Prado in San Diego - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Sat in the bar. Atmosphere is great. Service was excellent. Food is very good. We were able to walk right in and get a table prior to going to a play.

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on 8/24/24 to celebrate our anniversary. We had a reservation at 5pm, and we had no wait at all. We had a cute little table for 2, but the chairs were uncomfortable, and oddly a bit tall so my legs were dangling most of the time. The ambiance was okay, but it was a bit disappointing that for having window seats, the view was of the tops of umbrellas. Our server was Beto, and he was very kind, knowledgeable about the menu, and attentive. We felt the drinks were a bit on the lighter side, but the food was really good. We ordered the hummus and crackers for a starter and for our main meal we ordered the rigatoni pasta dish and the chefs choice steak with shrimp. Both were really flavorful, and the portion was just right. For dessert, we ordered the crème brulee and to our surprise Beto brought the piloncillo flan for an anniversary gift. Both tasted really good! I would like to come back here and try other plates that they offer. Pros: service, food, anniversary treat Cons: parking, chairs, ambiance could be better, busser-I think in training-was a bit handsy. We were not all the way done eating and he would come in an try and take our plates.

Fabulous lunch with longtime friends (and some new ones) after a nice docent led tour at Museum of Art.

Scott S was my server & he was nothing but great! Thank you so much for your service. As a New Yorker you don’t get that very often (haha). The food was great, the portion was more than enough & the Prado margarita was more than what I expected. Thanks again for the Birthday flan!

Love the outdoor dining. Wonderful ambiance. But food is very hit or miss depending on who is in the kitchen. There are a hundred YouTube videos on how to make a proper risotto. Prado’s is a starchy gloopy travesty. Arugula salad is sometimes good, but sometimes disgustingly sweet. Would be nice if the restaurant leadership would insist on consistency. You just never know what you are going to get.

Thank you for a wonderful dining experience! This was Alta Cocina!

Food was awesome and our server Ben was great

Food, service, and ambience were all excellent. The Sunday afternoon Lunch menu was somewhat limited. But we all found dishes that we thoroughly enjoyed. Sitting outside, we had restaurant music competing with a performance at Spreckels. With the unusually hot weather, that makes two reasons that indoor seating might have been better. Cost was very high. That's part of the post-Covid dining out experience. And why we dine out far less often now.

Food not like what it used to be. Chef needs to change the dinner menu A LOT. Lunch is much much better.

The Burria sandwich was amazing and our server, Berto was very nice and accommodating. The place was clean and the prices were reasonable

Great food, gorgeous relaxing atmosphere, and probably the best service we've ever experienced!

I just cannot say enough good things about The Prado at Balboa Park. The service was excellent (thank you Leslie), the food was out of this world, and the Tuesday Date Night menu is the best deal in town. If I could give our experience tonight 6 stars out of 5 stars I would. I hope the manager on duty (Michael) passes along how extremely pleased we were to end our day in Balboa Park at The Prado! If you're reading this, I'm telling you, check this place out, you won't be disappointed.

It's a very tourist destination but the location is great, food is good, and service is awesome. The tacos you build yourself and it's actually good that way! Kinda new flavors with the shredded cabbage but it works. Not authentic by any means but who cares, it was good. Sangria was OK- more wine vs. marinated fruit. Enjoy San Diego in one of the beat parks in the world one bite at a time!

The Prado at Balboa Park offers a delightful dining experience with a beautiful ambiance that complements its historic setting. Our waitress, Wendy, was exceptional—attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. The food was well-prepared, with a perfect balance of flavors and presentation that impressed. Whether you're looking for a special evening out or a casual lunch, The Prado delivers an excellent experience, made even better by top-notch service like Wendy's.

Love watching the planes go by on the patio for a late lunch after the zoo or museums! Service is always awesome (thank you, Amos) and the food never disappoints 😎

Prado is the best place to dine prior to Theatre at the old Globe or if you are wanting a sit down nice meal and connection with visiting any of the attractions at Balboa Park. Dining outside on their patio in the summer is the nicest setting. Inside is fine, but nothing spectacular. Highest praise goes to the staff at the Prado. Some of the Waitt staff have been there for decades and everyone, from the front desk to the bus. Boys is very well trained and gives excellent service. If you’re running late for a show, they will tell you exactly what they can make in the amount of time you have and they will make sure that it gets delivered in time too. The menu has a wide assortment to meet every dietary or palate that comes in the door. And they’re willing to make adjustments to food to please you.

Great food and the atmosphere is awesome. Our server was great considering we had 10+ people just drop in.

The food & service was excellent. Pablo our waiter was exceptional.

