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    Blue Whale

    3.8 (480 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    BLUE WHALE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Blue Whale

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    BW Smash Burger
    Allison G.

    Food was good but I would just get it to go. Inside was so chaotic and stressful. Burger was good, but needed a tad bit more sauce because it was a lil dry. Fries were delish.

    Allison S.

    I found Blue Whale on TikTok and was really excited to try it, but unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype. The food was good, but the service and overall experience were disappointing. They seem to have gotten a lot busier from all the social media attention, but they really need a better system for handling large crowds. There was a long line, no clear directions on where to stand, and employees were repeatedly yelling at everyone to line up "along the ramp" even though there wasn't any obvious ramp or signage. If it's your first time visiting, it's incredibly confusing. It's also a first come, seat yourself setup. We ordered our food only to realize there wasn't a single table available, so we were left standing around waiting for somewhere to sit. It would've been nice if that had been explained before ordering. The girl who took our order was especially rude and showed zero hospitality, which set the tone for the rest of the visit. Between the confusing process, lack of organization, and unfriendly service, it just wasn't an enjoyable experience. The food was decent, but not enough to make up for everything else. Next time, I'll just go across the street to the other brunch spot instead.

    Ube Pancakes
    Fernando A.

    My family was spending the weekend in La Jolla Shores, and I wanted to go to Shell Beach to see the tide pools. Low tide was early in the morning, so I wanted to get some breakfast first. A photo of the Ube pancakes at Blue Whale popped up on Yelp and I had to try them. First of all, Ube is the food of my people. My parents would often bring back a jar of Ube from some monastery in the Philippines. Plain Ube is pretty tasty in itself. It's funny and good to see it in different forms now. My next favorite might be Ube ice cream, and then an Ube cheesecake I had. These Ube pancakes were good, but maybe a little too sweet with the amount of syrup they put on it. If you've ever had an Ube donut, it kind of tasted like that with some syrup on top. Would I get it again? Yes, but maybe a healthy dollop of whip cream instead.

    Pizza
    Michelle G.

    So glad we stopped by here. The food was delicious and came out quickly! So quickly, the seagulls grabbed themselves a slice as soon as the box touched the table (make sure to protect your food ). Everything here is tasty. The staff is friendly & informative. Great place to go before or after your visit to the aquarium Burger & pretzel were my fav

    Kyoto Matcha Latte
    Jennifer K.

    DO NOT GET THE MATCHA OR COLD BREW!! Initially tried their kyoto matcha ($7.54) & there was absolutely 0 matcha flavor. Just plain milk. The workers were not super friendly but did help us replace our drinks when we asked for a replacement. I ended up getting the banana cream cold brew. The cream top was decent but the cold brew tasted like watered down coffee. I couldn't drink it. My friend got a hibiscus fizz tea drink from their seasonal menu but she didn't like that either. We felt bad asking for another replacement or refund so we both just ended up tossing our full drinks. $8 each down the drain :( Also I looked around the seating areas and everyone's matchas looked untouched... so it's not just us!!

    Carla O.

    I wanted to try this place because I kept hearing how awesome it was. Everything sounded great about it, the location, aesthetics, food, beach vibe, and service. What do you know I was able to find parking in La Jolla easily. It just so happened I turned on Fay Street which is another busy street in La Jolla, and someone was backing out of their parking spot, so it was meant to be. I walked a short distance to Kline street which was the cross street of where "Blue Whale" is located. At first, I felt like I was not going to try it here because of the line of people and people everywhere outside and a long line inside the place. I decided to wait because I did not know when I would be back. When walking in, the vibe is cute, casual, and beach themed. The music is energizing and happy too. I placed my order with a friendly cashier and told her I wanted it to go because all the tables outside and inside were filled. But, someone was getting up from their table and I quickly walked over to snag the table inside. I had a cute, small table up against a window. Again, another sign I should try it. I ordered a sugar-free latte and avocado toast with an egg on top for added protein. Guess what, my food arrived in five minutes. Shannon, the manager brought it to me. I was so impressed how fast the service was and the friendliness here being so busy! She runs this place so professionally and efficiently. She is super friendly also! The rest of the staff the cashier, waitresses and waiters were also accommodating, friendly, and helpful too! Shoutout and Kudos to the chefs who create such deliciousness with the food. And, kudos to the baristas also who make such flavorful drinks. You all ROCK! The avocado toast with egg was incredible! So artistic with the presentation and the flavor was pit of this world DIVINE! The coffee was superb! I i understand the hype here! They deserve more than 5 stars! Whether you are a local or visitor, "Blue Whale" is a must! Outstanding in every way! #yelpsandiego #sandiego #lajolla #lajollacalifornia

