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    Pinpoint Cafe

    4.4 (235 reviews)
    Closed 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Pinpoint Cafe Photos

    PINPOINT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Pinpoint Cafe

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    Street view of cafe
    Jenner B.

    Perfect. Craft coffee and other drinks. Cliffside venue with bird La Jolla beach. Walking distance to research facilities and the Aquarium. Quick walk to beach. Friendly staff.

    Banana latte
    Maegan L.

    Great views, nice secluded area. Prompt service. Decent amount of seating. Latte was delicious as well!

    The view at Pinpoint cafe
    Ruth S.

    4/18/26 we literally came here for the ocean view and to see what the hype is about on IG. Basically it's the view. We ordered americano and a latte as we already ate breakfast earlier. Nice to see surfers in the ocean. Service took pretty long, then again..they are busy. No complaints here tho. We enjoyed our coffee and view. Happy sipping!

    gingerbread latte
    Aimee L.

    Had a lil snack here after yoga- I got the GOAT (Goat Cheese Avocado Toast) and a latte. They were tasty and filling! The avocado was also a really good texture. However, the price was pretty steep for what it was in my opinion. The food also took a while to come out, but it did seem pretty understaffed. The location is really nice though (outdoor seating only!), and it has a really good view of the beach.

    Avocado crunch toast and hot coffee
    Dung N.

    I came here for the view, but it does get busy, so you might not get a good view of the ocean, depending on where you're sitting. I got an avocado crunch toast, which came with fresh smashed avocado, heirloom tomatoes, microgreens, and a chili crunch drizzle on top of sourdough. It was yummy! My friend ordered a coffee and it had pretty latte art.

    Eid F.

    Perfect spot to grab a coffee with a great view. Service was very friendly. You order at the counter, pickup your drink and take a seat with a view. FYI. Place is small and a little hard to find at first, seating is limited and everything is outdoors. There isn't a dedicated parking lot but the walk isn't too bad and there is a beautiful view the whole time so who cares.

    the goat and vanilla latte
    Jamie P.

    Stunning view of la jolla, service was fast, the avocado toast is amazing! Latte was delicious and well priced. Lots of seating and great to work from home

    Açaí bowl
    Del W.

    Employees are kind and there is a lot of seating available. Parking is limited & you may have to walk up 2 flights of stairs to access this location! But there's a nice view of the ocean and the food is good :-)

    Bri F.

    Explored around the area before stumbling on this cafe. It was busy, with many people staying to enjoy the killer view of the coast. We got two medium iced vanilla oat lattes that were solid, however the cost was pretty steep at $8 per drink. Would be willing to splurge for the view every now and then, though parking can be confusing since the cafe is located in the UCSD campus area.

    Outdoor Seating
    Jacquelyn M.

    Stopped by here with a friend and had a lovely time. It's a nice little hidden outdoor spot with great views. It was pretty busy so it was nice to be able to get a spot. I ordered a smoked salmon toast and a strawberry smoothie, a little bit on the pricier side, but it's typical for the area.

    Cari A.

    Finally made my way to Pinpoint Cafe. I arrived a little after 8am on a Wednesday and there were just a few customers. By the time I left around 9am, almost all tables were taken. Pros: -views of the ocean -it's outdoor seating on two levels, so it's great if the weather is nice -if you go to UCSD, they give a small discount if you show your ID. Cons: -parking can be difficult. Close parking lots are permit specific. -no restrooms are available for customers.

    Large vanilla latte - 3 shots, not filled all the way
    Amanda B.

    Pinpoint Cafe has delicious drinks. No bathrooms. Parking is a challenge unless you go to school there. We parked on the busy road up top and walked down. I wish they would fill up the cup of the lattes. The toast was cute as heck though. And you can't beat the view.

    Avocado Toast with hard boiled egg...
    Lisa M.

    Fantastic view & awesome avocado toast.! The lattes were very good as well. The tide was low so we enjoyed a long walk north of the pier- tide-pooling along the way.

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    1 month ago

    It was my first time here and I fell in love with this place. Guys, thank you for the atmosphere!

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    Business owner information

    Photo of Caroline C.

    Caroline C.

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    Pinpoint Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pinpoint Cafe

    Are there outlets to plug into?

    None that's obvious. It's small beach cafe not a true coffeehouse.

    Is it ADA friendly?

    Yes.

    I noticed you are located on the UCSD campus. Do you have to pay for a daily or hourly parking permit? Thank you!

    Hi there! There’s street parking within walking distance at La Jolla Shores Drive. There is also a private parking lot at Naga Way. Everything else around the cafe is just for students and staff.

    Is Pinpoint Cafe dog friendly?

    Yes, I took my two dogs here and the cashier gave them treats and there was a water bowl out :)

    Is there WiFi available?

    Yes, however since this location is part of UCSD, at this time we are closed due to COVID.

