I cannot say enough about Rancho Chiquita and its charming and talented owner/chef Geraldine Gilliland. We held my daughter's wedding at this magical location on June 27th, 2015 and it was everything she ever dreamed of. It doesn't get any better than that for a mom. The panoramic ocean views from 3.5 miles off PCH are spectacular, the food exceptional and Geraldine also makes a mean Blood Orange Margarita! Original and interesting dishes, no wedding factory here. More than that, Geraldine was upfront on costs and worked to keep them inline with our initial discussions. When we went overbudget (and who doesn't) it was because we added extra things/extended the time of the wedding, etc. Rancho Chiquita's on-site planner Jenn Laskey (weddingsbyjl) was extremely knowledgeable about the property, which helped a lot. We hired Jenn separately as well and it was soooo worthl it! Jenn was always available to answer questions, took lots of time meeting with us and going over things, even did some decor shopping for us. Great eye for putting everything together to look beautiful. And, she found us the most amazing vendors! Ashley Durham Studios (amazing photographer,easy to work with and so helpful!) and Nika Yadzani (Sugar Studio), the most creative cake and dessert bar person ever! Triumph Photobooth was also terrific and were Jennifer's makeup and hair finds, katie Cordero and Mieko Ito. What you save in time and aggravation by bringing an experienced planner,who already knows and cacn recommend good people, far outways the cost. it was a fairytale wedding and our guests all had an amazing time! My daughter and her new husband have memories that will last a lifetime. read more

We stayed in this Airbnb over New Years week. It was a nightmare stay, with dishonest information being given to us from the outset. The drive there was unsafe, which was never communicated until we were actually staying there and were told, by the host, that it was dangerous to drive the mountain in the rain. Being that she was not home (which we had been told that she would be) we had no access to food or even basic essentials as bathroom tissue, as we'd only been left less than three rolls. The location was noisy, with the water heater clanking all night long, as well as crickets chirping from all around the building. We contacted the owner several times, but she was too busy to help us, as were her staff. We posted this on Airbnb, and her response was that we were "nightmare guests", which is a ridiculous statement as she never met nor spoke with us. We left her property clean and exactly per her instructions -- dishes washed and put away, garbage empty and taken out, towels left in hamper, gates left closed. What then made us nightmare guests? Perhaps that we called her out on her bulls**t? We were honest that we had never stayed in an Airbnb (and never will again after this experience) and she then ranted in her review how we didn't come to her with a high guest rating -- how could we have any rating when we've never stayed in an Airbnb? This issue is not over, as we will be pursuing a refund based on the hosts dishonesty and our horrible week there. We will also be sharing this information so as to warn others of this horror show. Lastly, we paid over $2,100 for this trip, a very expensive horror show, and one that we hope others won't make. Be warned; this place is not what the owner will have you believe! read more

Short: 1. Amazing views and location 2. Amazing food 3. Proceeds go to help man's best friend 4. Fantastic staff Long: As an event planner, I encounter all types of venues. That being said, this was one of my most positive experiences because of the phenomenal amount of love and care that Geraldine (owner) and her staff extend to their guests. I was so impressed by the aesthetic qualities of this space- there are beautiful views and I got to experience an amazing sunset that made me truly grateful for my awesome job and for getting work work such an awesome venue. There are few places like this in LA, it is truly a hidden gem. The staff that worked the event were all impressive. Every one of them worked hard, looked pristine, and went about their work with smiles and positive attitudes that really carried through the event and spread a feeling of happy onto the guests. Their desire to accommodate everyone- including me- made the day a true joy. As a planner, I really felt I was working with true professionals, and was excited for the team spirit and can-do attitude I experienced all around. The food here is amazing! I definitely need to eat everything at both of Geraldine's Santa Monica restaurants! The beef she served literally melted in your mouth and the vegetarian entree was one of the best I have ever seen. The plates were carefully constructed and every dish looked mouth-watering good. I would highly suggest this place for anyone that wants a venue that offers exemplary service, attention to detail, and dedication to showing a higher standard of hospitality. Five stars for an amazing all-around experience!! read more

