The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

Went here early September to go see Chicago (The band). Beautiful venue in downtown San Diego! I've been to a few Amphitheaters for concerts, and I have to say that this is probably the best one so far! The sound and acoustic is actually really good, which is something I did not expect from an open venue. I didn't look up or research anything but it probably has to do with the design of the stage and Amphitheater. Totally worth it to go see a show here if you're visiting SD!

Wonderful live music venue in San Diego. If you had never been to concerts at this location before The Rady Shell was built, you won't realize just how much of an improvement it is. I love bringing out-of-town visitors who rave about it. It's unfortunate that you can no longer bring your own food and beverage even non-alcoholic in safe containers, but I guess they're still paying for the construction & need the concession revenue. Be aware that all the food & beverages are expensive and not all are tasty. The bathrooms are clean and well maintained. While most concert tickets are expensive, the seats are nice, although in the Bridgeview area they're very close together. If you can swing it, I recommend Parkside where you get a small tray table between two chairs or the Marina section up front with a real table and four chairs.

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park – San Diego The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park is an absolute gem and one of San Diego’s most breathtaking live music venues. Set right on the waterfront, it offers a stunning backdrop of the bay, city skyline, and sunset that elevates every performance into an unforgettable experience. The acoustics are phenomenal — crisp, balanced, and immersive — whether you’re seated close to the stage or relaxing on the lawn. Watching the San Diego Symphony perform here feels magical, with world-class sound paired perfectly with ocean breezes and open skies. The venue is beautifully designed, modern, and incredibly well-organized. Sightlines are excellent from nearly every seat, the lawn experience is comfortable and inviting, and the large video screens ensure you never miss a moment. Staff are friendly, helpful, and efficient, making entry, seating, and concessions smooth and stress-free. What truly sets The Rady Shell apart is the atmosphere. It’s elegant yet relaxed, sophisticated yet welcoming — a place where classical music, contemporary performances, and community come together seamlessly. Whether you’re a longtime symphony lover or attending your first outdoor concert, The Rady Shell delivers a truly special experience. This venue is a must-visit for locals and visitors alike. The Rady Shell doesn’t just host performances — it creates memories. 🌅🎼

Went to my first concert here (Weird Al) with lawn seats. I wish I had known that lawn chair were allowed because our blanket was insufficient to provide us a view over the heads of people seated in front of us in lawn chairs. Otherwise, perfect weather for a perfect outdoor venue experience.

An amazing venue. It checks all the boxes. The sound quality is absolutely top notch. The coastal setting is gorgeous. The area around the venue is safe and incredibly walkable. Plenty of excellent hotels, restaurants and shopping. I recommend staying at the Hyatt, a beautiful 10 minute walk along the coastline to the venue. Comfortable seating, friendly staff and great beverage options. My highest recommendation, can hardly wait to return. Happy Trails!

Me and the wife did a date night and went to John Legend. I wanna say John Legend was awesome, but we couldn’t see the stage due to so many people getting up and walking around. Like the whole concert! One tiny screens on each side of the stage, which are too low. All I heard about was the acoustics and how good the sound was it was OK. It’s not worth spending good money to go see a concert there It has a flat slope that if a person 10 seats of front of you stands up you can’t see the stage. I will say the food was good. The alcohol selection was good. But not worth looking at the back of people’s heads for two hours.

Having grown up here, I have watched the transformation of the summer pops site. My parents got married during a concert and my dad preformed. (And i was born 6 mo later, LOL!) The permanent shell does justice to the place. Every show at The Rady has been spectacular, since the day it opened during the pandemic.

We have seen several shows here. The sound is great for things like comedy shows and for musicians. I like being at the tables on the lawn because there’s a bit more space but even the far away seats are nice.

