Blue Whale

Restaurant · San Diego

Blue Whale

Restaurant · San Diego

1

834 Kline St, La Jolla, CA 92037

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Highlights

Healthy breakfast & lunch, ube pancakes, lobster rolls  

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834 Kline St, La Jolla, CA 92037 Get directions

bluewhalesd.com
@bluewhalesd

$10–20 · Menu

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834 Kline St, La Jolla, CA 92037 Get directions

+1 858 352 6580
bluewhalesd.com
@bluewhalesd

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 14, 2025

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@eater

San Diego’s Best Coffee Roasters and Cafes | Eater San Diego

"This relatively new coffee shop in La Jolla balances a cute cottage aesthetic with some seriously good hot and cold specialty drinks. Try “functional lattes” like the loco mocha with reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, maitake, and (even) more mushrooms, or go for something more classic like a flat white or Americano. Its specialty drinks include a tres leches latte, made with oat, coconut, and almond milks, and a Kyoto-style matcha latte for matcha lovers." - Helen I. Hwang

https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-coffee-shops-roasters-cafes-san-diego
View Postcard for Blue Whale

Michelle Rodriguez

Google
Dog friendly place and wheelchair friendly. There’a about 9 tables outside that seat 2-4 each and a couple inside as well. The lines are pretty long but definitely worth it! We got the lobster roll and the honey bee blueberry smoothie. Both were pricey but they do not skimp out on the lobster. It was so delicious. I’m not a big fan of lobster rolls but this one was hands down my favorite! Even though it was more of a sandwich than a roll, the bread was perfectly buttered and toasted. I’ll be coming back to try out the rest of the menu!

Mala

Google
Super cute summery café with delicious brunch options. Their strawberry matcha was absolutely incredible, and I also enjoyed the lavender iced latte. I had their blue whale brekky; sourdough bread was perfectly crispy but unfortunately the eggs were too well done and quite dry. The ube pancakes were moist and flavorful with fresh blueberries- absolutely recommend. You order at the counter but they have some nice seats outside. On the pricey side but worth it. Would come again!

Tiffany Fang

Google
food is absolutely delicious!! vibes are so good it’s such a cute little place to eat. the outdoor area is perfect! food was very quick. prices are pretty reasonable. i got the build your own açaí bowl and a chicken sandwich. loved it!!!

Jenny Hall

Google
My boyfriend and I were excited to try this place, but the service left us feeling uncomfortable and disrespected. When we walked in the staff member at the counter didn’t greet us. She just stared silently and looked unhappy to be there, but that’s okay really. I said hi, but still got no response, which was awkward. I ordered my dish, and while my boyfriend was mid-sentence giving his order, she interrupted him, handed him a table number without explanation, and said “here take this.” We tried to add drinks but before we could, she turned around to chat with her coworker and ignored us completely. I said “excuse me” twice & no response. So we didn’t add drinks we just paid which was ridiculous. I decided I’d walk back up & let her know that we didn’t appreciate how dismissive and rude the service was, she just said “uh okay” & rolled her eyes. No apology. Not surprised. I phrased it in a kind way because we all have bad days, but customers and people in general don’t deserve that. As customers, we don’t expect over the top friendliness, but basic courtesy is the bare minimum. Hoping the management sees this and addresses the service since no one should feel like a burden just for placing an order. Needless to say we won’t be back. The food was good but not worth that experience. I recommend The Cottage.

Shawn

Google
Wanted to try a new brunch spot and was fairly satisfied with the food at Blue Whale. We tried the French toast and the Sando which were both good. The hash brown that came with it was barely warm though. Service was nice and kind, overall a nice aesthetic place to spend time at.

Emerson Chang

Google
Good food, with solid flavors and good portions. The Big wave burrito had a nice salsa verde and crispy bacon. The ube pancakes were soft, delicate, not overly sweet. Resonable prices as well. Service was quick. Place is a bit small even with the outdoor dining so sitting down to eat may be tough.

Vy Ho

Google
Line was long but surprisingly my food and drink came out super quick! I got the surf and turf burrito and Kyoto matcha which were both amazing. Staff were so nice and welcoming too!

Marilia Ferreira

Google
Exceptional! Freshest and most delicious smoked salmon toast I’ve had to date. Chicken and waffles was unique and great flavor!
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Gabrielle M.