Great food, excellent service from the hostess to all servers. Very friendly and welcoming. Our server, Berto, was personable and friendly. Made for a pleasurable dining experience.

The perfect place to go for my 75th birthday with my husband and our best friend!

We enjoyed a terrific Cobb salad and the service was great.

Excellent….ambience Excellent…..food Excellent…..Server and staff. Shaira P was absolutely the best Server ever. She was friendly, very conscientious, understanding & knowledgeable . Thank you all for making an evening special! We will be returning!

They never disappoint. Casual atmosphere, excellent food and outstanding service.

Celebrated my birthday there with my grandchildren!! It was awesome!

Ordered Caesar salad excellent. Salmon and short ribs. Salmon, mashed potatoes, and beef sauce were excellent. Rice was okay. Short ribs were disappointing—tough and dry. Pina colada crème brûlée was delicious Ate on the patio, a wonderful setting. Please improve those short ribs.

We recently took some out-of-town visitors to the Prado for lunch. We specifically wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather on the patio and were not disappointed. Even though we were about 5 minutes late for our reservation, staff was extraordinarily polite and accommodating. After being seated we were greeted almost immediately by a server and provided with water. Our wait staff appeared soon after to take our orders. She was friendly, gave recommendations and answered our questions, and made us all feel welcome. While the food was well prepared, some of us found it difficult to eat as sandwiches due to their size and construction. A little 'de-construction' took care of that problem. Though the patio was nearly full, we at no time had difficulty carrying on conversations. We lingered over lunch, and the patio was nearly empty, but at no time did we feel 'rushed' by the staff, who thanked us and wished us a wonderful day a we left. This place is a gem.

On a balmy evening we had a delicious dinner accompanied by the USA Gymnastics Team-inspired margaritas. Our server, Shay, was completely fabulous. She took such great care of us. She is a standup in a roster of great servers at The Prado.

Service is always great, food fabulous. Presentation was gorgeous, wasn't sure if I should have taken pictures or eat it! It all was great.

Great special offered on Tuesday nights pre-theater. 1 salad, 2 entrees and a bottle of wine for $68! Fabulous deal and really tasty.

Very good food & service! Will be back! Prices are fair.

We had an light early dinner prior to attending the theatre. The clam chowder was very good and the beet salad was larger than I expected so I took home the leftovers. Wait staff was very attentive and got us out in time for our show.

Great food. Maybe needs a larger menu

There were four of us. We sat outside. It was a lovely day. Food and drinks were good. Our server was fantastic.

Our server Jasmine was very attentive and professional.

A beautiful place to sit and have a drink before a show, but the food was fair at best.

Lovely venue- outdoor seating was especially lovely. Food was great - had the beet salad and the seared sea bass. Both delicious. Staff was attentive & provided color napkins when requested.

Nice ambience but overpriced. Food is average Don’t like the service !

We had a disappointing experience at the restaurant. Despite the nice ambiance, the service was subpar. It took over 30 minutes for us to receive the menu after requesting it, and we had to complain twice before it was brought to our table. Additionally, there was another 30-minute wait for our meal after placing our order.Horrible customer service.

Excellent environment and service. Great place to visit.

We used to dine regularly at the Prado, but have noticed a substantial drop in food quality and quantity the past few years, and will most likely not return. We started with the calamari appetizer and noticed it no longer is served in a cabbage leaf and the quantity is halved from prior times. I had the Paella for lunch, which used to be amazing, but this time it had very little seafood and an over abundance of sausage, all for ~$35.00. The Prado no longer offers the complimentary flat bread and humus. The presentation and amenities that they used to have made up for the steep prices, but no longer.

Picked The Prado because we were attending a play at the Old Globe. We received excellent service. Our server was very attentive and had great drink and dinner suggestions. It is in a tourist area, so fairly expensive, but it was expected. All in all a great date night experience.

I dine frequently at Prado before seeing plays at The Old Globe. This most recent visit stands out because of outstanding service. Our waiter, Beto, was exceptional.

Ordered the chef’s special salad. Was supposed to be grilled peaches with prosciutto, burratta and a basil dressing. The peaches were as hard as apples and maybe two had grill marks on them. Also maybe a teaspoon worth of prosciutto. It was the special for the day- if you don’t have ripe fruit, change the offering. I should have sent it back- however I was hungry, hoping it would get better and didn’t want to damper the mood- we were with another couple. After you eat it- you can’t complain. So my bad. On a positive- the pork rib roast was AMAZING as always. Also they don’t bring the crackers with hummus any more:-( We are paying $38 for entrees- no “bread”. Can’t beat the atmosphere-

Great food! Wife had the Pasta Alla Norma I had the sea bass. My wife enjoyed her dish, the sea bass was a lil overcooked. For dessert, we had the tres leches cake and the crème brûlée, both were amazing. Drinks were delicious as well. We were helped by Blair, she was great Wasn’t our first time there, we will return…

Our server, Pablo, was outstanding! He was very personable, friendly, helpful. We will always ask to be seated in his area.

