Duke’s La Jolla

Update on my 2^nd round:
This time time I brought some out of Towner’s for Dinner not lunch. We were a bit late for our reservation of 7 people outside so they gave ours away. We were stuck with inside .
Service was very very slow. Waited quite a while between our dishes and drinks which killed the vibe a bit. Dinner was around 3+ hours due to this fact. They were very busy.
The food was good not great IMO. Lacking the charm of the last visit. But I also broke my rule of only ordering seafood/​pork at an ‘island’ restaurant. There was no pork and I was recommended the New York. It came very burnt. However, the manager was courteous enough to bring me another and an extra salad so I appreciate them attending to that. It still tasted very charcoal/​slightly burnt but I didn’t want to wait or fuss anymore and just ate the thing. I tried my friends and it was okay, not bad. Wouldn’t order again and I had wished I went with one of the Sea Options instead like last time. Don’t be sold by that ‘all natural fresh ranch xyz’ etc hype. I know divine steak. Fish tacos seem to be a hit here still. Oh, and Nobody was rude so that’s always nice.
My main takeaway from this visit: make a reservation, for Lunch not Dinner, outside, and stick to Seafood (maybe pork if its there) even if they recommend otherwise. The main drawback was the long time to receive our food or get attention of our server and sitting inside.

Great food. Reasonable pricing. Fabulous staff. Outstanding patio view. Couldn’t ask for anything more. Not as crowded as some of the other view restaurants.

I came here with my wife for dinner and had a great time. We loved the Hawaiian/​surfing theme and laid back vibe. There was a short wait so we sat down at the bar for a few drinks. We were met with a very friendly bartender, Patrick. He gave us warm welcome and made my wife an incredible mai-​tai and made me one of the best old fashioneds i’ve drank in San Diego. We were having such a great time at the bar that we decided to just cancel our table and eat there. My wife ordered the banana leaf steamed fish and I had the 24 hour short-​rib. Both were absolutely delicious! We finished our night with a moon-​pie (must have).
We will be back! It recommend it for anyone who is looking for a laid back atmosphere to enjoy a great meal and drinks (ask for Patrick).

Great service. Great food! Excellent view.
We went here for our anniversary and we were very impressed. They provided us with the best table with the best view and free dessert. Yey!

Want to feel like Hawaii, away from hawaii? (Don’t know if this made sense, but it was a great line) lol
I love coming to San diego, and decided to eat here while we visited La Jolla cove.
Hawaiian music as soon as you step in this place, décor is very simple but modern.
Waited at the bar while waiting for our table and had a Duke’s Mai Tai… in which is two types of Hawaiian run with POG juice. POG juice is passion fruit-​orange jucie-​guava juice in one in which is a delicious combination with a great taste!!!
Highly recommend this drink… AND it comes in a Hawaiian cup that you can buy if you like it… in which I bought one! Lol
Our table was ready and must say, I highly recommend to sit in the patio. Has a beautiful view of the ocean…
Food was good. NOT great as expected BUT it is worth coming back to Dukes…
We started with grilled Tahiti octopus with grapefruit, mango and melon! Well, the plate had more fruit than octopus!
I ordered the seafood hot pot that has included lobster, shrimp, fish and mushrooms in a coconut broth with rice on the side.
My wife orderd the banana leaf fish and shrimp, that is fresh fish and shrimp wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf!!!
BOTH plates were good, not great!!! And
I wish the portion was bigger…
Prices was average, but yet again, at these types of places you mostly pay for the décor and the name (Make sense)??
The view is beautiful, great for taking selfies lol
I would come back to Dukes for 1 more time… there is other plates I would like to try…
Enjoy!

I’ve walked and driven by Dukes probably a dozen times over the year and for some weird reason never went in to dine.
Walking in admiring the rich tones of the teak wood throughout with beautiful pictures you get that feeling it’s a really relaxed, calm atmosphere filled with Hawaiian aloha. My kind of place.
We decided to sit at the bar and enjoy happy hour. Nobody seemed to mind when we sneaked off to take in the beautiful coastal views and once again admire the décor.
How to eat a Hula Pie… by Dukes.
Size it up. Choosing your angle is very important in a situation like this.
Turn it on its side. It’s pretty when you first get it, but now it is time to eat.
Let each flavor be known. With a dark chocolate cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, rich fudge sauce, macadamia nuts and whipped cream there’s a lot of tasting to be done.
Finish it off! Don’t be shy, whether you are with a group or all by your lonesome, its rewarding (and very possible) to finish.

