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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 (8141)
$30 and under
Californian
1549 El Prado, Suite 12, San Diego, CA 92101

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 93 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
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

  • Tiki Thursday

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy island inspired cocktails & bites with live music and beautiful views of Balboa Park from Loggia room at the Prado.
  • Sunday Garden Brunch

    $70.00 per person

    Jul 27, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025
    Sunday brunch at The Prado on the Casa Rey Moro Garden Terrace with bottomless mimosas sounds like the perfect way to unwind and enjoy the day. The ambiance of the historic garden terrace paired with the refreshing taste of mimosas and delicious food sounds like an experience not to be missed. Limited experiences available book early on Open Table July 27th, and August 31st from 10 am - 2:30 pm. $70 for adults, $19.95 for children under 12 yrs. Final payment will be due at the end of the experience. We look forward to seeing you there!!

Private dining

What 8,141 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
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Prado at Balboa Park delights diners with its "beautiful outdoor setting," "excellent service," and "delicious food." Frequent praises highlight the restaurant's picturesque ambiance, perfect for pre-show meals at the Old Globe. Standout dishes include "Mahi mahi tacos" and "flan." Consistency and attentive staff make it a cherished locale for both locals and visitors.
8,141 Reviews
  1. Jonathan VIP

    Houston3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful experience at the Prado had fantastic service as we were running late to a show and food and drinks were perfect and the venue itself is wonderful thanks !

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  2. Catherine VIP

    San Diego39 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful surroundings and excellent service! Our food experience was mixed: shrimp spring roll was delicious with lots of shrimps and creative sauces for dipping. The steak was blah (cooking was a bit too much) although the mushroom sauce was good and mashed potatoes excellent. The sea bass was overcooked but sauce and vegetables around it were great.

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  3. Roberto VIP

    San Diego134 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Another great pre-theatre meal at The Prado. My wife and I started with Maker's Mark Old Fashioneds that were delicious. We split the Caesar salad. She had the Wild Mushroom Risotto and I had their Braised Beef Short Rib. Both Entree's were delicious. The risotto was notable for being lighter that many risottos we've had in the past elsewhere. This was a plus! The beef short rib was so tender and the sides were tasty. Flan for dessert with espresso capped off a great meal. Service a tad slow at times, but very friendly.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Edith VIP

    San Diego27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Welcome was warm and we were immediately seated. Service also friendly and efficient. Food delicious as always. It’s like walking into a party!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Carol

    San Diego3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely outstanding. I live overseas and yesterday was my 80th birthday & there was only one place to have lunch PRADO. It is my favourite restaurant of all the llaces I've been to. Michael our server was amazing Carol Carvalho (Bermuda)

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  6. Samantha VIP

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and delicious food. Calamari and sangria are wonderful.

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  7. Taylor

    San Diego1 review

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    We sat on the patio which is fabulous on a sunny afternoon. It took us 15 mins to decide what to order because honestly, the menu wasn’t that appealing. My mom said it seemed they were really trying to stretch their proteins by hiding them with carbs, LOL. The prices didn’t match up to the dishes and from what we did order, the meals were subpar for the price. You’re paying for the patio ambience here, not the food. Take your out of town friends for a drink then head elsewhere for the meal. Server was kind and attentive, but the menu and food were a bust.

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  8. Debbie

    San Diego10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We walked in at the actual time of our reservation, 6:15 PM on a Saturday night when there were old globe plays about to start. We immediately were seated and had a lovely table. Within a minute or server, Shea, came and introduced herself and gave us our menus. Our dinner experience because of Shea was perfect. She is nice, thoughtful  and had helpful suggestions for our food. She also helped my great niece decide on the blueberry margarita, no alcohol. Our meal was perfect. Shea is perfect. Everything was perfect. I haven’t been to Prado in a few years and now I’m wondering why, because it is back to being one of my all-time favorite restaurants in San Diego. Thank you, Shea for the lovely meal. Debbie and Fiona ❤️

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  9. Rich

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We always enjoy dining at the Prado. we love the back patio. Nicely shaded, fresh air. Fun to watch the planes come in! I do miss the potatoes they used to make. Not sure of the name, they were lightly fried stacked layers of potatoes. Would love to see them back on the menu.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Rosalie

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always the best food, service, and overall experience. Been going there about 25 years and will always continue.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Prado at Balboa Park is rated 4.6 stars by 8141 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 93 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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