First time in Bloomington. Luckily was able to get into this restaurant. Walked in at approximately 6 and this restaurant was BUSY! the reason was obvious after our meal. My Pork chop dish was outstanding, the wedge salad outstanding and the Thai pasta we ordered again really good. Service by Reed was exceptional. Great restaurant to try if your visiting Bloomington. Highly recommended. read more

Malibu Grill - Pork Chops. - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

My favorite restaurant in Btown. I've been going since 1993. Sitting in the bar is my favorite. Carmelized Salmon with wood-fired veggies is best around. Highly recommend! read more

Before heading here, I hadn't read the reviews and so I wasn't sure what to expect. We had already found some metered parking along the courthouse across the street and we also noticed they had outdoor seating if the weather warmed up a little. But we decided to dine indoors and aftercoming inside on a sunny day, the place seemed rather dark. We entered and a hostess greeted us and after a couple questions, seated us in some bench seating (very uncomfortable and felt like it should be replaced.) We were greeted by our server and a trainee. Afterwards, there was little time interacting. We did feel that our orders took too long to come out of the kitchen for a lunch service. Most people only get a set amount of time during their lunch hour, so getting the food prepared and served is of great importance when I review a place for service. Especially when you are on metered parking. The food was tasty and generously portioned. My Blackened chicken salad was a little surprising since it came with nacho chips and the chiciken strips were "blackened" only by seasoning. They were good though. The strips were large and as well as the lettuce, could have been cut into more bite sized pieces before being served. When you serve a salad that is already dressed, the greens and ingredients need to be cut smaller so that they fit inside the diner's mouth without getting dressing on their face or clothes. It is so easy to do on a cutting board. Not so easy once the salad is piled into a bowl that doesn't allow for ease of cutting regardless of how sharp the knife is. I have a big mouth, but my wife pointed out a couple times that I had dressing on my lip from trying to eat a bit without cutting it down in size. Good flavor, but just not that easy to eat with tact. My wife enjoyed her cheeseburger and it was large enough to bring some home. She was disappointed in the side of Sweet Potato fries that were dark brown in color. I am used to them being somewhat orange in color, but if you look at my photos, you will see dark brown strips that are not appetizing. Although lightly burned, the flavor was still pretty good. I just wonder how good they might have been if cooked properly. I was hoping for something really good to go with our fun day, but Malibu left us a bit underwhelmed. #3910 read more

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I want to start out by saying our service was good, but we will never return. I've cooked better steaks for $6 at my house. For a $47 steak it was flavorless, incredibly under seasoned, and my medium rare order arrived well done after a 45 plus minute wait on a mushroom pizza and steak. Pizza was flavorless as well, which is odd for a mushroom pizza. Went to Texas Road house recently afterwards and had a steak 10 times better for 1/2 the price, just saying... read more

Malibu Grill - Completely flavorless for a mushroom pizza . - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Staff was wonderful, but everything was overpriced. If the menu were more original I could see justifying those prices, but I would have had a better time at red lobster and spent much less. read more

First and foremost it was 10 In my party and they originally told my sister it would be an hour wait. However, I went in and spoke to the manager (her name escapes me, but she had previously had been the volleyball women's coach for Norte Dame). I explained to her that my sister - Octavia Jett-Wilson #13 had just played in March madness and we needed to get her back to the hotel for a curfew. She immediately told me to wait A quick second. She came back and cut our wait time in 1/2. By 8:40, my family and I were sitting down and being waited on.... The food was amazing. My entire family gave it a 10+......my dad had the Mediterranean salad and a bowl of crab bisque. He's still talking about his food as we sit here in the airport. Two of my cousins had the rib-eye steak and the New York Strip. I, had the garlic Parmesan pasta w/shrimp and scallops (all I can say is succulent). Everyone else had the broccoli and chicken pasta. Everyone was satisfied and then to top off the night. The manager had something brought over especially for Octavia. Thanks for a happy ending to our trip!!!! read more

Malibu Grill - Chocolate cake w/whipped cream on top and the 13 symbolizes my sisters number On her team..... - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Food was very good, I had the tenderloin medallions and a nice glass of Reisling. The only drawback was the very annoying flies in the restaurant. It's a more upscale restaurant with a nice bar area for socializing. Parking can be tricky when school is in session. read more

This place f**king sucks. Fries were garbage. The pizza looked good but was below average taste. My wife ordered a wedge salad w ranch. They brought it covered w blue cheese. Instead of complaining, she just asked for ranch. Then they charged us extra for ranch. It was like pulling teeth to get them to make it right. read more

