We arrived at The Whaling Bar just after the La Jolla Concours, on a mission for dessert--and walked straight into the buzz of their Martini Hour. The place was lively, but luck was on our side: one perfect booth remained for the four of us sweet seekers. We settled in and immediately starting gabbing (versus checking out the menu). George came over to take our order. Without even glancing at the dessert menu (a bold move, I'll admit), I asked for one of each dessert to share--paired, of course, with a couple glasses of Scarpetta Rosé bubbles (okay so I glanced at te wine menu). Priorities . What arrived was equal parts surprise and delight. First, a charming little glass jar filled with lightly whipped crème fraîche and topped with salted caramel--simple, elegant, and absolutely delicious. And then... the "hamburger." Cue the table going completely silent. Naturally, we had questions. Our server walked us through this masterpiece from the bottom up: a golden caramel cake "bun," topped with a chocolate-coated ice cream "patty," a delicate mango gelée "cheese," and even "pickles" made from matcha cake. Finished with a second warm cake layer and a touch of garnish we were too excited to fully catch--because at that point, we were already diving in. The contrast of warm cake, cool ice cream, and rich chocolate was nothing short of fantastic. Playful, unexpected, and genuinely delicious--exactly the kind of dessert experience you hope to stumble upon. Thank you, The Whaling Bar, for the sweet surprises. We'll absolutely be back--next time for martinis, and I've already been told the duck meatballs are not to be missed. read more

The Whaling Bar - glass of Scarpetta Rose Champs (love the tall glassware) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

Note to self: happy hour red blend is disgusting. Service was nice but not fast. Vibes very cute. read more

The Whaling Bar is a must when you're ever in San Diego. It's a beautiful cocktail spot with excellent food located in the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla. We stopped in recently for some cocktails and snacks and could not have had more fun. We forgot how good the food is because we usually are there for cocktails. The room has the perfect blend of La Jolla beauty and laid back comfort. The service is always excellent and you're always bound to meet some friendly patrons. We tried a few of their recipes so why not start off the happy hour menu with a Pornstar Martini (photo 2). It was creative and fun on a beautifully sunny day. It's a sour (egg white) that combines vanilla vodka with passion fruit, Licor 43 and lemon juice. Not too sweet, with a hint of vanilla and a frothy finish (egg white) made for a nice recipe. Well done. We also tried Gold Set (photo 4) which has been on the menu for quite awhile. We hope they keep it as a staple. It combines a Chai tea infused bourbon with Montenegro, honey syrup, cinnamon, orange and lemon. The faint tea flavor is a nice touch with the citrus, cinnamon and honey. Think of it as a complex and tasty whiskey sour. Last we tried a more boozy recipe called the Long Goodbye (photo 6) which is an elevated Manhattan variation. I'm a sucker when you combine dark spirits like rye and cognac. The rye is infused with earl gray and lavender tea. Adding cognac and the infused rye with sweet vermouth was quite nice. I would definitely order that one again. I usually don't comment on food but the Ceasar Twinkies (photo 5) were incredible. It's very deceiving but it was very rich and filling. An absolute flavor explosion!! Make sure to visit next time you're in San Diego because it's a must. Enjoy paradise. Salute @thejohnnycocktail Pornstar Martini Vanilla Vodka Licor 43 Passion fruit Lemon Egg White Gold Set Chai tea infused Bourbon Montenegro Honey syrup Cinnamon Lemon Orange The Long Goodbye Earl Gray & Lavender Tea infused Rye Cognac Sweet Vermouth read more

See all

Great spot in the beautiful La Valencia hotel for a a happy hour. I loved their Martinez Martini and Cesar twinkies from the happy hour menu. The espresso martini however was underwhelming; it's premixed. Parking can be busy so I recommend planning ahead. Overall still a good happy hour in downtown LJ! I want to try more items from their regular menu next. read more

The Whaling Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Honestly came just for the carrot bread and cutest whale butter I've ever seen! The drinks were great too. read more

The Whaling Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Ambiance..located in la Valencia hotel..cute place with nice decor Service..not good at all. The hostess gave attitude when ee walked in. We had to ask foe menus and napkins and utensils and plates. Food..not bad..had the fried chicken..zatar..palenta..red wine from germany..my fav was the palenta..food was small plates read more