Yelp
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.
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Emily L.

Yelp
Very disappointing, and most definitely do not recommend and won't be back. We ordered our drinks and sat down and waited. 15 minutes go by, they take 3 other people's orders, they get their drinks. The workers at chatting with each other, and they still haven't made our drinks. Ended up getting our 3 drinks 20 mins after. And it wasn't busy! Being someone who loves matcha and has tried it at many different cafes in California and Japan, their matcha drinks are also not good at all. The matcha tastes and looks old and oxidized. I got the strawberry fields and there is no strawberry flavor. They store their matcha in a clear container on the counter, and I also saw that their matcha is made in a shaker bottle and not whisked, so do what you want with that information. I'm not leaving this review to bash this place, but in hopes that y'all take this feedback and do better in the future.
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Kikue H.

Yelp
Vibes were so good, great place to stop for breakfast after an early morning at the beach or before you head out. The coffee is really good -- best lavender latte I've gotten in a long time according to my boyfriend! But the food was definitely so-so. I think they're known for their ube pancakes which were pretty good but lacking in ube and overcompensating with sweetness. I love chicken and waffles and I always order it if it's on the menu, been burned a couple times... happened again here. Waffles were pretty soggy, didn't deliver on the horchata, and the chicken was so tough and dry it was difficult to eat. But it's not gonna stop me from ordering chicken and waffles whenever I can, so I guess it wasn't that bad ‍
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Nicole L.

Yelp
Discovered Blue Whale after researching cute brunch spots to go to while I was in San Diego. We came on a Sunday afternoon and wauuu it was poppin and I knew I would loveee it bc they were blasting Justin Bieber! We ordered the ube pancakes and the big wave burrito. My fav was the big wave burrito -- SUPER flavorful and filling. The ube pancakes were good as well, but a bit too sweet in my opinion. It looked busy from outside but we got in and out pretty fast, while dining there. I absolutely loved the views since this was near the beach // in a nice neighborhood :-)
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Julie B.

Yelp
Blue Whale is a good casual spot for breakfast or lunch in La Jolla. The line can get busy but it is usually worth the wait. Some favorites are their acai bowls, chicken and waffles, smashburger, and specialty ube pancakes. Seating can be filled on weekends, but a spot or two usually open up in time.
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Erin K.

Yelp
Great stop for brunch in La Jolla! We stumbled upon Blue Whale on Sunday morning, and got there just in time before a huge line formed! Definitely recommend arriving before 10am. It was around this time it seemed like both a church and workout class let out, because the line stretched down the street. There is seating both inside and outside, and we found ourselves looking for an open table for about 5 minutes after ordering. We ordered a matcha, breakfast burrito, ube pancakes, acai bowl, and a side of hashbrowns. The large acai bowl was the perfect size, and was extremely refreshing when sitting outside in the sun. They had a build your own bowl option at the register. I appreciated that the matcha came in a glass mason jar since we were dining in.
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Ajae R.

Yelp
Surprised at the low rated reviews. They either stepped their game up, or I went on a good day. Went on a Saturday and service was quick. Didn't have to wait long for our food, drinks surprisingly came after we started eating though. I got the poke bowl and it was amazing and so filling. I also ordered an acai smoothie. Loved that it wasn't too sweet. Cute cafe near the beach.
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Sasha P.

Yelp
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.
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Tammie W.

Yelp
Blue Whale is a cute shop with a darker cozy interior and a patio with tables, chairs, and some coverage depending on where you're seated. The hubby and I swung by mid week and sat outside. We ordered an iced vanilla latte with almond milk for him, while I had a cortado. The latte was good and not overly sweet. Both of our drinks had coffee grounds on the bottom of the cup, which was disappointing. The food ordered by those around us looked flavorful, bright colored, and seemed to be enjoyable. The ube pancakes looked delicious while the lox toast was the most popular item on the day we went.
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Rachel G.