    View All 10 Questions

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    Happy Hour is all day on Wednesdays, which is a huge plus…read more The menu has a great selection, and this place always has a solid ambiance. Everything came out quickly, including the drinks. I genuinely wasn't dressed up and still received some of the best service I've ever had at a restaurant. Dalton was an absolute all-star, even though he's a Dodgers fan. A+ service. Even when he had a good number of tables, he still checked in regularly to make sure we were happy and had everything we needed.

    I really wanted to like Books & Records, but the service left a lot to be desired…read more After checking in, we waited a bit for our table, which was understandable. Once seated, though, we sat for about 20 minutes without anyone acknowledging us. I eventually had to flag someone down just to get water. We then waited even longer for our server to take our order. Because service was so slow, I ordered all of our drinks and food at once since I wasn't sure when we'd see our server again. What stood out even more was watching a couple seated next to us receive immediate attention. They were greeted, served water right away, and the woman was offered a purse hook. Meanwhile, we were sitting there with our purses shoved beside us and weren't offered the same courtesy. It may seem like a small detail, but combined with the lack of attention, it made us feel overlooked. The drinks came out quickly, and the chicken satay and mac and cheese were decent. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out food-wise either. The highlight of the evening was definitely the live music. The performers were fantastic and created a great atmosphere that honestly was the only enjoyable part of the evening.

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    Hash House A Go Go

    4.1
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    Wow! Everything about this place was phenomenal. The atmosphere, the food, and the service…read more The inside gives western diner in the absolute best way possible! It's got the decor, chairs, and art to match. Jessica was our server and she was amazing! She gave us lots of suggestions on what to try and what is on the menu since it was my first time here. She recommended the bloody Mary flight so did grab that to try! We also ordered the biscuits and gravy to share and orange juice. The portions are so large! So I am glad we decided to share the biscuits and gravy but let me run down each thing. Bloody Mary Flight: Honestly every single one was amazing. My favorite was definitely the pickle Mary! Everything tasted so delicious and was garnished beautifully. Well worth the 22 dollars. Biscuits and Gravy: Absolute perfection of comfort food. The biscuits were so fluffy and well seasoned. The gravy was also soooo good, just like my mom makes. The sausage in it was also cooked so well and juicy. I've never tried mashed potatoes with the biscuits and gravy but it worked very well! Orange Juice: Not a fan really, not pulpy enough and I wasn't a fan of the flavor. Overall this is definitely a must visit! I will definitely be back.

    My friends selected this spot for brunch again and I must say the experience was much better than…read moremy previous. One thing out the gate is the portion sizes. The plates are massive so if you have a healthy appetite then you are at the right place. Plus there are a ton of items on the menu so there's something for everyone. The parking is get in where you can fit in on the street but it wasn't difficult. They have indoor and outdoor seating in the back. Our server Ulises was great which he immediately greeted us and was very attentive even with the Father's Day crowd. I decided to try the rib and eggs and I have to admit, I was very happy with my choice. The ribs were lightly sauced with a thin sauce that worked well. The meat was tender and had great flavor. I just didn't like the grass they put on top!lol The eggs were okay. I added cheese but I barely had any compared to my friends. The cantaloupe was a nice sweet treat afterwards. I tried my friend's meal and they were also good which they also enjoyed their meals overall. I also tried a one of the Bloody Mary flights which was the only tequila shot with pork skin on top. I do not like savory and spicy drinks but that particular shot was decent and was hot sauce for the pork skin. Overall, the experience was nice and the food was good especially for the value.

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    Richard Walker's Pancake House

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    11.9 mi
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    We came here for a celebratory post-race dinner and first sat outside around a fire pit, but when…read morewe heard happy hour was in the bar-area only, we quickly pivoted. Thank goodness there was room too, because wow oh wow. It has been three weeks and we keep talking about that happy hour. LOL I appreciated that their happy hour menu wasn't all snackable appetizers; there were smaller-sized dishes for those less hungry, too! I ordered the Kiwilango slider + fries, my mom got the HH fish & chips, and my dad got the wagyu smash slider. Plus $10 beers, of course. Everything came out quickly and beautifully portioned, which made getting dessert (magpie ice cream cake) a no brainer. Delicious!!! I didn't stray into their full Kiwi-based dinner menu, but I can fully vouch for their happy hour, the cozy, charming vibes, kind and attentive servers, and flavorful dishes. Would absolutely recommend and will be coming back next time I'm in town!

    Loved everything about this place! I love the ambiance the decor the staff the service the bottle…read moreof water provided with the cute little glasses the food the Cool breeze as you're sitting outside. They have a deal almost every single night of the week except for Saturday night. They also have happy hour prices. My friend ordered the spaghetti squash and I had a taste and it melted in my mouth good. It was a good size quantity also! I tried my first ever meat pie. I think I like meat pie! The crust was so flaky and the inside was so cheesy and meaty. Melted in my mouth good. If you're in the area I would definitely stop in and give it a try!

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    Pinpoint Cafe - coffee - Updated July 2026

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