Even thought this place is very popular and famous, the price tag on most menu items is not worth the view and hype. The food items themselves are well-made and delicious, but for the basicness of the dishes and the portion sizes, the 30+ dollars isn't appealing. The patio is nice to sit at during the summer before sunset. The food takes a while to come out too. read more

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Such a beautiful location and great views. We ordered the crab wontons, Korean ribs, and ahi tacos. Our waiter was wonderful and the service was great! Definitely will come back when I'm in town. read more

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

This is my must-stop every time we go to San Diego. The fish tacos are always excellent. The mai tais are a perfect combination of sweet and strong. The lavender drink was also pretty good when tried it (my wife thoroughly enjoyed it). Off the kids menu, the fish and chips were a hit. If she's eating it, it must be good. Our toddler daughter doesn't mess with mediocre. Here's the weird. The downstairs dining area closes at 3 and doesn't reopen until 4:30pm. So the late lunch rush needs to go to the bar up top. The patio is up there and I assume it's open when the bar is but it was windy and near raining and closed when we were there. I just think the hours of it all are a bit weird, considering lunch can span later on in the afternoon and closing the area maybe... I digress The fish tacos are great. The drinks are worth it. The kid menu fish and chips are on point. Done. Final Word: As always, next time I'm in San Diego, we'll be back. read more

Great staff, the food was clearly amazing. However, I must say I'm glad I didn't order the desert. As Great as it looked, it was way to big for me. I was more than satified with my cut of fish which was truly flavorful and flaky and easy to eat. get a reservation cause it fills up fast. The view itself doesn't disappoint either. read more

Service is super good. View is great if you get seated next to the balcony. Food is super bad. Its pricy for how bad the food is. Im guessing that is why they are constantly changing their prices. read more

Food with a water view? I found one! Despite their strong recommendation for a reservation, we were able to sit upstairs not far from the balcony, facing the water view. It was mother's day and it was busy. Though, we were able to still enjoy this location's food, ambiance and ocean air! I ordered their fresh fish from their brunch menu and it was delightful. Their cocktail menu is fun as well. Our waitress was attentive. This is a place that can accommodate small, medium or big tables! I'd definitely keep this in mind. Parking include street if you're lucky or valet. Unfortunately, we didn't get to stay long due to a tight schedule. Memorable view! read more

Duke's La Jolla - Sautéed macnut and herb crusted fresh fish. Great taste with a view on the water! - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

This was recommended by the hotel staff while in La Jolla. Big spacious place and friendly staff. Very popular and was able to get a table with ocean view without a reservation on a busy Saturday night. Split a Rocket salad, beets bacon, goat cheese and arugula. Salad was very good and lightly dressed with a vinaigrette. We ordered the herb crusted fish and the rib/chicken plate. The fish was mahi mahi and it stood up to the panko parmesan crust. The chicken breast was a bit dry but had a nice teriyaki-like glaze and 3 generous rib portions, the sauce was a little too sweet for me but tasty. Somehow the macaroni salad was watery so not appetizing, probably because they put the hot chicken and ribs on top, got a little steamy. Overall it was a fun place to have dinner. Even a cool statue of Duke Kahanamoku. read more

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Dukes is always delicious! La Jolla location is no exception! Great views, food, and the staff are always amazing!

Nice environment, near the beach - food is alright but the overall taste is a bit bland so could be done a lot better. Hula pie was pretty good though! Service is pretty good too! Overall a nice little place - prices as expected for the area read more

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We've tried Duke's at different islands in Hawaii so was happy to see they have one in La Jolla when we were in town. We found 2 hours street parking near the restaurant and it was a nice short walk to the restaurant. There were a few parties ahead of us and we were told it'd be a 15-20 mins wait which was what it was. I had checked ahead and they had reservations available but I didn't book ahead in case of traffic or parking issues. We ordered the ahi bowl, macadamia crusted fish, the chicken and ribs and my kids got the cheeseburger and chicken tenders from the kids menu. We didn't order any appetizers or dessert because we didn't want to Togo any food during on vacation and the entree was enough. I had told the greeter when we entered it was my husband's birthday and the waiter gave him a birthday card when he seated us. Overall, this location is not bad for where it is. It's not like Duke's in Hawaii but has similar dishes if you're missing the Hawaiian food vibe. Our service was ok, we had to waive our waiter for the bill since he was busy. If we happen to be in the area, we would come back. They have a great kids activity/coloring book to keep the kids entertained. read more

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Came to this establishment assuming that the food was Hawaiian-inspired; it wasn't really, but the food was still good. The service could improve. Definitely not suited for solo diners, as solo diners only have the option for bar seating or extremely limited outdoor eating. I had to walk over inside and order my food at the bar, then sit down outside in an area where the seagulls were on the prowl to steal your food. The only service provided was to take the plate over; definitely not the bartender's task as they have to cover the bar and drinks. Since it's not ideal for solo dinners, I won't be returning unless I order to-go, but for sure won't dine-in here again. read more