    inside
    Ben H.

    It's a cute cafe with cozy beachy vibes. But it was just alright and the matchas were just okay. The two signature/seasonal matcha's we got were enjoyable but tasted mostly milky/watered down. On the weekend brunch that we went the line wrapped around the building too so idk what the hype was all about but I wouldn't wanna wait for that lol. The food looked good but we didn't eat there. Drinks: 5/10 Service: 5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Value: 5/10

    Lilac Dreams iced w/ oat milk
    Shylene B.

    Was across the street and I've been wanting to try the coffee here for a while! I'm glad I stopped by the line was long but moved pretty fast.  The coffee menu looked super good and the special drink menu caught my eye right away. The drink I ordered was bomb and I added an add shot. I got the lilac dreams w/ oat milk iced, I give it a solid 10/10. I love that you can taste the ube flavor and the espreso in the coffee was nice and smooth. Service was kinda mid, lines were out the door and the location is very small with some seating inside and out. It does get crowded but it could be a vibe. Also, the playlist was on point. I'd come back to try the food menu and another coffee.

    Tiramisu Latte
    Masha S.

    I've been here many times and I always feel like it's hit or miss. It almost always has a line so I often don't go for that reason. It's super cute inside and some of the items are good - my favorite is the Build Your Own Acai Bowl because it's one set price for as many mix ins as you want which is shocking in this economy. The Ube pancakes were too dry when we got them but they were pretty. The coffees are often too sweet so I get them half sweet and they're pretty good. The pastry options are always nice; especially the cronuts since I don't see these in other spots in San Diego. The breakfast sandwich is solid and I've heard the burrito is really good.

    Calina N.

    Blue whale is a super popular cafe near La Jolla shores! Because of social media it blew up so a lot of people come here to try their unique dishes. I specifically wanted to try their Ube pancakes. The pancake was good! However the Ube flavor is not strong but if you just love a good pancake then you'll like it for sure. The downside is because there's so many people there is not enough seats. So I asked for my food Togo in case a seat didn't open up. In summary, it's a cute little cafe, try to come here during off peak hours for a more calm vibe but even if you come the wait isn't super long.

    banana cream top matcha
    Vivi H.

    My friend and I finally got to trying Blue Whale! We ordered the banana cream top matcha, and I loved how thick the cream was - you can also tell they use real banana! I do wish there was more matcha powder. It was definitely very pricy (we spent $8-9/drink) so definitely an option to treat yourself! The space was really beachy, cute, and aesthetic, and the girls working were so sweet! I'll be back for their food (:

    Maddie S.

    Love this place! It is crazy busy ever since it went viral on social media so you have to get there early. They food and drinks come out really quick but seating is limited. We got their seasonal drinks and were so impressed with the quality and taste! I will definitely be back even if it's for a coffee on the go!

    Exterior seating & entrance
    Eliko S.

