Offerings
Review Highlights
“We ordered the traditional paella, gambas al ajillo, papas bravas, pulpo a la gallega, and the salchichon.” in 102 reviews
“It allows you to try a variety types of Tapas to help you decide what you would be interested in have the best time.” in 882 reviews
“We arrived for our reservation and were instantly greeted by Rudy he had us seated within a few mins.” in 68 reviews
Location & Hours
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Amenities and More
About the Business
Business owner information
Holly L.
Cafe Sevilla has been dedicated to providing the true essence of Spanish culture, music & cuisine since 1987. Located in the heart of downtown San Diego in the Gaslamp, Cafe Sevilla is proud to offer the most authentic Spanish ambiance in their tapas bar, restaurant & nightclub. Cafe Sevilla is proud to offer: -Award Winning Spanish Cuisine -Live Music in the Tapas Bar 7 Nights a Week -Salsa Dance Classes -Flamenco Dinner Shows -Late Night Dining -Sunday Brunch Featuring Bottomless Mimosas -Happy Hour Specials 5 Days a Week -Private Event Spaces & Group Dining Experiences -Dog Friendly Patio Cafe Sevilla specializes in Spanish tapas or small plates, which are great for a fun, interactive & sharable dining experience. Menu offerings include a variety of over 30 award-winning tapas as well as traditional paellas, fresh seafood and savory meat dishes. We also feature a large variety of Spanish wines, refreshing sangrias & craft cocktails. One can enjoy live Gypsy Kings style music in the tapas bar & Flamenco Dinner Shows on the weekends! Or transport yourself to the nightlife of Spain at Sevilla Nightclub, showcasing performances by local musical talent & top-tier DJ's. Cafe Sevilla also offers private event spaces & group dining experiences that will leave a lasting impression on your guests. Tailor your event with special menus & entertainment options including Flamenco dance performances, rumba guitar & salsa dancing. Cafe Sevilla has something for everyone! Ole!
Ask the Community
Q:
So is the reservation booking fee $50 total or $25 per person? When my partner called, he was told $25 per person, however here in the app, it's only showing $50 - not per person, we when we asked for the same amount of people at the same time?
A:
Hi There! Thanks for your question! It depends on how many guests are in your party total and what time you are joining us. During certain times for smaller parties, we just take a $25 deposit. For larger parties, we usually take a $25 per person… more
Holly L., Business Manager2 months ago 1 person found this helpfulQ:
Is the journey through Spain only available during happy hour?
A:
Hi there! Yes, our Journey is always available to our guests, even during happy hour. Thanks!
Holly L., Business Manager2 months ago 1 person found this helpful
Recommended Reviews
Overall rating
4339 reviews
5 stars
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1 star
- All Streets G.Commerce, CA020111Apr 7, 2024
All Streets eagerly awaited a visit to San Diego's Gas Lamp Quarter for some time, sampling its nightlife and shops before the weather got too humid. As is seemingly the fashion these days, do some research and be ready to book ahead. In this case, we knew we wanted to try Cafe Sevilla, right along Fifth Street, so reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. We have the same advice for parking - in this case, we looked ahead and settled on 6th and K Parcade, which is just a short block away.
This restaurant is decked in arresting reds and contrasting dark woods, giving the feel you've stepped into the minds of its creators, Rogelio and Janet Huidobro. They wanted to capture the essence of the Spanish night with its decor, live music, and tapas. This vision serves the restaurant well, and for a lively night out for a date or with a small group (it is tapas after all)...
We opted for the 'Journey Through Spain!' - a five-course dinner for two. You can, of course, still order off the prix-fixe, but after our server suggested this, we thought it best to sample the menu and shave off a bit of the price for a pitcher of sangria for the table to share.
As tapas go, Cafe Sevilla makes sure they bring its essence - small plates, but fully realized. We chose off of the Dinner for Two but added a few items here and there; the asterisk indicates what was included in the prix fixe:
Albondigas al Jerez con Chorizo* - three large meatballs (albondigas), soft with breading and flavor enhanced with the tanginess of chorizo; a great reason to invest in the bread service!
Datiles Rellenos* - these large Medjool dates are stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in applewood bacon, topped with a sweet and sour cider glaze; I probably could have stopped there - it was so good!
Mushroom & Fig Coca Flatbread* - wood-fired flatbread top with Manchego cheese, fresh herbs, arugula, mushrooms and figs.