We’re summer visitors and have been coming for years right before heading to the Old Globe. I always book my reservation months in advance and request Jenny as our server and table 132 facing the park. Today we arrived at 5:45 for a 6:00 reservation and we were told by the host that she ‘held our table as long as she could’ but that another party had insisted on that table so she had to give it to them. No explanation other than another party wanted it??? What’s wrong with telling someone that the table is already reserved? While we enjoyed our meal, my husband and I were upset that our request wasn’t handled well and the explanation we were given was disappointing. The way this was handled by the host put a damper on what is usually a wonderful experience.

We ate inside for the AC. Waiter was attentive and the food was delicious.

The Cesar salad was delish. My cocktail was Yummo. Perfect place to spend an afternoon with out of town guests.

We enjoyed a delightful lunch outside on the terrace celebrating my mother's 80th birthday. Our server Jenni P was the very best server that I have had in a very long time. She was helpful, attentive and just overall a sincerely wonderful person. Jenni made our day extra special and we are so appreciative.

Our server was amazing yesterday. She had good suggestions, listened well. The food was outstanding, drinks were top notch. Everything at the Prado is always awesome.

Always enjoy dining at the Prado. Had a very nice dinner there last night with friends enjoying the evening air (as we sat outside on the patio - which was not crowded at all!) before heading over to theatre at the Old Globe. It is great to have a restaurant of this quality in the park.

Wonderful except we were not greeted at the front desk. We waited until the hosts conversation paused. There were 6 people standing behind the front desk! I believe the manager was the one talking which explains the lack of hospitality training.

Amazing food, beautiful outdoor patio, and fantastic service. Best restaurant in San Diego.

Beautiful setting in Balboa Park. Lexi provided excellent service. Her recommendations for wine and entrees were excellent as was the food.

Very limited menu and food and drinks were way overpriced. Cocktails were $18 for example.

Great everything! Visited today for the first time and it’s really a lovely place. The cocktails deserve an A+ as well as our waitress Wendy. :)

The Prado is a venerable restaurant in Balboa Park whose menu hasn't changed in years. It has the most wonderful location in the park and uses this to maintain mundane choices, reasonable service, and an overall lack of innovation.

The pasta dish was delicious - a fine portion for me but perhaps a bit small for some diners. The dessert was also delicious - Tres Leches cake and ice cream - perfect to share.

Better than I had remembered! Will go back soon. I’m

Love Prado! Great dinner before a play at the old Globe

Beautiful outdoor dinning area! Great beet salad and love the Sangria!

Very much thanx to our waiter Freddie. Excellent service. Food was awesome, sat in front patio w/ our 2 doggies in their stroller. Nice view of fountain. It was very busy. Food and drinks were great and served pretty quick. I loved it.

A lovely lunch location. Great service and delicious and healthy lunch options.

New menu in main dining room is too expensive. We should have eaten in the bar. It still has the good menu,

Great bites and good beer. Maurice was awesome!

The Prado is a San Diego classic! Consistently beautiful with high quality food and service.

Great meal and experience as always. We had lunch on the patio and had great service. Cocktails were top notch! Prado is a great spot to visit while in Balboa Park and a great San Diego tradition.

It was a great dinner and great service. Lovely menu and atmosphere

We have attended on Tuesday's a few times now, they have a great date night menu on Tuesday's only. The difference I see post COVID is portions, still decent and worth the price. Just wish there was a little more salad. Seabass, delicious....Short ribs, I wish I had some leftovers. We will be back

I'm almost afraid to call this a hidden gem -- but it is a hidden gem of San Diego. The outdoor seating is so lovely. The food was delicious. The service was amazing. I so enjoyed every moment. I highly recommend the Sea Bass. This is a fantastic start to a show at the Old Globe. We forget that it is here -- but something to absolutely enjoy.

Dog friendly patio! Recommend the calamari appetizer and the spritz cocktail.

The Prado is one of those restaurants that tourist see from afar as they are traveling around a beautiful location, and it beckons them to come, sit down and rest here. You aren’t there for a gourmet meal with perfect service ( they are overworked) and food, although the food can be good at times, so manage expectations. What it does provide is a wonderful place to relax and eat something good after walking ALL around Balboa Park.

