Blue Whale
Order Blue Whale Takeout or Delivery
Blue Whale Photos
Business Info
Blue Whale Popular Dishes
BLUE WHALE ATMOSPHERE
Recommended Reviews - Blue Whale
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Maybe the digital hype has gotten ahead of the actual experience We came to Blue Whale around 11am on a Sunday, fully expecting it to be crowded. We knew they don't take reservations, so we were prepared for a wait. What we weren't prepared for was how chaotic the overall seating and ordering situation would be. We waited in line for about 10-15 minutes before ordering. The biggest problem is that the line runs directly alongside the dining tables, so once you're seated, people are essentially standing right next to you while you're trying to eat. We were at the table in the corner on the right next to the merchandise when you walk in, and people were practically standing over us and looking at our food while trying to decide what they wanted to order. It made the dining experience feel very cramped and uncomfortable. The seating situation was also frustrating. Some people were holding tables while other members of their group were still in line ordering, while people who had already ordered and were waiting for their food were left standing around without anywhere to sit. With only three of us, we weren't trying to take up a huge table - we just wanted somewhere to sit and eat the food we had already ordered. After waiting another 15 minutes or so, Tobias brought our food to us while we were literally standing around waiting for a table. He was honestly the highlight of the experience. He noticed what was happening, spoke to someone who was holding a table, and got them to give up the table so we could finally sit down. We really appreciated him stepping in and actually paying attention to what was happening. Unfortunately, once we were seated, the service didn't really improve. I understand that seating is self-service, but no one checked on us, asked if we needed anything, or cleared our plates. We actually wanted to order another drink, but there was essentially no way to do so because no one came by our table. It seemed like the staff was so focused on getting orders out that the people who were already seated and eating were being overlooked. As for the food, we ordered the ube pancakes, which were okay but didn't quite live up to the hype, and the ube donut, which we actually really enjoyed. I don't think the problem is that Blue Whale is popular or crowded. We expected that going in. The bigger issue is that it feels like the restaurant has outgrown its current location and hasn't figured out how to accommodate the demand. The line, seating, ordering, and dining areas all seem to compete for the same limited space, which creates an uncomfortable experience for both customers waiting to order and customers who are already eating. At this point, I really think Blue Whale either needs a larger space or a significant change in how they manage seating and the flow of customers. There needs to be a system that prevents tables from being held indefinitely and gives people who have already ordered a reasonable opportunity to sit and eat. There are some good things here, and Tobias was genuinely great, but for us, the overall experience was honestly not good. The food was fine, but the crowded, disorganized setup and lack of service made it difficult to enjoy the meal. Given how much hype Blue Whale has online, we expected a much better overall experience and unfortunately left feeling pretty disappointed.
If around the area Blue Whale if so good. If you're going on the weekend be ready for a little wait and good luck with seating. They have outside seating as well but it was so packed half of the party was standing. The açaí bowl is really good, the peanut butter is a game changer. The burrito was so good, you get a good amount of all ingredients in each bite which is rare for burritos. It's always egg on one side and protein on the other. Definitely recommend trying out Blue Whale.
Very busy spot so prepare to wait, but the food and drinks come out fairly quick. Not good for big groups, all little tables, except for one inside. Don't recommend the coffee or at least the banana latte. Matcha was decent. The Cali burrito and the pastor tacos were great! Ube pancakes were good too, not too sweet. Also shoutout to the food runner this morning, she was working hard.
Great local. Nice little place. Reasonable prices. Good food (not excellent). The blasting music was annoying - way too loud. Probably won't go back, but it is worth trying
Visiting San Diego for the weekend and saw this place trending on social media, so we had to try it! We were short on time and the restaurant was busy, so we ordered ahead through DoorDash. I can't speak much on the service, but the space itself is super cute and I'd definitely come back to dine in. My partner and I got Iced Vanilla Lattes with oat milk and Vanilla Cloud, plus the Big Wave Burrito with turkey bacon. The burrito was good, but for the price, I felt the portion and flavor were a little underwhelming. Adding the chipotle aioli definitely helped! The latte was really good, a bit on the sweeter and milkier side, but still very flavorful and rich. Overall, it's a little pricey and parking is tight, but we also visited around 10 AM on a Saturday during peak brunch time. I'd come back to try more of the menu, especially their matcha!
