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Gelson's Pacific Beach

3.7 (152 reviews)
PriceyDelis, Grocery
Open 6:00 am - 11:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Gelson's Pacific Beach Photos

GELSON'S PACIFIC BEACH ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Rotten fish

I want to warn people about the seafood here. My boyfriend has gone to this Gelson's multiple times to buy fish, and more than once we've gotten fish that was clearly rotten. In the display case it often looks fine at first glance, but when you get it home you can see that the fish appears to be flipped so the better-looking side faces up while the other side is spoiled. We've had fish that smelled bad, felt slimy, and was clearly not fresh. Sometimes we eat it and sometimes we give it to our dogs, and it has made us feel sick before. I didn't want to believe a store like this would sell fish in that condition, but after it happening multiple times, it's very concerning. See the photos below for examples of the spoiled fish we received. Separately, I've been shopping at this location for over four years and had a very uncomfortable interaction with one of the cashiers. She asked me a personal question about my sister even though I've told her before that I don't have a relationship with my sister and that it's not something I want to discuss. After I told her again that I don't have a relationship with my sister and didn't know why she was asking, she responded by saying she was sorry and that she had confused me with someone else who was pregnant. That comment felt very inappropriate and rude. It was surprising that after seeing me regularly for years, she would both confuse me with someone else and make a comment like that. Between the repeated issues with the seafood quality and the uncomfortable customer service interaction, I no longer feel comfortable shopping here.

48oz Alexandre Family Farms Organic A2/A2 Extra Cream Top Whole Milk
Patrick M.

5 Stars for Gelson's!!!! One of my favorite things to do is stop by Gelson's after the gym and get some Grass-Fed Kefir and a Grapefruit. Everybody that works at the store is always so friendly and patient in answering any questions I may have. It's really nice having such a great grocery store located so close to the beach.

Neato air plants display
Mickele B.

This Gelson's location is pretty small. There is a parking lot and usually parking available. There is a bakery, a deli and a butcher. I was able to easily find employees who were very generous with their time to support my quest for specialty items for my charcuterie board. I got a lot of fancy cheese!

Poke bar
Shirley O.

This is a great grocery store. I don't live in the neighborhood, but came here specifically for the Impossibe food products. This was the closest location that had them. There was a lot of prepared meals and a poke bar. The poke was good although it wasn't high quality tuna. They also had a large assortment of cheese and different types of fresh pasta. The store is small which I really liked, well organized, and not crowded. Service was excellent and a couple of the customers knew the employees by name and were having friendly conversations. The employees were polite and welcoming.

Raymond A.

They say this place is expensive, I finally realized it. However, they have a select few unique items that always bring me back. Staff is super friendly. Good tasty yummy pie options. Store is rarely bz bz

Outside patio. Look at that view!
Laura H.

Location, location, location!!! Upstairs outside with a perfect view of the beautiful ocean! A cool sea breeze.....Excellent gin & tonics.....& nachos. I have to say I think the drinks were better than the nachos. They were just your usual bar nachos. ‍ but sitting outside with that view having a cocktail laughing with the people out there, including my sister really was a great time. The waiters were great & very attentive. It's definitely a place I would go back to again and again.

Ajae R.

Gelson's offers so many different products that other grocery stores don't carry. The quality of their product is great as well. This location has lots of parking, they keep the aisles very clean, and all the shelves are stocked. I love trying new products here! From shakes/smoothies to French pastries, there's surely something new for you to try. Their ready-made lunches look filling and healthy, and they have a great salad bar. This Gelson's carries cookware/bakeware. They also have a decent selection of houseplants and flower arrangements. Apple/Google Pay is accepted here.

Outside paradise

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

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Nic N.

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28 days ago

They mislabel items and will easily up charge you. Same items are much cheaper at other local stores .

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4 months ago

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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8 months ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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11 months ago

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4 years ago

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7 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

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6 years ago

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9 years ago

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4 years ago

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Yvonne M.

Thank you for visiting us!

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4 years ago

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Yvonne M.

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2 years ago

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Nic N.

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5 years ago

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10 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

I love the make your own poke station! It was $14 for a small bowl but the salmon was really fresh and had a lot of flavor!

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Ask the Community - Gelson's Pacific Beach

Where is Gelson's in La Jolla?

on the corner of mission boulevard and turquoise street.

Does this Gelson's have free wifi?

Yes. Inside the store aisles only.

Does Gelson's carry gift cards to Starbucks or other merchants?

yes

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Gelson's Pacific Beach

We've lived in Bird Rock for 11 years and prior to that in North PB for 8 years.