While I have been to Duke’s in Honolulu when I lived in Hawaii, this was my first visit to the La Jolla location.
I ordered the Vegetable Red Curry and it was very good. I love a good curry and I was pleasantly surprised to find this dish at Duke’s.
Enjoyed dining on the patio. It was a little chilly on the day we came here, but the server turned on the heater near our table and we were very comfortable.
Recommended.

My family and I recently dined here for my dad’s birthday. We were able to make a reservation for an early dinner easily and since we were one of the first reservations, we were seated on the patio right next to the glass railing so we had a great view of the cove.
My husband and I were able to order mai tais in the last few minutes of their aloha hour ($ 8 instead of $ 11), so our dinner started off great. We had the calamari and Korean sticky ribs for appetizers and although really tasty, there wasn’t much meat on the ribs. For dinner, I had the Roasted Duke’s fish (I think my fish was ono maybe) and I really enjoyed that. I had plenty of fish, veggies, and a small helping bamboo rice that paired well with the fish. The pomegranate vinaigrette didn’t overpower the dish and my fish was cooked perfectly. My husband had the Firecracker fish and he really enjoyed the dish as well (I forgot which fish he had), but he mentioned that he would have liked some rice with his and he didn’t really enjoy many of the vegetables that were on there. We both thought that our fish was better than each others, so I guess it just has to do with what you prefer! The rest of my family enjoyed their dishes (they had the banana leaf fish and shrimp), but we all finished them, so the portion size isn’t as big as you would expect for the price you are paying. The fish was fresh though and cooked perfectly. For dessert, we all shared a hula pie which was delicious; we could have eaten another one!
Service was great. Our server was very friendly and gave us some good recommendations. He listed off all of the different fish options in each dish, but I couldn’t remember them after he went through them. I’d recommend paying attention so you don’t have to keep asking! The only thing that was lacking in service was just how often our water was refilled (which was only once); good thing I had my mai tai!
They don’t have a parking lot; there’s one next door that you can pay for or paid valet. We always just find street parking and walk.
Keep your itemized receipt for a coupon for a free hula pie with the purchase of 2 entrees.

I came here with my family on Sunday night. Street parking was available nearby. The restaurant is not too clearly marked but keep an eye out for a small flag that says Duke’s. We did not have a reservation & it was a 45 minute wait but we opted to sit right away at one of their 2 bar tables. The view is worth the wait though & you get a gorgeous view of La Jolla when seated outside in their patio.
Customer service & the food was good. The menu is simply one page.
Lavender Colada (Blended): I am obsessed with lavender & this is so good!
Calamari (4): 4 thick pieces of calamari with a sweet, creamy guava mustard remoulade. Good but pricey.
Kimchi Macaroni Salad: Macaroni was hard & needed to be cooked longer. Sauce was okay.
Hula Pie: Dessert meant for 4! Delicious macadamia ice cream.

I was excited to try Duke’s when I learned that one opened up in San Diego… especially as I’m planning my first ever trip to Hawaii! I went with my cousin on a Sunday evening. It was moderately crowded, but the crowd dwindled off quickly. I really liked the outdoor eating area. It was a chilly evening, but was warm under the heat lamps. We were seated outside overlooking the ocean, and I imagine the view was incredible during the day.
We started out with coconut mojitos which were delicious. They had just the right amount of coconut flavor. I chose the poke tacos and the sauteed snap peas. The poke tacos were great… had lots of guacamole. I didn’t care for the shells much though. They were the crispy type that break all over when you take a bite. The snap peas were good. They were listed as an appetizer, but were really more of a side dish. The best part of the pea dish was the large, thinly sliced radishes on the top. They looked really beautiful.
My cousin had one of the many fish dishes. I forgot which one. She really enjoyed it. She requested a different sauce which was not a problem. Finally, we shared the chocolate cake for dessert. It was pretty good… though I don’t think I would order it again, as there was nothing special about it.
Service was OK. It was fast enough. It is a bit odd though when the waiter continues to refer to two women in their 30s as «girls», and it was odder when he brought my credit card back and announced «You’ve been approved», as though there was some reason I wouldn’t have been !!!
All in all, I enjoyed my meal at Dukes. I think I’d like to return during the day to check out the view.
Oh, and bring back your receipt for a free hula pie next time!

