The Malibu Cafe

Permanently Closed

The Malibu Cafe

Permanently Closed

Chic outdoor dining with New American cuisine & BBQ

Information

327 Latigo Canyon Rd, Malibu, CA 90265 Get directions

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

The 18 Best Restaurants In Malibu - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Unlike most of the places on this guide, Malibu Cafe doesn’t have a view of the water. But it does have something just as spectacular: a view of the Santa Monica mountains. Getting here is a trek—about 20 minutes off PCH—but once you arrive, you can gaze onto a 5,000-acre property filled with waterfalls and tree groves. It’s located on the historic Calamigos Ranch, an event space that’s been around since the 1930s. Although it costs a ton of money to host an event here, anyone can drive up and eat at the restaurant. The food is good rather than great, but it’s a nice pick-me-up while daydreaming about moving here and living off the land." - Brant Cox, Sylvio Martins, Nikko Duren

https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-malibu-restaurants

Malibu Cafe

The Malibu Cafe

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

15 Sunny Restaurants to Try Around Malibu

"The Malibu Cafe is a bit of a drive and nestled in the Santa Monica mountains at Calamigos Ranch. However, it’s totally worth it because the cafe is a blast and incredibly Instagram-worthy. With live music, games and a huge outdoor space, it’s an ideal place for a birthday or gathering. Only open from Thursday to Sunday." - Farley Elliott

https://la.eater.com/maps/malibu-beach-best-restaurants-los-angeles

The Malibu Cafe

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

LA Restaurant Horoscopes For July 2022

"You are an angel, a social butterfly, and August is a fantastic month for you to spread your wings. Venus enters your 11th house on the 11th (how very fitting), which means your realm of connection, social image, and friendship will shine even brighter. Take the crew on a journey into the Santa Monica mountains for a meal at Malibu Cafe, a unique dining experience where you’ll find a sprawling 5,000 acre property filled with waterfalls, tree groves, and a surprisingly nice crab salad. " - kat hong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/infatuation-horoscopes

Malibu Cafe

The Malibu Cafe

@goop

4,111 Postcards · 173 Cities

"COVID-19 Update: Open for pickup. Wedged between the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu wine country, Malibu Cafe and its sprawling grounds (one hundred and thirty acres, to be exact) and outdoor games (corn hole, pool, and shuffleboard) make it a great place to bring littles. Much of the action centers around the courtyard, which is set up with a bar, lawn games, and picnic tables. Cafe reservations are recommended, especially on weekends, when without one, the wait can be several hours for a table. A BBQ-heavy menu includes pulled pork, brisket, and Southern fried chicken, but there are a handful of veggie options, like, say, a Brussels sprout salad with Cara Cara oranges and avocado, for those looking for something lighter. There’s a small kids menu with grilled cheese, a burger, and pasta. On the way out, stroll through the little boutique, Shop Calagmigos, which is stocked with beach-y separates like YSTR dresses, tassel bracelets, and Apolis reusable totes. COVID-19 Disclaimer: We are working hard to keep our listings as up to date as possible (deliveries, outdoor dining, etc.), but given the evolving nature of local COVID-19 restrictions, we recommend double-checking the information in this guide with any business you plan on visiting. Also, please note that we have not vetted any businesses listed within our guides for their compliance with applicable safety regulations. "

The Malibu Guide

The Malibu Cafe

@infatuation

132,814 Postcards · 3,234 Cities

Malibu Cafe Review - Malibu - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Located on the grounds of Calamigos Ranch—which is less a functional ranch, and more a wedding destination with private bungalows and giant pools—Malibu Cafe serves pretty standard Malibu fare (hello, $28 breakfast sandwich), but the bottomless deal is great, and you’re eating on a lawn where people promise to be with each other for the rest of their lives, so it almost doesn’t matter." - Kat Hong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/malibu-cafe

Malibu Cafe

The Malibu Cafe

K D

Google

Put this place on your bucket list whether you're a local or from out of town. The atmosphere is amazing with live music, water on one side, hills on the other. This isn't your typical sit-down cafe as you seat yourself, order from the counter and pick everything up yourself. The menu is simple and for drinks, you have the option to go to the bar or to the coffee shop right outside Malibu Cafe's entrance. It's great for a family outing as there are games and plenty of space for kids to run around. Come early as the place gets very busy! There are plenty of different size tables to suit your party size. We love bringing a blanket and just finding our own spot as well.

Ri R.

Google

Beautiful place to have a good time with family and friends. $14 parking fee. Just 2 hours on your reserved table. And when you get a reservation, you need to pay beforehand for reservation. If you do not reservation, lawn is first come, first serve. there is a cork fee and cake fee

Dominika van S.

Google

I love this place. You feel like you want Heaven to be like this. It has a great atmosphere. Pretty much everything is outdoors. Lots of areas to be around. This is a place where you want to have great fun conversations and not use your phone. You even take a nap in the middle of the courtyard. Several bars around the location. Parking is $14. All mountains views and surrounded by 🌳 trees. NOTE: you should add more heaters. It was cold at night (45•) and you didn’t have enough for every table

Varun Y.

