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    Blue Whale

    3.8 (485 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

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    BLUE WHALE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Blue Whale

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    Reviews With Photos

    Jeannie Y.

    There was a pretty long line, and it was definitely hot inside, but the wait was worth it! The coffee was excellent--probably one of the highlights--and everything we ordered tasted incredibly fresh and flavorful. The ingredients felt high quality, and the food was simple but really well done. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, so you can sit outside if you prefer some fresh air. The inside was quite warm when we visited, so keep that in mind. Despite the heat and the wait, I'd definitely come back for the great coffee and fresh, delicious brunch!

    Decor
    Katelyn B.

    There is a bit of a line and there is a good amount of seating but it goes pretty fast so if you really wanna sit down, just keep an eye out and take a table as fast as you can but the decor is cute inside good vibes. The people behind the counter were very helpful. Very nice. It was good. I got the best coffee I've ever had in my life here. I didn't even take a picture of it. I drink it so fast. It was a Hawaii honey latte with walnut milk. It was so good. I have no words I want to come back just for this and I would come back 100 times for it. The breakfast was OK. I'm not big on breakfast. Nothing bad with it. Nothing great about it but come for the coffee. Trust me.

    Drinks
    Srihan B.

    The place is very beautiful, I love the wooden seating to the side as well as the surf vibe inside and the umbrella seating outside. I got their special, which was the s'mores latte and the marshmallows were great- it wasn't super sweet so add sugar if you like that and it had a hint of coconut overall great I didn't feel sick after drinking either Service and staff were super nice

    Allison S.

    I found Blue Whale on TikTok and was really excited to try it, but unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype. The food was good, but the service and overall experience were disappointing. They seem to have gotten a lot busier from all the social media attention, but they really need a better system for handling large crowds. There was a long line, no clear directions on where to stand, and employees were repeatedly yelling at everyone to line up "along the ramp" even though there wasn't any obvious ramp or signage. If it's your first time visiting, it's incredibly confusing. It's also a first come, seat yourself setup. We ordered our food only to realize there wasn't a single table available, so we were left standing around waiting for somewhere to sit. It would've been nice if that had been explained before ordering. The girl who took our order was especially rude and showed zero hospitality, which set the tone for the rest of the visit. Between the confusing process, lack of organization, and unfriendly service, it just wasn't an enjoyable experience. The food was decent, but not enough to make up for everything else. Next time, I'll just go across the street to the other brunch spot instead.

    BW Smash Burger
    Allison G.

    Food was good but I would just get it to go. Inside was so chaotic and stressful. Burger was good, but needed a tad bit more sauce because it was a lil dry. Fries were delish.

    Blue whale bowl
    Dana P.

    Conveniently located a couple of blocks away from the beach where I had the chance to enjoy this delicious acai bowl! Fast service (for a busy Friday afternoon), and friendly staff. There is seating available but I preferred to get my acai bowl to go so I could enjoy the ocean views! I parked in the two hour parking area down near The Wedding Bowl on Coast Blvd, then walked less than 5 minutes.

    Ube Pancakes
    Fernando A.

    My family was spending the weekend in La Jolla Shores, and I wanted to go to Shell Beach to see the tide pools. Low tide was early in the morning, so I wanted to get some breakfast first. A photo of the Ube pancakes at Blue Whale popped up on Yelp and I had to try them. First of all, Ube is the food of my people. My parents would often bring back a jar of Ube from some monastery in the Philippines. Plain Ube is pretty tasty in itself. It's funny and good to see it in different forms now. My next favorite might be Ube ice cream, and then an Ube cheesecake I had. These Ube pancakes were good, but maybe a little too sweet with the amount of syrup they put on it. If you've ever had an Ube donut, it kind of tasted like that with some syrup on top. Would I get it again? Yes, but maybe a healthy dollop of whip cream instead.

    Pizza
    Michelle G.

