The Brief

There are few things that make us love L.A. quite like sipping a favorite beverage while taking in a view of the Pacific and scanning the horizon for dolphins. Even better when the surfers are out, or you've made it in time to catch the sunset.

LAist 89.3's AirTalk host Larry Mantle asked listeners to share their favorite places to eat and drink oceanside in and around L.A. The phone lines lit up, as they say, and those who didn't call clogged Mantle's inbox with recommendations. We've compiled many of them here and will continue gathering them in an evolving list.

Prepare to be shocked at how many Malibu suggestions show up.

Let me know if I missed your favorite: Email me at rlynch@scpr.org and I may add your suggestion to this list.

Malibu Farm Restaurant and Cafe

The ocean views are everywhere you look at The Malibu Farm restaurant, located at the Malibu Pier.

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The iconic Malibu Pier is the setting for these two restaurants, the cafe being the more casual of the two. Hit the cafe in the early hours for counter-service breakfast — Swedish mini pancakes, surfers rancheros and a fried egg sandwich. The restaurant is known for heartier fare, including pizzas, salads, lobster rolls, crab cake, oysters and bahn ‘bu tacos.

Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market & Patio Cafe

This spot is both a cafe and a fish market, so consider bringing a cooler with ice when you visit. “Every time we have visitors from out of town we take them to Malibu Seafood." says Kay Foster of North Hollywood. "In fact when people call and say they're coming to visit, they ask if we can take them there again.”

The cafe opens at 11 a.m. and boasts that the fish is uber fresh: “The reason we don’t serve breakfast is we’re out catching lunch,” says the menu. Located 1.5 miles north of Pepperdine University, the views are magnificent. The menu hits a variety of price points, including two fish tacos for $12.95 as well as a fried seafood combo of fish, shrimp, scallops, squid and fries, $24.95.

Belmont Brewing Company in Long Beach

Located at the foot of the Long Beach Pier, the Belmont Brewing Company lays claim to being the oldest brew pub in Los Angeles County. On tap: A strong stout called Long Beach Crude, an amber ale called Top Sail, and many others. Hand-crafted cocktails, too. For food, expect clam chowder, poke, ceviche, baja fish tacos (the batter's made with the house Marathon blonde ale), and also plenty of flat breads, burgers and sandwiches. If you like tomato soup, don't miss their take on it. Another favorite: The Belmont Burger, topped with onion strings, aioli and served on brioche.

Duke's in Malibu and Huntington Beach

"Recently drove to Malibu for a stolen weekday lunch at Duke’s. Lunch on the patio at the edge of the shore, lovely and reasonable," said Rick Teplitz of Westchester. There's also a Duke's in Huntington Beach, too. Reservations are recommended, unless you don't mind a wait. This place can get busy, but it's easy to see why: It's hard to beat the jaw-dropping coastal views. On Tuesday's, in Malibu, it's also hard to beat that view combined with their specials of the day: Two tacos (chicken, kalua pork, fish, or chef's special), plus chips and salsa, $14. Go ahead and tack on some house made guac ($7) and a margarita ($8) as long as someone else is driving. In Huntington Beach, it's Surf & Turf night, with specials on steak and seafood.

The Beach House in Seal Beach

Right on the sand. The menu at the Beach House in Seal Beach is tight, and hits all the favorites in beach dining, and then some. There are oysters, calamari, fish & chips, grilled salmon. But also loco moco, french onion soup and skillet corn bread made to order and served with butter, honeycomb and honey.

Captain Kidd's Fish Market & Restaurant in Redondo Beach

Captain Kidd's has an expansive menu — you choose the type of fish, how you want it prepared (charbroiled, sauteed, deep fried, tempura style), and even what spices you want. Specials include a crab cake sandwich, shrimp fajitas and the market priced lobster roll. There's New England chowder, Manhattan clam chowder, lobster bisque, seafood cioppino and chicken gumbo, and a variety of seafood kabobs. There are also burgers and steaks.

Bring a cooler and some ice. That way, after your meal, you can hit the fish market before you head home. The market menu encourages you to ask the staff about choosing the right type of fish, cooking methods and spices, so you can successfully experiment at home. The selection is huge — six varieties of crab, for example.

Neptune’s Net in Malibu

Neptune’s is half iconic Malibu beach shack, half biker bar (in the best possible way). “It's got wonderful fresh seafood … and a great beer selection,” said Jeff Willson of Playa del Rey. And so close to the beach, “You can watch the surfers.”

