Pacific Whey Cafe

Been here a few times. Sadly, I am writing this as a reminder to not go back. I am not sure if it’s just me, but it feels like everything I have tried here, primarily for breakfast, has been underwhelming. I don’t feel like the food justifies the price. Again, it could just be me, but I would opt to eat at Champagne or Corner Bakery over this place.

The customer service here is awesome even though they are constantly bombarded by rude customers. The pastries are delicious and the prices after 6 pm are great! Snicker doodle cookies and cinnamon rolls are the best!

I love this place they have the best pastries and the food inside the restaurant is amazing.

I often visit PW on my breaks (I work part-​time at the mall) and it never fails that service is ALWAYS VERY SLOW…
They don’t seem to care that patrons wait longer than 10 minutes in line… for orders called in over the phone. Unlike Wahoos (who has a specifically designated phone order line), you get to wait with everyone else who can’t decided what they want to eat.
So, I emailed the company
…and I get this back…
the emailed was permanently undeliverable!

I’ve been coming here for almost 8 years, and always willing to try something they whip up. However I always feel disappointed with their entrees. Call it convenience in why I keep torturing myself by coming here. I suppose I just expect it to get better and it never does. Over time their prices go up and their food quality goes down, like many unfortunate food businesses these days. They make a decent sandwich I guess but that’s no feat. Their burgers are bland and unseasoned. The so called salmon tacos were pretty gross, and tasted like they were made by a Neanderthal with a hot griddle and a fire pit. Nothing in the dish was balanced and all felt like a cooked together mess. And they also used rice pilaf for the rice and beans. Don’t forget they were 2 dollars off for the lunch special and still came out to $ 11. Yeesh, seriously guys.

We walked in, saw a layer of dust on the counter on the right, then walked out.
My family was in the restaurant business — don’t you wipe down all your counters at least once a day? I can’t imagine what the cleanliness is like in the back where customers can’t see it.

We stopped by at this place to get a quick bite and relax while shopping.
This place was overall okay.
First, the cashiers took a very long time to process orders for customers.
Second, food was okay but not amazing.
Lastly, the the glass case was open… (I hate bugs so this is a no-​no for me.)
I hope they had more variety of quick bites.
I don’t think we will go back there again.

I’ve eaten here a few times and I’ve also grabbed a quick snack from the coffee bar but after today I doubt I will be back. As my husband and I waited to get a coffee and lemonade we watched the barista-​or whatever you want to call her-​cough, sniffle and sneeze while making another customer’s coffee. This poor girl was clearly sick, her nose was as red as Rudolph’s and she looked like hell. Kudos for her not calling in sick but shame on management for letting her work and prepare food. I know it’s the holidays and it’s busy but that girl probably just shared her nasty germs with a dozen or more people. I’m sure the health department would love this, how many other of your employees are sick and touching food??? We left the line and went to Nordstrom, where the employees were cold-​free.

This place has the fast food with the restraint experience. You order at the counter, seat yourself and they bring you your food.
Only downside I felt was the customer service. These employees are here to do their job and go home. I didn’t feel any additional sense of welcoming.
Today is my first time dining in, I usually get a croissant and orange juice at the side counter and call it a day. I ordered the creamy tomato pasta with a side Caesar salad.
The Caesar salad was a bit dry but they are very generous with their Parmesan cheese. The creamy pasta was great! I loved every bite and due to their large portions, I wasn’t able to finish either thing. I ate about a third of my pasta and it was wonderful. There was an abundance of creamy sauce, so I didn’t have to worry about my pasta drying out as I ate.
Very impressed. Will be back with my family soon.

If you’re looking for a healthy meal that isn’t too expensive while at South Coast Plaza, come here. There is a menu with great breakfast and lunch/​dinner options. It’s not McDonalds cheap, but it is also much more affordable than other eateries at South Coast.
I like the turkey and Brie panini. The Brie melts and is nice and gooey, and the turkey has nice moisture. I ask for no onions. The flavors mix well, and I am always happy when I am done eating it. There are lots of options here for vegetarians as well that are not just a salad.
They have a good drink selection and you can even get some alcohol. They also have some baked goods which I have enjoyed so far. You can either get a bite to go from the bakery items, or sit in their seating area to eat your meal.

If you want a Denny’s breakfast for 3x the price, come here.
Breakfast potatoes are just boiled and cut up. No flavor, no crisp, all mush. Eggs were just eggs. Bacon too crisp. Pancakes were rubbery.
$ 11.97– I feel robbed.

3.5 stars
Yays
— bread pudding — PWC’s most popular pastry
— 50% off on all pastries after approx. 5/​6pm
— some seatings around the area and relaxing setting of wooden tables on the floor right above
Nays
— cinnamon pudding pastry that sliced like a pizza — an equally popular pastry — custard is moist with a nice crispy crust. Best eaten slightly warm. It’s a unique looking and tasting pastry and pairs well with a book, tea or coffee and a conversation. But doesn’t taste amazing and a bit too sweet for me to get it again.
— regular food menu
— unsold pastries are sold again the next day

I love this place pastries
Almond twist and Danish cinnamon custard, this is best!!!