    I've been to Blue Whale a couple of times. Mostly I've had takeout coffee & burritos. Today I ordered my Big Wave burrito through Uber Eats. I picked it up, and it was ready at the time promised. Ordering through Uber Eats definitely makes the food more expensive though (by $9). I ordered it this way because I was in a time crunch and I had some Uber Cash to spend. I brought my bounty back to work, and noted that there was a nice crisp on the tortilla, although the flavors were somewhat overpowered by the saltiness of the soyrizo. I think this burrito would taste better if the items were mixed together rather than siloed in separate areas of the dish. I could barely taste the hash browns or the eggs really. But overall, it worked to satiate my morning hunger. This is a busy little cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. It is cute inside and has a rustic, beachy feel. When I walked inside to pick up my food, I noted that most of the tables were full, and there was a line of people waiting to order. I wanted to take more photos to show you the inside, but the place is so small, I felt like I'd be in the spotlight if I was bopping around taking pics. Anyway, this is a nice option for breakfast, brunch, and lunch in the Village. They have a solid selection of breakfast items, drinks, smoothies and bowls. There's street parking, and the area is very walkable. Mahalo!

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    Blue Whale Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Blue Whale

    What is the parking situation like?

    I recommend going really early. Its street parking.

    Is Blue Whale dog friendly?

    Yes definitely! They loveee dogs there.

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    The Cottage La Jolla

    The Cottage La Jolla

    4.2
    (5.3k reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Came here with the family while on vacation. Very family friendly, and the food was incredible. I…read morehad the Avocado Smash (toast) with smoke salmon. The bread was amazing, as was everything else. Everyone loved their food. I also had the Green Devotion drink, which tasted... very healthy. Wouldn't get that again, but not sure if it's possible to make somethign that healthy taste good :)

    I called ahead during the week to ask about getting a table for two, and I was told it likely…read morewouldn't be very busy. I arrived at 10:45 a.m. so we could be seated at 11. When I arrived, the server was about to seat me even though my family member hadn't arrived yet. However, the manager asked me to wait outside until my entire party was present. She explained that because they serve food quickly, they didn't want to seat me or have me order coffee while I was waiting for the second person. Once we were seated at 11:00, it took about 25 minutes, and me having to flag down our server, before we were able to place our food order. What made this especially confusing was that the table behind us, a party of seven, was seated with only two people present. They were served coffee while waiting for the remaining five members of their group, which seemed inconsistent with the explanation I had been given. The food itself was good, although the chicken sausage I ordered was not served hot. During the meal, no one checked on us to ask how everything was or whether we needed anything. At the end, we also had to get the attention of another server in order to receive our bill. The service has always been excellent on previous visits, which is why this experience was disappointing. That said, we've enjoyed this restaurant for a long time, and it's one of our family's favorite places to eat. Because of our past experiences, I'd be happy to return and hope this was simply an unusually busy or off day for the team.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Morning Glory Sandwich
    Morning Glory Sandwich
    Braised Beef Hash

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    Braised Beef Hash
    Shorehouse Kitchen

    Shorehouse Kitchen

    4.3
    (2.4k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    This is a great brunch / lunch spot w great food and drink options. Been a few times never…read moredisappointed

    What an amazing place for good food and great vibes in La Jolla Shore. Although parking can be…read moretricky, it's well worth the effort for a great spot for fresh quality food. And it's delicious!!! Allie was our host and was able to find a great place to eat. All the tables are great with even an outside covered patio available. Jade our waitress was very friendly and nice. She was very patient and professional and listened to us in a kind way. With young ones with us, it is challenging. However, Jade ensured that we enjoyed our meal at the Shorehouse Kitchen. At brunch, my go to dish is the French toast that will tell me the quality and care from the kitchen. I was blown away at how delicious the French Toast was. The name is the "CARAMELIZED TAHITIAN VANILLA BEAN FRENCH TOAST with Fresh Blueberries or Bananas and Chantilly Cream, or a Grilled Pineapple". Jade gave away the secret ingredient to me and I was impressed. An applied Maillard reaction with brown sugar brought the French Toast a new level of yumminess. The Chantilly Cream took it over the top, not to sweet and very creamy. Yum!!! Also tried the "RASPBERRY TRUFFLE MOCHA St. George Vanilla Bean Vodka. Raspberry Liqueur, Callebaut Belgian Chocolate, Espresso, Steamed Milk, Chantilly Cream" . AMAZING!!! The Shorehouse Kitchen is a gem with fantastic food and service. Definitely a return visit call for the family!!!