While many beach shacks go heavy on the deep fried, Neptune’s also goes heavy on the lighter fare, with several grilled fish salads. It sells its “world famous New England clam chowder” by the pint, starting at $8. There's also a seafood market, so consider bringing a cooler and some ice for your visit.

The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove

Located right on the beach at Crystal Cove, the Beachcomber is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Among the offerings: Breakfast beignets, omelettes, ranch skillets, coconut-macadamia pancakes; for lunch, clam chowder, grilled artichokes and Korean steak skewers, and for dinner, scallops and miso glazed butterfish. Be there to raise the flag and salute happy hour, with a cocktail at the Bootlegger Bar, serving margaritas, mojitos, martinis and more, with a bar menu that includes grilled artichokes, steak skewers and ahi nachos. If it's brunch, try one of the "big jar" cocktails, served in a big jar! A favorite is the Big Bad Bloody Mary, which is adorned with a crab claw and a jumbo shrimp, $21.

Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes

There are several places to dine while watching the waves at the Terranea resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. Hillary Black of West Los Angeles recommends Nelson's, because it's "right on the beach," and offers SoCal favorites like chips and guac ($18), nachos ($28) and ceviche ($22) as well as housemade clam chowder ($20). But there's also Catalina Kitchen, where happy hour runs 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and includes poke nachos ($12) and Nashville hot chicken sliders ($10). For dinner, there's crab cakes, ahi tuna tartar, pizzas and a burger. For a higher-end experience elsewhere on the property there's also Mar'sel, (raw bar seafood selection $94, Chilean sea bass, $52), and you can sit alongside the garden growing the herbs and produce that end up on your plate.

Hot Dog on a Stick, Santa Monica Pier

Nothing says beach eats like corn dogs.

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"A deep fried, cornmeal-encrusted hot dog or cheese stick and lemonade, what more do you want??" asks Rob Takata of Valley Glen. A regular beef hot dog will set you back $6.25. You can also spring for the Cheetos Flamin' Hot version for an extra buck.

Geoffrey's in Malibu

Should you go to Geoffrey's at night, and dine beneath the fairy lights while listening to the crashing waves? Or go there for lunch, where you can actually see the crashing waves. Your choice. This place has everything seafood (and prices to match the view) including sauteed lump crap cakes, jumbo coconut shrimp, seafood paella, steamed lobster, brioche bread pudding and salted caramel butterscotch pot de crème.

Schooner Or Later in Long Beach

No reservations, Sundays and holidays are busy. Schooner or Later knows how to stay in its lane: They're only open until mid-afternoon. Nothing fancy, just solid breakfast and lunch fare, enjoyed while overlooking the marina. "Great for breakfast," said Dennis Atkinson of Los Alamitos. The menu is an expansive one, with omelettes, pancakes, waffles, burritos and no less than four different takes on eggs benedict. For heartier fare, there's burgers, soups, melts, salads and, of course, fish and chips. And schooners of beer!

The Reel Inn in Malibu

Casual dining, generous portions, a gorgeous view. That's the Reel Inn. "Fresh seafood, no frills, picnic tables inside and lovely patio seating where you can step down to the beach while you wait for your food," said Jordin Lang Johnson of Hollywood. "Amazing little place my Dad has been taking me (and everyone) to since I was a kid." If you want to keep it simple, you choose your seafood, you choose how you want it prepared — grilled sauteed or blackened — and then add on some sides and beverages. Done. Then, there's nothing left to do but sit down and enjoy the view. If you want more, there are chowders to choose from, crab cakes, tacos, a fish quesadilla, a variety of fried seafood platters and many grilled seafood specialities, too.

Beach House Tacos in Ventura

“Beach House Tacos on the pier in Ventura is always a favorite,” said Fern Zalin of Valencia. Just accept that there's gonna be a line. The stand is about an hour's drive from DTLA. Totally doable for lunch. Just accept that there will be a line for the tacos, burritos and bowls, and the don't miss street corn ($6). The crispy potato tacos ($7.50) are a favorite as is the spicy garlic shrimp burrito ($14). Get a cheesy grilled pasilla chile, too ($6.50). There's also 3 for $10 street tacos. On weekends, there's a beachside breakfast menu that includes breakfast tacos and churro donuts.

