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Where to eat in Los Angeles’s premier beachside destination
Malibu is probably the most famous Los Angeles-area beach town, known for its billionaire residents and celebrity clientele. But the long coastline makes it accessible for everyone, from those coming in for a long beach day or someone passing through on Pacific Coast Highway up to the Central Coast and beyond. Naturally, many restaurants take advantage of the bounty (and views) of the sea, but don’t sleep on more affordable fare like breakfast burritos, burgers, and inland comfort food from near-hidden locations in the mountains. Here are the best places to eat around Malibu.
Due to the 2025 Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, this region has been greatly affected, with the Reel Inn, Cholada Thai, and Rosenthal Wine Bar destroyed, and damage to Gladstones and Mastro’s Ocean Club. This map has been updated to reflect the event, with notes on temporary closures at some restaurants. In the months since the fire, PCH has reopened in Malibu, and many of the affected restaurants have resumed operations.
New in this update: Greek restaurant Taverna Tony joins the map, and we’ve updated which restaurants have reopened.
The Old Place
There are few places that feel as special as the Old Place, a hideaway Western hangout known for its wood-grilled steaks, rustic sourdough bread, syrupy berry cobblers, and ambiance. During recent wildfires, the restaurant was threatened but not permanently affected. Amble up into the endless Malibu canyons for a taste of Los Angeles history. It’s a good celebration spot for a group, too.
Saddle Peak Lodge
Saddle Peak Lodge is a game-lover’s paradise, the kind of place where it’s possible to sit in shade on a sizable patio sipping deep reds and enjoying everything from summery salmon tartare and panzanella salad to rabbit, bison, elk, and two-pound bone-in tomahawk steaks. The woodsy, log-cabin-like interior is worth sitting indoors to experience, too.
Neptune's Net
Dating back to 1956, this Pacific Coast Highway staple at the northernmost tip of Malibu is a perfect place to experience the area in its natural environment. Ice-cold beers, fried seafood baskets, grilled catches of the day, and pineapple-slaw-topped fish tacos abound. With an eclectic mix of surfers, bikers, families and tourists, the fresh-caught seafood and crisp french fries are hard to forget.
The Cafe at the Getty Villa*
Though technically in Pacific Palisades but essentially on the border between Malibu and the tony LA neighborhood, the Cafe at the Getty Villa is a reliable place to get easy California fare, sandwiches, and burgers but with one of the coolest venues in town thanks to its location inside a reproduction of a grand Roman villa built by famed art collector (and notorious cheapskate) J. Paul Getty. There’s no cost for entrance to the museum, just a reserved ticket, though parking is $20 per car. *The Cafe at the Getty Villa remains temporarily closed.
Mastro's Ocean Club
At this point, this Mastro’s locations might be even more famous than its sister spot in Beverly Hills, given the pristine views of the Pacific Coast. As with other Ocean Club locations, there’s a bit more of a focus on seafood towers and fish, though steak fans will find plenty to enjoy as well. Skip the lobster macaroni and cheese, but be sure to get an order of the tremendously rich butter cake for dessert.
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Country Kitchen
The Country Kitchen is Malibu’s homey destination for takeaway goodness, from the heralded breakfast burritos to burgers, hot sandwiches, and chili cheese fries. Pick up a couple of sandwiches, a bag of chips, and head down to the shore for a beach picnic. Or, this is a great stop after an early morning surf session.
Malibu Farm Cafe*
Situated at both ends of the pier, Malibu Farm Cafe is a popular brunch and lunch spot boasting fantastic ocean views at the end of the pier. Breakfast might involve a fried egg sandwich with havarti on country wheat or a smoked salmon scramble with griddled baby potatoes and focaccia; lunch adds things like burgers, a chilled lobster roll, and blackened halibut fish tacos with creamy jalapeño slaw. The environment is casual with counter service and beer and wine options only. Closer to the shore, Malibu Farm has a more substantial menu with alcoholic beverages and more. *Malibu Farm Cafe remains temporarily closed.
Taverna Tony
Escape to Greece without leaving LA at Taverna Tony, a lively Greek restaurant set in the picturesque Malibu Country Mart. Crowds sprawl out onto the patio on warm weekends, dipping pita into bowls of creamy taramosalata dip or picking at pieces of fried calamari. Light drenches the interior dining room, and its bright blue tables. The mains are a bit pricy, but very good. Try the lamb souvlaki with Greek potatoes, or the two-pound branzino. Cocktails, wine, and beer are also available. Taverna Tony is an ideal stop after a long day at the beach or for a romantic night out in Malibu. Swing by on Friday or Saturday night to catch live music and belly dancers.
Nobu Malibu
Nobu is probably the most famous restaurant in Malibu, known for its ambience, service, and genre-defining Japanese lounge food from one of the world’s most famous chefs. Reservations can be hard to come by because the restaurant is perpetually busy and Matsuhisa’s sashimi plates are of the saucy, over-the-top, celebration-worthy variety. Think of Nobu as the best place to drop a ton of money while ogling celebrities.
Lucky's Malibu
A kind of hidden local’s spot for classic steakhouse vibes, Lucky’s serves a reliable, well-portioned array of grilled chops with all the standard accompaniments (think mashed potatoes or hash browns with gruyere cheese, creamed spinach, broccolini, skinny fried onion rings, and more) in a more tucked-away location compared to the flashy Mastro’s Ocean Club; appetizers like golden matzoh ball soup and chili take the menu from too-predictable territory. Expect strong martinis, attentive service, and a more family-friendly vibe.
Broad Street Oyster Company
Perhaps the most destination-worthy place in Malibu, Broad Street Oyster Co. has a hidden location at Malibu Country Mart that serves everything from supremely fresh oysters to perhaps the best lobster roll in the city (adding extra butter and extra lobster meat is always a smart option). Scallop crudo, fried seafood platters, a deceptively simple Caesar, and Baja-style fish tacos all round out the menu — plus an unexpected caviar-topped hot dog to kick your picnic up a notch.
Sabor A Malibu*
This excellent taco and burrito truck from a former executive chef who lost his job due to the Woolsey fire serves everyday favorites like fried fish tacos and breakfast burritos during the day; the menu extends to other beach favorites like stacked burgers and griddled hot dogs. Just check out the Instagram for the celebrities that travel far and wide his food. *Eater has reached out to Sabor A Malibu but has not heard back. It’s possible that it is temporarily closed.
Malibu Seafood
There is no better weekend decision than pulling off Pacific Coast Highway as signage for Malibu Seafood draws impossibly nearer in the foreground. The seafood shack has delighted hikers, road-trip-weary travelers, and beachgoers since it opened in 1972. Here, find all the seafood stand favorites: deep-fried seafood plates, which, beyond the fish and shrimp standard, features clam strips, squid, and oysters; fish sandwiches topped with vinegary coleslaw; grilled seafood platters with proteins like freshly caught halibut, swordfish, and Ahi tuna served alongside crispy crinkle-cut French fries, steaming rice pilaf, or a butter-slathered baked potato. All can be enjoyed from its tiered patio set-up, which provides ample views of the Pacific Ocean before it.
Lily's Cafe & Pastries
Considered by many Malibu locals and Pepperdine students as having the best breakfast burrito in town, Lily’s offers reasonably priced Mexican food. The spicy salsa paired with every order is a bonus, so make sure to snag two for extra topping on burritos. If you’re gluten-intolerant or just not in the mood for a behemoth burrito, the saucy huevos rancheros plate with an icy horchata to accompany it is equally satisfying.
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