Duke's Malibu
Seafood restaurant · Topanga Beach ·
Hawaiian cuisine, ocean views, umbrella drinks, and tiki bar
Hawaiian cuisine, ocean views, umbrella drinks, and tiki bar
"Preparing for a reopening: an Instagram post says the restaurant is hoping to reopen in late July. The location was in the path of the Palisades Fire though its main structure remained standing; regional reopenings were further delayed after Pacific Coast Highway was temporarily closed again due to mudslides in April." - Rebecca Roland
"Listen, we included Duke’s fish tacos because sitting at the Barefoot Bar or on their patio overlooking the Malibu coastline with two fish tacos and a cucumber jalapeño margarita is living large. This charming, ostensibly Hawaiian chain offers the best fish taco experience in LA, not necessarily the best fish taco. We don’t know what kind of fish they put in the Guerrero-tier flour tortilla, nor do we care. You have the option between fried or grilled, and both arrive flaky and nicely seasoned. These tacos hit the spot, especially on Taco Tuesdays, when the place is crawling with sandy surfers and you can get two tacos, plus chips and salsa—and that view—for $14." - sylvio martins, arden shore, garrett snyder
"An oceanfront Malibu restaurant that suffered burn damage from the January 2025 Palisades Fire and then further harm from mudslides in February confirmed in an Instagram post on March 25 that it hopes to reopen this summer, describing the mudslide damage as "extensive" but saying it would welcome guests back "in a few months." The reopening confirmation followed reporting that a WARN notice was posted regarding the layoff of 126 employees effective March 28; the WARN Act requires employers to give a 60-day notice to employees before an impending mass layoff, closure, or relocation, and the Employment Development Department (EDD) maintains a publicly accessible database of WARN notices. An automated layoff tracker on X posted the notice that the restaurant would permanently close, prompting confusion; the restaurant clarified it plans to hire back its employees, and Jackie Reed, CEO of TS Restaurants (the group that runs the restaurant), said the restaurant was "forced to enact layoffs" due to the ongoing temporary closure. SF Gate first reported the permanent closure and Eater LA has reached out for further comment. The site has housed restaurants since at least 1915 (originally the Las Flores Inn), became the Sea Lion Restaurant in 1944, and was established as the current operation in 1996; over its 29 years it has become one of Malibu's essential restaurants, serving generations of locals and tourists who seek ocean-view dinner." - Rebecca Roland
"Survived the Palisades Fire but had remained closed, then suffered damage from the Los Angeles rains and mudslides on February 12 and 13; the restaurant put out a statement on Instagram saying it was "badly damaged." It remains closed for the time being." - Rebecca Roland
"During the early morning hours of December 10 a wildfire — named the Franklin Fire — ignited in Malibu, ultimately burning more than 2,500 acres and leading officials to declare a mandatory evacuation zone along a six-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway from Corral Canyon Road to Tuna Canyon Road, with the fire extending into the Santa Monica Mountains. As of 10:45 a.m. on December 10 there were reports of minimal damage to residential structures and no major injuries; over 700 firefighters and air support were in the area to fight the blaze. This restaurant is part of the affected coastal community; Eater has reached out to local establishments and will continue to update a running list of temporary closures." - Matthew Kang