Entry No. 38 — the San Diego file — filed under: speakeasy
The Honey Pot Lounge
Inside the restaurant Beeside Balcony, a gold-framed piece of wall art swings open onto a tiny Art Deco lounge built around chef Christophe Cevasco's own honey-bee farm — Honey Old Fashioneds, a Lavender Bee's Knees, and ocean views, open only Friday and Saturday nights.
The story
Walk into Beeside Balcony on Prospect Street, and on the surface, it reads as a elevated Mediterranean restaurant with a balcony overlooking the Pacific. But if you know where to look, there is a gold-framed piece of wall art hanging on the wall that isn't just decoration. Swing the picture frame open and you step out of the brightly lit restaurant into an intimate, Art Deco-styled speakeasy.
The room is built around chef Christophe Cevasco's own honey-bee farm. Rather than relying on store-bought syrups, the bar program uses raw honey harvested from Cevasco's hives to sweeten the drink menu—featured in cocktails like the Honey Old Fashioned and the Lavender Bee's Knees.
What it's like
Getting in requires advance planning since the space is small and only operates two nights a week—Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 10 PM. Book a table via OpenTable beforehand, head upstairs into Beeside Balcony, and find the framed painting door. Inside, expect live music, low lighting, sea views, and a steady flow of honey-infused craft cocktails.
The move: Have dinner upstairs at Beeside Balcony, then find the hidden painting-door for a nightcap of honey-infused cocktails and live music in the intimate back lounge before it closes for the week.
- 📍 La Jolla
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1025 Prospect St, Ste 250, La Jolla, CA 92037
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Sunny Jim Cave (The Cave Store) — Take a short walk down Prospect Street to walk down a 1902 hand-dug tunnel into a sea cave before your nightcap behind the painting.
- Captain's Quarters — Compare La Jolla's hidden honey lounge with Pacific Beach's secret 17th-century ship captain's bar just a short drive south.
- "Trees" by Terry Allen (Stuart Collection, UCSD) — Pair an evening in a speakeasy hidden behind a painting with an afternoon searching for lead-sheathed, singing eucalyptus trees up at UCSD.
Good to know
How do you find the entrance inside Beeside Balcony?
Look for a gold-framed piece of wall art hanging inside the restaurant; the entire frame swings open to reveal the hidden lounge behind it.
When is The Honey Pot Lounge open?
It operates on a strictly limited schedule: Friday and Saturday nights only, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Do you need reservations?
Yes. Because capacity inside the tiny back room is extremely tight, reserving your spot via OpenTable in advance is strongly recommended.
Where does the honey in the cocktails come from?
The honey used across the cocktail menu is harvested directly from chef Christophe Cevasco's personal honey-bee farm.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: beesidebalcony.com · localemagazine.com · Instagram
last checked: 2026-07-19