We are INCREDIBLY grateful and thankful to have selected the Don Room at El Cortez for our wedding reception venue!! An outstanding, caring staff and historic, glamorous, charming venue combine to make the perfect match for a venue for any special event. We were looking for an “Italian” space to match the “Italian” church (St. Joseph Cathedral) for our wedding theme and found the perfect venue in the Don Room. Joe and Kathi, the events manager and sales/marketing manager, are both such wonderful and thoughtful people and had such prompt, efficient and quick communication with us throughout the wedding planning process. They helped to make our wedding reception more affordable and suggested the perfect package for catering and bar services to make our reception both memorable, fun and within budget. The building itself is so luxurious feeling and historical, featuring an enormous chandelier and a gold-plated ceiling. The Don Room itself is bright and cozy with maroon red hues and golden highlights, making it both a glamorous but classic venue space. What made us fall in love with the space are the huge red velvet curtains drawing back the entrance to the space, also used to introduce the bridal party and new couple during the reception (my favorite part!)! Joe have such a wonderful tour of the space and overview of how the wedding reception usually flows, which was helpful for wedding planning. I am extremely impressed with the high quality of the presentation of the space, venue and catering package, and communication throughout the wedding planning process. Of all the vendors I emailed/called, the El Cortez staff were the most receptive and detailed in their responses, which were always prompt and answered all questions. My new husband and I are so grateful for the space because the reception was an absolute blast, with all our guests and ourselves incredibly happy to have celebrated in such a wonderful, colorful, and classy space!

The El Cortez is very comparable in pricing with other venues in the downtown San Diego area. This venue makes it incredibly easy to price everything out and chose your vendors! We worked with Jessica and she was so helpful, excited and knowledgeable. She replied immediately to all emails (of course during normal business hours). Our wedding was like s fairytale. It has a very historic yet somehow Disney and laid back feel all together. The venue has the best of both worlds with indoor/outdoor space. Many people said it was the best wedding they had ever been too.

Probably I am the Happiest Bride ever.. My wedding was magical at El Cortez! It’s really beautiful venue with a great vibes. Since the minute I arrive for the very first time, I immediately felt that this place is very special.
I loved round dance floor and a lot of space. all tables are in the perfect circle, and all the guest could see each other. I immediately imagined my wedding decorations around and I felt in LOVE!!! The second time I felt in Love when I stepped outside and seen a terrace.
Jessica, my wedding coordinator was a delight. So professional, kind and so attentive to all my requests. It was the biggest pleasure to work with her and her team.
We got hundreds of compliments for the venue. All our guests were enjoying such a unique and gorgeous atmosphere.
Highly recommended!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

THIS WAS THE BEST NIGHT! EVER!
My husband and I married here this past weekend (10/6/18) and it completely blew away our expectations. We wanted a venue that was in downtown San Diego, had some city vibes, some romantic vibes, and could comfortably fit 200 people. I cannot believe I almost overlooked this venue. The moment we set foot in the Don Room we knew it was perfect. Then we stepped out onto the patio, turned around and pretty much immediately signed the paperwork.
Jessica is absolutely incredible. We hired her as our day of coordinator and NOT ONE thing went wrong on Saturday. Everything ran so smoothly, it was seamless. She was so accommodating, always presenting multiple options and solutions to any obstacle, she is a pro.
We had multiple people tell us this was the "best wedding they've ever attended" (we agree... in our humble, unbiased opinion).
105% recommend. If we could relive this night we absolutely would, and we would not change ONE thing. Thank you!

We got married on 5/19/18 and the El Cortez Don Room was the perfect venue for us! It had our 3 biggest must-haves: outdoor space, parking, and an open bar! The ballroom alone is gorgeous and needs very little décor. Jessica, the coordinator, is the one who reached out to us to make sure we didn't miss out on this venue and we're so happy she did! She was efficient in answering emails and really catered to us so that our wedding planning went as smoothly as it did. We will never forget our beautiful wedding at this beautiful, one-of-a-kind venue.

Getting married at the El Cortez was a beautiful experience. Jessica and her team were fantastic and extremely professional​ the whole time leading up to the wedding and the wedding day! Everything went as planned and was more beautiful than I could ever imagine. I would recommend the El Cortez for anyone who wants a romantic and historical vibe for their special day. Thank you so much!!

I cannot say enough good things about Jessica, Kathi, and Joe at El Cortez/Tavolo Chaise. What an amazing, genuine team that truly cares about their clients. My fiance (now husband) and I had the most magical wedding at El Cortez - it was beyond what we expected. Guests have not stopped raving about the venue and evening. Jessica connected us with an amazing caterer and was such a relaxing person to work with. She even checked in on me while she was out of the state to assure me things would be fine with the rain in the forecast. Kathi and Joe really stepped in the final week of planning to put together a beautiful design for our rainy day ceremony adjustments. My only recommendation to potential clients is that they ask about having one of El Cortez's staff be their "day of coordinator" - I wish I had! Thank you to Jessica, Kathi, and Joe for everything.

I just had had my wedding at the El Cortez two weeks ago and I'm still on cloud nine! The venue itself is gorgeous and I knew as soon as I saw it I had to get married here. Jessica was so quick to answer any questions I had, and always reassured me that everything would go according to plan. I had total faith and confidence in her (which was a HUGE stress relief!). Needless to say, our wedding went smoothly and our guests raved about the El Cortez and how beautiful it was. I couldn't be happier,and I highly recommend this venue to anyone!

What a great experience, the staff were wonderful from start to finish. The place is like a jewel. Joe was perfect for the day of the event, we loved the ceiling in the ballroom and the wonderful dance floor.

What an amazing venue with an amazing staff! We worked with Kathi, who was cheerful and always happy to help us throughout our planning process, and Joe, who was amazingly helpful on the day of the event. The staff really helped make the day special, and we're friendly and personable.

The Don Room itself is a sight to see; ornate golden engravings line the ceiling, pillars line the dance floor, and the entrance through double doors provides a great view of the room for guests as they enter. I would highly recommend the El Cortez Don Room for your special day!