finally seated we ordered our drinks and appetizers. We sat for 30 minutes without someone taking our order. We finally waved someone over to take our order, we also had asked for straws, napkins and guacamole. The waitress apologized for the wait and brought us our glasses of water. I once again asked for guacamole and she said she would be right back with guacamole and that it would be on the house. She later comes back with our food, still no straws or the guacamole. We finished our dinner, no one got us our refills. We sat there with our empty plates on the table waiting for our check until finally we just got up and went up to a register and asked to just pay there. Again we never received the guacamole or straws for our drinks. I do not recommend this place. You can go else where for better service. read more

On a Saturday night we sat at the bar waiting for a table. The bar ambiance is awful and drink selection is poor. Once at the table we ordered And then waited 40 minutes for our food. The food was piping hot and good, but I am not sure it was worth the long wait. read more

Excellent mexican food. I am very picky about my food. This place was so delicious. There wete 8 of us and i sampled everyones food. Yum! Prices were a bit high, but worth it. Interesting and pleasing decor. read more

Terrible experience. My 48th Birthday today. Waited a full 10 minutes for service and finally went and asked someone for drinks. They came a full 10 minutes later. Waiter seemed to be avoiding us. I tracked him down and told him we wanted an appetizer. He came over and I told him we wanted the quest fundido. He asked what we wanted for dinner and we said we wanted to enjoy our appetizer first. 1 full hour later, I tracked him down again hopping mad and asked why he didn't at least ask if we wanted anything. He said they had a large party. 5 minutes later we got a plate of melted cheese, no jalapeños, no pickled veggies like the menu said. $9 down the drain. He took our order. We got the food less than 10 minutes later, 2 of 4 of us got the wrong thing. Such a horrible night. Cannot explain exactly how tonight was such a mess and the worst part is that no one at the restaurant seemed to care. We drove all the way from Phoenix for a great celebration and it was absolutely horrific. NEVER GO HERE, EVER!!!!!!!! read more

Driving home on PCH from San Clemente, I was on the search for something awesome for breakfast/lunch (everyone was pretty hungover from a wedding the previous night), so when I saw this place as we sped by it, I had to try it. SO, we flipped around, parked, and walked on in. I was put off at first by the decor, but it was pretty interesting. We all started with micheladas and chips and salsa...both items were amazing. The service was great from the start, and continued to be great throughout the meal. The food, though, was not so great. Maybe it was the items, but I was hoping it was going to be amazing. That's what I get for judging a book by it's cover. I got the Chilaquiles with green sauce, and hubby got chorizo and eggs..or something. Anyway, I LOVE Chilaquiles, so when my dish was put in front of me, I was excited. I dove right in, and the first bite I put in my mouth put me at a stand still. It was terrible. I slowly chewed away as if I was being forced, and managed to swallow the bite a few minutes later. The rice and beans were amazing, so I devoured those. Then, I thought I'd give the main meal another try. Failure. It was really really bad. I can't even pinpoint the flavor that made me gag, but it was just awful. I then tried husband's food, hoping his may be better, but it had that same awful flavor. I was really hoping it would be great. read more

I've been going to Olamendi's since Nixon still showed up there every once in awhile, and I'm sorry to say that this long-time Capo Beach standby has gone seriously downhill. The food is spotty at best and there's no real care given in its preparation any longer, but what really gets me is the total lack of service. After several meals with marginal service and mediocre quality food, we finally decided to give it one more try. We called to see if there was a wait, and were told - no, come right on over. We got there, only to find that there was a 45 minute wait so we decided to sit at the counter. After trying in vain for 30 minutes to get someone to even take a drink order, we left. Olamendi's is resting on its very dusty laurels, and while beach tourists from far away may find its blend of kitsch and history interesting, Olamendi's seems to be doing its best to alienate the locals. read more

Horrible. Bland, crappy service and got sick to boot. Maybe it was an off night but was the worst Mex I ever had. I have no idea how they are expanding with multiple resteraunts.Bummer read more

