Ah, Beeside Balcony - a hidden gem of a restaurant nestled along the breezy shores of La Jolla. My friend and I made reservations to sample their much buzzed about Mediterranean fare. We weren't greeted so we wandered in to try and procure our table for lunch. We decided to start with the hummus trio, which came out looking like a colorful bee garden arranged on a slate - the artichoke hummus glowed emerald green and the roasted red pepper hummus shimmered a vibrant ruby. Alongside, the hot pita waited like eager worker bees ready to transport these lovely pollen packs from plate to palate. The hummuses were smooth, creamy and herbaceous - we would have lapped them up with our tongues if society allowed such behavior! Next came the melted feta sandwich, ooey and gooey with tomatoes and cartelized onions, the perfect snack to share. As we passed halves back and forth across the table, the cheese strands stretched and snapped like elastic bands - I swear I heard a faint "boing!" sound effect. After polishing it off, we flaggged down our server to compliment the chef...and order another. The final act was the veggie risotto, creamier than a larva cocoon, seasoned to perfection. Each kernel of rice sat fat, happy and smiling, bathing in a broth of garden-fresh veggies - tomatoes, spinach, asparagus and peppers - that made us buzz with joy. As the sun set over the Pacific, we leaned back, patted our bellies and watched the real bees lazily returning to their hives. We made a toast - to new friends, new flavors, and the sweet Mediterranean treasures of Beeside Balcony! What an unbeeleeivable meal. Five out of five bees - would pollinate again! read more

Beeside Balcony - The Hummus trio - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

The filet mignon and meatballs were super good. And the staff was some of the kindest I've ever met in my life. Our waitress tended to our daughter and was so sweet to her, making her feel so comfortable. They brought out her food fast since she was getting kind of frustrated (as sleepy kiddos usually do), and made sure she had what she needed the whole time. And the front desk person was super kind. As was the other staff I encountered. Food came out promptly and they were on top of refills. Great little spot. I'd go back again when I'm in the area. read more

I really wanted to like this place. I don't know if we just came at a bad time or what but everything just fell short... We did the chef 3 course menu. We got drinks as well which turned out pretty good! I got a strawberry fields and my partner got a honey based drink i forgot the name of. Drinks were good but a bit expensive. Appetizers we got the salmon croquette which was good but the middle was cold... I'm not sure if that's how it's supposed to be? The soup was also good but there was alot of small shells that got broken in the soup and the serving sizes were tiny. Entree we got the fish and steak. I ordered my steak medium/medium rare and got something I feel was on the rare side. I was struggling to slice into it and it was insanely chewy. We asked them politely if we could get a new steak cooked more, but got the same steak back just stuck into an oven or something. Still super chewy. The fish was good but we kept biting into something hard every other bite. Still not sure what it was. Dessert was the smores cake and churros. The churros were good but the smores cake was super sweet. In the end we couldn't fully enjoy the meal since we couldn't really eat the entrees without issues... Maybe next time.. read more

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I had the amazing opportunity to be at Beeside Balcony in their private party room. The service was excellent and the decorations were cute! The foods is average, because it wasn't seasoned well which caused the flavors to not be dynamic. The drinks were decent because they were strong with flavors that hid the alcohol. I'd say the best part about this location is their friendly staff and environment. read more

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Perfect place for a date night! It was our first time last Monday (3/23) and everything went so well! Delicious drinks,fresh seafood and pasta. The hostess was very friendly and kind. Service was great including Riley who did a great job. We'll definitely be back! read more

Hello, I am leaving a bad review purely because of the hazardous rail that is a HUGE danger to it's customers. The food/service was fine, but that rail is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I tripped over the railing and cut my toe, and I am not exaggerating when I say we saw SEVERAL other people trip over it as well. If an elderly person fell over it (any other person for that matter), they could fall and someone could seriously injure themselves. My friend was saying I should've said something about my toe to them, but I was too shy. But we both agree it's important this is made down and that the company do something about it. However, I am SURE they know about it. In our one hour that we dined there, I think 4 people tripped on it, so I'm sure they see tens of people tripping on it every single day. They should replace the open doors maybe with a garage door so that they don't need the rail. read more

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Food tastes disgusting to say the least. I ordered scallops which were soggy, I never knew a place that could mess up on such a simple piece of seafood. There was no bread and I had to order toast. The meatballs that were lamb and beef tasted like I licked a lamb' bare ass. It was the most astounding thing I ever tasted in my existence. I will give it to the ambiance but other than that I won't be going back again. read more

