Back on the Beach Cafe

A cute cafe right on the Beach with a convenient parking lot. Try to arrive before 11 AM to get a parking spot and avoid the line. Reservation highly recommended if you have a big group. The parking rate is $3 an hour. The food was good - has both breakfast and lunch menu to choose from. I ordered the North African Shakshuka and it was flavorful. Service was attentive - the waiter came around several times to refill water and coffee. Note that the 18% tip is automatically charged on a big group.

I ate at Back on the Beach …the food was okay, nothing to rave about but nothing to complain about either. The highlight was the service; our server was really kind and attentive. I did notice lipstick on my glass, which was a little off-putting, but she handled it quickly and brought back a clean one without any fuss. Not a bad experience at all, just decent. Probably a good spot if you’re looking for a casual bite by the beach.

Great experience for brunch on a Sunday. We arrived before 10am, and sat outside on the beach, feet in sand. Eggs were light and fluffy, with a cream cheese addition I had not experienced in a scramble. They were incredible. Flavor profile is one thing to master, but keeping an egg scramble light, fluffy and creamy in the same bite is an art. The side of potatoes were the perfect flavor and consistency. A healthy portion that didn't allow me to finish the serving. Plenty for two people. Cocktails were a 4 of 5, and my chicken chorizo was slightly dry, but the overall experience was so enjoyable, it merits a 5 across the board. Delightful! Can't wait to return.

No complaints. Food is good (menu is great with many vegetarian options), location is awesome and service is reliable but they get very busy for lunch so wait time for the food to arrive can take what seems like forever, especially at weekends 😳 If you can, same yourself the pain and order food to go from the back window

Simply amazing ocean front cafe beautiful vibes. We just had bagel...French toast...for kids....a little waiting..but great footfalls and excellent ambience...sunsets are a great plus point. A pool behind and facilities of annemberg community centre especially parking is amazing. Great outdoor seating adds life to the experience.

This place is surprising great. Was not expecting good food on the beach but I had some of the best tacos ever here. Also had a Paper Plane that was great. Can’t beat the location either. You can dig your feet in the sand with the Pacific Ocean in front of you.

It's the beach..whats not to love. It's upscale but casual. Lots of outdoor seating with umbrellas for shade... Even a separate kiosk at the north side rear of building for take out. Service is friendly...coffee refills without me asking. Extra napkins no prob. Only thing, your entire party must be present in order to be seated. And sometimes parking can be problematic...TIP: try other lots on either side of the cafe. Highly recommend!! P.s. I had the farmhouse omelette 5/5 and it was amazing, the scone that comes with, also amazing. 5/5

Great place to have a meal and enjoy the beach. Fish and chips are very good! Also had the house made lemonade, that was good too

Who doesn't love a good beach on a beautiful sunny day? Now add breakfast to that and we got ourselves a winner. While visiting our daughter in LA, she took us to this restaurant and it was beautiful views, delicious food and great service. The restaurant is directly off a beach parking lot so if you just want to eat here without the beach day you can! Our server named Carrie told us it was her second day working there and it blew is away because she was a total pro the whole time! Thanks Carrie! I ordered the breakfast burritos with potatoes. It was all so good, potatoes were lightly seasoned and cooked to perfection. The burrito was packed with deliciousness and very filling. We got a side fruit plate to share and I think it was my favorite of all! The fruit was fresh, perfectly cut-like the watermelon-mouth watering. Our daughter got her "go to" meal here, the Smoked Salmon toast. She said it never disappoints her. Hubby got fish and chips and said it was good. Reminded him of Arthur Treacher"s. If you liked that you'll like this. If not, try something else If you go to Santa Monica Beach, go here. The prices were very reasonable, on par with most restaurants and not over priced due to location. I took a pic of the menu so you could see and plan what you'd like to get ahead of time. Afterwards we rented bikes which are right next to the restaurant.

