El Prado boasts an outstanding location and ambiance, with an amazing cocktail selection that sets the tone for a great evening. The service was attentive and friendly, adding to the overall experience. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the setting. I ordered the mahi sandwich, which was well-cooked but lacked flavor and was presented more like a cafeteria burger—underwhelming given the atmosphere. A beautiful spot for drinks and vibes, but not my top pick for the food.
A wonderful lunch at a wonderful place. We enjoyed our morning at Balboa Park at the different museums and started getting hungry. We are so lucky that we decided to go to Prada. The food was delicious. The service was great. We highly recommend the farmers green salad with salmon and the desserts were amazing. The German chocolate cake had fresh toasted coconut on top m. We paired it with vanilla ice cream that made it perfect. The carrot cake was delicious and overall our experience was really a good one.
Jeff Cooperhouse
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March 20, 2025
Ate a great lunch at Prado! We started with the seared prime beef sushi roll, and for entrees had the grilled mahi and filet steak sandwiches. Everything tasted really good. We sat on the dog friendly patio. Service was very friendly and quick. Great place to eat while you’re exploring Balboa Park.
Sydney Goldrick
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March 03, 2025
A group of four of us had lunch on the patio at The Prado, and as always, it was such a beautiful experience. The outdoor seating is stunning, overlooking a lush, forest-like area in Balboa Park. The atmosphere is always lively yet relaxing, making it one of our favorite spots to sit outside and enjoy a meal.
We all ended up ordering the Chopped Cobb Salad, which I had raved about before. It’s packed with fresh ingredients, colorful, and a great portion size—big enough to share, but also perfect for one. It has a variety of proteins, making it a satisfying and well-balanced meal.
The Prado also has a great beer selection, and my husband enjoyed a cold one while the rest of us had iced tea. The menu offers a great variety of options, so there’s something for everyone.
Our server, Jorge, was fantastic—super sweet, attentive, and helpful throughout the meal. The service here is always top-notch, which makes the experience even better.
It was such a relaxing and enjoyable lunch, and we’ll definitely be back soon! Highly recommend sitting on the patio if you get the chance!
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1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
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El Prado boasts an outstanding location and ambiance, with an amazing cocktail selection that sets the tone for a great evening. The service was attentive and friendly, adding to the overall experience. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the setting. I ordered the mahi sandwich, which was well-cooked but lacked flavor and was presented more like a cafeteria burger—underwhelming given the atmosphere. A beautiful spot for drinks and vibes, but not my top pick for the food.
I really wanted to like to this place, especially since on Wednesday it’s the only restaurant open at the park that’s not a food stand. They have an open seating section where you pick your own seat and server comes to you or you can sit at the bar or a table outside. Service wise: I sat down pretty quick but I didn’t get a server within 6 mins of sitting. My server was kind and timely. Food wise: I got the Kobe burger with fries, sparkling lemonade and Piña colada creme. The burger was fine and came out quick! The fries however were EXTREMELY salty. I couldn’t finish my meal because the saltiness of the fries were very over powering. I was very excited for the crème brûlée however it fell flat for me. The crème was runny. The texture of this dish is supposed to feel a little like flan and this was loose. The taste also didn’t work well together, it tasted off and the more I ate the more I realized the sugar on top was good but the compote, custard and chantilly gave a slightly expired taste. The marble tuille did not work with the dish but tasted fine alone. I’m sure there are other menu items that are great here but these flopped for me.
A wonderful lunch at a wonderful place. We enjoyed our morning at Balboa Park at the different museums and started getting hungry. We are so lucky that we decided to go to Prada. The food was delicious. The service was great. We highly recommend the farmers green salad with salmon and the desserts were amazing. The German chocolate cake had fresh toasted coconut on top m. We paired it with vanilla ice cream that made it perfect. The carrot cake was delicious and overall our experience was really a good one.
Ate a great lunch at Prado! We started with the seared prime beef sushi roll, and for entrees had the grilled mahi and filet steak sandwiches. Everything tasted really good. We sat on the dog friendly patio. Service was very friendly and quick. Great place to eat while you’re exploring Balboa Park.
A group of four of us had lunch on the patio at The Prado, and as always, it was such a beautiful experience. The outdoor seating is stunning, overlooking a lush, forest-like area in Balboa Park. The atmosphere is always lively yet relaxing, making it one of our favorite spots to sit outside and enjoy a meal. We all ended up ordering the Chopped Cobb Salad, which I had raved about before. It’s packed with fresh ingredients, colorful, and a great portion size—big enough to share, but also perfect for one. It has a variety of proteins, making it a satisfying and well-balanced meal. The Prado also has a great beer selection, and my husband enjoyed a cold one while the rest of us had iced tea. The menu offers a great variety of options, so there’s something for everyone. Our server, Jorge, was fantastic—super sweet, attentive, and helpful throughout the meal. The service here is always top-notch, which makes the experience even better. It was such a relaxing and enjoyable lunch, and we’ll definitely be back soon! Highly recommend sitting on the patio if you get the chance!