I brought people here for a business dinner and everyone loved the ambiance and food. This truly is a balcony, open air with a little view of the ocean. The wines, beer and mixed drinks were top level. The food was fantastic. Double pork chop Salmon Roasted chicken Filet Mignon Seafood risotto Octopus See bass Scallops Roasted beets The broccolini was too vinegary for me. The buttery white wine was one of the best I've had. They have Happy hour every day 4-6 and 9-10 and have music Friday and Saturday evenings. read more

I chose this place because of the menu. They had a section in the menu labeled "Plant-Based". I am vegan and have been for seven years so I know very well that plant-based means derived from plant products as opposed to animal products (meat eggs diary). I ordered the pasta. It came and I made my sister try it because it was so good. She tried it and told me it tasted like real cheese (she is not vegan). I asked the waiter what kind of vegan cheese it was because it tasted so real and he informed me that it was not vegan. This review has nothing to do with the service or ambiance, but rather solely to get the attention of the restaurant to change the name of that section to "vegetarian" or something. I am vegan partly because I am mildly allergic to dairy and I did feel quite ill after having ate a few bites. PLEASE CHANGE THE NAMING ON THE MENU! I don't even care if you don't have vegan options, but don't mislead people. Plant-based means vegan point blank period. read more

This restaurant is beautiful and has the perfect rooftop lookout into the sea. I didn't feel too welcomed but the staff was decent. I looked forward to the chilean seabass with confit fennel and tomatoes, lemongrass beurre blanc, black tobiko, and crispy leeks. Doesn't it sound like it'd be delicious? The seabass wasn't flaky and buttery. (I was honestly worried it wasn't thoroughly cooked but it was.) The entire dish tasted like it was burnt. There was no taste of lemongrass or beurre blanc. It was a disappointing experience. read more

Beeside Balcony - Chilean seabass - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

Walking in it is a little noisy. But that is a good thing since the restaurant is full of people! The food was delicious, I ate the Lamb Loin Chop. Which was cooked perfectly. The S'mores Lava cake was delii!! The waiter was very funny and friendly. Overall this is a great place to go to with friends and family. The inside is cute with the inside bar and the view of the beach! The inside is so beachy :) read more

Beeside Balcony - Lamb Loin Chop | BEEyoutiful w/ Tofu| Jidori Chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

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Cute spot in Del Mar for brunch/lunch. The Spanish octopus was the best thing we ordered. read more

Beeside Balcony - Spanish Octopus - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

Bummer. Food is "ok". Service is horrible. Our server acted as if we were doing him a favor in taking our order and had a major "attitude ". There were six servers on hand and only two tables and our server was extremely inattentive. Save your money and go someplace else where they value customers read more

Ordered the escargot and out of shell cooked well, not chewy... smothered in butter, cheese, parsley and served with 1 slice of toasted toast, not enough for this super savory dish. The 4 scallops were presented on a board of puréed cauliflower, dressed with mango and smoky chunks of chorizo that made us burp all night. The smokiness of the chorizo was tasty and the dish over all was too heavy. Our server was sweet in suggesting wine to lighten up the dish... using personal experience and testimony for wine suggestions were helpful. The rooftop was pleasant for late night eating. read more

