Whaling Bar

1949 Whaling Bar, La Valencia Hotel, La Jolla logo

1953 Whaling Bar La Valencia Hotel bartenders

Bartenders Pat Torano and Vince Clark, 1953.

Whaling Bar (1949-2013), although not tropical tiki, La Valencia Hotel’s nautical-themed bar did serve cocktails in coconut mugs! Has anyone seen one of these elusive Whaling Bar mugs?

The bar stood side-by-side with Cafe La Rue in the hotel, and was decorated with nautical antiques from whaling vessels from the 1880s, and murals by painter Wing Howard, who modeled them after old Currier & Ives lithographs.

Bartender Pat Torano worked there for years before opening up his own steakhouse (Torano’s) in La Jolla in the 1950s. And later, Rey Arcibal became revered for his famed cocktail ‘The Whaler’ — a potent shake of brandy, creme de caçao, Kahlúa, triple sec, Bailey’s and vanilla ice cream.

The Whaling Bar was demolished for the expansion of Cafe La Rue in 2013.

La Jolla
La Valencia Hotel
1132 Prospect Street
La Jolla, CA 92037

Whaling Bar

The Whaling Bar before it was demolished for the expansion of Cafe La Rue, 2013.

3 thoughts on “Whaling Bar

  1. Hello,

    Thanks for the article, have you heard anything About when the Whaling Bar is going to reopen?

    Thank you,
    Arturo

  2. From the latest pictures OF RETURNING THE wailing Bar BACK TO THE cozy and Classy bar THAT it was im DISAPPOINTED, it still looks Like a makeover of th cafe la rue…a big disappointment ,after waiting years ……!

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