This amphitheater is such a gem and one of our favorite places to catch live performances. You don't come here for the food. There's a solid variety of the typical concert-style options you'd expect at a venue, and the pricing is pretty standard (on the higher end, as most event food tends to be). I tried going the healthier route with the salad bowl with carne asada, but for the price, it wasn't the most impressive. The venue itself is fantastic: being right near the water makes it feel special and elevated compared to a typical concert space. The acoustics are incredible and carry beautifully throughout the entire area. You can genuinely enjoy the music even from outside the venue, which is such a unique experience if you don't have a ticket. Inside, I enjoyed how the lawn area is tiered and the shell-shaped stage adds a lot of value. You get both an amazing visual and audio experience, and it really feels immersive when you're watching a performance. We absolutely love coming here for shows. Even if the food isn't the star, the atmosphere, sound quality, and overall vibe make this amphitheater a place we keep coming back to.

This venue offers a fantastic free section, which is a huge plus. We had a great experience: the security was quick and nice, the sound quality was superb, and the performers were talented. The location right on the water made for a beautiful backdrop. It's important to know the limitations--there is no seating and we didn't see any restrooms in the free area. We also heard from others that the food and drinks were very expensive, even for a venue. That said, it was a great experience. They let us bring our bikes in which was a nice bonus, and the venue was very clean. We walked, but noticed a large parking lot. We left very impressed and are already looking forward to the next performance!

Absolutely love the venue itself. It is stunning. The events are great too. Food is amazing. I have to give it 3 stars though because the drinks are outrageously expensive... for example two small canned drinks (a wine and a cut water) were $44. Should have been less than $30 for sure. On the plus side, the tipping culture was good. they only added $3 for the tip which I felt was reasonable for handing me two cans. Then we went to get a bottle of wine because we felt the price would be better. Nope. It was $80 for a bottle of regular DAOU which is about $20 at the store. I think $50 would have been reasonable. This venue has the potential to be 5 stars. just stop gouging people and you got it.

This is such a nice open air venue right on the bay with a great view. I came here on a Saturday morning for FIT Athletic's monthly yoga class. It was so fun and such an amazing way to start my Saturday! I do recommend coming very early to snag a spot in the nearby parking lot. Otherwise, there next closest lot is paid, and other lots are a further walk away. I came right at 8am and I was able to get a spot in the lot before the big rush. The yoga class started at 9am. It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was so refreshing to do yoga right near the water. _ After the class, there were nice little freebies - protein shakes and electrolyte drinks. There is a bit of traffic coming out of the area, as expected. But overall, such a nice venue to get your yoga on!

Although it's far away from parking, drink service is spotty, and the restroom situation is abysmal (far away from seeing and always very long lines), the venue itself is lovely and a great place to watch shows! I've seen two comedy shows here and they were both spectacular. The Shell gets great acts, so it's worth the headaches that come with it.

They have people packed in more than they used to, and prices up. But it is super organized and was easy to get in today. And I love the Biga pizza. Ordering and picking it up is super easy with the app or the terminals. I'm much farther back than usual , but OO Center Bridgeview has good views of the screen. Don't wait till intermission to go to the restroom or you'll wait for a long time!

My husband and I decide to walk at evening after our work. Recently we had enough turkeys and pies around Thanksgiving. It may be good time to spend time together walking around. After 5 pm, it is already dark and most place is kind of too busy or remote for us to do casual walkoff. we want to walk our dog as well. We find this Park is well lighted and safe for us to do casual walking siding beach with our dog. We were able to take some photos as we had such a fun time there. Now December is not crowded as summer high season. Hope this helps.

I have been to multiple shows here over the years - Boyz 2 men, beach boys x2, James Taylor, pink martini, symphony tribute nights and I'm sure others that I'm forgetting. The sound has always been pretty good and it's a beautiful venue. I have been seated up close, far back and even outside the venue. Each visit and seating location has been a great time and different experience. The food and drinks are a bit pricey (especially the wine), so we always go to a nice dinner first or we bring our own picnic when we sit outside the venue. I wish the seating was less cramped and a little more comfortable, but I need to remember to bring a cushion next time. The bathroom lines can get long but move pretty quickly. The ushers I've encountered have been really friendly and polite too. We also, met a very nice friendly older security guard (when we sat outside last) who was so sweet and clearly loves his job! Just a pleasure to chat with. I usually prebook parking and pay in advance as it's so much easier especially since starting 9/01/25 street parking for events will be $10/ hour I'm really glad this venue exists and I look forward to attending more events here.