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Beeside Balcony is a lovely restaurant in the busy part of La Jolla, with an attractive interior and a great balcony space with a splendid view. I went last Friday with my husband, our two kids, and my in-laws, and we had a pleasant dinner to kick off a family weekend in town. I was able to make an online reservation for 5:30 on a Friday just a day in advance. Even better, we got an amazing table, overlooking downtown La Jolla, a big green park, and the ocean. We got a high chair for the baby and a full chair for the three-year-old, and incredibly, both children behaved themselves throughout the entire meal. The easy, vibrant atmosphere must have helped. They had nothing to upset them and plenty to observe. Service was excellent. We were well taken care of and enjoyed a peaceful dinner. We had a round of cocktails to start, and these were very welcome after the long drive from L.A. I had the Sensory Overload, a bright, refreshing drink made with Real del Valle blanco tequila, calamansi citrus, ginger syrup, yuzu, and buzz button (apparently a flower). My husband's Lavender Bee's Knees was great too, summery and purple, with butterfly pea flower-infused gin, lemon, and lavender honey. We had a bottle of barolo to go with our food, and this was also quite nice. The food was pretty delicious. We started with a Bee's Board, which came with a spread of salami, artichoke hummus, hipiti, caramelized shallots, cucumber, olives, old grain mustard, gorgonzola, Humboldt Fog, toasted pita, and homegrown honey. We got extra pita and our three-year-old went to town on it, largely ignoring the big plate of butter parmesan pasta we ordered off the kid's menu. The octopus ceviche was another tasty starter, a light, flavorful mix of octopus, pineapple, red onion, lemon juice, and jalapeño, served with tortilla chips. My husband I shared the seared Chilean sea bass and the peppercorn filet mignon for our entrées, and both were excellent. The fish was firm and buttery, on a bed of confit fennel and grape tomatoes with lemongrass beurre blanc, black tobiko, and crispy leeks. The 8 oz. filet was tender and juicy, cooked medium rare as requested. It came with a peppery au poivre sauce and rosemary fries. The kids were doing so well, we decided to push our luck with dessert, especially once I saw that there were churros on the menu. Our three-year-old loves churros and ate like 15 inches of cinnamon sugar-dusted deep-fried dough all on his own. I tried a bite too and yea, the churros were really good, served with caramel, whipped cream, and berries. The adults shared a lemon tart and a crème brûlée, and both were solid. The tart came with a tangy lemon curd filling in an almond shortbread crust, finished with raspberry sauce and berries. The crème brûlée had a lush, creamy vanilla custard and a thick, glassy caramelized top, and also came with berries. We had a great time at Beeside Balcony. I'd go back in a heartbeat if I lived in the area, with or without the kids. read more

First time at THIS location. I was able to find a parking near the restaurant which is great...didn't spend a lot of time searching for parking (+1 star); Love the outdoor dining experience (1+ star). I ordered my usual Lavender Bee's Knees cocktail...of course it was lovely. The staff was really nice and welcoming (+1 star). Buttt, I noticed the two tables in front me received their meals before me which is a no-no; needless to say, it was a long wait for me for some reason. I guess they thought the spirits would hold me down...distract me from the food not being punctual and not picking up the menu. Therefore, - 2 stars. I wonder why I had to wait for just a pesto shrimp linguine....it's not a complex meal...hmmm? read more

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At first, I was upset because I had to wait a long time even though we had reservations. The service and ambiance made up for the wait. I love La Jolla. The food was excellent. We were very pleased with our food. On Fridays, they have a speakeasy called the Beehive. Password is released every Friday. read more

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I had a light dinner the service was very good there's a great view of the charming village La Jolla

It is restaurant week and we are glad we went to Beeside Balcony. We are so happy to have a table with an awesome view. The 3 course meals are wonderful. Our server, Cecile, is amazing. She has great customer service. My husband left his phone. We came back and Cecile had set it aside for our return. We are so thankful for that. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here for a quick bite on Wednesday afternoon and had a great time! The hostess and server were great. Super nice, attentive, and helpful. We were sat right away and given the option of inside or out. We opted for inside because it was warm but still had a great view. I strayed with an espresso martini which was honestly a little too sweet. So I switched to the aperol spritz and it was much better. We shared the crab cake and baked oysters and were not disappointed! Really enjoyed the crab cake. I appreciate it comes in a ball shape instead of a hockey puck type shape. Feels like you get much more crab this way. We liked the baked oysters as well but they had a little grit to them. Flavor was there though. Parking can be tough because it's La Jolla in the summer but nothing out of the ordinary. I would definitely recommend coming here and we will be back to try dinner! read more

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I did not realize that there was a Beeside Balcony also in LJ, I only knew of the one in DM (which was featured in The Ultimatum: Queer Love). This location is chic & modern with gorgeous views of La Jolla Beach. Our server was attentive & nice & gave great recommendations. Trio of Dips: Artichoke hummus, spicy hipiti, house tzatziki. I loved how the pita bread was toasted & buttery. Oyster Cote D'azur: Delicious & big. Crispy Chicken Sandwich: A must order! I liked how they tempura batter the chicken, something different. Super juicy inside & crispy outside. All of the flavors- mango cilantro slaw, pepper jack, sriracha aioli, all mixed perfectly together. Fjord Salmon: Our server asked how we wanted our salmon cooked, which caught me off guard because I have only ever gotten salmon raw or fully cooked. But I guess this is a thing now! We got it prepared fully cooked & it was good, but thought that the sauce was a bit bland. Churros: We were super excited to hear that they serve churros but, unfortunately, they were rock hard! Also, at this location, they will be opening a speakeasy! read more