Salmon Con Chorizo* - a big chunk of salmon topped with bits of roasted chorizo, served over kale, chickpeas, shallots & white wine
Rioja Short Rib* - braised for 16 hours, this Rioja Short Rib, so named in that it is basted in Spanish Rioja wine, then served on Manchego mashed potatoes and vegetables; as it should be, tender and flavorful
Truffle Potato Chips - I'm a sucker for these, wherever they may be available - these are delicious and fresh; don't expect a tone, but, for two, it was enough
Pan Con Tomate (or Olive Loaf) - I felt a bread service was in order, as there was more than enough juice to sop up; this bread is perfectly tailored for this task
Dulce Empanada Duo* - four tear-dropped shaped empanadas, seemingly alike churros, topped with guava or lemon custard, served with a chocolate dipping sauce; yes, as you read, it is quite delightful!
The tapas were wonderfully flavorful and artistically plated - never did we feel something was being fluffed up, each plate solid in its own way.
While live music played in the background, the place became lively, with impromptu dancing on the floor. We never felt rushed; the pacing of the food came out as it should--very much like the experience we expected.
We enjoyed Cafe Sevilla so much that we are looking forward to visiting its Orange County cousin one day!
Please check out allstreetsgourmand.com for more!Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Mar 29, 2024
Sevilla really transports you to Spain.
We walked in on a Friday @7pm and was able to get a great table upstairs. Reservations thru their website are highly recommended.
Happy hour 4pm-630pm
Live music 7-10pm
Amazing service from our girl Kacie! Tapas menu, order 4 or 5 plates and share with the table. They also have large paella plates to split.
We had the cold tapas seafood trio, hot tapas mushroom & fid Flatbread, shrimp dish with white wine and sliced garlic & seared scallops.
Drinks were amazing as well. I got tje margarita flight for $28. The winner was the barbacoa! Pineapple based with a garnish of chorizo
Such a wonderful place, wouldn't even know you were in gaslamp. Great food. Great service. Great ambiance & great entertainment!!Helpful 2Thanks 0Love this 2Oh no 0 - Mar 28, 2024
While walking around Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, we found this amazing restaurant. This place has such a fun vibe and I loved that it has both indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated outside.
The menu is tapas style, and there are so many great options. We had the Ahi Tuna, seafood paella, grilled vegetable stack , and the pollo brochetas (grilled chicken skewers). The seafood paella was a complete flavorfest. It was bursting with flavors and it's a perfect meal to share in groups or enjoy individual plates. The pollo Brochetas was also great. The chicken was perfectly grilled and was moist and tasty.
Really enjoyed our dinner here. Do check it out and enjoy delicious Tapas style dining.Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 0 - Mar 17, 2024Updated review
Spanish tapas bar near downtown convention center is good for lunch and happy hour 4.30-6.30pm Sun-Fri.
Sunday famous tapas brunch comes with 6 course $19 or 9-course $26.
Excellent:
- mash potato and potato tart roasted garlic, tomato, goat cheese
- halibut & shrimp ceviche
- Roma short ribs 16 hour braised
- lemon tart with lemon custard, linguine cherries, candied citrus is a nic
Good:
- cheese empanada Macho cheese & chorizo
- meatball bocadillo
- datiles rellenos medjooo dates is interesting with blue cheese & applewood bacon, very tasty strong flavor
Ok:
- pan seared salmon a little dry
- eggs Benedict with jamon Serrano crisp and saffron hollandaise could have more taste.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0Business owner information
Holly L.
Jan 3, 2018
HI Samuel, Thank you so much for your kind review! We take these reviews very seriously and review them each week to ensure we give the best service and food as possible. I will pass along your positive sentiments to the team! Thanks again and we hope to see you at the restaurant again sometime soon!
HOLLY | LOSEY
Director of Marketing
holly@cafesevilla.comDec 27, 2017Previous reviewCharming Spanish restaurant bar popular for date nights, with Friday gypsy belly dance and Sat Flamenco at 7pm. Reservations advised. Pricy tapas in small portion. Ambience is better than food quality.
Good:
- calamares fritos in paprika
- traditional paella Valenciana with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, prawns, chicken & grilled sausage. Slightly spicy.
Ok:
- champinones al Ajillo garlic mushrooms in chilli & white wine. Spicy.
- pulpo a la Gallega sliced octopus in spicy paprika. Spicy.