Google

Overall good ambience and nice place to hangout. Cutting down 2 stars because we went there on weekday and parked car ourselves but they still charged for valet parking. Also at reception they didn't have menu so we just waited for lady to get menu and then get to the table. Lastly after sunset you will find small insects which is not that pleasant.

Fabiana P.

Google

I stop by on this New Year Eve in the afternoon. This place is beautiful, cozy and the set up is great. I am giving only 3 stars 🌟 because the guy at the bar is very arrogant, not kind at all with a really bad attitude. I asked him a question about the place and he don't even look at me, we asked for a bottle of water and he try to give us what he want, while we did order a drink we saw there was other option of water but his attitude make us to leave and wonder why a gorgeous place has an employee with cero customer service. Valet parking is $14

nancy N.

Google

Beautiful Ambience. Food was delicious! Interesting Bar menu. I felt it was little over priced. But worth it, if you are celebrating a special occasion. They customized a vegetarian platter for us.. which was really great.

Jackie L.

Google

Valet parking $14? And no change back… ? at least ask me if you can keep the change.. thank u..! 🙄 Burgers are ok but spread is flat flavored. Chicken sandwich is grilled breast, with sweet red pepper sauce, which gives the dry white meat with flavor.

Aman G.

Google

Limited in vegetarian options but whatever they offered was good. I ordered a cauliflower starter and a Tomato herlum sandwich with a margarita. Decently priced. The service was good. Valet service $14 Amazing place to chill around after your meal or just have a walk around the pond or the park with a drink. Lots of dining locations all over the restaurant.

Loan N.

Yelp

My family and I went here for the first time and loved it! We have valet parking, $15 for a vehicle and you can stay however long you wanted. This place is such a gem! I love the aesthetic of it. It gives off such a vibrant, peaceful, calm atmosphere. Definitely one of the places to go to if you want to take some photos. Also, there is a gigantic chess board, so cool! I freaking love chess! For food, we ordered something small because we didn't want to eat too much. Just sampling. We got chicken tenders, a burger, shrimp salad, and some kind of mushroom dish. Man oh man, I tell yah. Everything was freaking delicious and yummy! The flavors were on point! Nothing was bad! The drinks were also amazing. 10/10 highly recommend! Such a beautiful and lovely place!

Vivian C.

Yelp

The Malibu Cafe is a truly beautiful place. $14 parking fee. Just 2 hours on your reserved table. And when you get a reservation, you need to pay beforehand for reservation. If you do not reservation, lawn is first come, first serve. there is a cork fee and cake fee The atmosphere is amazing with live music, water on one side, hills on the other. This isn't your typical sit-down cafe as you seat yourself, order from the counter and pick everything up yourself. The menu is simple and for drinks, you have the option to go to the bar or to the coffee shop right outside Malibu Cafe's entrance Cutting down 1 stars because Lastly after sunset you will find small insects which is not that pleasant.

Maria J.

Yelp

The food was okay but definitely pricey. The main reason to come here is for the beautiful atmosphere--the upside-down umbrellas, giant checkers, and giant Jenga make it a really fun and unique spot. We especially enjoyed roasting s'mores, which was a great family activity. Overall, it's a fun place for the experience, but not necessarily for the food.

Noah K.

Yelp

Don't come here. Very misleading, they are not open to the public anymore. They need to update that immediately. We also tried to call them and the lady(Bre) who answered was very rude and not helpful at all. Wasted and ruined our day plans.

Manisha V.

Yelp

Just love this place. Ambience over looking the santa monica mountains is fab. Heard it is now closed.

Shi A.

Yelp

Went here December 2024 and were told that if you are not staying at the hotel you are not allowed to sit down and order food. Wish there was a note about this somewhere on their restaurant description (on either google maps or yelp). Somehow ok to order from their coffee shop, just not their restaurant. Make it make sense.

Michelle W.

Yelp

Came here on a Saturday and it can get really hot as it was summer time. Not a lot of shade either but there are some umbrellas at the tables and if you eat at the restaurant upstairs there will be shade too. Food was okay here. Their best item on the item would probably be their burger and salad. I got a chicken sandwich, thinking it was fried for some reason, but it was actually grilled lol. However, their wines and drinks were really good! There's a bar area by the entrance that's separate from the cafe and they have some food that the actual restaurant didn't have and can't be brought to the restaurant, such as the charcuterie board. The charcuteries board was okay as well. Mostly because majority of the cheeses weren't my favorite. Aside from the food, the ambiance was great! They have a lot of games like corn hole, ping pong table, and life size chess. There's also a nearby lake that have areas to chill at. It reminds me of a small park with restaurants. Very kid friendly as well. Overall, would come back here for the vibes and their drinks (specifically wines).

Phillip B.

Yelp

Awesome setting, chandeliers hanging from the trees, food amazing, service outstanding all make for an unforgettable experience

Yolanda S.

