UPDATE FROM TODAY MAY 14, 2024 (GOING FROM 2 STARS TO 1!): ....and, Malaga Bank disappoints again!!!! This small local bank operates in a way that places it's bankers' convenience ahead of the customer's convenience! As I said in my previous review: a small bank with a worse than big bank attitude!!!!!! Today, I went to the bank to get myself added as an authorized signatory on our club soccer team account. I walked into the office of Jessica Beck (when I asked to speak with her Manager, she said she is the Manager! Her card says Assistant Vice President) and provided the letter from our Club Treasurer and my driver's license for verification. She asked me if I had the phone number and email for another new authorized signatory (who was not with me), which I provided. Jessica then verified my info in the computer and confirmed they have me in the system but then asked me to come another day to sign the papers once they are ready. I said I will wait but she told me they can't do the paperwork now. She said it is their process that they need to call the other new signatory before they prepare the papers for signing, and do the paperwork one time. I asked if we have to be together when signing, and Jessica said no. Why, then, I asked, can she not do my paperwork now, and get my signature, so I can avoid another trip. She then said something about being short on staff and busy. There was literally one other customer in the bank who was being helped by another banker. She also refused to call the other new signatory while I was in the bank. Frustrating experience and time suck!! I ONLY come to Malaga (reluctantly) because it is the bank for a couple of voluntary school/sports organizations. read more

I LOVE this bank!!! I can't say enough good things about the wonderful service given to customers and the ease of doing business. Super staff! read more

We continue to enjoy banking at Malaga Bank Rolling Hills Estates, even though we've moved 40 miles away!!! The drive is worth it -- Wonderful personal service from everyone -- Afsaneh (Sunni), Dee, Brenda and Victoria -- and now Emily as Customer Service Manager and Jacqueline Reyes as the Branch Manager!! And with super support and advice for even the more sophisticated and ever changing approach to banking transactions. Great work, Malaga Bank team! read more

Malaga Bank is a true neighborhood bank with employees who provide individual attention to their customers. Their staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and always happy to help with specific requests. I highly recommend Malaga Bank. read more

Malaga Bank has Best Service there is in Banking. Manager and her team at Torrance Branch are the best!! They are very responsive and provided us great service over the years. From personal Banking, Business banking to Construction Loans, Lines of credit etc. Malaga Bank also sponsors lots of local activities . Would highly recommend Malaga bank !! read more

Good service with courteous and friendly people. They are knowledgeable and give you a sense of confidence in all interactions.

I was looking for a bank to help with starting an account for my LLC. I happened to find this place by luck. When i went in i had a lot of questions because i never started an LLC before and the branch manager personally invited me into her office to help me! I was so relieved because she explained everything very easily to me. I was missing a few pieces of information that was required so i had to return later that day. I assumed i would have to wait a while but the branch manager actually came out and welcomed me back. I normally am very shy around people but she made me feel really comfortable. Once i finished creating my account I havent had any issues. I really like this place because i feel like i really am treated as a person and not just a customer. read more

Needed to change banks, and wanted to stay local! Malaga was highly recommended by several friends, and I am very very happy ! Very helpful and concerned and helped me make the transition in a very professional way! read more

I can't say enough great things about Malaga Bank! Their customer service and response time is unmatched compared to my previous bank (BofA.) Phaedra Pruett was able to resolve my accounting issues quickly and professionally. She was also very personable and even asked me about my day which really turned my morning around. It's the little things and I can tell Malaga Bank genuinely cares about their clients. read more

Spoke to Mark Bustamante regarding a commercial loan. He was so rude and unprofessional. He wouldn't even provide rates without a full application - something I have never had a problem with at any other bank. I will be taking my client's multi-million dollar loan elsewhere and blacklisting this bank from all my future commercial loans. Avoid this bank at all costs, there are several other banks who are far more pleasant to deal with and have better rates. Thank you for nothing Mark. read more

