We came in for a lunch at Dukes and could not be more impressed. Our server Ryan was such a sweet heart and gave us the best service! He recommended the Mai Tai and it did not disappoint. We will be coming back and hope to have Ryan again as our server! read more

Finally got to try Duke's in La Jolla and I was pleasantly surprised. These establishments by the water like George's at the Cove (vomit) don't even try anymore. The service was great and we had Joey to thank for that. We came during lunch for a corporate event for a colleagues baby shower and the crab ragoons were the best I've ever had not to mention their other apps. I ordered one of their plate specials and I was impressed with their bok choy side and Mac salad. Nothing was bland and the chicken breast was great. My dirty martini was as it should and the desserts were fabulous. There's no diversity there but that's La Jolla for you. Be prepared for ladies clutching their purses as you walk by. *rolls eyes Great ocean view and plenty of nice seating everywhere. Arrive before the lunch to dinner rush if you can! read more

Duke's La Jolla - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

"We visited Duke's in La Jolla on a Monday, hoping for a table with a great view. My friend was visiting from Oregon after a difficult loss, and we were eager to enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, we were seated at the back of the patio near where dishes were gathered, which obstructed the view we wanted. When a better table became available shortly after, I politely asked the hostess if we could move. Despite not having received our food yet, she declined, saying it would be too difficult for the kitchen. Her dismissive response, 'You are not the only people who are visiting,' was disheartening. As a local, it was embarrassing to showcase La Jolla this way, and I expected better from Duke's. Additionally, when we asked our server to take a picture, a worker was visible near the sink in all our shots, and the server made no attempt to adjust. Despite the good food and okay service, the overall experience did not meet my expectations. I won't be bringing guests here again to highlight La Jolla." read more

Came here for Sunday brunch with some friends. We didn't have a reservation. But we were seated without a wait. We never been to Duke's since we are not from California. Ambience was very vibrant and fun. Definitely the place was busy. The view was amazing, definitely enjoyed the view. Service was nice and friendly. Food was decently priced for the area, since everything is much more expensive, compare to other places Duke's was deftly priced. We had some crab wontons (they are deep fried) so I don't try them because I don't eat deep fried food. We had some sashimi that was pretty good. Also we had macadamia nut hummus that was great. I think was my favorite dish. For the main I had tuna bowl which was very good, definitely a large portion. I had a mocktail that was made with passion fruit juice and it was very good. Overall very good experience. read more

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5-star for the view, our food and the service. I wasn't impressed by the cocktails unfortunately (tried both the hibiscus Paloma and margarita) but overall it was a good experience. My seared ahi tuna bowl was delicious and the view over the ocean was fantastic! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Seared ahi tuna bowl - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Stunning location. Tons of families with young children. I have my own kiddo and wow was it loud - even outside. I sat outside with a lovely view of the sunset. I had the macadamia crusted White Sea bass. It is a yellow on seafood watch if you care about those things like I do. They were out of the ahi sashimi. The veggies were fresh and yummy. The fish was perfectly done. It was a small piece of fish which was fine as I wasn't very hungry but boy was that expensive. Nice wine selection. Service was friendly. Seagulls were even friendlier and very bold trying to steal food. Giving it 3 stars because the price wasn't worth it. I agree with previous reviewers. read more

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* catching up on old backlogged drafts so this review may be a bit out of date After our morning dive we wanted to spend the day at La Jolla so we stopped by Duke's before our beach day to grab a bite to eat! The restaurant was big and we were seated right away. We got drinks and food to share. We got the fish tacos, coconut shrimp, and Korean sticky ribs. They were all yummy but the coconut shrimp was my favorite! The restaurant is located in a nice area walking distance to more shops and the beach! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Fish Tacos, Crispy Coconut Shrimp, Korean Sticky Ribs - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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It's hard to beat a meal with a view like this. The outdoor patio overlooking La Jolla Cove is absolutely spectacular and easily one of the biggest reasons to dine here. While the prices definitely lean toward the higher end, the portions are generous and the food was delicious, so it felt like a worthwhile splurge. The service was a little inconsistent during our visit, with longer stretches between check-ins than I would have preferred, but whenever our server stopped by, they were genuinely friendly and attentive. Between the beautiful setting, great food, and the location in the heart of La Jolla's shopping district, I really enjoyed the experience. It's the kind of place that's as much about the atmosphere as it is the meal, and I'd happily come back for both. read more