I am an event and wedding planner that had the great pleasure of booking and planning a client's wedding at the beautiful estate, Rancho Chiquita. I have to say, working with over 300 venues over the course of my 12+ year career- there are some that make your experience such a pleasure and so much easier but sadly there are many that don't live up to their promises and just make your job a lot harder. I was so impressed and relieved to get to collaborate with a venue like Rancho Chiquita! Firstly, everyone involved with that place is very kind and hospitable. Moreover, they provide excellent food, drinks, management, and upkeep the grounds beautifully. I just felt like everyone from the owner/ chef, to the site logistics manager, to the wait staff, to the one premise security/helpers (that will even drive you around the property on a golf cart) really cares and goes above and beyond. It's nice and sadly rare in these days, to find an owner and team that really shows how much they love what they do and care about your experience. My bride & groom clients felt so loved and looked out for, and it's nice to not have to be the only one doing this! A lot falls on a wedding planner, or couple planning their wedding and knowing you have a staff and support team you can rely to feels so good! The venue is really beautiful and has so many cool differing areas for: ceremony, reception, cocktail hour, and of course photography. They really provided a great value with all they are able to provide in-house and at a very fair price. My clients had me looking at an array of estates and beach houses and I am so so glad we found such a beautiful home and turnkey solution to: catering, bar providers, on site logistics/wedding coordination, rentals, and more! It's a hidden gem I give 5 stars! Jennifer Laskey Weddings By Jennifer Laskey // RedLight Special Events read more

We looked at this place for our wedding - wow! The views are amazing. Very clean, and well organized. Much prettier than the photos. They also have a few extras that we liked (e.g., a parking plan, separate ceremony and reception spaces, lights already strung up.) I also liked that the wedding fee went to a good cause - rescued animals they have on the property. I would say if you want an all-in-one venue this is a cool spot. The 180 degree views will knock your socks off. I suggest any bride to host her wedding on the earlier side here so your guests can enjoy the view. Geraldine (the owner) seems to take a lot of pride in her home - With regards to other reviews - Yes, the road up to the house is windy and there are a lot of steps, but the bathrooms are next to the reception area. This confused me when I originally read the yelp reviews. So I don't know how people could joke about going to the bathroom and "see you in an hour"... the bathrooms are 10 ft from the main area. This place is worth a peak! read more

We had a teambuilding event here. I thought the cooking class was one where we would all participate but it was to watch Geraldine cook. It was interesting but not quite as engaging as if we got in on the action. The recipes were from Geraldine's two restaurants in Santa Monica and were delicious including the free flowing margaritas - special ingredient of triple sec, which makes it much stronger than usual margaritas. We also got copies of the recipes which are also available in her cookbooks. Great views but it does get very hot outside with the proximity to the sun - keep that in mind for the outdoor events. It is her home that she rents out for events so there are limited restrooms and practically zero cell phone reception, except for a bar or so for Verizon customers near the fountain. No wifi either. So expect to be unconnected to the world while here. read more

This is one of the most beautiful locations in all of Los Angeles. I've attended several events at Rancho Chiquita over the years and there is nothing quite as spectacular as this place. Beautiful mountain and ocean views perched way up high on Corral Canyon in Malibu. It doesn't get any better than this! read more

My fiance and I just completed out menu tasting for our upcoming wedding in July! The food was out of this world. One of the main reasons we chose this venue is because the owner is also a well-known chef, and she takes so much pride in her food (both taste and presentation)! It was so hard to decide what to serve, since everything was so delicious! We know without a doubt that our wedding attendees will love everything at this venue. The views, the food, and most importantly, the wedding itself! We cannot wait to get married at Rancho Chiquita! read more

We recently got married at RANCHO CHIQUITA in Malibu and it was awesome. The staff were amazing and the provided a service that is completely custom. They handled every single small detail. The staff were very professional and all looked very nice. The wedding was approximately 120 people and every single one had a blast. People are often thrown off by the drive up coral canyon but looking at the view as the sunset goes down on a unbelievable MALIBU water with all our family makes everything worth the planning. It was one of those moments that people describe as bliss. I never really understood the full meaning until I experienced it for myself. The venue was decorated very nicely and Geraldine, the owner, is very accommodating. I would recommend this place because it is something different and special. You will not find a place like this anywhere! read more

Our wedding in malibu at Rancho Chiquita was perfect. We are so lucky we found Rancho Chiquita for our wedding in malibu - it's truly the most beautiful and breathtaking place right on top of a mountain in Malibu overlooking the ocean. The owner Geraldine Gilliland has two restaurants and did all the catering - it was FANTASTIC FOOD. The event director Annie and her team were amazing and handled everything from beginning to end so that Andie and I didn't have to worry about a thing. They have a blog and we hope they'll show our wedding on it so keep checking - www.weddinginmalibu.com or at www.gerrigilliland.com/RanchoChiquita read more

