Neptune's Net

David Lai

a month ago

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for years, and somehow I had never been to Neptune’s Net. Apparently I should turn in my local resident card. A friend asked if I’d ever been there, and I honestly thought he was talking about some fancy Malibu seafood restaurant along the lines of Gladstones. Nope. What I found was actually much better for my style: order at the counter, grab a seat, eat with the crowd, and enjoy the view. No waiter hovering over you every five minutes asking if everything tastes amazing. Neptune’s Net has been a PCH institution for decades, and on a Sunday afternoon it felt like the entire motorcycle community, half the surfers in Malibu, and a few thousand hungry tourists all decided to show up at the same time. Amazingly, the line moved fast. We ordered, found a table, and had food in front of us in about ten minutes. With that many people, that’s practically wizardry. Parking was way easier than I expected. You can pay for the lot, but like half of Southern California, people were parked along PCH. We found a spot and walked right in. For my first visit, I went with the fish and chips. That's my seafood restaurant test drive meal. If you can’t get fish and chips right, we’re going to have problems. The portion size was solid, and at around nineteen bucks it wasn’t outrageous for Malibu. The fish was good, but a little heavier on the breading than I prefer, and the fillets weren’t quite as thick and flaky as I was hoping. Now comes the comparison. If we're talking strictly fish and chips, I still give the crown to Malibu Seafood. Same general price range, bigger portions, and better fish in my opinion. Neptune’s Net wins on atmosphere, history, people-watching, and pure Malibu coastal vibes. Would I come back? Absolutely. Several regulars told me I made a rookie mistake by not getting the clam chowder in the sourdough bread bowl. I saw a few of them floating around the dining area, and they looked fantastic. Next visit, especially on a colder day, that's exactly what I'm ordering. The fish tacos are also high on my list. Bottom line: Neptune’s Net is one of those classic Southern California spots you have to experience at least once. The food is good, the atmosphere is legendary, and the people-watching alone is worth the trip. Just don't do what I did and wait years before finally checking it out.

Alex de Taranto

2 months ago

I had a pound of King crab legs that had very little flavour. I also had the calamari and fish combo and despite being a lover of fish, I ended up throwing most of it away. The dish was overcooked, the calamari dry and rubbery and the fries were just about bearable. A very poor show. If you’re a seafood lover, look elsewhere.

Tina Ngo-Wright

4 months ago

If there were 1/2 stars, they'd get 3.5 stars! Great atmosphere (across from the beach), exciting welcome when we arrived. Love that! Food was ok. The batter for their fish was not preferred. See pics. My salmon salad was good with the ginger dressing but the salmon piece was on "skinny margarita" size.

A Mastrolia

4 months ago

Great, beautiful, nostalgic location with great food, a huge beer selection and stunning views! Fun atmosphere with plenty of parking and motorcycle specific parking. Neptunes net shows up in some iconic movies like, Fast and Furious and point blank! Fun experience all around! Beautiful drive to this location Malibu California!

Mindy Starks

a month ago

We ordered the fish and calamari and some clam strips. The fish wasn't salted at all and the calamari wasn't cooked long enough and too thick. The clam strips were amazing!!!! Seating is limited and the tables are kind of dirty. It's very claustrophobic in my opinion.