I had accounts at Bank of America, since my mortgage was there and also at Wells Fargo, where my parents had a Trust. I wanted to simplify my life, and also was horrified to learn that both of my banks were involved in shady loans and the financial meltdown and taking billions of our tax dollars in the bailouts. Additionally, Wells Fargo had been hitting me with so many fees that my IRA that i had assumed was growing was actually shrinking in their hands. So I moved everything to Malaga bank and have been happy ever since. As many observed, the people and services at Malaga are great. Also, when ever there was any question about something, they call and email me and take care of it right away. Best bank I have ever used, and they also have integrity. They don't make risky loans, they don't require taxpayer bailouts and don't fund anti-social projects. Bank of America, on the other hand, took $20,000,000,000 of our tax monies with guarantees of up to $100 Billion for its risky loans. Wells Fargo got $36,ooo,ooo,ooo in bail out money plus $25 billion in tax relief. Then it was sued for 10 years of committing mass fraud and dumping tens of thousands of dicey loans int the lap of the taxpayer. And now Wells Fargo is funding the Dakota Access Pipeline! It is time for local, responsible banks to lead the way, and for all of us to vote with our money to support responsible banks who contribute to society. read more

Have dealt with many different banks for apartment building financing commercial loans, Chase, Luther Burbank, Broadway Federal, etc. Malaga Bank blows away the competition on rates, fees and customer service. Nobody can beat them. Highly recommended for apartment financing! read more

Hello, my fellow Yelpers. Let me tell you a story. A story about a boy and his bank. You see, little Stevie G got his first bank account at Bank of America (then Pacific Savings) at the tender age of 6. When BofA acquired the bank, Steven stayed, because that's where his parents banked. And bank they did, for decades. For nearly 30 years they kept accounts with Bank of America for themselves and two businesses. Such loyal customers, they were. Years later, Steven found himself in control of the family business, and in a position to expand the office. All he needed was a little bit of capital so as not to drain the bank account dry. "Sirs," he asked the colossal financial institution with billions of dollars of liquid assets, "could I perchance be the beneficiary of a modest loan with which to grow my business?" "Perhaps." Replied the loan officer, narrowing his eyes and stroking his malicious beard. "I will, however, need five years of tax returns. And P&L statements. And balance sheets. Oh, and I'll need them overnighted across the country to be reviewed by someone you'll never even talk to. Also, I am hungry. Bring me a sandwich made of children and puppies." Dutifully, Steven procured the necessary information, spent over $100 to photocopy the documents, and another $50 to send it to the Bank of America Loan Fortress of Despair. (Bear with me, folks, this is going somewhere) Several weeks later, there was no response, so Steven found the number for the loan department. "Sirs, my loan application has been 'in review' for weeks. Do you find it prudent to loan me a sum equal to 6% of our annual revenue?" Steven inquired of the seething mass of broken dreams. "No." came the reply. "We do not believe that your business, despite having been profitable for 62 years and having an excellent credit history, is worthy of the monies we have accumulated. You get nothing. You lose. Good day, sir." "But I..." "GOOD DAY, SIR." This was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, threw it into a pit of scorpions, then set it on fire. Steven began the transition to move his finances to a bank that actually cared. He moved to Malaga. At Malaga, he gets greeted by name when he walks in. There are no lines for the teller. There is free coffee. Sometimes there is pie. Yes, pie. That's not all! Just last week he went in with a disproportionately large deposit. When he deposited this same amount at Bank of America (mind you, with a 30-year banking history) they held his funds for over two weeks -- this is all done by their Computer Overlords and is non-negotiable. Believe you me, he tried to negotiate. At Malaga, they waived the hold with a simple request, with no fuss. The moral of this story, kiddies, is that if you are at a big-name branch, you are probably treated like the piece of garbage they think you are. They don't want or need your business. Malaga is a bank for humans, run by humans. read more

I have been with Malaga Bank for more than 20 years. I love this bank because they provide the best customer service. It has this feeling of a family, people are very friendly, always make me feel welcomed. They are also very accommodating, and very efficient. Thank you. read more

Best. Bank. Ever. Everyone is so welcoming anytime I set foot in the bank, the decor and ambiance is warm and inviting (unlike my previous bank's white walls, boring furniture, and a plastic screen in front of the tellers), and I don't feel like they are out to nickel and dime me for any kind of service. And I don't know if I've ever seen an organization more involved in their local communities than I have with Malaga. read more

