Gorgeous setting! Lovely restaurant, great service. The fish was very fresh & seasoned perfectly. My fish tacos were excellent with a light spice. Perfect for lunch or dinner! The staff/service completes the wonderful meal. A great experience! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Macadamia Pancakes so yummy! - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Eric was amazing! He knows how to treat clients with an exceptional costumer service. The fish tacos were fantastic. Thank you! read more

The most disappointing part of the experience was the attitude at the front of the restaurant. Not only did the receptionist come across as dismissive and unwelcoming, but several staff members appeared to be smirking during the interaction after we were on our way to our table. Whether intentional or not, it gave my family the impression that our situation was being treated as something humorous rather than as a customer concern deserving respectful attention. We found that quite offensive and it left a very poor first impression. Hospitality begins at the front door, and guests should be made to feel welcomed and assisted, not judged or belittled. read more

We are visiting and loved the atmosphere at Duke's! A beautiful view of the ocean, fun music, and quick service. We had the ahi bowl and hurricane chicken and both were delicious. The wasabi edamame was so good! I wish we had mor time in our trip to visit again. read more

Will was beyond an amazing server. He was so attentive and kind and honest with certain dishes we wanted to order. I wanted to go for the fish and chips but turns out you had to be at the bar to order the adult size version of it which really bummed me out. However, I was able to order the kids version. My fries were hotter than my actual fish which bummed me out. They also gave a small amount of tartar sauce for my fish which also made me bummed. My boyfriend's steak was not cooked evenly throughout. Some would be medium and other parts would be medium well which is not what he ordered. The crab cakes were the only things that was amazingly perfect. Their well known dessert was good but the nuts as toppings was a bit much. For the price of the food, I would expect much better quality. read more

We've been to Duke's before and usually come for their classic brunch, but this time we decided to try the Restaurant Week menu instead and it turned out to be a great choice. For the first course, we had the: * Poke Tacos - Made with fresh ahi tuna, soy sauce, avocado, Maui onions, and a wasabi aioli, all tucked into crunchy hard shell tortillas. The texture was spot-on, like having poke and chips in one perfect bite. * Panko Crusted Calamari - Served with a guava cocktail sauce and Meyer lemon remoulade. This was a fun, flavorful twist on the usual dipping sauces. A great upgrade on a classic. For the main course, we tried: * Duke's Classic Burger - Juicy, cooked perfectly, and exactly what I was craving. It came with a side of house-made chips and totally hit the spot. * Hurricane Chicken - This dish was good but didn't wow us. It featured a deep-fried chicken breast with gochujang aioli, soy-mirin drizzle, and a sprinkle of sesame furikake, served with macaroni salad and rice. At $30 for the set menu, it was definitely a solid value. Service was swift and friendly, and we lucked out with a table overlooking the ocean which made the whole experience even better. Duke's delivered again with a relaxed, scenic setting, tasty bites, and great value for Restaurant Week. Definitely worth a visit if you want good food with a view! read more

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While strolling around the La Jolla area, we got hungry and decided to look for a place to eat. We saw Duke's and decided to get a table. They told us the wait would be about 20 minutes, which was great considering we had no reservation on a weekend. The inside of the restaurant is very nice, and the restrooms are clean. After about 10 minutes, the hostess escorted us to one of the tables with breathtaking views. Our waitress, Ciara, came right after with a beautiful smile and the best attitude. We told her we were there to celebrate my birthday, and she kindly offered me a complimentary dessert. Here's what we ordered: 1. **Fish and Chips** - It was perfectly crisp on the outside with a moist, flaky fish filet. The Meyer lemon remoulade sauce enhanced the meal. 4.5/5 2. **Fish Tacos with Side Guacamole** - The grilled fish was fresh, and the tacos were very good, especially when you add the guacamole. 4.7/5 3. **Black Beans Nachos with All-Natural Chicken** - One of the best nachos I've ever tasted. Crispy tortilla chips covered with pico de gallo, queso fresco, cheddar, chipotle cream, and guacamole. Mouth explosion! 4.8/5 4. **Kimo's Original Hula Pie** - A really huge and delicious Oreo crust with smooth macadamia nut ice cream, toasted macadamia nuts, and whipped cream. I was given a steak knife to cut it, which you'll need. 4.8/5 We were so happy we chose to come here for my birthday celebration. We received the best service from our waitress, Ciara; she was amazing all the way. Not only did she provide the best dessert, but she also made our experience memorable. What more can you ask for? This Hawaiian restaurant has amazing ocean views, excellent service, and budget-friendly prices. Highly recommended! My Personal Rating : 4.83 Food 4.75/5 Service 5/5 Price 4.8/5 Ambiance 4.8/5 Cleanliness 4.8/5 read more

