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!