Blue Whale
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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
This place is super cute. Love the beachy vibe. We arrived just after they opened and it wasn't too busy. When we walked back by at 9:45 though it was packed with a line out the door. I really appreciated all the gluten free menu items. We got an açaí bowl and the gluten free French toast. I will be back to try the ube pancakes and the gf chicken and waffle.
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 (:
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!
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!
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!
the line is always worth it! amazing gluten free options (always cures my hangover) and a lovely patio area. the inside is VERY cramped/overwhelming so i'd avoid trying to work/linger. the breakfast sandwich is delicious & served with a hash brown. i got a banana latte & it wasn't very good - ive been disappointed many times by the coffee but not the food!
Cute spot but way too small of a space and that makes it feel super overwhelming in there. We ordered the Morning Sando (4/5), Steak and Eggs (3/5) and the Chicken and Waffles (3/5) and that 3rd star was because I was happy to see that it was gluten free. But the waffle was crumbly and the chicken had zero flavor. Drinks- Tres leches latte. I didn't taste tres leche flavor at all. It honestly only had a honey and slight cinnamon taste to it. It wasn't terrible but definitely didn't understand why it's called a tres leches. Strawberry matcha had the tiniest layer of strawberry foam and the matcha was all milk with just a small hint of matcha flavor. I will say all of the employees were all very nice and friendly and keep the line moving at a decent pace. Don't think I'll be back but glad to have tried it.
Definitely too small for the amount of people coming in on weekends. It's overwhelming with the tight space and the large line plus the people waiting around for their food/table. I would suggest ordering to-go just in case you can't find a seat. The portions are large. I got a Cali burrito and it was really solid, but my family said the lobster roll (more like a sandwich since it was on two slices of white bread) was average for the price.
Small restaurant in La Jolla that gets pretty busy so expect to wait a bit for your food. We came here on a weekday for brunch and were luckily able to snag a table by the entrance before a big group came in. Counter order and find your own table. The blue whale brekky, steak & eggs, and French toast were all delicious. I really like the sauteed greens that came with the brekky. The French toast was beautiful and was basically desserts for breakfast. Yum!Portions were big.
honestly, the food was absolutely terrible and super overhyped. I saw it all over TikTok and was super excited to try it, first of all they had barely any things in stock, they ran out of more than half of the menu. I ordered the mango sticky rice, Matcha, as it was a special. it was so watered down in the chunky and it taste expired. It was literally sour. The açai bowls also tasted very cheap and super processed. Really expected more from this place !!! and more for a $10 matcha that's pre whisked !!!!
5 months ago
The lattes are pretty solid in the cutest mugs and the french toast is pretty hefty and filling. Super cute little cafe with such a beachy vibe. The decor is super cute and gives such a cafe by the sea look. There is good amount of seating for a cafe of this size, with more outdoor seating than indoor. read more
1 year ago
The staff is super friendly and really nice. The vibe is super cute , the purple umbrellas are the cutest ! The Smashburger was good, but would've been a lot better if it was more charred and smashed. The sweet potato fries were amazing. Some of the best I've ever had! We will definitely be back to try more things off of the menu! read more
6 months ago
I got the shrimp udon noodle soup and it was meh. I've definitely had better. Also they gave me bubble tea with no "bubbles" in it lol plus a straw that wouldn't even get through the plastic covering without breaking. Just so-so for me. read more
Cute little place, visited on a Wednesday close to noon and it was pretty busy and snagged a table on the sidewalk. Being an ube lover, I came here because I was enticed by the ube pancakes. Service was nice, answering our questions about the menu and making suggestions when we ordered at the counter. I also got an iced tres leches latte and my mom got the lobster roll. The roll was more sort of a sandwich. We got the aioli on the side and subbed the fries for veggies. Ube pancakes were pretty good. I'd order them again to share. Lobster was pretty good, pricing comparable to other places for what we got. The latte I'd give 3/5. I was expecting it to be more milky as it's a tres leches, but it was thin/watery, sprinkled with cinnamon. Nice place, would love to try a different coffee and lunch entree next time. read more
