Thoughts on La Hacienda from a Mexican Food Lover

Becky Criswell2.15.19With so many wonderful restaurants in Epcot it’s always a difficult decision for me as to whether I will venture out and try something new or stick to my long-time favorites. On my last trip I decided to try La Hacienda for the first time with a few of my good friends and fellow Wishes agents. La Hacienda is located at the Mexico Pavilion and situated right next to the World Showcase Lagoon.We had an 8:00 pm reservation so we would be able to view the 9:00 pm fireworks show. We had a brief wait when we arrived but the host kindly offered us menus to look over while we waited. Many of the items looked delicious, and as always, I was impressed by the authenticity that is always experienced in Epcot. The food, staff and atmosphere were all true to the Mexican culture. The décor of the restaurant was beautiful and classy but casual enough to feel comfortable bringing your children.As we were deciding what to order, the waiter delivered chips and fresh salsa. Chips and salsa just happen to be one of my favorite foods and these were top notch! Many of the appetizers and entrees caught my eye. The couple sitting next to us had ordered the “La Hacienda”, which serves two people and consists of grilled new york strip, chicken al pastor, chorizos, vegetable, and beans. It looked like quite a feast! The day we were there was National Taco Day so I used that to help me make my final decision. I ordered the Tacos de Vegetables. When my food was delivered I was impressed by the generous portion. On the plate were four flour tortillas, completely stuffed with beans, corn, onions, tomato and zucchini. They were topped with queso fresco. I took the first bite and they did not disappoint! I can honestly say they were some of the best tacos I have ever tasted.One of my friends ordered Agua Chile de Cameron appetizer, which is described as “Shrimp, Lime Juice, Chile Serrano, and Cilantro served over Guacamole”. I probably would not recommend this dish. It was a small serving served in a martini glass and it was not what any of us were expecting. It was very runny and extremely spicy. This was the only disappointment of the night. My other friend ordered the Tacos de Camerones (shrimp tacos), which was supposed to come with fried shrimp. She requested for the shrimp to be grilled and the restaurant had no problem making this change. She was as pleased with her tacos as I was with mine.We were too full for dessert but if I had been using the dining plan and dessert was included, it would have been hard for me to choose between the chocolate molten lava cake or the empanada sautéed with caramel apples and served with dulce de leche ice cream! Yum!Our table was not near a window but we were still able to see a lot of the fireworks show. The restaurant is completely lined with large windows, making it easy to see the water and at least some of the fireworks no matter where you are sitting. If this is your first, or only time seeing fireworks at Epcot, I would not recommend viewing them from the restaurant because you will not be able to get the full experience. However, it made for a very fun and unique dining experience. The music for the fireworks show was piped into the restaurant as well.I highly recommend this dining experience; so much so, that I will be returning in the Spring with my family. I couldn’t resist going back with my husband who shares my love for Mexican food. If you’d like help in planning your Disney vacation and hearing about more of my favorite spots to dine in Walt Disney World, contact me at beckyc@wishesfamilytravel.com!