Malibu Grill is one of those places that feels stitched into the identity of Bloomington. It's not just a restaurant, it's a downtown staple with a lively, slightly upscale energy that works just as well for date nights as it does for celebrations. The food never misses. The ahi tuna is absolutely fantastic--fresh, flavorful, and beautifully done every time. And the filet sliders are a must: tender, rich, and perfectly indulgent. What really sets Malibu apart, though, is the people. Owner JB (John Bailey) has created something special here, and it shows in every detail. The staff is consistently excellent, and Tyler at the bar is one of our favorites--always welcoming and on point. Great food, great atmosphere, and genuinely great people. This is one of those iconic Bloomington spots that keeps you coming back. read more

Disappointing! We had a reservation for Valentine's Day. We showed up on time, checked in, and were told it would be "just a few minutes." Turns out "a few minutes" meant an hour. Other guests were frustrated with the poor planning and left, but we stuck it out because the weather was bad and, well, we figured a reservation should actually mean something. Then came the food wait. We ordered quickly and still waited another hour and a half. The cherry on top was that the takeout containers wouldn't even close properly. The food was okay. Dry. I would rather go somewhere else. We won't be back. read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Stopped in before the IU basketball game. Had a reservation, but the place was absolutely packed. We seated fairly quickly given the reservation and the service was awesome. Extensive menu. This place is hopping. Need to come back in the summer when it's not so busy to get the full lay of the land. Yelp wants me to say something about ambience. It's a very busy college town bar with minimal college students. read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Whole front staff and servers went outside to hold snakes that someone had on the street. Came back in to handle our food. Gross.

Now Ordering: Rare Tuna! And you should too! It was a complete a crowd pleaser and we ended up getting both the appetizer and one for the main course! Saturday Nights Are Packed! This seems to be a Bloomington favorite and with good reason - so go ahead and make the reservation! read more

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Had an opportunity to stop at Malibu Grill last month. The oak reviews were pretty good so I had to give it a try. It did not disappoint. I sat up at the bar and had very good service. The bartenders were very attentive. It was pretty busy for a Tuesday evening, but the food came out fairly quickly. They have great dinner options along with adult beverage selections. I had their fillet bites, which were very tender. I would get them again. The restaurant had a nice decor and very cozy. I would definitely come back if I'm in the area read more

Malibu Grill - Bar area - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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I'm going to start with the food was decent but with a waitress like Casey we had a BAD taste in our mouths. We arrived and the restaurant was fairly empty at 2:30 on Mother's Day. We were seated promptly and our drink orders were taken by a waitress. About 5 - 7 minutes Casey comes by to take them again. They were out of ingredients for a bloody Mary, Jim beam and another drink's liquor my dad ordered so he just gave up and went with crown and coke. We were going to order the Focaccia bread appetizer and they were out of the bread too. Ummm what?!!? It's Mother's Day and you'd think they'd be stocked for people coming in to celebrate . We went with the spinach and artichoke dip. We waited and waited then 10 minutes in Casey came by to take our entree orders and when asked if our dip would be out soon I was told it'd be a few minutes because they were still cooking it. That was fine with us it was just that it got more and more annoying as time slipped by. A few more minutes later we started getting the feeling the dip would come out with our meals. I finally saw Casey coming out of the back and flagged her down again and said it's been almost 20 minutes at that point. She said MA'AM I TOLD YOU ITS COMING OUT SOON with the most snotty attitude . I about lost it but reminded myself it was Mother's Day. It's not busy so should we just cancel it?!!? I was assured with a crabby face she'd check on it. LOW AND BEHOLD it came out immediately. I can only assume it sat there while she did whatever she was doing in the back. It's not like she was coming out to help a bunch to the 2 tables she had (with us being one of them). Still at this point they are not busy and the restaurant is still maybe 1/4 full. Our appetizer wasn't steaming hot but just enough it didn't need blown on to cool off . Anyways our food comes out about 10 more minutes later. My mom's steak was well done but ordered medium well, my chicken on my salad was dry and my husband's prime rib wasn't med rare it was more medium. My parents ordered more drinks before our meal and our 22 minute appetizer which were finally served as they were eating entrees already. Casey had ONE table of 6 sat after us. During this time she'd on it js. We had to ask for water when our appetizer came too. It didn't go unnoticed there was (for some reason) an empty 6 top table beside us that had fresh plates and silverware and water in each glass with a pitcher like it was a reservation that never came ugh!!!! Overall the place was pretty inside but the service, food timing AND cooking needs serious work. I should have made reservations elsewhere!!!! I did call the manager the next day. I filled him in on everything that happened. I told him I couldn't just do a review without giving a tone to Casey's voice and pathetic attempt at being hospitable to the guests. Had it not been Mother's Day this situation would of ended up with us immediately going elsewhere. So much for trying something new in a different town! read more