- albondigas al jarez meatballs in sherry garlic sauce. Salty. - Mar 4, 2024
We visited Cafe Sevilla during restaurant week and were initially surprised by the fixed menu--unlike their usual offerings where you can choose from a selection of dishes. Nonetheless, we found the menu appealing and decided to proceed.
For starters, we enjoyed a lemony but flavorful shrimp ceviche and pan con tomate. Having lived in Barcelona for nine wonderful years, I've sampled many traditional Spanish dishes, and while both were tasty, they didn't quite match the authentic flavors I was accustomed to. The variation of pan con tomate was notably different, and the fridge-cold tomato sauce was a bit off-putting.
Moving on to the entrée, we savored the lobster and Iberico pork belly paella with black rice--it was truly delightful and thoroughly enjoyed.
To cap off the meal, we had some churros con chocolate, which were average.
Our server, Nakara (apologies if misspelled), was exceptionally kind and attentive, even with a trainee, Mario, assisting her, he was also very kind and helpful. Despite a slightly unsettling 40-minute wait for our food, once the plates started arriving, everything flowed smoothly.
Overall, while there were some minor hiccups, our experience at Cafe Sevilla was enjoyable, thanks in large part to the delicious food and attentive service.
PS: The live music is a plus, we enjoyed the ambiance and the band!Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Mar 24, 2024
Fun spot in the gaslight district with the night life around you, we stopped in with intrigue of finding a Spanish restaurant to try. I had spent some time in Spain and instantly wanted to try Cafe Sevilla once we saw it. Super friendly staff from the hostess to the server to even passing by different staff to use the restroom were kind and asking if there was anything we needed. so 5stars for the service itself. The overall food we tried was just OK. My colleague said their dish (pinchos de pollo) was very flavorful and was surprised that the side of eggplant it came with could taste so good! The baked empanadas and croquettes were fine. And the paella was loaded with seafood! but the rice needed to be crispier and need more acidity. thankfully there was a drizzle of a sauce that helped but it could've used more of it to give it more flavor.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Jan 23, 2024
I booked a table online in advance, and the check-in at the entrance was smooth with the reception. Our visit coincided with happy hour, where we tried various Spanish dishes like tapas and paella. The Mushroom & Fig Coca "Barcelona Style Flatbread" was a tasty starter with unique flavors. We also enjoyed Calamares Fritos and Baked Empanada Duo. The highlight was the Family Size Traditional Paella Valenciana, a generous dish with Mussels, Clams, Calamari, Shrimp, Chicken, and Grilled Sausages.
For drinks, we chose Craft Sangrias, and the Red Zin sangria was a favorite with Brandy, Lemon, Strawberry, and Red Zin. The diverse sangria options added to the overall experience. A live band started playing at 7 pm, creating a lively atmosphere. The live music enhanced the dining experience.
We ended our meal with the BASQUE CHEESECAKE, a delicious dessert with Orange, Vanilla, Mascarpone, Cream Cheese, and Licor 43. Our waitress was friendly and energetic, contributing to the positive experience.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1 - Jan 21, 2024
A pretty okay restaurant in Gaslamp Quarters. Thurs night was buzzing with an after work crowd soaking up the live band (not so good).
It was super loud but the space is pretty nice and service was pretty good.
Food quality and taste was pretty average; terrible fried calamari (a must skip).Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Claire C.Gold Coast, Chicago, IL1321614Apr 12, 2024
Delicious tapas, yummy driauthentic food, gracious, knowledgeable and welcoming staff!! The live music and the chefs table seating made for a wonderful experience
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Nov 16, 2023
The Sevill Cafe includes a nightclub, and sports bar on three levels.
The first entrance is to the Basement with a stage and restaurant seating. A Flamenco show is held on Saturday at 6:30, Pre-Paid reservations required ($90 per person), which includes a 3-course Paellla pre-fixe dinner. The music and dancers put on a good show, it is well worth the price.
The main level also has a stage for a band, indoor and patio restaurant seating, a bar and TVs for watching sports.
There is a staircase to the right leading to loft with additional seating and a great view of the dance floor below.
On Saturday evening we came for appetizers and drinks on the patio. We had a variety of cheeses, crostini breads, sausage/salami, Empanadas and my favorite dates stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon.
The food is authentic and delicious! Check in with the Yelp app to get a complimentary sampler and don't forget to tell 'em that Rosemary sent ya!!Helpful 11Thanks 2Love this 18Oh no 1
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