My Favorite Place to Eat in Balboa Park! I've been working in Balboa Park for 20 years, and I can honestly say that the Tea Pavilion at the Japanese Friendship Garden is one of my favorite places to grab a quick meal. The food is consistently fresh, delicious, high-quality, and served quickly, and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. I have some special dietary needs, and they are always so helpful -- not only working with me on what I can order, but also making suggestions and helping me find something that works. They also have so many unique food and drink options that you simply can't find anywhere else in the Park, which makes it a great spot when you want something different and easy to grab and go. And of course, the setting is hard to beat. It's such a pleasure to sit outside, enjoy a great meal, and take in the beautiful surroundings of the Japanese Friendship Garden. After working in Balboa Park for so many years, I never take that view for granted. If you're looking for great food, friendly service, unique options, and a beautiful place to enjoy it, I highly recommend stopping by the Tea Pavilion. A true favorite of mine -- right here "In the Heart of the Park." read more

We stopped here before entering the garden and got some refreshments. The teas are really good and prices fairly decent . Didn't buy any snacks . They also have a food cart area inside and down below so depending on if you want food I would wait to buy something . They did not sell tea below so definitely stop in and grab a tea ! I would definitely try another one next time I come here ! read more

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At the entrance of the Japanese friendship garden. Quaint little tea and snack shop. Hot teas menu on counter by register. Iced teas, sake, bottled sodas, ice cream, mochi, chips, candy, packaged snacks on the go are displayed. Salads, sandwiches prepared foods need to be ordered at register. Outdoor patio table seating only. Umbrellas were easy to adjust. Shuttle drops off right in front which runs through the parking lots about every 10 min. The team here was helpful. Kept orders and teas flowing. Definitely a great stop to add with the garden experience. read more

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Tried the matcha latte and Thai tea and both were a disappointment. The matcha tasted mostly like plain milk with barely any matcha flavor, plus the color was such a light green it looked watered down. The Thai tea was just as bad -- missing that rich tea taste you expect. Definitely not worth the money, calories, or stomach space. Save your cravings for somewhere better. read more

The food was a-okay here. Filling and decent. But a little overpriced for what it is. But what can you expect from a spot in tourist central. The Thai iced tea was yummy. Though very sweet and overpriced. Service was friendly and fast even on a busy Sunday. There aren't tables inside so expect to takeout and eat at tables outside or in park. read more

The rice bowls were really good and the service was also nice. Right next to the friendship garden--so convenient!

The tea pavilion provides a peaceful place to rest and try some traditional Japanese snacks and food The main building is a caricature of a Japanese tea house which stands out from the surrounding Balboa Park pavilions. There is a good selection of authentic Japanese and Korean drinks and snacks. The menu for noodles, rice bowls, and tea is simple. We tried the chicken noodles and the curry noodles. They were ok for a quick snack. We liked the potato salad. The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

Tea Pavilion - JAPANESE POTATO SALAD - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great service as always! Haven't had a bad meal once here, staff is always friendly and accommodating. Place is nicely air conditioned if you need to get away from the heat outside! read more

Such a great place with delicious food, a great view and nice people! I had the steak teriyaki the other day and it hit the spot! I love when I can get a seat on the patio over looking the friendship garden, but even walking over to any of the beautiful gardens and sitting on a bench with these bites is heaven. Thanks to the whole team for always providing this goodness! See you again soon! read more

Slightly disappointed. For a place that's called the Tea Pavillion the tea wasn't that great. I ordered an iced chai tea and whatever sugar they used wasn't dissolved and wouldn't dissolve so I just ended up throwing it away.My mom enjoyed her curry and my son seems to enjoy the chicken teriyaki bowl. I saw the chicken was nice and tender. Our seating that was available had one side that has a broken slat on it right in the middle. Okay food, okay experience. For the price of the food they should include entry into the tea garden. read more

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Nice area to sit around in shade and chill for a bit. Other than that don't feel like it's anything special. Not really any nice views or snacks etc that stand out. Service was ok. read more

