We had the best server in sd when we stopped in. Surprisingly very kid friendly and fantastic. The portions are pretty sizable. Sit outside. Enjoy the sunshine. read more

came here recently for lunch and was impressed with the options and the Prado Margarita which I highly recommend. do splurge on the starter plates since they are all delicious, we went with the crab dip, hummus and calamari. The calamari was prepared in a way I never had before and for sure was a great switch up (thai flavor profile). For our mains, we had the burger and steak sandwich. Steak sandwich had a delicious pesto sauce that brought it all together which slices of tender meat. Service was 5-star for lunch and although there are many parking options all around, we did a rideshare to this location. Be sure to walk off your meal nearby since there is so much to see and do. read more

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Food and ambiance was great! Awesome vibe. And their patio is dog friendly! Highly recommended!!!

The wife and I had a wonderful lunch at The Prado last week. Food was delicious, service was amazing. Lisa took great care of us. Incredibly knowledgeable of the menu and has a personality like no other. Thank you for taking great care of us Lisa! read more

We went there Saturday night for a night out and to celebrate my friends 60th birthday. We went last year and it was great, they came out with a card from the staff and candles. Great memory. This time, not the best service and no card or dessert for my friends 60th. Kinda disappointed but still the food was good. read more

First time in San Diego, first time at The Prado. Food and drinks were awesome! I couldn't get enough of their paella! Definitely worth the money! Hoping to go back the next time I'm in San Diego again. read more

Beautiful place, inside and outside dining. Went for dinner before a theater show. The ambiance was really nice and service too. Food was good. I had a delicious bean soup and a no so great chicken fricassee. Although it came nice and hot, I could taste too much starch. Hubby had a nice beet dish and no so great grilled cauliflower dish. Too al dente to appreciate the flavors. If you are in the area, give them a try and share your experience. Happy dining! read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Cauliflower - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food Quality: *** (Decent but Limited Dairy-Free Choices) Service: *** (Attentive Enough for Apps and Drinks) Ambiance: *** (Beautiful Setting in Balboa Park) Value: *** (Reasonable for Location and What We Ordered) My recent visit to The Prado at Balboa Park was primarily for appetizers and drinks, and the ambiance was definitely a standout. The setting within the park is quite beautiful, offering a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Our server was attentive enough for our needs, ensuring our drinks were refilled and the appetizers were brought out in a timely manner. In terms of food, the calamari was decent - not the best I've had, but certainly enjoyable. The soup of the day was also a solid choice. However, the significant limitation was the lack of dairy-free options on the appetizer menu. For someone with dietary restrictions, this would definitely be a factor in future visits. While what we ordered was satisfactory, the limited choices in this regard were noted. Overall, The Prado offers a lovely ambiance and a decent experience for drinks and some appetizers. However, the food menu, particularly the dairy-free selection, could be more extensive. read more

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Michael G was our server and he was fantastic! Food was great and can't beat the atmosphere! Ask for Michael G!!

I have only been to The Prado once and I only got to try their Sangria. I'm not one to usually order sangria, but it was calling my name on a hot summer day. The combo of fresh fruit, sweet wine, and a bit of citrus made every sip taste incredibly refreshing. I am looking forward to trying their food next time! read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Sangria Sunday - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had a great dinner on Sunday with family and friends celebrating a birthday. Korrine was a wonderful server and took care of everything we needed. Had a lovely table on the patio and the food was amazing. Can't wait go back. Thank you to everyone who took care of us. read more

A Sad Return to an Old Favorite - The Prado in Balboa Park Has Lost Its Spark It had been 15-20 years since my last visit to The Prado in Balboa Park, and I was genuinely excited to revisit what used to be one of my all-time favorite spots. Back then, we'd linger in the beautiful outdoor garden area, sipping drinks until sunset, with food that always felt fabulous and glamorous. This time, joining friends late for bites and drinks on a busy Saturday, I was honestly shocked at how much the quality has deteriorated. We started with the ceviche they'd already ordered--it was a watery, flavorless mess. I really wish we'd sent it back to be fixed, but we were hungry and moved on. Next, the queso birria dip was somehow even worse: a watery cheese dip? I still don't understand how that's possible. We did send that one back, and they kindly removed it from the bill. Nothing else on the menu jumped out at me or felt exciting--another big surprise compared to my memories. The place just didn't have that same magic. Dessert was the one bright spot. We tried to order the Island Crème Brûlée listed on the menu, but our server explained it was no longer available and offered a vanilla substitute instead. That's shocking--why hasn't the menu been updated if an item is off? We went with the vanilla crème brûlée, German chocolate cake, and tres leches anyway... and they were all wonderful. The coffee was delicious, hot, and fresh too. (Though when I asked for a to-go coffee, Adrian said they'd love to but don't have to-go cups.) Speaking of Adrian--our server was spectacular overall. He was always a minute too slow but showed up reliably, delivered everything we asked for, and earned a great tip. We had the best seat in the house (people kept eyeing it and jumping tables around us, which was pretty humorous). The restaurant was packed due to the Cherry Blossom Festival, but it stayed tastefully quiet inside--a wonderful scene of eclectic people. The weather was perfect, and the ambiance still has that classic Balboa Park charm. Parking was an absolute nightmare, though--typical for a big event day in the park. Bottom line: The Prado needs to retool the menu, update it to reflect actual offerings, and bring back some excitement if they want longtime fans like me to return more often. The desserts and service saved the day, but the appetizers and overall vibe fell flat compared to what I remember. I'd still go back--nostalgia is strong--but it's dropped way down my list. There are too many other great options in San Diego I'd choose first now. read more

