Saddle Peak Lodge

Perfect for special occasions (you’ll most likely be sitting between a couple celebrating an anniversary and another celebrating a birthday), the two most memorable things about the Saddle Peak Lodge are the many exotic animal heads dressing the restaurant’s walls and the weighty bill your attentive waiter drops off at the end of your meal. That’s not to say the food here isn’t well worth the price. Renowned for its hearty wild game dishes (New Zealand elk tenderloin, for example), this sophisticated hunting lodge-like restaurant sits proudly above the hills of Calabasas and Malibu, allowing for a divine drive to real mountain dining. Not so thrilled about an elk head staring you down while you enjoy your Whole Roasted Squab stuffed with sauerkraut, sweetbreads and foie gras? Ask to sit outside on the patio. Either way, don’t come straight from the beach – they are strict about their business casual dress code.