Best beachside restaurant along the coast in Southern California. Fresh, organic food with a full menu,meant to please everyone. The service is friendly, day after day and year after year. There's a reason why the long running employees are still providing quality service and food after being employed there for over three-four decades. Quality speaks loudly and I'm proud to have found this place on the sand which is part of Santa Monica history. Away from the masses south of there. read more

Location, location, location! Literally on the beach, sand in the shoes. Nice place to have breakfast, hear the ocean and enjoy. Food was good but it wasn't 'knock your socks off' great. Nice comfort food, omelette, bagel and some fruit. Friendly staff. The chairs and table are in the sand, so when you sit down, the legs of the chair sink into the sand. I felt like a little kid at the table since I had to reach upwards a little bit. Not a problem, just an observation. There are several places you can eat 'at' the beach, but this one is 'on' the beach. FYI, outside seating is next to the bike/walking path, so you do get lots of people walking by. Parking is paid parking only...pretty standard for the beach. Will def go to this place again. read more

Back On the Beach - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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How lucky are we to have such a beautiful setting for breakfast at the beach. Yes it's paid parking. But it's truly worth it given the wonderful location and breakfast experience. We were seated immediately out doors under an umbrella and soaked up the Santa Monica beach view. There was a family having breakfast, while the kids played at a nearby swing set. What a great place to people watch....folks were jogging or riding by. Our coffee and drink orders came readily. We ordered Huevos Rancheros, breakfast burrito, and blueberry pancakes. All were delicious. Service was attentive and our drinks often replenished. They didn't rush us out... told that it was a quiet morning. It had been overcast and not too many people waiting to get in. I'm thinking on busy warm weekend they might rush people along. But not today, we enjoyed our breakfast and sights. Afterwords we took a nice stroll down to the water along the boardwalk... nice we didn't have to take off our shoes. All in all, awesome food and scenery. We'll be back. read more

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Nice to have lunch with the ocean view and the feet on the sand. Help! Please I lost a bracelet on August 2nd while eating there or at the playground next to it. It's a silver and green opal one, and it's extremely precious to me because of its personal/family meaning. If someone finds it, could you please contact me? read more

Back On the Beach - Lost bracelet, please help - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Excellent spot! Phenomenal set up great parking free (I can't believe it either...I know) Bathroom looks OK. It's not disgusting but it's not super clean. It's obviously the beach but there's a bathroom. There's even a shower. There is a private public pool. You can go to you don't have to go to the Sandy beach. You can actually go to the pool for minimal charge (and I don't think too many people pee inside the pool because it did look kind of clear from the vision I got) and the BEACH of course is phenomenal. I didn't go in the water. It's freaking cold, but it's always fun sticking your stinky feet inside the sand :-) I enjoy the summer. Oh, and by the way, the restaurant I believe has good food. I don't know I I didn't eat there. I brought my own shit from home. read more

I love this place, especially the salmon. I'm gluten-free and so it's really easy to order a lunch. That is seriously delicious. I'm not sure if the sweet potato fries are gluten-free but they sure are yummy. read more

You can sit right on the sand or on a cool day inside with a view. The fish tacos are delicious and the service is always welcoming. This is one of my favorite beach spots! read more

Wow! This place has great tempura fish with chips. Huge pieces of, I think, Cod with a big bed of fries. One serving makes two meals for me, and I am not a little person by any means. The servers have always been very friendly and helpful. The owner has sponsored Thanksgiving dinner for seniors through Wise & Healthy Aging. Love that they have delicious reasonably priced food, a great view and also help the community! This is a perfect place to meet your friends for a leisurely brunch. read more

I recently met a friend for lunch at this beachside eatery and because of the excellent service, I'd recommend a return visit. The food was very tasty and served at outdoor tables that were right on the Santa Monica boardwalk. read more

Can't find a better location on the beach, and the parking is ok if you go early. Surprisingly good food... had expected less. Great place to chill for breakfast. read more

Truly Horrible Customer service. Really disappointed considering the view was amazing.