Wonderful environment for enjoying music. Terrific atmosphere, good acoustics & friendly staff.

What started as a last-minute "why not?" turned into one of the best nights of the summer. My friends and I decided to catch a concert, and Rady's Shell and pulled a total Hail Mary for tickets at the very last second--somehow, it worked. The fun police were clearly ready for a fun night out. We spent the night singing, dancing, and soaking up the magic under the summer sky. Sure, food and drinks were pricey (like most venues), but we were ready for it. The QR code ordering was a game-changer as we were able to grab a drink while we waited for your food? Yes, please. The staff were all smiles, and the whole night felt effortlessly perfect. Can't wait to catch more concerts next to the water all Summer long.

Let's get the positive out of the way right up front. The food is terrific here. Best music venue food in San Diego. The scenery? Amazing. The sound? Very good. Not good: even if you have front row tickets, you're a ridiculous distance from the stage. This is a music venue, so I assume one likes to see the performance as well. Big miss for a newer venue. I mentioned the great food. This is offset by prices that seem to have been set by a mental patient. Unless my gourmet dog was made from the innards of Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, then $20 is not a reasonable price here in 2025. The bad: leaving the venue is a nightmare. No matter what means of transportation. This is the most chaotic, disorganized exit experience I've encountered at any venue in the US. About the only way to mitigate this would be to stay in a local hotel after and chill out while the hot zone of people, pedicabs, cars, etc clear out.

4th Annual Pride Yoga with Fit Athletic Yoga at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park was fun! Staff and security were present. Attendees received Gatorade and plant based muscle milk. Sunset Yoga was led by the comedic Viktoria Talbot in collaboration with FIT Athletic July 16, 2025 Dance Party by DJ Sassy & DJ Dova mixed/spun catchy tunes.

A beautiful structure but more importantly, it has excellent acoustics and a large lawn. The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is marvelous and put on a terrific 4th of July Concert. Furthermore, the shell is in the absolutely best location to watch fireworks on the Bay!

Amazing experience ! I watched Boyz II Men at the Rady. The staff was professional and helpful. I also liked how they have several vendors and a good selection of food options. I didn't end up purchasing food at Rady concession bars, since I arrived full at Rady. The atmosphere has to be one of my favorite highlights too. I love how you can see the bay from the Rady. It's a beautiful park.

Best music venue in San Diego! The sound is amazing no matter where you are in this venue and the view of the city is magical. There is plenty of food and drink vendors and the bathrooms are very clean. Highly recommend you coming to a concert here.

Love this place. One of the nicest venues San Diego has to offer. Any show you see there is going to be amazing just based on the location and atmosphere.

Recently visited this venue and it is just so perfect. I'm from Northern California and the prices are usually double for entertainment. You don't usually have small venues outside with stellar entertainment. I attended the songs of Tina Turner accompanied by the San Diego symphony. It was absolutely gorgeous. I love getting the tables in the front because you don't feel so squished. There's four seats to a table and every time I have been there; the table mates have always been very courteous and friendly. Actually so friendly that we usually make new friends & exchange numbers. The next night, I attended a really incredible talented ensemble of musicians presenting Miles Davis and Porgy and Bess. The trumpeter was breathtaking. Some of those songs were heartbreaking. Such a gorgeous presentation with a visiting young Juilliard base player and some of the San Diego Symphony members. I really love this new idea of combining modern music with symphonies. This is happening in my area of San Francisco. So fresh and works so well. Thank you for such a good time, good food and a gorgeous venue. I'll be back again for sure.