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I can't believe I haven't written a review for Duke's before! I've been to Duke's in Hawaii and La Jolla, and it's always a go-to spot when dining with people who have different preferences. The varied menu offers something for everyone, from toddlers to grandparents, and the fabulous views are a bonus. During my last visit to the La Jolla location, I stopped in for a quick bite before an activity. I ordered the Ahi tacos, but I wouldn't recommend them; I've had much better tacos elsewhere. They weren't terrible, just not memorable. On the other hand, the Korean-style sticky ribs were fine, and I'd probably order them again. My friends had the pulled pork sandwich and fries, and they finished everything, so it must've been good. In the past, I've had the fish dishes which are delightful and the coconut shrimp which are very tasty by other people at my table have ordered the chicken and rib combo which they loved and is it super good value burgers are also said to be very good by my friends. Tip: Make sure to go online and get a reservation, especially during the summer. If you want to sit outdoors, be sure to request that as well. read more

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The food was amazing. Highly recommend the crab wontons. The fish tacos were incredible, as well as the hula pie. The fish and chips were a step below the tacos but still really good. Great service and the view was awesome. Would come again. read more

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This is an excellent restaurant that brings a fun touch of Hawaiian flavor. We have always thoroughly enjoyed our time at Duke's!

We were in town for a visit and found this Gem on Yelp. Made reservations and were seated right away, very nice ambiance but the better ambiance was the outdoor seating but sadly there was a long wait for that so we sat inside which was still good. Food was delicious, reasonably priced and big portions. Our server Jordan took very good care of us, very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Highly recommended and will definitely be back read more

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Hawaiian inspired menu is pushing it. As someone from Hawaii, this food should be an insult to Hawaiian cuisine. The ribs were too sweet, the mac salad tasted off, the kalua pork sandwich tasted dry but the sauce was way too sweet, the Korean pork ribs were salty and had way too much sauce! The tuna sashimi was the only dish that didn't taste bad. I can say with confidence the POG slushy was a hit, I would definitely order that again! Maybe the things i ordered just weren't to my liking, but if you're from Hawaii and know how delicious Hawaiian cuisine really is, I would pass on this place. The restaurant is definitely beautiful and the outdoor patio has an amazing view of La Jolla read more

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

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We loved the place, the atmosphere, the food, and the drinks. You don't have to wait long to get your food, and you can enjoy the view while sitting on the patio. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Ribs and Chicken Plate,and Seafood Hot Pot - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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We were sat at the best seat in the house, outside corner table located in their patio. Great scenic views of the ocean/beach/sea lions & seals. The food was absolutely amazing and you don't want to miss out on their mai-tais read more

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

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Underground with a view of the ocean. We sat at the bar and had fabulous service! We started with the macadamia nut hummus with warm pita and fresh vegetables. Crunchy, smooth and flavorful. My friend had the famous burger and she lived it! I tried the Korean steak tacos - and I have to say there were incredible! Tangy flavor with a kick. Soooo good! Prices were moderate. We would come here again. read more

