I came to Back on the Beach for the first time on Sunday. My friends and husband and I had just gone for a hike in Malibu, and this was a great way to wind down. It took a while to get seated (to be expected - since this spot is literally on the beach, it was bound to be busy), so we grabbed drinks and sat next to the check in stand for a bit while we waited. I had a froze (sooo good) and my friend had a frozen margarita (also good, and very strong!). The guys had beers, and it was nice to just sit and relax. When our table was ready, we were brought outside and it was so nice to sit on the beach and eat our food. My husband and I split the fish tacos and the chicken salad sandwich - the fish tacos were better IMO, but both were good! Not the most amazing food I've ever had, but perfectly good for what we were looking for. The view was worth it, and the prices actually weren't too bad either. This is a great spot to bring people from out of town! The food is perfectly fine, but the location makes it worth it. We will be back! read more

After more than 5 years as a loyal customer, I never imagined I would be leaving only 2 stars. Sadly, this is no longer the warm, welcoming beach café I used to love. I came with my trained 3 lb service dog. She doesn't eat regular dog food, so when we're out, I share food with her that is suitable for her. The manager refused to let me feed her even while sitting outside. I was told to finish my meal, order her food to go, leave the café, and only then feed her. They even charged 50 cents for water for my service dog. It's not about 50 cents. It's about what happened to basic kindness and hospitality. The same attitude applies to the dinner menu. Dinner starts at exactly 5 PM, and even at 4:50 they refuse to take your order until the clock hits 5. Rules are rules, but hospitality without common sense or compassion stops feeling like hospitality. For years, this was a place where I felt comfortable and welcome. Now I'm genuinely sad that I no longer have a place I loved coming back to, simply because I can't sit outside, enjoy my meal, and feed my tiny service dog beside me. Five years of loyalty, and today I walked away feeling completely unwelcome. That is the most disappointing part. read more

Back On the Beach - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Drove by this place for years and didn't know it was there. A friend invited me and it was pretty good. You have to pay for beach parking and that adds up a bit. Good selection of choices from salads to sandwiches and entrées. I started with the Beet Salad which was pretty good. Only complaint was they could've put a little more beets in the dish. They give you two slices of golden beets and two slices of red beets. For $19.00 I expected a little more. Then I got the Chicken Pesto sandwich which was good. Chicken was cook perfect and that comes with a salad or fries. They have indoor dining or as the name of the place says, Back on the Beach means you can actually sit in the sand under umbrellas. read more

One of our favorite restaurants in Santa Monica! Right on the water and can walk right onto the beach--couldn't be more convenient! They have great brunch and lunch options, like their breakfast burritos and sandwiches. They also have unique items like the breakfast pasta (tasty!) and quesadilla. Their coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice is delightfully sip-worthy. Their outside seating area is dog friendly too. The staff is friendly, patient, and helpful; food and drinks come out quickly. And you can't beat the view! If you're in Santa Monica looking for a casual and reasonably priced restaurant on the water, go to Back on the Beach! read more

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Loved the vibe of this restaurant!!! We sat outside in the shade and enjoyed the random breezes that came through every once in awhile. We arrived right after they stopped serving breakfast so it was a little disappointing but we still enjoyed our meal. We got the chicken salad sandwich, fish tacos and a burger. Maybe it was eating by the ocean but we really enjoyed the meal as a family. The service was amazing, our waitress was attentive and funny. read more

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Very nice place with a lovely outside oven view! Great fast and friendly service. Food was also very good. I ordered the beet salad. I did not much care for the dressing but it was amazing with ranch. I did feel like they could have put more In the salad, it was mostly arugula. My daughter ordered the breakfast sandwich recommended by our server and it was absolutely amazing. Overall a lovely brunch. read more

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You can't get a better view with your breakfast/lunch than Back on the Beach! It's definitely worth the wait for the outdoor view and the food is very good too! I enjoyed my French toast and fries. The staff is very friendly and wished my wife well with her pregnancy, which was very kind of them. read more

Back On the Beach - French Toast - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Very low quality food. Food was very greasy . We had to ask for extra balsamic for salad , lemon for fish, ranch for french fries and ...... read more

I enjoy coming to this cafe and grab dinner and view is gorgeous. P the food is usually good here.. but when I went yesterday, I ordered a burger and fries. The fries seem like they were from the bottom super oily . I told the waitress the waitress we premade our fries and this is the best we have. 10 minutes later I looked over to the table across from us, and the people had a fresh batch of fries didn't seem too oily. I have to drench the fries with hot sauce so I can eat it. read more