**COME HERE** We have now attended 7 shows here and will continue to come here again and again. We are so glad we discovered this venue! It is so beautiful and the setting is unreal.We always buy parking ahead of time, park at one of the hotels and walk a short distance over to the venue. We usually eat before coming as the food selection although varied is quite expensive. Anywhere you eat in Downtown SD will be tho. Alcohol is also priced at a premium but that is expected. Volunteers are super helpful and nice. Due to the depth of the stage, the view past the Marina Center/Right/Left is not that good so I recommend buying in the Marina area if you can. There are 2 Diamond Vision screens that make seeing better past the Marina Area but you will struggle if not watching the screens. Sound is amazing. You can also go there to watch rehearsal too! Plenty of restaurants around Downtown, Embarcadero and the Marina District. I recommend bringing a shawl or jacket as the evenings can be chilly as the venue is on the water. They do allow people to pic nic around the Marina and you can hear the music as well as see the Big Screens so you dont necessarily need a ticket.

Rady Shell is such a beautiful music venue, right on the harbor, a short walk from Seaport Village. My last review was a couple of years ago. I wanted to update since I have now returned a couple of times, to share more input. The first time I went was to Deadmau5, an EDM show, in the pouring rain. That time, security was pretty strict, and for whatever reason, they didn't even allow gum. There was no seating for that show, which made sense, as it was dance music. The next time was for Willie Nelson and Family. The crowd was much older, security was relaxed and bags were not checked at all. There was seating rhoughtout. Most recently, my cousin and I went to see James Taylor on a Sunday evening. We were probably the youngest in the crowd. Again, Security was relaxed and everyone was friendly. There was seating throughout once again. I made a mistake of getting seats in the center of the row. It was terrible getting and out for drinks or the restroom. We pretty much had to make the whole row stand up to let us out each time. The other issue is that it is very expensive. Concessions at most music venues are expensive, but his takes the cake. I bought a glass of Daou Sauvignon Blanc, and the total came to $26, as they automatically add in tax and a service charge. I then noticed that they sell a few bottles for $35 (while they lasted), which is the best deal in the house. So my cousin and I bought a bottle, but it actually came to $46. Again, it is a truly lovely venue. Staff is friendly, and lines are short and move quickly for restrooms and concessions. It is pricey. As far as the seating, I would recommend sitting on the outside of a row to avoid the challenges of getting in and out. If you want to avoid some of these issues, you can always take a picnic, and sit on a bench nearby or take your boat on the harbor to listen to the music for free.

I love all the events that get hosted at the shell. The venue is spectacular with San Diego cityscape and harbor as backdrops. It's absolutely beautiful. Parking is a nightmare. Depending on the day the lot pay stations don't work properly. The other option is to park somewhere in Gaslamp but then you have either walk up the convention stairs or walk around the building. Both can be a bit of a pain when carrying items to the shell.

Right now my review is based upon sitting outside of the shell on the benches July 6th. The rules stated that you're not supposed to just be standing on the sidewalk because of egress or emergency vehicle access. However, people were crowding the sidewalk area minutes after the show started And on top of that crowding on the rock area while visibly drunk, which seemed kind of dangerous considering the water is right behind the water. Worse than that, if you are sitting on the benches, the only bathroom access you have is a little shed and it had zero doors - two stalls with zero doors and zero toilet paper and so basically you're naked while trying to go to the bathroom, hoping someone doesn't come around the corner to look and see if the stall is available It seems like a HUGE safety concern and I don't understand why they don't have doors on the bathrooms.

I have to say this place is great! The set up is really nice, clean, the staff were nice. What I love most about the place is even if you get lawn seats there's a small ledge so your not necessarily sitting on a flat surface. The acoustics are amazing here. The color change during the ludacris show I saw was awesome. It's also close by the water so you can even take a little walk around Rady shell. Also their seems to be quite a bit of food options inside and of course drinks but it is pricey. I think the hardest thing about the venue is parking. I do not recommend driving, parking is limited and a pain on top of being expensive. Best thing is to just take a lyft or uber or some other sort of transportation to get here.