I'm back!! They changed up their interior look and its so cute. I got the same cali burrito and it was delicious and not too heavy. I paired that with their banana matcha which was okay, like a 6/10 felt too milky. The seating here is always rough at around noon. But we walked by again around 2 ish and it was less crowded. A staple if you're near the area!
The place is very beautiful, I love the wooden seating to the side as well as the surf vibe inside and the umbrella seating outside. I got their special, which was the s'mores latte and the marshmallows were great- it wasn't super sweet so add sugar if you like that and it had a hint of coconut overall great I didn't feel sick after drinking either Service and staff were super nice
Cute aesthetic inside and outside. Food was just your typical breakfast, nothing crazy but solid and reliable. Line can get pretty long on weekends and tables are first come first serve. Food takes some time to come out. Lots of younger crowd here, good for girls brunch! Matcha wasn't very strong, would get coffee instead
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.
Teen picked this place off of Instagram. Drove down from LA and found a line but luckily it moved fairly fast! Got the ube pancakes which were very good but the standout here are the breakfast burritos perhaps, the best one we've had and we've had a lot. Great coffees and drinks too. Really busy but managed to find a table at the last minute.
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.
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
There is a bit of a line and there is a good amount of seating but it goes pretty fast so if you really wanna sit down, just keep an eye out and take a table as fast as you can but the decor is cute inside good vibes. The people behind the counter were very helpful. Very nice. It was good. I got the best coffee I've ever had in my life here. I didn't even take a picture of it. I drink it so fast. It was a Hawaii honey latte with walnut milk. It was so good. I have no words I want to come back just for this and I would come back 100 times for it. The breakfast was OK. I'm not big on breakfast. Nothing bad with it. Nothing great about it but come for the coffee. Trust me.
19 days ago
I loved their ube pancakes! It was something completely different from anything I've seen before. The presentation was spectacular, and the taste was spectacular. Literally, I will go back here every time I go to San Diego because it was that good. There's not too much seating available because they get really busy and the place packs up pretty quickly. But we were still able to get seats, which really says something about their turnover time. The people were also really nice. I also got their BLT sandwich, which was really good. I expected the hash brown presentation to be a little bit better, but other than that, the taste of everything was great. If anything, having the savory sandwich with the sweet pancakes was a really good combo because we were able to balance them out. It's also really close to the beach, so that's another plus. Definitely recommend! read more
2 days ago
My friend and I found this place online (TikTok) and wanted to try it for their gluten free options. I have to eat gluten free so I got the French toast made gluten free and we got the Ube pancakes to share/try. My friend got the Steak and Eggs (she is not gluten free). My friend also got a vanilla chai latte and I got a flat white. What went really well: I thought the French toast was great. I loved the raspberry on it and the fruit. My friend and I thought the Ube pancakes were good as well. But like most gluten free pancakes, they were a bit dry/crumbly. That doesn't necessarily bother me but it could turn someone off if they are not used to gluten free foods, as these pancakes are made gluten free by default to my understanding. Overall, I was excited to have this option and Blue Whale seemed to do breakfast sweets well. The flat white was decent too. Presentation of all the meals was great; definitely "instagram worthy". What could be better: My friends meal in its entirely was pretty awful. She rated it a -2 overall. I did try her chai latte and it was the worst I have ever had - basically watery milk with cinnamon in it. The steak and eggs left a lot to be desired. The sirloin was very fatty and had little to no seasoning. She only ate the accompanying sourdough slice and hash brown but said even the hashbrown had way too much salt on it and was not enjoyable. Overall, I find it strange that my friend and I had such different dining experiences at one restaurant. I didn't have an awful experience but she sure did which left us both feeling like we would be unlikely to return here. If you are planning on dining here, I would suggest ordering coffee and breakfast sweets as this appears to be their strength. read more
