Iconic Malibu restaurant finally reopening a year after the devastating Palisades Fire, mudslides
An iconic Malibu restaurant will finally reopen its doors this Friday more than a year after the devastating Palisades fires and subsequent mudslides forced its closure in 2025.
After fourteen months of recovery, Duke’s, the popular beachfront Pacific Coast Highway restaurant and bar, announced that it is ready to welcome back those in the community, according to a post on Instagram.
“After more than a year, we’re almost ready to welcome you back,” the post on social media read. “What started as devastation became a story of community, resilience, and aloha.”
“We’re so proud of everything this ‘ohana has built — and we can’t wait to share it with you,” the message added. “Duke’s Malibu reopens this Friday, March 13 at 12pm. See you soon!”
The restaurant, which honors Olympic swimmer and Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and the rich history of surfing in Malibu, will offer service Thursday-Sunday, from noon to 7 or 8 p.m, according to its website.
Reading through the social media comments about the reopening, people sounded more than thrilled that one of their favorite places for celebrating birthdays and more is back.
“Such wonderful news! My boys have been asking constantly when we can come back and were so bummed that Dukes wasn’t their birthday celebration place last year. Can’t wait!!!” one person wrote.
Another added, “Beyond stoked for the Duke’s ‘ohana! Home away from home.”
“Omg! This is very dear to our. We watched everything you went through, especially your staff. Year of patience and hope! We can’t wait to be back to create magical floral moments and hug all of you the Dukes family. You are such an amazing team! Sending the best for years to come!”
Others vowed that they would be there soon.
“I’m going this weekend !!!! Let’s go.”
“We will be there next week!!!! Soooo excited for it!!!
In January 2025, wildfires in the Palisades destroyed thousands of homes along the Malibu coast and Duke’s was one of the few that was spared serious damage in one of the most destructive wildfires in the state’s history, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Crews were staged in the parking lot as they fought the blaze that destroyed nearly 7,000 structures.
However, with the destruction of the soil and vegetation from the blazes, massive rains a month later led to mudslides from Las Flores Canyon that sent four feet of mud into the restaurant, FOX11 reported.
It led to them having to do a total interior renovation and layoff of more than 100 employees. It also took crews two months to rid the place of all the mud before the company could even start to rebuild.
The Barefoot Bar, connected to Duke’s, reopened in late 2025. In December, Duke’s announced that the restaurant portion wouldn’t be available until 2026 due to “weather and unforeseen circumstances.”
Mayor Bass has come under fire for the response to the deadly blazes, including for traveling out of the country just days before they ripped through Southern California, leaving the city unprepared.
Earlier this month, The California Post obtained the original draft of the Palisades After-Action Fire Report — before it was quietly altered and released to the public.
One of the most damning edits had to do with language acknowledging insufficient resources to “suppress a wind-driven vegetation fire,” with the department attempting to be “fiscally responsible by not fully augmenting and pre-deploying all available resources in preparation for a rare wind event.”
For those interested in supporting the restaurant’s recovery efforts, Duke’s is located at 21150 Pacific Coast Hwy, in Malibu, CA.
The California Post reached out to the popular beachside restaurant for further comment.