See all

It's been months since I've been there and I cannot stop talking about the parm martini. This was one of the best drinks I've had! I went for a late night drink and app to start the weekend off and oh my goodness what a fun place! The focaccia bread app was so good and the drinks were top tier!!! It's a little more upscale and classy so make sure to pay the price for it. Overall so great! Can't wait to be back. read more

The Whaling Bar - Parm martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Its Mediocre & Overpriced Mon! The only reason why I came here was bc I had a $150 dining allowance on my credit card. Otherwise, TWB would not have been on my radar. The only saving grace of the meal was the excellent service from Shantelle. The scallops arrived first and I laughed when I saw two scallops for $32. I was expecting at least four. The scallops were fresh and cooked well, but ridiculously overpriced. Secondarily, the lobster roll was priced ok. Nonetheless, it didn't have any wow factor for a lobster dish. Thirdly, the meatballs were good sized, but they were bland. We didn't have any S & P at the table, so I didn't bother asking for some. Lastly, the steak arrived, and the portion was small for the price. In addition, it was really salty. Regarding the ambiance, its nice and quaint in here. There were a lot of pretty people at the bar. Like I said earlier, Shantelle's excellent service was the only bright side to the meal, and the only reason this review is not Two Stars. I would not return bc of the overpriced food, and lack of execution on the dishes. I hope other SD Open Table restaurants that are on the Exclusive Tables list are better vs TWB. read more

See all

The Whaling Bar is small restaurant located in downtown La Jolla, connected with the La Valencia Hotel. Since we made a reservation for 4:30PM on a weekday, we had the opportunity to try both their Happy Hour (4PM - 5PM) and dinner menus. Parking in the area is kind of a mess but we lucked out and snagged a spot right in front of the restaurant. Caesar Twinkies (Happy Hour): Comes with 2 pieces. I like the idea but if you're looking for a salad, this isn't it. A cube of bread is deep-fried, hollowed out, and stuffed with dressing and only one leaf. I would've liked it more if there were less dressing and more salad leaves. The fried bread was really good though. French Fries (Happy Hour): Parmesan fries...could've been salted a bit more. Fried Chicken (Happy Hour): Very small portion, only came with four tiny pieces. These looked more like a kid's meal chicken tenders. It's not really fried and crispy like KFC. "Single Single" Burger (Happy Hour): Pretty good for a happy hour entree. The buns were a bit thick though. Duck Meatball and Polenta (Happy Hour): The meatball was solid, although I couldn't tell that it was duck. I liked the melted cheese and the grilled bread went great with the polenta. Whipped Buttermilk Ricotta: One of the popular dishes according to Yelp so I was pretty curious. I really wanted to like it but I don't think it was salted enough and the ratio of ricotta to bread was so off. Considering how expensive this was and how it didn't meet expectations, I wouldn't recommend ordering. Braised Beef Shortrib: Comes with 4 pasta pieces stuffed with cheese. The braised flavor was great but I wish the meat wasn't so lean. Got some pieces that were particularly stringy and harder to chew. "The Hamburger": This was my favorite out of everything we ordered. It's actually a dessert that looks like hamburger, hence the name. The buns were made out of cake and the "patty" was a slab of ice cream covered in chocolate. Highly recommend! Overall, a decent meal but I wasn't very wow'd by anything except for the dessert. As a matter of fact, I would have rated my experience lower if it weren't for the dessert. read more

See all

*can only speak to happy hour* Came for Sunday happy hour and it's now one of my favorite happy hours in all of San Diego. I review happy hours across the city and this one stands out! The martinis were great (did not like either house wine - red blend and a Chardonnay but didn't matter bc we loved the martinis) and we ordered everything on the happy hour menu (Caesar Twinkies and fried chicken were the standouts, though honestly everything was good). LOOK HOW CUTE THE WHALE BUTTER IS! And it was served with this sweet pumpkin bread baked fresh so it came out warm and oh Jesus, it was just amazing. Fries were cooked perfectly, service was incredible, everything came out at once, we were in and out in 20 minutes. They also have their signature cocktails for $15 on happy hour. It's a Beautiful space inside La Valencia hotel, you can sit inside or outside. And they have a weekday special I need to come try because they had a solid burger and it's a burger, fries, and a martini for $22 Monday through Thursday read more