No lines on a Tuesday 3pm afternoon but the wait for one smoothie was longer than expected. Got the verde smoothie and it came out way too thick, something you can't drink with a straw. It was not cold at all and the dates were overpowering. For a $12 price point, I wish this tasted better or at least had a better texture (it was not smooth and had small bits of something you have to chew through). The pick up window was not apparent. Music is loud you can barely hear the person next to you talk. read more
Maybe the digital hype has gotten ahead of the actual experience We came to Blue Whale around 11am on a Sunday, fully expecting it to be crowded. We knew they don't take reservations, so we were prepared for a wait. What we weren't prepared for was how chaotic the overall seating and ordering situation would be. We waited in line for about 10-15 minutes before ordering. The biggest problem is that the line runs directly alongside the dining tables, so once you're seated, people are essentially standing right next to you while you're trying to eat. We were at the table in the corner on the right next to the merchandise when you walk in, and people were practically standing over us and looking at our food while trying to decide what they wanted to order. It made the dining experience feel very cramped and uncomfortable. The seating situation was also frustrating. Some people were holding tables while other members of their group were still in line ordering, while people who had already ordered and were waiting for their food were left standing around without anywhere to sit. With only three of us, we weren't trying to take up a huge table - we just wanted somewhere to sit and eat the food we had already ordered. After waiting another 15 minutes or so, Tobias brought our food to us while we were literally standing around waiting for a table. He was honestly the highlight of the experience. He noticed what was happening, spoke to someone who was holding a table, and got them to give up the table so we could finally sit down. We really appreciated him stepping in and actually paying attention to what was happening. Unfortunately, once we were seated, the service didn't really improve. I understand that seating is self-service, but no one checked on us, asked if we needed anything, or cleared our plates. We actually wanted to order another drink, but there was essentially no way to do so because no one came by our table. It seemed like the staff was so focused on getting orders out that the people who were already seated and eating were being overlooked. As for the food, we ordered the ube pancakes, which were okay but didn't quite live up to the hype, and the ube donut, which we actually really enjoyed. I don't think the problem is that Blue Whale is popular or crowded. We expected that going in. The bigger issue is that it feels like the restaurant has outgrown its current location and hasn't figured out how to accommodate the demand. The line, seating, ordering, and dining areas all seem to compete for the same limited space, which creates an uncomfortable experience for both customers waiting to order and customers who are already eating. At this point, I really think Blue Whale either needs a larger space or a significant change in how they manage seating and the flow of customers. There needs to be a system that prevents tables from being held indefinitely and gives people who have already ordered a reasonable opportunity to sit and eat. There are some good things here, and Tobias was genuinely great, but for us, the overall experience was honestly not good. The food was fine, but the crowded, disorganized setup and lack of service made it difficult to enjoy the meal. Given how much hype Blue Whale has online, we expected a much better overall experience and unfortunately left feeling pretty disappointed. read more
If around the area Blue Whale if so good. If you're going on the weekend be ready for a little wait and good luck with seating. They have outside seating as well but it was so packed half of the party was standing. The açaí bowl is really good, the peanut butter is a game changer. The burrito was so good, you get a good amount of all ingredients in each bite which is rare for burritos. It's always egg on one side and protein on the other. Definitely recommend trying out Blue Whale. read more
Very busy spot so prepare to wait, but the food and drinks come out fairly quick. Not good for big groups, all little tables, except for one inside. Don't recommend the coffee or at least the banana latte. Matcha was decent. The Cali burrito and the pastor tacos were great! Ube pancakes were good too, not too sweet. Also shoutout to the food runner this morning, she was working hard. read more
2 days ago
Visiting San Diego for the weekend and saw this place trending on social media, so we had to try it! We were short on time and the restaurant was busy, so we ordered ahead through DoorDash. I can't speak much on the service, but the space itself is super cute and I'd definitely come back to dine in. My partner and I got Iced Vanilla Lattes with oat milk and Vanilla Cloud, plus the Big Wave Burrito with turkey bacon. The burrito was good, but for the price, I felt the portion and flavor were a little underwhelming. Adding the chipotle aioli definitely helped! The latte was really good, a bit on the sweeter and milkier side, but still very flavorful and rich. Overall, it's a little pricey and parking is tight, but we also visited around 10 AM on a Saturday during peak brunch time. I'd come back to try more of the menu, especially their matcha! read more
