17 California Coast Steakhouses With Wow-Factor Views And Standout Steaks
Imagine sitting at a table where waves press against the windows and the light of sunset flickers across the silverware. Along California’s coast, steakhouses turn dinner into something close to theater. These seventeen make you pause before the first bite, because the view is already part of the meal.
Some send out bone-in ribeyes that feel larger than the plate, others lean quiet, letting Wagyu carry the weight. From Malibu to La Jolla to Monterey, each has its own rhythm, its own stage. The ocean lingers close, but the steak always pushes to the center.
Let’s roam the coast.
1. Mastro’s Ocean Club
A salty breeze slips in through windows, mingling with soft lights and hushed conversation.
At Mastro’s Malibu you’ll find wet‑aged prime steaks broiled at 1,500°F on 450°F plates, artfully seared and served alongside seafood and decadent sides.
Patrons dress smartly, reservations are wise, and the ocean view, just steps from the Malibu Pier, reinforces that you’re not in any ordinary steakhouse.
2. Meat On Ocean
There’s a tension in the room, everyone’s waiting for something showstopping. And then it arrives.
Santa Monica’s Meat On Ocean makes its point quickly: massive cuts, dry-aged funk, and enough heat to earn that crust. The Butcher’s Butter Strip is rich enough to qualify as myth.
Locals like the corner tables for views of the Promenade crowds and the slant of sea beyond. The lighting is low, the ceiling high, and the energy calibrated for indulgence, not restraint.
3. BOA Steakhouse
Start by inhaling. There’s something caramelized in the air, sharpened by salt. The mood at BOA is velvet-lit and swaggering.
They serve a 40-day dry-aged New York Strip that’s earned its reputation with every sizzling, charred centimeter. Steaks are sliced tableside, sides come in cast-iron pans, and the service walks a tightrope between attentive and invisible.
If you sit outside, the waves are just out of frame, but the breeze carries enough sea to remind you where you are.
4. EPIC Steak
Glass walls at EPIC don’t separate you from the Bay, they frame it. The bridge looms large, the horizon long.
Their bone-in cowboy ribeye demands your attention. Seared hard, seasoned well, and resting under a pillow of béarnaise if you dare.
Sunset is the magic hour. It hits the glass, the plates, your glass of water. You’ll squint and grin and probably say something you didn’t mean to out loud. Everyone does.
5. Island Prime
There’s a scent that floats between ocean spray and grilling meat, it’s confusing, in the best way.
Island Prime sits right on Harbor Island in San Diego, where every steak arrives with a view of skyline and sailboats. The filet trio offers variation without compromise: tender, balanced, bold.
Locals bring guests here to impress, and tourists leave feeling like locals. Order anything with the cheddar jalapeño duchess potatoes and resist the urge to applaud when it arrives.
6. Stake Chophouse & Bar
Everything here gleams. The tile, the glassware, the knives. Even the oysters seem to glisten in anticipation.
Stake in Coronado offers wood-fired steaks, including an American Wagyu rib cap that whispers richness without shouting. Presentation is restrained, letting the cuts speak clearly.
You’re a block from the sea, but the real view is what lands in front of you. There’s a rooftop patio, but most choose to sit downstairs, closer to the meat, further from the breeze.
7. 333 Pacific
When the sun hits Oceanside just right, the whole street glows like a film set. Inside, 333 Pacific hums with low conversation and glass clinks.
Steaks are plated like sculptures: tall, deliberate, glossy with just-rendered fat. Try the filet with miso butter and understand why locals keep quiet about it.
On weekends, the bar gets crowded. Book a late dinner and linger—this place feels more luxurious as the night deepens.
8. Chart House Cardiff-By-The-Sea
The soundscape here is all wave and whisper. Even the silverware feels quieter than usual.
At Cardiff’s Chart House, the prime rib comes in slabs, slow-roasted, rosy, deeply comforting. Add creamed spinach, and you’ve entered a different era.
Window seating is essential. The coastline tilts and curves right past your plate, reminding you to eat slower and stare more.
9. Chart House Dana Point
At twilight, the cliffs of Dana Point blush pink. Inside, the air cools and menus open with soft cracks.
Chart House’s New York Strip is a classic, marbled and mellow, arriving on hot china with gravity. If you want more ocean, the mahi-mahi’s always nearby.
The smart move: book 45 minutes before sunset. You’ll get the steak and the view at their peak without either stealing from the other.
10. Chart House Redondo Beach
Redondo’s harbor curls like a question mark around the building. Inside, everything feels slower, deliberate.
Their ribeye is bold, with deep sear lines and a pepper crust that lingers just long enough. Fries optional but strongly encouraged.
Locals love the booths by the water, especially when the tide rolls high. It’s one of the few spots where you can cut into steak and watch a pelican soar past your elbow.
11. Chart House Monterey
Cannery Row holds its ghosts, but Chart House feels very much alive. The wood creaks just enough to feel charming.
Their prime cuts rest under housemade sauces, accompanied by firecracker shrimp or seasonal vegetables that taste fresher than expected.
When fog rolls in, the dining room turns cinematic. Bring a sweater and lean into the cozy. It’s steak with a soft edge.
12. Kincaid’s Fish, Chop & Steakhouse
Burlingame’s shoreline doesn’t scream for attention. It gestures, subtle and elegant.
Kincaid’s dry-aged steak has a clean, classic flavor—charred on the outside, warm and deep within. Try it with horseradish cream if you like balance with a kick.
You’ll find business dinners and anniversary couples here alike. The lighting flatters everyone, and the pacing makes you forget time completely.
13. Whaling Station Steakhouse
This place smells like history and butter. The red banquettes haven’t changed in years. Thank God.
Located near Cannery Row, the Whaling Station ages its own beef and carves to order. The porterhouse could moonlight as a doorstop, in the best way.
It’s not trying to impress you. It just does. The best seats are by the fireplace, close enough to hear it crackle between bites.
14. Selanne Steak Tavern
Laguna Beach wraps around this spot like a scarf. A faint citrus tree scent follows you in.
Selanne’s steaks arrive seared and seasoned with surgeon-like precision. The Delmonico is indulgent, dressed with bone marrow butter that somehow doesn’t feel like too much.
This is where you celebrate, or pretend to. Sit upstairs if the weather’s clear. You’ll swear the ocean leaned in to watch.
15. The Marine Room
Waves slap the glass here. Literally. At high tide, the ocean is your dinner companion.
The Marine Room serves elegant cuts with French flair, steaks trimmed like they’re headed for a gallery. The peppercorn-crusted filet is a crowd favorite.
Tide charts matter. Time your dinner right and the sea might give you a standing ovation. Wear something you’d wear to an event. Because this is one.
16. Geoffrey’s Malibu
This Malibu landmark knows exactly what it is. Confident, lush, occasionally theatrical.
The peppercorn New York Strip is the standout, grilled, finished with demi-glace, and joined by whipped potatoes that sigh under your fork.
Outdoor tables fill first. Arrive early or late, never on time, and always request a view. Geoffrey’s doesn’t just feed you, it stages you.
17. The Strand House
The view doesn’t creep into your meal, it crashes through the windows unapologetically.
Manhattan Beach’s Strand House pairs rich steaks with equally rich design. Try the tomahawk. It’s carved to share but often isn’t.
You can spot surfers heading home as dessert lands. This place blends casual cool with occasion-worthy polish. It’s California dining without the effort.