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Definitely recommend reservations especially if you come on the weekend. We were seated on the patio and it was a great view of the water. The crab cakes were full of meat (to my pleasant surprise) and reminded me of crabcakes in MD, something i havent found in san diego. I usually find that the crabcakes here in SD are just full of breading. French toast tasted great as well! Street parking can be hard to find but there is a garage next door ($30) as well as valet services. Service was great as well. read more

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Food was really good and prices were so moderate given the amazing views. Also there was ample shade under the umbrellas on the patio. The cocktails looked incredible! read more

The food is MID. I do not understand why it is so popular. The views are main character energy, and that is about it. For the prices, there is better out there. read more

Duke's La Jolla - The food was cold, actually. The chicken was dry. - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Came here with my family for dinner and it was lovely! I would recommend making a reservation and requesting for outdoor seating so that you can get a great view of La Jolla while you enjoy your meal. The vibes are a 10 out of 10 and the service is even better! The staff are all so friendly and helpful. In terms of the food, I think their seafood items are the stars and note that their portions are VERY generous. Three of us shared two entrees and two appetizers which was PLENTY of food, we were stuffed after. I would recommend sharing the entrees and appetizers so that you can try a bit of everything. The two appetizers we tried were the calamari and sashimi which were both delicious. I would order them again. The sashimi was very fresh and didn't taste fishy at all and I appreciated that the calamari were thick and juicy with each bite. For entrees, we tried their Seafood Hotpot which tasted kind of like a Thai coconut curry that was not spicy at all and filled with a ton of seafood! The other entree, which was their most popular, was a macadamia nut fish entree. That dish was my favorite, the sauce, along with the rice paired really well with the fish. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Duke's La Jolla and would come back. I definitely recommend going! read more

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Amazing service, atmosphere and food! We had William as a server, and have never met a server as nice as he was! We had the coconut shrimp which was delicious, as well as a Hula Pie! read more

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

Can't say enough nice things about this place the workers all friendly and in the theme. Our seats or upstairs in the terrace area and had an awesome view of the ocean. The workers were pretty attentive outside of a couple of water refills but overall very good. Onto the food we got the crabcake Benedict, the burger, poke tacos, hula pie and a fried chicken kids meal. I'm a huge Benedict fan and I will say other places I've straight away from traditional Benedict I've been disappointed. This time was not the crabcakes were very flavorful and sweet which well replaced the normal bacon ham Benedict come with. Highly recommend this dish. The burger was also really juicy and the meat patty was pretty large so that was nice. The kids fried chicken. The fried chicken was basically dry as possible. The pie was really good and that's all we asked for macadamia nuts on the side because we were going to give some to toddler, but it was sprinkled throughout the ice cream too. Overall, the meals was great and highly recommended this place. read more

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To start out with, looking at the ocean when I'm eating anything is awesome! The service was outstanding, rare it seems these days, much appreciated. Half the people at our table ordered burgers, but really enjoyed them. The fried calamari and coconut shrimp were fantastic! Macadamian crusted mahi mahi.......mic drop delicious, but I wish there would have been more of it. Dressing on the box choy salad was really good too. And the Hula Pie reminded me of my visits to Hawaii, so good! Well worth a visit! read more

We used to really enjoy this place, but our most recent visit was so mishandled that we left in frustration. The server, who introduced himself as Corey -- a thin guy -- made the entire experience unbearable. We had a reservation, yet Corey gave us a table with two fewer seats than we needed. Honest mistakes happen, but instead of correcting it, Corey insisted there was no mistake and pushed us into a cramped corner table. What made it far worse was his dismissive tone, unprofessional attitude, and complete lack of accountability. The way Corey mishandled the situation set the tone for the evening and soured the mood for our whole group. It was so bad that we decided to leave altogether. Because of Corey's attitude and poor service, we will not be returning. read more

Had a great experience at your location. Food was amazing. Service was great. However, I was truly amazed and impressed by the busser, Andrew, who completed the experience with impeccable care and respect. He provided me with water when I asked as well. Keep it up guy.! Great job Andrew! read more

