I found Mario and the Boat Grotto years ago (I believe 2013) when I bought a fixer-upper Chaparral with twin Volvo I/Os. The boat had been neglected and I knew when I bought her she was going to need some serious love. I did a lot of the work myself, but wasnt comfortable going through the stern drives. Mario and his team did a great job taking them apart, identifying any needs, sends LOTS of pictures illustrating his findings and recommendations. I was very happy with the job they did. Fast forward to a few months ago and Im selling that boat after many happy voyages to Catalina and Ensenada and lots of other places. I bought a larger vessel and as this one was in survey we found one engine had chipped a valve and caused major engine damage. Once again Mario evaluated the situation and gave me the options. We decided on a new rebuilt engine. He was able to get it done on time, helped explain all he was doing not only to me but to my buyer for the boat. The engine was replaced, the buyer was happy and is now enjoying it and I expect him to get many more great years out of this boat. Thanks Mario and your team for all the hard work!

I run a Boat Rental Business in San Diegos Waters. I had a Pontoons engine shut down on me, I looked all over for a replacement and found The Boat Grotto selling a Honda 4 Stroke. It was practically brand new immaculate condition. This alone would have warranted a 5 star review. Carl helped getting the engine installed that week so I could be on the water that weekend to make money!! The level of professionalism and Quality is hard to find in a Marine Shop. I know I can count on these guys to help when its CRUNCH TIME! Thanks!

Found my new boat mechanic. 2003 Merc Optimax on 03 Whaler Ventura. Went into guardian mode. They got me in very quickly compared to the other guys and 1 day later it was fixed. A bad sensor, they were honest and didnt try to sell me a $1000 un-needed job like many do. Nice work Boat Grotto, Mario and Caesar- top notch. Oh, super easy to get into with a boat too.

I do not normally write a review, but I have to give a huge shout out to Carl at the Boat Grotto. I was having problems with my 2019 Mercury FourStroke 200 and I called the Boat Grotto to assess what might be the problem. Carl answered the phone and walked me through the problems (he even told me my engine based on the problems, before I told him the model and the year) . He offered some sound advice and service at a price point below competitors. A very professional business (something uncommon in this industry), knowledgable, and fair priced boat business. I look forward to continued business with the Boat Grotto.

The Boat Grotto is great! They had a very professional and courteous staff, and the service on my outboard engine was quick- Will definitely return for further maintenance in the future!

I have 3 Mercury Verados on my boat and to say the least, you talk about issues when you have Mercury technicians working on them that aren’t actually Verado technicians. I have lived this nightmare. People promise the world here in San Diego, but Mario and his staff are the real deal. No more exhaust pouring out the back of the exhaust. Fuel consumption has gone down. They fully back any warranty work if needed and Mercury actually recognizes them as a dealer for verados which is crazy! Most dealers that are Fly By Night operations will actually charge you for warranty work, then change Mercury so they can double dip! Not Mario, he doesn’t play that game. Don’t be fooled by individuals and companies that claim to be Mercury technicians, in San Diego, but don’t actually have their Verado certification. Lots of fakes out there, but if you want your boat to run, not cost a fortune and not want companies to nickel and dime you- there is only 1 place and you found it! Speak with Mario today!

What an incredible experience at The Boat Grotto, these guys are so knowledgeable. They re powered my boat and it turned out amazing !! I got a 115 and it’s fast smooth and powerful. I loved doing business here. TOTALLY RECOMMEND THE SERVICE.PS: To all the negative comments, I’m sorry but didn’t experience anything relevant at The Boat Grotto.PSS: I drove from LA and would drive on a daily to get my boat serviced here.

Very experienced staff for Mercury outboards. Had all of my questions answered over the phone. Very highly recommended!!