    So glad we stopped by here. The food was delicious and came out quickly! So quickly, the seagulls grabbed themselves a slice as soon as the box touched the table (make sure to protect your food ). Everything here is tasty. The staff is friendly & informative. Great place to go before or after your visit to the aquarium Burger & pretzel were my fav

    Carla O.

    I wanted to try this place because I kept hearing how awesome it was. Everything sounded great about it, the location, aesthetics, food, beach vibe, and service. What do you know I was able to find parking in La Jolla easily. It just so happened I turned on Fay Street which is another busy street in La Jolla, and someone was backing out of their parking spot, so it was meant to be. I walked a short distance to Kline street which was the cross street of where "Blue Whale" is located. At first, I felt like I was not going to try it here because of the line of people and people everywhere outside and a long line inside the place. I decided to wait because I did not know when I would be back. When walking in, the vibe is cute, casual, and beach themed. The music is energizing and happy too. I placed my order with a friendly cashier and told her I wanted it to go because all the tables outside and inside were filled. But, someone was getting up from their table and I quickly walked over to snag the table inside. I had a cute, small table up against a window. Again, another sign I should try it. I ordered a sugar-free latte and avocado toast with an egg on top for added protein. Guess what, my food arrived in five minutes. Shannon, the manager brought it to me. I was so impressed how fast the service was and the friendliness here being so busy! She runs this place so professionally and efficiently. She is super friendly also! The rest of the staff the cashier, waitresses and waiters were also accommodating, friendly, and helpful too! Shoutout and Kudos to the chefs who create such deliciousness with the food. And, kudos to the baristas also who make such flavorful drinks. You all ROCK! The avocado toast with egg was incredible! So artistic with the presentation and the flavor was pit of this world DIVINE! The coffee was superb! I i understand the hype here! They deserve more than 5 stars! Whether you are a local or visitor, "Blue Whale" is a must! Outstanding in every way! #yelpsandiego #sandiego #lajolla #lajollacalifornia

    Kyoto Matcha Latte
    Jennifer K.

    DO NOT GET THE MATCHA OR COLD BREW!! Initially tried their kyoto matcha ($7.54) & there was absolutely 0 matcha flavor. Just plain milk. The workers were not super friendly but did help us replace our drinks when we asked for a replacement. I ended up getting the banana cream cold brew. The cream top was decent but the cold brew tasted like watered down coffee. I couldn't drink it. My friend got a hibiscus fizz tea drink from their seasonal menu but she didn't like that either. We felt bad asking for another replacement or refund so we both just ended up tossing our full drinks. $8 each down the drain :( Also I looked around the seating areas and everyone's matchas looked untouched... so it's not just us!!

    inside
    Ben H.

    It's a cute cafe with cozy beachy vibes. But it was just alright and the matchas were just okay. The two signature/seasonal matcha's we got were enjoyable but tasted mostly milky/watered down. On the weekend brunch that we went the line wrapped around the building too so idk what the hype was all about but I wouldn't wanna wait for that lol. The food looked good but we didn't eat there. Drinks: 5/10 Service: 5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Value: 5/10

    Lilac Dreams iced w/ oat milk
    Shylene B.

    Was across the street and I've been wanting to try the coffee here for a while! I'm glad I stopped by the line was long but moved pretty fast.  The coffee menu looked super good and the special drink menu caught my eye right away. The drink I ordered was bomb and I added an add shot. I got the lilac dreams w/ oat milk iced, I give it a solid 10/10. I love that you can taste the ube flavor and the espreso in the coffee was nice and smooth. Service was kinda mid, lines were out the door and the location is very small with some seating inside and out. It does get crowded but it could be a vibe. Also, the playlist was on point. I'd come back to try the food menu and another coffee.

    Calina N.

