Excellent service. The food was amazing, the set up was great and everything was professionally handled. Got multiple compliments on the food and Chef Jeff set up everything (including a printed menu, so all the guests knew what was being served) and cleaned up when everything was done. Highly recommend and would definitely hire him again. read more

Convivial Catering has provided catering for numerous gatherings in the opulent high-rise building where I currently reside. They serve up delicious food, and their crew is pleasant and incredibly helpful. They offer a wide range of meal options and are highly adaptable in carrying out requests for themed parties. We will be using them again in the future. read more

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Convivial Catering is the best caterer in San Diego. Jeff the owner catered our first barbecue at our High Rise Condominium in downtown San Diego and it was amazing. Our residents dined in style with Cedar Plank Salmon, a hamburger bar, roasted and grilled vegetables, Rainbow Pasta Salad, Celebration Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette with sliced pears, candied walnuts and craisins. The chocolate brownies were euphoric. I am still dreaming about them. Jeff and his team were so accomodating in every way and addressed all dietary requests . The food was creatively displayed and so delicious. Thank you Jeff and your team for making our first Barbecue here at Pacific Gate Condominiums in downtown San Diego a hugh success. read more

Chef Jeff. That vegan Sheppard pie.... sooo good! Dude you can make "humble" taste amazingly gourmet !!!

Chef Jeff is absolutely AMAZING!! I hired Convivial Catering for a 75th birthday party for my husband and his identical twin brother. The food was worthy of any five star restaurant. We had 6 different appetizers which were yummy and got all the guests primed for the dinner buffet. Medallions of beef were excellent accompanied by grilled asparagus, lyonnaise potatoes, preceded by butter salad with beets. Mac n cheese for guests that are were non-meat eaters. All were taste treats! Thank You so very much for making this day extra-special ;-) read more

Jeff and his team catered my wedding and they were absolutely incredible! They were so professional and easy to work with. We had a backyard wedding and they worked with the space (and very small, old kitchen) without issue. Jeff and his team were so flexible and collaborated with us during the whole planning process to make sure things went smoothly. And of course, the food was absolutely incredible, and beautiful! Jeff took the time to figure out our vision and gave us so many amazing options to choose from, all while being very respectful of our budget. I still have friends asking me for contact info for my wedding caterer for their upcoming events! read more

If you have any catering needs, Convivial Catering is the way to go! Jeff and his team are amazing and the food tastes just as good as it looks! Will definitely be using them for any future catering needs. read more

Jeff is great to work with. I was in a tough situation with my wedding, 3 weeks before the date I was notified that my caterer wouldn't be able to do it. He came to my rescue, was so efficient and on top of all the details. He is very accessible, text, email, phone, whatever your pleasure. When it came to my wedding date he was so in control and so helpful (I've heard from everyone who helped set up). His food was fantastic and people are still saying good things about it 2 weeks later, especially about the beef bourguignon and the garlic mashed potatoes. His staff was friendly and helpful and very professional. I would recommend him for the food and especially for the service. read more

We used Convivial to cater our wedding last month. One of the most important components of planning our wedding was to make sure we served delicious food to our guests. We spent a lot of time researching and came across Convivial. In the initial phase, we really loved the whimsy that Chef Jeff displayed when helping us plan the menu. We were so sick of seeing unimaginative items during our research, so seeing Convivial's menu was a breath of fresh air and then planning our menu with Jeff was so much fun. In addition, sticking to our budget was of course important and Jeff really worked with us. He also gave us many tips when we were planning how to stock the bar. Fast forward to our wedding. We got such good feedback from our guests! I can tell the feedback was sincere because our guests made a point to compliment the food. Jeff's staff were also exceptional. The servers made sure we got some appetizers and drinks because we were too busy to make it to cocktail hour. We got compliments that the bartenders were professional and attentive i.e. remembering people's drink preferences. I also really appreciated the staff for doing the hard work of moving ALL the chairs from the ceremony inside even though they were not the one responsible for it. We are just so grateful to Jeff and his staff for helping to make our wedding a wonderful experience. read more

