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    Emjaye Inspired

    4.7 (20 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    12 hours

    Response rate

    100%

    Services - Emjaye Inspired

    Gluten-free catering

    Kosher catering

    Vegan catering

    Emjaye Inspired Photos

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    CritDicks ..

    An interesting evening under the stars...then (uh oh!) rainbow, then rain, then clouds with no rain. Make up your mind Mother Nature on this mid-summer Southern California eve as MJ helped gather, "Get the cushions!", stage stuff and other event hosting stuff from the weather. As the very good acoustic (but amplified) band Coral Bells continued their performance, now under the canopies in a more intimate finale to the evening, MJ sat in the back and enjoyed her showcase of the available stage/patio gathering area of Emjaye Inspired / Culinary Art / Comfy Kitchen located on the campus of Alliant International University in San Diego, CA. I still struggle a bit with understanding just how, what and where Chef MJ gets to display, sell and serve her cuisine. Does she serve food here, in the former cafeteria of the university, provide catered meals to big corporate functions, or deliver to those that chose to use local services like Uber Eats or Grub Hub. I thinks it's a little (or a lot) of all of that. The food that I sampled (available at the event) was hot, in large portions and very very tasty. I can't necessarily say the plated presentation was good because I was now eating my Shepherds (was it really lamb?) Pie from a reusable plastic food box. The same plating was used to present our BBQ Pork Mac and Cheese (I was still struggling to find the bacon even the next day). The only plating that seemed consistent with the website picture were the deserts; they were served in small prepackaged plastic cups. Not that any of the plating was lacking or otherwise insufficient, but it seemed to work well this evening at the event. Once ordered, the food came out very fast, very hot and very tasty. As evidenced by the compliments from our table and the comment of the leftovers from my son the next day, the food was really good. I personally thought it was also very good, but somewhat predictable in flavor and texture; and then, what do you do about presenting it in a plastic microwave-safe container? You do just what MJ does, . . . the best that MJ can. A good job all the way around. Take a stop through the campus and check out Emjaye Inspired cuisine. Way in the back, just follow the signs Dicks

    Gluten free personal cheesecake
    Deanna S.

    The best catering company in the greater San Diego area! After going to an event that was catered by Emjaye, I was impressed first by the presentation of the food. Everything looked and smelled amazing and the display was beautiful. I have used them on numerous occasions for simple desserts like cupcakes for my daughter's birthday to a full spread for small parties. From appetizers and charcuterie boards to full meals, food is always delicious and presentation is almost too pretty to touch. I have to mention, the chef, Melissa, is wonderful at accommodating food allergies. My husband has celiac and the Chef Melissa always works with us on the menu to provide tasty alternatives he can enjoy from cookies and cupcakes to the best baked ziti he has had since being diagnosed. Their cheesecake with a gluten free crust is his absolute favorite and don't forget the brownies! Hire Emjaye Inspired and you will be blown away.

    #workbreakfast

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Great service with quality food, what more can you ask for. The food presentation was amazing definitely a 5 star!

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    Emjaye I.

    Thank you so much for the kind words Lizette!!

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    Review Highlights - Emjaye Inspired

    Melissa and her wonderful team provided catering for our Friday night welcome event, the night before our wedding.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The Point

    The Point

    (67 reviews)

    The point was THE PERFECT venue for my "cutie" themed baby shower. I couldn't be happier with how…read moregorgeous and bright the space was mixed with how friendly and accommodating the staff was. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