While we set up our account at the branch down at Malaga Cove Plaza, this is where our banking takes place. The service is always with a smile, understand unique banking needs, are accommodating and remember your name within a couple visits. While banking today seems to be more impersonal than ever with some of the major consolidations (and we still use one of those banks), Malaga Bank gets it right. read more

I have had accounts with all the big banks-BofA, Wells Fargo, USAA, etc and once I found Malaga Bank- I knew I would remain a customer for life. This is a bank that when you walk in, there is great Starbucks coffee waiting for you and "first name basis" service waiting for you. I just love them and the staff. I bank at the San Pedro branch and know just about every staff member there. Have always been treated great! Cannot say enough great things about them. They dont always have the technology convenience that other super large banks have, but the customer service easily makes up for it. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more

Malaga Bank has the highest safety ratings of all banks in the US! Per the Texas ratio method. Every depositor should read the new laws on BAIL-INS. Coming to a too big to fail bank near you. read more

Malaga is amazing! If you are looking for true customer service, this is the place for you. I've been searching for a bank that would treat me as an individual, not a nameless pest, for years. I've tried credit unions, Wells Fargo, Chase and Citi. The big banks can hit the mark sometimes, and you get the occasional person that recognizes we are all individuals but for the most part all of these institutions are structured to make each transaction as homogenous as possible because that costs the BANK less money. As a younger person I always thought "maybe I'm just not dealing in large enough amounts to matter?" but as I got older and had mortgages and great credit and investment accounts it didn't change - I still got cookie cutter responses to unique problems. The last straw was processing transactions from an estate and getting the total run around from both Citi and Chase - despite having been a long term customer. I got fed up and started Googling, that's how I found Malaga. From my first phone call outlining my need (processing a Canadian bank cashier's check in less than 6 weeks?!?!) Malaga has been super responsive. Their team listens to your need and provides a solution, versus saying "these are our rules, find a way to fit into them". Thrilled with our bank and want all of you to know so you can be thrilled too! read more

A bank with a totally small town feel. They know their customers by face and name, stop what they're doing immediately when a customer walks, so they can assist them, they are fantastic. They have services that many other banks have discontinued or charge an arm and a leg for. And they have coffee anytime when you come into the branch and between Thanksgiving and Christmas they offer you pie. This is my neighborhood bank for life. read more

This is my main bank now for my company. This is where when you walk in they know you by name and treat you like a person and not an account number. I have had my personal accounts with them for over 5 years and have never had a problem. Sure they only have a few locations but it is so worth the personal service you get with a smaller bank. read more

I have Been with Malage bank sense 1984. all ways very nice too you . if some thing happens Malage bank calls you right a way. it's nice that Malage bank open up in san pedro it makes it ez to bank read more

Maybe this bank is treating others well, but certainly not in my case. Having had a loan with this bank and paid mortgage payment every single month. The bank simply singled us out and put us in "high risk" group requiring excessive reporting and paperwork. When asked, the bank produced some cash flow calculation totally without merit. The staff are rude and clueless. I am exploring refinance option. If a choice presents, will never deal with this bank. read more