Eating here was such an enjoyable experience. Sitting outside with a perfect view of the ocean, digging my toes in the sand, while eating fresh and delicious food at a decent price. I ordered the back on the beach burger with salad. The burger was really delicious, great brioche bun and fresh avocado and arugula inside. Althand the salad it came with was really refreshing and delicious too. The burger (grass fed) with salad was $22 which seems pretty fare for on-the-beach dining. I will definitely be back!

The Fred Salad is fantastic ! The View can't be beat. The service is so friendly. I love it

Bad expensive food. Not much to choose from. Service was slow. Ambiance was good. It was mainly portions of the food and $$$$

Food has never been disappointing. The service is very friendly. And the ambiance speaks for itself especially if you eat outside.

It was a quiet day as they were rerouting folks away from the burned areas in Pacific Palisades/Malibu. We had a great meal with a view on the sand as advertised. I had an espresso martini it was fantastic.

Went there for lunch, I ordered farm house omelette with sides of salad and mini scone. My friend ordered breakfast burrito. Omelette is just like usual omelette, nothing super surprising. Food delivery speed is quick. With a couple of drinks, the outdoor dining on the beach is fabulous, simple table and chairs with shading umbrellas, one of the best relaxing dining environments I have been to. For that reason, I recommend it.

This was a wonderful cafe restaurant and definitely making it a regular place to dine when at Santa Monica beach. It's a certifed green restuarant that provides "premium ingredients, cage free eggs, grass fed beef, no hormones or antibiotics with the chicken, and follow the monterey bay aquarium seafood watch, while purchasing local and organic ingredients when possible" as stated on their menu. Service: Many wait staff ready and attentive to your dining experience. They all work hard as I see them moving and grooving while on shift. They were professional. Location: Directly off of the sands of the beach, you can eat a great meal and walk it off along the walk/bike path and enjoy the rest of the day. Location is PERFECT. There is public (paid) parking lot and an adjacent small kids park so the kids can play while you wait for your food. It's the best! You can sit indoors or outdoors with umbrellas over the tables. If you sit outside, you're sitting on actual sand which is fun. Food: DELICIOUS! The prices are moderately high but with inflation, where is it not? It's a green restuarant so delicious AND healthy so it's worth every penny!

My wife and I used to bike from Venice to Back on the Beach for breakfast. Those days are long gone, but we drove there for breakfast shortly after Pacific Coast Highway, closed due to the January 2025 wildfires, was reopened. Service was good, the beach ambiance was still there, but the breakfast was very disappointing. The cheese omelet was watery to the point where we wondered if it was made of real eggs or that stuff you pour from a carton. The potatoes were cold. The blueberry pancakes were fine but were served with two, tiny balls of butter and a small serving of syrup. Frankly, we've had much better at Ihop. Since the meals and one coffee tallied more than $50 including tip (more if you have to pay for parking), I'm afraid that Back on the Beach cafe is going to remain a treasured memory from days passed.

Wonderful service, nice to eat outdoors on the sand with the view of the beach in the distance. My friend and I ordered the Back on the Beach burgers with fries at $22 each. Burgers were fresh, but bland and could have been tastier with red onions or sautéed onions and pickles. Parking lot was packed at $3/hr. We parked for 2 hours. It took a few minutes not seconds for our ticket to come out of the parking machine in Spanish. It stalled after it had already accepted my credit card charge of $6. Nice ambience, but I wouldn't be back for the food.

I LOVE Back on the Beach! I miss Back on Broadway, only because the Broadway location was closer to home. My friend and I enjoy coming here after our power walk on the pedestrian path. Today we got Jason as our server! ( Read my previous review where Jason was our server) He remembered us from last time! He has the best smile and great energy! I ordered my usual, the Fred Salad. I really enjoy the chicken salad that is mixed with the romaine lettuce and potato pieces, but the dressing MAKES this salad so yummy! Today my friend ordered the Shashuka and she really enjoyed it! I tasted it and it was GOOD!!! This shashuka has a lot of wonderful flavors: tomatoes, onions, peppers, and meat! Tip: arrive early on the weekends, if you want to park at the Annenberg Beach Lot. By 9:30am, the parking lot was packed and the restaurant was full! Thank you Jason for another great service!