Two stars because the water was good. Please save your money. $17 Woodfire Pizza was doughy in middle and crust was overdone. We ordered ribeyes, $45 ribeye should've been melt in your mouth but was tough enough to need a saw through. Grilled chicken was decent. Chimichurri steak was decent. Don't order the crab bisque it tastes like seawater with no salt. Worst $200 we spent on vacation. Go to Texas Roadhouse instead trust me. Server was very nice. read more

on Graduation weekend Malibu ADDED $10 TO EACH MEAL BECAUSE IT WAS GRADUATION WEEKEND. PRICE GOUGING, TAKING ADVANTAGE, SPEAKS VOLUMES. They also offered an extremely limited menu, fine. But the adding of $10 per meal ripping off locals and out of towner's alike. I was there on Sunday of graduation weekend the place was dead. Employees standing around with nothing to do complaining about the lack of patrons. I can understand the limited menu maybe on Saturday it wasn't needed on Sunday. BUT THE ADDING $10 to each meal over the weekend should be illegal. I will never go back to Malibu. read more

I've been here a few times and while I go for the seafood, which are supposed to be their best options, I'm never really impressed. Today I ordered the Cajun salmon, substituting the chips for beans. All three ingredients were under-seasoned, and the Cajun fish had no spice, not enough salt and not much flavour. Most of its seasoning also tasted charred, despite the fish itself being flaky and moist. The coleslaw was alright, and beans were also well-cooked but again, under-seasoned. Also this dish was supposed to come with a chipotle butter? No sign of it. All this for about $21.50 feels quite steep. My pic of the half-eaten meal looks quite sad, which itself is telling. If you want fish, I suggest the mahi-mahi with capellini, which from I remember from last time as being pleasant. Service is decent, and their alcohol selections are better than the food. read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Wonderful food, atmosphere and service. Staff was friendly, attentive, and accommodating. Our waitress went above and beyond - she was excellent. Food was incredible. Our party devoured pork chops, steak, scallops, salmon, and pasta. All dishes were excellent. Very clean and comfortable restaurant. Bathrooms exceptionally clean and tidy. We were all very impressed. Would eat here anytime we're in town. Keep up the great work, Malibu Grill read more

I got the penne alla vodka with chicken. The chicken wasn't good, and the entire plate came out at room temperature. I got the monthly special wine, and it was room temp, as well. My husband got the alpine chicken. He said the chicken was flavorless... except the crispy burnt skin, the wood-fired veggies looked like they were overcooked and soggy. It was also at room temp. The best part was our very friendly server. She answered our questions about the menu with knowledge and experience. read more

Malibu Grill was one of my favorite dinner destinations while in town for a business conference. The service was smooth and we had no problems. The staff was nice and inviting. They answered all our questions, provided recommendations on food and drinks. So my dinner was so amazing. If you are a fan on pasta or scallops I highly recommend the scallop pasta. They seafood was so fresh and the pasta was not over cooked. I will definitely come here again for dinner. read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Did after Wonderlab, was a nice 5min walk. Lots of steak options, and we were definitely tempted by the flat breads and the brick oven. We had the pork chops (super yummy), the kid's chicken fingers were good, and the Mocha Mud Pie was as close to Hula Pie (Jake's in San Diego) as I've had to date. I might actually go back just for the Mocha Mud Pie... read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Bloomington! I've tried multiple different pasta dishes (all really good) but the star of the menu is the wood fired chicken, I get it every time I come here now, it's that good. The sweet potato fries are also a great choice for an appetizer, the spicy mayo it comes with is killer. The shrimp is pretty good too but the cocktail sauce has a little too much horseradish for my liking. I would also like to go back to try more of their drinks, the only one I've tried was a pineapple daiquiri and I wasn't a fan. Overall, it's a bit pricey but if you're wanting to go out for a special occasion, Malibu grill is a great option. read more

Malibu Grill - Wood fired chicken with vegetables and mashed potatoes - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Nice folks -- very friendly. Walked in without a reservation. 6 people but took the time to find me a table. Nice servers. And very nice hostess. A fee thing preventing 5 stars -- drinks were not delivered on time. Once we reminded the server, she went and got them -- turns out they had been sitting. So my 12 dollar whisky was now watered down by melted ice. Unfortunately food was just okay -- in fact I am not sure anyone at the table was fully satisfied -- pizza: cold. Chicken salad: too salty. Crab cakes: dry. Steaks: both were over cooked. So a bit disappointed since we had wanted to try this place for a while. Maybe next time , just drinks and apps since a nice place to watch a game Sam read more

