Admiral Kidd Catering & Conference Center

It was a humid October day, and oh you could feel it stick while formally dressed for my cousin’s debut. The views were spectacular the sunset couldn’t have been more enjoyable. Ice water was scarce and the catering was okay but it was family that made it so great and memorable. I would recommend this venue to friends. There is base security so you must provide identification and state what you are there for to enter. It’s a private and secure spot to enjoy the evening.

We had our wedding here in March and knew that the weather could be an issue, but the likelihood of rain was slim. Well, we defied the odds and had rain during our ceremony. They set us up in the covered area under the upper deck since our wedding was very small, about 50 people. It was absolutely perfect and beautiful despite the rain. After the rainy ceremony the sky cleared up and we had an amazing rainbow. The view of San Diego can’t be beat and the city lights are breathtaking during the reception. The service and food were great. Nancy, the coordinator, made everything very smooth for us. Most of our guests stayed on the base so the location was ideal. We highly recommend this venue for a wedding.

It has been one month since I have put the deposit for my wedding down. The place, and view is beautiful but I am considering if it’s worth the headache. They hardly ever answer the telephone. My consultant gave me the wrong prices for putting lights on the pillars. But the biggest headache of all! She told me that 150 could fit into the smaller room (the brochure says 175), after having already signed the papers, paid the deposit, and calling multiple times for clarifications (because the diagram of the room only showed enough room for 120). She informs me that 120 will be sitting inside and the rest will have to sit OUTSIDE!!! I really hope this place improves and doesn’t ruin my wedding anymore than they already have.

The place is gorgeous because of the view but the serving staff were not how I expected! They were rude to my guests, I paid for a certain amount of plates and when some guests cancel the kitchen refuses to serve those extra plates for my vendors. If I paid for 300 plates I should be able to get all of that regardless. Overall I wouldn’t suggest booking here because of the many hassle and requirements of the base and the service crew.

This place may look nice but it is run like the dmv. They have rules that don’t make any sense. Vendors have to charge more because they limit setup times forcing them to hire more staff & hold too many back to back events in one day.

My husband and I had our wedding ceremony and reception here last October. The venue was great, but the view of downtown San Diego was the icing on the cake. We had a lot of out of town guests and they were blown away. I had an overall positive experience with this facility. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I received a new catering coordinator about 3 ½ months before my event. She did great considering she was new to the position, and basically had to pick-​up the clients from the previous coordinator (who was responsive and amazing!).
We booked the Harbor Lounge, which was perfect for 120 guests. We went with one of the wedding packages, which gave our guests plenty of food and beverage options throughout the evening. We selected the grilled new york steak, and salmon florentine as our food options, and they were delicious! We were also given a vegetarian option and selected pasta primavera, but I wish we picked the mushroom ravioli instead. My only complaint was that the air conditioning wasn’t working in the bridal room or reception area. Heat normally wouldn’t be an issue in October, but the weather was unusual that week.
This is a military installation, and everything is tax-​free, but their rules and requirements are different than other public facilities. A little extra work will be required on your end.
These ARE NOT complaints, but a few things to note so that you’re not caught off guard:
— You have to be an authorized patron (or have a sponsor) in order to utilize the facility
— There is a vetting process before your event is approved
— No outside catering, with the exception of wedding cake/​desserts table
— There are additional fees to have a candy bar or photo booth, be sure to check their catering price list before booking vendors
— No private food tastings, there are two catering fairs throughout the year to attend but some of the higher end foods on the menu aren’t available to taste
— Set-​up two hours prior to the event, additional fee for early set-​up
— You’re required to submit your guest list to the Security Office two weeks prior to the event
— Your vendors are required to go through a vetting process with the Security Office. This includes collecting SSN, DL#, and other personal information. This information is required two weeks prior to the event also. I would recommend vendors that are familiar with working with military installations for a smoother process.
— Taxis and rideshare (Über, Lyft, etc.) are not allowed past the main gate, so it’s about ¾ mile walk from the gate to venue for guests not driving
— The bar for cocktail hour opens at 6 pm sharp, not 5:55 pm, or 5:58 pm, not even 5:59 pm! Plan your ceremony start/​end time accordingly.
— No drinks on the dance floor
Pretty much, read the fine print,

Admiral Kidd gets 5 stars for its spectacular view of downtown San Diego and the bay hands down. Tons of photo opportunities of the beautiful San Diego!
I have been to several weddings here throughout the years and I have got to say that it’s looking a little bit rough lately! I mean Admiral Kidd was THE place to have your wedding back in the day and it was a 2 year waiting list to book a date if you could even have the opportunity to book this venue since it’s on the base. It probably still is!
The ceremony area on the grass is well maintained and beautiful but the building itself and its interior is worn down. There are two floors that wedding receptions are held at so depending on the day there could possibly be 2 receptions occurring simultaneously so the foyer area could get hectic with all the people crowding around. The catering is fine. Your standard wedding food. What can I say? Salad, steamed veggies, potatoes, protein, pasta and your carving station. I really didn’t think the catering staff were all that friendly also.
This review is just based on my opinion as a guest so not sure about having to deal with their coordinators etc…
There is ample parking at this venue but make sure to give enough time for yourself when entering and attending an event since there is an ID check at the gate you may get delayed.

