Being in the boat business for 40 years myself I appreciated the service and attitude of Boat Grotto. Prices were fair and parts top notch. Recommend the Boat Grotto to anyone looking for marine service. SportFishers Unlimited. read more

Oh no here you go again Mario you are such a dishonest man. You were the one that put the amount paid. I have the paper that you printed out on your computer. I tried to go put the boat in my name the very next day and there was a tax lien on it Once again you're an untruthful man and you sold me a boat with a 19-year-old engine on it and never disclose that information. Also you told me everything was in working order on that boat not a single engine gauge work. And I do not believe that you have any video of me checking out the engine because I never did. The video you showed me was up inside the boat and walking around the hull. You said I have buyer remorse. I wanted the boat until I found out there was a 19 year old engine on it. This was not returned out of buyers remorse. It was returned on you being untruthful. read more

The Boat Grotto - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Cesar , junior and the staff at the boat grotto are the most trustworthy people in the industry I've been going there for years and years. My number one choice for repairs. My husband and family appreciate the integrity and honesty of the staff. read more

The Boat Grotto - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Have an Older Skipjack and had shift problems where the boat would not come out of gear. Dropped it off and was notified that same day what was needed. Got it back the nest day fixed and ready to roll. Another great job by Mario and the staff. read more

Called in, and Mario answered. He was able to offer a consultation over the phone, and reviewed a quote that I had received from another Service Provider.... he provided honest guidance, helpful information, and was a pleasure to speak to. Thank you!! read more

This is the only place I will deal with from now on. I had called another dealer originally and they never returned my call. I called The Boat Grotto, they had a cancellation and got me in right away. Mario was excellent. The staff was friendly and professional. They fixed what I had taken the boat in for. Being new to boating when I launched my boat I had an issue and a nearby boat owner towed me to the pier. I called Mario and he came out immediately and diagnosed my issue and got my boat running. This was amazing that the owner of the Boat Grotto took a personal interest in helping me. I wasn't charged a service call. This was service above and beyond! I will be a customer as long as I own a boat, but most of all, Mario treated me more like a friend than a customer. Thank you Mario you are an amazing person. It's hard to find good customer service these days. You rock! read more

Great place! Mario is helping me re-power my inboard diesel with (2) Mercury Verado 300HP outboards. He has taken so much time working with me to go over pros & cons, what to expect, what to avoid and helping prepare me for the project. I can't say enough good things. Thank you! read more

Wow what great customer service. We have taken a couple boats to them for work. They did a big service job, including new water pump in February. We didn't put boat back into the water until end of June. It appeared water pump wasn't working. Mario, the owner, responded quickly to an email and came out the next day (the boat was in the water and trailer wasn't accessible). He checked it out, found the problem--which was not related to the work they did and was kind enough to not charge for the visit. Highly recommend them for service and great work! read more

I have to say those 1 star reviews are ridiculous. I bought a 20 year old Maxim 21SR last November. Got it for a steal and it has already provided my family so much joy. Mario, Angel, Jr. and all the folks that work here are solid. Polite, great mechanics and willing to educate first time boat owners like us with patience and grace. I work in advertising, and I have to say Mario is right. Yelp profits off of small businesses owners, and it's wrong. And look, everyone has a bad day. Energy in is energy out. Meaning, if you approach any situation in life with fear and trepidation or predisposed mistrust you will likely find that coming back at you. Buy a boat here, don't buy a boat here. It doesn't matter to me, but don't talk smack about good hard working people. We all could learn a lot of patience and grace from this group of men. And my last piece of advice, if it's a 20 year old boat, you will need to repair things that come up. I've made a ton of used auto purchase over the years, but I've never felt as confident as i do with this purchase. read more