I didn't have any food here, but I did get VIP general admission. The VIP GA was a smaller section in front of the stage. The service was pretty quick to get in and get our wristbands. The ambiance was nice and music sounds great at this venue. People can even picnic around the areas and still get a good view of the monitors and listen to the music for free! I thought that was pretty cool!

WOW! This is absolutely my favorite venue! Perfect night! Amazing performance, yummy cocktails, delicious food and great service. Made new friends and danced away the night singing along with my boyfriend. Love, love, love this venue. Views are unreal.

Cool venue worked here setting up and the staff are great. Would recommend coming when they host other activities and events instead of concerts. Parking is bad

Finally!!! I can say I made it to this wonderful outdoor concert venue. The Port of San Diego, San Diego Symphony and private donors made this $85 million dream come true. When it made its debut in 2021, I was fascinated to learn more about it, but could not figure out where it is located. The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park is located in the Embarcadero Marina Park South. There is a small parking lot shared with Joe's Crab Shack and the Gateway of the Ferry to Coronado Island. This will help you easily locate this state-of-art outdoor band shell. You can take the Red Trolley, exit at the Gaslamp - Convention Center and walk three blocks. By the stage is 6 sections of tables that seat four guests, each is assigned a Row and Seat Number, these have table service for food and beverage ($150 to $200 per person, food sold separately). The middle and back portion are equipped with folding chairs, no tables. General Admission tickets average $60 to $70. Beside the perimeter is a walkway and benches that are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. I observed many sail boats and yachts docked with private watch parties, made me wish I had a row boat or canoe!!! Buy a subscription to a series of concerts or individual tickets via the San Diego Symphony website that operates and maintains the grounds. They will check your bags upon entry, it's for our own security. Join the fun and don't forget to tell 'em that Rosemary sent ya!

This is a great concert venue, outside on the water. Excellent sound, you can get tables for 2, 4 & 8 or sit on the lawn. Great for families. I would recommend eating before you go. Food is not great and it's expensive. They do allow you to bring in an empty water bottle to fill up. They have filtered water available.

I just love this outdoor concert venue! I can only imagine that parking would be a nightmare downtown so we opted to make a weekend of it and stayed at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront which was only a 10-15 minute walk to the venue. We were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset before the concert started and the nighttime skyline was gorgeous as a backdrop while enjoying the . What more could you ask for?? I would definitely recommend this venue !

This venue is my new favorite. Easy in an out. Super nice ushers. Especially Richard who helped us greatly. No stuffinuss like other venues on the water. Really does this city good. There's no bad seats. Looking forward to making this my favorite place to see concerts. People dancing. Just a wonderful time

Amazing venue for a concert! I just saw the symphony there last night and it was amazing. I will definitely be heading back for more shows at this venue though the thought of watching a concert from a boat in the marina sounds like heaven! The fireworks were crazy ~ right above our head!

Great location with amazing views. In walking distance from the Gaslamp district and easily accessible. Lawns and pods to sit on. Amazing views of the harbor. Food and drink lines were manageable and staff moved quickly. Restrooms were clean and well maintained. The shell extended amazing sounds.

WONDERFUL WATERFRONT VENUE.. with SALTY STAFF THE GOOD: I've been visiting The Rady Shell for a couple of years now and I'm absolutely enamored with it. I love the causal, yet elegant aesthetic of this amphitheater/concert park. It's located in the gorgeous Embarcadero Park behind the San Diego Convention Center. The Rady Shell hosts the San Diego Symphony, Concerts, Special Celebrity Engagements (ex. John Legend) and so much more! It's an instant classic for a reason. I've come primarily for anime concerts hosted during SDCC such as the Dragon Ball Z and One Piece concerts and they will forever be nights I will remember for the rest of my life. I also saw LiSA here, and that was hands down my favorite concert EVER. The Rady Shell has incredible lighting and fireworks displays, combine that with the glimmering harbor and you're in for a treat no matter what you come to see. I love the big monitors to the sides of the shell, they're super helpful when it comes to seeing what the musicians are doing up close. THE BAD: The Rady Shell mixes up the seating arrangements, sometimes there's tables you can purchase for small groups, most of the time there's plenty of individual seats. I've also noticed there's tons of little booths to purchase food and drinks. I don't recommend the food, except the mac and cheese, that was good! I got a vegetarian burger and it was totally dry. My main reason I can't give the Rady Shell five stars is because of the security/event staff. These are some of the rudest people I've ever met. The Rady Shell partners with a company called "Elite" and these people have no manners. I'm serious, they're total bulldogs who think they own you. I'm really hoping that The Rady Shell cuts ties with these folks soon. These people drank too much salt water because they're salty as heck! Overall recommendation: GO, it's worth it!