I’ve been to the location in Hawaii a long time ago with my sister, so I was hoping the food would be just as good here and it was! I came here to celebrate my 46^th monthaversary with my boyfriend! We were seated outside in the patio underneath the heat lamps with a beautiful view of the cove.
Our server made some excellent recommendations. We started off with a couple of Mai tai’s and ordered the mussels and poke tacos for our starters. The food came out fast and tasted really good so far. I really liked the broth of the mussels– kinda sweet and spicy.
Our entrees and side dish were ready shortly after. The food was so colorful and presented nicely. Duke’s Roasted Fish was really tender and plump. I liked it more than my banana leaf fish and shrimp that I ordered. It was still good though, but the fish was slightly dry. The rice it came with was purple and had a nice texture and flavor. Even the long bean alamandine was tasty– it was drenched in brown butter!
For dessert, we shared the hula pie. It’s very similar to the one at Jake’s, which is their sister restaurant. The Oreo crust was yummy and this was the perfect ending to our meal. Overall the service was on point and everything we had was enjoyable. I had such a great time here!

On a whim, on a Mother’s Day, we decided to stop into Duke’s. Without a reservation.
We knew we’d probably just be seated at the bar, especially when we were told they were booked for the night. So we both got a cream ale and looked over the menu. But quickly our luck changed. We had put our names in anyway and a table opened up. Outside. Prime location at the glass balcony overlooking the beautiful, expansive La Jolla coast.
I had Duke’s mahi mahi fish and she had a burger. We both split the Hula Pie. The food was ridiculously good. Everything also tastes better when you have the best view in La Jolla possible. I cannot wait to go again.

You may have read in previous reviews that I really can’t stand chain restaurants– but once again, I have to make an exception to my rule. I used to have to work occasionally in Hawaii and spent some good amount of time out there. Hawaii is one of those funny places where there’s vacationer’s Hawaii, and real life Hawaii– two very different things. Duke’s plays into the vacationer’s Hawaii stereotype beautifully, an I have to admit, I fell into their trap.
The mellow hula music, the open air seating, the absolutely stunning views of the cove, all contributed to a highly relaxing visit. My son had their calamari, which he said was his favorite food from our «staycation» in La Jolla. My unexpected favorite was their side of fries. I know, right!!! These fries are fresh cut, fried 60% of the way, FROZEN, THEN steamed, and finally fried a final time. What resulted was a brilliantly crispy exterior with a pillow-​soft interior. I plan to go out of my way for these fries in the very near future.
I’m sure there are more «authentic» restaurants in LaJolla, or at least more original, but I dare anyone to come up with a place that can represent that Hawaiiana feeling than Duke’s. Prepare to be whisked away to the islands… except this time you can get there by staying on the mainland.

What a stunning restaurant. It is absolutely beautiful. You approach down a small set of stairs, and enter through a set of tall, beautiful large doors. The traditional Hawaii décor begins… with tiki torches, long boards, and many other lovely décor and artwork pieces throughout the space. You are officially whisked away to the island vibe.
There is ample space for those awaiting a table in the entry way. You enter straight ahead for the restaurant, bar and a very large patio for dining. Duke’s also features an upstairs space, but it was closed for a private event during our visit. The color/​design of the restaurant is gorgeous wood features throughout, and blue accents… a perfect tropical combination. I can’t emphasize enough how spacious everything feels. There is ample room between tables, at the bar, and as you walk around the space. This isn’t common in a city like San Diego… and it wasn’t lost on me!
Both service and the food was spot on. We had a cocktail at the bar to start the evening… the wind n sea breeze was great. We were sat promptly at 7:30pm, the time of our reservation. Our server walked us through each entrée, provided the fish of the day for those, and some helpful details as we made our decisions. Before our drinks and food began to arrive, the fresh bread was brought to our table. It was piping hot and a bit salty… absolutely delightful!!! Moving onto our meals:
COCONUT SHRIMP CROQUETTES — These were perfect shareable starters for the table… and have a superb pineapple dipping sauce.
ROASTED DUKE’S FISH — Perfection. The fish was as tender and as flavorful as can be. The lemon/​basil glaze was exquisite. Paired with roasted veggies and a sauce to accompany, the dish was perfect!
KIMO’S ORIGINAL HULA PIE® — No meal is complete at Duke’s without their famous hula pie! We shared it for the table, but based on the moans and soon to be empty plate, I think all of us could have finished it off by ourselves. The perfect combo of flavors and textures… a crunchy crust, fluffy ice cream, chocolate sauce with macadamia nuts and some whipped cream to round out the perfect dessert.
I am so happy that my experience not only met, but exceeded my expectations for my first visit to Duke’s! I am eager for future visits, to see the upstairs space, and to enjoy the patio as summer makes its way here. I also plan to visit the locations in O’ahu and Kauai yet this year. There are many more menu items I can’t wait to try!