I'm back!! They changed up their interior look and its so cute. I got the same cali burrito and it was delicious and not too heavy. I paired that with their banana matcha which was okay, like a 6/10 felt too milky. The seating here is always rough at around noon. But we walked by again around 2 ish and it was less crowded. A staple if you're near the area! read more
The place is very beautiful, I love the wooden seating to the side as well as the surf vibe inside and the umbrella seating outside. I got their special, which was the s'mores latte and the marshmallows were great- it wasn't super sweet so add sugar if you like that and it had a hint of coconut overall great I didn't feel sick after drinking either Service and staff were super nice read more
Cute aesthetic inside and outside. Food was just your typical breakfast, nothing crazy but solid and reliable. Line can get pretty long on weekends and tables are first come first serve. Food takes some time to come out. Lots of younger crowd here, good for girls brunch! Matcha wasn't very strong, would get coffee instead read more
3 months ago
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. read more
Teen picked this place off of Instagram. Drove down from LA and found a line but luckily it moved fairly fast! Got the ube pancakes which were very good but the standout here are the breakfast burritos perhaps, the best one we've had and we've had a lot. Great coffees and drinks too. Really busy but managed to find a table at the last minute. read more
3 months ago
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. read more
3 months ago
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 read more
1 month ago
There is a bit of a line and there is a good amount of seating but it goes pretty fast so if you really wanna sit down, just keep an eye out and take a table as fast as you can but the decor is cute inside good vibes. The people behind the counter were very helpful. Very nice. It was good. I got the best coffee I've ever had in my life here. I didn't even take a picture of it. I drink it so fast. It was a Hawaii honey latte with walnut milk. It was so good. I have no words I want to come back just for this and I would come back 100 times for it. The breakfast was OK. I'm not big on breakfast. Nothing bad with it. Nothing great about it but come for the coffee. Trust me. read more
2 months ago
There was a pretty long line, and it was definitely hot inside, but the wait was worth it! The coffee was excellent--probably one of the highlights--and everything we ordered tasted incredibly fresh and flavorful. The ingredients felt high quality, and the food was simple but really well done. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, so you can sit outside if you prefer some fresh air. The inside was quite warm when we visited, so keep that in mind. Despite the heat and the wait, I'd definitely come back for the great coffee and fresh, delicious brunch! read more
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 read more
2 months ago
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. read more
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 read more
2 months ago
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!! read more
6 days ago
This place is order first with open seating. Depending on the time, it can take a while to order. The food looked good although I only tried the coffee. I got an iced latte, and I was honestly disappointed. You could taste the coffee, flavor, milk, and water from the ice all separately. I'm hoping I just got a fluke, but I'm not sure that it's worth the trip as parking can be difficult. read more
6 months ago
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. read more
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. read more
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 (: read more
yes, yes and yes if you can make it by this place no matter how long the line is you go in. Add coffee a little bowl and My Daughter had the teriyaki chicken bowl. Loved it all. Service was super quick and friendly and the ambience was quaint. I'd highly highly highly recommend coming. read more
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. read more
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! read more