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

On a cold dreary and rainy night on a weeknight evening, we ventured out to Duke's La Jolla. Never have been, heard it was Hawaiian food focused on a more escalated level. There are more of the restaurants in Hawaii, this is the first one I think on the West Coast. Although it would have been a great view, it was dark. We ordered drinks, one mai tai, beer and other alcoholic laden drinks including a slushie with your choice of poison (vodka for me). The food orders included crispy coconut shrimp (2) - delicious and worth it. Sauteed mac nut and herbcrusted fish(a delight), fish tacos (if you went on a Tue and ate at the bar, TACO tuesdays), banana leaf steamed fish and shrimp and something in the Mainlander menu. Drinks were strong and food was delicious. Price is about what you expect in La Jolla shore, not low but not overpriced. It's a special occassion visit especially for brunch on the bar area. Would I visit again, probably yes on better weather conditions. read more

We sat on the upstairs deck. Gorgeous view! We enjoyed a beer and fish tacos. They were excellent. Jonathan was very attentive and provided excellent service. We will definitely be back. read more

Pretty cool spot for okay food at reasonable prices, with great ambiance and decent service. Food: a C+ to a B-. Basically, not great but not bad. Don't expect a fantastic gourmet experience. But prices for the area is fair, and for the ambiance, almost feels like a good deal. I had one of the lunch rice sets - imagine a fancy version of Chipotle, but Hawaiian style. Ambiance: we sat outside with views of the water, sunny, a touch too chilly but not the fault of the restaurant Very enjoyable and wouldn't hesitate to return for lunch. read more

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

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Came here the night of June 28, 2024. My 3rd time at a Duke's but 1st time at this location. You'd be lucky to find parking along the street. There's a parking garage right next to Duke's so I opted for that instead of trying to search for one. Parking is $30 in the garage. Place has an upstairs where the bar is located. Since I came in solo that's where they sat me since it was pretty busy that evening. Service was fast. I got my Moscow mule quick. I ordered the calamari to start off. Not your typical calamari but it was still good. I also ordered the teriyaki sirloin which was surprisingly great with the sweet touch. I didn't take a photo of the dessert but I got the Hula Pie. Can't go wrong with the Hula Pie. read more

Duke's La Jolla - USDA Prime Teriyaki Sirloin with mashed Yukon gold potatoes, seasoned vegetables, and pineapple gremolata - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Today's meal at Duke's was amazing. Luke took care of us and provided exemplary customer service. The food was delicious and the partial view of the ocean we had was beautiful. A new place to visit from time to time, a great way to end our day. Thank you!! read more

Dukes here is a warm open restaurant with great views of La Jolla and the water from the patio. The rest of the restaurant has view limited views. At night, there is no view. Parking is a challenge at times when valet is full or busy. The lunch service was exceptional and very friendly. The waitress made great recommendations. We ordered the macadamia crust fish with a nice selection of small sides. The fish was perfectly cooked and the butter sauce was outstanding. The food here is always on point. read more

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

One of the prettiest restaurants I have ever been to. A great view of the ocean and pretty solid food as well. Highly recommend the coconut shrimp or ceviche. read more

yall im so sad to leave this review this place is so prime in terms of location and ambiance like it really does make sense to come here if you want the views and the beautiful sunset. The service is amazing as well. However, each of the food items were lackluster at best. The espresso martinis were supposed to be coconutty but i couldn't taste the coconut at all. also im a huge espresso martini girl it needs to have the standing foam and the beans or a cute garnish. it just lacked the thoughtfulness that a nice drink has. I got the ahi tuna steak and it was just as mid. the food wasn't hot (it came out lukewarm) and the rice was overcooked. The flavor of the furikake didn't come through as much as the sweet lychee in the rice, which confused me in terms of the taste i was trying to go for. Maybe they could improve by cooking the rice properly and keeping the food hot before serving it. lastly the hula pie was fine, its giant definitely split between 3+ folks. unforch i don't see myself choosing this place over the other options in the cove but if you want the views go ahead!! read more

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Four of us went in on a Saturday afternoon around 3 pm and it was pretty busy 20 minute wait the hostess was friendly and funny I was surprised they had my information from the time I previously visited the Dukes in Hawaii they also have a barefoot patio upstairs Neat restaurant great views and super friendly up beat staff everyone that works there is friendly and helpful you can tell they enjoy working there . The cocktails are not bad the pina colada's were ok . We ordered the mahi mahi tacos nice piece of grilled fish it needed some sort of creamy chipotle sauce or something but overall not bad . The pork sandwich was delicious good sauce could have had a little more pork in the sandwich also not a bad choice . The burgers were tasty good quality meat fresh bun fries were also decent . We also ordered the Eggs Benedict nice looking plate with a side of home style potato's similar to roasted potatoes with onions and bell peppers . The sauce was a little runny but everything came together on the plate . Overall a good experience great view friendly staff good food it's worth giving them a try . read more