    We hosted our wedding here in September, and from the first tour, we knew there was no better…read moresetting. The venue itself is stunning- light-filled, elegant, and perfectly positioned overlooking the bay. It offered everything we were looking for aesthetically and logistically. Overall sentiment: This is a gorgeous venue that makes an incredible first impression. However, the experience with the venue's coordination and communication didn't live up to the beauty of the space. If you're detail-oriented or able to stay on top of planning logistics yourself, you can absolutely make it work, but if you're hoping for hands-on, consistent support from the venue team, you may want to budget for extra help. 2) Pros Beautiful location: The ceremony site overlooks the bay between palm trees, truly breathtaking and perfect for photos (though note in Sept the grass was pretty brown/dead- it's maintained by the city of San Diego, not the Point). Gorgeous interior: The reception space is full of natural light, with beautiful wooden tables (no need for linens) and a chandelier draped with greenery and lights, which helped us save on décor and flowers. Flexible vendor policy: We loved that we could choose our own caterer and bring in our own alcohol, this flexibility gave us creative control and helped manage costs. Spacious and well laid out: The venue comfortably fit around 150 guests, with smooth transitions between ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. 3) Cons Customer service inconsistencies: Communication often lagged, and we had to double-check details multiple times to make sure nothing was missed. Frequent staff changes: Our main contact kept shifting. Different team members joined calls without being fully briefed, and we occasionally received conflicting information. Day-of coordination issues: We weren't introduced to our "day-of coordinator" until a week before the wedding. She left after our grand entrance and handed us off to someone we'd never met, which felt unprofessional and confusing. The event timeline fell behind, the grand entrance was delayed by about 30 minutes, and no one notified us so we could adjust. From that point on we were late on the whole timeline, and we ended up missing "golden hour" for sunset portraits. I wish she would have approached me at the scheduled time for the grand entrance to check in with me on making it happen. Last-minute changes: Floor plans were delayed several times, and even at the rehearsal, staff were suggesting new tweaks instead of finalizing details earlier. Parking challenges: Guest parking was extremely crowded, and we weren't warned this could be an issue, which led to confusion and delays. No bridal suite/bathrooms: There is no availabiltiy to get ready on site- they don't have a bridal suite and the bathroom is a small one toilet room, or a group of stalls shared by the Mission Bay Acquatic Center- you will have to get ready offsite and then sneak into the venue through the catering entrance in the parking lot. In summary: This is a truly beautiful venue. But the organizational side could use improvement. If you're someone who can stay on top of the details (or hire a planner to help), it's absolutely worth it for the setting. Just be prepared to take the lead on coordination to ensure your day runs smoothly.

    Myst - Thai chili drinking chocolate

    Myst

    (36 reviews)

    $$

    Kearny Mesa

    Last month in June, I did a tour at Encore Event Center. I worked with a gentleman named Peter…read moreCharles. He seemed to be friendly, but very fast talking and very salesy. Sad to say I fell for the okey-doke! We were made to believe that they are completely booked up all the way till 2027 and the only way to possibly book the date we were interested in was to pay $1000 booking deposit. He also quoted us $15,000 for an all-inclusive package, which is a great deal, but we noticed him changing the numbers on the quote to get it to equal a certain amount which we thought was a little bit shady. other venues we viewed, it was cut and dry what their cost was and what each element costs. Anyways, we put down the deposit because we were told that we have two weeks to decide and we did not see any harm in holding our date while we figured out what we were doing. Fast-forward only 4 days later, we decided not to go with them because we found a venue we loved with staff that were very transparent. It took me three days to get a response from Peter to get a refund. He only wanted to do things on the phone, he avoided trying to text me details. But I wanted things in writing. he called me and dropped our package down to $10,000! Because he didn't want us to cancel. I thought that was interesting that he was able to cut our price down so easily within seconds down to 10,000. That shows me he was just trying to make a sale instead of genuinely helping us on the biggest day of our lives. He told me it would be 10 business days to get my refund. I waited 10 business days and never seen a refund. I even have text messages of him telling me that I'll get a confirmation once the refund is processed. He absolutely confirmed that my refund was on the way. So after 10 business days,. I then called the venue and spoke with Maria. She told me Peter never requested my refund or never notated that I wanted a refund! Sounds like he was trying to run the clock out on my two week grace period. It's now been a month and I'm still going back-and-forth with them and now taking legal action. I just wanted to share my experience with anyone considering Encore Event Center. They are definite scammers. Not to mention, the venue itself was messy, the floors creaked , everything was outdated and tacky. He was trying to offer us the tiniest room for 140 people. There was no way we could fit 140 people in that space. While I'm excited to plan my wedding and create the most beautiful day of my life, it's starting out so dampend and dark because of Encore Event Center. Nobody has reached out to me, I still have not gotten a refund after a month. I have no confirmation emails that this has been worked on. It has been an absolute nightmare! I've worked in customer service over 10+ years. Nobody has tried to check in on me and make sure I'm OK or needed anything or communicated that things were in process etc. It's like crickets over there. Do not waste your time!