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Food and service always good. We typically sit on bar side and service and food always good. Nice and quiet bar side when no games are going on. read more

Very good food. Definitely will be returning. Enjoyed the filet sliders, focaccia bread and salad.

Wow, seated at 251 pm food arrived at 412pm. Food was not hot and it was not that great. I had French dip, wife had blackened chicken salad. She said it was not worth the wait. Disappointed read more

Malibu Grill - French dip. Cold - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Stopped in for a quick snack and beer and was blown away by what a lovely establishment this is! Our bar tender was fantastic and very attentive without hovering, the music playlist was fantastic, and the owner popped by to say hello and completely made our day! Love that this is a true small business, now owned by someone that has been with the company since the beginning. The care and attention to every detail here is not lost. Everything was spotless, including the bathroom (they clean the walls of the stall!!). We tried the spinach artichoke dip and it was SO GOOD and blazing hot (so as a food safety nerd, this made me so happy!). In addition to being delicious, the food prices are fair and well worth it for what you get. Do not sleep on this place - it's amazing and we can't wait to come back and come back often!!! read more

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I will keep this short - the service was horrible (especially the management that clearly didn't know how to manage a busy night), the food was banquet quality (at best), and the drinks were weak. There are MUCH better places to dine in Bloomington. read more

If you're in Bloomington and want to soak in the spirit of IU while enjoying a fantastic meal, Malibu Grill is an absolute gem! The atmosphere hits you the moment you walk through the door--walls decked out with Indiana University sports paraphernalia, old-time photos that tell the story of the town, and lots more. It's a visual feast before the food even arrives. And speaking of food--the Lime Chicken Fettuccine is nothing short of a star. Perfectly grilled chicken, a tequila cream sauce that's rich without being heavy, and pasta that's always cooked just right. It's the kind of dish you think about long after the meal is over. The menu has something for everyone, from locally sourced burgers and steaks to creative salads and comfort classics. The service is friendly and relaxed, just like the vibe. Whether you're a longtime IU fan or just passing through, this place captures the heart of Bloomington--bold, warm, and proudly local. Don't miss it. Order the Lime Chicken Fettuccine. You'll thank yourself. read more

I had a delicious Mediterranean salad with grilled salmon. It was on the expensive side,but, it was delicious. We sat outside and honestly, the tables were packed a little too tightly together making getting in and out difficult. Also, the noise of the traffic and smell of the exhaust from cars was overwhelming at times, so I recommended sitting inside. Our server was super friendly and attentive. read more

I've been here before and it was point on. Tonight I had the bread basket and crab cakes. The plate was on fire, but the crab cakes were not. Bread, which is usually the highlight for me, had either been sitting in the warmer all-day, or was leftover from the weekend. Sorry, Malibu Grill, good to let the A team have the night off, but service and quality were not what I am accustomed to when I come here from out of town. read more

Met college friends in Bloomington and had to go to Malibu Grill. (It had been a while). Service was fantastic and the menu has something that will satisfy any appetite. I had the ahi tuna and it was delicious. Great atmosphere, too. We'll definitely be back! read more

Malibu Grill - Ahi Tuna - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

JB runs Malibu Grill just right, With perfect hair and a charming smile so bright. His food and flair are quite the deal, The kind of joy you taste and feel. The salad was fresh, the pizza divine, The drinks kept flowing--oh, what a time! And when our cake box started to break, He fixed it up with pink duct tape! The service was smooth, the vibe ideal, We'll never forget that epic meal! read more