Really good ambiance and service, and food is pretty decent. It can get crowded and times so definitely make a reservation - it's a very popular spot! I like their drinks, especially the aperol spritz. The seafood is pretty good too, I had the fish tacos. read more

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

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Pretty solid place! The view of La Jolla is breathtaking and there are so many options for outside or indoors. The restaurant is super clean and the staff were nice! I got the kalua pork bbq sandwich and it was very tasty. The bun was soft, the kalua pork was tender, and the fries were crispy. My favorite part was the hula pie. It was my friend's birthday and they gave us a complimentary pie. It was massive and super tasty. I recommend booking a reservation ahead of time. My friends liked their dishes a lot as well. read more

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My husband and I visit this place often we have always had a good experience. However last night we made a reservation at 7:15 ( to see the sunsets enjoying our dinner). We arrived at 6:50. I was told we were all checked in and we would be seated closer to reservation time. Several parties were being seated ( outside) as I stood near the check in waiting to be seated. I could hear the people checking in telling the host the reservation times 7:15 and 7:30pm. I waited to ask the host - a young male and a woman (not wearing the dukes uniform shirt. )Excuse me did you call my name yet? It's after my reservation time. She said no, we're still checking in 7pm reservation, when clearly I heard the times they had a reservation ( not 7pm). I walked upstairs to the bar and seen there were plenty of outside seats and was pretty upset that we had not been seated. By this time it was past sunset. Then the male says we can seat u inside now , I said no. I'm waiting for outside. He then said ok well it's gonna be about 10 more minutes. Once he said they had open outside upstairs, they sent us upstairs and said tell the host your name and she will seat you. If I wanted to sit at the upstairs bar area I wouldn't have made a reservation. The view is covered by the rooftop from downstairs and is not as nice of a view this is why we made a reservation. The food and our waiter were great. Male bald guy very attentive and pleasant. I left there not feeling the same about this place. I felt very dismissed and disappointed. If a person makes a reservation they should get what they asked for. I hope that the manager can talk to the hostess and teach them how to make reservations and experiences at Dukes pleasurable. I will not recommend this place as I have in the past. I only gave 2 stars because of the waiter and the food. In the past I have given this place great reviews. I'm sorry but this was one of the worst experiences. read more

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

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Great view and location in center of La Jolla. Very friendly staff. Food was just okey to my personal opinion.

I really really wanted to like this place. The scenic views were amazing! But the drinks were so bad :( Both me and my husband were disappointed with the drinks and ended up leaving right after without ordering any food. read more

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

Some nights cooking sounds like a lot so heading out to one of our fav spots that we don't go to often. Duke's La Jolla has been a spot I have frequented since they opened so it is always nice to come back. We did want to come and try out their taco Tuesday deal that they do upstairs in the barefoot bar but when we got their they said that the upstairs was closed so that was a bit unfortunate. We were able to get a high top table in the bar area which we enjoyed since we could see the baseball game on the tv. Our server seemed to be having an off night or just a long day because she didn't come to our table much and when my wine glass was empty it took her a few walk bys to finally offer to get me another glass, but everyone has an off day. We both went with our usual things to order, the chicken and rib plate (which truly can be 2 meals in one) and the mac nut fish which was an Ono this night. Both were great and very enjoyable. read more

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Food 3/5. View and vibes 4/5. Came here for their taco Tuesday which is only available upstairs at the barefoot bar. $14 for 2 tacos and some chips. $8 margaritas. Pretty average tasting. Hula pie always delicious. Cute spot to enjoy with good sunset view. We waited about 30 minute on a Tuesday night for upstairs. Parking is challenging but can usually find a spot on the street if you circle a bit. Staff is friendly. read more

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I've loved Dukes since I lived in Hawaii and location in La Jolla is no exception. Friendly service. Stunning views of the ocean from the patio. In my opinion, incredibly reasonably priced for Southern California. Reminds me of being back on da aina. Recommend going for lunch when the crowds aren't as large. read more

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Just a terrific restaurant with a fantastic view of La Jolla Cove! The food is always tasty and presented well---the ribs and macaroni salad are fantastic. We also appreciated this most recent visit, there was a little snafu with the order and they graciously offered a free dessert. If you are in La Jolla, this is a great place for good food and a great view! read more

