Paseo

Superb elevated Mexican cuisine became harder to find locally following the closure of Orange County’s best high-end Mexican restaurants, Taco Maria (2023) and Maizano (2024): The former won a Michelin star for its combination of premium recipes and plating, and the latter was unparalleled in its mastery of corn as a conceptual base with tasting menu-caliber presentations. As improbable as it may seem, Paseo – an upscale Mexican restaurant at the Downtown Disney District – is now the closest approximation to these experiences one can currently find in Orange County, and after a bumpy debut in 2024 has since emerged as a truly worthwhile destination.

Opened alongside Céntrico and Tiendita as the flagship in a trio of commonly owned, neighboring Mexican restaurants at Downtown Disney, Paseo has an ambitious menu loaded with beautifully plated surf and turf, as well as intriguing mocktails and cocktails. Early appetizers included roasted octopus with salsa, a crispy tlayuda with sausage, pork belly, cured meat, vegetables, and cheese, and mussels in a saffron white cream sauce. Fish, shrimp, pork shanks, lamb barbacoa, and steak were available as entrees.

As of mid-2026, Paseo’s menu changed in a number of ways – new dishes added, old ones deleted, some recipes refined – and from the kitchen to front-of-house service, execution had dramatically improved, a genuine surprise as restaurants typically either hold steady or lose steam over time. Flavors were stronger and more complex, textures were consistently impressive, and plating was even sharper than before. There were almost no misses on our second meal, and multiple impressive dishes.

Originally, we characterized the menu and execution as halfway between the bona fide excellent Maizano and the area’s old school Mexican-American El Torito Grill, as dishes arrived looking a step or two better than they tasted: “pretty good” looks, “okay” flavors. That’s changed for the better. From the cool, achiote/habanero-spiced yellowtail Mayan ceviche ($24, also called Yucatan ceviche) with thin plantain chips to a hearty, gorgeously fan-backed duck tamal ($28), the savory dishes now balance great looks with very good bites. Even comfort foods like chicken enchiladas ($32) pop with colorful radishes, avocado, and fresh lettuce, brightening three substantial soft corn tortillas in red tomatillo salsa, while using crispy tortilla fragments, shredded chicken, and a light dusting of cheese to vary up the textures.

Paseo erases the line between high and low cuisine by elevating everything to a level well above common standards. A surprisingly filling black truffle steak tartare ($25) pairs a thick puck of shredded ribeye soaked in onion and truffle aioli with three oversized, perfectly cooked toast points. Lamb barbacoa ($44) includes three multi-colored corn tortillas, pickled pepper, pureed pinto beans, and a umami-rich, maguey leaf-wrapped hunk of lamb (with just a little too much bone). Even guacamole ($18) looks and tastes a little fancy thanks to sliced radish accents, serrano chilis, and quality housemade tortilla chips; you can stick with complementary chips and strong red salsa if you prefer.