Stunning bay views. Plenty of dancing floor and table real estate. That would sum up my two experiences there if it were that easy, but alas… If invited to attend an event there ensure you RSVP well ahead of time so you are not hung up at the gate since it is an active military installation. The new breed of squid… oops, sailor, seems to be a bit more understanding and won’t hassle you too much to get on, but that always depends on the current threat levels. Staying straight ahead through the gate and cutting right at the end of the road you find yourself driving smack into the root cracked asphalt parking lot with ample spots for all of your guests. The interior of the building is simple and just enough to provide a nice venue. Upstairs offers a huge balcony to take in the San Diego views while still being able to have belly bars or food tables setup. Downstairs offers a nice covered patio that leads out to the grassy area right up to the bay waters with sea lions playing up to the sea wall and the occasional interruption of their bark. If double booked always take the upstairs venue since people seem to trickle down the stairs and will crash the lower party. The food options served by the conference center is pretty exceptional. The appetizers alone are worth the booking while the main courses are simple, yet still great tasting. The chefs definitely take pride in their work and can often be seen peeking from behind the walls to see the eaters reactions to their creations.

5 Stars for the beautiful venue.
However, my experience was not the best with the event planner.
Two days before my security list was due, my planner sent me the forms for my vendors. She gave me an extra day but it was a holiday weekend any most people were out till Tuesday. I did not need the extra stress this close to the wedding.
After getting my final security forms in, both my photographer and my photo booth vendor still had to be met at the gate and escorted in.
The food was served hot and the service staff was professional. If you are looking into the AKC and your event is partially vetted, make sure you get the list right away.

Oh my gosh this is the best venue to have a wedding! Our guests loved the venue and the view of downtown San Diego! The staff there was so helpful the night of the event — and as the bride I felt like i got special attention from the staff! They made sure I had extra wine in my glass and they set aside desserts from the dessert table for me to take home (which was amazing because I was so busy talking to people I didn’t think there would be any left over!) the only downside of the venue is the base access… for guests it’s easy you just need full names as it appears on ID cards. For vendors you need ssn… just tell your vendors up front and it should be okay. I also recommended using vendors that are familiar with the venue because then you know they are okay with giving their information and getting on base. Some of my vendors did events so often at admiral Kidd they had 1 year granted access and I didn’t have to worry about getting their information.
The venue also provides a lot of the essentials… arch for ceremony, chairs, China, projector, table decorations, etc. the main vendors we had to provide were cake, chair covers, dj, photographer and florist.
Definitely recommend this venue — lastly… you can’t beat the price. This is by far the cheapest venue with a view in San Diego; and the guests love it !!

Here for a specially organized dinner event.
The venue: amazing views. We kept forgetting that we were on a military base, as it feels more like a hotel resort. With the amazing grass backyard and spectacular views of the downtown area, it was a very «San Diego» feel.
The staff: one was a bit abrupt, another was very helpful. Mostly, there seemed to be not enough people available to serve the entire group (~300 people) efficiently.
The food: I had the steak dinner w/​scalloped potatoes & veggies. I’d give it 3 stars. The steak had good flavor, but it was very dry. Since no waiter came to refill our water glasses, I had to get up and go fill them myself. I ended up downing 3 glasses of water just to be able to get the dry food down. Mega slice of good cake to go with it at the end, though.
I don’t know that I would book this place again for this kind of dinner, but I guess those decisions aren’t up to me.

Sister and new brother in law just had their reception here. It was a nice venue, but only ran into two problems with the staff, thus the reason for the missing star.
–just coming out of the party bus with the groomsmen and bridesmaids an employees tries to take all the alcohol. Uncle had to step in and let her know family was placing it in the car and didn’t plan to bring it inside.
–during the time my step sister and I would eat and get drinks from the bar, another worker kept taking plates we left at the table. There’s still a lot of food on it!
Overall good venue.

Not gonna lie– this was 100% the BEST banquet food I have ever consumed. No joke! Paired with the beautiful views and the private feeling on base– I’m a huge fan of Admiral Kidd.

