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The Watering Hole- San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, CA

The Watering Hole- San Diego Zoo Safari Park

4.5
4.5
1244 Reviews
$30 and under
Gastro Pub

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 61 times today
  • Great for scenic views
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Charming
Located in the San Diego Safari Park
OpenTable Diners Choice 2022 Award for Best Ambiance

Enjoy an incredible view of the African Plains at the Safari Park's newest gathering spot: The Watering Hole restaurant and bar. Watch rhinos and giraffes as you dine on menu items including tasty sandwiches and fresh salads, or relax with a refreshing beverage from the full-service bar with a wide selection of craft beers, wine, and mixed drinks.

18% Gratuity charge to be added to checks for parties of 7 or more

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Gastro Pub, African, Fusion / Eclectic
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (760) 796-5654 ext. 5397
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Escondido
  • Cross street
    San Pasqual Valley Rd
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 1,244 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Watering Hole at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers a "magical location" with breathtaking views of the African plains, perfect for a relaxing meal. While the food and service receive mixed reviews, the ambiance and unique setting make it a memorable dining experience. "highly recommend" reservations.

1,244 Reviews
  1. Kevin

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Lunch was good. They couldn’t seem to find our Open Table reservations even though I showed them my email confirmation. Fortunately they were able to seat us at our reservation time, might have been an issue if it was busier as it’s the one full service restaurant at the park.

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  2. BrianM

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This restaurant has a great location overlooking the safari park savanna. However, most of the tables were under the roof (as opposed to the patio) so most tables don’t have a view even though it would be easy to do. The food selection is limited and nothing special, which was disappointing to all of us. The staff service was great and very helpful, but I’m not sure I would go there again.

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  3. Rose

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome all around ! Service and food! All servers and hostess were fantastic !

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  4. Carole

    Minneapolis

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a great place to have a great meal at the Zoo Safari. And bonus you get to see all the animals roaming!

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  5. Noreen

    VIP

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 20, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food, service, and view; however, there are no vegan options.

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  6. Cinde

    VIP

    San Francisco

    103 reviews

    4.0

    103 reviews

    Dined on December 15, 2024

    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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  7. Amber

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    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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  8. Jordan

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 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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  9. William

    St. Louis

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 29, 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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  10. Frank

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 29, 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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FAQs

The Watering Hole- San Diego Zoo Safari Park is rated 4.5 stars by 1244 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 61 times today
Google Map for The Watering Hole- San Diego Zoo Safari Park

15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, CA 92027-7017

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    San Pasqual Valley Rd
  • Neighborhood
    Escondido
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Gastro Pub, African, Fusion / Eclectic
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine
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