The Rady Shell is a really nice venue with great water and city views. It can be a little bit of a challenge getting here and parking at the convention center is around $40. I would recommend walking or biking if you can. One option (up for debate if it's good or bad) is, If you aren't able to get tickets, people do camp out on the perimeter benches and bring their own food/drinks to enjoy concerts for free and is a good way for anyone to experience it. Inside of the venue, It is all open air with the exception of the bathroom area which is in a sort of tunnel. Note that Bathroom lines can be long especially at intermission. Also of note is there are filtered water stations here as well so you don't have to pay $5 for a water bottle. The seating in the venue comprises of tables and chairs in the front marina area which is a little tight, sometimes making it hard to walk between. The seating in the back potions may be a little better but I cannot confirm. There are also plenty of food and drink options and table service in some of the sections. On this particular occasion, we had table service and our waitress was very friendly and quick with drink orders. I will say that drinks and food here are on the pricier side. The best thing here is the San Diego Symphony and the amazing acoustics and lighting. I attended the Totally 80s show and had such a great time between the perfect weather, amazing 80s song renditions and the entertaining conductor! I wish the concert was longer! Very happy this venue is part of the downtown SD scene and will continue to be a patron.

Beautiful venue for concerts, shows, and events, but be careful, it can get chilly at night, especially because it's on the water and there are no indoor spaces. Traffic can build up as well (for Ubers), but it's also a long walk to get around/over the convention center, so just plan for delayed departure.

Stunning. The Rady Shell is undoubtedly my new favorite music venue in SD. The location is unbeatable--on the waterfront by Seaport Village. Parking and traffic (after the concert) were not bad at all. My friend and I opted for the back lawn because we just wanted a chill experience. The stage is far but you can still hear the music very well. I can't speak on the concessions because we ate before entering, but there seem to be a lot of potentially good options. Will definitely be back and try it next time.

Live music as the sun is setting is priceless. A few tips: -If you're going to a concert Sunday-Thursday, don't pre pay for parking in the parkade. We prepaid $15 only to see a sign on the night that they only charge $5. -Drink prices aren't terrible. It makes more sense to buy a bottle than the cans since the cheapest bottle is around $50 but a can is over $20. -For bigger artists, the seating is tight! Because multiple rows are on the same level of ground, even being a row behind can mean you're blocked. It's best to pick a seat in the first row of a section, even if it's not an aisle because they just have more space. -The bathroom line is long! Outside of going to a concert, I've also had a great time going to the yoga classes hosted by FIT. So beautiful and fun!

Second row seating in Marina Right section, Table 219, was AWESOME! I attended the 2024 SD JAZZ FESTIVAL here. My experience was good. Pros: Wonderful shaded seating, beautiful sounds from stage, great unobstructed view of stage and performances, Serving Staff was great, convenient order-in-advance dinner, and access to the open bar up front next to the stage, experience sitting in a prime section up front at stage, restrooms are clean, and fun times here Cons: PRICEY order-in-advance dinner and wine ($175 for one person), cramped table spaces, not much room to enjoy the space around you without obstructing someone else's view, PRICEY cost and gratuity for additional items ordered at the Marina Section Seating, wooden chairs a bit uncomfortable after a while of sitting, and the food was NOT worth what we paid for. Advice for attendees sitting in Marina Section: 1. Do not order dinner in advance 2. Enjoy dinner & drinks in before for MUCH LESS and better taste 3. Bring a seat pad and a blanket for chilly nights 4. Take lots of photos