Yelp
This was a cute little cafe! I went on a weekend, so it was busy and a crowded. I had originally ordered a lavender latte but it was misheard as a regular latte when I received the receipt. No biggie, since there was a lot going on. They brought the food to us based off super cute painted blocks of wood with numbers on them. We did have to go back to the counter where we ordered to grab utensils and napkins though. The food my friend and I ordered (ube pancakes and chicken & waffles) were delicious. The pancakes were completely finished, and as well as the chicken. There pancakes had the perfect Ube flavor and the Ube butter made it even better! The horchata waffles were good, but the spicy chicken definitely stole the show, which is why it was the priority to finish - my friend and I were plenty full, hahah. Hopefully I'll visit again when it's less crowded - the food and drinks were good!
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Kayla L.

Yelp
3.5 rounded up to 4 The lobster roll was delicious and is something I would come back for. Steak and eggs were good but nothing special. The sourdough bread was good as well. The lavender latte was pretty good but I'm personally not a huge fan of coffee so it was not favorable to me. The matcha latte was not good at all, it was grainy and watery. Service was great, employees were nice and were very quick.
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Elisa L.

Yelp
Came on a Sunday around 12 pm and the line surprisingly wasn't too long to order. We were lucky since the last time I passed by on a weekend, the line was out the door and down the sidewalk! It took around 5-10 mins to order and there were a few tables available. Indoor seating was pretty limited and it was stuffy and loud inside so we opted to sit outdoors. Only a few tables had umbrellas so I wish they would add more umbrellas since SD is mostly always sunny. Food came out pretty quickly in about 5-10 mins. My sister and I shared the ube pancakes and breakfast sando and both were good! The ube pancakes were big, soft, and sweet and definitely tasted like ube. The breakfast sando was delicious, crunchy and flavorful and I enjoyed the crispy hashbrown! I would come back if I'm in the area.
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Allison L.

Yelp
Came on a weekend around 12PM and there was a short line to order around 5-10 mins; we got lucky, the last time I saw the line was out the door! My sister and I shared the ube pancakes and morning sando and they were both good. The morning sando was flavorful and I liked the crispy hashbrown. The ube pancakes were sweet and soft. I would come back to try their burritos! Wish there were more umbrellas for shade for the outdoor seating
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Acira M.

Yelp
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.
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Faustine V.

Yelp
Cute little cafe with outdoor seating. The ube pancakes were good with syrup that was sweet but not excessively sweet. The pancakes were nice and fluffy, although the ube flavor was on the more subtle side. Also tried the salmon plate and that was actually really good. The salmon was cooked to perfection. I would get that again. Good customer service and relatively quick to get our food.
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Rina H.

Yelp
Came here for brunch with a few friends on a Saturday morning and it was super busy but luckily the line moves quickly! I got an iced almond milk latte with the lox toast on the side. Both were delicious and the bread on the toast tasted fresh and was a generous portion. They have outdoor and indoor seating and it's a nice play to sit and hangout for a little. I would definitely recommend this place to others but just be prepared for it to be busy if you come on a weekend.
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Tiffany L.

Yelp
First off I'll start by saying this place is very cute and aesthetic. It's a small-ish cafe located right next to The Cottage. I actually accidentally walked past it when I was looking for the front since their patio kinda blends into The Cottage's. This is more of a fast casual type of place, where you place your order at the counter and then pick up your drinks on the side and try to hunt down a table. There are a few reasons why this place gets just an average rating from me. First off is the service. It's terrible and you shouldn't expect any. I got a drink and acai bowl while my friend got a drink and the chicken tenders with sweet potato fries. While she got a number and her food delivered, I had to go pick up my stuff at the counter and wait while they called my name. Why the inconsistency I have no idea. My friend's dish came with only ketchup and she asked for ranch but they don't carry that. Weird, but ok. Then she asked for a side of the chipotle aioli as the next best option. The two very hungover/grumpy bussers kept forgetting to grab it until she finally had to go up and get it herself. My acai bowl took forever to come out and I asked one of the bussers if he could check for me. There was some kind of language barrier and he kept responding to me out of left field until I was more confused than he was. Another reason is that the food and drinks are nothing spectacular. My friend's fries were good, but her chicken tenders were pretty flat and thinly breaded. She also got the butterfly lemonade which was pretty good, but a little sweet. My acai bowl was pretty good and I liked that it was an unlimited BYOB, they had a lot of options and it was tasty. My strawberry matcha was a bit disappointing. The strawberry "syrup" looked and tasted like strawberry Nesquik and the matcha was decent but felt like something was missing. I might come back if I'm in the area and craving an acai bowl but probably wouldn't make it a point to intentionally come back.
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Jo T.