Yelp

Super cute place! Came when we were staying at Calamigo's and decided to do lunch there. It's not far from the ranch & parking is plentiful and easy. I honestly loved the vibes, very instagrammable! The entire cafe entirely outdoors and is spacious w/ tons of cute decor. There is even a little lake there! We brought our drinks and sat by the lake. It is def a place that you can easily spend the entire afternoon and lose track of time relaxing, but hey that's what getaway are for right? The biggest complaint would be the food and drinks, they were not very memorable.

Daryl D.

Yelp

Omgosh what a cute af place to hang out at or have a small gathering with friends. There's a grab and go, bar, and coffee shop in the establishment. It's open seating throughout the place with a few photo spots. There's also a small lake where you can enjoy nature for a little bit. The food was decent. I had roasted cauliflower, cheese & charcuterie plate and pulled pork with fries. All of it wasn't bad taste wise and portion wise as well. I recommend the cauliflower. The charcuterie is good for sharing and is pretty filling. For drinks I highly suggest getting the royal flush. It's made with vodka and has lavender sprigs and gives it such a pretty purple color. The staff was great and I would absolutely come back here again. It is valet only for $14 and they accept card.

Johnny T.

Yelp

Here's the quick review - the food isn't incredible, nor are some of the drinks. Come for the fun drive to get here (love me some windy roads) and stay for the overall atmosphere/vibes. Seriously you should have no business coming here unless you plan to lounge and enjoy yourself. We went right at 10am on a Sunday, coming back from a road trip. We did not make a reservation because that is only for evenings. Please check or call them before going here as parking was $10. This place was designed like I was in some sort of bubble, or island, away from California, away from home. It gives off a relaxing vacation vibe. There's a ping pong table, huge chess, cornhole, and live music to make it feel like a PR activation event for some sort of brand at a trade show, except it's not. Actually the best description is that it feels like the lunch area of a huge concert/festival. Seating is first-come first serve; since we showed up when they opened we had easy pickings, but after an hour there were already people circling like vultures for tables. As for food - phew. The charcuterie (char-coochie board, as the kids say these days) was hilarious. I'm giving benefit of the doubt because COVID19 has changed dining situations, but damn. The charcuterie came in a to-go box which removes MOST of the fun with charcuterie - no presentation and no pleasant feeling of a snack. It felt like I was eating crackers and cheese on a field trip to the zoo. The steak sandwich was good, but also very forgettable. I'd probably recommend the burger instead. I wasn't entirely enthused by the mixed drinks here but perhaps this is more of a place to order wine? Then again, I wouldn't want wine with my salami to-go box.

Andrew A.

Yelp

The restaurant has been closed for 3 years. We did not see on their website, google or yelp. But when we called, and thank goodness we did. They advised this restaurant was not open. Yelp and Google should take this listing down.

Danny L.

Yelp

Drinks: - Had the old fashioned. It was a clean and well balanced. Wasn't too sweet, I enjoyed it. Food: - The striped bass was decent. The skin was crispy and the fish itself was a little dry, but manageable. Honestly the vegetables were the highlight for me. I loved the mushrooms and asparagus that the fish sat on - The wood-fired mushrooms are a must get in my opinion if you like mushrooms. The combination of the pistou and king mushroom is very nice. It's a really earthly dish so I'm glad they used something like a pistou to lift the dish up a bit. It's a very mushroomy dish so it can get tiring if you're not a mushroom lover like myself - The Chili Prawn salad was a little disappointing. I honestly liked the salad more without the prawns. All the other ingredients were great except for the prawns itself. The char on it was sour and dry that left a bad impression. I pretty much ate everything and left the prawns Ambience: - The restaurant is next to a beautiful small body of water with ducks swimming around - There are a lot of bees around. To ward them off the place offers incense but they smell kinda bad and gave me a headache - There is also a large turf area outside with games and stuff for kids. Depending on the day expect some chaos with rugrats running around Overall: Food was okay, the atmosphere of the place is a little chaotic since it's such a large area with so many families around. The bees swarm the place so be careful about getting anything sweet. Overall I liked it, I don't know if I'd recommend it or come back but it's acceptable

Michelle P.

Yelp

My friends and I were able to hop in and find a table pretty quickly in the shade, as well. Food was okay here. I got a chicken entree and remember thinking that the chicken was somewhat bland and not up to par for the price. The ambiance seemed to be the draw. They have a lot of games like corn hole, ping pong table, and life size chess and you could definitely feel the summer vibes! The trees surrounding us also created shade and shadows as it was a pretty warm day.

Shanoah N.

Yelp

Went here to celebrate a engagement for a friend. Made reservations for a table of 12, they accommodate us very well. You have to pay for parking, and then take a shuttle to the actual place. The place was very kid friendly. It was honestly a kid free for all. While the parents drank. If you are going thinking it's going to be a relaxing, drinking adult time. You will be disappointed, for kids roam and take over everywhere. If you are a fun mom, who enjoys good drinks and have no sitter, this is for you! The food was decent, yet the price they charge is way overpriced for the items you get. The lunch menu was very much lacking. The ranch life drink was mouth watering though! Not to sure if I will come out here again. Maybe for only a mom date!

Tim H.