Nice and pleasant, and little else We've been banking with Malaga Bank since we moved into this area more than three years ago. We chose Malaga Bank because of our long term commitment to local banks. The folks at Malaga Bank are nearly uniformly nice and welcoming - perhaps reminiscent to some of an era that has long passed the rest of the world by. But I have come to discover over time that that really is their only strength - knowing customers by name and being nice to them. Unfortunately, the rest of their operation is also reminiscent of an era long gone by. Plus, their staff seem to lack adequate training. My guess is that the bank management focuses on exploiting the niceness of their own staff to make up for lack of operational competence. Here are three experiences in the past three years that have led me to decide to terminate our relationship with the bank: 1. Sometime back, while attempting to withdraw money from a non-Malaga Bank ATM, the ATM screen flashed a successful transaction message but the machine did not dispense cash. So I made sure to register myself in the camera of the ATM and then went to Malaga Bank the next day to report the problem to the teller. She told me to go back to the other bank because they would have records of cash receipts and dispensations for each day and could validate my claim. So I went to the other bank. After two minutes, they guy at the other bank (a community bank in Manhattan Beach) told me that the federally mandated procedure is for me to file a form (I forgot the number but it is a standard form) through my bank, who would then send it to his bank, and the issue would be formally resolved. He expressed surprise that my bank had sent me to deal directly with him ("we wouldn't have done that"). So I went back to Malaga Bank. The teller who had originally sent me over to this other bank expressed surprise at the process but thankfully one of her colleagues knew what to do. Eventually, the issue was resolved, but the lack of procedural competence/knowledge on the teller's part was surprising and cost me a fair bit of my time. 2. When you open an account, they tell you they will reimburse ATM charges imposed by other banks. But in practice, you have to bring them the ATM receipts for the reimbursement. What's more, they have to be brought in within 2 months. 3. Opening a business account turned out to the bale of straw that broke the camel's back. Like other banks, they want your incorporation documents, certificate of good standing, etc. But, they impose other requirements of their own and are unclear in communicating what they need. As a result, again, we wasted valuable time running around instead of charting a clear path up front. So my summary recommendations are: 1. Good bank if your banking needs are basic and you place a high premium on a small town feel. 2. Frustrating bank if you have moderately complex needs. read more

Love love love this place. Best bank I've ever had. Very friendly and helpful employees. They always remember my name, and they really make me feel like they care. I actually look forward to going there. read more

This is the absolute best bank I have ever been with. I use the San Pedro branch and have been with them since the opening of the branch, Everyone is so friendly and very helpful. Their monthly rates, return check charges and safe deposit rates are much lower than other banks. I have been with Wells Fargo, B Of A and others and was very unhappy. I will be a customer forever. I have recommended them to many of my friends, who are very happy with the service, the personnel, etc. read more

I came and made a $1400 cash withdrawal. One of the hundred dollar bills they gave me looked funny but because they are a bank I didn't think much of it. Long story short, I met a friend down the street and payed her $100 I owned her with that particular bill. After we parted ways, I head out to the flower shop while she went to Michaels. When she went to pay with the bill the clerk immediately reacted to the bill and told her it was fake. The managers tried confiscating the bill and calling the police. My friend told them that I just got it from the bank and if they gave it back to her I would return with the bill to Malaga to show them. Needless the say the manager was an absolute asshole and instead of offering any kind of apology he turned around on me as if I was some sort of criminal who was trying to give them a counterfeit bill. At first he denied being able to tell if the bill was bad or not, only to later turn it around and say that the bill looked totally faked. When I asked him why would the bank have a fake bill and worst try to pass it along to a customer he shrouded his shoulders and tried to get me out of there by offering to send the bill to the secret services (all they do is seize it if it's bad and that's that). Needless to say I am dumbfounded at the this people's sheer ignorance and pissed as hell to lose $100 for their stupidity. Please be super careful with this bank!!!!!!! I will close my account promptly on Monday! Btw as I'm here still waiting for the police to come, the manager just inform me that he has to go home and cannot wait for the police but that he will be here in the morning. Seriously buddy????!!! WOW‼‼‼‼‼ read more

I am an officer of a non-profit organization that has a sizable account with this bank. I was in the other day to sign for the opening of another account. After I was done, I asked them if they would replace a five dollar bill which my dog had chewed up. There was more than 50% of the bill (e.g., full serial number on left side of bill, Lincoln's complete portrait, and the first letters of the serial number on the torn side). The representative went to ask his supervisor and noted that more than half of the bill was present. She took a look at it and then said "no." He came back and said that there needed to be two letters of the serial number on the right side. I looked at him and thought he must be crazy because the first two letters were clearly visible. Before I could protest, he told me that my recourse could be to send it to the Treasury but that it might not be worth it given the value of the currency. Well, it might be only $5 but it's now worth much more in bad press for them. I took the same $5 to Chase Bank down the street, and they did not hesitate to replace that same $5 bill. I now will be reporting back to my own organization about the poor customer service I received. read more