Hiatus Lounge

This place is a hidden gem. What a fun place right next to the swimming pool at the Hotel La Jolla. Very relaxing atmosphere. The food was good and they have a very nice happy hour. The reason I did not give them 5 stars is that the service was real slow and it seemed like the bar tender really just did not want to be there. I detest a bad attitude and if you are in the service industry you should not have one.

What a fun little place to just hang out with good food, good people, and good times!
This was a great time for me and my fiancée to just kick back and have a relaxing evening. We started off with a great time at the bar with drinks and some popcorn. I ordered a nice hot tea and they promptly brought it to me piping hot — they use the loose leaf in a bag so more than adequate for a hotel lounge. My fiancée got a diet Pepsi — we didn’t drink any alcohol, but those around us that got some beers and some other alcoholic drinks said that they were quite good.
I ordered the steak sliders and pork belly — they were just $ 5. The pork belly was amazing. I ordered them for my fiancée, but I couldn’t stop slyly munching on them! So delicious fatty and wonderfully braised with a fantastic sauce that made it a wonderful appettizer. The steak sliders were also great, cooked to perfection with a fantastic mayo/​tartar sauce that complemented the meat wonderfully, all on a hawaiian bun. It was perfect mixture of creamy savoriness. We also ordered the fried calamari. These were a little of the small side but still pretty good. The breading wasn’t very crisp and they tasted a bit greasy, but for finger food while watching the blindside on a couch outside with heaters and your best friend cuddled up next to you? Pretty good.
We saw the blindside and it was a very good movie — seen it before, would reccomend you see it at least once.
TL; DR nice little place that’s very relaxing

I agree with Arlene P.‘s review. this place is great! The food is delicious and the happy hour is amazing! Their outdoor couches are the most comfortable couches I have ever sat my butt in and I will be coming back just for that luxury!
The staff here is incredibly friendly and attentive and they just go the extra step to make their guests feel good. I really liked their fried calamari ($ 12) from their appetizer menu because it was the perfect balance of batter and calamari. The dipping sauce it came with was delish, too!
When I came, valet parking was only $ 3 with validation!
Stop by to see for yourself how comfie their patio furniture is! I felt like I could melt away in those things!

Just a note that this is in the Kimpton Hotel La Jolla and they really should be merged reviews! Fantastic staff and great boutique hotel :))))

So you need a vacation, but don’t have time for a Staycation?
This is the next best thing.
Grab some friends and head to Hiatus, located on the first floor of the La Jolla hotel. Go for happy hour –which is btw, 4pm to 6pm EVERYDAY; yes weekends included — and grab this at the bar:
— BACON — Sugar and Spice
— Modern Trilogy — that one was a doozy on a lightweight like me! Made me out to be a cheap date for myself ;)
Then chill out on a variety of comfy and cool lounge furniture.
Rest and Relax.
Tip: Park on the street and walk in, or use the Valet for only $ 3 with validation.

What a cool place to lounge. Located in the Hotel La Jolla and next to the lobby, this lounge is definitely off the beaten path. This is an outdoor lounge with comfy seating, modern furniture, a couple of fireplaces and out to the side there’s the pool area.
Happy hour is from 4 – 7, and there’s a good selection to choose from. The libations were less than $ 7, and the happy hour food prices were really reasonable. I opted to order the garlic mussels for $ 5, and it’s enough for a meal. Well for me at least. I could have had another, I suppose.
Not crowded and the bartender, Josie, was so nice and friendly. She made sure she followed up on your orders and also that we were OK.
Validation is available from the bar, which makes valet $ 3 (otherwise it’s $ 7). There is no self parking unless you find street parking.

Word of mouth is that my I can not return here…
I am very friendly with staff and musicians here and it got back to me that I am unwelcome after my last review here. Reviewing that the outdoor bar was closed before 1030pm on a weekend was ridiculous when I have sat at that bar and watched the bartenders be told to stay open even after regular last call is. Even staying open when guests are complaining of noise.
Consistency leads to repeat business and I for one chalk it up to Kimpton being Kimpton: classless.
I used to love love love this place but after staff changes I would be surprised if this place survives a third year under Kimpton management.