Mentioned in 6 reviews

Read more highlights

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's

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We were visiting the Liberty Station for the day of fun! We decided to grab a few quick eats and…read moresnacks before heading back. This particular Trader Joe's is located in the Liberty Station area and is beautiful! It's off the main street before entering deep into the hustle of shopping and eateries. We quickly checked it out and found our favorites! This trip, we bought some dips, chips, quick frozen meals, coconut water, smoked Gouda cheese and crackers, ice coffee concentrate, heavy whipping cream, and apples. They have their own parking lot. It seemed extremely busy and crowded. The employees were very friendly and helpful as always. They had samples out that day. I always loved sampling the newest thing. They had packages of the cooked bacon bits. They offered on top of a salad. It was very tasty!

In only giving it 4 starts because I love Trader Joe's but the guys at the register were talking…read moreabout one of the guy's girlfriend and their relationship stuff. Never really asked how the visit was or if I found everything I needed. It was just something that could probably be a conversation to have while you're on your break and not while tending to a customer. They were very loud about it too, to obnoxious level. I always have praised employees at Trader Joe's because they always seem happy and are very friendly and offer great customer service but these guys... just wasn't it Other than that, is Trader Joe's and yes I found what I needed. I did notice though that this Trader Joe's had some different products in that my local Trader Joe's doesn't have so got to try something new to me, just kinda bummed mine doesn't have them

Photos
Outside
Outside
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's

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The Market By Buon Appetito

The Market By Buon Appetito

4.3
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I love this store! I rarely shop here, but one day after lunch, I wanted dessert and I remembered…read morethey had Julian apple pies. I've been in before and bought one of my favorite wines, but it was all about dessert today. I also grabbed a Talenti vanilla gelato because you can't have apple pie without it being ala mode! I waited at the register since there wasn't anyone around, but then the friendly worker came out from over by the coffee area. Apologized and rang me up. He: The pie is 50% off Me: What? He: Yes Scored! They offer the discount when the pie is a day after its "sell by" but it was still delicious! Ok, so now I'm going to stop in when I'm in the neighborhood. I still would've paid full price because I love Julian pies! Great little market!

I love this market in Little Italy! They have many of my favorite items from Abruzzo, Italy (best…read morearea for top notch ingredients that I used to carry back from Italy, and now without flying). Service is always helpful and friendly, from answering questions to finding things. The second half of the store even contains a deli & coffee shop. Finally tried their Latte and it's perfect. But best of all, if you don't feel like cooking, they offer fresh lasagna & eggplant parmigiana in the fridge to reheat at home -and they're delicious! Store is clean and well organized. It's difficult to leave without an armful of goodies!!

Photos
Homemade from scratch: Fresh Squid Ink Fettuccine w/ King Crab in a garlic butter sauce w/ fresh oregano leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice
Homemade from scratch: Fresh Squid Ink Fettuccine w/ King Crab in a garlic butter sauce w/ fresh oregano leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice
Inside
Inside
Pastas

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Pastas
Ocean Beach People's Food Co-op

Ocean Beach People's Food Co-op

4.3
(604 reviews)
4.2 mi
$$

I stumbled upon this hidden gem while out walking and decided to stop in for a few snacks. I'm so…read moreglad I did! The store carries products from some of my favorite local vendors that I usually only find at the farmers market, along with a great selection of unique drinks and specialty items. One of the highlights was trying the banana water, which was marked as an employee favorite, and now I can see why. Truly taste like a banana, very interesting. The store was well organized, fully stocked, and easy to browse. The staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. While some items are a bit pricier than what you'd find at a traditional grocery store, the quality and clean ingredients make it well worth the cost. It's a great place to discover healthier options and support local brands at the same time. They also offer a membership for just $15 per year, which seems like a great value if you plan to shop there regularly. I'll definitely be stopping by again!

This has been one of my favorite finds and ob! My husband and I were driving home and he remembered…read morehe needed coffee beans, we drove past the co-op so I suggested let's stop by and take a look. This is our first time here and we're so happily surprised to find a variety of coffee beans that you can fill up your own bag to get a sample size of each! They also have pour your own maple syrup and honey. You can also make your own peanut butter and almond butter! Really cool, first time I've seen that! The store also offers a variety of fruits and vegetables and other produce items. We only explored the first floor I would want to go check out the second floor next time. We signed up as members the same day so I will definitely be returning!

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Stop by for free samples from Local Vendors, like Dr. Bronner's!
Stop by for free samples from Local Vendors, like Dr. Bronner's!
A delicious Voltaire Veggie Sando from People's Vegan Deli
A delicious Voltaire Veggie Sando from People's Vegan Deli
Brand NEW Co-op Logo Merch, available in the General Merchandise section at the front of the store.

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Brand NEW Co-op Logo Merch, available in the General Merchandise section at the front of the store.

Gelson's Pacific Beach - delis - Updated June 2026

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