Yelp
I feel like this place started off small and grew exponentially in popularity and need to make accommodations to reflect that. It would help to have a server/hostess help with seating because it's quite difficult to find once you order. People who hadn't ordered yet would "reserve" tables by putting their bags on it which I don't think should be allowed. The food is just fine, I got the breakfast bowl and just felt like I was expecting more. It just felt like some random ingredients thrown together, especially the plain arugula.
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Hannah A.

Yelp
Blue Whale is a cute cafe with a laidback, beachy vibe. It has a variety of coffee and tea options, as well as food offerings. I tried both their Ube Pancakes and Big Wave Burrito, and was impressed by both of them. The pancakes were really light and fluffy with the perfect moisture. They weren't too sweet which was great, but the ube whip on top adds extra sweetness if you're looking for it. For the burrito, I chose soyrizo as the protein and it had really good, strong flavor combined with the egg, avocado, and other ingredients. The crisp and flake of the burrito was a nice touch too. Everything tasted like it was made fresh, and came out nice and warm. As for drinks, the Kyoto Matcha Latte was good, and what you would expect for an iced matcha latte. The matcha powder was settled at the bottom though, so it needed a good stir to get the proper matcha flavor. It didn't come with any sweetener as a default. Our group visited on a Monday morning around 8:30am and it was pretty empty except for a few folks throughout the cafe. The drink service was quick and the food service came out in maybe 10 minutes. Definitely worth checking out!
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Marlene G.

Yelp
This place is in a really cute, homey spot and has lots of indoor and outdoor tables. You go up to the counter to order and then find a seat after, but be aware that it does get super busy on weekends! We showed up with a group of 6 around 9:30am on Sunday, and were able to find a table, but spots became really limited soon after. Overall, loved the variety of options on the menu, prices are reasonable, and the space is really cute for brunch. Was not super impressed by the food but it was alright! Morning Sando - this was definitely my favorite since it came with lots of avocado, as well as egg and bacon. Super yummy except the crust of the bread was quite hard to chew Chicken & waffles - quite disappointing actually, since the chicken was super dry and there wasn't much syrup for the dish, so the waffle became quite dry too. Wouldn't recommend. Ube pancakes - pancakes themselves were yummy, but look much more purple than the Ube flavor. Breakfast burrito - pretty yummy and with a good serving of eggs!
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Jennifer B.

Yelp
I'm not sure where to start. This place is located between 2 of my favorite breakfast places in La Jolla ( The Cottage and Sugar & Scribe). I thought it might be another one of my favorite spots. But I was wrong . The ambience is cute. It's a small-ish cafe. Very instagramable. You will definitely see a lot of "influencers" outside taking picture and video of their food. It's of course one of the reasons I wanted to try this place. I am not an influencer, but I am one of those annoying people that have to take a pic before I eat lol. Now for the food... aww yes the food. We ordered the breakfast sando, ube pancakes, and chicken and waffles. -breakfast sando was actually very tasty, however, it was small in size. Would order again though if I came back here. -ube pancakes: they were pretty, but not as pretty in person. Felt like we were catfished. It was just a messy presentation. It was only so-so in ube flavor, very dense, dry, and just crumbled basically. -chicken & waffles: very much lacking flavor. The chicken was just rubbery and the waffle, again very dense, dry. Made soggy by the amount of syrup they put on it. As far as drinks go, we got an espresso and an iced tres leches latte. The espresso was straight forward. The latte however, was very watered down, don't really feel like there was any flavor at all. I really wanted to like this place more. It seems busy, there are so many customers, it's crowded, but the place is small. Service was decent. I just don't think the food will bring me back here. Not saying it's bad, it just wasn't great and did not live up to the hype.
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Izaac R.

Yelp
Excellent soyrizo (vegan chorizo) burrito! No meat alternative and it's good! We would definitely return
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Gerald P.

Yelp
Blue Whale is a coffee and brunch/lunch place that my son suggested for us to check out on a Monday and we were surprised that it was full and nary a place to sit. We ordered the Ube pancake and the continental breakfast (scrambled eggs, Avocado slices and more). It was okay. I love how the aesthetics gives you the beach vibe or coastal.
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Victoria V.