Back on the Beach is my happy place. Seriously. It is the perfect place to have a glass of rosè, a delicious meal and have your feet in the sand. The service is always friendly. It is a little pricey but the view is worth it!

How lucky are we to have such a beautiful setting for breakfast at the beach. Yes it's paid parking. But it's truly worth it given the wonderful location and breakfast experience. We were seated immediately out doors under an umbrella and soaked up the Santa Monica beach view. There was a family having breakfast, while the kids played at a nearby swing set. What a great place to people watch....folks were jogging or riding by. Our coffee and drink orders came readily. We ordered Huevos Rancheros, breakfast burrito, and blueberry pancakes. All were delicious. Service was attentive and our drinks often replenished. They didn't rush us out... told that it was a quiet morning. It had been overcast and not too many people waiting to get in. I'm thinking on busy warm weekend they might rush people along. But not today, we enjoyed our breakfast and sights. Afterwords we took a nice stroll down to the water along the boardwalk... nice we didn't have to take off our shoes. All in all, awesome food and scenery. We'll be back.

Fantastic setting. We went for breakfast. Food was good and reasonably prices. Service was also good. I'm eager to go back.

It has very good parking, the rainbow trout was delicious, and it's on the beach dining with great views. Before or after dining, go for a walk on the beach! The service was good as well.

Whenever I do a beach walk I love to come here and get their fish tacos. Sometimes there is a wait but it's worth it for the location alone. The servers are always nice and the food hits the spot after an active day in the sun. Between the colorful umbrellas, chairs, and tables in the sand and the fact that dogs are permitted outside, it's my favorite lunch spot at the beach in the area. Breakfast there is good too (I like to swap out the beans and rice that come with the fish tacos for another side).

Service has always been great! The waiters are super friendly and attentive... The outdoor seating has an unobstructed view of the beach AND you are can have your feet in the sand which makes the experience so comforting and special! They have plenty of beers on tap, along with cocktails that they make in house. I love getting the Back On the Beach Burger with a side salad... the food comes out pretty quickly! I honestly feel like I'm on vacation whenever I sit outdoors at Back on the Beach and am so glad to visit after my bike rides in Santa Monica :)

My toddler Wade B. and I had lunch at Back On the Beach last month with three grown-up friends and another baby buddy. It was a great place for this hangout, an easy, casual, kid-friendly restaurant, where we could strap the boys into high chairs then let them loose in the adjacent playground when we were all done. Reservations are available and highly recommended if you want to eat outside. Not surprisingly, those tables go first. We booked ours for a Monday at 11:30, and I don't think anyone without a reservation was getting a spot on the sand. The set-up was lovely, a cafe attached to the Annenberg Community Beach House (parking was easy on a Monday, but I've seen how hellish that lot gets on the weekend). We really were eating on the beach. Service was friendly and fast. I got the shrimp tacos, which were solid, with marinated "selva" shrimp, grilled corn pico, avocado crema, and sides of rice and beans. Wade got the breaded chicken tenders with fries and mostly ate the fries, always the story when the kid's meal comes with fries. I always feel like it's a hassle to go to the beach, but this was a truly pleasant way to spend a few hours with friends and babies. I'd recommend Back on the Beach for a relaxing lunch with a view, especially if you have kids to entertain.

We had a party of 12. They put us in a lovely private room. The service was exceptional. All twelve entrees arrived at the same time. The food was delicious. Needless to say, the restaurant is located right on the beach with lovely views. We visited the Marion Davies Guest House (walking distance) afterwards. It made for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Really cute vibes right on the beach- food is really typical beach vibe, not the best thing you'll ever eat but has something for everyone, tastes fresh and service is attentive. You can't really beat the location and if you sit outside your toes are quite literally in the sand- not to mention the cappuccino with vanilla was quite nice. Would actually come again to bring some friends for a very casual brunch.