I am writing a review as a guest as well as a wedding professional.
I have been a florist for over 35 years and have set up thousands
of weddings. I love working with the staff at Admiral Kidd.
The venue is always set up on time and I never have to wait for
tables or chairs to be finished. The staff is always helpful
and well organized. The view is amazing and your guest will be
very impressed. You do need to put in some effort for the guest list
but do we really want just anyone on our Navy base?

I went here to do some recon for my upcoming wedding. I called and made an appt to come in that day at 4 pm to check out the venue and meet the coordinator. I don’t recall her name, but I think it started with an ‘S’. Like Selena or Sherry or something like that, she was sitting in the receptionist desk in the front. She was effing rude! I don’t know if it was because it was 4 pm and she didn’t get her hourly nicotine fix, but she was very aggro and negative. The outside grounds were nice, and the ballroom was your standard, sterile military issue ballroom, and I had a few questions about how my wedding might be there. Such as, could we put the tables outside on the patio, with the food and bar set up in the ballroom instead? Her response, an eye-​roll to every question I had, and «NO.» She was so rude and her customer service skills were definitely lacking. My fiancé is a very patient guy, but she pissed him off so much by her blatant rudeness. We understand if things are unable to happen, but be nice about it! There is no reason to be rude to customers! Even though the outside grounds were nice and location convenient, we chose elsewhere just so that we did not have to deal with her resting bitchface and jerk personality ruining our wedding. Note to her: If you have a shitty personality, maybe don’t be in the customer service field.

I recently went here for a family reunion. The inside is not bad looking. The view outside is beautiful. We did a lunch buffet. The food wasn’t bad.
I can’t really comment on the experience as I client for the venue. I considered this place for my wedding venue but I’ve heard you have to book at least 1 year in advance for most dates.

We recently had our 5 year vow renewal here at the admiral kidd.
Let me just say that the view is TO DIE FOR! Nothing beats that view when it comes to military bases in San Diego. It’s simply gorgeous.
The food was AMAZING! We were a bit skeptical at first when we went to the food tasking. Just know that the food is truly amazing. I’m assuming they don’t make the main courses during the food tasting because it would be quite pricey, especially not knowing how many people would even attend the food tasting as well. We had the Salmon Florentine, and the New York Steak and both were so juicy and tender. All our guests had nothing but compliments to say about the food. The cocktail hour was delicious also! So good, we actually ran out of food for everyone.
Don’t be turned off if your event is fully vetted as well. We had to get all of our guests, and vendors’ personal information and they were happy to give it to me. Just think of it this way, if your guests aren’t willing to give you and trust you with their personal information then maybe they shouldn’t really be invited to your wedding/​event. It obviously isn’t as important to them as it is to you.
Overall we had a BLAST here, especially for the price. Amazing place, amazing view, amazing price!

If you aren’t aware San Diego has some of the nicest bases around. Our rich naval tradition has waterfront locations up and down the coast and with our amazing weather it’s no wonder this catering and event hall gets so much use. Easily 2 events a day for the weekend through most of the year.
It’s great for weddings, anniversary’s, banquets, basically anything. The views of the bay are spectacular, the large deck, grassy knolls and sky line in the distance make it ideal for those looking to not pay an arm and a leg for La Jolla, Del Mar locations.
I was here for a 25^th wedding anniversary and granted we were in the middle of a heat wave and even with the blinds closed for part of it, it was warm. The food felt a little bit like mess hall food. Trying to be gourmet, but couldn’t quite get there. A bit of brunch, a bit of breakfast, a bit of lunch. Sadly no open bar and it’s a good thing because the bartenders were average at best. Their set up didn’t allow for open tabs, so I had 8 transactions for the day. No ATM on site, mixed glassware and all in all a mediocre experience. Omelets were good, but the water, wine and table service was lacking due to being understaffed. I’m sure they staff based on the event size rather than actual need. Like most on base amenities, you need to be military or retired to book.

One of the best views of downtown San Diego. You need to have a military sponsor to get in.
There are several rooms inside the building for your different events. I love the balcony overlooking downtown in the southwest corner of the building.
If you are a photographer shooting an outside wedding watch out for what time and where the sun will be.

What’s so cool about conference center inside a military base? It’s the view. pure and simple. That’s why there is usually at least a 1 year waiting period to make a reservation for a wedding reception here.
I’ve attended one wedding here that overlooked the San Diego bay, as sunset approached, and boy, what a sight. I also come here on occasion as part of my running path. And just hang out for a bit and look at sailboats, big Navy ships, etc. And as a rewtenant, I normally have to make random appointments for Captains and above and this place suits most ceremonies.
They also have regular conference rooms for rent, but obviously people want the main dining room or the Harbor Room for the reception with the outdoor grass area for the actual ceremony.
Don’t forget that this amenity is located in a Navy base, so there are certain rules and regulations that need to be met before you book your request here.