Yelp

HUGE TIP: Coming early is highly recommended by the time we left there was a full line at the entrance for a Saturday. Ambience was amazing MINUS the nasty stagnant water lol lol Food from the kale salad, chicken sandwich and more was actually surprisingly really good. COVID: They changed us around a $10 service EXTRA charge for helping keep the premises clean. Personally, I saw no one cleaning the tables or enforcing any type of cleanliness. Kids running around without masks and a few adult walking around with no mask in plain sight. $10 self parking fee $10 COVID service fee $20+ salads and sandwiches $15+ drinks It will add up so PLEASE be prepared.

Arnold M.

Yelp

amazing outdoor decor and vibes are very nice lakeside you can just pay valet which is fairly priced and order food at the bar side or sit down at restaurant but entire outdoor has been renovated amazing time

Casandra W.

Yelp

Such a cute place to visit. Great ambience and venue. Staff was great, from Valet to waiter... just didn't have the best food selections. I personally loved the beet salad I got but my guest couldn't find anything on menus as selection was small and pricey. Would highly recommend events here, it is rustic and elegant.

Natalia V.

Yelp

Dillon was awesome! Great customer service, the food was incredibly good and the air ‍ Oh men! Nothing can beat the Malibu weather. I will be back again for sure.

Vanessa C.

Yelp

Super cute place to go for date night, girls night, or corporate event. I'd definitely recommend going anytime but the summer, unless it's at night, It gets incredibly HOT. The food is good, but a bit overpriced. Order drinks from the bar closest to the live music, they create the drink menu! (The drinks from the other bar were a little too sweet). Oversized games are a must! We played corn hole :)

Sarah B.

Yelp

The Malibu Cafe is a mixed bag for me. Make sure to make reservations if you plan to eat dinner here. The grounds are stunning and you get to enjoy your food, drinks, or coffee outdoors in the lush hills of Malibu. We went for a girls night out. To park we did valet ($14) and I am not sure if there are other options. Valet made it easy and the valet staff were prompt and personable. The service upon arrival was friendly and welcoming. We were seated right away. There are yard games, bar and several beautiful areas for that perfect Instagram pic or fun photo. The vibe was a little young and hipster, but also family friendly. The menu is a bit small and for me, limited. We ordered the simple salad, beef tartar and Yukon Potatoes. All dishes were flavorful. You can tell they use quality ingredients. The simple salad was a bit of a let down. Given the name I didn't have high expectations, but really not special. The dressing was good, but otherwise kind of meh. The Yukon potatoes were creamy and the favorite dish of the night. Dessert was a decadent peanut butter and chocolate bar that melts in your mouth. The drinks are at least $15 a piece, so choose wisely. You are paying for the ambiance here. Our server was friendly, but sometimes didn't wear his mask properly, but since we were outdoors, I was not really bothered. However, we were charged $10 sanitation/Covid fee and that is something I haven't seen before. I am not sure I would return, but I did enjoy the experience. If I do return, I might give the lunch menu a try.

Mimi L.

Yelp

It really depends on how you look at this place. If you come for parties or plan to hang out for a whole day, you will most likely enjoy the time here. We had meals here because we stayed at the resort for a weekend. This is the only on site restaurant of this ranch, and they had to shuttle us here every time we wanted to eat. The entire place was huge, beautiful and fun, they had a few bars and plenty of seatings. Also a lot of games to play, so if you have small children they will love this place. There is also a small lake on the premises and you can rent little boats to tour the lake or just hang out on the water. We were seated in main dining area during our meals here. They told us that we didn't need reservations cause we were hotel guests. Each time they had trouble finding heaters cause most of them were broken and it was really packed at the moment. They did provide us blankets before a heater was available though. They also had to move umbrellas at brunch cause the sun was too much for me. Outdoor seatings weren't exactly the most convenient at this cafe. The food wasn't the most delicious on both dinner and brunch. Menus were not that big and they had the same appetizer items for brunch / lunch and dinner. We tried corn chowder, Cajun shrimps, jalapeño hummus, ribeye steak, brisket banh mi, vegan burger lettuce wrap and salmon. Meats were delicious and hubby really enjoyed his rare ribeye steak. Salmon was the worst I'v ever had, burnt outside and no flavor inside also extremely dry and chewy. I had no choice but to send it back and I couldn't find other entree to order on the menu. I liked the vegan burger the most and shrimps were decent too. Service was super slow most of the time, it took such long time just for appetizers to come out. The cocktails were much better than food, we enjoyed the tasty and strong pours. Food prices weren't cheap but portions were huge. Despite the OK food and slow service, this is still a fun place to hang out and take tons of photos. Come here for drinks and snack food, not a good place for full meals or dinner dates. It's crowded and loud so I'd choose this place for friends and family fun times only. Ps. Parking was $9 for hotel guests and $14 for whole day

Stacy P.

Yelp

Just added pics to this review. See below! (I'm short a few characters in updating....)

Tina N.

