Drive down Pacific Coast’ ‘ Highway with the windows down, the music up, the wind in your hair, and come to a final stop at Duke’s in Malibu.
Located at the water’s edge, Duke’s in Malibu was created in honor of Duke Kahanamoku, a famous Hawaiian surfer, Olympic gold medalist and actor. The theme of the restaurant recreates an island environment with a beachfront view, floral patterned furniture, and the constant sound of crashing waves.
Duke’s is one of many restaurants from the TS partnership comprised of long time friends and co-founders Sandy Saxten and Rob Thibaut. They wanted to build restaurants in a variety of locations where they would want to live, accompanied by great food and an upbeat environment.
There is a separate menu for lunch and dinner, with lunch more casual and dinner being a bit more upscale. Lunch items consist of salads, sandwiches, and Baja fish tacos ranging from $10 to $20, with a variety of seafood such as seven spice ahi and sesame hibachi that are offered seasonally and vary in market price. The dinner menu features what Duke’s calls ‘fresh island fish.’ In Hawaiian tradition, fishermen respected the sea by only fishing for certain fish during certain seasons. Duke’s honors that tradition and guests should inquire about fish options with their servers for available seafood.
Their most famous appetizer is the Panko Crusted Calamari for $8, which consists of 10 calamari strips, goldenly fried and served with guava cocktail sauce. A popular ‘Island Favorite’ is the Crispy Coconut Shrimp for $13.95 during lunch and a larger portion for $17.95 during dinner. The coconut shrimp is skewered with sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce.
Dukes’ limited selection of desserts is hardly anything to complain about. Their featured dessert, Hula Pie, is made with macadamia nut ice cream, piled on a dark chocolate cookie crust, drizzled with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and topped off with more macadamia nuts. For only $6.50, one Hula Pie can feed about four people. Advertised as the dessert that ‘sailors swim to shore for in Lahaina,’ Hula Pie is tasty enough to satisfy any mainlander.
The main dining room serves lunch, dinner, and a buffet brunch on Sundays. A short distance away from the formal dining room is the Barefoot Bar. Here there is a rectangular bar with bartenders in Hawaiian shirts serving up a variety of draft and bottled beers, wine by the glass, and eight fruity beach drinks along with an outside patio overlooking the ocean. A favorite recommendation from many Duke’s servers is a tall glass of the Lava Flow, a blended drink of pineapple juice, coconut syrup, strawberries, and rum topped with a pineapple slice for $7. The Bar offers a simple menu of eight entrees consisting of burgers, sandwiches, and tacos all served with crispy waffle fries.
The restaurant also has a beach party schedule. Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. there is an Aloha Hour, with special pricing on Barefoot Bar entr’eacute;es. Tuesday is Fish Taco Night and tacos are $2.50 at the bar from 4 p.m. until closing. Wednesday is Wine Night where guests get half off their choice of bottled wine with the purchase of two entrees. Fridays are made for Mai Tai Madness with $4 Mai Tais all night and Hawaiian dancers for entertainment from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The only thing that’s a little less than paradise is the parking situation. There is limited parking on the street and valet parking is basically the only other option, but valet is affordable and the drivers are friendly and careful with the vehicles.
So get in your car, grab a couple friends, and head out to Duke’s to experience a bit of local paradise before the winter cold sets in.
Duke’s Malibu
At the Water’s Edge in Malibu
21150 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA’ 90265