My relationship with Mario and the fine mechanics he employs has been a longer than usual one due to the supply chain issues that continue today and will likely continue for some time to come. I purchased a new Mercury outboard from The Boat Grotto a couple of months ago. I had ordered a different outboard elsewhere in January but it never arrived. Then by chance I wondered into The Boat Grotto and was shown a new Mercury. To me it would have been the same if he had said, here is the Holy Grail, want it? It was not exactly what I needed, but Jr. turned it into what I needed and now I have a fun boat with a kick ass outboard. I almost feel guilty finally getting to where I wanted to be in boating 6 months ago while so many others are sitting empty handed and searching. All in all, many thanks to Mario and his team. Be straight up and reasonable with them and they will return it back to you many times over. read more

The Boat Grotto - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

If you own a boat and want someone you can trust to keep you on the water Mario is your man. I needed a repower so i called another dealer and told them exactly what i needed. This is what i got: No problem but are you sure thats the motor you need i have this motor in stock i can sell you instead. Im like no dude i don't want your floor inventory 2 stoke...this is the motor I want do you have it? yea I have it, it will cost you about this much but i wont really know what it costs until we get into. Im like fine let me know when i can drop the boat off... i get a call back a couple hours later, hey that motor you want is back ordered until 2021 (he then proceeded to try to sell me on his floor mode.) That is when i called Mario @ the Boat Grotto. I tell Mario what I want and he says no problem i can have a 2020 for you in two days. I ask Mario how much is it going to be and he gives me a firm out the door price for removal of old motor, cleaning out the gas tank (going from 2 stroke to 4 stroke), all new controls, dials, rigging, motor, and he installed my new steering for no charge. There was no bait and switch, well see how much it costs once I get into it nonsense. Mario told me when it would be ready and the work was done on time, he sent me pictures of the process which was really cool and kept me in the loop on the progress. they even took it for a sea trial and washed the boat to make sure it was ready to go when i went to pick it up. Look Mario is an old school Italian straight up no nonsense guy. He will joke with you, he will be honest with you, he is not going to sugarcoat anything. If you appreciate doing business with someone who is going to tell it to you straight then Mario is your man! In me hes got a customer for life, as long as i own a boat im taking it to The Boat Grotto. read more

The Boat Grotto hands down are the best boat and motor service in town. In the summer it gets super busy and the wait time can take up to 3+ months. Mario and his team were able to provide punctual and prompt maintenance on my power steering and Mercury at a very crucial time. He new how important it was to get it back in the water, so he was able to fit me in and get the job done right. He even provided a tow. He doesn't skip a beat and ensures a quality job. Look no further if you're looking to get your boat repaired. The Boat Grotto is number 1! read more

Had my 2012 Triumph Bay190 repowered with a Mercury 114 HP stroke at the Boat Grotto. The owner Mario gave me a great deal and did not try and sell me thins I didn't need. The repower took only 2 days for them to complete. The meh anic there Ceaser is probably one of the best I have met. He answered all my questions and is a expert service tech. Thank you Boat Grotto and your staff for such a great experience. read more

Went in as a new boat owner and got a good loyal breakdown inspection of what I needed to get done to be safe out there in the water. Great customer service from the entire team, very knowledgeable owner and their mechanics are exceptional guys with top years of experience. They all wear sharp uniforms and maintain a packed but clean and organized work station. Thanks team. read more

The Boat Grotto - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

The Boat Grotto is great! They had a very professional and courteous staff, and the service on my outboard engine was quick- Will definitely return for further maintenance in the future! read more

The boat grotto has EXCELLENT diagnostic skills and a great and helpful staff. We been to other shops and junior and Cesar are the best technicians I have ever experienced. Thank you Mario and I will always be coming back with my boat service and repair ! Thank you for getting us in this summer. read more

We had a very positive experience with The Boat Grotto. I highly recommend them! The technicians are outstanding. They were courteous and very helpful with all the problems we were having with our boat. When we first called they showed up the next day which was great because there was no other business that was willing to make a service call to our boat within a weeks time. We had several different issues with our boat and Mario (the owner) assured us that everything would be taken care of. He showed up personally to our boat and introduced himself the first time we called his business for service. Mario answered all of our questions and was very polite and helpful. The Boat Grotto is the only company that we will now call. I recommend if anyone needs boat repair service to call the Boat Grotto. We appreciate their professional manner and their efficient work. read more

Great work on my Mercury outboard! Super professional and will be returning for all my needs.

