A nice place to pick up a snack and a cup of hot tea while at Baboa Park. I got the genmai cha and like always, it doesn't disappoint! My only concern is how hot the water they use when brewing the tea... That might make a lot of the green tea turn bitter real fast as you wait for it to cool before drinking it. read more

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Stopped by for a bite to eat with the family on a visit to Balboa park. The food was decent, but it left much to be desired. I tried the teriyaki chicken bowl that I bought for my daughter and the teriyaki bowl with steak for myself. The steak was on a stick and was very tough. My youngest daughter couldn't even chew the tiniest piece I gave her so she ended up spitting out every piece. Both dishes could have used more flavor. Both bowls looked like they were just drenched in thick sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The slices of chicken in my daughter's bowl were very dry. So both the chicken and steak of both bowls could have been juicier and more flavorful like other bowls I've eaten. I doubt that this place is authentic, but if I was starving then I guess I'd eat it again. read more

Busy day at balboa park today. They ran out of soba and udon but got my order in before, only to be told they can only substitute udon for the soba. :( They took 39 min to make plus the 10-15min wait to order. They say it's spring break plus free residents Tuesday. Udon noodles were soooo soggy but portions okay. My gf's udon soup was salty and lukewarm. Plus not enough soup broth. The prices on the online menu are about $1 cheaper than actual prices. Cashier was nice though. read more

We go to this place every time we visit Balboa Park. My kids love the rice bowl with grilled Salomon and they have nice teas. However we see the portions go down and it's kind of pricey. The location in the Park is great but most days, especially on the weekends, the service is very slow. Long line and a long wait for the food. The employees work hard and try their best but they need a few more people to help... so have lots of patience if you go there. read more

One of my favorite things to do in life is to stroll through Balboa Park and enjoy lunch at the Tea Pavilion. I typically take the food and walk down to the secret fountain below Prado (eek! maybe it won't be secret any more....) and feel very chic and Euro amongst the architecture :) I've tried most of the dishes here, and my favorite is the chicken curry sandwich, which is served with a dollop of really refreshing Japanese cucumber potato salad. The curry here is decent (although it's just like the packaged Japanese curry you get at the market), and their chicken teriyaki is surprisingly tender. Oh yes, there are also a LOT of teas here and great little authentic Japanese snacks. In lieu of a picnic, this is a great option at Balboa Park. It's way more affordable than Prado, and I think it's tastier than Waters Cafe. Why not the five stars? The staff is not the friendliest, which is very IRONIC because they are supposed to be part of the Japanese FRIENDSHIP garden. read more

Food was affordable and was served quickly. The food was good and they give good portions. They have a bunch of little different snacks and a huge variety of teas (45 different ones). read more

Tea Pavilion - Teriyaki chicken bowl - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

It pains me to write this review b/c this used to be a family favorite of ours. However things seem to have gone way downhill recently. We came this past week for lunch. Drove 30 mins for Japanese Curry here and stood in line for 25 mins (not great but we often stand in line here). The issue came when after we stood in line, paid and sat down to wait for our food that we were told 5 mins later they were out of rice. This was only 2 hours after opening and they still had 2.5 hours left in their open hours. So ok, we'll have the curry bowl without the rice. Nope, they wouldn't do it. We were offered Soba noodle soup or soba salad. We didn't want either - we wanted curry. How about Soba noodles instead of the rice below the curry. Nope - they coudn't (wouldn't) do that either. So in the end we were starving, had wasted over an hour already and had already paid. We had no choice. Should have asked for our money back and walked away instead of accepting a totally different alternative after the fact. The soba wasn't to our liking. Very disappointing. read more

Yum. I love the Tea Garden. I live here in San Diego and highly rec the salmon teriyaki Bowl, salmon curry bowl, udon soup with tofu, tuna sandwich with Japanese potato salad, chicken salad, BTW I suggest you get the sauces on the side. There you have it, the best items on the menu. My kids dig the sticky rice and salmon. If you are ordering for the kiddos, specify you want only fish and rice! All else on the side. read more