Yelp
I was very excited about this breakfast spot but it was honestly very disappointing. We ordered the pancakes and burrito with no drink and it was still $35 which felt very steep for what it was. The burrito was good, but the pancakes were sugary, a bit dry, and did not taste like ube at all. The service and ambiance is what really threw me off. They don't bring utensils for your food and I feel like if I am tipping for service I should not be walking up to order and getting my own utensils and napkins. A lot of staff was walking around but none of the tables were wiped down including where we ate. It also threw me off to see all the people who work with the food and drinks not have their hair tied back, wear casual clothes, and have acrylic nails and nail polish. The seating system is also a mess, because there is no host and it's free for all there is a chance of not finding seating after ordering.
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Kaitlyn W.

Yelp
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.
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Gabe R.

Yelp
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.
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Laycie Z.

Yelp
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!
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Angelica P.

Yelp
Both the toasts tasted so fresh and had an explosion of flavors !! The toast size was larger than expected and was the perfect size to get me full. The bread was a little hard to bite, I wish it was a bit softer but the flavor was amazing !! The bread tasted freshly made but a little too toasted / chewy for me. I preferred the matcha over the chai. I got the matcha with oat milk. It was very earthy, with a strong matcha flavor. The chai was with coconut milk but it was tasted watery. All staff was super nice !! Your orders come out quick
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Ashley D.

Yelp
A newer brunch spot next to the cottage and sugar and scribe. This spot is very cute and has beach cottage vibes. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The staff are very friendly. We came on a Monday morning and it was pretty empty. Strawberry matcha (4.5/5): the strawberry flavor is on the lighter side but this was still a delicious drink. Lox toast (4.5/5): this isn't the most unique breakfast item but it is well done. The bread they use is delicious and not too crunchy which is one of my pet peeves about toasts. Overall, this is a solid edition to the La Jolla brunch scene. Their menu is more trendy and modern compared to some of the other brunch spots nearby.
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Simran S.

Yelp
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!
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Grace P.

Yelp
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
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Stella Z.

Yelp
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.
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Renee L.

Yelp
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.
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Aminah K.

Yelp
The big wave burrito with soyrizo was delicious and filling. The soyrizo tasted very meatlike. The burrito itself could of done with more spice. The space is cute and bright with inside and outside seating.
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Emelin V.

Yelp
food was delicious! i got the cali burrito and it was so filling, the meat was also very juicy and ingredients seemed fresh. I also got the special drink, an iced coconut latte which id give a 6/10, the coffee was strong but there was no coconut flavor whatsoever hence the removal of one star. The playlist someone had on was also so good, id definitely go again. Very cute brunch vibes!
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Elaine G.

Yelp
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.
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Jackie T.

Yelp
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.
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Kaylin T.

Yelp
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.
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Zana K.

Yelp
Got here around 4 ish. Place is pretty warm and humid inside (no AC) , some seating available indoors and outdoors. Staff wasnt that friendly. Ordered the matcha lavender lemonade. Got mine less sweet. It was good and refreshing. Nice matcha flavor. Got the terriyaki bowl which wasnt that great. Broccoli was over cooked and nearly burnt. Chicken had hard pieces in it. Not worth the price at all. Perhaps their breakfast menu is better?
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Olivia H.

Yelp
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.
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Michele S.

Yelp
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?
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Haylee M.

Yelp
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%.
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orly b.

Yelp
Delicious bfast and cofeeeeeeee. We are definitely going back :) One of the la jolla's
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Leah B.

Yelp
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!
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Anna P.

Yelp
Such a cute location! Very very busy and not a quite environment but more of a fun place to go with friends for brunch! The coffee was yummy, not as exciting as I wanted it to be but above average.
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Jasmine P.

Yelp
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.
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Angel L.

Yelp
order first then get seated. The seating situation can get kind of chaotic with kids in the bunch. We were waiting right before the ramp and it took maybe about 30 minutes before we ordered. staff were patient and helpful We enjoyed the matcha latte, ube pancakes (fluffy), big wave burrito (fresh fillings!), and the breakfast bowl (spicy kick, yum). Would return in the future!
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Alysa C.

Yelp
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.
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Ling L.

Yelp
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 :)