In-N-Out Burger — Restaurant in San Diego

In-N-Out Burger Pacific Beach – Great Food, But Overcrowded and Chaotic

This In-N-Out location is the closest one to La Jolla, conveniently situated near the I-5 highway exit in Pacific Beach. However, the triangle-shaped lot is far too small to handle the overwhelming demand. The drive-thru line extends onto the road, and at Sunday dinner time, the wait can easily exceed 50 minutes just to place and receive an order. A staff member is present to help direct traffic, but the congestion remains frustrating.

The parking situation is a mess—limited spots are available, and several spaces technically belong to the neighboring car wash and body shop. Inside, the dining space is cramped and crowded, making it difficult to find a table. After ordering, I had 20 orders ahead of me, adding to the long wait.

Another downside is the lack of cleanliness. The floors were noticeably dirty, and it seemed like cleaning wasn’t being done frequently enough, given the heavy foot traffic. Tables also weren’t wiped down quickly, adding to the chaotic atmosphere.

Despite the chaotic setup, the food remains classic In-N-Out quality. I ordered the Double-Single, and the crispy toasted bun, fresh veggies, and juicy beef patties did not disappoint. The fries can be customized (definitely try them Animal Style), and their Lite Lemonade is a must-try, offering a refreshing taste with natural sweetener.

There are some outdoor dining spots available, making it dog-friendly, but seating is very limited. If you're planning to visit, avoid peak hours unless you're prepared for long waits and...

The workers are friendly, but you have to find the best times to go. I'm not sure when that is, but Tuesdays at 9:30PM is apparently not one.

The line wasn't too bad, we waited 5-10 minutes to order 2 burgers and 2 fries. Pretty simple, you would think. The issue was waiting for our food. Of course they called the numbers before us; we were behind about 15 people. So okay, it'll be a minute before we get our food. Time passes, they call the order right before us, and then they start calling orders after us. They even went to the 6th order past us before I walked to the counter and asked if we missed or didn't hear them call out our number. The cook said our order would come out next. I was annoyed that it didn't come before the orders ahead of us, even though those orders weren't any less than ours. Finally, we got our food and then drove home to eat.

Unfortunately, the bad news doesn't stop there. The fries were browned and extra cripsy - although we didn't order it that way, and too salty for me to eat. My burger was fine, although my partner's had pickles even though he asked for none and it's written on the receipt.

I've been to this location a couple of times, but this experience was pretty terrible. I might give it one more chance in the future, although I'll probably just try my luck at another restaurant. Good luck if you choose...

Ugh on your security guard....great hamburgers again lately, and fast service, and Gluten free options too! But even if your allergic like me, please dont say gluten free to them. They sanitize right in the middle of grilling and it messes with their smooth machine like, system inside and then they mess up your order abd others. Just protein style your burger. Please Be advised if you are new to this particular store- The building next door on the right is under construction. And there is limited parking in their parking lot. So if you come here, i would get it to go online the 'drive thru' and not look for a parking spot. Or take a deep breath, and be patient because the parking lot is not the easiest to maneuver. But you may get lucky!! Also the drive thou may have a long line but looks can be deceiving and usually it will move fast! I've waited 5 minutes on a good day and 45 on a bad one. So if you come here expecting a typical fast food drive thru, please, just be patient. The food is prepared for each customer fresh and given to you fresh of the grill in each case! I've never been served old fries, cold fries, or a cold burger! Always great or see a manager. And Kudos to the manager Jessica for running a great shoppe!!. UPDATED COVID VIDEO- YOU MUST SEE MY 5...