23 Postcards
Malibu Seafood is a charming, no-frills seafood shack serving up perfectly battered fish 'n chips and fresh catch, all with stunning ocean views and a relaxed vibe.
"If you ever need a reminder of why you put up with LA’s traffic, more pollution than is good for you, and way too many people who think they can heal you with their hands, Malibu Seafood is it. All you need to do is jump in your car, cruise along PCH with your windows down, and end up at this eternally busy seafood shack. Get the squid and fries or the peel-your-own shrimp, sit at a table overlooking the ocean, and wonder why you’d live anywhere else." - brant cox
"It’s a scientific fact that food from the ocean tastes better if you eat it while looking at the ocean, and Malibu Seafood is one of our favorite places to do both. Owned and run by the fisherman who caught that piece of fish you’re about to put in your face, this little shack on PCH is here to provide you with all your beach-adjacent seafood needs. The menu is full of classics—squid and chips, steamed mussels, a peel-your-own shrimp plate—and the elevated patio is ideal for taking in the views. Even with the line that snakes through the parking lot on weekends, we can’t leave Malibu without stopping here." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"There’s nothing revolutionary about the shrimp cocktails at Malibu Seafood, and that’s exactly why we like them. The PCH-adjacent seafood shack offers both a jumbo shrimp cocktail and one made with smaller bay shrimp for a few bucks less. Both versions are perfectly poached, served with housemade cocktail sauce, and come in little plastic to-go containers, which makes them an ideal complement to a day after the beach or whenever you’re wandering around Malibu and need a delicious, quick little snack." - brant cox, arden shore
"There is no better weekend decision than pulling off Pacific Coast Highway as signage for Malibu Seafood draws impossibly nearer in the foreground. The seafood shack, which butts up to a verdant Corral Canyon trailhead, has delighted hikers, road-trip-weary travelers, and beach-goers since it opened in 1972. Here, find all the old-school seafood stand favorites: deep-fried seafood plates, which, beyond the fish and shrimp standard, can feature clam strips, squid, and oysters; fish sandwiches topped with vinegary coleslaw; and grilled seafood platters with proteins like freshly caught halibut, swordfish, and tuna served alongside crispy crinkle-cut french fries, rice pilaf, or a butter-slathered baked potato. Seafood steamers are on order, too, with Dungeness crab offered seasonally, as well as lobster, clams, and mussels. The restaurant’s ceviches and seafood cocktails comprise some of the lighter fare, and all spreads can be enjoyed from its tiered patio set-up, which provides ample views of the iridescent Pacific Ocean before it. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager" - Eater Staff
"Malibu Seafood is the ideal post-beach spot after a long day of floating around in the ocean and burying your friends under mounds of sand. Not only can you find the best seafood along PCH (a notch above the wonderfully kitschy Neptune's Net), but it’s also casual and fun, meaning swimsuits are always acceptable. Get the ubiquitous fish and chips, as well as the squid and fries (a less common order, but incredible). There will be a line, but when things are this relaxed and beautiful, who cares? " - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren, garrett snyder