Can't beat being on the beach and this cafe is right on the sand! There is an indoor portion too, if that's not your vibe. I parked at palisades park and walked down here for cheap parking, but I'm not sure how the parking lot in front of this cafe works or if there's validation. The food was delicious! I loved the shakshuka. It was very flavorful and hit the spot. It was interesting having it in a bowl though, I had to eat it like soup. My waiter was great, kind, and observant. My bill was a bit pricey for what I got, but that was expected because of the cafe's location. read more

Back On the Beach - Shakshuka - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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It's been years since I was last here for a meal. What could be better when the sun's out and it's a gorgeous day. Lunch on the beach. Location is perfect as it's right on the beach next to the bike path. A minute or so walk to the beach with a playground right around the side for the little ones. There's a paid parking lot right when you enter to the lot. We checked in around 12:15 hoping to get a table on the sand. Well, if we wanted that it would be a 40 minute wait time but could get seated right away inside. Oh well, inside it is. Seated towards the back area but once seated we noticed that there were loads of empty tables both on the sand and back patio area. I don't know if they were short staff working the beach area or they just wanted to have people wait. On well, we ended up inside for lunch. Menu wise, it was both breakfast and brunch. The drink options were quite nice as well. Loads to choose from. Started off with some espresso martini and a Bloody Mary. Both were actually quite nice. Hank, who took care of us for lunch was amazing. Very friendly and attentive as well as sweet. Made sure that we were well taken care of. Lunch, the Fred's salad and Spring pea salad were both quite nice. The dressing in both was great and the chicken added to the Fred salad was quite tasty. Also had the fish and chips. It was good but a little too much with the batter. And a side of fries to share. Lunch was nice and noticed that they had some chocolate chip cookies at the front counter which was needed. Ended up getting one to go as well. Service was nice. Would have loved to be on the sand for lunch but wait time was too long. Hostess was sweet, Hank was excellent. Drinks were quite tasty and lunch did the trick. Let's hope next visit we could actually have a table in the sand. read more

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Can't beat the view! The salmon à la plancha is my favorite, I highly recommend it. Kids love the chicken fingers and pasta.

So happy this place survived Covid. I used to come here in my 20s and the first time I ate a whites only omelette...the breakfast food was great then and now. Ordered the farmhouse omelette, 5/5 beautifully made tasty fluffy delicious. The scone 5/5 is yum I was so full I only tore off two small but my friend wanted it for her husband even though it was half eaten, it was that good!! Service was fast efficient friendly. Refills on coffee without asking. More napkins no problem. And of course it's the beach. We sat outside on an overcast Saturday. Parking a bit rough, but there are two adjacent lots. Your entire party has to be present in order to be seated. Lovely seating in doors, on a patio or on the sand. Highly recommend. read more

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Yum! We went to the Getty villa and thought this was the perfect lunch stop afterwards. The burger was high quality and cooked exactly to our liking. The fries were hot and salty, but not my favorite. They were happy to split our food, which was nice. Our server was sweet and gave good recommendations. I did not love the fact that the chairs sunk into the sand, BUT the view was to die for! read more

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This spot hits the sweet spot beachside breezy with unexpectedly stellar eats. We ordered a kids' grilled cheese, a kids' cheeseburger, and one grass-fed burger with cheese. Each came neatly packed with crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, ketchup, seasoned fries, and napkins tucked in with care nothing felt thrown together, everything felt thoughtful. Ordering was a breeze thanks to the friendly team at the counter. Payment and pickup were equally smooth, and the food was hot and ready exactly ten minutes later. Zero hassle, 100% satisfaction. The kids were thrilled with their meals, and I've got to say--the grass-fed burger? Hands-down the best quick-service burger I've had in ages. Juicy, flavorful, and cooked just right. Those fries weren't just filler either; they were seasoned perfectly and still had snap when we got back to our spot. Whether you're grabbing a bite after beach play or planning a casual lunch with the family, Back on the Beach Café delivers quality, kindness, and convenience with a splash of coastal charm. We'll be back. read more

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An extensive menu for breakfast and lunch. My beautiful date and I shared the breakfast quesadillas and pancakes. The quesadillas were cut into fourths and featured egg whites and spinach. It arrived hot and was delicious you could really taste the freshness. Came with breakfast potatoes too. The pancakes were large and very good. To be honest I'm not a huge pancake guy and they all seem to taste the same to me. The setting of course can't be beat. Service was friendly and efficient.Expect long waits on rhe weekend and the parking is a significant challenge. Bring your actual credit card because the parking machine doesn't take Apple Pay. read more