Wonderful service, nice to eat outdoors on the sand with the view of the beach in the distance. My friend and I ordered the Back on the Beach burgers with fries at $22 each. Burgers were fresh, but bland and could have been tastier with red onions or sautéed onions and pickles. Parking lot was packed at $3/hr. We parked for 2 hours. It took a few minutes not seconds for our ticket to come out of the parking machine in Spanish. It stalled after it had already accepted my credit card charge of $6. Nice ambience, but I wouldn't be back for the food. read more

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It has very good parking, the rainbow trout was delicious, and it's on the beach dining with great views. Before or after dining, go for a walk on the beach! The service was good as well. read more

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The ambiance and the service is quite exceptional!!! The servers & host really know hospitality. Specially considering the elements. They made sure I was comfortable and that umbrellas were tilted in a way that the sun wouldn't bother me. The drinks are perfectly balanced. The food was just ok. But would some back for the drinks & service read more

A wonderful place to have a meal by the beach that's perfect for families. My girls got to run around in the sand while we waited to order and for our food. Very relaxed laid back atmosphere. The food is on the pricier side for breakfast fare, but it's cause you can't beat the location. We didn't mind cause the food is also really good and we split some plates. We got the egg plate, chocolate chip pancakes, and the shakshuka, which was perfect for this gloomy day. read more

Back On the Beach - Outdoor patio area near the playground - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

My toddler Wade B. and I had lunch at Back On the Beach last month with three grown-up friends and another baby buddy. It was a great place for this hangout, an easy, casual, kid-friendly restaurant, where we could strap the boys into high chairs then let them loose in the adjacent playground when we were all done. Reservations are available and highly recommended if you want to eat outside. Not surprisingly, those tables go first. We booked ours for a Monday at 11:30, and I don't think anyone without a reservation was getting a spot on the sand. The set-up was lovely, a cafe attached to the Annenberg Community Beach House (parking was easy on a Monday, but I've seen how hellish that lot gets on the weekend). We really were eating on the beach. Service was friendly and fast. I got the shrimp tacos, which were solid, with marinated "selva" shrimp, grilled corn pico, avocado crema, and sides of rice and beans. Wade got the breaded chicken tenders with fries and mostly ate the fries, always the story when the kid's meal comes with fries. I always feel like it's a hassle to go to the beach, but this was a truly pleasant way to spend a few hours with friends and babies. I'd recommend Back on the Beach for a relaxing lunch with a view, especially if you have kids to entertain. read more

Everything love love love this place Amazing food, scenery the vibe and service was excellent. Right on the beach, toes in the sand read more

Considering the ambiance (you are literally on the beach, facing the ocean) I would expect this place to be a tourist trap. But the food is actually really good! Service was attentive, even though you could tell they were short staffed, especially considering the wait staff has to trudge through actual beach. read more

I had a great experience the service was excellent and the food was tasty. Great restaurant to have breakfast on the beach. read more

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Service has always been great! The waiters are super friendly and attentive... The outdoor seating has an unobstructed view of the beach AND you are can have your feet in the sand which makes the experience so comforting and special! They have plenty of beers on tap, along with cocktails that they make in house. I love getting the Back On the Beach Burger with a side salad... the food comes out pretty quickly! I honestly feel like I'm on vacation whenever I sit outdoors at Back on the Beach and am so glad to visit after my bike rides in Santa Monica :) read more

Back On the Beach - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

We've been eating at Back on The Beach for years!! The owners are great and the locale doesn't get any better. The food is delicious and the people watching is fantastic. Before the Annenberg beach House opened this was a great little secret in Santa Monica but alas, no more. It get VERY BUSY on weekends and the parking lot WILL FILL UP so proceed with some patience. Put your name in and take a walk along the path down to the water. My favorites include the Fred Salad (enough for two), the Burgers and the breakfasts. They don't rush you but as a patron please try to maintain your kids as well as we maintain our dogs. Thanks. read more

Really cute vibes right on the beach- food is really typical beach vibe, not the best thing you'll ever eat but has something for everyone, tastes fresh and service is attentive. You can't really beat the location and if you sit outside your toes are quite literally in the sand- not to mention the cappuccino with vanilla was quite nice. Would actually come again to bring some friends for a very casual brunch. read more