They have half price desserts and pastries after 530 or so. You can inquire about it theyre my moms favorite.
Located in crystal court in south coast plaza by the merry go around.
They have nice seating area and couches chairs as well.
Have yet to try their food

Stopped by here after dinner for a coffee, and of course i couldnt help but pick up a few pasties as well. The freshly brewed coffee here is good, they pick their beans well. I drink coffee quite often; usually after breakfast or after dinner. I have yet to try the bread pudding here because they seem to be sold out often.
I had tried:
Oatmeal raisin cookie
Oatmeal chocolatw chip cookie (my favorite)
Snickerdoodle (boyfriends favorite)
Almond twice (moms favorite)
Chocolate chip cookie
Coffee
Muffins
Old fashion apple muffin
If the cookie breaks they will give you two cookies instead, isnt that nice?! Their cookies are soft so they easily break.
I have yet to try any actual meals here. I have only had pastries and coffee.

#100Reviews2015 –Review No. 14
I work pretty much right across from this little café, so I’m here pretty often for coffee, or a bottle of water, or even one of their tasty cookies :)
I would definitely give the pastries and coffee almost 4 stars — I’m not a fan of the express side though, because it’s not really express when it takes them forever to make an espresso drink, is it?
The restaurant side of the business is where you order at the counter, pay, take a number, and have a seat. Your order is then brought to you. Numerous options are available, and the fare is pretty standard; soups, salads, sammiches, pastas.
The food isn’t terrible, but it’s not great either. It’s ok if you’re hangry and need something right away; they typically serve the food within a couple of minutes of you taking your seat, so that’s a bonus.
Service tends to be decent, not great, and that’s ok, as it’s in very close proximity to where I toil :) If you work in the mall, and if you remember to ask, they do give you a 10% mall employee discount, but you do have to ask, since they won’t bother otherwise, no matter ho often they see your smiling face.
Ohh. and I nearly forgot. they do serve this pastry (Danish?) that’s looks like a cross between a Danish and a custard wedge, in the shape of a piece of pizza, really, that is realllllly damned good, and worth checking them out because of it.
You’re welcome.

Cute little place ! I had given this place a shot while going to the Apple Store. I ordered the chicken panini on sourdough, cheese and a little bit of pesto garlic spread it tasted like. Lots of thick chicken breast. Great sandwich, but they do need to slice the chicken thinner so it doesn’t fall out and it’s easier to chew. I’m a huge fan of sourdough grilled sandwiches but I will say that the same sandwich at the Corner Bakery wins simply because of thin slices of chicken. This sandwich is huge, which is good, you get your money’s worth! But it’s enough for two people if you indulge in the semi soft amazing fries like I did…
I gave it 3 stars because I did go back and indulge in the red velvet cupcake, and for $ 3.50 you threw your money down the drain. It looks amazing, but the cake part was bone dry! Never had a cupcake so dry in my entire life… Don’t know what went wrong with them. Made me sad. They have a large variety of delicious looking treats that now I’m afraid to buy. I do plan to return with a friend for more meal items.

There are some dishes that require a review unto themselves. My company has been using Pacific Whey for a few years now and I recently started ordering my own meals from them from time to time, but this is specifically for their Bread Pudding.
Change your life good. Make you question the God you worship good. Like the first time you ever had coke…
I’ll follow up this review in due time with an in depth detail of their menu, but for the time being bear witness to something that should shame most any pastry.
It’s chocolate topped, soft, not gooey. Almost doughy, sugar coated and though no drizzle or sauced topping, it doesn’t need it. It’s a stand alone work of art worth sacrificing your 1^st born. It’s pretty thick and hearty, fills you like a Costco muffin (don’t worry I’ll describe their muffins here later)

Best coffee according to my wife. She perfers PWC over Starbucks!

Good but not great. Staff unfortunately «did not know their stuff» and aside from having Sunday brunch with my daughters, I was getting a few goodies to go and that was on the right and the cashier is down the way on the left and instead of just walking over and telling me what they had, I had to walk back and forth. So the cashier really wasn’t very helpful either. :(
The breakfast and lunch options are fairly typical and the taste and portions were also typical. Fine to good, but nothing stood out.
You order, you pay and you get a number and your food is brought to your table. Refills on soda are included, you just need to bring your to-​go cup back up to cashier.
There are so many cafes and the competition can be fierce so you’d better Bring It! Unfortunately Pacific Whey Café lands smack dab in the middle of the pack and really doesn’t do much to shine and the location equals high rent, which is passed on to you the customer. Overall, you are not really getting what you paid for.
I will say that the baked goods that I had and that were brought home to others were very tasty. High marks for the oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookie, with the walnuts being very finely chopped and plenty of chips and overall a soft and very tasty cookie.
Pacific Whey offers 50% off after 6:00 pm during the week on pastries and baked goods, so that is a bargain and I’ll definitely need to be checking that out!