Breathtaking. Delicious. Magical. Your search for a unique wedding venue will start and end here. The venue caught our eye and Geraldine our hearts. A dog lover, an incredible chef and an accommodating venue host, Geraldine made us feel right at home. In fact, as soon as we visited her home we knew this was exactly where we wanted to begin our journey together. This is not your typical wedding venue, adorned with spanish and mexican architectural notes and blanketed by a sea of well manicured flowers ands trees. Her property truly captures the beauty of the nature all around the home, and as for the sunset, well, lets just say your guests will be privy to watching the sun melt into a sea of stars. Geraldine and her staff were top notch and in the months leading up to the big day, extremely accommodating and open to the laundry list of questions we had for them. We went with an eclectic assortment of mexican style dishes with an even broader array of appetizers. We chose to go with family style service and Geraldine prepared a beautiful mexican parillada, a beautiful presentation of shrimp, carne asada and chicken amongst other various side dishes. Her work truly knows no bounds. Perhaps most important was her ability to accommodate our vegan guests. This was one of the most important requirements we had facing dinner/appetizer service and Geraldine and her staff were more than accommodating. Geraldine went as far as preparing chocolate goji berry cashew truffles for our vegan crowd, but let's be real, the handmade churros (on site!!) were to die for. All in all our experience up at the ranch with Geraldine and her staff was the perfect start to our married life together. Thank you so much for opening your heart and home. We have made a friend for life and welcome all of you to experience the magic of rancho for yourself! read more

Rancho Chiquita is a great experience! Chef Geraldine And Chef Handler are amazing! They provide a fun, relaxed environment and great cooking experience! Not to mention the scenery and location are breathtaking! I highly recommend it! read more

Geraldine, the owner of this 250 acre ranch, can really cook Mexican food. She runs "cooking classes" that start with about an hour in her kitchen that can be used to film a cooking show in. It can probably seat 25 people watching her cook. This is not "hands on", but more like a "chef's table" experience. She cooks for the class, while describing the methods and tricks. Many dishes are prepared in advance so that she can switch - just like on a TV cooking show - which she has done. Then, it is outside for a lesson on making margaritas and then a grilling lesson (we had salmon and steak). Geraldine owns restaurants and knows how to cook. It was about three hours from arrival to departure. I went with a group (there were 10 of us). One of our members selected the menu. The view from this Malibu home is spectacular (ocean beyond infinity pool). We ate outdoors at sunset. The food was great, though not uniformly. The lessons interesting and informative. The setting was unbeatable. The drive up the 3.5 mile windy road from PCH isn't bad - but take it slowly. Very expensive for dinner, but not for the lessons and personal attention, setting, dinner and ambiance. read more

Rancho Chiquita is magical! My fiancé and I found this gem of a venue on a wedding website and the owner Geraldine was accommodating enough to let us visit and check it out the same day! We immediately knew as soon as we stepped in the property that THIS was where we wanted to begin out life as husband and wife! The spectacular views of the canyons overlooking the coast and the huge infinity grass lawn was where my dream wedding always took place in my head. Now it's becoming a reality! The decor of the house is a Spanish/Mexican folk style which I have always had a passion for. Geraldine, the owner, is also a renowned chef who owns and operates several successful restaurants! This took the pressure away of having to find a caterer and extra vendors! It's all there already! Our food tasting was even better! Geraldine invited us into her home and cooked several dishes and appetizers for us to try. Each one was better than the next! We decided to go with a delicious steak in a bbq plum sauce, a salmon with a white cream-like sauce, a cheese ravioli and several appetizers including (my favorite) steak wrapped asparagus in a horseradish cream sauce with sesame seeds. (I'm drooling now!) We cannot wait for our wedding! All our dreams are coming true and I think it's going to be even more beautiful and special than I can even imagine! Thank you Geraldine for giving us these special once in a lifetime moments that we will cherish forever! read more

My husband and i got married here in 1996 - we were lucky enough to have the very first wedding that Geraldine ever had at Rancho Chiquita. All i can say is that the venue, hospitality, food, professionalism and care was amazing - and in the many years that it has now been since we got married there, there have been so many upgrades that i can only imagine how wonderful it would be today. The setting and view is just breathtaking. Amazing. It's true that you have to drive up a curvy road to get there but it is SO worth it, and if you are worried about drinking and driving, i would say that is why you hire a Limo! - or some other car service for your guests. All in all, I could not have been more thrilled with my choice to get married here and our friends and family still talk today about our wedding as the best one they have ever attended. read more

After searching for a location for a wedding, I stumbled upon this wonderful oasis in the hills above the Malibu coast. The spacious landscape and panoramic mountain and ocean views are second to none. The food and experienced staff were extremely attentive to the needs of our party. Having been an assistant to an extremely critical wedding coordinator and seen well over 100 venues, I would strongly recommend RANCHO CHIQUITA to everyone considering Malibu as a place to have an private party, event or wedding! read more