Spent nearly 20 bucks for 2 people, but figured that's the cost of convenience and expected normal teriyaki bowls. I got beef, my man got chicken. We received soupy rice, COMPLETELY inedible meat (the beef was so tough I couldn't bite through it, and they don't provide you any knives), and teriyaki sauce slathered on so thick it was jiggling when I walked and sat upon the whole dish like a thick, stewy gravy. My man's chicken was really sub-par. It wasn't even like they cooked it there, but instead got cooked chicken strips from a bag somewhere and put it in a bowl. I would never eat here again. Save your money and go somewhere else! read more

Pretty crappy. The Teriyaki chicken bowl was dry and bland. The curry udon chicken was decent at best,but the chicken suffered from the same problem. The udon noodles were over cooked and were falling apart. It was relatively disappointing given the good yelp review. I wouldn't recommend the orange oolong tea because it made my throat hurt. read more

I stop by here often for a tea and alway shall. They have a fine tea selection, the staff is always friendly, and It's always clean both inside and out. The deck with the stunning view overlooking the Japanese Friendship is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the beauty below. I find that beverage prices seem a bit high but not unreasonable. I'm giving the Tea Pavilion 4 stars for now because on my last visit they had closed down 5 minutes before their posted hours when my wife and I set out for a tea. While closing 5 minutes early isn't too unreasonable it is enough to go from a five star review down to 4. Sometimes it's the small details that make a rating difference. As I frequent Balboa Park and the Tea Pavilion frequently, I'll check to see if they honor the hours that they post and will adjust the my rating accordingly. read more

Had the chicken curry sandwich and Japanese potato salad and it was fantastic. For the sandwich you get a great size portion and my wife and split it. The green tea drink was a little gritty like a protein shake. read more

This is a cute place to hang out. The tea is great! Got the blue lady ice tea! Service is a little slow But it's ok bc the ambiance and the garden is beautiful. read more

This is a very casual dining. It's more like Subway and Flame Broiler but they have bowls with curry sauce and curried sandwiches. My BF had Chicken Curry Bowl. He said he liked it. I had Chicken Curry Sandwich. It appeared to made with green curry. And the sandwich is filled with green curry chicken salad. I expected to be spicy but it wasn't. It was good though. I normally don't like any chicken salad sandwiches but this was so good that I ate the whole sandwich. I also had Iced Thai Tea. I also expected that to be somewhat spicy, too. I guess you have to ask if you want it be spicy. I enjoyed eating out in the patio and listening to the music playing from the Organ Pavillion next door. Today was very busy with lots of tourists. Hey, it's summer. read more

Extremely rude employees. Both the manager and the employee were unfriendly and downright rude. I kindly asked for a cup of water and the worker told me she would get it for me if I got back in line. She said it flippantly and rude. She said, we charge for ice and you have to get back in line. This was after I had already placed a large food order and was waiting for my order. I have been coming to the Tea Pavilion for years and have always been treated kindly. It has always been an enjoyable experience but unfortunately they have had a change of staff they are unprofessional and rude. Not to mention that the food is extremely overpriced and mediocre at best. read more

I ordered a large chai tea from here, which tasted like sugar water. They use some sort of powder to make the chai tea, which has very little flavor. They should really take this off the menu. Also, they're charging $5 for this garbage. read more

Never had the food so I wont get into it. One of my favorite things to do on a chill day off, is to sit at this place, with a Blue Lady tea and a book. I can relax so incredibly hard and I always feel like a brand new man when I leave. Thank heaven for the Tea Pavilion Cafe. I will never get enough of this place. read more

They don't brew your tea, they just drop a bag full of too much tea into a paper cup and add water that's too hot. If you don't know that the tea (any green) only brews for as long as it takes you to walk back to your table, you're going to end up with something really bitter and too strong. Plus you don't have anything to to put the tea bag into except the lid. The food is loaded with sugar, and heated up in one of a bank of microwaves. It is a good place to sit and people watch though. read more