Really disappointed. Loyal customers to Olamendis & brought my sister here tonight for her first time. The food & drink was good (like usual) The service was pretty par. Had to ask every time for a refill/had to tell them when we were ready to order/ask for more chips/ask for our check etc. It's usually not like this. When I went up at the end to talk to one of the ladies to ask for a to go box (had to get up to ask for that cause it was literally taking forever) I told her & 2 other waitress how bummed I was about our service tonight & they all looked at me like I had 10 heads! I couldn't believe they didn't even apologize. I speak so highly of Olamendis but customer service is very big to me & they dropped the ball big time tonight. Chips & salsa are yummy & food is good but I think it's a little too expensive. If you get good customer service (which I hope you do) then give it a chance. read more

We were out hanging out at Doheney State Beach across the street and were hungry. So we decided to take a walk a visit the Mexican food spot across the street. We came in our board shorts and beach attire to make an order TOGO. We were accommodated and greeted appropriately, got out orders in of 3 wet carne asade burritos and a free Nachito for checking in. Food was a little over priced but was expected because of location. Food was good and fresh but customers were more upscale old people that gave you funny stares. As we were waiting for our food to be prepared standing outside, a lady pulls up almost hitting us. I have no idea why she was speeding to park in the spot we were standing in front of. As she got out of the car, she hit her alarm and even had the nerve to walk over and double check her passenger door to make sure it was locked. I guess we looked sketchy in her eyes. Then we noticed a car on in the parking lot with the AC running with a dog in the car. I know this had nothing to do with the restaurant but I thought I would share. But we did let someone know there was a dog in the car before we left. read more

Really good food. They make their own mole. A couple different types for spiciness. Waiters are helpful in answering questions but we had to ask for drink refills and they really didn't check on us much. Chairs are super uncomfortable (small and round) and if you don't like noisy, don't come here. read more

This restaurant is outstanding. They make great food here, and also make a great lemonade as well, and the service is always great. This is my favorite place to eat in all of Southern California. read more

What happens when the food is average, but the service is great? That is exactly what happened when we decided to dine at Olamendi's in Capistrano Beach. We did not order elaborate dishes, but mainly what one would assume to be the easiest ones to prepare. Food items: Albondigas Soup $7.99, mexican meatball soup. It would appear that this dish should be a breeze to make, yet it doesn't seem so, very rarely I have gone to a mexican place and be able to try an outstanding rendering of this dish. Soup arrived hot (like it should be), 3 respectable size meatballs, carrots, zucchini, and a silly small piece of potato. Broth was watery and tomato tasting (please note that albondigas soup by definition should have the taste of beef, not water and tomatoes), and the meatballs had barely any salt and pepper, and that could be a good thing for many, they were tasty, vegetables fresh, potato tiny piece a joke. 3 Stars. Pork Tamale with beans and rice $8?, tamale a disaster, dry and unsavory, beans and rice, according to lovely lady eating them, a bland, not very good side order. 2 Stars. Monster Burrito $15, both of us chose this apparently big burrito. We were given the choice of going half and half, with two meats, and we both chose Carnitas (shredded pork) and Carne Asada (beef). This is our grievance: they say is big, and it comes in a nice size, but the actual ratio of meat versus the conventional beans, rice, lettuce, sour cream, etc., is about 10% to 90%, 10% being the actual meat. The Carnitas a little dried but nice, the Carne Asada cut in tiny pieces, a complete disappointment. The rest was the filling, and that is how they make the money. Really unfair practice, really small amount of meats. 2.5 Stars. Service was above average in every aspect of the word. Our lovely waitress went out of her way repeatedly to shower us with attention. Lovely smile, positive attitude, we almost decided to forget all the shortcomings for it is indeed, a rare thing, to have the level of attention she provided. I complained that in my burrito they had only used the tiny bits of Carne Asada, and none of the Carnitas, like we both ordered, and she immediately came back with a nice small plate with Carnitas. Just a willingness to serve us made her our favorite standout of Olamendi's, yes we love nice service and we reward it properly, 5 Stars. There are photos and more photos, of president Nixon, and all kinds of famous people adorning the walls of this legendary mexican eatery. Across the street is the awesome sight of the Pacific Ocean and that is always a good thing. Their salsa was a little hot, but very tasty. Let's suppose one is having a beautiful day out at the beach, and decides to walk to Olamendi's hungry and happy, this place will fill you up to the brim. Total Bill came out to $62 with tip. So special considerations being the great service versus the average at most in quality food, would definitely increase the score to 4 Stars. PS: must say the food came back to haunt us, if someone know what I mean, a few hours later. read more