What a great discovery! Spacious patio, plenty of parking, and they take reservations. The food is solid, especially the fish and chips!

If you can find parking space and a table you're in luck! Food is surprisingly good and being on the sand is such a treat! Great for families with young kids.

The service was polite, thorough, efficient and easy. The beach views are the reason to go, but I cannot complain about the service- they are as engaged or disengaged as you would like for the most part. The menu makes point to let you know they really try to source the best quality ingredients for everything they make- but they do upcharge for real maple syrup (vs the corn syrup kind). Stomach feels after were mostly positive- I would not equate it to a "greasy spoon" feel, but I did feel that kind of "hard" fullness in the gut that left me wanting fresh foods after the fact (even though we had a small side of fruit). The pancakes had a certain "stiffness" - not the fluffiest or lightest. It doesn't feel greasy...but it feels...processed? If that makes sense? Sometimes healthy sourced ingredients can be harder to digest- so I don't want to speak to the quality of the foods themselves- just a heads up for those who search for places to eat by "how my stomach will feel afterwards". It was kind of like a hard fullness that lacked the feeling of being "satisfied"- and I think that's just because my buttermilk pancakes were relatively plain (it costs extra for berries or chocolate chips- and I wanted real syrup so I paid extra for the syrup and not the toppings). It's a good place to stop if you're not sure where to go, but are in the area and looking for a brunch spot with a view. All in all a positive experience. I think the prices are a little much (just serve real maple syrup and don't charge extra for it!), but not a bad place to try if you're looking for a view!

I had a midweek lunch on a beautiful, spring, Los Angeles day. A city beach lot made parking easy. Parking on the weekends can be a bit more congested (although I've never had a problem getting a spot). Just in case, though, there's a lot just south that is rarely full. I made a reservation to sit outside so I could dine with my feet in the sand. Arrived a few minutes before my reservation. The host was very friendly and kept me updated on when my table would be ready. I ordered a beer that came quickly, then ordered Back on the Beach burger with a side salad. Hamburger came medium rare, just as I ordered it, and was delicious. Although my server was quick to take my order, once the meal arrived service was all but non-existent. And it took a while to flag them down to get another drink. I'm not sure what the issue was, as I saw the other server constantly moving between tables in their section. On the flip side, the entire staff, including my server, were super friendly -- which always goes a long way with me. With that said, I'm taking one star off because it took me so long to get another beer.

Delicious Burgers and Breakfast sandwich. I lived in the palisades bowl and used to walk there to eat . My house was destroyed in the fire. I pray it will be rebuilt and i can walk there again.

This place was on my list for way too long. Well worth the drive!! The salmon was amazing. I was dining alone after a doctors appointment. The waitress was super friendly and I even wound up chatting with a group at the table behind me for a few moments. Beautiful patio seating, literally in the sand. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the veggies were seasoned to perfection. Hope to come back soon!!

What an amazing restaurant directly on the beach. I am a sucker for an outdoor patio with an amazing view. I have yet to have something here I have not liked. Classic and fresh food with an ultimate patio on the beach.

When my friend ordered a sandwich to-go and opened the box I gasped. It was tragic, it was a crime, it was giving Fyre Festival meals. It felt like a joke, a scam, prank all in one to go container and I could only weep for my friend. Dry bread, barely any protein. It looked like leftovers. The robbery stayed in my nightmares for days. It seems like people who dined in and got the burger had a better meal. So for those who want to grab and go - better to go somewhere else.

