The Watering Hole- San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Review summary

1. C

   Cinde

   San Francisco

   102 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   102 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We enjoyed stopping for lunch and having a nice break. Our server was fantastic.
   

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2. A

   Amber

   Los Angeles

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We had the BEST time! Mateo was our server, and he was FANTASTIC! Highly recommend this dining experience to anyone.
   

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3. J

   Jordan

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 1 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I proposed to my girlfriend (now fiancé) at the Watering Hole yesterday. The staff was AMAZING and very helpful in pulling it off. I had some friends get there early and the staff helped them find a hiding spot for them until I popped the question. They even asked other guests to stay clear of the outlook for me while I did my thing! The bartender also came up to me and asked if I wanted her to take a video of the event. When we got there, they seated us at a table for 2 (despite my reservation for 8 people), to add to the illusion that it was just the two of us. I did the proposal, my friends came out, we celebrated, then the staff brought us over to our large table and already had champaign poured for us! Absolutely amazing staff that were genuinely excited to help me pull off the proposal. 10/10. The only negative thing I can speak to is the communication beforehand. I tried calling them the day before (I know, it was on me that it was last minute, but there were outside circumstances that lead to that), but no one answered the phone. I left a voicemail explaining the situation, but never received a call back. I was especially worried because on the voicemail line it stated any parties of over 6 people, could not be booked through OpenTable, and had to be reserved over the phone. Seeing as though I had a party of 8, I just had to hope for the best. Fortunately, once my friends got there and verified everything, everything went exceptionally.
   

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4. W

   William

   St. Louis

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on 29 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Amazing open air dining overlooking the animals of Africa!
   

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5. F

   Frank

   Los Angeles

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 29 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The best place to dine, have some nice drinks, and a breathtaking view over square miles of open animal habitat! Least expensive trip to enjoy the African Serengeti ...
   

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6. K

   Kathleen

   San Diego

   22 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   22 reviews

   Dined on 29 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Miso and salmon salad was fabulous. Views are amazing!
   

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7. D

   Donald

   Palm Springs

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 28 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We were greeted with a smile and cheerful spirit. The host was helpful and polite. The view from our table was terrific. The waitress was friendly and checked on us several times. This was not our first visit nor will be our last.
   

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8. J

   Julie

   San Diego

   9 reviews

   5.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on 28 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Savanah greeted us warmly and maintained a friendly and professional demeanor throughout the meal. She paid attention to our needs ensuring drinks were refilled promptly and checking in at just the right moments.
   

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9. L

   Linda

   San Diego

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 26 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Beautiful outdoor venue at the Safari Park. Expensive for lunch, but the food was good. Service was a little slow but I think they were short-handed as so many businesses are now. Delightful experience,
   

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10. D

    Dolores

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 24 November 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4

    From this restaurant you can view rhinos, giraffes and other animals at Safari Park. However, it is a very poorly run place. We had reservations and we were seated. Another group in front of us with no reservations was told they had a 45 minute wait or they could sit at a small table on the fake lawn. They were served their food way before us. We waited an hour and half for our lunch. The adult food was good to ok. The kids chicken tenders were mushy and flavorless.They charged plenty for the kids meals and basically it was the same food at any place in the park.We definitely would not return to eat there again. It has great potential, but they need to learn how to be a restaurant and not a fast food establishment with super slow wait times.
    

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