I overheated my 19 ft Sea Ray and brought it to Boat Grotto where Mario charged me $2,000 to reheat an overheat the block and tighten down the head in order for it to possibly match back up. I went on a fishing trip to the golf ball and blew the head and ended up getting a towed back in from vessel assist out of Dana Point to Oceanside. What a nightmare. I would never recommend this place. Mack Daddy this and Mack Daddy that. read more

Mario was referred to me by a friend, who manages a major boat supply retailer location. The Maxum 2700SCR with a 7.4L Mercruiser, I have owned for 14 summers, had never been hauled out with a trailer for repairs, so I was concerned. Mario hauled the boat out with his trailer (after a short waiting period, to get the bigger trailer- the guy is busy!), diagnosed everything in great detail, gave me daily play-by-play photos with updates, and re-delivered my vessel back to my slip at a fair price. He is amazing! I would highly recommend at least connecting with Mario for his opinion on any repair. On time, under budget, extremely professional - what else to you want? read more

The Boat Grotto is the best place you can go for a re-power, or any other service you need. Mario the owner is great very friendly and knowledgeable Captain. He knows his business and he does care. read more

I met Mario and the Boat Grotto about 4 or 5 years ago and have been using them ever since. These guys are good! And honest! You get tons of pictures showing you before, during and after repairs. They have not only helped me with my outdrive and engine, they've also helped me configure an underwater light set up. It's cool! They also don't make you feel like an idiot when you do somthing really stupid. Not that I would know. ;) The prices are very fair. read more

Mario is a rude and disrespectful person who does not know how to treat a customer. The only reason I gave him two stars is for the hard working mechanics that he has doing all the work at his shop. He is so rude and disrespectful that I am sure he will respond in a negative way to this review. So if you want to do business with a rude person from the east coast then give Mario a call at the Boat Grotto. Wow Mario I am actually very impressed with your lengthy response. However your story does not match up with mine! My boat was at your shop prior and you did fix some leaks that is correct. You then called me and informed me that you found one more and that If I approved you to repair the leak my boat would be water tight and ready for years to come. You quoted me 4 hours on that repair as well which came out to $500. I already approved $2000 in work and decided to trust you knowing you found all the leaks and that my boat would be complete. So to my surprise the first time I put my boat in the water it was leaking again! I assure you I did not hit any sand bars or did not cause this leak. So when I brought this boat back to you I figured you would be a man of integrity and take ownership of the fact that you promised me your customer something that was not true. I also find it interesting that this repair would also be a 4 hour job just like the leak before that came out to another 500$. As far as you being rude your facts again are not correct. You called me and we started to talk. The problem is when your customer starts to talk you don't listen and you began to talk over me and wouldn't let me get a word in. I was hoping you would take some responsibility and work with me your customer. Instead you laughed in my face and said "why are you blaming me for your leaking boat"! Well sir like I said earlier in my post... you told me my boat was solid and water tight! You the boat mechanic said that so I figured that you would be understanding when I took my family on vacation and my boat had not been properly repaired. So some advice for the next time you're in a situation like this, maybe show some humility and or compassion to your customer. Maybe listen the customers frustration and try to come to an understanding. I also failed to mention the fact that After I approved the $2500 in repairs I picked the boat up towed it home and started it up to see how it would run. To my surprise the motor made a terrible screeching noise because the belt was slipping. This was passed on to the mechanics at the Boat Grotto when I initially dropped it of for service and told them it needs a new belt. Yes they did drive out and put on a new belt. However just another example of my experience. I'm sure not everyone has had such a negative experience dealing with The Boat Grotto, but unfortunately for me this was mine. read more

Just had Mario and his guys install a new Mercury on our 28' pontoon boat. Mario is awesome super knowledgeable and his workmanship is super clean. They had the boat for less than a week and in that time they built a new transom, mounted our center console, ran all cabling and wiring, put the new motor on and we just did our first sea trial and we couldn't be more pleased 100% will use them again. read more