Took a wee trip down to Bloomington, IN this weekend and we had dinner at Malibu Grill. Despite being an Illini, I must say Bloomington has a much cuter downtown with a lot more options to go out and eat than Champaign . The portions were huge. The tuna had a melt in your mouth texture. The hollandaise sauce on the salmon kinda made me feel uncomfortable, but was still very good despite the pale yellow color. The focaccia bread looks like it was store brought bread with a side of Rao's (which don't get me wrong, I love Rao's) but put that $6 bucks towards a different app. The service very nice and a great location to start hitting the bars after for a nightcap. read more

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A friend of my brother recommended Malibu Grill. Definitely was glad listen to his advice. The service great and food was awesome. Real liked the mustard mayonnaise. Next time I'm in Bloomington for a game this will be one of my first stops. read more

Probably the best burger and fries I've ever had. Burger tasted of beef and steak and very juicy. Sweet potato fries were very crisp and tasty without being overly greasy. I listened to the manager interview some guy who was looking to be the bartender. They sounded very annoying but the food made up for that. read more

Malibu Grill - Burger and sweet potato fries - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I'm not sure why I am even giving them two stars. Shocking how bad Malibu Grill has become. Sad also, because this was my wife and daughter's favorite Bloomington restaurant. Nine of us went there this evening. Over one hour passed before we even got bread. ( used to be free dread and it was brought out as soon as you sat down. Now they charge you if you order it and it might take an hour to get it) An hour from ordering food, we finally got our food. One steak was nearly raw. Ordered medium. One steak was charred so bad it was not edible, ordered medium . Pork chops were charred black from being on fire a long time. See photo. You might think, maybe they were really busy. Nope, not busy. You might think they gave us a discount after waiting a total of 90 minutes for food. Nope. Maybe they offered a discount on the steaks or chops, nope. They were out of several menu items. We should have left before we ordered when we found out they were out of things, and it was taking so long to place our order. No, we toughed it out. All of us would've had much better food and a much better experience had we just went to Steak 'n Shake and we would've saved over $300. We saw that other tables were having similar issues, wait times, undercooked, or overcooked food . It was a disappointing night for us all mostly because we will not have the pleasure visiting Malibu Grill again and having the experience that we used to have. I had to call the manager over and just give them a courtesy discussion about our experience. He said he didn't know what was going on, but it wasn't typical. He was very apologetic but offered no solution or discount for the terrible food. . I think that was the final deal killer for us. read more

Malibu Grill - Charred black forged in fire pork chops. - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The service was a little slow but they were super busy! Our food and drinks were absolutely phenomenal and were most definitely worth the little wait. Such a fun and relaxing atmosphere! read more

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I've heard coworker's talk about this place several times and when I checked it out on yelp, the pictures really called to me. It's about 10 min from my hotel when I come to town for work and parking it pretty convenient. You just need to use the park mobile app. The weather was great and the patio was full around 630. For a party on one, I was directed to the bar area which had a waitress in addition to the bartender. There were also high top tables around the room so you didn't have to sit at the bar top which I appreciated. The table I sat at had a comfy high top booth seat on one side and chairs on the other. I was quickly brought a menu by a very friendly waitress. I got a pineapple daiquiri which wasn't frozen but still very good. I got the Hawaiian ribeye medium but it came out medium well. I did appreciate the char on the outside and the pineapple on the top was delicious. It came with garlic mashed potatoes and I chose broccoli as my side. Broccoli was tender but not over cooked. The table next to me seemed to order all the deserts so I decided to take a 5 nut brownie sundae back to my hotel. The vanilla ice cream was good and I love nuts in my brownies. It was just missing some hot fudge topping. This place has a large menu and since it's also 10 min from work, I could see myself coming for lunch or dinner. I'd really liked to try the pizza and the scallops sounded great too. read more

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We had a very nice anniversary dinner with family over the 2024 Christmas season. The food was good and the atmosphere pleasant. The side dishes were pretty plain, though. Nice place for an upscale dinner in Bloomington. read more

The food is excellent at Malibu Grill with so many different options. The service is always very attentive and they have the best Florini martinis. The ambience is very lively, but you can still hear yourself talk. read more

I had a NY steak, medium. Was cooked perfectly. Service is great. The mashed potatoes were awesome. Nice ambiance What else do you want? read more

Food and service were okay for the circumstances with the Football team being 10-0. All I want to say is do not order the Beast of Bourbon. You will be disappointed in a drink over $20 that was over taken by the ice. Very little to drink. I will not be ordering this again. read more

best restaurant experience in a long time!! Riah was fantastic! Definitely will be going back.