We were around La Jolla and looking for something to eat when we stumbled upon this place. The cafe is super cute from both the outside and the inside. They have a little corner inside where they sell their merch + other items such as jewelry and art prints. Their brunch looked so good but they stop serving at at 3PM. They also had a Build-Your-Own Acai Bowl which I really wanted to try but I ended up going with the Ahi Poke Bowl instead. My partner ordered the Crying Tiger Ribeye (the photos looked so good!!) Our food took a little longer than expected to come out, especially because it wasn't really busy during the time we went. The poke bowl and fries were good. The Crying Tiger Ribeye was way too salty for me but was borderline acceptable to my partner. Everyone is different so I think it would've been better if they only lightly salted it so that the person eating it can adjust it to their taste and add more if necessary. Other than the saltiness, the texture was nice and it was yummy. I really enjoyed the vibes of this place. Super cute! Note: They don't take cash payments! read more
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! read more
1 month ago
Conveniently located a couple of blocks away from the beach where I had the chance to enjoy this delicious acai bowl! Fast service (for a busy Friday afternoon), and friendly staff. There is seating available but I preferred to get my acai bowl to go so I could enjoy the ocean views! I parked in the two hour parking area down near The Wedding Bowl on Coast Blvd, then walked less than 5 minutes. read more
100% recommend blue whale for breakfast. This is one of the best breakfast burritos I've had, I asked them to put carne asada in it instead of the default options! All my friends loved their orders too! The food is so high quality and flavorful -- especially their steak! HOWEVER! I would not recommend their lattes, we all felt like our lattes were super milky and the matchas didn't have a taste. Still 5 stars because of how amazing the food is! read more
9 days ago
really good breakfast burritos and love that they have soyrizo!! the banana matcha was very good as well. always a line, and hard to find seating even on weekdays. read more
Food is incredible. Coffee is pretty good as well. There are lots is drink options! Only comment I have is that seating can be very difficult to find as it is such a popular place, so it can be a bit tight if you're trying to dine in on a busy day. read more
26 days ago
Used to enjoy going here, but recently found the prices have soared, while quality of food declined. There are plenty other places nearby that'll give you more food for your money. Also might be difficult to find a spot to sit on a busy weekend afternoon. Food tastes good, but just disappointed in how it's changed. Definitely a cute place inside and out. read more
3 months ago
I used to like this place but had a recent visit this last Saturday that just really put me off. The line was pretty crazy so we ordered pickup. The instructions in the pickup site and text were to wait until the staff lets you know it's ready. We waited outside for 40 mins before I walked in to check and saw my bag with my food on the counter. I asked one of the staff if this was ready for pickup and she had rudely told me that next time I need to let the staff know I'm here. Um...im not sure if they forgot to update the status of my order to let me know that but how would I know? Then they made my drinks after I asked another staff member that I was still waiting on my drinks and those came out in the next five mins but to be honest they were mid. The breakfast burrito was good though, but service was bad. Just another hyped up spot thanks to tiktok... read more
4 months ago
Worth the hype ! Yes the line was long with a 30+ min wait. We weren't able to find seating either so we went to a local park to eat. My bf for the lobster roll and I got the crying tiger with a blueberry matcha. The crying tiger and its fries were soooo good. Tender and super flavorful. My bf loved his lobster roll and appreciate it was a big sandwich rather than just a hot dog bun like other places. The blueberry matcha could've been sweeter and the matcha flavor could've been stronger. Little bit on the milky side tho. Definitely recommend this brunch spot ! Food took a fat min to come out tho due to being so crowded read more
Page 1 of 13
More info about Blue Whale
834 Kline St
La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla
Directions
(858) 352-6580
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
https://www.bluewhalesd.com
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Health Score
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.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
17 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
3 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
3 months ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
Blue Whale - cafes - Updated October 2026
Best of La Jolla
People found Blue Whale by searching for…
Browse Nearby
BEST of La Jolla, California Breakfast near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Restaurants near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Brunch near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Desserts near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Things to Do near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Cocktail Bars near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Parking near Blue Whale
BEST of La Jolla, California Coffee Shop near Blue Whale
