Perched on the Malibu Pier next to Surfrider Beach, The Beachcomber recaptures the glamour of the pier’s heyday in the mid-1940s. It’s hard to choose where to sit: in the sharp indoor dining room with Kelly green booths, vintage surf photos, and a view of boarders bobbing in the waves, or on the weathered-plank patio where you can hear the swells break on the shore. In either spot, the ocean air will surely boost your appetite for a breakfast of macadamia pancakes, a lunch of the filet mignon Cobb salad, or a fresh seafood dinner of ridge back swordfish with kona konpachi. The best time to come may be for a sunset cocktail. Watch the sun slip into the horizon while sipping a Royal Hawaiian and listening to big band jazz (live music on Sunday nights), and you’ll be transported to a time before Malibu beaches became a war zone for celebrity paparazzi. TIPS: The tiki-themed Tonga Lei Room, adjacent to the bar, has a semi-private circular booth for 12 (complete with lazy Susan) that can be reserved. Instead of jockeying for a parking space with the longboard set, grab a spot at the pier’s parking lot, $4 with validation from the restaurant.

Surf memorabilia line the walls at both beach locations of Duke's, named for Duke Kahanamoku, pioneer surfer and Olympic swimming star. The menu features a long list of fish prepared six ways, including herb-crusted Parmesan. On Tuesdays, there are fish tacos: fried, grilled or Cajun. (Fish entrées, $21.95; fish tacos, $2.)

At the north end of the Venice boardwalk, a little removed from the heart of the action, is the welcoming Figtree's Cafe. The usual semi-healthy California fare is served here--veggie burritos loaded with sour cream and cheese, grilled chicken on un-buttered bread, but served with a mountain of French fries. The waitstaff always manages to look a tad harried here, no matter how many diners there are. Maybe it's because of the proximity of the daily drum circle, which gathers and bangs out beats in glorious disordered style. Entrees: $5-$11.

Geoffrey's has the five most important things a Malibu restaurant needs to survive: a great bar, a decent Caesar and location, location, location. Enter the place, and the reason for its longevity stretches as far as the eye can see. This cliff-side restaurant is basically one long patio carved out of a Malibu hillside. There isn't a table in the house that doesn't have a drop-dead gorgeous view of the Pacific.

Preppie-looking guys flock here for huge portions of moderately good seafood. They wear plastic bibs, sit at wooden benches, and enjoy the spectacular view of the sea pounding the sand just a few feet away from their tables. In short, the average guy's idea of the finest dining around. What could be better?

Moonshadows may not be a destination for the serious foodie, but oh, that view. The noise from the rowdy crowd broke over us in waves. Tables were mostly big groups of family or friends, all ages, sizes and ethnicities. In fact, it was one of the most diverse crowds I've seen anywhere in L.A. We couldn't help noticing, though, the couple two tables over, both dressed rather formally for this beach scene, and clearly in love. We ordered up seafood and mango spring rolls, flash-fried calamari with chipotle-lime aioli, and grilled hanger steak and shishito pepper skewers. It was a thrill to see something like grilled baby octopus and arugula salad here, or mussels with chorizo and saffron. This is a better menu than at many other places along the oceanfront, though not something you'd drive miles out of your way to eat unless you had to have that view.

Legendary cool hangout with an ocean view, cheap seafood and the sweet sound of Harleys roaring by. Outdoor seafood dining with an ocean view? Neptune's Net has that and more (specifically, beer). We're talking shrimp plates, fish and chips, oysters, clams, whatever. If it swims, they deep-fry it. And the New England-style clam chowder here is better than naked Twister. Health freaks can get steamed seafood as well. Live crabs, lobsters, shrimp and clams are ripe for the pickin' in Neptune's giant holding tanks. Fresh corn on the cob makes a fine, if slightly odd, complement. As for drinks, they've got beer in many varieties. The multitudes of hard-core bikers who gather here prefer Bud, Coors and other tasteless American pilsners. But Neptune's offers some fine yuppie beers, too, including the great, locally brewed Firestone Ale. So fire up that open-pipe hog and get ready for an oceanside seafood feast that won't even set you back a sawbuck.

Although the posh Shutters on the Beach hotel has a New England-esque design, its One Pico is a great place to enjoy a classic California sunset and an inventive, relatively healthful California cuisine. It also boasts one of the best beachside views in town. The hotel's lobby feels like a refuge from a cold climate, with a roaring fireplace and cozy sofas.

Simply put, The Sidewalk Café is the biggest, busiest restaurant in Venice. Its expansive, kitschy menu is notable for the numerous selections named after famous people, many of them authors. There’s the Hemingway steak sandwich, the James Michener burger (pineapple, ham and cheese) and the Jane Fonda (chicken breast and cottage cheese). There’s also a large selection of sandwiches, salads and Mexican and Italian specialties. Significantly, breakfast is served from opening to close. A roomy bar with at least a dozen televisions is located towards the back of the restaurant. The atmosphere is almost bedroom-casual with numerous locals wearing little more than shorts and flip-flops. The Sidewalk Café is situated right on the Venice Boardwalk and dogs are allowed as long as they are kept on the Boardwalk side. Free parking is available behind the restaurant but the validation is only good for an hour. Finally, weekend waits can be very long.