We were planning a going away party for my daughter who was leaving to study abroad and wanted to have around 100 family and friends over at our home. My wife has always insisted on cooking meals herself, however after considering the daunting task of having to provide appetizers, dinner, and dessert for 100 people, she gave me the task of finding a caterer. Our neighbor recommended Convivial, and after a little research online I decided to give them a call. I spoke directly to the owner, Jeff, who assured me I would not regret choosing them and offered us a very reasonable quote for the 100 guests. The party went off without a hitch and the food was definitely the highlight of the evening. I made a point to ask as many guests as I could how the food was and I did not get one single negative remark. I was super impressed and will definitely be recommending them to friends. Thanks! read more

A couple coworkers and I attended the third in a series of technical symposia recently, this one taking place in San Diego. Just as everyone was beginning to feel a little hungry, servers had laid out an amazing table -- and we hadn't so much as noticed their arrival! Moreover, we were absolutely astonished at the quality of the affair. Dishes were a surprising medley of Mexi-Mediterranean stirfry and Sichuan cannolis, definitely a little unlike anything we'd enjoyed at these affairs in the past. Delicious. Jeff and his personable crew of artisans' original, tasty and delightfully presented work is more than heartily recommended. read more

Jeff and his staff catered my outdoor summer party for about 60 guests. The food was served with impeccable timing, presented with attention to detail, and produced with inspired taste. I suggested the style of food be classic standards with a unique twist, interesting but not over the top, he pretty much nailed it. My guests were impressed with each dish and i heard a few discussions one which was best. The fettucine with roasted red pepper sesame dressing was especially memorable. Their price was reasonable(about $12 per head) and their was plenty of food for my guests. I'll be using him again next year. read more

Seriously, Amazing food! Sliders, Mac n cheese bar, and grilled veggies... unbelievable! Jeff hooked us up for a party of almost 100 and everything was perfectly timed and it cost less than our budget. Jeff met with us and planned food that fit our event, our guests, and our personalities! Can't wait for another birthday so Jeff can cater for us again read more

Convivial did an event for our company yesterday and what an amazing company. They were tasked with providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for a very important meeting for our company president where I needed it to be flawless. They were on time, considerate of allowing the meeting to continue uninterrupted while they set up and the food was amazing!! They delivered and set up everything very nicely. We will absolutely use them again! Thank you to everyone that participated in meeting our needs yesterday. What a friendly and professional staff! read more

Jeff and his staff are *FABULOUS*!! Convivial catered my 20th high school reunion party. The food was amazing, and they were wonderful to work with. Reasonable cost, too. read more

Jeff is awesome! Jeff and his staff are professional and talented. I absloutely recommend Convivial Catering! Yum! Yum! Yum!

Absolutely the best caterer anywhere! I have used Convivial for over 5 years for everything from big company picnics to fancy 5 course dinners. The food and the service have never failed to impress! I am a RAVING fan! read more

Jeff with Convivial Catering was amazing! We hired his catering company for our wedding and we couldn't be happier with Jeff and his services! Jeff seems to have a great deal of experience, which was incredibly helpful when we sat down with him to go over our meal ideas. He was able to provide some suggestions and insight (though he wasn't pushy at all) that we hadn't even thought about. And don't even get me started about how amazing the food was! We're actually still getting compliments from our family and friends about how delicious everything was. Jeff also seemed really on top of things, and I never had to call him to follow up or to remind him of any of the details. It just made the entire wedding planning process (including the day of) so much easier knowing that Jeff would take care of everything related to the food. It was such a relief to have a great caterer that we could rely on for one of the most important days of our lives. With that in mind, we'll definitely be using him again for other big occasions! read more

