The Most Romantic Restaurants in Malibu for a Date in Los Angeles

Nobu Malibu is the Nobu flagship, a Japanese restaurant right by the beach on Pacific Coast Highway. Ocean views reach nearly every seat. It is also a pick for an anniversary. For a first visit, share your way through the menu: two or three cold dishes, then hot dishes, then sushi and dessert, with the Eight Highlights as a guide.

A former hotel on Pacific Coast Highway now houses Geoffrey's Malibu, serving Californian food. The dining room is largely unenclosed, and every table has an ocean view. Before dinner or after lunch, walk down to the lesser-known public beach it opens onto.

The baked Brie in puff pastry, topped with pine nuts, pear chutney and beurre blanc, is the starter most diners go for.

Carbon Beach Club is the restaurant at Malibu Beach Inn, on Carbon Beach with unobstructed Pacific views. The terrace is over the sand, and the atmosphere is relaxed and elegant.

The kitchen cooks seasonal California cuisine, with dishes like a seafood tower of lobster, oysters, and shrimp, steak frites, and Dungeness crab bucatini. The wine list has more than 200 selections.

Taverna Tony is a romantic mix of indoor and outdoor seating, and a Malibu date-night staple. Look for it tucked into the rear corner of Malibu Country Mart, well clear of the busier front.

The lush patio is a more relaxed alternative to the restaurants right by the water, and it makes a good dinner stop after a day on the sand. Weekends typically bring belly dancers and live music. We recommend sharing the whole grilled branzino, the grilled octopus, and creamy taramasalata.

Clark's Oyster Bar is a seafood restaurant at Cross Creek Ranch in Malibu, and a good choice for a date night. The raw bar pairs martinis with wood-fried shrimp toast or rockfish ceviche with finger lime.

The menu also includes a cioppino large enough to share, along with a Dungeness crab salad.

Duke's Malibu is a Hawaii-themed restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway that overlooks the ocean. The room is wood-paneled and lined with surfboards, with TVs playing vintage surf videos.

Tacos, salads, ribs and burgers anchor the menu, which is decent, casual fare. The surf theme ties to Duke Kahanamoku, who taught surfing in Malibu.

Point Dume is the view at The Sunset Restaurant, where the menu leans New American and seafood and the mood stays relaxed yet pretty. The ocean views make it a good Malibu night out. Tables outside sit right on the sand, so leave the heels at home.

OLLO is an Italian restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, with a tagline that promises a touch of Capri near the coastline. A wraparound bar and art on the walls decorate the room, which gets plenty of daylight and turns beach romantic at night. Families and blind dates both end up here.

Fresh pasta is made to order and the pizzas use ingredients from Italy. The menu also runs to spaghetti pomodoro, a wild mushroom pizza, chicken paillard and steak frites.

Mastro's Ocean Club Malibu is a steak and seafood restaurant with an old-school feel, in a location that stands out on Pacific Coast Highway. Expect steak first: USDA Prime cuts, dry-aged options and Japanese A5 Wagyu lead the menu.

Signatures include the bone-in ribeye, warm butter cake, and mashed potatoes with butter-poached lobster.