Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Exterior - Back on the Beach, Santa Monica, CA

Back on the Beach

4.8 (329)
$30 and under
American
445 Palisades Beach Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402

Make a reservation

A photo of Back on the Beach restaurant

Back on the Beach

4.8
$30 and under
American
Santa Monica

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Great for scenic views
  • Neighborhood gem
Back on the Beach Café is situated along a wide, sandy white beach that offers jaw-dropping views of the ocean waves, the pier, the mountain range and of course, Catalina Island. There is both indoor and outdoor seating which allows you to enjoy the sea-salt air and sandy toes while you dine.

The café takes reservations for 2-12 guest. Reservations are available one month in advance. To accommodate our reservations in a timely and orderly manner, the café has carefully designed time frames in which to dine. The café designates 25% of the restaurant for reservations, 75% is available for walkup service.

For reservations of 12 or more guest, please contact the restaurant directly. We don't take multiple group reservations. Please note that large group reservations requires a customizable menu. We only seat complete parties.

In consideration of all guest, we kindly remind you that tables are reserved for 1.5 hours.
We take a maximum of two credit cards payment per table.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Breakfast, Café
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 9:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 9:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–4:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Monica
  • Cross street
    Beach House Way
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

All Experiences

  • Back On The Beach Cafe Chaise Lounge Rental

    $25.00 - $150.00 per person

    1 - 2 people

    Multiple dates available
    Stroll along Santa Monica’s wide stretch of beach to the iconic Back on the Beach Café. Reserve a comfortable lounge chair and let our full-service beach experience take care of the details. Savor signature food and refreshments from Back on the Beach Café while you soak up the sun and enjoy the scenery. $25 for [1] Person, $50 for [2] People ( per hour ) Amenities include: - Personalized Beach Attendee - Large Umbrella and Side Table - Food and Beverage Delivery Service - Bottled Water Lounge Service Hours 10am - 6pm (daily)
    Back On The Beach Cafe Chaise Lounge Rental Photo

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Back on the Beach.

4.8

4.8
(329)
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Los Angeles

    Best Ambiance

  • Westside

    Best Ambiance

  • Westside

    Great for brunch

  • Westside

    Kid-friendly

  • Westside

    Great for scenic views

  • Westside

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Back on the Beach offers a "fantastic location" right on the sand with "amazing views" and a "unique dining experience" where you can eat with your feet in the sand. Guests consistently praise the "great service," "delicious food," and "relaxed atmosphere." It's ideal for families and perfect for a memorable beachfront meal.
329 Reviews
  1. Ben Gold

    Philadelphia15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 25, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great location on the beach. Enjoyed the view and vibe.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Lynn

    Orange County11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 24, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    To eat outside right on the sand, it's best to have a reservation. And be aware that your feet will be in the sand right on the Oceanfront Walk, although the water will be in the distance. That's exactly the experience we were looking for. There were a lot of umbrellas that tip and turn to keep you from too much sun. The servers were prompt but didn't rush you even though there's a 90-minute limit for your table. My salad had watery dressing, but a lot of chicken but julienned apple that was hard to eat. My husband enjoyed his sandwich, but we didn't come for the food particularly. There is paid parking in the lot next to the restaurant, but spots were scarce. The pay machines will let you park for more than an hour, but it's tricky to find how to add more time. And make sure you don't overstay. There was always an attendant in the lot checking to make sure. It's a great beachfront restaurant!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jeffrey Gold

    Los Angeles29 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on October 10, 2026

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Something was off this time. I’ll be back but this last visit was disappointing.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Lew

    Los Angeles4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 9, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The ultimate SoCal experience. Dining on the beach with your feet in the sand. Good selection and value. Never had a bad meal here and a real treat to take out-of-towners.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Adrian

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 5, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a wonderful time! Everyone at the table enjoyed their food selections. My personal favorite was the Mezze Platter. We received excellent service from all the staff! I had booked an outdoor table and upon arrival, the staff gave us the option to move indoors if we wanted to due to the heat wave. We decided to keep the outdoor table and we experienced a wonderful sunset and a lovely breeze. The staff offering the indoor option was a nice touch on their part! I can't wait to go back to the restaurant!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Jamie

    Orange County1 review

    5.0

    Dined on September 27, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful location and great food and service! I recommend sitting outside in the sand!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Tom

    San Francisco6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 27, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, great service and awesome ambiance! Where can you eat with your feet in the sand? Try the huevos rancheros!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Teresa

    Orange County6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 26, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Eric was a great server, food was very good, and you can’t beat the view!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Gail

    Los Angeles41 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 23, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Predictably delighted with ambiance and menu .. lovely casual afternoon

    Is this helpful?

  10. Christine

    San Francisco5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 20, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome place! We reserved a table on the outside terrace and had a fabulous view of beach and ocean on a perfect day. My smoked salmon sandwich was excellent, the accompanying fruit a nice addition.

    Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Breakfast, Café
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 9:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 9:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–4:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Monica
  • Cross street
    Beach House Way
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Yes, Back on the Beach is well suited to a date night, especially for sunset dinners on the sand, with guests praising the ocean view and special-occasion visits.

Yes, Back on the Beach offers outdoor seating you can enjoy right on the sand, with umbrella-shaded tables and deck/patio options for ocean views.

Casual dress, comfortable, beach‑appropriate clothing is fine; nothing formal is expected.

Portions are generally ample, guests frequently describe the servings as generous or 'ample, ' with several noting dishes were large enough to leave them comfortably full.

Back on the Beach is a relaxed, seaside café, airy indoor dining and sand‑level outdoor tables let you watch the waves, bikers and beach life while enjoying a friendly, family‑oriented vibe.

Sunday is a favorite for brunch, guests specifically call out great Sunday brunch experiences, while weekday mornings are often quieter and popular for staff meetings.

Back on the Beach gets busiest around late morning and lunchtime, especially on sunny weekends, while early mornings are noticeably quieter and more relaxed.

Yes, the café’s reservation policy handles group arrangements: parties of 12 or more should contact the restaurant directly to arrange a customizable menu, and guests report staff helping with reservation-time changes.

Back on the Beach has both indoor dining and outdoor seating right on the sand, you can sit on the deck or at beach tables (with umbrellas) and enjoy unobstructed ocean views.

For a calmer visit, go for breakfast or the early morning, reviewers say early mornings are quiet and relaxing, while late mornings and weekend lunchtimes tend to be much busier with longer waits.

Yes, Back on the Beach is very family-friendly, with reviewers noting a dedicated kids' menu, nearby playground/children’s area, and staff who accommodate families and young children.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Los Angeles
  4. Westside
  5. Santa Monica

Make a reservation

A photo of Back on the Beach restaurant

Back on the Beach

4.8
$30 and under
American
Santa Monica

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2026 OpenTable, Inc. 425 Market St Ste 1200, San Francisco CA 94105 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo