Join us for Thanksgiving!

One of our favorite days of the year is Thanksgiving, a day to be truly thankful for everything we have and share time with our loved ones and friends.

Save yourself the work and join us for a four-course Thanksgiving Feast. We start with Pumpkin Cream Soup and  Manchego crouton, followed by an Autumn Market Salad with Cabrales blue cheese dressing. For your entree you have a choice of Roasted Ranch Turkey Breast with traditional stuffing and cranberry sauce, Bone-in Hand-Carved Black Forest Ham baked with a quince glaze, or Roasted Leg of Lamb with honey port wine sauce. You'll have to save some room for dessert: a delectable Pumpkin and White Chocolate Bavarian Cream Cake with caramel mocha sauce.

For all this you'll pay just $27.95 per person, plus tax and tip. Kids 11 and under can enjoy a modified children's menu for just $12.95 -- that's for any entrée and an ice cream dessert. It's not too late to make reservations so please call 951-778-0611 in Riverside or 562-495-1111 in Long Beach.

From us to you, a very happy Thanksgiving!

All the Latest News from Sevilla San Diego

Well, the big day has come and gone. The original Cafe Sevilla in San Diego had its last hurrah at the end of September and is now temporarily closed as we are feverishly working to make our new home on Fifth Avenue ready for its grand opening this winter. We've set up a special blog so you can track our progress as the new location comes to life. Check back often!

By the way, Fifth Avenue was recently named one of the greatest streets in America.


In the meantime, we're not letting you down for Halloween fun. Join us at The Abbey in Bankers' Hill for a spectacular Halloween Salsa Bachata Party on Oct. 29.

It's Time to Book Your Holiday Parties!

Check out this special offer: Book your holiday party at Sevilla now and receive a $150 gift card!

In the News

Check out recent news coverage: a story about the San Diego location's upcoming move and an interview with Sevilla CEO Eric van den Haute.

Cafe Sevilla in San Diego is moving!

Have you heard the news?

Cafe Sevilla in San Diego is moving to a new, bigger location just a couple of blocks away, on Fifth Avenue in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter.

This new location will allow us to better serve our guests with newer facilities and more space, but we will keep all the character, color, and flavor of Spain that has made us such a fixture for both locals and out-of-town visitors downtown.

The new location will have a tapas bar, restaurant, and nightclub offering all the same wonderful food, drinks and live music, salsa, Flamenco and everything else you have come to expect from an evening at Sevilla.

We will be closing the current location at the end of September and the Grand Opening of the beautiful new location on Fifth Avenue will be in early 2011. If you are not on our email list, now would be a great time to sign up, to be kept up to date with all the latest news and receive exclusive invitations to the Grand Opening festivities. Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and watch this space for all the latest news and inside information!

Gourmet Olive Oils Added to Enomatic System

Have you ever tasted an extra virgin olive oil so pure, sweet, and light that you could lick it off a spoon? Sevilla of Long Beach's new Vinoteca Wine Lounge Enomatic System now features four imported gourmet olive oils that are just that good -- for you to sample.

The olive oils are dispensed an ounce at a time and served with bread, for $2 to $5 per ounce. They include an extra virgin olive oil, a garlic-infused olive oil, an unfiltered olive oil, and a blood orange-pressed olive oil, all from either Italy or Spain.

Stop by and try some truly superb olive oils today -- it's easy and fun with the new Enomatic System.

Wine Flights Through Spain Are Taking Off an Ounce at a Time!

Fans of Sevilla Long Beach: we can now offer you the largest Spanish wine selection by the taste in California!

Come to Sevilla’s new Vinoteca Wine Lounge, featuring 45 wines by the glass poured from innovative state-of-the-art Enomatic machines.

Here are some of the benefits of visiting Sevilla’s Vinoteca Wine Lounge:

·   - So many choices! The Enomatic Machines allow you to try wines like never before

·   - Twenty-four wines with a plethora of tapas, create a new experience every time you dine

·   - With the option to try before you buy, the odds of loving the bottle you buy are definitely in your favor!

·   - The wines are chosen for value and luxury, allowing you the ability to span the gamut  

·   - The wine remains guaranteed fresh, since it's poured in small increments at time

·   - Wines not usually available by the glass are now open for regular tasting

·   - The freedom to enjoy and be in control of what you want to try

·   - Sommelier Service: the sommelier is approachable and direct, without pretense

What a great chance to taste a variety of wines in a way you never have before. Come check it out!

Sevilla on the Bay! August 28

The Sevilla Boat Party is back!


Party the night away on a boat - what could be better on a warm summer evening?


Dress in white for our next party on the water, Saturday August 28: this time it's a Caribbean theme!


Sign up for a three-hour cruise featuring beautiful views of San Diego Harbor by night, with three floors of music (live salsa, hip-hop and live Caribbean steel drums). Our luxury yacht holds 1,000 but the event will sell out, so buy your tickets early!


We'll have five fully-stocked bars, a massive outdoor deck with a Cigar Lounge sponsored by Excalibur Cigars, blackjack and roulette sponsored by Pechanga Casino, salsa dance lessons by Valerie (8-9pm), complimentary tapas, and an official after-party at Sevilla in the Gaslamp.


Tickets are $39 before August 4 (online only); $45 in person until August 18 (purchase at Sevilla, ATTD Dance Studios and Excalibur Cigars). From August 4-18 they are $45 online. After August 18 all tickets are $49. If there are any tickets left on the day of the event, they will be $50 at the door, cash only.


For lots more details, including the entertainment lineup, clips from the last Boat Party, how to purchase tickets, the dress code, and more, click here.

World Cup Fever

Futbol fever has struck Cafe Sevilla! We're going crazy over here rooting for Spain's team to go all the way and win the World Cup for the first time! 


Join us in Riverside and Long Beach on Sunday to watch the final match vs. Netherlands. The doors open at 11am, with a $18.50 brunch special, $4 margaritas, mojitos and Bloody Marys, and $7 martinis. In San Diego, we'll open the doors at 9am, tapas bar only with the match on plasma TVs and a projector. Select Spanish drinks like sangria, calimochos, and garabatos will be half off and we'll be serving paella at halftime.


Join us and cheer for La Furio Roja! ¡Vamos España!

Videos For Your Viewing Pleasure

Cafe Sevilla now has a YouTube channel! Check it out and share it with your friends to show them what Cafe Sevilla is all about. You'll find a series of short videos on all the different things that make Sevilla what it is: the food, the tapas bar, the salsa dancing, the Flamenco show, and more!

Cafe Sevilla Chosen "Best Spanish/Tapas" in San Diego Magazine's 2010 Best Restaurants Issue

Thank you to all of YOU who voted to choose us "Best Spanish/Tapas," yet again, in the 2010 Best Restaurants issue of San Diego Magazine! We've lost track of how many times we have won this honor, but we're delighted to remain your top choice.

Mom Wants a Trip to Spain this Weekend!

Mother, mama, mom, mamacita, madre! It’s all about mom this weekend, as it should be. Although one day a year is hardly enough to show your gratitude for the years of devotion, work, and unconditional love your mother has given you, wouldn’t a trip to Spain be a good start? Can’t afford that, you say? How about a trip to Café Sevilla instead?

Just for mom, our chefs have created a special three-course Mother’s Day menu, available Friday May 7 though Monday May 10, along with Flamenco show dinner packages. The menu includes our classic Paella Valenciana topped with a half a fresh broiled lobster, or a Surf & Turf Duet with flat iron steak and sautéed shrimp in a lobster saffron cream sauce. In Riverside and Long Beach, we’re also offering a Sunday Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch.

For details and prices, visit our website and click on Special Events at your nearest location. Reservations are still available, so call today and make your mama a very happy lady this weekend!

Affordable Lobster

Mike Alvarado from Sevilla of Riverside writes:

I know what you’re thinking: “Affordable Lobster? Mike, that’s an oxymoron, it’s up there with Jumbo Shrimp or Non-Alcoholic Beer!”

OK, I’ll fully admit it’s contrary to what you know about good lobster. But you know, here at Sevilla, we’ve always done things a little bit differently. Just ask any of our regular customers: they come here because there is something different about us, even though they may not be able to put their finger on it. I believe what makes us different is a collection of many things, beginning with our amazing staff and incredible menu. Affordable lobster is just another one of those things that sets Sevilla apart.

I’m writing this to spread the word that Sevilla is the place to grab an affordable and tasty lobster dish. A couple of nights ago, I remember the looks on the faces of a few customers coming to Sevilla for the first time. I was describing our newest special, the Lobster Tapa. I described how we prepare the lobster with fresh shrimp sautéed with fresh vegetables, topped with the coup de grace: melted Manchego cheese imported from Spain. I told them the half-lobster is a great appetizer, a perfect start to any meal at Sevilla. As I described it, they turned away, and I could see they expected to hear me quote a high price.

Then I hit them with this: at Sevilla, the price for our Lobster Tapa is a mere $13 for a half lobster. Suddenly their eyes lit up and they were thinking, “How long has it been since I’ve had some good lobster?” “He’d better bring a bucket of butter, because that’s what I’m gonna use on this baby.”

This, my friends, is why I LOVE MY JOB. Good food does not always come at a high price. It is my constant pleasure to recommend food from our amazing menu, accompanied with a perfectly paired wine and a sinful dessert. The experience becomes something more than a simple meal, it’s a journey. I’m less of a waiter and more of a tour guide, showing people exactly where they need to go. When they end this journey with a smile, I know I’ve done my job well.

As for the first-time customers I was talking about earlier, at the end of the meal, they thanked me for recommending the Lobster Tapa and said how much they enjoyed it. One gentleman said he could not remember the last time he had good lobster before this, to which I responded “Sir, let’s hope that never happens again; you’re welcome to come back anytime and have some more.” The gentleman assured me that he would be back – another satisfied customer.

I now invite you all to come by Sevilla for a unique dining journey. We’re more than happy to be your guide on this unique culinary journey, and what better way to start than with our amazing Lobster Tapa! Reserve your table today on Open Table and tell them Mike sent ya!

Bonus offer: Show your server on your mobile device that you follow Sevilla on Twitter and get a free Tapita to go along with your Lobster!

Easter Brunch in Spain

Happy Holy Week! As in all countries with a large Catholic population, Easter is a major celebration in Spain, a manifestation of ancient rituals. Easter Week, known in Spain as Semana Santa, is filled with Easter traditions and rituals marked by regional flavors across the length and breadth of Spain. 

At Café Sevilla we’re eager to celebrate Easter with you in our own way, so join us for our lavish Easter Champagne Brunch at our Riverside and Long Beach locations, complete with live Flamenco guitarists to set the mood. Check our Facebook pages for details, and call the location nearest you for reservations today!

News Spot Features Cafe Sevilla San Diego's Salsa Instructor, Valerie

Longtime salsa instructor Valerie, who teaches fancy footwork and gets couples to the dance floor four nights a week at Cafe Sevilla in San Diego, is featured in this news spot about salsa. Quite a few salsa dancers can be seen in it too - perhaps you're one of them? Take a look!

Flamenco: A Quick Guide

One of the main attractions at Café Sevilla is our authentic Spanish Flamenco show, which started at our original San Diego location more than 20 years ago in a bare downstairs room with one light bulb, and has since grown into a spectacular dinner show that draws crowds every weekend at all three locations.


Widely praised as the most authentic, consistently high-quality Flamenco presentation in Southern California, Sevilla’s show is performed by talented and experienced artists who have all trained extensively in Spain, the home of Flamenco. Experiencing our dinner show is the closest thing to sitting in a real Spanish tablao that you will find on this side of the Atlantic.If you’ve never seen a Flamenco performance, you might be curious or confused about what you are about to see before you decide to make a reservation. Here’s some basic info to get you started:


Flamenco has been part of the Spanish heart and culture for more than 500 years. It is the passionate, sometimes melancholy music of the gypsies of Andalusia, heavily influenced by the Moors of North Africa who ruled Spain for more than 800 years.


Gathered around a campfire for the night with their guitars, drums and castañets, gypsies would spontaneously break into a juerga, an impromptu outburst of guitarra (guitar playing), cante (song) and baile (dance), rhythmically snapping their fingers (pitos), clapping (palmas), and stamping their feet (zapateados). Over the years this evolved into a dance form with its own songs and traditions, including the women’s costumes of long, flared skirts and fringed shawls that accentuate every twirl.


The relationship between dancer and guitarist makes flamenco a unique dance form. Contrary to most dance forms, it is the guitarist who follows the dancer’s prompts. Duende, the baring of one’s soul in all its frank emotion, is another crucial element of Flamenco. Passion, longing, and a deep pride are the feelings most frequently expressed through these dances and songs.


A real Flamenco performance is an unforgettable experience. We hope you’ll come see our talented artists soon. For details of the Flamenco show at each location, and to make a reservation, please visit our website. ¡Olé!

El Día de los Enamorados

It’s February, and you know what that means… El Día de los Enamorados.
Valentine’s Day!

Romance, love, and passion are in the air, and every year couples flock to Café Sevilla to celebrate together in a beautiful setting, with delicious food and the live music and dancing of our passionate Flamenco artists performed in an intimate setting.

Chef Cesar Castillo has planned a delectable four-course prix-fixe Valentine’s Day menu this year that begins with a duet of portobello mushroom ravioli and sea scallops, served with a Romesco almond sauce and a verjus chive emulsion. The appetizer is followed by a Mediterranean salad with poached black mission fig, goat cheese canapé and Sherry tapenade vinaigrette. There is a choice of two entrées: Cupid's Duet, a beef tenderloin with Port reduction truffle sauce paired with jumbo shrimp with blood orange saffron beurre blanc; or our house specialty, Paella San Valentín: saffron rice casserole with mussels, clams, 
calamari, shrimp, scallops, roasted chicken, and chorizo sausage, topped with a broiled coldwater lobster tail. Finally, your Valentine’s Day meal concludes with a special heart-shaped cupidón cake for two, with strawberry mousse and chocolate ganache.


Are you hungry yet? The only thing that could make this meal even better is pairing it with the romantic live music of Flamenco and Rumba guitarists, or the passionate performance of our live Flamenco show. Most of the gypsy songs at the heart of Flamenco performances are about love – love lost, love found, unrequited love and broken hearts. You don’t need to understand the words to feel the artists communicate their passion through their expert and heartfelt singing, guitar playing, or dancing. It is a wonderfully romantic way to spend time with your lover.

In San Diego, our amazing cuadro will perform the Flamenco Dinner Show at 5pm and 7:30 on Valentine’ Day. In Riverside, you can choose between Flamenco shows in the tapas bar (5:30pm and 8:30pm), main dining room (4:30pm and 7pm) and nightclub (1pm) or our exciting Tango, Gaucho and Salsa show in the nightclub (4:30pm and 7pm). At our Long Beach location, the Flamenco show is offered at 1pm, 4:30pm and 7pm in the nightclub. Please visit our website for all the details and prices, and make your reservation today for your most romantic dinner of the year.

Despite Recession, Café Sevilla CEO Says Gaslamp Quarter is Still the Place to Be for Restaurants

Eric Van Den Haute, the CEO of Sevilla, Inc., says that despite the recession, San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is “still a thriving area” and the best location for businesses like his aiming for local clientele as well as out-of-town visitors.

Café Sevilla, one of the Gaslamp Quarter’s oldest and most successful establishments, just celebrated its 22nd year at 555 Fourth Avenue. Its two other locations, in Riverside’s Historic Downtown and on Pine Avenue in Long Beach, are also doing well despite hard times for the industry.

“With about 150 restaurants, the Gaslamp Quarter is the most eclectic area for food destinations, and 90 percent are still run by independent operators,” noted Van Den Haute. “Independents offer a unique dining experience to guests in a choice location, and we find that is still our visitors’ expectation. They come to the Gaslamp knowing they will find a large number of options they can’t find anywhere else.”

Van Den Haute says that this variety of choices is a draw for both locals and also out-of-town visitors who often come to the Gaslamp via the nearby Convention Center: “Why eat at a national chain you can find back home, when instead you can eat at a popular San Diego restaurant and make your visit more memorable?”

As for Café Sevilla itself, the tapas bar/restaurant/nightclub is weathering the recession well, thanks to a major overhaul of the menu and prices. “We have felt the recession, business is down, but I always see these cycles as ultimately positive, because they give you the opportunity to re-evaluate every part of your business and make changes for the better,” Van den Haute says. “In the end, the guests are the one who benefit from it, because pricing is normalized, and quality comes through.”

A Lobster Bisque to Beat the Cold

When the weather is chilly, what could be better than a rich, filling bowl of soup? Naomi Wise, the San Diego Reader's well-respected dining writer, has done a fantastic job creating a long list of the best soups offered at restaurants all around San Diego. We're honored to be included for our delicious, rich Lobster Bisque, which is served topped with a baked puff-pastry crown and garnished with a dash of sherry right at the table. if you're feeling a little chilly - or just hungry - come in and enjoy some today. (Our Lobster Bisque is available at all Sevilla locations.)

For Naomi's roundup of great soups, click here.