December 31, 2017

South Bay Food & Drink Diary: Cafe Sevilla Restaurant and Tapas Bar

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to We have Locations in Long Beach, Riverside and San Diego’s Cafe Sevilla Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

How did you end up in the restaurant business?
Cafe Sevilla was established in San Diego in 1987 by Spanish born owners Rogelio and Janet Huidobro, who constructed the Sevilla Concept from the traditional and authentic ambiance of Spain. Sevilla started as a small Tapas Bar on 4th Avenue before moving to it’s current 3 story location on 5th Avenue, right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown San Diego. It eventually opened two more locations in downtown Riverside and downtown Long Beach.

The owners opened the restaurant and it was more of a meeting place before it became a bar and restaurant. Their friends and family would stop in for casual tapas and performers loved to practice flamenco guitar and voice in the small and cozy space with stone arched ceilings.

Sevilla’s menu has maintained it’s traditional concept since its’ inception in 1987. It began as a more casual tapas bar, specializing in the small “pintxos” that one can pick and choose from the bar display. Now Sevilla serves over 40 tapas from regions all over Spain along with 6 different types of paellas, fresh seafood and savory meat dishes. And let’s not forget about the award-winning sangria, which is a staple to any Spanish meal. The corporate chef in from Spain, and brings his Spanish concepts to the plates of hungry Sevilla diners.

I joined Cafe Sevilla 2 years ago, so it is well into it’s success and maintains a solid concept and branding. Being the director of marketing is a position that I absolutely enjoy, with every day bringing new challenges and hills to climb.

Prior to Sevilla, I was running a Marketing and PR company specializing in a variety of industries, including restaurants, but I wanted to get back to being in an in-house position where you have full control over one product. I’ve always loved the Cafe Sevilla concept, so when I saw the position come available, I jumped at the chance. It’s always held a special place in my heart, as it was one of the first places my husband took me to on a date. And it truly doesn’t;t get any funner than being in the food and hospitality space. I definitely do not mind being in the test kitchen a few times each week.

We’d love to learn more about the struggles you’ve had along the way.
Personally, I went from marketing to real estate to insurance and finally back to my original plan of marketing… so yes, it was a long journey to get to where I am now. Being young and having to make decisions about your career path can be challenging, and I made all the wrong moves before coming to the realization that I loved marketing and could pair that love with the food and hospitality industry.

Cafe Sevilla faced many challenges as well. When it opened in downtown San Diego in 1987, the downtown area was not developed into what it is today. Let’s just say it was not a place you wanted to be once the sun went down. As investors realized the potentiality and downtown developed, so did Sevilla, eventually becoming known for amazing food, late night dancing and a place to simply get away.

Tell us something interesting or unique about Cafe Sevilla Restaurant and Tapas Bar.
Cafe Sevilla has been dedicated to providing the true essence of Spanish culture, music and cuisine since 1987. Sevilla is proud to offer the most authentic Spanish ambiance in their tapas bar, restaurant and nightclub.

Café Sevilla specializes in Spanish tapas or small plates, which are great for a sharable dining experience. Menu offerings include a variety of tapas to include ceviche, empanadas, calamari, Spanish meatballs, stuffed dates, patatas bravas and tortilla Espanola. Main dishes include a variety of paellas, fresh seafood and savory meat dishes. We also feature a large variety of Spanish wines and refreshing sangrias.

There are very few Spanish restaurants, so the concept of tapas is still foreign to many of our guests. We also have guests asking for chips and salsa, so there is always a learning curve and we have a “27 Steps of Service” that we follow that ensures our servers explain the concept of Spanish food and tapas to our guests. We want our guests to leave with a new appreciation for Spanish and music so a lot of training goes into that with our staff.

Our decor is breathtaking, with many of our guests saying they feel “transported to Spain” when they step inside our front door. Our founder, Janet, is an incredible painter and you can see her murals and paintings in every restaurant. And the founder, Rogelio, is also quite the collector so you can see unique pieces from Spain decorating every inch of the restaurant.

Some stand-out items on our menu that are hard to find anywhere else include our Black Seafood Paella, Which is a Classic Valencian/Catalon Dish Made with Squid Ink. It’s a unique flavor that and unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. We also love our guests to experience the Pulpo a La Gallega, which is sliced octopus, young potato, saffron and olive oil. And of course, you can’t go wrong with our Jamon Iberico. This aged ham, also known as the “Pride of Spain,” is procured from free range Iberian pigs native only to Spain.

Join us for live music almost every night of the week and you cannot miss our “Art of Flamenco Dinner Show,” which runs every Saturday night and includes a 3-course Spanish dinner.

Most Popular Items

Paella Valenciana

Mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, prawns, chicken and grilled sausages served over authentic saffron bomba rice.
Dietary: Gluten-free

Datiles Rellenos

Medjool dates, cables blue cheese and applewood bacon

Tortilla Española

“Potato Tart” made of garlic and goat cheese
Dietary: Vegetarian

Ahi Tuna TarTare Tower Crudo

Avocado, mango and orange-tarragon dressing
Dietary: vegetarian

Parking Advice:
In Long Beach, there is street parking and paid parking lots adjacent to the restaurant. In Riverside, we offer a private parking lot. Also, we offer valet in both locations on the weekends.

Happy Hour:
LONG BEACH: We are always looking to “Raise the Bar” and we’ve definitely done it with our new “Happy Hour” at Sevilla. Join us daily from 3pm – 6pm for our incredible “Dollar for Dollar” Happy Hour – The dollar amount you spend on alcohol, you get the equivalent in free food! There’s no reason not to get happy!

RIVERSIDE: We are always looking to “Raise the Bar” and we’ve definitely done it with our new “Happy Hour” at Sevilla. Join us Sunday – Friday from 3pm – 6pm for our incredible “Dollar for Dollar” Happy Hour – The dollar amount you spend on alcohol, you get the equivalent in free food! Plus, you can enjoy $3 off everything on our food and beverage menu Saturdays from 3pm – 6pm. There’s no reason not to get happy!

Average Entre Cost:Range anywhere from $7-$35

Address:140 Pine Avenue, Long Beach 90802

Phone:562-495-1111

Website: www.cafesevilla.com

Social Media links