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    Shorehouse Kitchen
    Pork carnitas poblano cornbread benny
    Pork carnitas poblano cornbread benny
    Banana walnut bread  Mocha with oat milk

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    Banana walnut bread Mocha with oat milk
    Duke's La Jolla

    Duke's La Jolla

    4.1
    (4k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Excellent food, beautiful ambiance and Casey gave wonderful service by being friendly and attentive.read more

    Freaking religious experience…read more You'll want to set aside a couple hours for dinner at Duke's. Not because it's outdoors and has a great vibe, and helpful, friendly servers, which make you want to stay there for hours with your family, friends, or coworkers--although all of that is true. Not because it has a gorgeous view of the Pacific--which it does. Not even because of their piña coladas! No, my friend. It's because their sautéed Mac nut & herb-crusted fresh fish with mac salad is just *so good* but if you have any reverence for all that is good and true in this world, you'll have to stop every few bites, let your eyes roll back into your head a little, and enjoy it. It's just... slow. Now. First things first. Mac nut, mac salad. One is Macadamia nuts; one is macaroni. Hopefully my team member who raved about the mac salad does not read this and realize that I thought it was a salad of Macadamia nuts. I was like OK, that sounds weird, but I do love Macadamia nuts, so let's try it. She was right to rave. It was *delicious*. In fact, I think the fish and the salad kind of ran together a bit and made each other even more delicious. Look, I'm not sure how it worked, I just know it worked. Apparently for the dinner menu it only shows rice with the fish; ignore that. Just ask them to swap it out. Speaking of lunch, I did also have lunch at Duke's once. Got fish and chips. And let me tell you, the weirdest thing: Their *tartar sauce* was off the charts. I know. Who nails the tartar sauce? But it had this perfect zing to it, as though they got an idea from the usual malt vinegar and mixed it all in there. Given the quality of what I've had do far, you probably can't go wrong at Duke's. Get a reservation, ask for an ocean view--and give yourself plenty of time.

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    Duke's La Jolla
    Duke's La Jolla
    Duke's La Jolla

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    Destiny Coast

    Destiny Coast

    4.3
    (213 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Didn't know what to expect coming to this place. Was able to see that it was by the coast but the…read moremoment that we got up the stairs, WOW! one of the most incredible views that I've ever seen at a restaurant. It is truly breathtaking. This place is a little different as you order your breakfast food at the counter and then find an open table. All of our dishes were really good both the sweet and savory items. If you're looking for one of the best places for breakfast, this is it.

    3-4.5 stars. I think the items available are on the expensive side and you're mainly paying for the…read moreview. (Even though down below and all that is free). The parking lot, I believe, is paid parking or valet only and very small. So, it is recommended to park on the streets. It can be a little difficult and there may be some walking up hills involved. The set up is strange: you walk in and order at the counter. Then they will hand you your pastries on a plate with napkins and silverware, and then give you table number plaque. If you ordered something savory, for breakfast/brunch... then they will bring that out to your table along with your drinks. What I didn't like was that, we basically ordered everything "for here" aka to sit down and enjoy --- and then they brought out the iced drinks in plastic cups. And mind you, we are right next to the beach, this spot is basically located at a Marine Conservation Facility. And they decided to use single use plastic cups which are known to be a threat to marine life and their ecosystems... I am not saying that people at Destiny Coast will be littering -- but I feel like they should have been more thoughtful of this sort of thing. Why is it that serving in glassware/ceramic ware for drinks is so uncommon now? I would like to see more variety for coffee sizes. I believe they only had one iced size and that was a 20 oz (~$9). Way too much milk, I prefer 12 oz iced lattes. I went with their Iced Purple Haze Latte, as you can guess that involves a lavender syrup. Their lavender syrup tasted odd. I would not get it again and I wouldn't recommend it. My mom had the Iced Sunrise Latte aka their sea salted caramel latte, and I would say it was a little better, but it needed more sea salt. My mom's friend had the Iced Matcha Passion Fruit Lemonade. She said it was refreshing, but couldn't taste the passion fruit at all and the price was ~$11. We ordered a few pastries to share: - $7, Peaches & Cream Muffin: This was good! I liked how moist and fluffy it was. I think it would be better without the walnuts (which was a surprise addition! I did not see any mention of this). I think if they want crunch, a classic addition would be some turbinado sugar. I would order this again. - $9, Ube Blueberry Mini Bundt Cake: The ube flavor didn't come though at all. The blueberry was nice and tart, the cake is not sweet at all. There was a slight citrus taste to it, reminding me of a lemon glaze, That classic blueberry lemon combo. - $7, Cranberry Kumquat Scone: My mom came back specifically for this scone. Safe to say she enjoys it! It is not insanely dry and crumbly like others can be. If you prefer not too sweet, you'll enjoy this! Overall, it was a nice place to come with family/friends, the view of course is gorgeous, the workers were kind, and the pastries were fun to try. They have shaded spots as well, so you have the choice if you wanna be in the sun or not. Minimal indoor seating. I wouldn't exactly recommend their coffee-- or at least the lattes, however, if you like your drinks very milky and sweet- then order away. & If you don't mind splurging a little, then this is a great spot for you to come try!