The food is alright. Service is great. The first time I went to the restaurant I got the fish taco appetizer as an entree. It was a pretty good size! The taste was ok, but not amazing. The second time I went to the restaurant I got a Caesar salad. The Caesar salad comes uncut which is kinda annoying but good presentation. The salad could use more dressing and add parmesan. I also got a side of the garlic mashed potatoes which were not garlicky. They could have also come warmer. Overall, good service but okay food. read more

Malibu Grill - Caesar Salad - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Good place to be at to enjoy the downtown vibes. Drinks are nice, overall food is good and service is up-to the mark. Had good experience! However, on the google and even on the door, timings for Saturday is 11:30AM to 9:30PM. I reached there at 4:30PM and we were told that we can sit in the bar area but can not order anything to eat as kitchen reopens at 5:00 PM. That's the schedule they follow on weekdays but for unknown reasons, they followed the same on Saturday evening. Which was quite sad but we enjoyed the drinks at bar for half an hour and then moved to dine area. It was weird as we were expecting to jump on food straight away but had to wait a while. read more

I think that Malibu Grill is a fantastic place to go for a special night out with someone, grab a quick lunch, or even just a drink. The versatility of the menu is very nice to see and I enjoyed my experience there. The service was a little slow at the beginning but improved towards the end, so I can't complain much. Sitting outside due to COVID-19 during nice weather was amazing due to Malibu Grill's location next to the courthouse. The food tasted amazing and their selection of wine is equally as impressive! It's not the cheapest spot in town (by a longshot), so definitely plan to spend more than you normally would for a Bloomington restaurant. read more

Malibu Grill - Steak and Fries - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Malibu has been one of my Btown favorites for many years. Whether you are looking for a nice date night out, a spot to meet the ladies on girls' night, or simply want to get a few drinks on the bar side, it's great for any occasion! The fish tacos are arguably my favorite thing on the menu and the item I most often "crave". The appetizer comes with 4 larges tacos which are pricey at $19 for the plate but are easy to split and the Mahi is worth the price. In our most recent visit we stopped for a light dinner and were going for something more casual so hopped into a booth on the bar side. The bar side is energetic almost any night of the week and you'll surely see a familiar face. I went for the chopped salad which is a larger portion than a side salad and one of my favorites. It is packed with flavor from the fresh bell peppers, to the cheese, and chick peas. I also went for a $5 glass of brut bubbly which had a great flavor and certainly worth the low cost. My boyfriend did the single pork chop which is one of his favorites and has a bit of a teriyaki or Asian zing to it but also served with fresh veggies and a side of mashed potatoes. We split the 4-berry cobbler which was the cobbler of the night and very yummy. However, it was much heavier on the delicious crust and didn't have nearly as much berry filling as I would expect. You can't go wrong with Malibu any night of the week or occasion! read more

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A reliable go-to place. good mixologist. I've been there several times with groups of people and everyone seems to find something they like. It can be a little pricey, but there are some reasonbly priced options, and the service is always good too. Yep, one of the regular spots for my crowd. read more

Decent food for Bloomington Indiana, not a ton of choices in town. The wedge salad was excellent the peppercorn steak was cooked fine but there was too much peppercorn sauce on the plate. Overall it was a 2.5-3.0 star experience. The service was fine but not great. Definitely staffed by college students not professionals. read more

Malibu Grill - Wedge salad - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

We were enjoying the service & ambiance up until a young man, presumably an IU student, said "here you go little man" as he served my son his pizza. My son is a junior in college and a swimmer. He is anything but a little man. The comment was derogatory and insulting. Our hostess and waitress were both professional and attentive, and our food was good. The pizza server ruined it. Adding to this, it wasn't even the right pizza. read more

Came here for dinner with my parents. It was PACKED, rightfully so at prime dinner time. We waited for our table at the bar. I got a Kentucky mule and my stepdad had a regular Moscow mule. We all shared the spinach artichoke dip, which in my opinion, wasn't anything to write home about. We were sat after waiting about 30 minutes. I ordered the seared mahi mahi, which wasn't awful, but a tad overcooked. But, for a landlocked state, they did okay. The pesto pasta that was served with it was pretty tasty. Server was great and attentive. I'd probably order something else the next time I visit the rents. read more