The Sea Chest Oyster Bar in Cambria

This is one of AirTalk host Larry Mantle’s favorites, in case you were wondering. The Sea Chest Oyster Bar overlooks Moonstone Beach, and is about a 4-hour drive from DTLA. So keep this one bookmarked for your next coastal trip. Dinner only. There’s often a line, and they don’t take reservations. But that’s part of the appeal, Mantle said, offering this pro tip: The restaurant is near several wineries, and guests are welcome to pull out folding chairs, and crack open a bottle or two in the parking lot while waiting for tables. (Just make sure someone else is doing the driving, of course.) So get there early, put your name on the list and get ready to watch the sunset. No takeout. Cash only. ATM on site. Offering all the seafood favorites: fresh oysters, steamer clams, seasonal fresh fish, clams linguini and a favorite, Gina’s Cioppino (previously known to faithful customers as Andy’s Ciop). No prices on the online menu.

BALEENkitchen at the Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach

Check out the bar bites on the "Knotty Happy Hour Menu" at BALEENkitchen at the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach overlooking the marina: Hot crab dip, sliders and Korean-style chicken wings, daily 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. There’s plenty of seafood to be had elsewhere on the menu — the miso-glazed black cod is a favorite — but this is also a spot for those who want a burger with guac and an option to add on some candied bacon, or are in the mood for a roasted half chicken or coffee-rubbed, grilled rib-eye served with charred scallion chimichurri. Note that the online menu doesn't include prices.

West Toast Cafe in San Clemente

Serving all the toasts (Nutella, Avocado, $7-$12) as well as a breakfast burrito and bowls, smoothies and juices, burgers and salads. But the big surprise on the menu at West Toast Cafe in San Clemente is the Venezuelan Corner: Arepas! Cachapas! And Tequenos! ($8-$14) (The co-owners have Venezuelan roots.) At first, it was all a bit of an experiment. Now, "Believe it or not, we sell more arepas than burgers," said one of the co-owners and chef, Adrian Real, who worked in Miami before heading West. He says it's because of their signature green sauce, which they are about to start selling by the jar because it's such a hit with diners. Located near the popular surfing spot, T Street Beach, West Toast caters to the local crowd. Serving Panther Coffee, from Miami. IYKYK. Dine right on the beach, with your toes in the sand.

Brophy Bros. in Ventura

It's about an hour's drive from DTLA to Brophy Bros. in Ventura, known for its beer battered fish and chips, clam strips and clam chowder, cioppino, and ahi tuna poke. An hour is nothing for the way we drive in L.A., so Brophy's is the perfect excuse for a day trip to get away from the grind.

The Cliff in Laguna Beach

Boasts 180-degree whitewater views from the multi-level patio. “The Cliff in Laguna Beach sits above the water and has great, fresh food and live music in the evenings,” said Gena Hamamoto of Alhambra. House specialities include chicken and waffles for breakfast, clam chowder, mahi mahi fish tacos, halibut Laguna, and a fish and shrimp and chips combo.

The Marine Room in La Jolla

Are you overlooking the water? Or in the water? At The Marine Room in La Jolla, it's hard to say. One of the many draws of this that dates back to 1941 is that when the tides are right, the waves smash right into the window. Thrilling, or horrifying, depending upon your viewpoint. (There’s a tides chart on the website to help you time it either way.) A high-end lounge menu includes Moroccan lamb lollipops, $30, and cocktails such as the Oaxaca Night, $30, made with Ilegal Mezcal and St. Germain and the Kelp Martini, $19. Note that there’s a dress code: No beach or active wear, such as ball caps.

Inflation-scarred consumers are finding a bit of relief these days at an unlikely place: the gas pump.

The average price of gasoline dipped below $4 a gallon Tuesday for the first time in three months, according to AAA. The price of regular gas has fallen by 38 cents in the last month to a national average of $3.98.

The overall cost of living, however, remains stubbornly high. Consumer prices in October were up 0.4% from the previous month, according to a report Tuesday from the Labor Department. That's a bigger monthly increase than forecasters had expected.

Rising housing costs accounted for about a third of the monthly increase. Grocery prices were also up sharply during the month.

Why gas prices are falling

The drop in gasoline prices in recent weeks is thanks to a combination of falling crude oil prices, refineries' switch to a cheaper blend of winter fuel, and the typical seasonal drop in demand for gas.

"Temperatures are getting colder," says Patrick De Haan, petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. "People who have boats and RVs are probably done for the year. I would say, by Thanksgiving, so long as we don't get any wild cards geopolitically, the national average could be $3.75 a gallon."

Gas prices are still at a record high for this time of year, however — about a dollar a gallon higher than when the U.S. went to war with Iran. Even with the recent drop in prices, this year's drive to grandma's for Thanksgiving could be the most expensive ever.

Diesel prices have also fallen, but more slowly than gas prices. AAA says the average price of diesel fuel is $6.15 a gallon, down about 13 cents from a month ago.