We were there in the afternoon during happy hour timing and the menu had very very limited options. Great with kids and had high chairs.

Service was amazing! Food was delicious, we had the grilled Mahi Mahi tacos and the Kobe Beef Burger. Also, enjoyed the seasonal blackberry margarita. A definite return for us.

Stopped in for lunch before we toured around Balboa park. Good fresh food and a nice patio!

Every part of our meal was delivered with perfect timing and deference to the diner’s experience. Arrangements had also been made for a high chair and booster seat for my grandchildren🐽

Beautiful setting out on the patio. Enjoyed a lovely lunch with cocktails. Friendly staff!

BUENA COMIDA COREANA...VEGETARIANA....PERO NI UN SOLO PLATO TIPICO DE COCINA ESPAÑOLA....TORTILLA DE PATATA CON CEBOLLA, GAZPACHO....NI SIQIERA HAN OIDO HABLAR DE ESTOS, NI DEL LECHAZO, BIEN A LA BRASA DE SARMIENTO O ASADO EN HORNO DE ROBLE, ES DECIR NADA DE NADA.

The patio outside the bar is a great place for a drink and a snack.

Excellent service! Our table was outside - perfect date night restaurant

Delicious food in a beautiful space with an attentive, knowledgeable wait staff. A+ dining experience.

I have been here a number of times over the years. The food is very good. Price is about what you would expect. Located in beautiful Balboa Park. We had excellent service last night. One of my favorite places for lunch or dinner.

Great location, beautiful outside views, great service and delicious food.

Lovely dining experience; impeccable service; delicious food.

Service was outstanding. Food was amazing. They gave us an Anniversary card, and everyone signed it. It was a perfect evening

I loved the outdoor area but the brunch is pricey. I recommend this spot for a special occasion. Our server was extremely nice she recommended we visit the rose garden.

We had been in Prado for two dinners and recently for lunch. Dinners were good: the service and food were nice. But recent visit for Sunday lunch was so-so. Mostly only tacos were served. My tacos was very spicy and it wasn’t marked as spicy in the menu. The margaritas tasted like there wasn’t any alcohol there. But I was the most surprised with that the service was almost none. Yes, the person who served us checked on us couple of times while we were eating. But there were times when we were waited for food or order the desert quite a bit and nobody will come. All that time the waiter just was chatting with other waiters, standing with his back to us. This was the first time I didn’t give even 20%, usually I would give more than that.

Our server was great and very patient with our group.

My friends and I had an amazing time. The food was good and the peach margarita was delicious! Special thank you to the restaurant and our waitress, Wendy! She made our friend’s birthday super special! Will come again!

This place is so nice. The view was beautiful. The food & drinks were amazing. I loved it here.

It's the iconic eating spot in Balboa Park. I especially recommend the mahi mahi fish tacos.. They were excellent.

The best place to eat delicious food in a calm and relaxing environment with the best servers!

I was honestly expecting a lame experience with bland meal options given it's location but was pleasantly surprised by a fairly diverse menu within the beautiful old rooms of the Prado. The wait staff was pleasant and attentive, and did not rush out party with a young napping child in a stroller.

Really great attentive from beginning to end-Hostess seating; service and checking on us throughout was great-i had Mahi tacos and friends had Shrimp Cobb which were all fresh and delicious. Pretty setting and great weather made for a nice day!!

The food was very average, possibly even below. The atmosphere and service were great.

The outdoor patio was pleasant with a nice breeze and view.

It was my 1st time dining at the Prado and upon arrival there was a hiccup with seating us though we had a reservation, Keep your electronic copy because it help me greatly not to be seated to where I felt downgraded...concerned manager fixed it all and allowed us to enjoy our meal in the "Courtyard" area vers the small side tables adjacent to the wall. Calamari was the best but very very small portion...typical gourmet but it was delicious and my fish taco were high quality. My husband had the panella and was absolutely pleased. It was nice experience for us as we dined with some old friends...wonderful environment on a hot hot San Diego day. As a local I'm glad we all had the opportunity to try it out...next time I'll take pic and hope for smoother seating!!!

Jada gave us great service, Michael checked on us a few times and we came here on the recommendation of Lisa. We had the calamari, the beet salad and the Seabass. Craft cocktails were delicious. Everything was timed perfectly, great atmosphere and delicious food.

Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Prado. Hailey was an excellent server. Crab dip was excellent, cobb salad and halibut sandwich were all delicious.

Food was pretty good but they were out of both desserts we wanted. And the service wasn't very good. Was very slow and server was not very knowledgeable about the tequilas available or the food.