I've gone to the location in Hawaii and had a great experience. The one in La Jolla was questionable considering the hostess was rude. I asked to reserve a table and she had an attitude. My friend and I decided to go upstairs and check out the bar up there since a friendly bartender told us that it was better upstairs. The staff upstairs was pleasant, especially Alayah and Abby. They made up for the treatment we received downstairs. They were very accommodating and Abby helped us pick things off the menu. I would go back due to the service received upstairs. Not sure what the hostess name is but she could use a little help with customer service because what we experienced today was not it. read more

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Lunch with a spectacular view. I really like being in La Jolla- even on a moderately overcast day Here for a little business trip to the area and a friend recommended Dukes before hopping on the plane back home. Hawaiian theme throughout but the patio overlooking the water is the party piece. Had fish tacos (grilled mahi mahi) and iced tea. Yum. Got lucky with the seating and was offered the best seat in the house by my lovely server - upstairs outside at the end of the outdoor counter. The iced tea was perpetually full ( I was driving otherwise I would have indulged in a more adult beverage) and the tacos were tasty. Will definitely be back on the next visit to La Jolla. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Best seat in the house! - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Great lunch deal for restaurant week! $30 for an appetizer and entree or entree and dessert. Go with another person and split the appetizer and dessert - best way to do it. The guava cocktail sauce with the calamari was a nice balance of sweet and spicy, but the calamari was a little rubbery. I got the burger entree and the Maui onion thousand island dressing was super tasty, but the burger was a little overcooked. You can't go wrong with the Hula Pie it's the perfect way to end the meal. read more

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Duke's has a beautiful view of the La Jolla cove and a great atmosphere for a Hawaiian inspired meal. The service was super fast and everyone was very friendly as well. The food is reliable and super tasty, but the calamari was a bit on the chewy side. Besides that, all of the food was great and you can't go wrong with the hula pie! read more

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We've been to other duke's locations before but nothing this one. Came here for a family birthday lunch celebration, around 3:30pm. You have to find street parking which is a bit difficult, and a lot of the spots near the restaurant are for the hotel only. We had a reservation for 4 and were seated immediately on the deck. It was so beautiful!! Theres lots of umbrellas out to keep you out of the sun. We ordered the calamari to share, a pina colada and a beer. The amount of calamari is pretty small. Pina colada was good and beer was fine. We ordered the ribs, coconut shrimp plates and a fish sandwich. We wanted our dishes with a side of rice and the waiter said they ran out of rice?? So we all decided on side salads. We noticed the serving sizes were pretty small. Food was fine, nothing crazy about it. If you're going in for a birthday they give you a complimentary dessert and we decided on the pie that was big enough for all 4 of us to share. We liked it! Unfortunately we didn't know that once it hits 4:30(?) they close the patio for cleaning for dinner service? So the staff notified us and it kind of cut our celebration short. The view is worth it but not the food. read more

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

The selection of food and drinks are amazing. I had the crab wontons as an appetizer. Great sauce to pair with that. The view we had was overlooking ti the water. I had the chicken and ribs, which was amazing. It was a mango kind of sauce with it. The Cole slaw was superb. We went for my 35th birthday so, I they gave me a slice of an ice cream cake. The waitress was so sweet. Absolutely loved it. I can't wait to go back. read more

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Didn't know there's preferred skin color at the tables But aye good view Other than that food was okay. read more

It was restaurant week! Always great deals. Headed to Dukes in La Jolla. As always great service, beautiful ambiance and a gorgeous view of the ocean. They had a decent menu for Restaurant week. My other half is pescatarian so he had a great selection. His Mac nut crusted fish dish was delicious. The chicken dish I had was a tad dry but tasty. Overall still had a good time. read more

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The Hawaiian theme and the breeze if you sit on the top floor are great. Servers are friendly and the food is either a 4 or a 5 usually. Recommend the Mai tai and the hula pie. read more