Excellent stay. Very friendly staff. Awesome rooms with great views. Stories 5 and up only.
Every room had a Balcony. Ocean was .6 miles. Walk to everything.
Free bike rentals and more.
The staff was the highlight. We absolutely enjoyed our stay.
Parking is $ 14 for hybrid and $ 28 for regular. Plenty of parking on the streets around. Don’t have to use valet.
Hiatus was great as well. The lounge had live music and free wine from 5 – 6.
Kids friendly, pet friendly, romantic, and touristy. Great location.
Must stay… We will again.
Another tip… Become in touch member online and free hi speed wi fi… y

Love this place! Living in La Jolla Shores is great, don’t get me wrong. However there really is not too many places for 30 somethings to go to for a fun night of cocktails that does not make me feel like I am going to run into my parents. Enter Hiatus at the Kimpton Hotel. This hotel is modern and hip with a laid back vibe that is what you expect with any Kimpton property. We love hanging out at the Hiatus lounge and enjoying great food and even better cocktails made by the resident mixologist Gervais. He is super fun, takes excellent care of his guests and he serves up yummy drinks! Gervais not only takes great care of his human guest but also the doggie guests too, this place caters to critters. We bring our little furry guy along and Gervais makes sure his water dish is full and also has a stash of treats. Everybody loves this guy! Hiatus offers an outstanding happy hour menu with a relaxed atmosphere and attentive yet fun bartenders. I will for sure be a regular here as long as Gervais is making me a drink.

I have driven by Hotel La Jolla many times but was never tempted to visit. It was only because of their first Annual Tequilafest that I found myself in this tucked away outdoor oasis. Hiatus Lounge boasts of a bar, cozy and comfy chairs and couches, a fireplace, live music (it was reggae that night) and a pool. HH runs until 7pm (I think) with great specials like Mahi Mahi tacos or Shrimp Skewers for only $ 5.
The Tequilafest was a great event with nine vendors showcasing 3 types of tequila each. Yes, you did the math right. That meant 27 tequila tasters. Uh oh. Brave souls tried all that the vendors had to offer. I was a bit more picky, sticking to smooth Anejos and the occasional unusual offering like Pomegranate Tequila (tasted like cough medicine).
Service was great (even if our food order got lost for 30 minutes). The servers were friendly and the hotel felt hip and new. And the icing on the cake? No hassle $ 3 parking. No lines, no stress, no fuss!

The only reason I didn’t give this great little bar 5 stars is because of the bartender Gervais. He has the LA attitude I was trying to avoid by vacationing in La Jolla. He was a real downer in the midst of a great experience. Its a shame for this type of service in an otherwise great small bar. If you are looking for a low key place that feels more like a local spot than a hotel bar, and where you can find a mix of American travelers and visitors from other countries, then you will enjoy this gem. I had some great conversations while I was there. Just avoid the bar during Gervais’ weekend shifts, as he is rude and not attentive to his customers.