The Boat Grotto41 reviewsClaimedBoat Repair, Boat DealersClosedHours updated 3 weeks agoShare Your ExperienceDid they respond quickly?COVID-19 UpdatesEditContact the business for more information about recent service changes.Photos & videosSee all 23 photosPhoto of The Boat Grotto - San Diego, CA, United StatesPhoto of The Boat Grotto - San Diego, CA, United StatesPhoto of The Boat Grotto - San Diego, CA, United StatesPhoto of The Boat Grotto - San Diego, CA, United StatesReview Highlights“If you appreciate doing business with someone who is going to tell it to you straight then Mario is your man!” in 30 reviews“Sending me photos at 10pm at night of the sea trial, and worked with us on the budget.” in 3 reviewsJimm H.“Motor ran great, started every time, and it was definitiel faster than the old motor (225 HP vs. 190 HP on the old 2 barrel carb).” in 2 reviewsOther Boat Repair NearbySponsoredLighthouse Diving Services1Sam S. saidDiver down... this company does a great job. I used them for a few months in 2020 and they were very consistent. They send a condition report with every haul cleaning and change sinks as needed. Great option for those boats with…read morein Boat RepairMorton Marine Services611.0 miles away from The Boat GrottoDaniel R. saidRecently had my 40 powerboat hauled and I requested that Morton marine do the mechanical work such as replacing a raw water intake valve with new, installed new cutlass bearings, installed new lumitec underwater lights, installing…read morein Boat RepairPacific Coast Canvas612.2 miles away from The Boat GrottoMike P. saidCalled other places, promises to give me bids all no shows after several phone calls . Even companies I have used before like Murphys,didnt show. Not Jeff, showed up when promised . Thought it could be thirty days, two weeks…read morein Boat RepairAbout the BusinessBusiness owner informationPhoto of Mario T.Mario T.Managerestablished in 1999, The Boat Grotto, San diego, Ca., 92115 Member BBB Authorized MercruiserWarranty repair & service Authorized Mercury Outboard Warranty & service Authorized MercruiserInboard Yacht Dockside Warranty & service Authorized Mercruiser CMD ZEUS POD service and rep…Location & HoursMap7111 El Cajon BlvdSan Diego, CA 92115b/t 72nd St & 71st StMon8:00 AM - 4:00 PMTue8:00 AM - 4:00 PMWed8:00 AM - 4:00 PMThu8:00 AM - 4:00 PMFriClosedSpecial hoursNormally 8:00 AM - 4:30 PMSatClosedClosed nowSunClosedEdit business infoAmenities and MoreAccepts Credit CardsFree Wi-FiAsk the CommunityAsk a questionGot a question about The Boat Grotto? Ask the Yelp community!Recommended ReviewsYour trust is our top concern, so businesses cant pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more.Search within reviewsSearch within

Best in San Diego, by far.If youve ever owned a boat for a period of time, youll know that finding an honest and reliable mechanic is no easy task.Ive taken my boat to Mario at The Boat Grotto several times. Hes responsive, professional, and the pricing is very fair. He has a team of very qualified and experienced mechanics. Additionally, he takes the time to follow through for his customers and is always available for questions. Youre not just a boat owner with a credit card at Marios shop. Very highly recommended.

I was in need of a new Sea star helm for my boat and called a couple of the Local shops, most places were a week out or more to get that done.I called boat grotto and spoke to Mario on a Wednesday at 5pm (when most other shops close at 4:30) letting him know what I needed. He gave me an appointment for that Friday morning at 8am to replace the old sea star helm and had me back on the water by Friday afternoon. Can’t beat that!Thanks to Mario, Junior, Caesar, Lisa and the rest of the crew for making this happen!

Great experience getting a tune up with these guys. Solid staff and they know boats!

The Guys here awesome. They are booked with work until September so i decided to buy the parts and do it myself. The owner and staff offered useful tips for the install and we asked that we call if I got in trouble.

These guys are great. I got my Parker re-powered and they did a great job. I would highly recommend these guys to fix your boat

Seemed helpful over the phone

These guys are very experienced and very reasonable. When is done do you can go out on the water with confidence. Will always stand behind their warranty. Thanks Mario

Mario is a gentleman and kept it touch through the entire process of turning my dead boat into a speed machine. Lots of work and he made it happen! Replaced ENGINE, Starter, fuel tank and lots of other stuff for a little over $5000. A hardworking American making America great!