Fresh delicious meal by the sea! Our effcient kind server Gavin even helped sing Happy Birthday on pitch :) to my dear friend Maribel. She enjoyed the signature Marion Davies salad with a scoop of Tuna Salad I had the crispy flavorful Cafe favorite White Cod Fish sandwich. Great setting especially for locals not during summer vactioners rush. Plenty of parking and nice wooden patio walk out to the ocean!

My Birthday party couldn't have been more fabulous! Great food! Great atmosphere! Great service! Everyone raved about it. Couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate!

Only reviewing coffee and experience- Discovered this place by chance. Sat outdoors on the beach and enjoyed a great view. Intelligentsia coffee was nice and hot. Our server Rhona was attentive. We parked in the public parking lot and paid $10 for the day.

This place stays busy and is right on the sand so you have an amazing view and ocean breeze. The staff is friendly and service is great. The food is tasty, normally I'll order a few things, but I chose the Shakshouka and it was hearty and filling. (This dish has lamb, so if it's not your thing, still think you should give it a chance). Definitely would recommend and will be coming back to try a few other menu items.

Great breakfast burritos. The pancakes look amazing... next time Its a fun place to experience in the summer.

I usually love it here but I got the breakfast burrito and got BAD food poisoning. ): The place is so nice and pretty though and the workers are so so sweet. The people who clean up too. Food just made me so sick. I was dead for two days.

We enjoyed brunch on the patio. Literally in the sand, such a fun way to start the morning. The service was great, and the portions were huge. We liked everything we ordered and will definitely recommend to friends! Parking- there's a lot right outside the entrance, but you have to pay to park. Keep that in mind before you arrive.

Great place to have breakfast and lunch on the beach. Easy parking. Service is fantastic. Great food and a great value. Not expensive like one would think for where it is and the quality of food.

Very quaint I enjoyed my time and thought the food was pretty good. Very beautiful location obviously you're paying for the view

Back on the Beach is located at the Annenberg Community Beach House. The entrance is closer to their 1st parking lot (not the lot further back). Service was a bit slow and it was relatively empty when I went for lunch on a Wednesday. I ordered their breakfast sandwich with breakfast potatoes. My order came in wrong, but I decided to let that be. The fries they gave instead were rock hard, but the sandwich was decent. Nothing too exciting. The best thing about the restaurant, to me, was their view. Part of their outdoor seating is in sand and part on hard floors. They have very nice ocean views if you sit as far back as possible. Note: Parking was $3 for 1 hour. They have ticket/timed parking that is left on your dashboard.

Friday was a perfect day to enjoy lunch with coworkers. The group was together for a office rising star retreat (which was amazing) and it was time for lunch. The group walked from Annerberg Neacj House to the resturant. We were welcomed from the front and seated the large group at a long table. Our server greeted us and presented a menu along with a time to select. When he came back he took his time to hear from each of us our order. The staff was nice to make sure we had want we needed The food tasty and fresh. I ordered the fish taco with a salad and was full. The portion are large. The view was beauty as we were able enjoy the beach view. It was a great day!

The food was fine, the service ok, and the view was great. But the rigid custom care was unacceptable. I absolutely do not agree with wasting food, I asked for a half order of French toast. I offered to pay the same amount and even would have been fine with a service charge for making a substitution. I'm disappointed by this level of care. Not only do I not need the calories but I do not want to be wasteful. I just think it's unacceptable to not be willing to make adaptions to request in a restaurant and service based business. Oh, and it's overpriced. Do better.

This place has been here since the late 80s. Regardless of the reboot the food is fabulous, the view is a California treat... on the beach! With the ocean, just in the distance!! This was the spot we ate ate, before wandering down to the benches overlooking the ocean, where I bend the knee back in 2016!

It wasnt my first time but usually didnt feel like sharing experience as it seems like everyone is happy enough . but today it was different, Young Hostess was polite and sweet , gave 30 mins walk-in wait on Saturday and they sat me on time , greeted by lovely Rona ( if i spelled it right ) , i ordered immediately ( Mushroom burger + Beer ) and received it in less than 15 minutes . Staff is friendly.. over all peaceful, lovely experience..