Duke's La Jolla - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

We came from out of town and went on a detour to Dukes based on a recommendation Food: came out fast and fresh and clean Service: very sweet and helpful checked on us frequently Ambiance: you can't beat the view !! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Steak & Eggs - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Visited La Jolla cove and wanted a light dinner and a drink. Our friend had recommended this place so we made reservations on a Sunday at 5ish and had no problem. They have a bar upstairs that had a burger special, but we sat downstairs and had a nice view of the ocean. We were well taken care of by our waiter, Jacob. I ordered a mojito which was so good and refreshing, and ordered the crab cakes which were also very good. They had an amazing meyer lemon remoulade sauce and pickled seaweed on the side which was amazing. My friend and I split the rocket salad with beets and goat cheese, and it was good as well. Our whole group split a hula pie for dessert. Very yummy with extra chocolate sauce and macadamia nuts. I would definitely go here again!! read more

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I've been to the Duke location in Malibu and since visiting SD was able to snag a day of dinner reservation. Quickly sat once arrived and got a beautiful view overlooking the water. It was a chilly night but nearby heaters kept us cozy. I tried the lavender pina colada - tasty and refreshing, we all shared the crispy coconut shrimp and crab wontons. I ordered the roasted lobsters - I can never say no to a lobster. And for dessert the three of us shared a slice of hula pie - perfect end to the night. A great meal at Dukes! read more

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Duke is the most famous Hawaiian and this restaurant is a great representation of him. The location is amazing overlooking the beach. They have a huge location with lots of seating in a beautiful setting and chill vibe. The food is fantastic, very fresh and delicious. Staff are very friendly and helpful. The hula pie is their signature dessert and is huge, enough for at least 3-4 people. All of the dishes were well presented and made with quality ingredients. read more

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Update We returned on a packed house night. The teriyaki steak was great again and i had the fish of the day. Swordfish. Excellent Ambience. Total Surf Vibe. read more

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Dukes was stop one on our 24 hour whirl wind anniversary trip. Right on the main strip in La Jolla and unbelievable ocean views made even better by great service from Gracie. We've been to I think every Dukes on the planet and we love this one. So you have to start with their famous mai tai. That drink combined with the view is just the perfect start to a great 24 hours. We had the pork wontons delicious. My wife had a crab and shrimp salad equally delicious and I had the Famous Dukes burger, which I loved so is the perfect first stop on this crazy 24 hours. read more

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Visited Duke's for Father's Day. The service was excellent. Our server gave great recommendations. The mai tai/lychee martini were top notch, I loved the coconut shrimp, my husband really enjoyed his fish and chips, and the pie was excellent. The view is so pretty. Just a really great time all around. read more

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Had an early dinner at Duke's with my family. We were able to get a seat right on the glass, so we had incredible views of the ocean. The service was excellent. The food came out quickly. I have to say I thought the food was just good but my family really liked it. I was a four but they were all in on giving this place a 5. My daughter loved the virgin lavender colada. My wife had the herb crusted fresh fish. I had the fish tacos. My oldest had the seared ahi bowl and my youngest had a chicken Caesar salad. read more

I made a reservation through OpenTable in advance and requested a table near the ocean/glass, and they delivered! Our server was wonderful. The kids enjoyed their kids activity booklets (this is a very kid and adult friendly restaurant, which was perfect for us). We loved being outside near the water, watching the seals from afar, enjoying our drinks and food. I ordered the kiwi mojito and it was delicious! We had the coconut shrimp appetizer, the poke bowl, fried chicken bowl, and 2 kids meals (fish and chips and the chicken fingers), ending our meal with a slice of their famous hula pie! read more

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Beautiful outdoor patio! We've tried another location in Hawaii and stopped by and got the same plate here and loved it! We tried the tuna tacos as an appetizer- delicious! We shared the rib and chicken plate for lunch and it is a great portion - comes with sides too - great deal and super good! Service was great - also tried the mocktail with ginger beer and loved it! read more

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We made a last minute reservation for lunch on my sons birthday, and I'm so glad that we did! They were so accommodating for a last minute request, they even had a birthday card for my son! The view on the patio is worth a visit, even though we didn't have a sunny day it was still so beautiful. We ordered the Poke Tacos which were my fav, all fresh ingredients, Korean Sticky Ribs had great flavor and tenderness , Crispy Coconut Shrimp just so yummy right amount of crunch, Crab Wontons we all agreed this was a crowd favorite, Caesar Salad, and Fish Tacos were really good too. read more