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Just had an awesome lunch with the fam at this spot in La Jolla! Couldn't believe we actually found parking right away on Prospect on a Saturday. Only waited about 10 minutes for a table, and they put us in this open patio area with a nice breeze. Our server was super sweet and checked on us just enough without hovering. Went with the ribs/chicken combo which totally hit the spot - the ribs fell right off the bone and the chicken was juicy, though the BBQ sauce could've been a bit spicier for my taste. Great beer selection and tried some local IPA. Good food, no parking drama, kid friendly spot. Pretty much all you can ask for when eating out with family. Will def be back! read more

It's giving fancy Hawaiian food and vibes! The inside is simple and modern and really reminds me of going to a nice restaurant in Oahu. You get a stellar view of the ocean as well if you sit towards the back of the restaurant. I came here for restaurant week where I got to choose from a specific two course menu. I picked the Poke Tacos and Mac Crusted Fish for $30 which was such a good deal! The poke tacos were light with the fresh fish and crispy with the hard shell tortilla. The Mac Crusted Fish was also delicious. The mac salad was amazing and the salad on the side was refreshing. My only critique was the rice was a little mushy for my taste. Service was great. We got our food fairly quickly too. I would definitely come back here for the ambience and maybe for a celebration. read more

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

The perfect sunset dinner in La Jolla. We waited about 40 minutes on a Tuesday evening but the food and ambiance were well worth the wait! The poke tacos are a must as an appetizer. read more

Friend's recommendation held up well. I recommend sitting outside if you can, but they keep the door open so you get a bit of a breeze if you sit inside also. Hurricane chicken plate - pretty good. Nothing new to me, but a good standard fried chicken & rice dish. Only thing I wasn't a fan of was the mac salad, but I'm never a fan of mac salads. Ribs & chicken plate - Impressed with this. Chicken and ribs were both cooked well, tender and seasoned beautifully. Quite the portion and well worth imo Hula pie - Saw waiters walking around with a giant slice of something topped with whipped cream and had to get it. I really commend Duke's for keeping this dessert not too sweet, down to the ice cream and chocolate sauce. It could've easily been overpowering and nasty, but I had no problem sharing it with the table. The hula pie even comes with its own cute plate! I would definitely come back here to try their poke or other fish dishes. Really glad I stopped by while I was in the area, and I'll be coming back if I'm back soon! read more

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The atmosphere is great, lively and upbeat. Our server Mckayla D provided good customer service, was friendly and she was knowledgeable about the menu options. We waited a hour to sit ocean front, the view was amazing. The food was served cold, the ribs were chewy and hard to separate, the chicken was dry with no flavor, the rice was hard and stuck together, the fries were soggy and the calamari was decent at best. The restaurant is very expensive for the quality and portions, nothing seemed fresh or of good quality and parking is difficult. This location seems like a tourist trap, there are much better options in the immediate area. read more

We were headed to La Jolla for the morning and wanted an option with a few. Dukes was perfect! I'd been to their Huntington location so I knew I liked the food. We got a perfect spot with a view of dolphins and the seals. I got the fish tacos and my daughter got the burger. We both loved our food! They get busy fast so make sure you make reservations! read more

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

The swordfish, mahi mahi, Mai Tai and mud pie were all delicious. Service was great however it was pretty noisy, but cool decor'. Comfortable seating. read more

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Can't beat a restaurant with an amazing view! Parking: street parking, can be hard to find a spot. Wait time: on a busy day, can wait up to an hour for a table, especially if you want outside dining. Service: good, busy but decent. Sometimes can be hard to get a hold of your waiter if they're busy. Food: pretty good. Ordered a lavender colada to drink, a little too sweet. Also ordered the macadamia nut hummus, the hummus was good but the pita was a little burnt. Seared Ahi bowl and Huli Huli Chicken was pretty good, the salad that comes with the chicken was delicious but the Mac salad was ok. read more

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Friendly staff. Great food. Pretty views. The loco moco is delicious. The hula pie dessert is a must have. Reserve in advance, but walk in on a Sunday lunch was no wait. Sat at a high top near the bar and could still see the ocean. Great food! read more

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Great food and a cool location to view the ocean. They had a live band playing when we visited and that was the icing on the cake! Will definitely return! read more

I flew into SD for a work event and wanted to be near the ocean for lunch and cane across this spot in La Jolla's cute little avenue of eateries and shops. I was really hungry but didn't want leftovers so I took my servers advice and ordered the fish tacos. They need sturdier tortillas because they were falling apart but otherwise a perfect amount of food to be full but not food coma. I had the Duke's Blonde which was perfect- light, refreshing, and not too much punch. It is a beautiful setting and though I didn't get a table outside due to the strong cold winds, it still felt like vacay vibes! read more