Jason J.
Yelp
This is a new Malibu offering with other established restaurants, and I'll start with the good. The servers are really friendly, and the setting is very nicely designed. The menu is interesting. The food appears well-prepared, and everything I've tried (about five dishes by now) tastes good.
However, the service is quite uneven. The hostess asked for my name and phone number to put me on their guest list. I've never been accosted like that before, ever. What an oddly pushy way to try to market to me. The first time we went, we had a few different servers, but no one seemed to take ownership. Maybe that's because they were new and we were seated in the bar area, but it was jarring. Things take too long to come out--things like salads that just don't take that long to make.
The food quantity is extremely uneven to the point that I wonder if the proprietors have sat down and tried their own menu. For example, on one occasion, I ordered the muscles. It was massive--there must have been two pounds of muscles! The flavors were a little boring and sour, but no complaints about the quantity. Conversely, I more recently ordered the $28 burger (which means it is roughly the same price as steakhouse burgers at places like Lucky's or Mastros), and it was minuscule. Although slightly thicker, it was basically the same size as a McDonald's burger, which, for $28, is awful; especially compared with competitors who load up 12 if not 16oz of beef. My friend's salad had copious lettuce but fewer shrimp than he was promised. My "this is the largest oyster we sell" was like a diminutive Kumomoto.
For the price, I expect far more consistency in service, substance, and quantity.