Nobu Malibu

"The best of the best, haters will say it's overrated but they're just jealous they can't get a reservation. Not that I can either! At least, I couldn't before learning the local tricks. Don't bother calling this divinely delectable Japanese haunt with a Peruvian influence. Instead, arrive early in the evening on the intended night of your dinner (in person), and put your name down on the wait list. Worse case when you show up later, you can always eat at the bar on the cozy counters they have tucked away from the main dining room. A global institution at this point, Nobu NEVER misses and this just so happens to be their best location in the world--I'm serious! Lounge around on their seaside patio before dinner to get the perfect vacation flick, then prepare your wallet (and your stomach) for the best meal of your life. If you can foot the bill, dining omakase here is always the best option. If not, the following dishes curated by a Nobu connoisseur (me) should satisfy your pallet: -If you're only going to order one dish, get the rock shrimp tempura. The fried batter is hearty enough that you should be satiated by the end, and for ~$36 this is a pretty reasonably-priced gourmet meal. -If you're here for the first-time, these are the classic dishes you NEED to try: yellowtail jalapeno, crispy rice with spicy tuna, black cod with miso, prime filet "toban" yaki, baked crab handroll, and some salmon nigiri. -If you're returning to Nobu, these are more modern interpretations I keep coming back to: fluke sashimi with dry miso (but ask for salmon instead of fluke), tiradito 'nobu style', new style sashimi, creamy spicy snow crab, grilled shishito peppers -Dishes I'd avoid, not because they're bad by any means, they just don't have that WOW factor: monkfish pate with caviar, squid "pasta" with light garlic sauce, chilean sea bass with dry miso (get the black cod instead), shrimp and lobster with spicy lemon sauce (get the creamy spicy snow crab instead) -If you're drinking, you can't go wrong with their: espresso martini, lychee & elderflower martini, pina martini Valet parking is the only option, and honestly with how chaotic the lot is, this is a good thing. Parking is $17.25 when paying with card."

"Renovated from a historic 1950s era motel and named after traditional Japanese inns, Nobu Ryokan offers a unique blend of Japanese hospitality and Californian coastline. Located on the shores of Malibu's Carbon Beach, the hotel's naturally stained teak and ipe woods eases the eyes and mind with their warm, earthy tones and clean, linear form."

"An iconic restaurant. There's another location in West Hollywood, but I highly recommend the Malibu location. The view on the water is unmatched. Reservations recommended. "