As you walk up to the restaurant you’re greeted by the famous Duke Kahanamoku, tiki torches, a gift shop, surf boards, and art down the hallway to your glorious seating with a view. This visit we came strictly for the happy hour so it was set back, inside, with a bright glare.
Sunday is very slow and not as crowded. As you enter the happy hour location there are 2 high top wood tables or you can choose to belly up at the bar. Megan from Maui was our server. She was down to earth, laid back, friendly, and made the meanest lava flow, mai tai’s, and wind n sea drinks. Our appetizers came out quickly. The petite poke tacos arrived 3 in a row on top of gaucamole in a wonton shell. They were alright. The lilikoi ceviche was so small, 1 layer not a pile or bowl, and came with the packaged Filipino crackers. There was more juice than ceviche. Was a little disappointed by the food especially for the outrageous happy hour prices.
After happy hour we were encouraged to go outside and take some photos of the almost sunset view. The upstairs was closed but guests walked up the stairs to get more photo opportunities. There’s a gorgeous mural and romantic strung lights. Both patios are beautiful too bad the food is lacking and does not match the price.

«Let’s play make believe and pretend we just took 5 hour flight to Waikiki for the evening… «
That’s what I said to my sisters when we arrived at Duke’s and for the most part, it worked! ;)
Now the place doesn’t have ukulele serenading from table to table and fresh leis like the the Duke’s I know on Oahu, but if you squint enough, you can pretend you’re in a newly rennovated Duke’s on the island! ;)
I had the lemon cocktail and it was pretty good. Not served in a cute tiki glass like if I had gotten the main tai, but bartender Dan was superb! I got there by myself and had to drink my cocktail alone, but it was perfect.
He also had some great recommendations for dinner and we went for some of them.
1 thing that I thought was going to be totally gross but was amazing was the Adobo Mussels. Yes. Adobo Mussels. I thought Adobo could only be done with pork or chicken, but with the refinement that Duke’s has, it worked soo incredibly with the mussels. So well in fact, that my whole table kept looking for stuff to keep dipping in the sauce AND we took the sauce home after, even though there were ZERO mussels left. Now that is a good sauce.
I think if you come here, always opt for the seafood. If you get any kind of ribs, short or 24 hour or the like, be prepared for it to taste good, but not falling off the bone tender if that is wha you are expecting, cause that wasn’t happening. And the Spam fried rice was good, but chef needs to crisp the edges a bit… TOOO SOFT!
One annoying thing about this place is that your whole party has to be here to be sat. I really hate when restaurants do that because it can really put a damper on the night if someone is late and you are on time or early…
But overall, if you like Duke’s in Hawaii or just want to try a new place in La Jolla Prospect, go for it! It has my blessing ;) I’m sure it’s even more wonderful in the daytime.
PS I noticed a glass ‘boardroom’ type spot on the second floor. Might be a place to consider checking out for an offsite meeting.
OH!!! and how can I forget to mention. HOT MALASADAS have officially hit the mainland! woot!

Not sure what happened to my previous review. :(It vanished into Unilocal space.
Been here a couple of times and the service is always good.
Love the Hawaii wood décor (cause I’m from Hawaii) and all the long boards in the front of the restaurant. The hostesses in the front are very nice. I enjoyed dining upstairs overlooking the ocean. The overhead music (C & K) brought me back as if I was sitting at the Waikiki location.
Food:
The food, unfortunately, was not as good.
COCONUT SHRIMP CROQUETTES
KOREAN STICKY RIBS
SPAM FRIED RICE
The infamous HULA PIE-​YUMMY!
I need to give this place another try since I just adore the Hawaii location. Hopefully next time I’ll order different dishes.