Yelp

This was my first time in Malibu and I'm glad we went to the Malibu Cafe, what a gem! The outdoor space was so beautiful and they had a live band playing and wow the atmosphere was simply a 10/10. We drove up a winding road and parked our car for $10 and then took a 3 minute shuttle to the actual location. There's a hostess stand at the front but if you want to just hang out on the greenery you can just walk in unless you have a reservation which we did not. There's two bars and you can also order "to go" food as well. One of the bars only serves drinks from the menu and the other one towards the back can make custom drinks. We ended up ordering two beers and a charcuterie board to snack on. It took us TWO HOURS to get our charcuterie board...two hours!!! They gave us a buzzer and it literally never went off. My bf had to ask about it twice before they realized it was just a charcuterie board and then handed it to him immediately. Really??!! I was hangry! While we waited for this overpriced charcuterie, I bought an Italian sub and vegan chocolate chip cookie from the coffee shop by the entrance. They heated up the sub so it was pretty tasty and the vegan chocolate chip cookie was delish!! The charcuterie board was ok. The Bloody Mary slapped. This place was really nice but I don't think I would come back solely based on how hard it was to find a table. Maybe if we arrived earlier we would've found a better spot but it was just way too crowded for me. Plus there was not a lot of spots for shade. Definitely come here if you haven't been here before, it is beautiful!

Lana B.

Yelp

Absolutely great experience!! Came here to celebrate my birthday with my parents and had the best time!! The wine was good (we ordered the bottle of their house Cab), the food was great (we had the roasted beets, fig burrata toast, striped sea bass, brick chicken, flatiron steak, and Yukon potatoes), and the service was excellent (Roland was a delight)! For my birthday the complimentary dessert was the peanut butter mousse cake. Unfortunately I am allergic to peanuts so my parents enjoyed that treat and Roland brought me the Meyer's Lemon cheesecake (also complimentary which was so nice!) Would definitely recommend to friends and family and come back again! Thank you Roland and Malibu Cafe!! P.S. The Yukon potatoes are to die for!!

Kimberly P.

Yelp

I've been here multiple times in the past for brunch, and there casual lunch on Sundays. My recent visit was for dinner on Saturday during the 4th of July weekend and it was lively per usual. Our reservation was at 7:15 and we arrived early at 7:05 pm and checked in with the host and was told we'd receive a text when our table was ready. It was 7:20 pm so we decided to head back and pleasantly the host said our table was ready. We were seat directly across from the kitchen which was noisy so we requested another table which they happily accommodated for us. I ordered the Roast Cauliflower and it was delicious. If you like cauliflower, get this appetizer! It's sweet and savory. Got my entree I had the Sea Bass and although it looks buttery in my photos, it was a disappointment. The Sea Bass was very over cooked. I was too hungry to say anything to the server. I've ordered Sea Bass many times at restaurants and have even made it at home; this white fish tastes sweet, tender, and buttery. But the Sea Bass at Malibu Cafe was dry, and not very good. It was over cooked. The veggies were decent. For a $50 entree, my expectations were let down. I'll still frequent Malibu Cafe but not for dinner, most likely only for brunch.

Diana G.

Yelp

Absolutely fell in love with this place. Although it was hard to find (driving up a long windy road) and parking was $14, I would still recommend it. The entrance was beautiful and the service was great. It's a perfect place to bring large groups or even kids because of the large open spaces. It is also upscale (there was a wedding happening when I went) and the drinks and food were delicious. They have heaters and fire pits with reservations only but since it was slower that day they allowed us to sit anywhere. I'll definitely be going back soon.

Nicole V.

Yelp

Perhaps I should have checked before coming here but there were WAY too many unruly children running around unattended. Not sure if that is a common occurrence here but it is certainly not for those who care to have a relaxing dining experience. The saloon coffee however was outstanding. The property itself was beautiful and the food was delicious.

Marina M.

Yelp

This was a very beautiful restaurant. My friend and I came here to celebrate her birthday and we had brunch on the top level. The food tasted really good and we LOVED the cauliflower. The waitress was very sweet. We did have to wait a little before we got seated which was kinda annoying since we did have a reservation. Besides that, I had a very enjoyable experience and i think I would come again :)

Vanessa D.

Yelp

Please! I ordered a kale salad and legitimately the worst, most tasteless salad I have ever had, $27.59 (plus tip). Insane. 3 stars for the St Fashioned drink I got at one of the bars and the atmosphere / environment is nice!

Tonmoy G.

Yelp

3 stars for drinks, 1 star for food If you want to pay for overpriced, mediocre (at best) food and wait in lines while your kids or other kids run amok like crazy, then this is the place for you! The cocktails were pretty average yet overpriced. This is more of a place for people watching and to be seen.

Malia M.

Yelp

10000000% one of the best and most fun places to go! It is family friendly with plenty of room for kids to run around,safely, while parents can enjoy a drink or yummy food. The staff is beyond friendly and kind. Management has done a wonderful job training them. The food is delicious and healthy. The bar has creative cocktails as well as traditional drinks. As an ex-bartender, it was awesome to see their fun menu and great customer service. We are a family of 5, including a 4-year old. Often, family outings are tough because kids are required to "behave" and not bother other patrons (and for good reason). This place offers an atmosphere where kids can play and be on the loud side, but still be safe. They have live music which is not too loud or an off-sound. Gorgeous photo opportunities all around the property. You cannot go wrong here!! We cannot wait to go back!