Malibu Grill - Seared mahi mahi - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Malibu Grill is one of my favorite places to eat in Bloomington. I worked at Malibu my Junior-Senior year at IU so as jaded as I could be, I still love this place. It's a small intimate yet casual restaurant with a huge menu for any taste you may have. They have everything from salads, pastas, steaks, to pizzas, and so much more. I did notice that the prices increased A LOT since the last time I had been there so that was surprising ($18.95 for the fish tacos now which seems insanely high from what it used to be). I understand the change in food costs but that seems a little much! Here are some of my favorite dishes at Malibu: - Fish Tacos: Some of the best grilled tacos you will have. All of the flavors together just work. They come 4 to an order and I would sometimes just get this as my meal. They are listed at $18.95 now ( back in the day I think it was around the $11 range). - Penne Ala Vodka: I love the penne ala vodka add sausage. SO SO SO delicious. - Lime Chicken Fettuccine: Any cilantro lover with LOVE this dish. I loved it so much I learned how to make it in the kitchen back in college and now make it at home. Creamy cilantro sauce and the colorful peppers just all pair very well together. HIGHLY recommend. - Chop Salad: This is my favorite salad on the menu. It's so fresh and light. I always add blackened chicken. I love the dressing and the tomato pesto adds so much to the salad. - Seared Ahi: This was probably one of the more popular appetizers when I worked there years ago. Very good and worth trying. - Hawaiian Rib-eye: I had this on my college graduation night and loved it. I love when steaks are a little charred and cripsy and this one definitely was. Pair it with mashed potatoes and the veggies. - Pizza: The pizza is delicious they have a wood oven in the kitchen you can see from your table. I like the SMP but they have added a bunch of new ones to the menus that seem worth trying. Overall, I love Malibu's food. Always busy during game nights and the weekends. They have a great patio when its patio season. Great selection of cocktails and wines. read more

Malibu Grill - Blackened Chicken Salad - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Staff is very nice but food is awful. My 12 year old fisheye Thad a hamburger and got E. coli poisoning and spent a day in the hospital and they rest of us couldn't really eat our food. Steak was 52 dollars and couldn't not eat it. Again great staff and that's the only reasons for the 1 star. read more

Decent food but definitely not the best in Bloomington. I did however appreciate the Caesar salad with actual anchovies. However the salmon Oscar which the waiter assured me was a crowd favorite was over priced and looked like the chef squirted mayonnaise (aka aioli) on top. read more

Malibu Grill - Caesar Salad - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Went to the Malibu Grill again the other night and will go tonight again.  It is a great restaurant for lunch, dinner or just drinks and hors d'oeuvres. It is warm and welcoming.  We know most of the bartenders (Luke and Trevor are great) and managers by name and many of the servers (Hunter, Jordan, and Janet )and they know you by name if you go regularly.  They will also come by and visit with us. The food is YUMMY!  Drinks are fabulous too. My favorites appetizers are the Seared Ahi Tuna, or  I get the Fish Tacos made with Mahi Mahi-also fabulous and filling.  They give you 4 tacos so if I eat that- I won't be eating dinner. We have never had a bad experience there!!!!! and I am amazed by reviews when someone says Malibu was the worst restaurant they ever have eaten at- "They probably don't get out much" is what we tend to think. Cocktails are what they specialize in- they are strong and tasty-for me- an Old Fashioned with Knob Creek Bourbon to start for me followed by a Classic Daiquiri and later a Margarita with Casamigo Tequila. Malibu servers and or bartenders know which drinks we like in advance as we come there at least once a week -if not more. The Seared Ahi Tuna is the best in Bloomington! I love their steaks too. My other favorites include: the Salmon Oscar-the menu is diverse for many tastes- or the Garlic Cream Linguine or the Lime Chicken Fettuccine. Limited dessert menu-- but the Creme Brulee or the Cheesecake are favorites for me. I find it as a refined touch that they have cloth napkins. You can sit outside and "people watch" and chat with people as they walk by; or sit inside and "people watch" and chat with your neighbors. You can dress up or dress down. They are dog friendly outside! There are many muted TV's in the Bar which tend to be tuned to different sports channels which is ideal if you are by yourself. People are friendly and it is easy to strike up a conversation with the wait staff or strangers sitting near you.  It is one of the top places to be "seen " in Bloomington.  Parents like to take their kids ,going to IU, there when they come down for a visit.  Malibu is five stars all the way! We consider it the top restaurant in Bloomington barely edging out the Uptown Cafe down the street. read more

Malibu Grill has been a go-to spot since I was a poor undergrad here over 15 years ago! Back then, my friends and I would run over for half-price spinach and artichoke dip in the bar. Today, luckily, I'm able to afford an entire meal -- and it's worth it! On this particular visit, a week ago today, my parents and grandmother were visiting from out of town, and we went to Malibu to celebrate my grandmother's 88th birthday! Ironically, we were seated in the same exact place as the last time we all ate together there -- some 15 &1/2 years ago for my college graduation! We shared several appetizers to get us started -- rare tuna, hummus platter, and that infamous spinach and artichoke dip. All were excellent and the portions were generous! Entrees were also fantastic. We had the garlic pasta, steak & shrimp, crispy chicken salad, Thai linguine, and whatever my Dad ordered that has slipped my mind. As if that wasn't enough to require several leftover containers, we also shared a couple of desserts. Hey, my grandmother only turns 88 once! We shared the daily cheesecake (it was apple), a Five Nut Brownie, and the amazing Malibu Mud Pie. All of the desserts were good, but the Malibu Mud Pie is out of this world -- and even stays frozen long enough to take your leftovers home and enjoy it later (as I did). Year after year, Malibu Grill is the place to go for a warm atmosphere and wonderful food! read more