Nice restaurant in the heart of Balboa Park. I personally like their bar menu options more than their regular restaurant dinner options. They have really yummy Qeusabirria tacos. read more

Apologies for no pictures. Very nice restaurant at Balboa area. Amazing ambience. Bar looks phenomenal. They have an outdoor seating that I took. You're in the backdrop of nature. I had their Kobe beef burger. One perfect item. Service very efficient. Staff kind and nice. The menu had a note about 5% extra service fee due to rising costs. There's your Cali . They do remove it upon request. read more

The Prado is a nice restaurant and possible pit stop when hanging around in Balboa Park. Balboa Park mostly has cafes for snacks but the Prado had a bit more substance and flavor. We opted to try the cantina menu which required us to sit in the lounge or bar. However our bartender said that the regular menu was also available so we only saw pros by sitting at the bar. The portions were nicely shareable between 2. Our drinks came out quickly but the food took quite some time to come out. *Absolutely Peachy Spritz: true to its name, very peachy. Shoutout to the bartender for giving it a good wine pour. *Ceviche: very good portion and was shared easily between us 2. The chips were thick and withheld the citrusy whitefish and shrimp well. The citrus juice could have had more depth in flavor and could have benefited from more tomato, jalapeño, and/or onion. The shrimp appeared to be overcooked and was chewier than anticipated. *Ahi & Jicama Tostadas: the order came with two tostadas. The flavors and textures were S tier. The ahi was generously applied to the crisp tostada and it was incredibly tender. The chipotle aioli added some creaminess and fat. The jicama was my favorite part as it was tossed in a light sweet and savory tamarind sauce. 10/10 I could gobble a bunch of these. I found the sauces to be impressive so I'll be looking out for dishes with similar flavors. The ceviche was on the simpler side so I'll pass on it in the future. However those tostadas made my day. I'll be back to check out their happy hour and more of the cantina menu. read more

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We had Berto as our waiter and he was so kind and wonderful while he took care of our every request. Then we had the pleasure of having Scott, a staff member who has been with them since the opening in the '90s, come and bring us our food. He was very lovely and told us that we were such a beautiful family and that we embodied the exact mission of creating a relaxed atmosphere for families to come and enjoy their weekends together. He was very kind and me and my husband were both very struck by his words and kindness and his dedication to service. Thank you for making our outing such a special memory and for the very delicious food that you always serve! . read more

"Wow!" She said after she took a bite of each new dish she ordered! This is one of your options when exploring Balboa park and you will NOT be disappointed. Came on a thursday evening early dinner 2 plus tot and we were seated right away by 3 friendly hostesses. Our waitress was also very chipper and knowledgeable which always makes the experience that much more pleasant. She was very helpful with suggestions not only on the menu but the area, esp with the little one, after most things were closed. Started with the lentil soup special, like your mom's homemade pea soup with a twist- lentils. It was so delicious, the three of us scarfed it down like we hadn't eaten in weeks. I also wanted to try a sparkling strawberry lemonade and Y U M! Fresh made to taste and not too sugary. The prado pressed arugula salad also came out with the soup and we couldn't get enough of that either, the asiago, figs, walnuts and strawberries balanced each other out perfectly, dressed with a vinaigrette, but not too much overpowering. They were having a deal for 2025, so we ordered a mini surf and turf to share, steak, a delicious potato side (au gratin? I think) carrots, shrimp and spinach. A great portion size to taste for three. The little one even loved the spinach. Since we love fam style we decided on another dish, the pan seared salmon. I am not sure if maybe the flavors of the two dishes were just a little too diff, the sauce was amazing and I love that it was paired with rice and bok choy, but it wasn't my fave of the two. Would def give it another try but there are so many delicious items on the menu. Ended the dinner with a birthday carrot cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some tazo passion tea. The cake was a sliver but a few bites for each of us left us satisfied and it paired well with the vanilla ice cream. Passion tea is just my favorite. I was pleasantly surprised by this spot since normally I don't have high hopes for tourist destination restaurants, even felt the prices were reasonable. You can tell everything was made in house and drool worthy and I can't wait to come back. I also enjoyed that we were served in courses and there was little wait time in between. They were also so kind when the little one had the wiggles and wanted to walk around a bit. This tired mama had a great meal despite her momma duties. read more