Richard B.

Yelp

Closed to the Public! That's what we learned when a group of us went over for lunch/brunch on Sunday... When I asked why they didn't update their Yelp to indicate that the young lady told our group, that's not my job...

Nicci L.

Yelp

All about the atmosphere here. This place is huge and has tons of lawn games like cornhole. Perfect place for day drinking on a nice sunny day. The drinks were really good, my group got a round of cocktails and a few bottles of rosé. The chicken sandwich was also pretty decent. Would definitely come back!

Dee L.

Yelp

Vibe of the place is great. Open space and friendly customers. Free paddle boat. Free corn hole, oversized chess, and ping pong. Food was good nothing special. Expensive. Cocktails overpriced. Not a table service. You order and you pick up your boxed food. There's no organization on seating. I'm good with the open table concept. But you have to hover at tables to wait for anyone leaving. It's first come first serve. It's annoying since you have to ask people "are you leaving soon?" If they say "yes" then you can hover at that table and wait patiently. Once they leave then you flag down someone to clear the table and clean it. With all the concerns about COVID they do not have a good system on their tables. I'll rather wait outside by the hostess and let the establishment figure out seating. I like the idea that you can bring your own blanket and have a picnic on the grass. They are dog friendly.

Jane H.

Yelp

Malibu Cafe has been in my bookmarks for awhile and we finally gave it a try. We went on a Friday so as expected there were weddings and such going on. This place is perfect for any special occasions. The views and ambience is great. This place is also dog-friendly which was a plus for us! My boyfriend and I ordered the Wood-Fired Mushrooms, Bone Marrow and the Brick Chicken. Their menu is pretty small and the food tasted alright for us. It wasn't bad but wasn't that amazing either. Our server was very attentive and helpful. We took a stroll around the area and let our puppy loose towards the back. Lots of space for her to run around. She loved it here. Will definitely come back for some drinks and to chill in the grass areas.

Clem C.

Yelp

As the owner of one of the world's largest high-net-worth social clubs, I cannot describe how terrible my experience was with Malibu Cafe. I've organized thousands of events, and this was the worst experience I have experienced thus far. We were wondering if they want recurring clients. How can you mistreat a company? All our members are from LA and Malibu. You don't want them ever to come back? My experience: - No phone contact -Feeling of superiority from Malibu Cafe - Condescending service -0 flexibility -Outrageous price - 3-day reply - Outrageous 30-minute late fee charge ($500) when we had 4 hours booked and were there for an hour - The list goes on... We had to add three peoples they charged us "extra fees" of $1,000 for them. Is it not your business to bring people to your venue? The person in charge was very unpleasant and condescending, making our experience terrible. We will not be coming back. DO NOT ORGANIZE LARGE EVENTS THERE !!! We don't understand what is wrong with them.

Tess l.

Yelp

This place felt like another world like a fairytale they have a huge area with fake grass and a couple games. the human size chess board is cool. There is a lake and ducks and waterfalls even approaching the area there are other little restaurants and Pathways you can walk on and see other waterfalls. wine and cheese outside while you're waiting for a table. The restaurant is beautiful at night too. They don't have much selection for coffees. The mashed potatoes were the best I've ever had! I think there's cheese in them the flat iron steak was really good. I believe there was cactus within the corn. anchovies in the Caesar salad were extremely fresh. Quick review, just for you

Chesca U.

Yelp

I suggest go dine somewhere else!! It was a 2 hour drive. I've always wanted to visit this place. Even before the Malibu fire. Yes I've waited that long, and since I've heard a lot of nice things about it. Finally, my bf decided to take me there, we left our place around 11:30 am, with the expected traffic at the 101 highway it will take us about 2 hours to get there so I called them in advance to make sure they're open and see if I can get same day reservations. Spoke to somebody and told us they don't take in any reservations for the day, and walk-ins are welcome. Upon arriving, they do valet parking, you'd be ask to just leave your car with the key and somebody will park the car for you. ( it's 9$ for 2.5 hours then 14$ for all day parking) heads-up it will take you about an hour picking up your car after. There was an event going on at that time, so there's a huge bunch of people there, (puppies too, coz it's a bring your pup day event thingy) parts of the whole place were closed for renovations so you won't get to enjoy the whole area, it's also very crowded. They don't have a lot of open tables to accommodate that much people. Reservation system - 1 star Another bad news, the hostess told us the exact opposite of what the guy I spoke to on the phone told us, "they don't take walk-ins anymore, because all the tables available were reserved already, we can try the bar and see if there's a table there available." As soon as we sat on one of the tables by bar, the server told us that we can't stay there because that table is for somebody else with reservations and we were supposed to be seated by the hostess. A lot of people including us, felt that they were trying to not seat us anywhere because all the tables were reserved for somebody else. Luckily, we found a table at the bar. The server won't even serve us food or give us menus not till we were sat by the hostess or he confirmed that he hostess okayed for us to sit there. Food - it was ok okay meaning, it was alright, the menu options are very limited. I ended up getting a 10$ latte which tasted the same as my bf's coffee that they put cream and ice, he liked his bbq burger but my donut balls taste like an okay dessert and I don't think 3 small donut balls with Nutella sauce is worth 30$ which it was priced at. And take note, it took them an hour to serve us food. The server even asked us if he can clean up our plates while we were still working on our food. Our bill total was 63$ for 2 plates and coffee. I'm not sure if we just came in at the wrong time. But I was expecting more especially a lot of people recommended this place, but with that experience I don't think I'll ever want to come back. Maybe you'll have a better dine in experience if you call them ahead like days before, to make early reservations or come in early during the weekdays without any events or maybe wait till the whole renovation is completed so you can enjoy the place.