We loved the service and food buffet that Convivial Catering provided us. We hosted a reception party for 60 guests. Our guests raved about the food and left the party full and happy! Thank you Chef Jeff for accommodating our menu requests and delivering 100% on quality and service! read more

After being invited to several events that happened to have Convivial Catering showing off their exquisite appetizers, I hired Jeff to cater a series of 10 business breakfast and lunch events. Chef Jeff''s food has been fantastic! I love to watch our guests line up for the buffet. Chef Jeff tempts them with 5 different and delicious varieties of frittata, paired with a seasonal fresh fruit tray, yogurt and wholesome granola, and fresh baked berry/sourcream coffee cake with a crunchy topping! I would recommend Convivial Catering to anyone looking to entertain business, family, or friends. read more

Jeff and his staff were excellent for our daughter's first birthday party of 50 guests. The exotic menu he created of Huli Huli Chicken with Hawaiian Style BBQ sauce, Thai Coconut Curry Marinated Grilled Chicken, and Asian Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry were outstanding. It was the perfect menu for my Japanese-American relatives from Hawaii. He even did a kid-friendly macaroni and cheese that was perfect for the many kids. The service was awesome and they were of great help with the birthday cake. He even went out of his way to get more propane for the heat lamps that were needed due to the unexpected chilly weather. He's very easy to work with and extremely professional. He obviously loves what he does and it shows in his incredible work! We highly recommend Convivial Catering. read more

I had to organize the catering for my sister's wedding. We had 30 discerning guests coming from Italy for the occasion. I was nervous about hiring an American chef. I've been living here for ten years and I've been very disappointed with the quality of San Diego restaurants. We hired Jeff and crew to take care of our reception at a private residence. I asked for a high quality menu which included risotto, salmon crostini, and filet mignon (among the highlights). Jeff did not disappoint. The food was fantastic and his staff was very professional. After the meal we learned that the oven at our venue had failed to operate. Amazingly Jeff did't miss a beat, made do with the grill and prepared the most exquisite meal. read more

Jeff always does an amazing job, I try to use him as much as possible for corporate events in the San Diego area. Food is great, and he's very professional. Clients love it. read more

Wow! What an incredible evening thanks to Jeff at Convivial Catering. He cooked for our dinner party of 18 at our home. The appetizers were incredibly flavorful and very appealing. After the cocktail hour, we had a feast to remember. The entree we chose was cooked to perfection: earthy, rich in flavor, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Not only was the food top quality, but the presentation of the dishes was stunning, simple, yet elegant. In addition, Jeff also was very generous in his portions, which I appreciated. I can't wait to plan another party with Jeff! Thank you again!!! read more

Where do I begin? It's been weeks since our wedding and we're STILL getting compliments on the amazing food. Several people have stated that it's the best food they have ever had. :-) Jeff was referred to us by a mutual friend who had catered her wedding. From the initial meeting, my husband and I liked him. As opposed to other catering companies who have a standardized menu, Jeff asked us questions about what foods we liked to eat and then custom designed a menu to suit our tastes. I specifically asked for sweet potato fries as an appetizer (yum!), and he rented the fryer that was necessary to prepare them. For the food tasting, we brought some family members with us and he personally served the dishes that we had for our wedding. When we decided to change the menu, he was completely obliging and allowed us to taste our new selection. Jeff worked with us in our budget, which we really appreciated. Whenever I had any questions, he was prompt in response and incredibly helpful. The staff at Convivial is very friendly and professional. Katerina did an outstanding job coordinating our needs leading up to the wedding. The layout of the buffet was fantastic. They won the approval of the father-of-the-bride, which is no small feat! If you're looking for a caterer for your next event, you will not go wrong with Jeff and the staff at Convivial! read more

No ifs, ands or buts about it...Jeff is the MAN. He catered my engagement party and no one left disappointed. Every guest raved about how delicious the food was. Jeff's professionalism and politeness are an added bonus. Moreover, he's very reasonably priced and flexible when it comes to his delicious menu. read more