The Boat Grotto - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Very knowledgeable friendly staff and a family run business. I am glad i found these guys and i would recommend to anyone to have their boat fixed or re-powered by these guys read more

These guys are honest, straightforward and their prices are on par with if not better than the competition. I have an old 78 Glastron 18ft that ended up needing quite a bit of work. Turned out it blew a head gasket and was a costly repair, when I mentioned to Mario that I would be over budget on repairs he offered to let me make payments-same as cash! I will be taking my boat here for all scheduled maintenance and would highly recommend the boat grotto. Also as a side note, these guys work on $100K+ rigs and didn't hesitate to take my little $3K bay boat and fix her up. read more

The Boat Grotto - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

I dropped off my boat because it wouldn't start. Mario and his team immediately did a diagnostic on it and let me know what was wrong with it. They gave me some good feedback and options on repair vs replacement options. I would go back to them again in the future if I ever need a repair. read more

I had a valve job done and oil pan replaced at Boat Grotto . I had already replaced the head gasket myself and ended up needing the oil pan replaced. That meant pulling the motor and I opted to let the pros handle that. After dropping my boat off around 11:30 one morning, and explaining to Mario (the owner) that the motor ran and I had already done a head gasket job , but the oil pan needed replaced he promised to check everything out after pulling the motor . Around 4:30 , Mario texted me with a video of my motor out of the boat and running. He showed the leaks in the oil pan and gave me a fair price for replacing it. We discussed a knock in the #4 cylinder and if I needed to do a valve job. Mario was very honest and said the motor would run as is with a small loss of horsepower. I wanted my motor running at top condition and asked for a quote. Mario gave me a very fair price . I agreed and was very surprised and impressed as the work went on because I received regular updates with pictures and video clips . We had a lot of rain during the repair and Mario didn't sugar coat the schedule impact that caused, however even with the loss of a couple days , he managed to get my boat back to me in time for the weekend diving ! I can't express how grateful I am to Mario and the Boat Grotto mechanics for a professional job. I was treated with respect and not up sold during the process. I was told the options and allowed to make my mind up with no pressure. I will be back to the Grotto when I need any repairs.. read more

Mario and the guys at The Boat Grotto are the best. Ive had my Yamaha F150 serviced there 3 times and everything has gone smoothly. I don't normally write reviews, but Mario went above and beyond for me when I had a potential issue with my Yamaha warranty being honored by Yamaha. That kind of extra effort and transparency is hard to find these days, especially when it comes to boat work. The Boat Grotto is the only place I'll take my boat in San Diego. read more

Got my boat in and out quick! Customer service was great. As for the price...well, its a boat don't forget.

Mario had my boat for over two weeks and couldn't get things fixed so he told me that I needed a new engine. I felt like he was being dishonest so I went somewhere else. They fix it the same day and I wouldn't recommend the boat grotto to anyone ever! read more

***REAL REVIEW*** Mario broke my perfectly good transom plate trying to install the steering ram. Paid to have the motor removed and plate replaced only for him to put the motor back in crooked. He told me the boat has a defect from the factory....the factory CAN align it no problem...but $1000 later. Last I spoke with him he told me to take him to court and hung up. Now he avoids my calls. Great customer service....oh yeah, and I'm out several thousand.... read more

Mario and his Boat Grotto helped me when I bought my used Parker 1801 and I needed a complete overhaul of my Yamaha 115 four stroke. I live in Alhambra and needed someone to do the work on very short notice, I spoke with Mario and he helped me right away. Also the customer service Mario's team displays is superior, they take digital photos and email them to you as part of the service. Its a touch of elegance from a superior business. Icing on the Cake, on my way out Mario greased the axles of my trailer and inspected the tie downs. His prices are on par with his competitors (I spent a lot of time comparing) but he does so much more and has WAY better customer service. I recommend highly. read more

Mario and the team are terrific. After so many crappy boat shops, glad to find these guys. Been a loyal customer for 3 years and could not be happier. read more