Back on the beach bigger is super yummy, perfectly cooked (medium rare), and involves both a generous amount melted white cheddar and avocado. This place had not the best reviews so I didn't expect much , but the burger is just what you want out of a burger on the beach. Service was super kind too and you can sit outside on the sand itself. read more

Back On the Beach - Back on the Beach Burger (medium rare). - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

After coming back for the second time, i love this place even more. Even on a cloudy day, this experience is so cool. Highly recommend. The bloody mary is a meal on its own! read more

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We always loved coming here with the kids because of the playground, beach and pool next door. I usually enjoy getting a fresh salad and/or some seafood. You can't beat the location but this well kept gem has caught on which is great for business but made parking really hard this time around!! We could only park 1 hour at a time and had to keep returning to add more time. Also it slightly took away from the relaxed chill vibe because there was pressure to finish quickly since people were waiting to be seated. Our server was great and will definitely be back. read more

Back On the Beach - Salad - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Good food, great vibe, right on beautiful beach along the boardwalk with adjacent t parking

Always a nice place for an afternoon lunch especially with a date! It got a little cold and windy after 2:30 so bring a jacket. read more

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This was such a vibey beachside spot right in Santa Monica. My girlfriend surprised me with this place since it was somewhere her aunt used to take her, and it was the perfect choice for a sunset dinner. The restaurant sits directly on the sand, so be ready to kick off your shoes and get your feet sandy while you eat -- it adds to the relaxed, coastal feel. We shared the hummus and pita appetizer and the salmon with mashed potatoes and veggies for our main. The food itself wasn't anything groundbreaking, but everything was fresh and tasty. The salmon was cooked nicely and paired well with the creamy mashed potatoes and crisp broccolini. The hummus plate came with a colorful mix of veggies, feta, and olives that made for a great starter. The drinks were refreshing, the service was relaxed but attentive, and the beach view during sunset really made the experience. For the price and atmosphere, it's a great spot to unwind, especially if you're looking for somewhere casual but scenic. read more

Back On the Beach - Salmon and mashed potatoes with grilled veggies - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Eating here was such an enjoyable experience. Sitting outside with a perfect view of the ocean, digging my toes in the sand, while eating fresh and delicious food at a decent price. I ordered the back on the beach burger with salad. The burger was really delicious, great brioche bun and fresh avocado and arugula inside. Althand the salad it came with was really refreshing and delicious too. The burger (grass fed) with salad was $22 which seems pretty fare for on-the-beach dining. I will definitely be back! read more

Back On the Beach - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Visiting my son whom works at Back on the Beach. The place is super cute, clean and very beachy! The servers are all youngsters, full of life and fun! The owner came out to check on us. He had great things to say about my son, Ian. We told him we loved the food and the ambiance. My wrap was super tasty, light and delicious! My GF loved her pesto!!! Great spot if you're at Santa Monica beach and or visiting the Annengerg Beach House & Pool. read more

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Amazing service , food , ambiance overall ! This place is a gem right on the beach , never disappoints . This cake blew my mind and my Huevos rancheros said was maybe the best I've had ! Rick was our server, who was as excellent as the last time we were here. Rick is incredibly friendly , efficient and makes the whole experience even better . I will be coming back to this place specifically every time I want to go to the beach because of how DANG GOOD IT WAS ! read more

Back On the Beach - Raspberry cake - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Yet another tourist-trap beach cafe. Service is awful, food is horrid, and prices are ridiulously high. Save your aggravation and your money and dine elsewhere. read more

I have been amazed how tasty the food is at this location. Honestly I first thought it's a beautiful beach cafe the food would be so so!! But they take a lot of pride in the quality and service. I had the best breakfast burrito of all Time at Back on The Beach. Love it!! read more

Back On the Beach - Breakfast burrito! I give it 12 stars!! Delicious. - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Was just here last night. My burger came out rare (I asked for rot medium well) so I asked our server to if they could cook my burger some more. I was enjoying my salad so I let him know he could just take the burger. He insists to take the entire plate. Had to wait for the whole thing to be remade and the next plate comes with a bunch of lettuce plopped on and nothing else. They also didn't give me my pickle. I let the server know and he comes back with two weak pale yellow pickles. Burger was also bland. My michelada was great so cheers to the bar for that. read more

Espresso martini was great but the service was horrible. I sat down at a table with my $27 cocktail and was immediately kicked out because they were going to sit someone down. That table was empty for an hour. This other rude waiter came up to me yelling when my wife showed up with my dog without a lease. My dog is well trained and was sitting down right next to us. We basically got kicked out. First and last time here. read more