If you have the opportunity to work with Jeff at Convivial Catering for any event, do it! Jeff and his attentive staff catered our wedding this last summer and it was wonderful. Not only was the food delicious, but the presentation was beautiful as well. Jeff was accommodating to work with from the very start. My groom and I wanted to serve food that highlighted both of our cultural backgrounds (Southern, Cuban and Portuguese) and that would also be appetizing to the many guests traveling here from different parts of the country. Jeff at Convivial worked with us to come up with a menu of buttermilk fried chicken sliders, mini pressed Cuban sandwiches and Portuguese shrimp cakes to serve as appetizers accompanied by fresh blanched green beans, amazing summer salad and both a vegetarian and seafood/meat paella for the main course. After the menu was created, Jeff prepared a delicious tasting for us which left us wanting more. After the tasting Jeff was an excellent asset in helping to secure rentals, make bar suggestions, adjust numbers and scheduling etc based on what was needed. His courtesy and customer service throughout the entire process was great. The day of the wedding the food turned out superb! Being that we were in a venue that had no kitchen or running water this was quite the accomplishment. Jeff and his staff built a kitchen on site that must have served all their needs because the food was spot on. I had many guest comments on how unique, fun and most of all delicious the food was. Even my vegetarian/ vegan friends exclaimed how the vegetable paella was the best wedding food they had ever been treated to! Jeff and his Convivial staff really went above and beyond to help us plan, organize and execute the best day ever! Thank you!! read more

Jeff was very professional and extremely helpful at a very difficult time for me. He catered my Dad's Memorial and it was magic. The food was amazing.......everyone ate everything! Highly recommend!!!! Would give him 10 stars read more

Chef Jeff welcomed us into his kitchen and donned with aprons, under his guidance, we prepared an amazing meal. He is a marvelous and enthusiastic teacher, who guided us and encouraged us. Several of us are good cooks and we all learned things. The menu we wanted included many varieties of fish and veggies. I would heartily recommend Convivial for private cooking lesson evenings and catering. read more

We recently used Convivial Catering for a work happy hour with heavy appetizers. Our guest of honor was Vegan and I had hear Jeff made great Vegan food. It was all true! We had an assortment of Vegan and non Vegan food and it was awesome. Even something as simple as a veggie skewer was flavorful, great seasoning/marinade, and large veggies. I feel like if you can make a veggie skewer taste amazing, you can pretty much do anything. The ahi poke was also excellent and I would definitely recommend. Overall, I was very pleased with my interaction with Jeff and his recommendations. I will say however that I initially thought his food was pretty expensive, but the portions ended up being quite large in my opinion. We had 20 people coming and to save money, I ordered for about 15 people instead since we were just doing a short happy hour anyways. There was plenty of food and there were leftovers, so I certainly felt that the value was there. read more

AMAZING food! I came across Convivial Catering when searching for food options for my departments Holiday party. Jeff was prompt to answer questions and emails. I even gave the wrong date and he was still able to accommodate my request. My coworkers could not stop talking about how great the food was. I myself am not a fish person but one of the options was Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi, it was so delicious I went back for seconds. The staff that was onsite was so nice and helpful. The event was held at my Boss's house and she was so impressed with how well they cleaned up, it's like they were never there. I will be recommending Jeff and his staff to everyone. Thanks everyone for all the hard work you did. read more

The professionalism of this company is unmatched. The staff always shows up on time for each of our corporate events and looks well put together. They understand it takes a team to make an event go smoothly and always offer to help myself and the other vendors on site. Jeff is the best and despite what I assume is a very busy schedule always gets back to me in a very timely fashion. If this was all I knew it would be enough, but not only is the customer care wonderful, the food has been nothing short of fantastic as well. Keep up the excellent work guys! Best Caterer in SD! read more