David and Lesley, It is disappointing that you want your manager to contact me. I will not be going back. We told them at the time of service of our disappointment. If you don't want to take care of this, there is nothing I can do. If it were my restaurant I'd want to know what is going on. I just got a .99¢ ice cream because all the good food was gone. The salmon, tuna etc. Don't your people know how to order enough supplies so they don't run out? read more

Went there this past Saturday. 2 things I was very disappointed about this place: 1. I ordered udon noodle. The whole meal covered about 1/4 of the bowl, with 2 strings of noodle. 2. Before I left, I went to the counter to ask for some ice water for my 4-year-old. The lady told me "we charge for ice". Maybe I am not well travelled, even though I have been to 49 states of this country, this is the first time I heard that a restaurant charges for ice. So I said just water then. Actually my 4-year-old always just wants "2 cubes", so I should have asked how they charge and how much for 2 pieces. Going through all this, I started to understand why they ask you to pay and tip upfront, besides the reason that it is a fast casual restaurant. They will never get any tips or even get refusal to pay for meals with this level of service: order the meal and clean table by yourself like in McDonald's; extremely small size of food; charging for ice. I don't want to experience more. read more

Whenever I'm in Balboa Park and hungering for lunch or a snack, I head straight to the Tea Pavilion for some delicious hot tea or a rice bowl. All the food options in Balboa Park are pretty pricey, and this one is just sooo good it beats out all the other quick options! My favorite on the menu is the teriyaki chicken rice bowl--super warm and satisfying with flavorful sauce, tender chicken, and good veggies. My sisters also like the udon soup, and I've tried the soba noodle salad which is delicious. If you just want a cup of tea, this place is a winner as well! Try any of their teas; they are all amazing. I personally love the china jasmine dragon phoenix (green with jasmine). With great views and similarly great food, the Tea Pavilion is a smart stop for a day in Balboa Park. read more

Located in beautiful Balboa Park came in with an empty stomach and left happy and full .. Delicious Japanese potatoes salad.. Good priced for a quick bite. Dice bowl comes out fresh and steaming hot. Definitely recommend this place .. Tip: get a Miso soup as an appetizer. read more

Tea Pavilion - Chicken rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

The Tea Pavilion Cafe is a a must during any visit to Balboa Park. Stop and rest your feet while you dazzle your tastebuds with their incredible Japanese Cherry Sakura tea (hot or iced!), Blood Orange Tea (Iced), or any of the other 42 varieties of tea. Hungry? Their rice bowls are filling and delicious. Sit inside in this quaint little cafe, or enjoy the shaded tables outside overlooking a beautiful little "canyon" and the Japanese Friendship Garden. With such a variety of foods and teas, competitive prices and a central location, the Tea Pavilion is the perfect complement to your visit to Balboa Park!!! (If you like a tea, make sure to buy some in bulk! You'll regret not picking some up if you don't!!!) read more

Absolutely love this place the food is delicious and the service is excellent! There is a great view of the Friendship Garden from the patio the ambiance is so nice for all! read more

Tea Pavilion - Japanese Tea Garden - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

The Soba (cold) Noodle Salad with tofu was better than I was expecting based on the service. The noodles were well done, the veggies (cucumber, carrot and lettuce) were fresh and well presented and the soy ginger dressing was really good. I wasn't impressed with the customer service. It was really busy and a hot day, so it may have just been the rush and heat making everyone a little cranky. A fine spot to refuel and relax after walking around the park or visiting museums. Affordable pricing and good food. read more

The food was so so. I got the chicken teriyaki and it was a little too saucy. The reason for the low rating was it took 25 minutes for my food to come out!! I seriously thought someone took my food because it was taking so long, but no, they were just super slow. read more

Great service. Great food! Peaceful local. Just what I needed to keep me energized to move around the park. Will be returning!

I love the tea Pavilion. It is one of the better choices for a quick bite in Balboa Park. Service is not super super fast but everything is made to order. They have some healthy asian-inspired dishes that are tasty and fresh they also have a huge tea list and they know how to make the tea right. And of course it is al fresco dining in the lovely Balboa Park overlooking the beautiful Japanese friendship Garden. It is small and casual but for what it is I definitely give it 5 stars. read more

Ordered 2 iced teas, awful awful taste. Long line, disappointed. Will not go back, avoid!