The high cost of diesel fuel is another byproduct of the war — not only the U.S. war with Iran but also Russia's war with Ukraine. Russia is ordinarily a big exporter of diesel fuel, but that supply has largely dried up because of damage to Russia's refineries.

"When a country like Russia isn't exporting diesel, that is very impactful for the global market. So diesel prices – they will come down but they will still remain very elevated," De Haan says.

Heating oil prices are also high

Rising diesel prices are also driving up the cost of heating oil in the northeast, because heating oil is a close cousin of diesel.

Mild fall weather has kept heating costs in check so far, but De Haan says a blast of cold air could push heating oil prices even higher.

Higher diesel prices also affect the cost of other goods that have to be moved by truck or train or cargo ship.

"You're starting to see higher freight costs get passed through," says economist Mike Reid of RBC Capital Markets. "We've seen it show up notably in goods that are heavily imported — apparel, recreation goods, IT equipment."

In a speech Tuesday before the inflation release, Federal Reserve Chris Waller suggested that energy shocks could have more lasting effects on inflation that previously though. Waller suggested the central bank may need to raise interest rates more aggressively to curb price hikes than markets had previously expected.

No annual comparison for inflation this time

While Tuesday's inflation report shows how much prices rose in the last month, it does not include the typical reading on how prices have changed over the last year. That's a casualty of last year's government shutdown, which idled hundreds of government price-checkers so prices from October 2025 were never recorded for comparison.

The Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank estimated before Tuesday's release that consumer prices in October were up 3.7% from a year ago. That would outstrip average wage gains of just 3.1% during the year, so the typical worker is losing buying power. That's a big reason for the heavy turnout in last week's mid-term elections. 49.1% of eligible voters took part in the election, the second highest total for any midterm in more than a century.

Copyright 2026 NPR

California will not become the first state to levy a wealth tax on its richest residents — at least not this election.

Voters rejected Proposition 40, a proposal to tax billionaires based on their net worth and financial holdings, by 52.8% to 47.2%, according to The Associated Press Monday. The measure had trailed behind for days before The Associated Press confirmed results.

Leaders for Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the union pushing the measure, seemed to concede the race minutes before the polls closed but vowed to try again in 2028 if California’s Legislature “fails to deliver a real solution” to fund healthcare hammered by recent federal law.

“That’s not a hypothetical. That’s our plan,” said Dave Regan, president of SEIU-UHW.

Election Day was projected to be an all-around defeat for the union, known for aggressively pursuing ballot measures. Voters defeated union-backed Proposition 44, an effort to control how clinics spend money. Proposition 42, a billionaire tax countermeasure prohibiting future wealth taxes, was leading Monday evening by 51.6% to 48.4%. That measure could get in the way of SEIU-UHW’s future plans to try taxing wealth again.

The billionaire tax would have generated $100 billion for healthcare and education through a one-time, 5% tax on billionaires, according to SEIU-UHW. Opponents of the measure celebrated its defeat.

“Proposition 40 was a reckless experiment conducted on our state’s economy with little regard for the harms it would cause,” according to a statement from Evan Westrop, a campaign strategist for No on Prop. 40.

The opposition campaign, which was backed by wealthy tech investors and healthcare organizations, argued the measure had already driven billionaires from the state and permanently harmed income tax revenue. On Monday they said the state still faces “enormous pressure” to find other ways to fund healthcare hit by federal cuts.

Billionaire tax divided Democrats

From the outset, Prop. 40 revealed divisions among the Democratic Party and galvanized some of Silicon Valley’s wealthiest executives to spend hundreds of millions to defeat it.

Gov. Gavin Newsom became one of its earliest opponents, attempting through backroom negotiations to keep it off of the ballot altogether. He endorsed the billionaire-backed counter measure, Prop. 42, designed to ban all wealth taxes in California and kill Prop. 40. Newsom, along with Democratic allies such as Planned Parenthood of California and California Teachers Association, argued a one-time tax would not solve the state’s fiscal woes and would drive wealthy residents out of state.

The California Democratic Party and California Federation of Labor Unions supported the initiative and opposed its counter measures, arguing the state needed more revenue to shield workers and everyday Californians from the effects of dramatic federal healthcare cuts expected to kick 2 million residents off of health insurance.

Lorena Gonzalez, former Assemblymember and president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, said Prop. 40’s failure puts even more pressure on state and federal lawmakers to backfill federal Medicaid cuts.

Supporters of Prop. 40 blamed its loss on billionaires vastly outspending the Yes campaign, which raised $33.5 million.

“That is incredibly corrosive and corrupting to our democracy and our political system, and that's been dominating the discussion here in California,” Regan said.