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This is one of the most fanciest lunch spots I've ever been to. The food was amazing . The beat salad with shrimp I ate hit the spot for me. The service was very friendly and our waiter was very attentive to us. The ambiance of the place was very nice as well. I highly recommend this place. I wish I can come back but I'm heading back home up north in a couple of days. I give them 5 stars read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Beet salad with shrimp - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my first time at the restaurant and the view from the patio dining was spectacular. Our server recommended this salad option and it was so delicious and refreshing during a nice almost spring day. The service was very delightful and I'm looking forward to returning again. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Prado Pressed Arugula Salad - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

An incredibly mid restaurant in the heart of Balboa park. I always grew up thinking the Prado was so fancy and cool but it is really an overpriced restaurant in a great location. I asked the waitress for her recommendation and she said the pork prime rib was the best item on the menu. I definitely agree it was delicious- juicy and good potato, but for $37, I thought it was a little expensive if you include a drink, and salad item too, it would be about $60 per person. Overall, I would not come back to the Prado unless it's a SD Restaurant Week deal. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - mustard crusted pork prime rib - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

We arrived right in between meal service so we could not sit in the dining room but the bar was open seating and ok for us and kiddo. They were busy but once our server made it to us he made us feel like we were the only ones in the room! The not listed wagyu burger- maybe it was a special- was AMAZING!!! French fries delicious! (No bathroom in here... had to wait in long line outside in the courtyard.) read more

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Happy hour prices are good. Can't beat the sangria!! Caesar salad also good. But do NOT order the queso dip. It's a flour roux with milk or cream and very little cheese. Not tasty and not the cheese pull you expect from a queso dip. I mentioned to my server several times that I didn't like it (only ate half) but they didn't offer to take it off the bill. My experience here has been hit or miss. Great vibe though, especially the outdoor patio! read more

What a pleasant surprise! I hadn't been here in well over 10 years. I didn't know what to expect. We were on our way to the Old Globe Theatre and wanted to have something light to eat. We arrived in time for Happy Hour. I had the mole rojo chicken wings and the Baja fish tacos. Both were excellent! The mole is one of the best that I've tasted! Two fish tacos came in the order. They were also delicious; a generous amount of fried fish and very tasty. We also had the quesadilla and a Caesar salad, also delicious. Then came the complimentary birthday flan. I don't usually like flan and thought this one was delicious. What a very pleasant surprise! read more

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We used to absolutely love this place, but hadn't been for a few years. Wow, we either hit it on a bad night or they have just really slipped. Used to be the servers were all fun and friendly and seemed like they'd been there forever, especially on a weekend for dinner, but our server was quite unfriendly and seemed to hand off the table at some point and we never saw him again. We used to look forward to the flatbread and hummus on the table when you arrive. Now they still do that but it costs $6.50 and the crackers for some reason are not nearly as good. The prices (see receipt attached) were a lot pricier than I remembered. I wouldn't mind as much if the food was spectacular, but my wife's Farmers Salad was so-so and her short ribs were fatty. My daughter's $38 piece of salmon was literally 6 ounces maybe, a little square of salmon, 3 inches by 3 inches, and was somewhat dry and overcooked. My pork chop was good, but again $39 for a decent sized chop, some mashed potatoes and a huge garnish of just random greens that went untouched. They add on a 5% ($8) "supplemental fee", $13 in tax, and boom this is a $180 meal for 2 adults and a kid, 1 adult beverage total. no dessert.. how the heck did this meal cost us $200 with tip? At the end, my huge pet peeve, settling the check took no less than 20 minutes, by which time the wife and kid had done a walking tour of Balboa Park without me. Did I mention my daughter ordered a strawberry lemonade? $10! Save your money folks, there are lots of better options out there. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - $180 PLUS tip for 2 adults and 1 kid, 1 adult bev, no dessert, Yay $10 strawberry lemonade! (cost 5 cents probably) - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Had a great apps/wine afternoon after the zoo. Beautiful patio and Michael G was the best!