Great Teriyaki Chicken Rice bowl and Vanilla iced tea with an amazing view of the valley the garden is in. read more

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Not the best, noodles were good but otherwise overpriced. Chicken curry sandwich was gas station quality.

You don't have to pay the entrance fee to the Japanese Garden to get into this place. Just outside the Garden's door is this small shop that sells some nice things and of course tea. You can also get some Japanese meals too. Outside table and chairs with umbrellas gives you the opportunity to sit down, if you can find a seat. read more

Ate here because didn't really know where else to eat in Balboa Park, besides the Prado. And I was pleasantly surprised. My wife and I split the teriyaki bowl and some kind of california roll sandwich. The teriyaki bowl was pretty large and filling and the sandwich was great. Totally recommend this place next time you're in Balboa Park. Right next to the giant pipe organ, I totally recommend it. Course if you'd rather drop some cash at the Prado, go ahead. read more

If you're looking to waste time and money then look no further. The way the place is set up makes no sense. The entrance is on the left and continues to exit on the right, but guess where they want you to pick up the drinks. On the left side. After waiting more than 25 minutes for 2 drinks, of course they would mess up my order. After I brought it up the cashier informed me the other girl would fix it for me. She then proceeded to make another 6 customers drinks before 9 had to ask her again that I've been waiting awhile. After another 10 minutes and drink being incorrectly made again. I gave up. I decided to just drink what they gave me. I ended up with I'm guessing the matcha latte it was watered down. Disgusted I threw away the drink. As for the food. Everything looked like it was already prepped and that it's all microwavable. It was not worth the time or money. Would not recommend read more

I expected this place to be more of a snack stand, but they actually have full meals available. Lots of veg*n options. I had the curry & vegetable skewer bowl and also the teriyaki & vegetable skewer bowl. Both were good, but the curry wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked. Each were $6.50 and came with white rice. This is a great little spot to get something to eat when you're visiting the museums and park. read more

Oh my.. I wasted my time and money. I waited too long and... Really, Horrible macha latte and green tea ice cream.... :( read more

Love the Tea Pavilion!! I try and stop here every time I'm in the park!! My favorites are the Soba noodle salad , curry rice bowl with chicken and on a hot day black ice tea!!Lots of other tasty food and drink options!! We Really like the staff that work here, even if it's slow day they're always cleaning and keeping the place looking nice and functional! Some days can be busier than others , like free museum Tuesday , if you happen to come here and there's a line don't worry it goes by fast!! My absolute favorite time to come here is during the cherry blossom (march/April) and sit on the patio that over looks the Japanese friendship garden! Such a great place to stop and re charge your battery while enjoying the park. read more

My most recent visit to the Tea Cafe was on one of the hottest days of the Fall season which might seem strange to read but the extreme Indian summer we were experiencing in San Diego was no joke. This day for some foggy brained reason I decided to eat outside away from the AC. I also decided to order hot steaming curry which was a good decision because albiet my sweat dripping into my meal it was a delicous one. The curry was sweet yet spicy and the beef was chewy but tender.The portions were generous enough for me to be satisfied for lunch and also be able to save half for dinner.The curry was even better as cold leftovers.The view of the gardens are spectacular if you get seated near the rails. The staff were really friendly and they even sold Japanese goodies inside.I purchased the Chillie Mangos and am now a fan.I recommend their teas, curry, cold noodles and potatoe salad.I always try to eat at this cafe when im entering Balboa Park from this direction. read more

Tea Pavilion - Beef Curry Bowl & Chillie Mango - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Don't get Salmon Poke. We both got sick from it. Was not very good either. That being said, the staff was friendly and the place is nice.

Tea Pavilion smells like soy sauce. The food is fast and filling. I had a gigantic curry chicken sandwich with a scoop of potato salad. Somewhat tasteless and mediocre. I would only eat here if I was starving and couldn't walk another step. read more