Back On the Beach - Smoked salmon on sourdough - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Friday was a perfect day to enjoy lunch with coworkers. The group was together for a office rising star retreat (which was amazing) and it was time for lunch. The group walked from Annerberg Neacj House to the resturant. We were welcomed from the front and seated the large group at a long table. Our server greeted us and presented a menu along with a time to select. When he came back he took his time to hear from each of us our order. The staff was nice to make sure we had want we needed The food tasty and fresh. I ordered the fish taco with a salad and was full. The portion are large. The view was beauty as we were able enjoy the beach view. It was a great day! read more

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Back on the Beach is located at the Annenberg Community Beach House. The entrance is closer to their 1st parking lot (not the lot further back). Service was a bit slow and it was relatively empty when I went for lunch on a Wednesday. I ordered their breakfast sandwich with breakfast potatoes. My order came in wrong, but I decided to let that be. The fries they gave instead were rock hard, but the sandwich was decent. Nothing too exciting. The best thing about the restaurant, to me, was their view. Part of their outdoor seating is in sand and part on hard floors. They have very nice ocean views if you sit as far back as possible. Note: Parking was $3 for 1 hour. They have ticket/timed parking that is left on your dashboard. read more

Back On the Beach - Outdoor seating - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

When my friend ordered a sandwich to-go and opened the box I gasped. It was tragic, it was a crime, it was giving Fyre Festival meals. It felt like a joke, a scam, prank all in one to go container and I could only weep for my friend. Dry bread, barely any protein. It looked like leftovers. The robbery stayed in my nightmares for days. It seems like people who dined in and got the burger had a better meal. So for those who want to grab and go - better to go somewhere else. read more

I always come back to this place when I want a bite at the beach, and most of the time, they don't disappoint. One thing to note is that most food is well portioned, but the kids burger is very small, especially compared to how many fries they give you. The servers are all so nice and are happy to accommodate your requests. Since it is on the beach, the ambience is automatically very nice, especially on a warm summer day. read more

This place was on my list for way too long. Well worth the drive!! The salmon was amazing. I was dining alone after a doctors appointment. The waitress was super friendly and I even wound up chatting with a group at the table behind me for a few moments. Beautiful patio seating, literally in the sand. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the veggies were seasoned to perfection. Hope to come back soon!! read more

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The service was polite, thorough, efficient and easy. The beach views are the reason to go, but I cannot complain about the service- they are as engaged or disengaged as you would like for the most part. The menu makes point to let you know they really try to source the best quality ingredients for everything they make- but they do upcharge for real maple syrup (vs the corn syrup kind). Stomach feels after were mostly positive- I would not equate it to a "greasy spoon" feel, but I did feel that kind of "hard" fullness in the gut that left me wanting fresh foods after the fact (even though we had a small side of fruit). The pancakes had a certain "stiffness" - not the fluffiest or lightest. It doesn't feel greasy...but it feels...processed? If that makes sense? Sometimes healthy sourced ingredients can be harder to digest- so I don't want to speak to the quality of the foods themselves- just a heads up for those who search for places to eat by "how my stomach will feel afterwards". It was kind of like a hard fullness that lacked the feeling of being "satisfied"- and I think that's just because my buttermilk pancakes were relatively plain (it costs extra for berries or chocolate chips- and I wanted real syrup so I paid extra for the syrup and not the toppings). It's a good place to stop if you're not sure where to go, but are in the area and looking for a brunch spot with a view. All in all a positive experience. I think the prices are a little much (just serve real maple syrup and don't charge extra for it!), but not a bad place to try if you're looking for a view! read more

Back On the Beach - Buttermilk Pancakes & cappuccino - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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A cute cafe right on the Beach with a convenient parking lot. Try to arrive before 11 AM to get a parking spot and avoid the line. Reservation highly recommended if you have a big group. The parking rate is $3 an hour. The food was good - has both breakfast and lunch menu to choose from. I ordered the North African Shakshuka and it was flavorful. Service was attentive - the waiter came around several times to refill water and coffee. Note that the 18% tip is automatically charged on a big group. read more