We've been eating at Back on The Beach for years!! The owners are great and the locale doesn't get any better. The food is delicious and the people watching is fantastic. Before the Annenberg beach House opened this was a great little secret in Santa Monica but alas, no more. It get VERY BUSY on weekends and the parking lot WILL FILL UP so proceed with some patience. Put your name in and take a walk along the path down to the water. My favorites include the Fred Salad (enough for two), the Burgers and the breakfasts. They don't rush you but as a patron please try to maintain your kids as well as we maintain our dogs. Thanks.

While this place is cool because it's on the beach, you are actually in sand while you are eating. I was not wearing the proper shoes lol. Still, I had high hopes for this place but our waiter was terrible, took him a while to take our order and was MIA for most of our dining experience. The food was okay - we shared some Brussel sprouts which were crispy and tasty. I got the salmon but it was super buttery, as was the mashed potatoes. Parking was $6 for two hours which isn't too bad for Santa Monica. Overall a decent experience but could have been better.

I live in Oklahoma but I come to California twice a year to see family and I always make sure I stop by and eat here. I get the African inspired dish and it's absolutely delicious!

I frequent this restaurant every Wednesday since beginning of summer and I've had a good array of their food on the menu. Chicken fingers tend to be over fried sometimes but cooked perfectly. They are pretty tasty Sweet potato fries are good with the hot dog and the fruit for kids meals is always fresh with the exception of today with not so good grapes Their grilled fish tacos are good I've had one solid there and I promised myself I will never order another salad there because my salad had unwashed lettuce. Were you bit and crunched on greeny dirt I've had their power bowl. I wish they gave you an option to add shrimp, but they didn't offer shrimp and it's pretty good. I always end up with a cookie to go, but today I ordered each of their cakes which are also pretty good Raspberry chocolate and lemon mousse But when I paid my bill, I noticed that each slice of cake was $10 each So I paid $20 for two slices of cake where I could've easily purchased a cake completely somewhere else Who has really and I understand we went through Covid but honestly what business truly has the audacity to charge a guest $10 a slice of cake? That is just insane. Will I go back? Yes because that's where I go after my Wednesday morning activity Will I order cake again? absolutely not Sidenote, yes, it being in Santa Monica. Yes, it being a restaurant that is overly priced, I think maybe they can provide cleaner high chairs for children to sit on As an employee or owner of that restaurant, would you like to sit on a sandy, crusty chair for a meal that you were going to pay for? I think it's a fair complaint because kids are people to, and I would not like to sit on a crusty, sandy chair to enjoy a meal then I'm going to pay extra for especially the cake No reflection on the server he did a great job today and I appreciate that

The environment is amazing but how can it not be right on the beach. Friendly staff and great food.

At this time, I only do outdoor dining and was excited to try out this place that is right on the beach. Fortunately there is tons of outdoor seating, so we were able to sit right away. Each table has it's own orange umbrella and honestly, it was just beautiful and wonderful to be right next to the beach. You can still smell the ocean a little bit, which was lovely. I loved that we could snuggle our toes in the sand. In fact, some if the children were rolling in it, while their parents chatted among friends, which was a little funny to watch. We had their main burger, which was good. I expected a little a lot of flavor, but thought all the ingredients were fresh and delicious. I would come back here again for sure for a second date. Parking is $3 an hour and is right next to the restaurant.

My favorite beach eating! Great setting, on the beach right next to the Annenberg Beach House. They have a varied menu - breakfasts, salads, burgers, salmon - and the food is very fresh. Nice wait staff, too. Always delightful, and if you want a little old L.A. history, you can visit the Marion Davies house next door. It's our usual lunch spot on our beach bike rides. Our regular order is grilled cheese and sautéed spinach sandwich - very delicious. And the fries are great, too.