I wish yelp had six stars!!!! Mario and his team are absolutely amazing. A friend in my marina recommended them recently when my boat broke down. Mario came to my slip the very next day and surveyed my situation. He arranged for a trailer (my repair required the boat to be brought back to his shop and I do not have a trailer) then he picked up my boat and made the repairs extremely quickly. Every day Mario would send me a video and pictures of the progress which was awesome. Over a two week period I have over 200 pictures and 10 videos including the sea trial video (where my boat went almost 40 mph) not bad for a 30 foot 24 year old cabin cruiser. To top it off he even threw in a surprise for me and my wife, sure a bottle of wine is nice but Mario actually replaced my water heater and batteries on his dime! I absolutely can not recommend him highly enough. The shop is tucked away in downtown El Cajon, and full of boats being repaired (thats a good sign lots of people trust him). I have used other dockside repair guys in San Diego, but never and I mean NEVER will I stray from Mario and the boat grotto. When you want the absolute best you NEED Mario and the Boat Grotto! read more

The Boat Grotto - My lady sitting at the slip after Mario completed sea trials!!! - Boat Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Horrible Customer Service: I called because their website shows a picture of a SeaDoo and says clearly that they service SeaDoos. (See the link below) Well when I called to set up an appointment I was told that they don't and he quickly couldn't care less that I was a potential customer and rudely said he had to go and just hung up the phone on me while I was in mid sentence trying to ask him something else. How did he know I that I didn't have a boat too that needed servicing.. guess he didn't care to wait to see what I was going to ask him next. Lost a customer.. Extremely Rude! To the owner if you don't want people bothering you then I suggest you take down this false advertising from your website so you can stop wasting everyone's time. So annoying.... http://www.boatgrotto.com/San-Diego-PWC-SeaDoo-Repair-Service.html read more

Mario was fair and honest during the entire rebuild of one of my engines. He found the best and cheapest way to get the repairs done and even tried to find reconditioned parts when necessary. He went above and beyond a few times-when he could have charged me for extra labor, he didnt. Cesar, the mechanic, was great as well. Mario always answers his phone and gets back to you very fast with answers to your questions. I would highly recommend Mario and his crew over at the boat grotto. read more

Brought my 2001 Trophy 2052WA with 2 BBL carb. 4.3l mercruiser to Boat Grotto after having engine failure on the ocean. Previous work on the boat by another dealer and a summer by me trying to get it to run properly led me to take it to Mike at Boat Grotto. i got to call a couple hours later to tell me the engine was shot due to extensive interior rust. I mean, this thing was REALLY rusted. They sent about 70 photos of the damaged old engine and had me come by to inspect before signing a contract. They made a really good offer on a new factory Mercruiser with the more powerful 4 BBL carb, and the guys did a great job installing and testing the new engine. Took it out this weekend and the boat absolutely flies. Motor ran great, started every time, and it was definitiel faster than the old motor (225 HP vs. 190 HP on the old 2 barrel carb). Lessons learned: Be careful about buying a boat from out of state. Boat Grott is a great shop! Great job on the repower. read more

I brought my 92 Ski Ray 190 to Mario and the Boat Grotto, the quality and customer satisfaction was absolutely wonderful. I had them give me the full season service on my 350 merc, a full brake and tongue job on the trailer, and a brand new interior. I cannot believe the quality vs. the cost aspect of the job. I got a brand new boat in my opinion. I waited a bit to write this review, which is a regret...but I have had the chance to bring my boat to the lake for some fun and she never lets me down. The looks I get are priceless and make me feel almost as good as the remarks on the interior. The boat is fast and runs so well. Thanks to Mario and his team, he is fair and honest. He will love your boat as much as you do! read more

Troy my husband, bought a little boat with small two stroke engine this past week only to find that the engine wasn't turning over- he recalled seeing The Boat Grotto down the street and when looking up engine repairs they were listed. He called last night 30 mins before they closed and they told him to bring it by the next day before they close and they would check it out for free. And that they did! Very nice and honest -sprayed carborator cleaner on carborator and it almost turned over. Explained to Troy that they don't work on this kind of engine but gave suggestions on how to fix. No charge! read more