Beard Papa's
The Japanese cream puff chain, back in San Diego since October 2025 in the little plaza at Convoy and Balboa (next to Kawaii House). Crisp choux-and-pie-crust shells — original, matcha, chocolate, Oreo, cookie butter, strawberry, torched creme brulee — filled to order with not-too-sweet vanilla bean custard, $4-5.50 each.
- Cream puffs $4–5.50
- Parking: Medium: usually a space off-peak; at dinner, park on the back street and walk
- Details checked Oct 2026.
4488 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
Beard Papa's is an inexpensive bakery spot on Convoy Street in San Diego's Kearny Mesa. Regulars order the Original puff with vanilla bean custard — the one regulars come back for and the Cookie butter or torched creme brulee. Parking is medium.
Parking
Medium- Fills up: Fri, Sat, Sun 12–5pm · Easiest: weekdays 11am–1pm
Tiny lot shared with Kawaii House, plus one 15-minute spot out front — usually a space off-peak; at dinner, park on the back street and walk.
Lot full? Convoy Plaza Shopping Center is rated easy and about a 2-minute walk. It's for that plaza's customers, so pair it with a stop there.
Park once, walk to
- bb.q Chicken Convoy Korean Fried Chicken · 1 min
- Curry House CoCo Ichibanya Japanese Curry · 1 min
- Hongdae Dakgalbi Korean · 1 min
- It's Boba Time Boba · 1 min
- Manna BBQ Korean BBQ · 1 min
- Melody Karaoke & Cafe Karaoke · 1 min
Fill times estimated from Google's Popular Times for the spots in this lot. Walk times are estimates.
Good to know before you go
Cost & paying
- Singles run $4-5.50; an original 6-pack is $22 (vs $24 one by one), but the $26 mixed and $29 build-your-own 6-packs can cost more than buying singles
Waits & timing
- Expect a 10-20 minute wait when they're baking a fresh batch, and only one or two staff at quiet times
- Seating is in a long hallway with a few more tables and a photo wall in the back; bottled water is the only drink
At the table
- Puffs are filled when you order, so eat them soon — the big ones go soggy within an hour or two; minis travel better
- Pick a shell, then a filling: vanilla bean custard is standard; chocolate or matcha custard costs extra and isn't always available
- Rotating anime and game collab flavors come with limited packaging — follow @beardpapas.sandiego for the current one
Beard Papa's vs other Convoy bakery
| Spot | Order | Price | Latest close | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beard Papa's | Original puff with vanilla bean custard | $ | 9:30pm | Medium |
| Tasty Bakery | Pate so | $ | 5pm | Medium |
| Cake De Partie | Souffle pancakes | $$ | 10pm | Medium |
| K Bakery | Sausage curry croquette | $ | 8pm | Medium |
Beard Papa's: quick answers
What should I order at Beard Papa's?
Regulars order the Original puff with vanilla bean custard — the one regulars come back for, Cookie butter or torched creme brulee, Matcha or Oreo cookie crumble.
Is parking easy at Beard Papa's?
Parking is rated Medium for this lot at peak times. Tiny lot shared with Kawaii House, plus one 15-minute spot out front — usually a space off-peak; at dinner, park on the back street and walk.
What should I know before going to Beard Papa's?
Puffs are filled when you order, so eat them soon — the big ones go soggy within an hour or two; minis travel better. Pick a shell, then a filling: vanilla bean custard is standard; chocolate or matcha custard costs extra and isn't always available. Singles run $4-5.50; an original 6-pack is $22 (vs $24 one by one), but the $26 mixed and $29 build-your-own 6-packs can cost more than buying singles.
Beard Papa's hours
| Mon | 11am–8pm |
| Tue | 11am–8pm |
| Wed | 11am–8pm |
| Thu | 11am–8pm |
| Fri | 11am–9:30pm |
| Sat | 11am–9:30pm |
| Sun | 11am–8pm |
How to find it
Details checked October 2026. Wrong hours, closed, or changed? Report a problem