Hate to be the downer but we really looked forward to coming to this place. As dt residents of buildings without pools we wanted to go somewhere nice to chill by a pool but sans the intervention house music and crowd. Some places like the Lafayette charge but for Hiatus you can just valet park your car (you actually don’t have a choice on that one, valet is mandatory and $ 3 with validation) and stroll in!
How nice. Kindof. So partly to blame was the weather, while it was a balmy 75+ in dt as soon as we got off the 52 in La Jolla we saw dark clouds looming overhead. These babies did not budge the whole time and we did not see a single ray of sunlight.
But whatever they probably have a nice hot tub we can lounge in yes? Well not really. Although they do have a nice lounge area with fire pits and the pool (which is only 3 ft deep WTF.) is lightly heated this did not offset the chilly breeze. Luckily it was happy hour with drink and food specials so we thought we’d just sit around and eat and drink some.
Ehh. Though the drinks were quite good when we got our food it was pretty disappointing. The ceviche was red snapper and had obviously been left to sit for too long as the fish was starting to disintegrate and had these long fibrous things in it. The seasoning was also quite mild (read: nonexistent) and it needed more spice, more lime, more anything. The pita chips it was served with were definitely on the stale side.
We also got calamari «fries». These guys had a super thick KFC style coating but were so rubbery and cold and not crispy at all. We couldn’t even bring ourselves to finish them. The saffron «aioli» they were served with I’m pretty sure they just stirred yellow stuff into mayo as we could see the white streaks of mayo on the corners of the serving dish.
Lastly if they wanna bill themselves as a «lounge» catering to a more adult crowd its pretty impossible to do that with 9 million screaming kids in the pool splashing around and squealing and throwing inflatable toys around. I get its a hotel but you can’t really enjoy sipping a mai tai on the pool with all the high pitched screaming and splashing and occasional crying.
Definitely looks cool and the service was fantastic but the horrible food, super shallow pool and the general inconceivably loud euphoria that strikes kids when they’re in bodies of water had us leaving in about 30 minutes. Don’t really plan on coming back.

This outdoor lounge is one of my favorite haunts, any time of year, any time of day. It has contemporary style, fire pits, a nice pool, live music in the evenings, and the best customer service in San Diego. It gives you style and luxury with down-​to-​earth friendliness and A-​level service.
The bartender/​mixologist, Gervais, is immensely knowledgeable and creative. He takes the time to make you the perfect drink from the freshest (local) ingredients, and he can make anything. He’s also very attentive. He never lets you have an empty glass.
Happy hour is every day from 4 – 7 p.m., which gives you plenty of time to enjoy it week day or weekend. The happy hour dishes and dinner menu are superb. The Mediterranean inspired menu goes perfectly with the outdoor vibe and carefully concocted cocktails. I’m sure the beer and wine are amazing too, but I usually go for the cocktails.
Hiatus is a hidden gem. I’m so glad Kimpton renovated this hotel and made it what it now is. It’s a shame that more people don’t know about it.

This outdoor bar is a real find. It looks very chic, with a lot of couches and other outdoor furniture, fires, and a pool. Beautifully done. Like a lot of hotel bars, it’s not too loud and a nice place for conversations. The bartender, Gervais, is truly excellent and will whip you up an amazing cocktail (note that there are only a few cocktails on the menu, but you can ask for anything). Gervais is also a walking encyclopedia of information regarding cocktails, if you’re curious about such things (which I was), but he doesn’t seem to have the pretension that I would expect to accompany this. You can park at the gas station and walk through an opening in the hedge, making it feel like a hole-​in-​the-​wall.

Hiatus is one of my new favorite bar/​lounges after a fantastic evening there. Our bartender, Chris, was extremely knowledgeable and could make craft drinks up on the spot. There were three of us, and we all sampled each other’s drinks, The Lucid Dream (a tiki style drink, mild), Manhattan, Chris made on the spot (strong), Hello Wisconsin (lemony light flavor), the Kitchen Sink (a strong drink) but beware the menu doesn’t say that it has Sriratcha hot sauce in it (!!) and finally, a SouthPaw, just plain delicious. The food was outstanding from the Hotel’s restaurant Cusp. Everything was superb including the Charred Octopus Salad. Prices were average for the drinks ($ 10-​$ 12) and the food dishes average $ 11-​$ 13 per plate. There’s free valet parking once the ticket is stamped by the bartender. This outside bar has a very relaxing atmosphere. Try it once and see what you think.

The poolside bar is awesome. Valet, pool, food, amazing drinks — and an awesome happy hour. Recently remodeled, this place is gorgeous and the lounge areas with couches and fire pits make the scene lux. I always want to go to here!