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I had a midweek lunch on a beautiful, spring, Los Angeles day. A city beach lot made parking easy. Parking on the weekends can be a bit more congested (although I've never had a problem getting a spot). Just in case, though, there's a lot just south that is rarely full. I made a reservation to sit outside so I could dine with my feet in the sand. Arrived a few minutes before my reservation. The host was very friendly and kept me updated on when my table would be ready. I ordered a beer that came quickly, then ordered Back on the Beach burger with a side salad. Hamburger came medium rare, just as I ordered it, and was delicious. Although my server was quick to take my order, once the meal arrived service was all but non-existent. And it took a while to flag them down to get another drink. I'm not sure what the issue was, as I saw the other server constantly moving between tables in their section. On the flip side, the entire staff, including my server, were super friendly -- which always goes a long way with me. With that said, I'm taking one star off because it took me so long to get another beer. read more

Back On the Beach - Back on the Beach Burger with side salad. - American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Very pleased with our three night stay. Clean, comfortable, kitchenette and living room were an added plus. Owner always available,helpful, personable. Walk to every thing Highly recommend this place. read more

I truly hate to say this - but - BE CAREFUL eating there! We visited on August 7th... The service was not very good at all. The food, matched the service. I had fish and chips and was so excited to enjoy it. But it was cold and mostly batter with limp fries. The ambience was great, which is why my wife and I were so excited to finally go and have a sunset beach dinner there. On my way out, I went to the restroom. It smelled of a recent #2. Then a young man wearing an apron exited the stall and walked right out without washing his hands. What's worse - he went back into the KITCHEN! No way. That's why my advice is to be careful. Maybe just have a beverage and be safe. What a sad dissapointment! read more

I went to Back on the Beach restaurant with friends back in 2024. Also enjoyed treating my grandchildren with their favorite foid. My brother and his wife enjoyed Back on the Beach with me too. Unfortunately my brother has passed away. read more

Food has never been disappointing. The service is very friendly. And the ambiance speaks for itself especially if you eat outside.

Nice experience since it is near a playground and the beach. It is better to go here when it is not as crowded but it is generally a good place to have brunch with friends and family. The food was generally good as well and you can find things on the menu that please everyone. read more

One of our favorite places to go. This is what SoCal is all about. Sitting outside, looking at the ocean, with your feel in the sand! We come here for breakfast whenever we visit the poolhouse next door. Huevos rancheros is my go-to and it was DELICIOUS as always! Partner had the Pasta Mama which is thin spaghetti sauteed with eggs, cheese bacon and sausage. It was yummy too but the flavor gets wearying after a while. On past occasions we've also tried the shashuka, and the pancakes. We recommend them both. The service is always friendly here too - no matter how busy they get. It's a bit pricey but you're paying for the location as well as the food. $61 for two entrees with two coffees, tax and tip. read more

We had a party of 12. They put us in a lovely private room. The service was exceptional. All twelve entrees arrived at the same time. The food was delicious. Needless to say, the restaurant is located right on the beach with lovely views. We visited the Marion Davies Guest House (walking distance) afterwards. It made for a very enjoyable afternoon. read more

This place has been here since the late 80s. Regardless of the reboot the food is fabulous, the view is a California treat... on the beach! With the ocean, just in the distance!! This was the spot we ate ate, before wandering down to the benches overlooking the ocean, where I bend the knee back in 2016! read more

At this time, I only do outdoor dining and was excited to try out this place that is right on the beach. Fortunately there is tons of outdoor seating, so we were able to sit right away. Each table has it's own orange umbrella and honestly, it was just beautiful and wonderful to be right next to the beach. You can still smell the ocean a little bit, which was lovely. I loved that we could snuggle our toes in the sand. In fact, some if the children were rolling in it, while their parents chatted among friends, which was a little funny to watch. We had their main burger, which was good. I expected a little a lot of flavor, but thought all the ingredients were fresh and delicious. I would come back here again for sure for a second date. Parking is $3 an hour and is right next to the restaurant. read more

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Back on the Beach is my happy place. Seriously. It is the perfect place to have a glass of rosè, a delicious meal and have your feet in the sand. The service is always friendly. It is a little pricey but the view is worth it! read more