Absolutamente fantástico! Estabamos afuera, en el muelle escuchando a los Gipsy Kings con una luna llena, muy felices. Se ve la pantalla grande, se escucha perfectamente y el ambiente es único. Great place to listen to music, enjoy the outdoors and dance under the stars! If hanging outside, there is kind staff to let you in. No chairs allowed, but bring a chair or find a bench if not on the perimeter! Appreciate this spot for encompassing the entire Community-like the United Lowrider Coalition! ORALE.

Such a gorgeous venue! The backdrop is out of control beautiful, and if you're lucky you'll get to witness your favorite music serenade the sunset over the ocean. For real! The shell itself looks so cool. The sound is amazing. It's usually super busy but the staff is quick and keeps lines moving. The food options are just ok, but I think I spoiled from Petco Park.

This was a pretty venue along the water, on the south side of Embarcadero. It's like a fancier version of Humphreys, with an interesting built-up slope to the seating. Tickets seem to be on the pricey side, like Humphreys. I won our tickets for Lord Huron, so we weren't as concerned about staying till the very end. The seats were nicer, however. They are hinged padded seats, a nice upgrade from plastic chairs that are ziptied together. You're still not going to be able to see if people stand in front of you, like anywhere else. There was a courtyard with food & drink, but we had eaten elsewhere beforehand so I can't speak to price or quality. Also unusual is that the bathrooms are in the corridor under the man-made mound of seating. Kinda like at the Greek, where it's in a tunnel as well. Parking is around $40, so the best option is to take the Trolley. Seaport Village is the easiest stop, so you don't have to climb the Convention Center Everest-like tower of stairs, lol. Om the way back, go across the light at Kettner by Cheesecake Factory, and walk in front of KC BBQ along Harbor Dr. That's the only way to get back to the Trolley station.

It was a fun show, but this place is wildly overrated! About the only positive aspect is their location - right on the water, with great views. Otherwise, the adjacent parking is very, very limited. What really disappointed me was the food though. They had plenty of alcohol stations on the grounds, but they couldn't even make a margarita. They served us a Cutwater instead. And added a 9% surcharge to the $14 drink. And all of the restaurants pre-make their food. They "kindly ask that you don't request substitutions, as they won't be honored". One person in our group had an egg allergy. After getting differing answers on if the hamburger bun had egg in it, we get to our seat only to find out that they put mayonnaise on the burger - WTF?! So beware that they can't - won't - don't accommodate food allergies.

Had the pleasure of watching Sarah McLachlan here with my sister. It was her bday present for me. What a treat to watch one of my favorite artists perform her best album (imho) with some splashes of her other hits. We got super lucky with parking, finding a spot at the lot across right as we entered the lot. The walk over only took a few minutes. I didn't partake in libations like I normally do because I wanted to fully enjoy the show. My sis got herself some nonalcoholic bevies. They weren't cheap, but that's inflation for you We had a great view, but that's because we were on the 5th row. It's not lost on me that the view is probably not as great in the lawn area. I'm sure the two screens help a bit, but not by much. The seats were comfy enough. I do have to mention that the staff in our area were super nice. Leaving the parking garage however was messy. There was no staff to facilitate and people were frustrated cutting each other off that led to honking. I'm not sure who handles the lot, but there should for sure be staff there. I had a great time at zero cost to me. Yeehaw

Had a great time, the venue was spacious, got Premium seating being a crunchy roll premium member and enjoyed the show. Having missed out on LiSa the night before we had to jump on this event. Food, bathrooms, drink stands and smaller activations. The area was roomy, glorious weather and sea breeze! Thank you from SDCC '24