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

Great location, very friendly staff, and the food was so yummy! It was just unfortunate that the aperol spritz I ordered tasted so bad, but the waitress was kind enough to take it back and not charge me! read more

Duke's La Jolla - The Rib & Chicken Plate and the aperol spritz. - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

We went there on a Sunday afternoon and got seated right on the balcony overlooking the water. Service was great and very prompt. Food was amazing, perfectly fitting the sunny LA weather near the beach. Highly recommend the French toast! read more

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First let me say if I were just reviewing the food I would give 4/5 stars. The macadamia nut crusted sea bass was tender and flaky, the teriyaki top sirloin was a little tough. The portions are on the smaller side. We sat on the deck with a beautiful view of the cove. Now let's get to the real issue. The service has to be the worst I have ever experienced! It started when we came in. The 2 hostesses were arguing over whose turn it was to clean stuff. They did not acknowledge us for a full 5 min and continued their argument. Only when they were done did they turn to us and ask us our name. They told us to wait and they would call us. When it was time to seat us one of the arguing girls came over with menus and called my name. I stood up and she just started walking. No greeting, nothing. We were almost to our seats and she remembered she should have manners and said "Oh, so how was your day?" We were seated in a booth filled with sand. So I guess she really didn't do the cleaning she said she did lol. Our waitress came and asked us if we were ready to order drinks, again no greeting. I see a theme here. We said we needed a minute. This theme carried on through the whole evening. Not a single person smiled or checked on us. I went to the bathroom. 1 stall was filled with toilet paper and there were no paper towels. I found someone who seemed to be a lead and told them. They said "Oh that's not good!" Yet, they didn't do anything about it. When I returned to the table the waitress brought our bill and left. No thank you for coming or anything else. After we paid my fiancé went to the women's bathroom on the way out. It was still dirty and had no paper towels. I completely understand this place probably caters to tourists but kindness goes a long way. Being a local we were hoping to bring our family here. However, after the way we were treated we will never come back! There are too many other fun places in La Jolla with a view. read more

The view, it's all about the view! Amazing overlook on La Jolla Cove with ocean, cliffs and beach all in one shot. The food isn't super expensive and is actually tasty albeit not huge portions. Crispy Coconut Shrimp: Feels like the perfect appetizer to pair with an amazing view like this. A decent amount of coconut coating, that maybe could have used a tad more coconut shavings. Firm shrimp underneath. Dipped in that sweet and sour sauce, so feels like you're at a beach resort. Fish Tacos: Another nice choice for a good ocean view. The fish is not battered and deep fried, so it's not the iconic San Diego fish taco. Still quite respectable with spiced grilled fish pieces. Nice enough assortment of veggies and queso fresco. Though kinda small, so might not be very satisfying if you're ravenous for lunch. read more

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Delicious food and wonderful views. Definitely try their dessert...Hula Pie. It's amazing and can be shared by 4 people.

Went for a bite after visiting the Cave Store. Although it was packed, our party of 4 got seated quickly. Probably only a 10 minute wait. There was ample seating for waiting if needed too. The overall atmosphere was nice, definitely beach vibes which fits the theme being right by the coast. I like the open roof design although it can be quite chilly if there is a strong breeze. Our service was excellent, I had a great conversation with a few of the staff who helped us and they gave good recommendations on items such as the Hula Pie desert. The food came out quickly and all at once, rather than one by one which I think is correct. No one wants to wait for other people's food while theirs gets cold... The item I ordered was cooked really well. The pork ribs falls off the bone and I love the distinct BBQ taste you get with this meal. The chicken and sides offered also complement the dish well and offer different flavors to balance out the heavy BBQ taste if needed. Definitely worth the price here too as we all left very full. (Keep in mind we had our "lunch" at 3pm) so we were very hungry. read more

Duke's La Jolla - Rib & Chicken Plate - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California