For me, this take out restaurant is more like Tears Pavilion. I wept a river of tears for a lost meal in a land of hundreds of great food options. Part 1 started last November where we met up some family at the Japanese Friendship Garden. We opted for a quick meal at this pavilion before heading to another Balboa Park museum. 3 stars, can't be that bad? Oh, it was bad, and I vowed never to return. Part 2 was 3 months later, same Friendship Garden, different people. Like how mothers forget how painful childbirth is and how parents forget the memories of sleepless nights with a newborn, my brain had blacked out the trauma from my first experience here. TWO wasted meals in San Diego in the space of a few months. Ok, enough ranting - here is the food: Miso soup - my daughter tried this and thought it was passable Teriyaki chicken bowl - imagine Minute Rice, Costco Rotisserie Chicken, and bottled Teriyaki sauce. That would be a Michelin starred masterpiece compared to what you get here. A huge glob of overcooked rice, some unseasoned dry strips of chicken, and I have no idea where they are getting their sweet and flavorless teriyaki sauce. Tea Pavilion, please just buy Kinders or anything readily available out in market, it will taste better. California Crab Sandwich - chopped up surimi dressed with spicy mayo. The surimi didn't have enough dressing and this was served on slightly stale sandwich bread. I'm really sorry/angry that I have nothing nice to say, but the food service is slow and the outdoor tables are a mess since customers are busing their own tables. Also, if you would like a fortune cookie, you need to buy it. read more

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Inside they were out of everything. No Thai Tea or Matcha teas. The girls (there were 3) at the register were loud speaking different languages . I could not be sure what was happening, they were cute and having fun. We purchased a small can of watermelon mela water and I tried the Blue Lady tea which was very good. Outside seating was enjoyable with approx 14 tables and very welcome umbrellas. The music was Japanese which added to the ambiance. read more

Tea Pavilion - Food menu - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Such a nice location to grab a bite to eat while enjoying the views of the Japanese Friendship Garden down below. The Tea Pavilion has such potential, but unfortunately, the food and service ruins the zen moments. I think the reason why I come here to eat is simply for the location and ambience. It's conveniently located at the entrance of the Friendship Garden, and there are plenty of shaded tables to sit at. But I do have to mention that your meal may be interrupted by the chaotic music selection they choose to play over the loud speakers. If anyone working there is reading this, I recommend a more zen and peaceful playlist. I've ordered many items before, and each were just not very memorable. I recently had the chicken teriyaki bowl and although it was my first meal of the day, it did not satisfy my hunger. The rice and flavor were both just fine to me, but the chicken was extremely dry and tough to chew. It was very rubbery. It came with some shredded carrots that seemed to have been tossed in straight out of a bag. I hate to say it, but the teriyaki bowl at Jack in the Box tastes much better. It was also pretty pricey for $14 per rice bowl. I did have their iced matcha green tea latte, and I have to admit, it was surprisingly good! There is a good selection of teas and other beverages served there. I guess go there if you're thirsty. Lastly, I was just off-putted (if that's even a word, which im pretty sure it isnt), by the kitchen staff working that day. Customers could hear their profanity-laced conversations in the back. Honestly, it wasn't very zen of them. They almost ruined my peaceful day at the park. read more

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Noodles too soft. Soup too sweet. Service was good. It's a shame this type of food was next to such a beautiful place. Does not resemble the food in Japan. read more

Set right in the middle of the Japanese Friendship garden, this restaurant is small but the food is pretty good. I really enjoyed the Japanese sodas. The one thing lacked was good customer service. The workers seemed like they hated to be there read more

A+ 1) The staff members are very well trained. Their level of customer service is a lost art. 2) As a KETO customer, the menu was very friendly w/o having to make any substitutions 3) Miso soup = wow (especially on a cool day. 4) The flavor of the tea options was WOW. read more

Pretty good salmon teriyaki bowl and soba salad. Better than expected for public park location. Simple but nice deck with umbrella shaded tables, overlooking the Japanese garden. Mango ice tea not bad. Prices overall a bit more than average, which is reasonable for the convenience. read more

Pretty setting, prices are pretty reasonable, and despite some of the average reviews, our food was surprisingly good. I wanted to try their sushi, but they had already run out 2 hours after opening, by 12:30, so my mom and I each got the grilled salmon rice bowl. Salmon was tasty, as was the teriyaki sauce and generous portion of rice. No veggies, other than a few sliced scallions; some pieces of broccoli or other veggies would have been nice. We got a Jasmine iced tea, which was very good and refreshing on this sunny day. And don't forget to show your Balboa Explorer Pass for 10% off if you have one! read more