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Bottom line: Decent food, good service and a good atmosphere in downtown Bloomington. Food quality 4 stars Atmosphere 4 stars Price/Value 3 stars Service 4 stars Overall Experience 3 stars Have had several business lunches at the Uptown cafe in downtown Bloomington. Ordered a Salmon BLT without the bun and steamed broccoli. Both were decent and were prepared properly. Had 6 people at our table and thought the service was very good for a large group. read more

Malibu Grill - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Terrible service took over an hour and a half to get our entrees. Then the food was very mediocre. Not worth the wait, the money or the frustration of dealing with a waitress and manager who just didn't care. read more

Delicious salads especially blackened chicken. amazing steak. Great African peanut soup of the day. Sat outside. Always Wonderful service! Very peaceful. I always know it's going to be relaxing, a nice time and the service is going to be very very nice when I go read more

Came here on a packed Saturday night... on game day weekend. 2 hr wait! Found a spot at bar pretty quickly. Steak Neptune and Mahi Mahi were excellent. Good wine choice; get one of the Malbecs w the steak! They forgot an app but made up for it w/ a free dessert. Only reason for no 5 stars. read more

Malibu Grill - Steak Neptune Mmm! - New American Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

One of our favorites in Bloomington. Their Steak Neptune is amazing. I love ordering with green beans instead of the mashed potatoes. I would happily lick my plate. My husband loves the Penne Alla Vodka. We also love the Spinach & Artichoke Dip. They also have great drinks. My go-to is the French 75. But, I won't say no to $5 martini night. Yum!!! Definitely make a reservation if you're going on the weekend, it can get crowded. read more

We dined at Malibu Grill during Family weekend in Bloomington, Indiana. We called ahead to get on the 20 minute call ahead wait list. We were told it was an hour and half wait. So the wait time was to be expected. We make it our goal to dine at non-chain restaurants. The vibe in this area is like that of Broadripple in Indianapolis. A lot of cute little shops and cafes. There were 6 in our party and all of us enjoyed our entrees. (Pictures included) I had the hummus along with a spinach salad for my main course. The cafe is us quaint, cozy and there is dining outside. Our server was so kind as was everyone at this establishment. Special mention to Elliott, greeter at the door and manager. He was extremely busy, but accommodating with a smile. Tip- call ahead read more

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We had a terrible experience here tonight. They lost our order and we waited an hour and 45 mins for our food. The manager never come by until we requested it. The salmon was over cooked when it finally came. They charged me for a side of cucumbers without telling me - I can't eat carbs due to my diet. Then, the rude waitress informed me they don't give away food for free. I have never been treated so poorly after horrible service. The food was quite bland and average. The manager was also rude and talking about us at the hostess stand as we were leaving, I am happy to pay for quality food and professional service (and tip generously as I have empathy for establishments in the pandemic). That said, I will not be back and do not recommend. read more

Food was excellent. The curry chicken dish was a knockout! The strip steak very tender even cooked to medium. Extremely busy, though, at 9PM and it seems every table had a large group of young ladies each requesting an individual check. Moderate list of draft beers a for a place with a full menu of booze, but oh well. Dessert menu is all inclusive including drinks which include the Big Lebowski for the White Russian lovers out there. If you're looking for a bargain...not the right place. Oh, banana daiquiri was pretty good too. read more

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I was so thrilled by the nonstop Tina Turner playlist that was piped in through a speaker system that sounded like it's been soaking in a deep fryer since 1987 read more

It's quite good. I've been once and will visit again. The table bread is very good of a bit heavy. They serve it with warm marinara as well as balsamic and olive oil. My BBQ chicken entree salad was really fresh and had lots of little chopped good stuff in it. Three greens were varied - not just a pile of Romain, which was nice. My sons penne with vodka sauce was also very good (I stole some). The sauce had good chunks of tomato and I also liked that they used shaved parmesan on top. My wife's roasted chicken was very flavorful and well prepared - cook throughout not dry. Our server was friendly as well informed. I'll look forward to coming here again. read more