The star of the Embarcadero is beautiful to look at but impossible to get into! I bought concert tickets months ago to take my son to a NON SYMPHONY event. We arrived 2 hours before the start time and found zero parking. My son uses a power wheelchair and we have a van with a lift so parking is pretty limited to begin with but instructions on the website were pretty vague as far as ADA parking. The lot at the Shell had lots, lots of reserved parking that was empty. I asked and was told that it was for performers and donor and special guest. The lot at Joe's had no ADA spaces, the empty ACE lot was being held for ComicCon set up. Finally parked for $45 at Hilton. The Shell shuttle that serves the Hilton has no lift, they sent another shuttle with a driver that didn't know how to use the lift! We could hear the music, so we walked. As we arrived at the Shell the majority of the reserved parking was still empty!!! Turns out that it is reserved for the symphony musicians WHO WERE NOT THERE!!! Come on Rady's Shell and SD Symphony you can do better!! And San Diego City...your idea of accessibility SUCKS! No Ubers, no Lyft, no decent parking and only the very sad MTS Access service. Here's a review-stay home, watch the artist on YouTube!

The view is amazing! The quality of sound was beyond expectation! This was a perfect date night location. You can also watch from outside without entering the park.

This a beautiful venue that highlights one of the best views, ambiance, and location that San Diego offers. I've gone here for a handful of EDM events and a couple of other music events - important to know that the events were GA without assigned seating. The sunrise views are exquisite when attending events here. The music quality is solid but not the best. The food and drink vendors are good, providing many options for different tastes. It is a hassle to get here, but I recommend parking in the pay-per-hour lots near the convention center. A hack is to walk through the hotel and through the pool area to avoid walking through lots of stairs. I love this venue. I'm that much more encouraged to attend an event when I know it's being hosted here. 4.5/5 rounded to a 5.

Unethical preferential practices catering to members. We purchased seats close to the stage for my mother's birthday. They were expensive but we didn't mind splurging for the occasion. We bought them the instant they were available and were very excited. Several weeks later we were sent an unceremonious message that our seats were not available any more and that we would be moved back to seats much further away. It was explained that "members" bought the seats we had already paid for. The new seats were very disappointing and far from the stage. We will never attend another show at the shell and will never recommend anyone else do so either Additionally: The stage is too elevated for the seating arrangement and the band's are too far inside for good visibility. You end up watching the giant TVs but if I wanted to do that I would stay home.

Great venue to see a show. I came here for the first time last night (6/2) to see Sarah McLaughlan. The sound at the amphitheater is phenomenal and Sarah M. Was amazing....two big screens to view the show which helps. Also the chairs that are provided despite being fold up are comfortable! I was impressed with this. Bathrooms were clean and stocked with necessities so this was great. Lines can be long though. The food is pricy as other people noted and can take a bit to order. I got a burger for $19 (no fries come with it) but I ordered Parmesan fries for $9 more. Both the burger and fries were amazing! The service by the employees at the Shell (food service and ushers) was wonderful. Overall, I know I'll be back here (another concert I'll bE attending in July!)

This review is about the food in the marina section. It went downhill. First of all, our server Francisco was new but great. But... The $35 charcuterie plate used to be great, even though they didn't provide crackers. Now you get Keebler crackers (I brought the ones in the pic), 5 pieces of cheese and a little more. Next time i get the smoked salmon. (Or bring a higher quality spread in my jacket) The salad sucked but was great last year. The $56 tri tip was served cold but apparently was meant to be warm. The chef screwed up on logistics because he had a cold potato salad on a cold plate, so beans and meat were. For $5 you get a crappy teabag and a huge bag of condiments, including fake cream, that are indeed and get thrown out. Why not splurge for a higher quality tea and don't waste the accompaniments? And maybe you could save enough for real land o lakes creamers available at your local Walmart. Bottom line the food crashed since last season. The food used to be part of an awesome experience. Looking around I noticed fewer people ordering food. Revenue is down so they cut quality to get profit. There goes the downward spiral... Eat before you come.