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Female staff was rude she was making the matcha today, iced matcha was not it too much milk and way too sweet , female staff needs to be retrained on customer service read more

I feel like having a tea place inside a park is a necessity and tea pavilion is doing a great job at filling that necessity. The place is located in a convenient area, being near a tram station and parking, and also by a decent view and stadium. The iced matcha was pretty good although it was a little sweeter than I usually have it. As for the cherry Sakura tea, my girlfriend said this was one of the best teas she's ever had and downed it before I had the chance to try it. Will get back to you when I actually try it. read more

Tea Pavilion - Matcha and Japanese Cherry Sakura - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Tea is nice but the food is atrocious. Whatever you do, eat elsewhere. There's really no excuse for that given the prices! Also filthy. read more

Convenient place to grab a quick drink and bite to eat after visiting the beautiful Japanese Garden. Food: Soba Soup with chicken, and teriyaki chicken bowl were plentiful and suited my pick eater children. The iced tea varieties are delicious, simple and unsweetened. read more

The Tea Pavilion is my favorite spot to grab an iced tea or bite in Balboa Park. It overlooks the Japanese Friendship Garden from the seating area. My "go to" menu items are the Japanese cherry iced tea and chicken curry sandwich (which is delicious). The staff is always friendly even when there is a rush of customers.. they are patient taking each order and I never feel rushed. My team hosts over 1,000 reservations a year in San Diego and we highlight the Tea Pavilion and JFG as a must try for our guests during their visit here in San Diego. read more

Tea Pavilion - Japanese Cherry Iced Tea - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

The Tea Pavilion is located right outside of the Japanese Friendship garden inside of Balboa Park. Plenty of outside seating with umbrellas to provide shade. The experience with the restaurant was less than ideal. I ordered 3 rice bowls and it took us about half an hour to get our food. It was somewhat frustrating because the tickets were not called in order so all these tickets after my order were being fulfilled before mine. Once I got my food, it looked like day old rice covered in slices of meat with pre-packaged sauces. The rice was super hard and kept getting stuck in my teeth. The chicken was bland and really dry and extremely tough. I've never had chicken like that before. The beef was somewhat better. I would not recommend any chicken bowls nor Teriyaki. If you're getting a rice bowl, stick with the curry. read more

Very pleased with the matcha. We were here on a weekday and it still had a bit of a crowd! Very popular place. Can't comment on the food because we didn't order any, but the drinks were great. read more

Tea Pavilion - ICED MATCHA LATTE - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

So here's the thing....the ambiance was nice, albeit loud. Balboa park is lovely, so it goes without saying the surroundings were beautiful. There was contemporary music blasting over the loud speakers (it's outdoor seating) and I wished it had either been a lower level or none at all! How about we just enjoy the sounds of nature and conversation with our loved ones? But, even hard of hearing me sat there thinking, "this obnoxious music is loud"! Now, as for the food: I had an order of miso soup and a grilled chicken teriyaki rice bowl. The soup was good. The broth was very flavorful. The rice bowl, however, was a great disappointment. This did not taste like anything teriyaki to me. Just an odd, bland flavorless flavor. It was actually kind of weird. The chicken was scarce and what I did have was tough. The majority of food in this bowl was rice and julienned carrots. And I hate to say it, but the rice kind of had a moldy zing to it. There were no visible signs of mold, mind you, but the first mouthful was not pleasant. The service was typical, busy, understaffed Gen Z/Millenial service. Not rude, not polite, not welcoming. Just a sort of no social skills "I'll take your money" feel to it. I have to admit, I shan't be experiencing this place again. It was a dud. But balboa park itself is a great place to visit. Just don't bother wasting your money at the Tea Pavilion. read more

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I've been going to the tea pavilion for many years now but recently I've been craving their beef rice bowl for lunch any time I go to balboa park for resident free tuesdays. Their miso soup is also good. Located right next to the Japanese Friendship Garden, the tea pavilion is a great stop for someone going in or out of the tea pavilion. Service is friendly and you do get employee discount if you work in balboa park. I love going here on a nice sunny afternoon since they don't open after 4 pm. If you're lucky, you can even sit on a picnic table with a good view of the garden. read more