The hubby and I had dinner at the Prado before a holiday candlelight concert in Balboa Park. It was our first time dining there which is wild, considering we live here and go to Balboa on a regular basis. We both ordered a cocktail which were very strong. I ordered the peachy spritz which was refreshing, bubbly, and strong but good. We then had the calamari, Prado salad, and sea bass. We shared everything and loved the calamari. It was a unique spin of lightly breaded and fried calamari tossed in an asian sauce with a kick. We then ordered the Prado arugula salad with greens, walnuts, figs, Asiago , strawberries, in a shallot vinaigrette and chicken. It was good but something I could've easily made at home. It was missing funk, like a Gorgonzola but good nonetheless. Last came the sea bass over a corn succotash and creamed corn sauce. The fish was beautifully cooked, skin crisp, and the corn medley was seasoned perfectly, had nice elements of texture and taste. Jorge provided exceptional service and the restaurant itself was nicely and tastefully decorated. read more

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Beautiful location and the ambiance at The Prado at Balboa Park is definitely charming, especially being right in the park. The food was decent and presentation was nice, but the service felt a bit slow and inconsistent during our visit. Prices were also a little high for the overall experience. It's a nice spot for the atmosphere, but there's still room for improvement. read more

Lunaversary! My boyfriend and I celebrated our lunarversary. It was practically perfect in every way! It started by my phone call to the restaurant and reconfirming my reservation and noting dairy free. I found out that if you are celebrating an anniversary, they comp you a dulce de leche dessert, but since I my boyfriend can't have dairy they made a not to do a dairy free dessert. At that point I was excited because it is hard to find places with DF desserts. The time came for having dinner. It was a Friday on the first hottest weekend of 2025! Donna sat us to our table on the patio and she was a delight. We learned about the Prado and how they do events. Our table overlooked one of their event spaces which has a petit lawn and wishing well. It was picturesque! Let's just say duly noted on Prado doing events like weddings and if I were to plan any future event there. Michael G. was our server and he was great! He was personable and funny. He started us off with Arnold Palmers and the pescador mussels & scallops. The crostini was dairy free. And the spread was a bell pepper one. The soupy sauce and the flavor with the mussels and scallops was so good! It was a great sharable appetizer. For our entrées, we decided to share so we both shared the red wine short ribs and the pan roasted sea bass. The short ribs was so tender and did not need a knife to cut. I absolutely love brocolini, so that was a awesome seasonal vegetable choice to have. For the sea bass, I think i loved the vegetable medly and sweet corn that came with it. Don't get me wrong. The fish was good, but I liked the side more! And for our dessert, which is what Inwas excited for, was a mango sorbet. It tasted creamy like a Dole Whip! It was so delicious and they gave two large scoops! It was so amazing to have Michael G. be there as our server and he took the time to make sure the food was all dairy free, which we appreciated so much! I for one will definitely be going back and want to make this our couple's thing! Now, I got to make more special memories. read more

We decided to celebrate our Valentine's Day on Friday the 13th, with a reservation for 6:30 PM. We enjoyed our flight of tequila to taste the Blanco Anejo, and reposado... They delivered it without any garnishes so our server went back and got us a plate of citrus and Taheen that was supposed to come with it. It was very delicious, I enjoyed the Anejo the best. My husband wanted a beverage as I had also ordered a strawberry margarita, the server took it upon himself to order him a margarita that he thought he would like with an additional shaker, which we did not order, but was charged for. I got the recommended chef's choice which was a 8 ounce fillet, broccolini and mashed potatoes while my husband got the roasted duck breast. We also ordered two appetizers, the chicken potstickers, and the crab dip, we enjoyed both. Upon leaving, I asked for my remaining dish to be put into a box before we leave. They took my plate away and came back with a bag. I wish they had done this in front of me or that I had opened the box before we left as they only gave me the small amount of fillet that was whole on the plate while EXCLUDING the cut up pieces of filet in addition to the mashed potatoes and the broccoli that was left over. Upon opening the leftovers today, I noticed that I just have a small little dollop of meat instead of all my leftovers for a $65 plate. While our ticket was about $250, I was really hoping to enjoy the rest of my dish today. Ambience was casual, I didn't realize they close at 8 PM on a Friday night so I reservation at 6:30 was a bit quiet. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Thai Duck breast - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came upon the Tiki Bar after the concert at the Organ Pavillion. South Pacific theme in seating area with leis, tiki heads and bamboo plastic chairs. One man reggae artist with electronic back up online. Interesting themed drinks but went with a Stella. They also have food bites but didn't try. read more