The food here is delicious. I got the avocado toast(one of my favs ever) and my bf got the acai bowl. Great views of the ocean and the service was good. Only complaint was that the food took awhile to come out. read more

This place was delicious! It was a little confusing on where to find it exactly. Location is located on the second level. The inside was very nice and the food was great! For the appetizer we had the most popular recommendation, which was the trio dips with pita bread. The pita bread was one of the best pita breads I've had. Nice fluffy with good spices on it. For the main course ordered the filet and lamb. Both were very good. The sides for both were just alright. The fries that come with the filet did not have any rosemary coming through. Would have been nice to have some sort of sauce for them. The Lamb had a jasmine purée that was a little strong. The drink menu is also very good! I had the lavender bees knees. And dessert was the crème brûlée also good. Overall I would definitely recommend this place. Enjoy! read more

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Food was just really bad. I'm not a foodie so it's hard to make me dislike the food. I had the shrimp pesto pasta. Yuck. Awash in sauce that wasn't good. One person ordered the filet mignon. Tasted like it was a little past its expiration date. Hard to get the waiters attention and when we did he forgot to bring what we asked for like more pita as it was one edible thing. So give it a pass in an area where you have so many options. read more

My partner and I absolutely love this place! It's very family friendly, we have a 2 year old who is very busy, and this place allowed us to sit outside. There's almost no one here when we come, which is pretty surprising, considering the food and cocktails are so yummy and fairly priced! We also love their happy hour!!! Excellent service! This is our new fav spot read more

Excellent! Everything from the food to the service. My friends and I shared what known to be the best charcuterie plate with spicy honey and all sorts of cheeses. I got octopus for the main entrée and it was amazing and paired well with arugula salad. Views are memorable. I will definitely be back to check out more menu items. read more

Place is great. Located right next to Cody's and has same great vibe. Menu is pretty simple, but I really like this place because the food came out pretty fast. That's always a plus when service is quick like that for me. Appetizers crab cake and pita was really good. But for me, I will always the burger up here. Nice weather, view, it's located in a great spot. read more

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Nice Mediterranean place that went in where sushi on the rock used to be upstairs along Prospect. Food was tasty, nicely presented. Note: if you get the gyros with lamb, you will get pieces of lamb, not the slices of beef/lamb/seasonings from a vertical rotisserie like one might normallyexpect read more

We were looking for a place to grab food after yoga and stumbled across this restaurant which had a great view of the water! Every employee here was super helpful and attentive. Our favorite was hands down the Bee's Board. I could have had this and drink and been satisfied! We shared the fjord salmon and they offered to split it on to two plates for us which was we appreciated! The Denver Steak had good flavor but was way over cooked and not tender. The Veggie Risotto had so much flavor I'd recommend this as a side! As for cocktails, we loved the Lavender Bee's Knees. read more

The Denver steak was cooked just as we asked for it, medium rare! It was flavorful and tender. The rosemary fries were okay, they honestly didn't have much of a rosemary flavor. The branzino was good, flavorful, however the sauce when served was just warm-not hot. Obviously you expect your food to be hot when you just get it. Our server was pretty knowledgeable about the menu, and friendly however didn't check on us after we received our meal. The ambiance was nice, it's very aesthetically pleasing with a partial view of the ocean if you sit on the patio. Overall it was good, but it didn't blow us away. read more

Beeside Balcony - Denver steak with rosemary fries - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

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Boyfriend and I came here yesterday and the location and views are awesome! Definitely a great date night place to eat. Unfortunately rating this place three stars. Quality of the food itself was great... but the taste not so much. The only thing that we really liked was the salmon tartare appetizer. The Cesar salad was meh.. not enough dressing and super light. Very kind of the server to separate the salad for my bf and I. The food plating here is gorgeous. The entree I got was the seafood risotto and it came with a lot of seafood but only one shrimp. The taste overall was bland especially for how expensive it was to me... garlic would've saved the dish but i couldn't finish it and only took a few bites bc I didn't enjoy it. My boyfriend ate his entire octopus entree but it was over cooked and very chewy. Service was great! But I don't think we will be coming back again. read more

Beeside Balcony - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

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If I could do zero stars I would. We we're greeted by a very kind lady and taken to our table. We were offered water and everything was going completely fine, but then we were approached by an evil man that worked in the restaurant. My friend was answering a quick FaceTime from her sister in a different language, he then approached us in a very rude tone, telling us that there are other people in the restaurant and that we need to quiet down. I've been to many establishments that I've never seen somebody so rude. I myself work in the service industry, and I would never greet somebody in that way. Maybe rethink before trying beside balcony. read more