Tea Pavilion - Beef Curry Rice Bowl - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Terrible tea shop that doesn't cater to people who have allergies. I asked for oat milk instead of whole for my iced matcha latte and they still put whole milk. Matcha powder is not prepared properly and had a stick of wood inside from the bamboo whisk. What kind of joke of a tea shop is this?? Threw my drink away in the garbage. Waste of $13 read more

The food is combini style we ordered curry tofu and vegetable, hot macha latte Calbee chips and mochi rice cake. The servers were kind and helpful. The ambiance is simple and reasonable. read more

Tea Pavilion - Combini style...awesome - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Just to expensive for what you get and they have the guts to add a 5% supplemental fee! So over $18 for a small bowl of rice and a little chicken on top. I will not be back! Jack in the box new protein teriyaki chicken bowl is about $7 and my wife says it's amazing compared to this one. There's also tax on the supplemental fee! read more

sakura iced green tea genuinely tastes like gum... so i wouldn't get that. service was fine, it was a bit busy and i wasn't sure where the line ended or started so kinda chaotic when i was there. read more

Tea Pavilion - tastes like gum unfortunately - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is your classic cafe situated next to a tourist attraction (in this case, the Japaense Friendship Gardens). If you set your expectations accordingly, then you won't be disappointed. For a cafe that appear like a tourist trap, the prices are actually surprisingly good (~$10-12 for an entree like a bowl of udon or rice with curry). The Chai latte is also pretty great! They also had a selection of fun Japanese style drinks in their fridge like Melon calpico and Ramun Japanese soda which was very cute. I ordered the vegetable curry udon bowl which was a bit salty but hit the spot. Of course if you compare the food here to Asian food from Convoy etc. you will be quite disappointed -- but if you're just looking for a quick caffeine fix or bite to eat during your day trip in Balboa Park, then this is a really nice place to stop by! No indoor seating but there are nice picnic tables right outside, just steps away from a beautiful outlook over the Friendship Gardens. read more

This was a nice little place for our family to rest and eat lunch before exploring the rest of Balboa Park. I liked the food options on the menu because I knew my kids would eat it. They had a variety of snacks and drinks inside as well. The line could get pretty long at peek hours but they were pretty fast and efficient. It wasn't too hard to get a table either. People eat and leave pretty quickly. And the best part was that there was plenty of shade! There is the Japanese garden right next to it as well but I think you have to pay to enter. read more

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I think the Cohn Restaurant Group should be embarrassed to have their name affiliated with the Tea Pavilion with all these one star reviews! Fix it. It's broken. Rude employees with a I don't give a fu*k attitude. The food is horrible! Dried up chicken, mushy rice, gas station fare! It would be so terrific to have lovely tasting food to enjoy in a beautiful setting. How's wrong with you people?! Apparently the manager doesn't care. What a pity Cohen Group! Rescue it like you did 333 and Vintana! Make Balboa Park, the Japanese Friendship Garden and the locals proud. It shows you don't care. What a pity. Such potential. read more

Bland flavorless food made with pre packaged sauces. Located outside the beautiful Japanese Friendship Gardens we had expected more authentic Japanese fare. Total disappointment! Service is non existent. read more

Great ambiance, the music and views are great! Staff was nice. Had the Soba Noodle Salad, and it was just three sheets of lettuce with noodles and tofu--would hardly call it a salad. read more

I felt so bamboozled and scammed LOL. Matcha - SO BAD, it was a cup full of sugar and milk. Asked for less sugar and the matcha came presweetened soooo it was gross. Tea- horrrribleeee taste like peeeee Udon - (calamari and chicken) - tasted worse than the prepackaged stuff you get at the store Just don't go here come with a full belly and enjoy the views ONLY read more

Decent place, but service is really slow and the line gets really long. Food quality is pretty decent and they have a few tea options, but they are a bit unsweetened. Still, the product is quality. However, they need to hire more employee's as things move really slow. Overall, a nice spot, but expect to wait longer than you would expect to. read more

Amazing service and positively radiant staff! The food was delightful and surprisingly filling too. The tea selection was quite expansive and allowed our party to really get what each person desired. The look of the interior was very nice and we absolutely took home our favorite tea from their gift shop. Will absolutely be returning for another visit in the future! read more