See all

Chase Exclusive Dining brought us in since we were looking to use our dining credit before the end of the year. So glad we chose the Whaling Bar for their weekday Martini Hour from 4pm to 5pm. Nestled in front of the La Valencia hotel, this spot features a chic, French, vibey ambiance, toggling between down tempo EDM and French music. But the food is where this place really shines. Their menu features nostalgic classics but reimagined. Fried chicken with za'atar hot honey and lime yogurt, a smash burger with feta cheese and harissa aioli, Caesar Salad Twinkies and a trio of mini martinis including a classic Dirty, Espresso, and a Manhattan, served up in mini coupes. Most items on the menu run about $10, with some specialty cocktails running $15 such as their Old Fashion, Margarita, and Pornstar Martini. Once 5pm hits, their regular dinner menu becomes available. Ended our meal with the cutest dessert- The Hamburger. Almost left without ordering it, which would've been disappointing because it was whimsical and well-executed. Would def order it again. All in all a great HH experience at reasonable prices with awesome service from Shantel. Only thing unavailable on their HH menu was the Filet O Fish bao, but another reason to come back. read more

See all

Stopped in as we strolled by for their happy hour! We sat outside because we had 2 large dogs. George was our sister and his recommendations were top tier, he was extremely kind, and honestly some of the best service I've had in a while! We had the Caesar twinkies which were like nothing I've ever had! The meatball, which I had low expectations for case I don't typically like the but, this one was delicious! And then their 5pm to close special is a martini with a sans burger which was DELICIOUS!! Thank you and cannot wait to return! read more

The Whaling Bar - Meatball, Caesar Twinkie, espresso martini, dirty martini And an espresso martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Finally tried this iconic spot in La Jolla! Located inside the La Valencia hotel, with a great happy hour menu from 4pm-5pm - this place is a must try. The happy hour menu standouts were the Caesar Salad Twinkies (so creative and tasty!) and the smash burger with Parmesan fries. Really awesome cocktails and mini martinis too. The hamburger dessert was insane it literally looked more like a burger than the smash burger. Gets crowded so come early, regular dinner menu will start at 5pm. Good vibes and decor inside too. As always with La Jolla parking can be tough here, so leave time to loop a few times. Definitely want to come back and try to lobster roll dip, and full order of the Caesar. read more

See all

5 stars for their exceptional service alone! As soon as we were seated at the bar, we were given menus and suggestions. Within a few minutes of requesting our drinks, they were ready in front of us. We were checked on multiple times throughout being there and offered refills or new drinks. Loved how attentive they are! I had the pornstar martini and my husband had an old fashioned. Loved the detail of their design on the ice cube in their old fashioned. My husband enjoyed it! The pornstar martini was super refreshing with just a hint of sweetness. The egg whites really balance out any sweetness. Great stop for a nightcap! read more

See all

Visit: 1st Date: August 6, 2024 Time: 8:00 pm What they got right: Hipster ambiance, open air with historic charm and trendy drinks! AND they know how to celebrate Birthdays!! I received a Birthday card signed by team members! Areas for improvement: Parking! Yikes! What a nightmare ... Recommend? Yes! We landed in San Diego for a work conference and I heard about this place from the socials. I made a late (for us) reservation to celebrate my Birthday with some drinks and eats. They did NOT disappoint! read more

See all

We stumbled upon this bar as we were entering the lobby of La Valencia hotel to go to their main bar overlooking the water. The main bar was pretty busy, and The Whaling Bar just seemed more our speed. We sat outside at first but they do not have service there, so we then moved inside, where we were greeted with a beautiful smile by Shantel. The décor is super nice and ambiance was low key, but fancy chic. Drinks are really good and how lucky were we to just walk into happy hour, which is 4-5pm. Although some of their HH cocktails come in a smaller glass, they fill it to the brim AND the cocktails are so good, you really need just one. I ended up doing a cocktail and glass of wine, and my girlfriend did a cocktail; that was all we needed. They serve food and it's a full on restaurant if you want to eat; we had dinner plans so we were just there for a drink. Would definitely go back again. read more