Aleli N.

Yelp

I love Malibu Cafe! Such a great ambiance for any occasion. I've been here multiple times and I always have a great time. It's a cute place for a date night, girls day out, if you want to host your birthday, engagement party, bridal party you name it!! It's hard to have a bad time when there's great liquor and wine with amazing views!! Highly recommend

Alexandre K.

Yelp

This place is astonishing! Clearly takes the cake on all around best places to eat. | A T M O S P H E R E | Like a dream come true. I love it all from the very moment I turn into the ranch. Twice I've been here; once for dinner and once for brunch with the same friend. During the day when I went there was a beautiful wedding going on and honestly there's always some group event happening here. It's just a really fun spot to be at. | S T A F F | We met the manager Roland and our server was Jake. Both were very hospitable and we had a great experience with Jake and trying menu items that were suggested by him. We made a deal to come back every few weeks to sample some new plates during lunch time. Now we have our second shut down with COVID so not sure that's happening anytime soon. | F O O D | Fresh and delicious! Lots of American plates with seasonal twists. My friend and I have usually ordered the Graham Beck Brut Rose bottle to share. I've only ever eaten salads here to be honest. They're amazing and I'm always craving more during my time away. My favorites so far are the Fall Salad ($22) and Ranch Chop ($26). All are phenomenal and literally to die for. My dog would differ though, she turned her nose up at the shrimp in the grilled shrimp salad but she's extremely boogie and prefers cheese and chicken instead. What a life! | P A R K I N G | Is never and issue you just pay $10 to self park or $14 for valet. Easy and convenient. There's never a time that you come and you don't pay just a heads up and yes they take card! I'm already craving some salads so I'll opt to do the grab and go option next weekend and take some items for a picnic! Hope you enjoy and can't wait until I get to visit once again.

Alex F.

Yelp

Beautiful outdoor common ground for couple of businesses in a very suggestive canyon landscape. Definitely a plus for family/friend visiting, you see people strolling with babies, groups hanging out and enjoying the ground I guess (and hope) we just stopped by for an expensive lunch the wrong day. The service in general has been pretty slow: took long time to be acknowledged at the hostess podium and once seated the server promptly took the order for drinks and food... a part for water everything else had been delayed. After ordering and receiving a lemonade we talked to the server who confirmed that despite what normally customers are expecting the lemonade is a fountain drink out of the machine so we exchanged for a tea. After 25 minutes of wait for a sandwich and a salad I started wondering about our food and inquired about it.. apparently nothing had been prepared. The food was ok, can't say stunning but the experience is increases by the vibe, landscape and setup. Maybe better luck next time

Nicole R.

Yelp

Let me say this .. the place is magical. It took a while for the waitress to visit the table. Drinks took quite awhile and the menu was so limited. Our party ordered burgers except for me who doesn't eat meat. I ordered the Brussel Sprouts and as I was eating it, I realized it had pork in it. I have an auto immune disease and I cannot eat pork! Nowhere in the description did I see pork listed Kids and my mom loved the burgers and fries. It's pretty spendy ... chicken sandwich is $30.00 - could I afford it? Absolutely, do I want to spend $30 bucks for a sandwich no. Just be prepared They also had a wedding going on at the Ranch - so they made us park down below which kept us waiting in the heat for a van to bring us up. Same going back down But again, simply lovely

T N.

Yelp

$14 mandatory parking fee = 1 star Online reservation system that works = 4 stars $30 plates that look nice but taste meh = 2 stars Outdoor seating amongst the trees = 5 stars Fast service = 4 stars *Extremely* bougie crowd = 1 star This is a great place to bring your social media obsessed date and let them get their pics with the trees and art and fancy food presentations. For everything else, go elsewhere.

a t.

Yelp

This is the problem with our society today. This place is just ok, lousy plain chicken sandwich and a double cheeseburger. The grounds are nice, but how much can you walk around. We are simply used to paying for a show of nothing. Parking $14 for me to park myself on the dirt. $15+ for drinks ok, but again not worth it. Cheesecake Factory is nothing to rave about but is 10 times better. We need to stop supporting overhyped places like this to simply show of ourselves, REGARDLESS of how many years this place has been in business. Length of time in business does not make it right.

Maria Catalina D.

Yelp

What a cute place for any occasion--brunch, date, group hangouts, etc. I love love LOVE the food, drinks, and atmosphere that The Malibu Cafe entails. It sits in the center of the Calamigos Ranch, a few minutes away from the beach. Came here to celebrate my graduation! The food and drinks were delicious. The staff were super friendly. The place itself is cute with wonderful scenery and games!