Made an appointment to have my 15hp Yamaha serviced and was assured it would be done in one week. I showed up at the appointed time to drop off the outboard and was advised it would take at least one month. Whoever runs this shop doesn’t have a clue. Find another service center for your boat and outboard.

I called the Boat Grotto. Told them what I needed for an old boat motor and they directed me to a place where I could get my supplies cheaper. What I really appreciated was reading the comments from the owner about idiot complaints to his shop. Just for these comments alone, I love this shop and the owner sounds great. I plan to do future business there.

The food and service is great 👍

I have been going to Mario for years and couldnt write a higher recommendation for someone. He has always been so fair and helpful. He has always treated me like a friend and I couldnt ask for more. His team will never recommend any work unless it is absolutely needed. The team sends photo/video updates to let you know how things are going and what things are looking like -such a nice touch. Having been in a family business, I can say without hesitation that he knows exactly what customer service really means. Once you go to visit Mario, you will never consider going anywhere else. Mario and Boat Grotto Team Rock !!!

Told me a westerbeke would fit in place of a Perkins. My $8500.00 mistake. Now I have no Perkins. And an engine that doesnt work for my boat.My friend went there. Needed a new lower end on his out board. They said he needed an new engine for almost 7k. Sunset marine replaced it with the lower for $120.00Go to sunset marine.Negative Stars. This place is predatory.Look at the owner replies throughout negative reviews- I thought these were professionals. Its a borderline chop shop. Mario, Ill take this review down if you send me my Perkins back. (wasnt yours to take in the first place)

The owner MARIO can be very rude. The son Michael doesnt know a lot of things and needs a lot of training. If you do business with them, ask for MARIO, itll save you a lot of time. Future tip, in my instance, if you train better, I would of had a better experience. Hope you dont cuss me out like the did on the other reviews. Thanks for you work but the face to face experience is awful.

Years ago, I brought my small bass boat to the Boat Grotto after nearly sinking it. The new Mercury engine had submerged. Mario fixed it. More than a dozen years later, I brought it in with a bad carburator. Mario walks out and instantly recognizes the boat and engine. OK, it’s not every day that someone sinks their new boat, but still....he remembered it like an old friend more than a decade later. Yes, he’s a New Yorker. Can be abrubt. And charming. He and his staff did good work.

The technicians at this shop are simply wonderful, and Captain Mario is very knowledgeable and helpful! Definitely recommend them!

Worst rip off on the planet. Shotty work, parts not put back properly, purchased an entire new boat engine for 10k and it never even idled properly after. I was told It was bad gas repeatedly. They never bothered to check the intake flaps and the engine seized after 1.1 years. Upon dismantling the new engine Driscol found numerous documented mistakes and said theyve never seen such shoddy work. Only silver lining, which isnt really one at all is that they personally finance but theres a reason for that too, as you can probably imagine.

Had my Boat Detail there a guy named Felix did a fantastic job its a great place on El Cajon Boulevard, I highly recommend them job well done

Owner was totally rude! I came to pick up a buddys used engine with controls, cables, steering ram, after he bought an entire mew set from them with inatallation and removal. Old Engine was laying in the dirt on ground, no controls, etc. He lied an said we threw all that stuff away.... Yard employee told me he was to dismantle the engine also for parts $ later that day.. Total crook when i questioned him why he would throw away several hundred dollars worth of used equipment he yelled take your engine and get outta my yard! Steer clear of this place!

They will just waste your time

Professional Techs. Great Service. Fair pricing.

Helped me out big time.

Hard working honest people. Always pleasure doing business with them.

DONT GO THERE!!! Mario gave me an appointment for Friday, I arrive and he says I cant take you, people havent picked up their boats! -- what a chaotic place, they have no clue whats going on!! Horrible experience!

Service is great

Mario Trani ran the Car Grotto first. It failed. He failed me too.