See all

Wow wow wow. The food is off the chain. Had the fish tha was in a yogurt sauce. Dumplings and short ribs also and by far amazing food. The owner and service nothing but 5 stars with of course amazing cocktails. read more

Great vibes, from the cozy inside to the outdoor seats for those who want to people watch. The happy hour menu is where it is at. The Caesar twinkies are hardly a salad, but so good that you want another. We had a reservation, so we were seated right away. Will definitely be back. read more

The Whaling Bar - The Caesar Twinkie. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Beautiful bar. The decor is very chic and elegant. Our group really enjoyed the happy hour drink menu. Some off HH menu drinks were also enjoyable too. Service was very attentive & kept us hydrated as we kept drinking. read more

The Whaling Bar - Espresso Martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

The food at the whaling bar is great and the drinks are unique. The bar tender made me a desert drink and also a special cocktail based on my preferences. It's a small space so it feels a bit packed. Overall great experience. read more

The Whaling Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

We started our visit during happy hour (4-5 PM). The happy hour prices are reasonable, with most food items around $10 and drinks ranging from $8-$15 (fair warning: the espresso martini glass is on the smaller side). We had previously been to Waverly (same ownership group) and were excited to order the Caesar croutons and duck meatballs again. While both dishes were very good, the experience got off to a rough start due to seating. We were placed in a back corner near an exit, awkwardly close to indoor plants, and our request to move was declined. Service issues continued throughout the meal. The happy hour food took a long time to arrive, and when we ordered a red wine, we were mistakenly served a white. The server moved on before we could flag it, though the mistake was eventually corrected. We were also told we couldn't order from the main dinner menu until exactly 5 PM, which felt unnecessary for a Monday and didn't help with the delays. After happy hour, delays persisted--we were at the restaurant for about 2.5 hours total. To make matters worse, both of the entrées we had planned to order (the striploin and short rib) were out due to a vendor issue. To their credit, we were comped some an enjoyable dessert and given an additional discount, which was appreciated. Overall, the food itself was solid, but the service and attention to detail need improvement. Small things like no toilet paper in the restroom and an unattended valet stand stood out, especially for a restaurant at La Valencia. I wouldn't rule out coming back, but with other options available, I'm not particularly in a rush to return. read more

See all

Never again.. We made reservations for the Friday before valentines day. The hostess look confused like we didn't belong and we dressed nice. Maybe because we had a toddler with us. I don't know. Service wise: Typically when you go to a restaurant the hostess will give you menus and there will be plates, napkins and silverware. Not this place. We had to wait for the waiter to show up so I can request for menus and napkins. At a high end establishment you'd assume they would at least offer you a menu. Ambience wise: its a high end restaurant connected to La Valencia hotel. High end without the service though. Food wise: the polenta was excellent which is why they got at least 2 stars. The lamb chops were 2"x 2". Cute but not meant to feed anyone. The French fries were old likely cooked at happy hour and just left under a hot lamp. The chicken was also dry like wood. Portion sizes are similar to small tapas. Price wise: expensive. Overall: I'm not coming back. Good service can make up for bad food. Good food can make up for bad service but when both is lacking not much you can do. When you have so many other amazing restaurants to compete with like Cantinia, dukes, George's by the cove and beeside balcony, I cant see why anyone would want to come here given the circumstances. read more

The Whaling Bar is such an iconic, hidden gem located inLa Jolla attached to the La Valencia hotel. Offering a menu that changes with the seasons, as well as upscale cocktails. Whether you're stopping in for a quick cocktail, or dinner, it'll immerse you in La Jolla's vibrant story. We stopped here for a quick cocktail, and I spoiled myself a bit, by ordering the Truffle Old Fashioned made with Macallan 12yr, Truffle, Porcini Mushroom, Xocolate Bitters, Stave Char ($35), but truly an experience. read more

