Here’s where to find the best waterfront restaurants in L.A.

When you want sushi with a view, it’s impossible to beat Nobu Malibu. The iconic restaurant perches over Surfrider Beach with views of the sea, the sand and the nearby Malibu Pier, and while it offers scenery galore, that doesn’t mean it’s just a pretty face. Nobu Matsuhisa’s cooking is world-class, and it’s here that you’ll find sushi, Japanese classics and the chef’s signature fusion bites (yes, we do mean those tuna tacos). With a minimalist aesthetic, the focus is all on the food and the sights, sounds and smells of the ocean and all that salt air. Just be sure to ask for patio seating when you make a reservation (and you will be needing a reservation).

Far less fancy but by far one of the most fun and interactive restaurants on our list, the San Pedro Fish Market is an institution that sits right along the channel. The vibe is casual, breezy and seafaring here, where you place your order at the long fish case—stocked with whole fish, filets, shellfish and beyond, often caught right off the coast—and the team will bring your order over to the grill where it’s all seared and buttered to perfection. There’s a fajita stand, too, plus crab tanks, as well as a fast-food area where you’ll find quick and mostly fried items like fish and chips. Grab a drink at one of the bars and bring your trays to the picnic tables right on the water.  

Waterfront? This spot’s water-on. The dual-concept restaurant bookends the famous Malibu Pier, serving up fresh California fare at both the full-service Malibu Farm restaurant (located at the entrance) and its more casual counterpart, Malibu Farm Cafe (all the way at the end), which boasts incredible views. There’s even a patio on the pier for making the most of the breezy setting, and healthful, produce-forward dishes such as cauliflower pizza as well as some serious grass-fed burgers at both. Enjoy organic veggies, farm-fresh eggs and more all while perching over the Pacific. Not bad, not bad at all.

Just a few steps from the legendary San Pedro Fish Market sits sibling spot Crusty Crab, a more compact, straightforward—and dare we say it, fun—branch of the SPFM family. Famed for its gargantuan, steaming-hot seafood trays and beloved for the casual seating right along the docks of the channel, Crusty Crab is a must—especially if you like live music or you’re dropping by a hot day and looking to relax with a michelada or a frozen margarita in hand. 

The surfy, Hawaiian vibes are on full display in the Duke’s dining room and bar, but out on the patio it’s all about the view. The glassed-in space provides a crystal-clear glimpse of the ocean that’s so close the waves sometimes crash against the barrier as you eat (don’t worry, you and your slice of hula pie will stay dry). Built right along the water and sporting a breezy, chill and tropical motif—all a nod to father-of-surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku—this Malibu spot serves coconut shrimp with lilikoi chili; macadamia-crusted fish of the day; sashimi; banana-leaf–steamed seafood; some of the best fish tacos in the neighborhood; and plenty of tiki drinks. 

Sure, it’s a hotel restaurant, but SALT delivers tried-and-true seafood-centric plates and light all-day fare within the Marina del Rey Hotel, not to mention one of the most serene and private patios on the harbor. You can watch the boats bob up and down at their docks, and take a seat at a more conventional table or in a lounge area that sports fire pits—perfect for sundown. 

This old-school Malibu haunt offers two options right along the water: There’s the main outdoor patio, just at the shore’s edge, and then there’s the bar-style seating on a smaller patio just off the main dining room, which hangs right over the Pacific for a truly waterside experience. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins as you laze surrounded by oysters on the half shell, the house lobster linguini, a classic shrimp cocktail, the catch of the day or a bit of surf and turf.

Kincaid’s is your standard, reliable chophouse, but it’s got one thing that most of the South Bay’s other steak and seafood joints will never have: seating right on the pier. Redondo Beach’s Kincaid’s sits at the base of the pier, giving you views of the ocean and the rest of the curving boardwalk as you nosh on crab-and-artichoke dip, fresh oysters, steaks, the catch of the day and some Key lime pie.