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Ambiance TOP NOTCH. Super Romantic and Relaxing and Amazing Atmosphere. Service was good, but there were a few times when we had to flag our server down. Food was ok for the price. I've had fresh pasta and boxed pasta so for a $38 pasta meal, I had certain expectations and they fell flat. The food wasn't as flavorful as I was hoping and it was really oily and buttery. There were a good amount of clams, but like barely any pasta. It was the weirdest thing. It was just pasta, butter, and clams for $38. Sad part is that it wasn't even fresh pasta which I could get behind when it came to portions, but I literally went home still hungry. Dessert was interesting again. I was expecting a food orgasm and instead got a super dense, dry cake that had me saying, "Where's the milk?!" Glass of white wine, pasta, and a sliver of their version of German chocolate cake was $100. Super steep as I have been to places like Mister A's, Viggilucci's, and Ruth Chris that are better alternatives in my opinion. If you happen to be in Balboa Park visiting a museum and craving something more than just a sandwich than swing by, but I wouldn't be going out of my way to come to The Prado. read more

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Despite a busy after Christmas crowd in Balboa Park we slipped into the Prado quite easily for a drink. Our wonderful waiter, Brian mentioned dinner would be available in the bar area at 430pm so what was supposed to be drinks and an appetizer turned into dinner and drinks. The raspberry lemonade martini was sweet and delicious and the mango margarita was good if you like tangy and tajin. I was in the mood for a Caesar salad and my soup went with the Chef's soup special. It was cream of turkey soup was incredibly good. We also opted to split the short ribs which were great. OK we ordered another soup because the soup was fantastic. Highly recommend the Prado for a romantic dinner date or a quick drink in the bar area. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Every hour is happy at the Prado - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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The Calamari in sweet Korean sauce was delicious. The Cobb salads with shrimp, bacon and blue cheese not so much. The Romain lettuce was crisp. However, the shrimp had not been deveined. This is a quick and simple process that can be done as the shell is removed. The bacon bits were hard and chewy and tasteless. I found approximately one table spoon of blue cheese beneath the romaine. We were among the first to be seated however, we were the last to be served salads that took less than 3 minutes to prepare. Our server apologized for the slowness of the cooks and 40 minute delay for our order. read more

Has indoor/outdoor seating. Reservation made on Google. Ordered several items to share as a group. A bit pricey but nice ambiance to eat at and convenient if in Balboa Park. mussels and scallops: ok crab dip: very rich and creamy. Couldn't taste much of the crab but filling calamari fries: Korean styled. Loved it! Greens w seared salmon salad. Needed a bit more vinaigrette but liked the variety of things in it. Mahi mahi sandwich. Good flavor, thick filet so very meaty. Fruity lemonade: several people ordered it as strawberry or lemonade and loved it. read more

Incredibly mediocre food. I got the Birria Torta and it was completely tasteless. If they gave you toasted bread and some unseasoned meat you'd get the same experience. The sauce had basically no taste besides the onions. The pot stickers were alright and the service was so slow they apologized unprompted. It's a shame because the inside is really cute. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Birria Torta - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Service too slow. Expensive food for the quality. Not high end food. Average meal. Better off to eat somewhere else. Very disappointed. They didn't even offer a small celebratory dessert for our graduate. I will not go back. The only good thing is the ambiance that is pretty cute. Don't waste time and money. read more

This place was amazing. It was elegant in every way. It was beautiful with fine architecture building walls art and entire atmosphere. The servers were helpful and attentive. I love my Maui Maui meal. Everyone enjoyed the visit atmosphere and meal. I love this place in Balboa Park . read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Menu - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Prado is one of our favorite places to go with out of town visitors because it is in a beautiful environment in the heart of Balboa Park. The bonus is that the food and service have always been very good. On this visit, it was only my wife and me. We shared the black bean soup, which is delicious. I ordered the grilled fish tacos - my usual. There is a big portion of a deconstructed taco with mahi mahi, cabbage slaw, chimichuri aioli and mango salsa. It comes with corn tortillas and beans. It's great to be able to create the perfect tacos, using the portions of ingredients I prefer. I washed it all down with their delicious mango iced tea. My wife had the eggplant pasta, which she enjoyed very much. Service was friendly and very attentive. And, the ambiance on the patio was so peaceful and beautiful. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience. read more

The Prado at Balboa Park - Patio - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Delicious sandwiches and great atmosphere on the patio. Our best meal in Balboa Park!

Excellent food, service, and ambience! The Prado has a great ambience both indoors and out, but I recommend outdoor dining if the weather is nice. My husband had steak, and I had the curry duck. We both loved our food! Very flavorful read more