Ysidora Restaurant and Lounge

There is a real difference hanging here compared to other hot spots in San Juan Capistrano. Different vibe with live music

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

I personally am very picky with giving 5 stars to restaurants, but this is definitely a 5 star. Thanks to Zenthya the host for being awesome and recommending is this place! Great food and atmosphere and all the staff have been very attentive and kind. Recommend if you want a nice fancy atmosphere and good vibes. I personally liked it more at night than day but both days are great. The only hard part could be the parking!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was very disappointing. Chicken paella came out in a plate! Cubes of chicken breast mixed with rice. Couldn't believe it. Seabass was bland with small pieces of corn and beans. Overpriced drinks. Will not go back. Vibe is good with live music.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 3

The place is so beautiful and the food is incredible. I love that the Chef combines authentic Spanish with Mexican. Everything we had was so good, Especially the Croquettas.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We really enjoyed the atmosphere of this restaurant. It is set in a beautiful hotel and where we ate on the outside patio, was gorgeous with the fountain and lighting. With that being said since it is at a hotel, it is kind of strange having people walk past you in general hotel attire such as swimming suits and pajamas when you’re paying $50 for chicken. We did not know when we made our reservations that this was a hotel restaurant, if we did this would have been part of our decision to go here for our anniversary dinner. The food was very good however, I will say that my chicken was dry and tough, but the mashed potatoes made up for it. It is a little on the pricey side not going to lie. The staff is very kind. I will say that our waitress was here and there though. Also valet is $15 and literally they don’t take your car anywhere. I was actually 1/2 way parked when a man came up to me at the window of our car and he explained it’s only valet. He parked it where I was already so…. Also, they don’t have any signs out saying it’s only valet so it was pretty confusing parking and having somebody come up to you without a tag or signage and then only to park in the same spot or two parking spots away from where you just were parking. Personally, I don’t like to have our car valeted if there is a choice - especially with traveling, I tend to keep multiple purses based off of our planned activities in our backseat. They were nice though, so I’ll give them that. Dessert was really good. It was also very pretty. I will say this restaurant does take pride in how their dishes look and you can definitely taste the flavors. I just wish it was in an area where it was not part of a hotel if it’s going to be that expensive. Average is about $70 w/ no cocktails pp which we don’t mind, but we would like for the atmosphere to reflect this luxury. Definitely would go again, but maybe Uber and only go for drinks and hors d’oeuvres

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Very nice restaurant, great atmosphere, but I felt the menu could have more options, especially more fish options. Other than that, I would come back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Very Upscale. As if having the finest Manhattan or London luxury lobby experience in diwn town SJC. Sun filled outdoor patios likewise evacuate and nice furnished.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Enjoyed midday lunch at Ysidora, a lightly seared tuna sandwich layered with roasted red and yellow peppers, paired with a citrus-kissed salad. A quiet moment of flavour before heading to the beach.

Overall the food was good but the paid valet parking is ridiculous. It's $15 with validation from the restaurant, plus tip. No self parking is available. As far as the food, the sea bass and birria short ribs were very tasty. However, the sea bass only came with corn and black bean garnish -- nothing else on the side. It was extra to add a side of rice. Desserts were also good. We had the apple churros and dulce de leche gelato. Overall the parking situation left a bad taste in our mouths. I don't think we'll be dining here again.

Absolutely avoid this restaurant if you have allergies. We were told by the manager allergen information is “too long” to include on menu. Dishes labelled vegetarian had anchovies - didn’t know fish were vegetarian now!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

The ambience of this place especially the outside is wonderful. The live music is nice too.
If you are vegan or vegetarian give this place a wide birth. As a group of veggie/vegan people we had a traumatic experience! The caesar salad is marked as vegetarian and when we asked the server they mentioned it has anchovies! In the year 2025, a restaurant should have a good idea of what veggie or vegan means!
We had clearly mentioned that we are all vegetarians to the server. A dish containing fish was put on the table and many in our party consumed it without knowing! It was a traumatic experience!
The manager did come around and apologize and not charge us for a dish but our overall mood was ruined.
Would suggest the management to look into the procedures to ensure this doesn't repeat and also do some reading on how dietary preferences work!
We ordered every veggie dish on the menu and not one tasted good!

We ate here twice. Everything we ordered was tasty. Cocktails had a kick to them. Very good service and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere

I absolutely love the ambiance of the restaurant, and the food is amazing, unique and delicious. It's always a special night for me when we come here.

Ysidora Restaurant Review: A Hilarious Hunger Games Adventure

Staying at the Inn at the Mission and craving a sweet escape? Ysidora’s glowing ambiance lures you in from the lobby, promising culinary bliss. Buckle up, because this review will prep your soul, stomach, and wallet for a wild ride.
A chipper hostess whisks you to one of many empty tables—score, you’re the VIPs! Or so you think. Enter the patience gauntlet. Your waitress swoops in for drink orders, then vanishes on an epic quest to Narnia’s slowest kitchen. When she returns with coffee, the cups are adorably tiny—think Barbie Dreamhouse chic. But the charm fades fast when you hit the bottom of your thimble-sized mug in one sip. Refills? Ha! Ysidora’s single, ancient coffee machine brews enough for 2.5 cups, max. Bring a big group, and you’ll be waiting until your grandkids graduate for a second pour.

Food ordering is no less thrilling. Hunger pangs escalate to survival-mode starvation as you await your meal. When it arrives—IF it arrives—pray the kitchen gods got it right. Our table rolled the dice: half savored decent bites, half got plates that tasted like regret. Pro tip: don’t bother with kids’ special orders. The staff nods sweetly, then serves the standard dish anyway, leaving you with a sulky kid and a side of parental despair.

Price? California Coast steep—think “sell your car” vibes. Comparable to other fancy spots, sure, but budget an hour minimum for any meal. One table occupied? Add 30 minutes. Two tables? Pack a sleeping bag. The staff, bless their hearts, apologize profusely for the chaos, but apologies don’t fill empty coffee cups or spice up bland food.

Verdict: Unless you’ve got time to burn and a masochistic streak, skip Ysidora. Save your sanity, dodge the coffee drought, and dine where the food’s tasty and the clock doesn’t mock you. Life’s too short, and coffee’s too sacred.

I am very happy with the service I received here! Most importantly, upon entering I was greeted by Arielle, who was very friendly and attentive to us even though we didn’t have a reservation. She assured us that it wasn’t an issue and we were seated quickly. The food was very good with a good variety and the drinks were phenomenal! We even sat at the bar afterwards for another drink! Shout out to the bar workers! When we left, Arielle was so kind enough to answer any questions I had about what else is around the area for us to explore within our next few days. She really went above and beyond! I’m very satisfied with the service of the place and the quality of food, not the mention it is a very beautiful spot. When I am back in town I will be returning!