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Visiting from Houston and this was OUR MOST FAVORITE meal while here! LOVED IT! The location is cute, quaint and scenic. Our brunch was breezy, right on the water, but the heaters helped. The hummus appetizer was DELICIOUS! We had the avocado toast, crab cake eggs Benedict and coconut crust french toast. Not a single bad choice. And of course adult beverages to start the day. Although stuffed...we shared the fudgy ice cream and key like pie. Our waiter, Nathan, was fun! He wasn't expecting us...and we hope we made his day. read more

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We went to SD for a weekend trip with friends and Duke's was our first stop of the trip for lunch. We made reservations ahead of time but still had to wait a little bit but wasn't too big of a deal because we did have friends running late. We were seated out on the patio and got to enjoy the absolutely stunning views and even got to see some sea lions and tons of birds! The view was seriously so stunning, sit outside if you can. I unfortunately forgot our waiter's name but he was so nice! Seriously so sweet and was on top of it in terms of service. We started with the Coconut Shrimp as our app and those were amazing. The coconut flavor was there but it wasn't overpowering which I appreciated - love the sauce they served with it too. For the entree, we went with the Fish Tacos. In all honesty I think the fish was a little under seasoned, but the slaw and sauce pulled it all together and still made it really enjoyable. The guac that they serve alongside the tacos is also phenomenal! On the side I also ordered some mac salad because I can't resist it and it was delicious. Definitely glad that we decided to come here and highly recommend for a delicious lunch! read more

We made reservations at this restaurant but traffic made us 15 minutes late. They still honored the reservation. Inside was indoor and outdoor seating. They sat us outside with a nice view of the water and mountains. For drinks we ordered the lavender pina colada, hot earl grey tea, and seltzer. The drinks came pretty quickly. The food a little slower. I got the farmer's omelet with bacon. My husband got the coconut French Toast, my mother-in-law got the burger with avocado but no sauce or buns. My son got the eggs benedict, and my daughter got the burger with no pickles or sauce. I really enjoyed my omelet. It had kale, pepper, mushrooms, cheese, avocado and I asked for bacon which they cooked into the omelet. It was soft, fluffy, and well seasoned. The only disappointment was the home fries were not crispy. My daughter thought her burger was only ok and her fries were not very crunchy. My son liked his eggs benedict. The eggs were perfectly runny. My husband liked his French Toast. My mother-in-law liked her burger but she asked for no bun. However, there was a bun which is why we didn't recognize the order at first. She just removed the bun. We enjoyed the meal with great views. read more

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Ambiance 5 stars Food 3 stars Gorgeous location, and I can see why everyone wants to eat here. But the food is supremely OK, possibly underwhelming. So much so that I didn't even take a photo. Service was standard, our waiter was quite busy during lunch and I had to go up to the prep counter get a receipt. The location is also a little tucked away so I'm sharing a photo for easier recognition. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Front - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Always love a visit to Dukes! On this visit we enjoyed the upper deck which was a first for us and loved the spectacular views! Began with a Lychee martini and enjoyed their great food - the macadamia hummus which is always delicious as was the ceviche, coconut shrimp and poke tacos ! Loved every bite! Ended with the Hulu pie and a local IPA and full bellies, having enjoyed the service, views and La Jolla sun! read more

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stunning ocean views and relaxed, beachy atmosphere.. Service is friendly and attentive, making every visit feel special. Whether you're stopping by for a casual lunch or a sunset dinner. read more

Duke's La Jolla - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Written by my 10 year old son, Easton: The view was amazing, the food was astronomical, the service is really nice, and to top it off the hula pie was extraordinary looking and I can say the same maybe even more about the taste. All in all it was amazing truly out of this world experience. read more

We stopped into Dukes for a taste of Hawaii while visiting La Jolla. The food was tasty. We got poke tacos to start which were pretty good. Kalua pork burger was reminiscent of that from the island. My daughter inhaled her fish & chips, which is always a good sign. The ambience was lovely with open air, views of the ocean, and live music. Service was friendly and quick. read more

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I got the macadamia nut crusted fish and it was delicious!!! The restaurant was nice and the view was gorgeous. Our server was very nice and they accommodated our large party well. A little on the pricier end, but I was so pleased with the food quality and experience! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Macadamia Sauteed Macnut and Herb Crusted Fresh Fish - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Stopped in for a midday lunch and it was a great experiment! Our server was wonderful, the food was delicious, the views were incredible, and I had a tasty Mai Tai. I had the ahi bowl and my husband had the fish tacos and both were excellent! Overall great experience read more