    Photos
    Fresh baked Cinnamon Rolls, Croissants, and Patries daily...
    Fresh baked Cinnamon Rolls, Croissants, and Patries daily...
    Patio Bar - Specialty Cocktails, Curated Wine List, perfect location to meet friends for drinks
    Patio Bar - Specialty Cocktails, Curated Wine List, perfect location to meet friends for drinks
    Destiny Coast Retail Selections

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    Destiny Coast Retail Selections
    Brockton Villa Restaurant

    Brockton Villa Restaurant

    3.9
    (2.3k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    After searching for popular brunch spots in San Diego, I came across a few options, but I decided…read moreto visit Brockton Villa Restaurant with a friend because of its prime location right by the ocean. The restaurant is located at 1235 Coast Bivd; while street parking is available there, it was extremely difficult to find a spot due to the heavy traffic from visitors to La Jolla Cove-you can essentially consider parking there impossible. Instead, we found street parking on Prospect Street, just one block away, and walked about five minutes to reach the restaurant. My friend and I ordered the Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes, the Cove Combo, and the Plain Pancakes. The taste, presentation, and generous portions were all excellent; in fact, the portions were so large that we couldn't finish everything. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was great, so would love to visit again.

    Brockton Villa Restaurant is a small restaurant located in La Jolla, San Diego. The restaurant…read moreitself was not difficult to locate, however, parking is a bit of an issue but there are parking structures that do charge a fee. The location of the restaurant is beautiful as you are right on the beach and you have a great view of the ocean and the seals that hang around the area. Supposedly people have complained about a "fishy smell", the ocean does smell fishy and the restaurant can't control the environment. Megan was our waitress and she was amazing. She was full of energy, polite, professional, and checked on us often to make sure everything was going well. I ordered the Fig & Goat Cheese Burger, medium rare, and a Vanilla Italian Soda. The soda was refreshing and wasn't like your usual soda. The vanilla flavor was not overpowering and I enjoyed it. The wait time for the burger was a bit long, but I didn't mind as I watched the seals play on the beach. Unfortunately, the burger was not medium rare, but that wasn't a big deal as it was full of flavor and juicy. The meat itself had a nice hearty flavor that pair nicely with the goat cheese. Surprisingly, goat cheese on a burger is a great combo that brings it all together. The sweet and savory with a creamy texture made me craving for more. The bun was soft and firm as well. I ordered tater tots on the side and they were perfect. Golden and crispy on the outside while being soft and fluffy on the inside. They make their ranch in-house and it was one of the best tasting ranch sauces that I've tried. The ranch was light, refreshing, and had a dill flavor. Overall, I enjoyed my time very much. The meal was a nice refresher that didn't make me feel guilty or tired afterwards. I will be coming back.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Sweet & Savory Coast Toast
    Sweet & Savory Coast Toast
    This is my Bloody Mary but they will bring one for you too.

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    This is my Bloody Mary but they will bring one for you too.

    Blue Whale - cafes - Updated August 2026

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