    Had a great time at my company holiday party that was held here! Beautiful venue inside but you…read morewould have never have guessed from the outside, since it's located in a business park around Miramar/Mira Mesa. The walls inside were beautifully painted like a dark fairy tale forest with unique lighted trees and hanging plants as chandeliers. Haven't seen a place like this before. They had buffet style food, bar, dance floor, DJ and even a photo booth. My coworkers had me vote before the party for what menu I would like, so I know there are about 4 menus to pick from if I remember correctly. I came late so there wasn't as much food out, but I did enjoy my plate. The food isn't fancy, but there was a good variety... wedge salad, prime rib, au gratin potatoes. I just remembered that it wasn't exactly hot anymore when I got there Think we had about 10 tables, which was a tight fit. They had a dance floor I've never seen before! It had a purple glow and was squishy when you stepped on it. I'm obviously easily amused. They did have a bar as well, which accepted cash and card. Sodas were free so my coworker told me a life hack... instead of buying a mixed drink, for example a coke and whiskey... just order a double shot and a side of soda for the same price! More liquor and not watered down. The bartender there on December 1st 2017 was really friendly and down to earth. Photobooth was fun too Great for events like weddings, baby shower, holiday company parties and kids birthdays!

    VASA - Bridal suite

    VASA

    (91 reviews)

    North Park

    This was by far one of the most inclusive and budget friendly wedding options we toured…read more This venue was a strong contender for us largely because Oscar did an excellent job highlighting all of its advantages. He was incredibly responsive throughout the process and remained highly engaged in discussing our plans. =PROS= *Extensive decor included. The package came with beautiful florals and centerpieces, and we were able to view a sample table set up that felt simple yet elegant *Food was included and notably served plated, which is typically an expensive upgrade at many other venues *Clean bathrooms with multiple stalls, which was surprisingly uncommon after touring so many venues *DJ and wedding planner services were already included *Photobooth upgrade was offered at a very reasonable price =CONS= *Very limited parking. We were grateful valet service was included for our larger guest count, but I would strongly recommend this upgrade if not already part of the package *No groom suite. There was a small bridal suite available, though it would feel cramped for anyone beyond just the bride *Limited greenery surrounding the ceremony area. Aside from some shrubbery, there was very little natural scenery and noticeable street noise nearby The pricing was extremely competitive and this likely would have been our choice had I not personally prioritized a venue with more natural surroundings. From both a financial and planning standpoint, this option removed a lot of the usual wedding stress because of how many services were already bundled together. On top of that, Oscar and his team stood out for being exceptionally organized and efficient during both the tour and quoting process.

    Hosted a holiday party here for my employer. The staff were attentive and amazing from start to…read morefinish. They answered all my texts and emails in a timely manner. I was not disappointed in their service as they were attentive and met all of my requests. They also made a few accommodations for my guests with allergies and for those who were vegan. As for the venue, it was absolutely beautiful, inside and out! Don't waste your money choosing a venue that is a blank slate. If you do, you'll be spending more than $60K. If you want something affordable, all-inclusive(food, flowers, DJ, photobooth, centerpieces) and luxurious, this is the venue! Thank you Carlo, Oscar, and Michelle!

    Emjaye Inspired - catering - Updated July 2026

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