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Service was quick and friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed the teriyaki sirloin. It was cooked well and the juice left on the plate was so yummy swirled into the potatoes and broccolini. Could pass on the wontons next time. Not very flavorful and the large pieces of nuts kind of threw me off. The martini was the best lychee martini I've ever had, and the views were great for date night! read more

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Shawn is awesome I love aloha fridays There's live music upstairs with a gorgeous view of the water (La Jolla cove ) Parking is a bit challenging but there's valet and a parking garage nearby if you don't want to circle around for street parking Aloha fridays offer $10 mai tais and small bites including $12 Thai chicken skewers $14 lemongrass poached shrimp cocktail And $10 chilled edamame I really enjoy the overall vibe of this place it always feels relaxed and chill The view and live music is a bonus and the mai tai are so cute but also delicious Although seating at or near the bar isn't the full service you'd get at a table You can easily walk to the bar to order and the food comes out at a reasonable time I love that you can even sit outside on the side for a better view of the water in a more intimate setting for yourself or small group and still hear the music The food is great Vibe is nice and drinks are even better read more

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We came for Restaurant Week tonight. We had a nice table on the patio overlooking the ocean. I chose the Korean sticky ribs for my appetizer, filet mignon for my entree, and the key lime pie for dessert. Everything was delicious. I especially liked the corn served with the filet. The key lime pie was so tasty, I especially liked the crust. Our server was great and attentive. We will be back for the burger and beer Monday special soon! read more

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Incredible view and incredible food! Also very family friendly. We had the daily fresh fish, which was amazing (I can't remember the exact fish, but it was a meaty, white fish). The sides were also very good, especially the macaroni salad. Has a nice, Hawaiin vibe. read more

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I visited Duke's while with a work group of 4 on a Tuesday night in April. Surprisingly, the wait for a table was over an hour... so having a reservation is highly recommended. After walking around the area and checking out the sea caves and wildlife, we walked back in to find out it would be another 15-20 minutes. Luckily there were 4 open seats at the bar, which is where we had dinner (not an issue to be fair, just missed out on the gorgeous view from a deck table!). As it was Taco Tuesday, most of the group had those (Mahi Mahi for 3, Pork for 1). Appetizers was ceviche and won tons. Everything my group tried was tasty, washed down with local beers. Service was good and the staff was attentive. For a "chain" restaurant (I was told this the next day from colleagues in my local office), the experience was still good. The history of "Duke" is also quite interesting (can read about on a wall mural as you enter/leave this location). I'd eat here again... just with a reservation next time! read more

Thanks to Restaurant Week we made a reservation here. Yikes....made a reservation for 6:30pm on a Saturday night, but still didn't get in till close to 7pm. Glad we didn't have anything after! Waitress was super nice and attentive. Busy for her but she was so on top of servicing us. Food was yummy and drinks were tasty. We were seated upstairs and close to the waters. Too bad it was dark so we couldn't see the view. I can smell the salt water from the ocean! read more

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We had yummy food on a beautiful evening in La Jolla. A friend was visiting from Australia with her mom. Service was exceptional and attentive. We wanted somewhere festive with a view for catching up and that is what we did. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Bass - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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We only stopped in for dessert & drinks while visiting from out of town. Server was very friendly & the hula pie was huge & soooo good. Very pretty views as well. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Hula Pie - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Honestly I don't think that I would come to this restaurant for the food, but the views are great! We sat outside and was able to enjoy the view with lunch. I got the Black Bean Nachos with Chicken. Black Bean Nachos with Chicken - First off, there was almost no chicken. For paying extra, I expected more. However, the melted cheese on the chips was pretty good. Wish there was more guac and pico. Overall, I would come back to enjoy the view the with friends! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Chicken Black Bean Nachos - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Came here for a drink and a view. Presentation of the drink was great, but definitely this is not your traditional maitai. Not as boozy as you would expect it to be. Still tasted great but more fruity and cocktail like rather than boozy. Staff is very friendly and service is great. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Mai tai - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

The overall experience was just okay. The server was very nice. The food was okay, not good and not bad. The view, of course, was lovely. It just felt more like an Applebee's atmosphere, which is nothing at all against Applebee's. It just wasn't the vibe many eluded to - it kind of felt like you were being "herded" through, especially compared to the dining experiences at other restaurants in the area. Basically, don't fall for the hype. BTW- I don't particularly like leaving these kind of reviews, but I rely so much on the information this community provides that I felt obligated to share. read more