Billionaires poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the campaign to stop Prop. 40. Google co-founder Sergey Brin led the charge, publicly moving out of state and donating $102 million to Building a Better California, a political committee he founded to oppose the tax. The group has served as a passthrough for other billionaire donors to oppose Prop. 40, including by funding the counterpropositions 41 and 42. Collectively, ultra-wealthy opponents donated $378.4 million to oppose the billionaire tax.

In a statement, Abby Lunardini, a spokesperson for Building a Better California, said the billionaire tax threatened to limit revenue for all services in California, including healthcare, by driving economic interests out of the state.

“It was a lose-lose for California, and voters clearly agreed,” Lunardini said.

Ultimately, opponents’ efforts succeeded.

Polling just ahead of the election indicated falling support for Prop. 40 despite growing sentiment for taxing billionaires more in general. According to a UC Berkeley Citrin-POLITICO poll, 45% of voters believed in taxing billionaires more to fund public services compared to 35% who believed the state should prioritize keeping billionaires in state because of the tax revenue and jobs they generate — but just 46% favored Prop. 40.

Infighting among Democrats could have also contributed to Prop. 40’s demise, said John Matsusaka, an economist and direct democracy expert at USC, ahead of the election. Research shows money doesn’t buy people’s votes or values on core issues like abortion, Matsusaka said, but it can exploit uncertainty.

“People these days are very tribal. When your tribe is arguing, people start to listen to the counterarguments,” Matsusaka said.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

After an hourslong, late-night standoff between Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and community members outside Adventist Health White Memorial over the weekend, local leaders are demanding answers from hospital leadership. 

The hospital has previously faced scrutiny over claims that its administrators have allowed federal immigration agents to interfere in patient care. 

On Saturday, state Sen. María Elena Durazo marched with community members from Mariachi Plaza to the hospital to hand-deliver a letter to White Memorial President Daniel Fontoura. The letter, signed by elected officials and community leaders, calls for an end to any collaboration that may exist between the hospital and federal immigration agents. 

The night before, ICE agents clashed with protesters near the hospital and blocked the hospital’s ambulance entrance. According to White Memorial, ambulances were diverted for about two hours during the incident. Two U.S. citizens were also detained by federal agents. 

Federal immigration agents were at White Memorial Friday night because someone in their custody had been taken to the emergency room, according to hospital officials and the Los Angeles Police Department. 

“What happened last night was unacceptable,” Durazo told Fontoura in the parking lot of White Memorial, steps away from where ICE agents had been standing shoulder to shoulder just hours earlier. “It’s unacceptable that ICE would go into our healthcare facilities. But we also believe that White Memorial can and should do more.”

Fontoura told the group that the hospital has “no special relationship, no special contract” with ICE. “When they show up, they show up,” Fontoura said, referring to the federal agents. 

Fontoura said hospital staff took care of the person who was brought in by ICE and claimed they denied the agents’ request to “break protocol” and be in the same room as the patient and their physician. “We said no,” Fontoura said. 

Boyle Heights Beat asked White Memorial whether these privacy protections are standard practice and whether federal agents follow them while at the hospital. The hospital did not respond before publication. 

Last year, Adventist Health released a six-point statement outlining its policies to protect detained patients and support staff, but doctors and advocates at the time said it was not enough. 

Now Durazo and others are calling for more accountability and stricter guidelines from the hospital on how they respond to ICE activity. 

The letter requests a written response from hospital leadership by Nov. 21. It is signed by Durazo, Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, Mayor-elect Nithya Raman, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and other community leaders from Proyecto Pastoral, CHIRLA and more.

White Memorial has not responded to Boyle Heights Beat’s request for comment on the letter.

If the concerns remain unresolved, those who signed the letter say they will ask the California attorney general to review White Memorial’s compliance with state law.

“For ICE to show up the way they did, it takes a much higher level of consciousness and determination by the hospital to stop them from doing this,” Durazo told Boyle Heights Beat after the rally on Saturday. “We don’t have absolute power over ICE, we know that, but we do have some power over ICE.” 

Nithya Raman turned the tide in the L.A. mayoral race by winning over large swathes of the city that voted for Karen Bass in 2022, according to an LAist analysis of election data.

Bass was a favorite in many areas that voted for Rick Caruso when she faced him in 2022. She held onto a majority of voters across South L.A., but lost much of her previous support. She outperformed Raman in areas where Spencer Pratt, the third-place primary finisher, saw strong turnout in June.

The switchup came after Bass — a veteran in progressive politics — took a relatively-conservative approach on issues like policing and high-density housing developments compared to Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.