Was super excited to try this spot for brunch when visiting family in SD. There was a line out the door but not surprising since this is a trendy spot. We ordered at the counter and it was much hotter inside the cafe than out on the patio so I looked for a table outside once our food came out. Just as I saw a table, someone in line got out of line to put her stuff down on that table and then got back in line with her friend. So there was a completely empty table that was essentially being "reserved" for two girls who hadn't even ordered yet. I didn't want to say anything but it was frustrating that in an "order at the counter" place, staff wasn't really monitoring the tables. Which I understand isn't entirely their problem, it just took away from the experience for me. The drinks weren't that great - they lacked flavor and were overpriced. The poke bowl was pretty good but there was too much rice and not enough veggies. And the açaí bowl we got was also good - probably the most worth it item as it was fresh, packed with toppings, and a large portion which was good for sharing. read more
2 years ago
I seriously wanted to eat breakfast here every morning of my vacation. Everything was such a vibe. The numbers on the table, the way it was decorated, I mean, how could someone not love a made to order açai bowl?! The breakfast was delicious, the coffee was delicious. I tell you, I would've bought every piece of merch that they had if the line wasn't so long what a gift to La Jolla I will absolutely be back! Oh, the best part... The pottery! The dishes and bowls that they used here were heavy, and beautiful. I took a picture of the underside of my bowl, hoping to order some from my kitchen, but I don't recognize the label and it doesn't come up on a Google search . Does anyone know what where I can get these? read more
5 months ago
The açaí bowl was good the granola is a little overpowering but I like tbe variety of topping you can add. The service was great super friendly and fast. The place is aesthetic. read more
7 months ago
Such a cute cafe! Love the food and the vibe. Fruit yogurt bowl is so fresh and yummy! 100% recommend! read more
27 days ago
7 months ago
10 months ago
This is the perfect, cute brunch spot in La Jolla. The food is good and comes out quickly. The cafe is quite small, so the wait to order and get seating is quite long. read more
a bit of a wait for a weekend brunch but the line moved relatively quickly. the morning sando was good, i liked it with the hot sauce they had. the ube pancakes however were pretty dry. i asked for the syrup on the side but i wish there was more ube cream read more
I had really high expectations of this place because it seemed to have a beautiful menu and very nice aesthetic as well but totally did not live up to the expectations. Tres Leches Iced Latte was beautiful. No doubts about that at all. Really good blend of coconut milk, oat milk and almond milk I believe with a bit of cinnamon on top. The barista definitely did a good job here. Food was very much lacking though. Verde Bowl - It said there would be charred vegetables but that was actually deep fried broccoli rabe. It was actually proper crispy from having been deep, fried and so oily. It took away all the healthy aspects I was expecting from this bowl. Ended up asking the server to just get some plain greens on the side and left that entire broccolini. Really liked the dressing on here though but when added to the bok choy and kale which was kind of soggy since it was cooked together... That texture combination did not work out at all. I'm not sure if the vegetables also were cooked in oil because the dressing didn't seem to stick on the vegetables as much as I was hoping. Did not enjoy this dish at all to be honest. Chicken teriyaki bowl had the same fried broccolini as the verde Bowl, so that was a little bit of a disappointment here as well. We left out that broccolini and had the rest of the chicken, rice and a bit of shredded vegetables that seem to be there in there. There ended up being more of a chicken and rice dish with that broccolini removed. Definitely appreciate the amount of chicken in here and the sauce was also quite nice, but would have rough to see more nutritious vegetable in here. I was super excited about the Ube Pancakes, but they didn't live up either. Okay to be fair, the pancakes themselves were absolutely lovely with the perfect fluff factor and perfect flavor and all of it. The whip on top was also really nice but the main issue was the extreme amount of maple syrup that was on the plate. The bottom pancake completely soaked up that syrup and it just made everything so so so sweet! It would have been great if the syrup was just served on the side instead of poured on the dish. Overall thoughts are that the menu was really nice and they had so much potential but none of the items actually delivered 100%. read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
I got the Breakfast Burrito, Classic French Toast, Vanilla Chai Iced Latte, and Tres Leches Iced Coffee. To start, this place was the cutest little thing. Really cute interior and scenery. Wish that the barista was a bit nicer (may have been having a bad day), as my friend and I was rudely given our drink without any acknowledgement by the worker. However, besides that, the food was decent. The Breakfast Burrito tasted exactly like a classic breakfast burrito from most cafe/diners and the drinks were decent. I really enjoyed the Tres Leches Iced Coffee as I prefer my drinks on the sweeter end. Overall, super cute place with overall decent food. read more