See all

The Whaling Bar is located within the La Valencia Hotel, on Prospect Street, in La Jolla. The hotel is historic and beautiful, with gorgeous verdant gardens that tumble down to the Pacific Ocean. The hotel was built in 1928, the year of my Mother's birth. We have been going there for years. Famous people used to dine in the Whaling Bar, especially when they were performing at the La Jolla Playhouse. Some of the regulars at the Whaling Bar in the old days were Gregory and Veronique Peck, Jimmy and Gloria Stewart, Lucy and Desi Arnaz, and Cliff Robertson and Dina Merrill, who lived nearby in a beautiful oceanfront villa. As others have stated, the food at the Whaling Bar seems more "bar food" than a full meal. Nonetheless, the wine list is interesting. The décor of the Whaling Bar is divided into a very plain room on the left [when you enter the restaurant from Prospect Street} and a much more glamorous room with green velvet booths on the right. That is definately the place to sit. It is also pleasant to perch at the square bar, which is located right in the center of the restaurant, so when yo udine at the bar, you feel you are "part of the action". read more

The Whaling Bar - Saturday dinner - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

We had an experience last night that started off well but ended on a very disappointing note. Our server initially was friendly and mentioned he was usually a bartender and filling in as a server. When ordering wine, we clearly selected a $58 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and confirmed it on the menu after he referenced a different option from France that was much more expensive. At the end of the meal, we were charged for an $84 bottle--the one we had not ordered. When we pointed this out, there was no apology. He left to speak with a manager, and when he returned, his demeanor had completely changed. He was curt, visibly irritated, and placed the check back on the table in a way that felt dismissive and unprofessional. Mistakes can happen, especially when someone is in a different role. What was disappointing was the lack of accountability and the way the situation was handled. A simple acknowledgment and a professional response would have made all the difference. We hope this feedback is taken seriously, as it impacted what had otherwise been an enjoyable evening. read more

Love this intimate historic bar . very pretty , classy Christmas decorations , including a Christmas tree with whale ornaments on it . stopped in today for happy hour, which is always a great deal . every day , but only 4-5 p.m. a few Cocktails for $10-$15 and a few bites for $10. I had a lovely gin martini and my mom had the burger. Lots of folks having the passionfruit martini which looked really good too. Cheers! read more

See all

Was in downtown La Jolla late and happened upon The Whaling Bar. I had seen a mention of this place before but had forgotten about it until I found it on Google Maps while looking around. It's unsuspecting from the outside but inside, the vibes were great. Dark, cocktail bar vibes. Drinks were solid. Staff was friendly. Small but delicious looking food menu. Happy hour looks solid too. Didn't get to try food on this visit but definitely will go back to do so. Parking will probably not be your best friend depending on the time and day as it's on the Main Street in downtown La Jolla. read more

See all

Wow. I never write poor reviews, but I have never had such poor service. We understand a busy restaurant, however we had to flag down our server multiple times. Not only that, he told us how many items were out of stock and when we ordered caviar, he said he was going to check if they even had caviar left. instead of coming back to inform us they had some and he put an order in for us, he just put in the order and we had to flag him down to ask what the status was and if we could order additional items because we weren't done ordering when he ran off to 'check' his inventory. Furthermore, we didn't have napkins or silverware until my main came out. My husbands main never arrived nor did his silverware, napkin, or requested beer. When they went to check on his items they came back empty handed and we were ready to leave by that time. What a miserable establishment. we were informed by our waiter himself that he was one of the managers and this wasn't a representation of their normal operations. could have fooled me. Again, we understand when items run out or a busy restaurant but we cannot understand cruddy service by one of the managers no less. read more

Came here on a Thursday night and it was packed at 6 pm. Parking is a premium as it is either valet or street. In La Jolla, always plan on giving yourself ample time to find parking. It is a nice small establishment next to the hotel. There are no dinner servings even though the menu say it as it is literally a bar. Music was jazz all night and the lights were dimmed. Ceaser Salad: Extremely good with huge croutons filled with a Twinkie... Potato Gnocchi: Was good but couldn't really wish they give you more than 8 small pieces. Salmon: Really good but wish they served it a bit bigger for the price you pay. Carrot Walnut Bread: It is served with butter that is in the shape of a whale with eyes, fins and tail. The bread itself was pretty good but the presentation though. Eggplant Polenta: Good and recommend everyone to try this dish out. Lobster Roll: Not good and do not recommend as there was a very fishy taste to it. Took only 2 bites. Not worth it at all. Short Rib Bao: Good but had better as the bread was a bit dry. The Hamburger: This everyone should try as it is literally in the shape and form of a hamburger! The burger itself is vanilla bean ice cream covered in milk chocolate, the cheese was a thin piece of gelatin and the bread / bun was sponge cake. Outstanding presentation but will not beat out the carrot cake butter. Overall, the establishment is ok and nothing to rave about. It is a bar and nothing else. The presentation on some of the foods was top notch and the service was exceptional with Shantelle. I would come back for drinks and finger foods only. 5 stars to Shantelle for her kindness and service....go and see her! read more

