Make Reservations at These 16 Malibu Restaurants

While anyone who owns a Malibu beach house knows that properties in the area offer spectacular views, a bonus to living in the area is its proximity to world-class dining options.

These 16 Malibu restaurants run the gamut from haute cuisine to chic bistros, and a few have oceanfront settings that offer their own striking views of the sea. Be sure to make reservations since many of these popular spots book up quickly, especially in the summer.

Upscale steakhouse Lucky’s Malibu is now open in the Malibu Country Mart shopping center. The restaurant’s first location was in Montecito and the Malibu digs are airy and feature great views. Appetizers include options like shrimp cocktail, while entrees run to steaks and chops. Cocktails and an extensive wine list will have you lingering over your meal.

Taverna Tony is also located in the Malibu Contry Mart, offering a spin on a Greek tavern in the heart of Southern California. The Mediterranean-inflected menu showcases fresh ingredients in dishes like tabouli, lamb souvlaki, and grilled whole branzino. The restaurant is an area favorite that has been around for more than two decades.

Seasonal ingredients are a focus at Pacific Coast Highway mainstay Kristy’s Village Cafe. The restaurant is on a bluff overlooking Zuma Beach and offers great views from its dining room and patios. Menu favorites include burgers and chicken sandwiches.

Nobu Malibu is the local celebrity haunt, and an exquisite dining experience infused with Japanese-influenced style. For fresh seafood and sensational ambiance it is truly unrivaled. Enjoy ocean front dining as you sip cocktails on the deck, or savor your meal in the airy, wood-beamed interior. Standout dishes include yellowtail sashimi and black cod with miso.

Geoffrey's patrons enjoy a romantic bluff-top setting that is upscale without being stuffy. The menu tilts new American, with popular options including Maine lobster, apple tart, and an artisan cheese plate. A reservation will ensure you a prime ocean view spot for a meal in a setting where it is not uncommon to see dolphins and whales splashing nearby. Geoffrey’s is also popular for events, and its romantic design touches include outdoor fire pits and a waterfall.

Locals love the lunch and dinner menus at V's Restaurant & Bar which offers a combination of upscale Californian cuisine paired with Mediterranean and Italian touches. The sweets and treats at V’s are popular, and diners can select a chocolate espresso creme brûlée, dutch chocolate peanut butter pie, or triple berry crumble to round out a meal. Plus the cocktails are delicious and there is an extensive wine selection at this very continental yet comfortable neighborhood spot.

This beachside restaurant overlooking the Paradise Cove pier is a tourist’s delight and open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can enjoy a meal and spend time at the beach if the whim hit you. You can also reserve beach rentals through Paradise Cove, allowing you to enjoy some time on the beach in a lounge chair or recliner. The menu is full of classic American beach fare like burgers and BBQ ribs.

Be sure to dress it up when dining at Mastro's Ocean Club as the dress code can sometimes be strictly enforced, and upscale attire always looks good anyways. See my girl Krista at John Varvados in Malibu if you need to get styled before a night out on the town. Mastros has a great brunch on the weekends and is good for dinner and drinks throughout the week. Maple-glazed bacon steak, caviar, oysters, and lobster cocktail are among the appetizers. The entrees include New Zealand king salmon filet and dry-aged bone-in ribeye. Live entertainment, such as musical acts, often accompanies dinner service. Book ahead of time to enjoy the show.

 

Malibu Farm is located on the world-famous Surfrider Pier along Pacific Coast Highway, one of the most scenic and picturesque locations in the United States. The Malibu Farm Pier Cafe is a casual grab-and-go option, while Malibu Farm is the adjoining restaurant with table service. You cannot reserve a spot at the cafe, but you can make dinner reservations for indoor seating at the popular restaurant. The restaurant is at the start of the pier, while the walk-up cafe is at its end.

This hidden gem is open daily at noon, and Tramonto Bistro offers delectable Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner made fresh daily. The quaint setting offers a different feel than many other Malibu restaurants. Enjoy the warm atmosphere while dining on entrees like gnocchi, pasta, risotto, salmon filet, vitello gorgonzola, or scampi Francese.

California meets Hawaii at this surfside restaurant, named in honor of Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian surfing legend. Enjoy specialties such as the Hula Pie, a delectable dessert involving a chocolate cookie crust stacked high with macadamia ice cream. Dinner options include crispy coconut shrimp, crab wontons, poke tacos, and various fresh fish dishes. Themed nights include Taco Tuesday and surf-and-turf on Thursday and Friday evenings.

The relaxed sunset scene overlooking the majestic Pacific is mesmerizing when you dine at Moonshadows in the waning evening hours. The menu includes vegan and vegetarian options and a seafood-heavy selection that features crab cakes, clams, and swordfish. The extensive dessert menu includes individually baked apple pie slices, rhubarb-strawberry crisp, and caramelized banana almond crostata.

If modern American cuisine on the sand is what you are after, The Sunset is the place for you. Located on the far east end of Zuma Beach, you can reserve a seat to enjoy the upscale coastal ambiance or just walk in and hit the happy hour with the locals. The American menu offers choices such as lobster mac and cheese, shrimp tacos, and sweet potato fries.

Nicolas Eatery specializes in French cooking techniques and organic ingredients sourced from local farmers. Entrées include escargot de bourgogne, goat cheese salad, Santa Barbara halibut, Maine lobster roll, artichoke barigoule, and filet mignon au poivre. The wine and champagne options are extensive and carefully selected.

Head to the hills of Malibu and enjoy The Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch. This elegant eatery is nestled inside the Calamigos Ranch, a sprawling property in the Santa Monica mountains popular for weddings and other events. Brick chicken, local striped bass, and chili prawn salad are among the menu selections. The wine and cocktail lists are extensive. Some grab-and-go options are also available if you prefer to take your meal on a picnic or bring it home.

At Malibu Seafood, you know you're always getting the freshest fish because a new haul is brought in every day just in time for lunch and dinner. Dine on options like fish and chips on the cafe's patio and enjoy the view. The casual eatery is so popular with seafood lovers that you’ll often see a line of cars outside of it while driving down the PCH.

If one of these delicious options makes you hungry to own the Malibu real estate of your dreams, contact Mark Gruskin to tour available properties. Mark proudly lives in Malibu and has extensive experience in the market as both an agent and a real estate attorney. He manages the Malibu office of Westside Estate Agency, LA’s premier boutique real estate firm, where he is also a partner.