We had a delicious and breezy Sunday brunch on the patio today and it felt so good!! We arrived at 9:30am - the line moved quick and we were able to find a table with no wait. The drinks were not overly sweet and we both loved our dishes. I ordered the Morning Sando and it was perfectly crisp, with a soft buttery middle. The hash brown had no business being as good as it was - in hindsight I wish I had ordered an extra!! If you arrive anytime after 10, the wait for a table starts to increase. There's no AC inside, but they keep the windows open to let the breeze though. The patio has ample umbrellas and we were seated in full shade which was nice. Blue Whale is quaint, but super cute and absolutely worth a visit! read more
2 years ago
Dined at Blue Whale for a light lunch around 2p on a weekend. Food was delicious but service wasn't great. It's fast casual so you order and then find a table. My party took some extra time to decide our dishes since it was our first time there. We had questions on the menu and potentially wanted to modify the dish -- nothing major: just didn't want the sauce that comes on top of the fries. We asked for that but the cashier misunderstood and thought we were talking about the sauce the steak was cooked in. We rephrased and asked again but the cashier still misunderstood reiterating unnecessarily how the steak is cooked in a sauce. So we chalked it up to the experience and just completed the order. Blue Whale is a smaller cafe and doesn't seem great for groups. There are a few tables inside, but it was super hot inside with no air flow and flies buzzing around. And there are a few bistro tables outside on the sidewalk, but it was so windy, everything blew around. We settled in to our table and already had our coffee and silverware down and then a busser offers to wipe our table down --- after --- we already put everything down. We expected the service to be better since it's La Jolla; but were disappointed by these little misses. The decor and food prices imply a decent experience but the service misses the mark. There are other fast casual coffee/brunch/lunch spots in La Jolla that cost as much but the experience will be better. read more
2 months ago
We stopped by this place for a quick breakfast. This place has a very casual, coastal charm where customers can just walk in and place their orders before finding themselves their own seat. The area can get a little cramped, making it harder for larger parties, but I found it to be a wonderful stop for a smaller party of 2-3. They offered a seasonal strawberry matcha, which I really enjoyed! We also ordered their ube pancakes and big wave breakfast burrito, which was the perfect amount to share. All in all, I really enjoyed this place and would love to return to try their other menu items. read more
I got the breakfast sando and it was just I needed after a hike The egg wasn't too runny, the bacon was crunchy, and the hash brown was perfectly crisp. There was a bit of a wait on a Saturday morning, but I didn't mind. Got to sit outdoors since it was a nice day that morning! Would come again to try their other items :) read more
10 months ago
YUMMM everything I wanted in a breakfast sandwich. The sourdough bread was so perfect and the eggs were perfectly cooked. The hashbrown on the side was a little random, but delicious! I just wish it came with a sauce to dip it in, but maybe I should've asked. Will def come back. read more
I was really excited to try the ube pancakes but unfortunately was not really able to taste the ube. They prepared it with too much syrup so it was soggy to eat. The inside was really nice and well decorated. I wouldn't recommend going during busy hours bc there's not too much seating. I was only able to sit in the barstools with a very small eating space (it was probably just meant for casual goers with drinks and not full meals). read more
I went to Blue Whale this afternoon. We ordered the strawberry matcha latte & Açaí bowl. The açaí bowl was a standard açaí bowl - very sweet but good. The strawberry matcha needs some work - it was light on the strawberry & the matcha tasted really watered down. The place itself is cute but for the price & quality of items, this self serve experience didn't hit. The experience with the staff wasn't terrible but wasn't good either. Really wanted to love this place but couldn't. read more
It was good! But nothing too special. The coffee and matcha were pretty mid (watered down). My friends and I got a total of three different drinks, and all of them were watered down, but maybe it was an off day. Really wanted to try this place because of the ube pancakes, but it was kind of a let down as the ube's flavor was a little too subtle for my taste. BUT the food was still good. We got the breakfast burrito, ube pancake, and a sandwich. I'd say Blue Whale was an above average brunch spot, but I don't think it was the BEST BRUNCH SPOT I've ever been to. Cute vibes and good service! read more
4 months ago
Food and ambience is nice. Walk in, grab your own table and order up at the counter. This place gets pretty busy during brunch hours on weekends so plan accordingly. We tried the lobster roll, chicken & waffles, cali burrito, and the lox toast, food was good, the matcha was meh. read more
was craving a lobster roll one day when i was near the beach & i found this place & called in to place a to go order! i got the lobster roll which was more so a sandwich, but it was FILLED with lobster & it was served with fries, but i was not expecting an entire other box STUFFED with fries! for under $25 this was so worth the money & filled me up read more