Reservations were specifically made for 12 adults and 2 children. We were all squeezed into a corner with no elbow room to even eat. We asked to be moved to a bigger table and they did nothing to accommodate and even tried to blame us for reserving only 12 people. After several requests, we got an extension--a tiny round table suitable for 1 person to eat and drink. The other tables were reserved for 14 people. I felt like we were discriminated against cause other people had less than 14 people and were able to be seated at a 14 person table. I guess children don't need to sit in this case since they did not count my little girl--granted my infant can sit in his stroller...Customer service was poor and the manager was not nice. Quite frankly I felt she was trying to place blame on us for reserving wrong number of people. Now on to the food, the food portions were tiny. No side veggies on the dish itself... if you ordered salmon ... it comes with a tiny piece of salmon and no other fresh veggies or sides. Wish I had taken some pictures of the food but I was too upset about the seating and forgot...my hubby got the steak and it came with just steak and no veggies ... I can see other folks posted pictures and got some veggies .. who knows if his was left out on purpose or what... Also that night a few members of my group got toxin poison from mussels and had diarrhea. The mussels had no meat in them either...they were cooked to the point where all the meat shriveled up leaving only the shell and bits of meat to eat. Overall the food was expensive portion was small. Manager was not kind. If you like to waste your money; then go here. See photo attached of our seating situation. read more

Beeside Balcony - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

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I had a family dinner there and we loved it Food and drinks and service were excellent read more

Ugh so sad I have to give 3 stars. My friend and I have been waiting so long to check this place out. And we finally did yesterday. The hostess up front told us there was a wait for a table. So we said we would sit at the bar. She said (without looking at the bar) oh that's full! And we said ok we will just go upstairs and wait for barstools to open up and she said she could not allow us to do that! She was extremely rude! We couldn't even go upstairs to wait for a seat at the bar to open up??? So rude! So we said well we just want to go up there and take a look around since we have never been there before. And she hesitantly let us go "just look around!" Well once we were up there , there were 2 empty tables and like 4 empty barstools. So we sat down and got served right away! The drinks and food were delicious! And the view was beautiful! Once we got through the rude gatekeeper we had a great experience! This would have been a 5 star review if it wasn't for her! read more

Gorgeous open space on second story one building north of the Spot, with ocean views down Girard overlooking Scripps Park - but far enough away that there is no sea lion stench. Fun busy village views of Prospect also, adds to lively feel. Wide ranging Continental menu. We tried the escargots to start, pesto linguine, lamb Bolognese, 16oz pork chop, seafood risotto, and Spanish octopus. All delicious, linguine and octopus the highlights for us - and even the kids loved the escargots. Interesting cocktail menu, red and white sangria, varied beer and wine lists. Everything ran smoothly despite this being opening weekend. We haven't been to the original Del Mar location but the planning that went into This location is evident. read more

Beeside Balcony - Menu for opening weekend - Mediterranean Near Me - LA JOLLA, California

Cute little place in the heart of downtown La Jolla. Parking isn't the easiest, but there is a parking lot down the street you can pay to park. Menu options are good. We came with a big group so it took a while to get our food out. I had the avocado toast, the bread was so thick and very filling. My niece had the fish and chips- lightly breaded and very good fish. My sister had the steak and eggs, that was the one to get! read more

Service is excellent. Food is good, large portions, not too much to where you're of eating. Good place for night out. Fair price. read more

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Took my husband to this restaurant for his 60th birthday. It was our first time there. Street parking is limited. However, there is a paid parking garage underneath. Make reservations as this is a very busy place. We had a party of eight. The food was elegant and yummy. Service was friendly, accommodating, and helpful. Dining area is small. However, there is patio dining as well. read more

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First I want to say that this place is a hidden gem in La Jolla. It's brand new and honestly I can say, as a self proclaimed food snob, that this place will be THE go to place on Prospect St. First the owner Gustav is very welcoming and attentive. The service is absolutely amazing, the staff is attentive and ready to help and answer any questions. The drinks are so flavorful and they do NOT skimp on the liquor! The food is an absolutely delicious and honestly the flavors are bold! There is nothing like this on prospect ave that is THIS amazing The Beeside Balcony is aesthetic AF and makes for the cutest Insta pictures I love the Bee theme honestly it's so cute This is my second time here and I just can't get enough of it! read more

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