One of the best locations of all Duke’s restaurants, it’s right next to La Jolla cove, the views are breathtaking, we even caught the sunset views after our early dinner, it was so beautiful!
Went in at their happy hour time, the menu looks promising and appetizing. Started with their signature Mai Tai, it was strong and tasty, a bit sweet but acceptable. I had sautéed fish tacos with housemade chips. Fish tacos were amazing, loved the spice sauce, chips were a bit oily so I left them out. Hubby had fish and chips, same Mahi fish as my tacos, they were crispy golden outside, fresh and soft inside, the fries were fantastic too, we LOVED it. Both dishes were very healthy and delicious!
Was debating a little but still tried their famous Hula pie, a huge slice, so tasty and comforting, and so BAD. It had been a very long time since I have had a pie, guilty pleasure indeed! Finished our meal with a goose vodka lemon drop martini and chocolate martini, both were very good, what a great combination with our dessert!
Our waitress was very friendly and attentive, she was from Torrance too, it was nice to see locals in San Diego, small world. We loved our early dinner with amazing views, it’s not much in La Jolla, but this is a really nice spot to grab a bite and have some drinks!

Great location and great food! We actually had reservations for Georges but the place was under construction and had the Windows bagged up… Totally killed the ambiance so we came here instead and so glad we did! The staff is terrific and very attentive even with food allergy accommodations. We sat on the patio which had a great view even though it was dark outside. The heating lamps kept it cozy. Everything looked great on the menu and was even labeled for gluten free. They even had a gluten free burger bun option. My boyfriend got the Pan Roasted Jidori Chicken and I got the Vegetarian Red Curry. Both were excellent but on the small side for portion size. It was my boyfriends birthday and they offered the Kimo’s Original Hula Pie for free but we can’t have dairy so they gave us the Gelato Vero Sorbe instead which was the perfect ending to our meal.
We didn’t have reservations as we came here as a plan B but it was a Tuesday and there was no wait. Valley parking is offered for $ 10 but there is parking on the street (2 hour max) if you’re lucky. There’s an underground garage right next door that said public parking. That’s where we went but the ticket machine was out and there was no cashier… We parked there anyways and asked our waiter about it and were told it’s free if no one is attending… But she didn’t seem too sure. We ended up being okay but I wouldn’t recommend it just in case because there was a warning sign about not paying.
I highly recommend this place! It is probably better during the day for the ocean view and would be nice to walk around the area.

Last month my friends and I planned a surprise celebration dinner for one of our friends at this newest location of the famous Hawaii restaurant.
The host staff really stood out for their service, as we were trying to surprise one of our friends who thought she was just going to a 1-​on-​1 dinner with one of us while the remaining 4 of us hid before she showed up. The hostess was great about making sure the surprise wasn’t ruined and that my friend could arrive to a full table of people she wasn’t expecting to see.
As we were «hiding» we had pre-​dinner drinks at the 2^nd floor bar, and that was a bit frustrating. The bar was empty except maybe two other people and yet our bartender was super slow in getting our bill and we had to ask more than once, even though we explained to her that we were trying to not foil our plan to surprise our friend who was on her way. Also, the bartender put all our drinks on one bill even though we asked for separate tabs and that made things really confusing later on.
We were seated on a great spot on the patio where you can see the ocean during the day time. The dinner portion of our night was better, although service and the time to receive our food were generally slow due to the restaurant being so busy at the time of our 8pm Saturday reservation. Our waiter was friendly and attentive but didn’t come by that often and we had to wait an extra long time to get a refill of the (oh-​my-​gosh-​so-​delicious) house bread but at least he apologized, letting us know they had to make more fresh.
Except for the absolutely exceptional mai tai (surprisingly inexpensive at $ 10), where they actually imported fresh POG juice from Hawai’i prepared exclusively for Duke’s, the food wasn’t memorable and was too expensive. A few of us ordered the 24-​hour kalbi short rib which was on the spicy side. I do appreciate that for the 2 of us that shared the dish, they didn’t charge us a split-​dish fee as most high end restaurants do.
Tip: park in the structure immediately next door for $ 10 or get lucky with street parking on Prospect Avenue or the nearby streets.