2 months ago
10 months ago
I feel like this place started off small and grew exponentially in popularity and need to make accommodations to reflect that. It would help to have a server/hostess help with seating because it's quite difficult to find once you order. People who hadn't ordered yet would "reserve" tables by putting their bags on it which I don't think should be allowed. The food is just fine, I got the breakfast bowl and just felt like I was expecting more. It just felt like some random ingredients thrown together, especially the plain arugula. read more
I came here for brunch on a Saturday. It was my first time here. They had a line but it moved fast. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The place is cute. I ordered the avocado toast. It had veggies and goat cheese on it. I thought it tasted really good. The pickled onions is a nice touch. read more
I came for brunch on a Sunday. The line was long but it went by quickly. The place was very packed and you need to wait for a table to open up. I got the blue whale brekky and a latte. It's a bowl of eggs, bacon, avocado, hash brown, soyrizo, and sautéed greens. It was pretty average. The latte was also pretty standard. It's a cute place to check out if you're into the area. read more
I came here enticed by some of the SE Asian flavors I saw on the menu. But boy was I DISAPPOINTED. crying tiger--bland, tough, unseasoned, not prepared well (all the juices leaked onto the plate which means it wasn't allowed to rest and absorb the juices). It did not come with any nam jim jaew sauce like the menu says (see photo) so the only way to make it taste edible was to ask a server for salt. seared ahi--this was just okay. The ahi seemed like it was good quality but it just isn't prepared well; no flavor. It comes plated with green veggies like bok choy, arugala, and asparagus and it is sooooo bland and cleary unseasoned. Definitely seemed like a big crowd of people who haven't tried the amazing, FLAVOR PACKED flavors of authentic Southeast Asian food--these dishes are shells of what their actual counterparts are. $55+ for a very mediocre lunch hurts my soul. I advise you to avoid this place. Service was not friendly either--everyone seemed slightly irritated and lifeless. read more
1 year ago
Been here to try but closed on New Year's Day, so we went to here again the other day and it was such a memorable experience. When the Seared Ahi came out, I was surprised by the visuals, quality, and taste. The tuna was fresh and cooked nicely, the veggies that came together were so good. I honestly didn't really expect that grade of food quality bc I thought it would just be like a cafe breakfast. But all the dishes we got were amazing. read more
5 months ago
A cute little spot- the breakfast burrito was delicious however the Ube Pancakes were horrible. I appreciate that they are gluten free however they completely crumble(very dry and needs xantham gum or something) when trying to eat them in addition the flavor is off. The coconut whipped cream on top was delicious and they looked beautiful though. read more
2 months ago
horrible customer service. ordered a 16 oz and got a 12 oz. when asked to remake it the girl just dumped our bowl into a bigger bowl and added more base with a side of attitude. We brought it back for them to remake it the second time and they said they "ran out" of chia pudding...just wow read more
A cute new La Jolla spot! Nestled in downtown La Jolla, this little cafe is inside of what looks like an old house with a cute little patio and some sidewalk seating. This is a more casual spot, where you order at the register and they bring you your food. We got both coffee and food and were very satisfied with both! The ube pancakes were a star--unique flavor and not too sweet. We got them to share for the table so we didn't fill up on pancakes alone and that was definitely the right call. Highly recommend them for the table! The breakfast burrito was also very tasty--nice crispy outside and appropriately filled. We'd get all our meals again for sure. If you're looking for something a little bougie but more casual and quick than a sit down, this is a great option. Pros: variety of options on the menu, there's something for everyone Creative coffee Friendly staff Cons: a bit pricey, but high quality. Outdoor seating is hard to come by during busy hours. TLDR; if you're looking for a quicker bite with beach house ambience and a wide variety of food options, this is a great stop. read more
Went for brunch and it was amazing!! The breakfast burrito was the best one I've ever had. It had a crispy hash brown inside, soo much avocado, and came with a fresh salsa on the side that made it even better. I also got an iced gingerbread latte with oat milk and loved it as well. We sat outside and the ambiance is very cute. read more
More info about Blue Whale
834 Kline St
La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla
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(858) 352-6580
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https://www.bluewhalesd.com
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I recommend going really early. Its street parking.
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Blue Whale - cafes - Updated May 2026
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