Back On the Beach - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great place for a casual breakfast and lunch place! My friends and I met here for lunch on the weekday and the parking was easy. Pay at the kiosk and place your paid parking ticket on your dashboard. We chose to sit inside and it was perfect because we had the view of the beach and the cool ocean breezes coming in from the window. My friends were very happy not to sit outside in the sun. However, sitting outside on the sand under umbrellas was the more popular choice for most folks. There was a line waiting for outside seating. Reservations are accepted at Back on the Beach. I ordered my favorite, the Fred Salad. It is my "go to" salad here. One friend really enjoyed the fish tacos with a side of black beans and Mexican rice. Another friend ordered breakfast: eggs over easy, bacon and a scone. Eric,our server was great! He sensed when we were ready to order and also knew whenever my ice tea needed refills. He was busy, but we always felt he was aware of what our table needed. Thank you Eric! Back on the Beach is great for small groups and large groups. You can also your meal TO GO and take the food to eat outside in one of the nice patio tables by the Marion Davies Guest House. read more

We love Back on the Beach. It makes us feel like we are on vacation every time we go! Kristin always greets us with such a beautiful and welcoming energy. One of our favorites is the pesto chicken sandwich. Don't go here if you're in a hurry. Just chill and relax and enjoy the stunning view and the beach atmosphere. The food will get there when it gets there. Enjoy! read more

Back on the Beach appears to be quite a staple on the coast in Santa Monica. While I was there I noticed several happy regulars, and rightfully so. Beautiful sun filled dining room and outdoor dining literally in the sand. I had the pleasure of dining in for breakfast. The latte was great, they use really good coffee beans. It's rare to see breakfast pasta on a cafe menu, so I had to try the Breakfast Pasta Papa, which was prepared very well and left me ready to go back to bed. Top notch breakfast dish. Service is friendly and professional even when they're very busy. Overall, an incredibly impressive operation, well organized and great positive energy in the staff. I would recommend 100% if you're going to the beach with friends and family. Worth the short walk if you're thinking of dining at the pier. read more

Ambiance the best! Menu has something for everyone Umbrellas do protect from sun! Sometimes parking lot is filled. Be patient for someone to leave read more

The Fred Salad is fantastic ! The View can't be beat. The service is so friendly. I love it read more

Back On the Beach - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Who doesn't love a good beach on a beautiful sunny day? Now add breakfast to that and we got ourselves a winner. While visiting our daughter in LA, she took us to this restaurant and it was beautiful views, delicious food and great service. The restaurant is directly off a beach parking lot so if you just want to eat here without the beach day you can! Our server named Carrie told us it was her second day working there and it blew is away because she was a total pro the whole time! Thanks Carrie! I ordered the breakfast burritos with potatoes. It was all so good, potatoes were lightly seasoned and cooked to perfection. The burrito was packed with deliciousness and very filling. We got a side fruit plate to share and I think it was my favorite of all! The fruit was fresh, perfectly cut-like the watermelon-mouth watering. Our daughter got her "go to" meal here, the Smoked Salmon toast. She said it never disappoints her. Hubby got fish and chips and said it was good. Reminded him of Arthur Treacher"s. If you liked that you'll like this. If not, try something else If you go to Santa Monica Beach, go here. The prices were very reasonable, on par with most restaurants and not over priced due to location. I took a pic of the menu so you could see and plan what you'd like to get ahead of time. Afterwards we rented bikes which are right next to the restaurant. read more

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If you're hanging out at the Annenberg Beach House or nearby beach this is the go to place for breakfast and lunch. With a sit down restaurant and a handy Togo counter for beach and pool grubbing it gets you fed no matter your situation. I've eaten there several times and always have experience good and fast service. Nice coffees, pastries, burgers and sandwiches. read more

Ambiance and food was good. Coffee was super sweet which I didn't love but I always order the huevos rancheros and it's one of my favorites. Service is also really great! read more

Amazing menu and food was delicious! This is my favorite restaurant in LA and love to sit outside, feet in the sand and enjoy the beach with great food and lovely servers! Highly recommend! read more

Went there for lunch, I ordered farm house omelette with sides of salad and mini scone. My friend ordered breakfast burrito. Omelette is just like usual omelette, nothing super surprising. Food delivery speed is quick. With a couple of drinks, the outdoor dining on the beach is fabulous, simple table and chairs with shading umbrellas, one of the best relaxing dining environments I have been to. For that reason, I recommend it. read more

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Excellent food, service and ambiance. Such a great place to hang out. I feel like I'm on a European vacation by the sea. Love this place! read more