Chrissy C.

Yelp

Pretty overpriced for what it is. Food is okay / good, but nothing special. Just know that you're paying for the view / vibes / atmosphere of being at Calamigos Ranch. If you go into it with that mindset it's a perfectly fine place. Service was pretty lacking though, they were quite slow and inattentive despite it not being very busy on a weekday. $14 valet parking.

Linda S.

Yelp

This place has definitely changed a lot. The rating is for the food and service, not the vibes or beautiful scenery. We came with a big crowd and was seated as soon as our entire party was there. The drinks were pretty good! I got the kiwi cocktail and it was good, not too sweet. When we got the menus, we were all shocked at the prices. $30 for a burger?? It should be the best burger ever. We got some small plates for the table - broccolini and Brussel sprouts! Nothing special about either of those. The only thing we all loved was the French fries. They were delicious. I got a burger and the burrata sandwich to share with a friend. The burger was just not good. It was sweet and tasted odd. The burrata sandwich was too much flavor. The burrata was also runny. Felt like you were eating an egg. When we finished having cake, the server came and said we need to leave in 10 minutes because we already reached our 2 hour limit. I would totally understand if the place was packed or had no empty tables but there were sooo many tables that were open. Ridiculous. Would I come back again to the restaurant? No. Would rather bring my own food and enjoy something way better

Ashley C.

Yelp

The Malibu Cafe is a cute outdoor dining and hangout spot! It's definitely hidden off of the dirt road - entrance is through Calamigos Ranch. Also, they take their opening hours very seriously. We arrived at 11:30, hoping to just park until we could walk in, since they didn't open until 12, and the lady said we couldn't even drive in until 12 sharp! So don't even bother coming early. As a disclaimer, this review is written during the COVID pandemic. I am not sure how much during our visit differs from normal operations. I heard the self park option is new though. They still offer valet for $14, or self park for $10. We were lucky to get a spot in the shade since we were one of the first to park. They will check your bags once you walk in, because you're not allowed to bring outside food and drink. We had a bit of an issue because the guy stopped us for bringing a cake, even though we called the day before to confirm that we could bring it. We had to wait for a manager, who came and told us that we can bring it in...so we waited for nothing. Anyway, yes you can bring in a cake, you just have to pay a cake cutting fee per person.. even though they don't even offer plates or utensils or a cake cutting knife or anything! Luckily we had brought our own paper plates, and we just asked for the utensil sets at the food pickup station. But it's a little hard cutting a tall cake with a disposable knife... All seating is first come first serve once you're inside. We got lucky and claimed two of the last umbrellas! There is a lot of sun if you come at lunch time, so I can see why it got more crowded in the afternoon because the sun shifts and there are many more shaded spots at that time. The food menu seemed limited and I'm not sure if that's because of COVID. I tried the chicken sandwich, because the sweet pepper relish and Worcestershire aioli caught my eye. Plus I wanted something with fries. The chicken was moist and I really liked the relish, but because of how the chicken was cut in smaller fat chunks, a lot of it would fall out of the sandwich. It was super messy, which brings me to my next point...they should add more dishes to the menu that you can eat with a fork and not your hands! Because this place is picnic style, it was hard to eat the messy meal with my hands. Luckily I had wet wipes and hand sanitizer with me. Really nice spot and I love that they allow dogs. I hope to come back again after the pandemic ends. If you're not ready for a lot of people and interaction yet, I would avoid this spot. They don't seem to enforce social distancing at all, except for standing in line for food. They also had multiple large parties set up with tables of at least 10 or more!

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Malibu Cafe

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Malibu Cafe Review - Malibu - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

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Malibu Cafe

The Malibu Cafe

K D

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Loan N.

Yelp

Vivian C.

Yelp

Maria J.

Yelp

Noah K.

Yelp

Manisha V.

Yelp

Just love this place. Ambience over looking the santa monica mountains is fab. Heard it is now closed.

Shi A.

Yelp

Michelle W.

Yelp

Phillip B.

Yelp

Awesome setting, chandeliers hanging from the trees, food amazing, service outstanding all make for an unforgettable experience

Yolanda S.

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Daryl D.

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Michelle P.

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Shanoah N.

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Tim H.

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Arnold M.

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Casandra W.

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Natalia V.

Yelp

Dillon was awesome! Great customer service, the food was incredibly good and the air ‍ Oh men! Nothing can beat the Malibu weather. I will be back again for sure.

Vanessa C.

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Stacy P.

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Just added pics to this review. See below! (I'm short a few characters in updating....)

Tina N.

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Clem C.

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Tess l.

Yelp

Chesca U.

Yelp

Aleli N.

Yelp

Alexandre K.

Yelp

Alex F.

Yelp

Nicole R.

Yelp

T N.

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Maria Catalina D.

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Yelp

The Malibu Cafe

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The 18 Best Restaurants In Malibu - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

15 Sunny Restaurants to Try Around Malibu

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Malibu Cafe Review - Malibu - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

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