    Blue whale is a super popular cafe near La Jolla shores! Because of social media it blew up so a lot of people come here to try their unique dishes. I specifically wanted to try their Ube pancakes. The pancake was good! However the Ube flavor is not strong but if you just love a good pancake then you'll like it for sure. The downside is because there's so many people there is not enough seats. So I asked for my food Togo in case a seat didn't open up. In summary, it's a cute little cafe, try to come here during off peak hours for a more calm vibe but even if you come the wait isn't super long.

    banana cream top matcha

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    19 days ago

    Beautiful cafe, a long line but the service was great and the food was ready quickly, overall it was super good

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    5 hours ago

    Such a cute place to grab breakfast at! Breakfast burrito was so good and fresh. Gets busy so I would say go early! Fast service.

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    Page 1 of 13

    Blue Whale Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Blue Whale

    What is the parking situation like?

    I recommend going really early. Its street parking.

    Is Blue Whale dog friendly?

    Yes definitely! They loveee dogs there.

    View All 3 Questions

    Fruittitude

    Fruittitude

    4.5
    (846 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Was walking around and decided to stop here for a drink. It was such a beautiful spot to sit and…read moresip! I want to come back to enjoy it more!

    Cute stop in La Jolla to get juice, coffee, or healthy breakfast/lunch items. For my first round, I…read moreordered beet juice and a medium hot Mexican decaf coffee. It was a nice ambiance to sit and enjoy your juice and coffee. We ordered quite a bit of items as we were waiting for another member of our party to meet us here. The bathroom is beautifully and nicely decorated but they are super strict about using the bathroom even if you are a customer as they had a bathroom (there is a key you have to ask for) "wanted bandit sign"apparently for vandalizing it....which I understand however When another member of our party came, we went inside and the line was so long we decided to use the bathroom before ordering more, we were in there less than 5 minutes and the owner/manager knocked and knocked, I came out and apologized and asked if she knocked. She did apologize but said other people are waiting. I ordered another juice and was going to order sandwiches and acai bowls but felt like we probably were at cafe more than an hour and out stayed our stay. I understand as a business you have to be strict about the bathroom and that is their policy however if it is a juice/coffee place your customers are bound to use the restroom several times especially if they are continuing to order. Unfortunately, It did turn me away to try the food which I actually was looking forward to as they did offer organic croissant sandwiches. We decided to just choose another place to order food. I'll have to think about returning as we are always in La Jolla for yoga.

    Photos
    Bathroom
    Bathroom
    Fruittitude
    Greenspiration

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    Greenspiration
    Trilogy Sanctuary

    Trilogy Sanctuary

    4.5
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Came here for a breakfast. It's on the last floor and you can take an elevator or take stairs…read more They have indoor and outdoor dining options. They have very large menu. We ordered breakfast platter and pleasure smoothie and a decaf cappuccino with oat milk. Service was very friendly and attentive. We are not vegan but absolutely loved the food and drinks. What a pleasant experience and great food. They also have some books to read and look through while you are inside.

    I am not a vegetarian, but enjoyed my vegetarian meal here. I had the Enticing Eggplant…read more(portobello mushrooms rolled up inside eggplant slices with cashew cheese, hemp seeds, and pesto). It was filling and tasted healthy. There were large sides of yams and broccolini. For dessert, I got the Majestic (dense carrot cake with thick and creamy lemon cashew vanilla frosting). I liked the frosting quite a bit -- a little sweet, but not too sweet. The cake part was too dense for me; the texture was almost like that of a blondie (1 star off). For my drink, I got the Love smoothie (almond milk, coconut water, banana, kale, almond butter, date, and spirulina). It was hydrating and filling. I could even have it as a breakfast meal. The cafe is on the penthouse floor, at the top of the building. People are doing yoga outside of the cafe. What a great place to do yoga and get something healthy to eat and drink!

    Photos
    Dome tent for classes
    Dome tent for classes
    Traditional acai bowl
    Traditional acai bowl
    Yoga studio

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    Yoga studio

    Blue Whale - cafes - Updated August 2026

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