Encore Event Center - San Diego, California

Kendra R.

Overall was nice for my oldest Daughter’s sweet 16 birthday party. However, the place didn’t have AC so it was super HOT. The internet kept failing so it caused issues to the PowerPoint clip. Also, purchased extra additional food to take home and wasn’t given ANY. Most likely will do my other daughter’s special day elsewhere.

Ria L.

The place is not big enough for our company party. Bathroom were clean. Parking was not clearly marked and it is hard to find parking. Parking is across the street from it which can fill up quickly.

Xochitl C.

I had to edit this review and reduce the stars to one. I was the planner for my nieces wedding last night. The venue itself is adequate with seating and parking. We purchased ceviche appetizers. They were supposed to come in martini cups, but came in tiny plastic shot cups so were bite sized. They apparently only brought out one per person so most people didn't get any appetizer. This was strike one. For dinner we had Street Tacos ( Beef and Chicken served with Fresh Salsa, Shredded Cheese, Handmade Pico de Gallo and Chopped Cilantro with Corn Tortillas Prepared by Attendant and guacamole. Refried Beans and rice were our sides. This was 2 tacos with a very small portion of beans and rice. They were supposed to have Tortilla Chips but apparently ran out of these by the time I went through the line. We had about 20 guests not show up, so you would think that there would be adequate food for everyone, but many people were still hungry and denied seconds. It was very frustrating and the attendant was rude to boot. Not what you want on your wedding day. My son ( a 200 lbs weight lifter went back for seconds and was told no seconds. We are out in a snide kinda way. She said, "we're out were done, we're not doing any more." I didn't think too much of it until other guests started leaving to get more food. (Strike two) I myself was still a little hungry, but not enough to leave. For dessert we ordered Dulce de Leche Cheesecake which they never brought out. (Strike 3) They did cut and serve our cake, but I would have rather done it myself because I lost trust in the venue to serve us appropriately. My sister accidentally went out of the emergency exit and saw a bunch of employees eating the cake and laughing about it... (srike 4) Not all the guests got cake. What you want on your wedding day is for people to be content and happy. This food situation detracted from the wedding. They add the gratuity of 18 percent directly to the bill, so perhaps feel no obligation to serve you well. A couple of other things to think about, many of the older folks didn't dance because the floor is brick and uneven so not the best for anyone with balance impairment. This may be a historical building (not sure), but a level dance floor is a consideration when you book. Further, the manager had the opportunity to make us whole, we would have been happy if she just brought out some more chips, but she brought nothing and didn't even serve our dessert. Please note that the bartender was very good and the dj was good too. The manager was supposed to set up a meeting in advance with the dj, but didn't follow though. That meant we were scrambling to give him the playlist and the father daughter dance was done to the wrong song. I would not recommend this place due to the rude attendant. Who wants to be treated rudely on what is supposed to be your special day?

Rya L.

Had my ~60 person wedding here the other day, doing my best to write a thorough review.
TL;DR: A great all-inclusive venue at an affordable price, if you aren't too hung up on the details.

Small snags: We had requested our audio guestbook be put out at the cocktail hour, and we had brought some additional desserts of our own--both things were forgotten about until I pulled someone aside and reminded them. The requested gluten-free meal was given to the appropriate guest, then taken away(?), but given back again once we found our coordinator and let her know. The DJ (DJ BodyRawk) was ok; he took requests and shook the tip jar to play them, though I had already tipped him as part of the overall bill. I thought parking would be available, but we had to park in the available lot across the street, which we weren't told ahead of time. The venue can be a little hard to get a hold of; their automatic answering service is a bit weird and they don't leave messages when they call you back, but our coordinator Tanya was pretty good about calling/texting back. Keep in mind the bridal suite is very small (this was perfect for me). There was another event going on but it didn't affect my wedding in the slightest--people were very sweet and offered me congrats. The rehearsal was apparently self-guided; this was never communicated to us. These weren't huge issues for me, but if you're the type to NEED a totally perfect dream wedding, they are things to keep in mind.

The Highlights: My guests LOVED the gorgeous fountain courtyard as well as the decor of the room, especially the light-up willow tree. 99% of our own decor (arch, pictures, Mr/Mrs signs, centerpieces, accent flower petals, party favors) were laid out as requested and looked lovely. As I said the food was excellent, they worked with me on gluten-free and vegan options at no extra charge (for under 5 people), the bartender truly had the patience of a saint and made fast, delicious drinks, and the photobooth from the venue was a HUGE hit and we have some really fun pictures. It was AWESOME having an all-inclusive venue, I had very little to worry or think about; they also have decor accents, lights, arches, and centerpieces available to rent if you'd like. And of course, the price was outstandingly affordable. The incredible price was the biggest draw for us and honestly it was worth it, I'd do it again. Overall, I'd recommend Encore for anyone who wants a great, fun wedding!

Jo

We’re far enough out I finally feel comfortable speaking about this. This venue almost ruined my brothers wedding. First, when the bridal party arrived there were a few final pieces they had to put on and when the manager was politely asked to close the door to his office so they could change he angrily exclaimed it was his office and refused to give them privacy for even a few minutes. There was nowhere else for the bridal party to finish changing even though they had been reassured there would be space for that. The office behavior was so sketchy the MOH felt necessary to check for hidden cameras. Then their DJ was just an older gentleman who clearly didn’t know what he was doing. He was just playing whatever and ignored the bride and grooms playlists entirely. We had to beg him four or five times to turn the music down because people literally couldn’t hear themselves think much less have a conversation. He would turn the music down and then crank it back up to max after a few minutes. The staff were hard to track down when needed and unresponsive to questions. The food was decent for us unlike other reviews.

Its R.

As soon as I arrived to the venue the owners demeanor was as rude as one could be on a Friday night for pre-paying customers . He asked me and my friends to leave because someone in the crowd behind us said a statement he did not approve of (exact statement: “finally this has been taking forever”). In all honesty it seemed very racist even though they claim they are “black/latino owned.”Along with the owner, security was being very unethical towards everyone including my friends and I in the crowd. Keep in mind the whole crowd including us had paid for pre sale tickets and most never made it past security because of their narcissistic demeanors, leaving everyone including the people who rented the venue with a horrible experience. If you don’t want to have the most stressful night of your life please do not book this disrespectful event center. Or at least do not allow the owner on sight when your event is happening.

Chloe C.

Jamie is FANTASTIC! She not only helped provide me with many different options for my event, but she also helped me vision the future result! So quick to respond, I feel zero worries with my upcoming event with her help. The venue spaces are perfect for anything and everything! If I could leave more than 5 stars, I would. I more than recommend booking with Encore Event Center. You will feel lucky and happy if you get the help of Jamie. Incredibly grateful for an easy and fun experience.

Diana M.

Encore made my event very special, Tanya, Betty and overall every staff member were very nice. I will be definitely coming back again and considering future events. Their taco station was delicious, bar and drinks on top notch. I really recommend! DM