Great place right downtown for a nice dinner. Terrific variety of food - a little bit of everything. Drink menu was good too. The wild mushroom pizza was amazing. Delicious crust, plenty of mushrooms- excellent choice. The fish tacos were good. Not like the ones we enjoy in Florida or California, but we are in the Midwest, so ... The penne a la vodka was also fine - not spectacular, but a decent pasta dish. Based on this visit, next time I'd go with pizza, a salad and wine. I think that would be a memorable meal. read more

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Sat at the bar on game day Iris recommended it for quick turnaround Tyler and Jace treated us like family food was fantastic and the appetizers were great the entire team took excellent care of us WE WILL BE BACK read more

Amazing food, ambiance, and service and the owner is a g. Love this Bloomington gem. Love this place

In town for business and stopped by to eat at the bar... I never go to places back-to-back, but it was SO good... here I am! Server: Natalie (extremely knowledgeable and outgoing) Bartender: Jace (makes incredible handcrafted cocktails!). The menu does not do the food justice... it is incredible and so is the Service! Even when it is busy, the ambiance is still relaxing and enjoyable! Highly Recommend... and I may be back for a 3rd visit! read more

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This past weekend we stopped by with some guests from out of town. The restaurant was less than half full but the service for the meal was excruciatingly slow. It began with our drink order and the server telling one guest they have no nonalcoholic or "mocktail" drinks. While it is bad enough there are no options on the menu, the staff should be trained by the bartenders on some options for a customer. After ordering the drinks, it was 10 minutes before we saw them and we were 5 feet from the bar. Overall, the meal itself was good but again it took some time and this seemed longer because our server would disappear from the floor and was no where in site. Two of us ordered prime rib which is described on the menu as coming with horseradish but none on either plate. In general, the service is currently hurting this business and it can be seen in reviews and the lack of guests. It's unfortunate because it was historically much better. read more

WOWZAA!!! the food is here is to die for and the staff is so friendly and sweet. the ambiance in this place is absolutely incredible, if I could eat here everyday, i would eat eat every entree in alphabetical order, and then reverse it. iris was my server and let me tell you, sweetest little thing ever, love this place! 2nd WOWZAA in a row cause this place knocked my socks off! read more

I have been coming to Malibu Grill for over 20 years and have NEVER had service such as we received today! Nicole absolutely blew us away with her kindness, attentiveness, hospitality and humor. She was absolutely incredible! The food was amazing as usual but it was truly Nicole's service that made our anniversary dinner worth the 45 minute drive!! read more

First time at Malibu Grill and I was not impressed. I have always heard this place was one of the nicer restaurants in town but it's mid at best. We were seated right away despite it being a busy Friday night. Our service was not great. Our waitress was not personable and lacked basic etiquette. We had dirty plates sitting on our table the entire time from our bread and appetizers. My salmon came out undercooked which was corrected quickly but they just threw the piece I had already cut into back on the plate. We were rushed out after we were done eating and were asked if we were ready without given the option for dessert or more drinks. read more

The service was great and food delicious. I got the steak, cooked medium, and the flavors were delightful and rich. The garlic mashed potatoes were spot on, as were the broccoli! My friend got this pork chops and was equally delighted with the meal. Sedition Ely great place for steak and meat! read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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A group of friends got together for an IU football game. We had dinner at the Malibu Grill. The food was great and the owners took such good care of us. I highly recommend this place! read more

22nd birthday dinner was great! Had a great meal and the creme brûlée. All of the staff was very friendly. Good dinner before going out for drinks. read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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$21 plus tip for a very small portion of pasta. Left still hungry, and I'm a small woman. A bit disappointed it didn't come with bread or anything. It's way overpriced. read more