See all

A friend wanted to try this restaurant out after hearing positive reviews. We were hoping for happy hour but learned happy hour ends at 5pm so we ordered from the regular dinner menu. Pros: -indoor and outdoor seating is available Cons: -portion sizes are very small. The dinner menu for scallops was $30.00 and it came with 2 scallops, caulilini, and a burnt scallion puree. It seemed more like an appetizer than an entree. Other: -the valet had a mishap with my friends car and tried to give her another persons car. read more

The Whaling Bar - Scallops - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

We started with the Caesar salad and it is a must as it is one of the best I've ever had, it will feed three. My wife had the whipped ricotta and it was super, it was Mild and light. I had the prime steak cooked rare, and it was seasoned perfectly and cooked perfectly. Our server was from Greece and he was very awesome. Of course, we finished with the ice cream sandwich hamburger, it was fun. read more

The three stars is for the food - menu is weird and not well explained - but the food tasted good. The server was incredibly rude - if not for our group I would have walked out. 3 stars food 0 stars waiter The busboy/water was nice. read more

Hoppy's the best! He gave my friend and me recommendations that were on point. We asked for him to surprise us for a round of cocktails, and he delivered creative and tasty drinks! Would definitely go back! read more

Came to the Whaling Bar for Happy Hour and ordered the Dirty Martini mini coupe at $10. The martini was very good and chilled to perfection. The bar had a classy vibe, but the service could have been better. The waiter was not very attentive and the hostess had trouble seating us when the bar was not fully occupied. Nice drinks, but for the price, service needs to improve. read more

The Whaling Bar - Dirty Martini mini coupe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Love the ambiance of this restaurant! Cozy, intimate, vintage, great spot for a date night. Located in the La Valencia. We made a resy & thankfully we were able to get sat earlier. Everyone was super friendly & our server was a hoot! He recommended that we order a few dishes to share & we tried several of their specials for the night. I will say, their dishes are small & very expensive for the price. Their cocktails are yum! Make sure to try their unique ones. "The Hamburger": Okay, this is way cute! It totally looks like a mini hamburger but when you slice into it, it is a delicious cake! This totally reminds me of the show Is It Cake! Lobster Roll "Dip": We ordered 2 of these to split amongst us 3 because it was itty bitty. It was very flavorful & the dip was everything! Rioja Braised Short Rib Bao: Itty bitty as well but the short rib was tasty. I so wished it was bigger. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time when coming here because parking can be chaotic, or you can pay a ton for parking. read more

The Whaling Bar - The "Hamburger" - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Stopped in for a happy hour cocktail. The mini coupes were tasty but not much of a deal at $10 a piece for a half cocktail. We would have ordered food but the waiter did not return to check on us until after the happy hour hour ended (which is from 4-5pm). The decor is beautiful but the menu is limited so I'm not sure I would return. read more

See all

Summary: I would go back for drinks, not for food. The service was great and we were very happy with how often we were being checked on and didn't feel like we were waiting very long for any of our dishes or drinks and the ambience was incredible. We arrived as happy hour was ending and ordered our first drinks from the happy hour menu. I got a perfect Manhattan and my fiancée got the dirty martini. The happy hour drinks are cheaper but also smaller in size. They also tasted watered down. We also tried the duck meatball and polenta. It tasted good, but it wasn't special. The focaccia we were served with the meatball was also burnt which made it less enjoyable. For our second round of drinks, we got the green dragon and cove tea. Both drinks were amazing and we would definitely order them again. We also ordered the whipped ricotta and kale salad. The whipped ricotta was really tasty and the focaccia was toasted but not burnt. We didn't have enough focaccia to finish the ricotta and ordered another slice. Unfortunately, this one was served burnt. The kale salad was tasty but very salty. If it weren't for the excess salt, we would have really enjoyed it. For our mains, we ordered the urfa chicken and Maine scallops. The chicken was our favorite dish of the night. It was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The scallops were delicious and well cooked but were a little salty. We were very excited to try this place and there are a lot of good things, but primarily the food didn't meet our expectations which is what would keep us from coming back for dinner. The cocktail menu has a lot of unique offerings that really are incredible so we will come back to try more of those. read more

