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The Prado at Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

The Prado at Balboa Park

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Visa Dining Collection

4.6
4.6
8044 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian
1549 El Prado, Suite 12, San Diego, CA 92101

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 64 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, in the Historic House of Hospitality, The Prado offers historic charm and California cuisine.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 11:30 am–8:00 pm Sun 11:30 am–7:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    John King
  • Catering
    Prado Catering<br />The Prado also offers full service catering at various museums and other locations within Balboa Park. Please contact our catering department for additional information.<br /><br />Experience our Award-Winning Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner Menus<br />Professional Staff-Synchronized Service.<br />Full length table linens, gold chiavari chairs and porcelain china.
  • Private party facilities
    The Prado, located in the historic House of Hospitality in the center of San Diego’s famous Balboa Park is known for its world-class California cuisine, unparalleled ambiance and excellent service. From intimate gatherings to grand affairs, the Prado has it all to make your event unforgettable!
  • Private party contact
    Event Manager: (619) 557-9441
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    6th Avenue
  • Parking details
    Free public parking lots available throughout Balboa Park.
  • Public transit
    Visit Balboa Park using the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), with easy access from the downtown and Mission Valley areas.Review the times for route Routes 120 (Fashion Valley), Route 7 (Smart Corner) and Rapid 215 are the main bus routes through Balboa Park
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Mother's Day Brunch

    $84.95 per person

    May 11, 2025 only
    Happy Mother's Day! Join us at the Prado at Balboa Park for our Mother's Day Brunch with bottomless mimosas. On this day we will only be serving a buffet from 10am-2:30 pm. Adults are $84.95. Children 12 & under $19.95. Under 6 years are complimentary.

Private dining

What 8,044 people are saying

The Prado at Balboa Park reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Prado at Balboa Park offers a charming dining experience with its "exceptional service" and "beautiful setting" in a historic location. Guests rave about the "delicious food," especially the Date Night menu, making it a popular choice for special occasions. The outdoor patio provides "breathtaking views," enhancing the overall ambiance.

8,044 Reviews
  1. David VIP

    San Diego39 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Slight problem using the new app to get credit for today's charge. I waited until the CC was charged to show the waiter the QR code. A manager came over and redid the charge to deduct the $10 sign-up credit, but that was not what I was trying to do. Perhaps I am mistaken about what the QR code is for or how to use it.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Craig

    San Diego3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Jose is an amazing waiter. Very personable and knowledgeable. Creates a positive experience. Highly recommend

    Is this helpful?

  3. Kit-Bacon

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Fabulous service, yummy food. Perhaps modified acoustics would resolve the noise level?

    Is this helpful?

  4. Terry VIP

    Washington DC32 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful to sit outside and look at the gorgeous scenery. The hamburger was delicious. The service could not have been better. A perfect afternoon!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Michele VIP

    San Francisco9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We dine here often before plays at the Okd Globe. The food is always good and we appreciate that they have specials to change up the menu a bit.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Fred

    Central Coast3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was truly delicious. There were no lines to get to the various Buffett stations at all. Our server Scott was super friendly and gave us great service. The staff was so friendly and the Easter bunny was a nice touch. A perfect Easter Brunch, A+.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Sarah VIP

    San Diego15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous Easter brunch - excellent excellent service - all staff so lovely and attentive!! Thank you - great food and great experience!! See you again!

    Is this helpful?

  8. John VIP

    San Diego52 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing service from the staff, including our waitress who ensured we got out of there on time in order to catch a show at the Fleet Center. The ambiance was beautiful, just being there as the sun was setting through the trees was perfect. Good food, good drinks, and a fantastic location. Thanks Prado team!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Ed

    Unspecified1 review

    1.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Is it over crowded or under staffed? for the price it should not be both

    Is this helpful?

  10. Richard

    San Diego33 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely table outside overlooking gardens and fountain area and was just perfect for an early Friday meal prior to an 8:30 Candlelight show. Server was extremely friendly and perfectly attentive. Wine was reasonably priced. Then unfortunately the food let us down, the chefs cut steak w/ grilled shrimp, potatoes and broccolini except for the shrimp were not very flavorful. My wife’s paella was really disappointing and lacked good consistency and flavor. Would never order either of these again. The flan and creme brûlée were luckily a nice ending to an otherwise lackluster meal. Next time would order wine, couple heavy sides, but would skip the “dinner meal”. This place is busy due to location, not its cuisine.

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

The Prado at Balboa Park is rated 4.6 stars by 8044 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 64 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Prado at Balboa Park

1549 El Prado, Suite 12, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

  • Cross street
    6th Avenue
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 11:30 am–8:00 pm Sun 11:30 am–7:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Free public parking lots available throughout Balboa Park.
  • Public transit
    Visit Balboa Park using the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), with easy access from the downtown and Mission Valley areas.Review the times for route Routes 120 (Fashion Valley), Route 7 (Smart Corner) and Rapid 215 are the main bus routes through Balboa Park
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    John King
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Prado Catering<br />The Prado also offers full service catering at various museums and other locations within Balboa Park. Please contact our catering department for additional information.<br /><br />Experience our Award-Winning Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner Menus<br />Professional Staff-Synchronized Service.<br />Full length table linens, gold chiavari chairs and porcelain china.
  • Private party facilities
    The Prado, located in the historic House of Hospitality in the center of San Diego’s famous Balboa Park is known for its world-class California cuisine, unparalleled ambiance and excellent service. From intimate gatherings to grand affairs, the Prado has it all to make your event unforgettable!
  • Private party contact
    Event Manager: (619) 557-9441
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