Blue Whale
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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
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
Love this place! It is crazy busy ever since it went viral on social media so you have to get there early. They food and drinks come out really quick but seating is limited. We got their seasonal drinks and were so impressed with the quality and taste! I will definitely be back even if it's for a coffee on the go!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
I got a to-go order of the Ube pancakes and chicken and waffles. I am disappointed with the food and how flavorless everything was considering the price paid. The Ube pancakes were somewhat fluffy but had a slightly grainy texture. The waffles in the chicken and waffles barely tasted like anything and was quite doughy. I didn't even realize they were horchata flavored. The chicken was pretty crispy but again lacking any seasoning. The Fresno agave glaze was similar to the sweet chili sauce but honestly worse since there was barely any spice to it. This is quite disappointing considering we paid almost $50 for these two items. I understand they might not be going for something overly sweet since it has a "surf" vibe to it, but the food was mediocre this day we tried it. The place is nicely decorated and they have both inside and outside seating. There isn't a lot of seating thought so consider that if you decide to come. read more
6 months ago
Blue Whale is amazing!!! Love the vibe, service, and food/drinks every time. They have yummy açaí bowls & toasts! Would definitely recommend. Got the moonlight latte and tres leches today and they were so great:) read more
11 months ago
Service was great and loved the energy of the staff! Go after the brunch rush, you'll save time. It significantly died down after 12. We had to wait in line outside for I don't know how long haha. The inside is quite small for how busy it is, so you might bump elbows once you're inside for the line. I loved the blue whale bowl. It was refreshing, not melty when served, and now I have a craving for goji berries. I didn't really enjoy the lox toast, as the bread itself was a bit hard and difficult to eat. My cousin's breakfast burrito was really good with a crispy outside. It was however greasy due to the bacon. Very filling! I was not impressed with the iced chai, as it mainly tasted like plain milk with a splash of chai. The coffee had a pretty strong flavor and was okay. In all, I'd come here again for the acai bowls when it's not busy. read more
The lines here are long and you have to choose a table after you order but the avocado toast is amazing, the steak and eggs is amazing and their smoothies are the best in the area. I'm not that big on their coffee because it supposedly has Mayan chocolate but doesn't taste like it, the service does lack a little bit because you sit yourself and clean up after yourself but it's also a super busy place. Come for the food and the smoothies but skip the coffee and you'll love it. Also try to come off peak hours and hopefully that helps the long lines. You won't regret eating here. read more
1 year ago
My new go-to breakfast spot to go to with friends. The menu is pretty diverse, but in the genre of somewhat fusion-y American breakfast foods. All of the foods shown were delicious, and the burrito is delicious, especially with the hashbrown in it. The burrito's a little boring without the salsa on it, so definitely recommend putting that on top to give it the extra kick it needs. The chicken and waffles are a cool combo with their chili oil syrup, but it doesn't work that well. I think they should've leaned off the syrup a little bit to really lean into the savory part to complement the chicken and waffles. The coffee is good, but nothing special. Definitely gets crowded for weekend brunch, so order ahead or be prepared to wait in line. read more
this is a cute cafe nestled into La Jolla, the perfect causal spot to enjoy some good food! i went for lunch on a Friday and the line wasn't long and they had open tables. the service was great! staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about their food. i did mention i went for a casual meal but their prices range anywhere from $16-30 so if you order multiple things, it can add up quickly. i had their tulum tropical smoothie, 10/10! it was so fresh and the perfect amount. for food, i ordered the seared ahi which was delicious and the mango/pineapple pico really helped elevate the dish. there's so many other things I would've loved to try to on the menu so i will definitely be back! read more
Their blue whale breakfast burrito is so good. Ate half of it before I remembered to take a pic of it. Seating is limited there is you go on the weekend. It's always pack but I can see why. The food is a little pricy but is delicious.They also have great coffee and matcha there. It's giving very cute beach vibes. Perfect breakfast spot for a sunny day out. read more
3 months ago
What a cute place for breakfast. Makes me feel like I'm on vacation. The service was amazing. The girl at the counter was super sweet. The food was surprisingly tasty and quick. We shared the Ube pancakes and it was super tasty and fluffy. We also had the blue whale brekky which was really good. I really enjoyed the greens they made it paired well the breakfast. Come early as this place gets packed. Thank you Blue Whale for a testy first time. I can't wait to come back and try something else on the menu. read more
Obsessed with this place! I was staying nearby for a few days and was recommended it by a friend. I stopped by several days in a row for coffee or a matcha. We also had breakfast one day there and the sandwich I had was really good. It had a great vibe and seemed pretty popular read more
7 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
So sad. Came here several times when they first opened and loved it. Came back and quality has gone down SIGNIFICANTLY. Steak and eggs - asked for med rare. Got a flat burnt piece of rubber with a floppy half piece of sourdough. Chicken and waffles - used to be a beautiful crispy dark golden brown chicken on the waffle. Now a flimsy flat pale 1/4 serving of chicken, so sad and anemic. Unless they return to their original values and quality, we have no intention of returning here. Bummer. read more
6 months ago
Food tastes good but overpriced for the size. Paid $19.40 for a burrito that's smaller than my hand. Service was good tho very nice 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
2 months ago
7 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
4 months ago
This coffee shop is usually very busy, however, I never have an issue finding a table. The coffee is really good, the iced oat milk latte is one of my favorites. However, I do not go as often as I wish because some of the service is rude. Aside from that, there are great food options and the coffee is good. 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
4 months ago
9 months ago
Such a cute cafe! Love the food and the vibe. Fruit yogurt bowl is so fresh and yummy! 100% recommend! read more
9 months ago
11 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
7 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
3 months ago
I loved the Blue Whale! The menu is healthy enough to give me a tasty acai bowl but not so healthy to deprive the burrito of some crispy fries and solid portion of steak. Small dining room was not crowded when I had lunch ~2:30. read more
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
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
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
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
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
11 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
More info about Blue Whale
834 Kline St
La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla
Directions
(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 July 2026
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