The Whaling Bar - Recipe for the kale salad is inscribed on the plate - Cocktail Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

I've been waiting for The Whaling Bar to reopen as my older generation family told me how they used to love going there. They would say how classy of a space it was and almost a hidden gem of La Jolla. The ambiance of the renovation was beautiful and very inviting. The bar is the focal point of the restaurant and it's not too large so it feels very intimate. I keep forgetting to get the servers names, but he was an amazing server. We started off with Green Dragon's and a Pink Royale for cocktails. The Green Dragon tasted like a spin off of a piña colada, but with tequila Instead of rum. It was so so so good. I got a carijillo 43 which the server recommended. It was such a good recommendation at I am such a big espresso martini person, but I found my new drink of choice. For appetizers we had the Twinkie Caesar, carrot bread, and buttermilk ricotta dip. The Twinkie Caesar was really good. The lettuce was served in romaine stacks with a hefty amount of dressing which is a plus for me. The Twinkie crouton was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The carrot bread was sweet, but not too sweet. The butter was in a shape of a whale which sold the dish. The mixture of the homemade butter and the bread was an amazing mixture. The whipped ricotta dip had different herbs set on top which made the have a mixture of tastes. The grilled bread gave it a charred taste to the sweet ricotta. I'd say that the dip was good, but it wasn't necessarily something I'd order again. For dinner we were all pretty full, so I ordered the lobster roll. The roll wasn't the largest, but it was paired with a lobster seafood broth foam. It made the dish as it wasn't overkill. It was really tasty I thought. For dessert we got the whaling's famous drink which was a milkshake blended with cognac and whiskey. It tasted like an adult milkshake which was the perfect end of the night. I don't usually give reviews out of ten for restaurants, but overall this was an 8.5. I will be coming here again. It would be a perfect place for a date night or a big family dinner. read more

See all

This vintage lounge of the La Valencia Hotel in downtown La Jolla is now back in action after a decade hiatus. Given the history of the "Pink Lady", it's a surprise that this bar was shuttered for so long. The property is nearly a century old, and lots of famous people like to come here and hang out. A local restaurant group (SDCM) has taken ownership after spending over a million dollars to spruce up the interior. The size of the space remains the same with an unmarked set of doors facing Prospect St to the right of the hotel's entrance. The central bar had ten seats while wrapped around the perimeter were booths and tables that could hold another 40 patrons. I came to check out the reintroduction of this place during happy hour which runs from 3 to 5 pm daily. There is a small menu card dedicated to that period which had five cocktails for $10 each and a set of five martini bites. You could order alcoholic beverages off the regular menu during this time but not food. The latter was disappointing because there was an item or two I wanted to try from the lunch/dinner offerings. I sat at the bar and asked for a mocktail which ended up being a strawberry, lime, and soda water concoction. It turned out to be more expensive than one of the five regular happy hour cocktails. From the martini bites, I chose the Whipped Buttermilk Ricotta. This was a plate of Italian soft cheese mixed with aleppo, lava salt, dill, and tarragon. Two pieces of grilled focaccia bread were included. It was a decent pre-dinner snack yet pricey at $17. You will likely need to make reservations outside of happy hour because the initial buzz will last a while now that The Whaling Bar has returned to the LJ scene. read more

See all

Absolutely the best food every single time I come here this place is a home-run!!. I can go backwards the cheeseburger dessert was like the flavor of butter cake on top and buttery ice cream in the middle. The service is top notch everything comes out perfectly time correctly presented well, just the right amount of music and light chatter the remodel is amazing. It's a must you have to get the bread a little whale butter, whipped ricotta is ridiculous and the salmon is great! This is my favorite restaurant in San Diego and I eat everywhere. Great job Matt Spencer and SDCM this is my go to spot read more

See all