Prado at Balboa Park, San Diego

Christmas is on its way again,and this reminded me of a terrible experience I had last year at this restaurant. I made a reservation as a treat for my family after going to see" The Grinch"at the nearby theater. I was made to wait two hours although I did have a reservation. I had my wife and both of my children with me(6&11yrs) and sat in the bar while we waited.We were treated rudely by the bar staff as we only had one cocktail each.Then, as we were not spending money,we were given our check and told to leave. Several regulars,meanwhile, were seated as soon as they arrived. So if you are not a wealthy regular at this restaurant and do not know the staff, then you would be better visiting another establishment.I,for one,will not be returning.

The location is wonder! We enjoyed a nice lunch in the park. Everything was perfect until the end of the meal when we we received our bill. After we ate our lunch, the waiter said he had a very special gift for us and gave us a dessert to share. The gift was not free. He charged us for the dessert. When we asked about the bill, he said we misunderstood him. So we ate his tip! We both thought the waiter was tacky for pulling this maneuver. So, when they place a dish in front of you, ask how much before you take a bite, even when they say it's on the house. With all the college student needing jobs in San Diego, I think the restaurant could find better help. The workers were not friendly.

Good experiences here, over the years. I returned, but not with Gen Doug McCarthur. Still a good experience, very crowded in summer months, so reserve. Good service, good foods, standards well maintained.

I go to The Prado for every special occassion with my husband and family. We absolutely love it. I have always gotten amazing service, even when they were packed. My husband and I are going this Valentines Day (crazy right), and expect it to be superb. As to the person below me, this is a gormet restaurant, its a presentation of food; if you were expecting a heap on your plate, you should have gone to IHOP. Restaurants like The Prado, are showing off how well they present food; how it looks excellent, just like it tastes. Since it is a presentation, it is not demonstrating how much food they can slop on your plate. It is an art. Not to mention, you are getting some of the best cuts of meat, the freshest salads, the most delectible desserts in the city. So enjoy what you eat. Savor the taste, and the beauty of the presentation. And if you conversate with the waiters, and waitresses, they will feel more inclined to give you everything you need to be comfortable. If you respect them, they will respect you. Its the same as any restaurant, or place of business. I have gone to The Prado, say more than 50 times in my life, and each time is a memorable one.

I was there in , April this year for my Birthday , for dinner....... I did Not like the service at all ,the waitress was almost rude , the food was good even though is was a Small amount for the price they charged..... Also there was no bread only these crackers they serve. I'll Never eat there again nor will I recommend it ........ Only will I go there to have a drink & appitizers at the bar but that's all ,That's the only part of the restaurant that's worth it ......... Mark in ,San Diego

We went for their Valentines day special. Had reservations, so the service was spot on all the way through the check; our waitress checked on us, refreshed drinks & was very friendly. We sat outside & they spaced out the parties enough so it was a nice intimate evening. The menu they had was great with both of us having the lobster pot pie, balsamic glazed chicken and a shared desert. All came nicely spaced out and had no complaints.

Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed everything there. The food was higher priced than listed here. Dinner entrees are between $20-30. Starters were $10+. I would definitely recommend this place for a nice romantic dinner.

Great patio! We were there Saturday 11.15.08 for lunch and the patio was incredible. Our servers did a great job, very informed and helpful. We had salads and soup. The farmers salad with beef skirt steak was exceptional, the tortilla soup was average at best. The only reason we would not return to this restaurant is the price point. Much too expensive for casual lunch.

Nice location, but the food is not very good. The Osso Bucco left a greasy taste in my mouh. The bathroom is a public park bathroom outside, which is bullsh$t.

I love The Prado. I've been there several times and the food is always delicious. The flat bread and chipotle hummus are a great start, and they automatically bring water with lemon, which I love. We started with the Calamari Fries - hands down the best calamari I've had. The calamari is perfectly cooked, and covered in a crunchy, sweet and spicy sauce. Plus its served with a tasty coleslaw salad. Next the wedge salad, which again was one of the tastiest I've had. The blue cheese was creamy and the bacon was crisp. Our entree was almost perfect, which is why I've only given it four stars. We split the Earth & Ocean. The short ribs are to die for, melt in your mouth delicious. Unfortunately, the lobster was not so good. It was cooked in a lemon butter sauce and the lemon was completely overpowering. It gave the lobster an almost sour taste. Our final dish was the cream cheese flan - again, very tasty! Best part: for the month of September, all California wines are half off. We had a very good bottle of 2004 Jordan Cabernet - half price! Can't beat it. The service was good for the most part (some of the food runners were questionable). Overall, I'd definitely recommend the Prado!