The Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch Review

Birthday + Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch = Perfect day! This place is amazing. We of course started with the nice drive up the coast and in to the beautiful canyons off of PCH and Kanan Dume Rd.

I was a little nervous because Peter was not able to get through to make a reservation for brunch (and he tried for 2 weeks), but I figured it would be worth a try...and the drive (the drive through the canyons is gorgeous.) From the moment we got there, the valet guy was super nice and made us feel very welcomed. But soon, our little buzz would be killed by the lovely hostess saying "sorry we do not have anything open till 4p.m." Uh, it's not even noon, no way am I waiting until 4p.m. They offered the bar seating but no brunch would be served there, plus they warned it was also full so we may not be lucky. Just as we were going to turn around, kicking rocks back to our car, we decided to walk around, check out the place, and go see if just maybe there would be some bar seating available. Lo and behold....there were 2 seats. Perfect. So here we are at the bar, and I'm thinking "great, now I am going to have to get a drink." For those of you who don't know me, I probably drink about 2-3 drinks max per YEAR. Hey, but what the heck, it's my birthday after all and I was feeling craaazy....so I decided to party it up and get A drink ;-) Ronnie, one of the fabulous bartenders, recommended these drinks...Blueberry Lavender Mojito and the Pineapple Orange Mojito. Delish.

So Peter and I are enjoying ourselves, the bartenders Ronnie and Berto are super nice and attentive. We are loving the service even though we aren't able to have brunch. But then, Peter slightly leans over the bar, signaling to the bartender to get closer and "secretly" asks him "so, can we get brunch around here?" Sure, why not? Yeah!! I was so happy because I was starving, but I totally felt like we could get in trouble (I felt like a defiant child lol) so I kept asking Berto if he was positive (I mean, I didn't want him getting in trouble either.) I ordered the Challah French Toast (Cinnamon, Powdered Sugar, Maple Syrup) and Peter the Blueberry Waffle. The server then asked "would you like chocolate syrup?" Say what?!?!?! Uh, YES Please!! Heaven!!!

Then, I get this. I told them I didn't order it and the bartender says "It's your birthday isn't it?" Chocolate and Espresso Mousse w/Amaretti Cookie and Blood Orange. Love it. Monica, one of the managers, comes over to wish me a happy birthday and make sure we are doing okay...the service here could not be better.

As comfortable as we were and as much as we would have loved to hang around longer, we were also eager to explore this beautiful place that to me felt like I was in someone's private back yard.

Check out the stunning chandeliers perfectly hung all throughout.

A small pond with ducks makes this place even more charming. There are also paddle boats available for a fun ride.

Comfortable seating to enjoy some food, drinks, and simply relax.

And did I mention this place is totally dog friendly? There were several cute pooches running around. This is "Burger" the owners dog.

More chandeliers...totally obsessed with them

Beautiful, center of attention, seating. Probably the best seats in the house with a full view of the entire area.

Then we were off to explore some more, full of surprises.

Little "house" that seemed to be some kind of studio (it was right next to a dance studio, so I am assuming here.)

An old carousel

Yes, that is a cow...and a very sweet cow I should add. She would follow us along the rail so we could pet her.

Ferris wheel in another enormous area.

And a beautiful reception area. Imagine the events that are held here...wow!!

So there you have it. The Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch is a must. The service is great, the food amazing, the drinks perfect, the venue....simply beautiful. Looking forward to going back for lunch or dinner soon. Check out their website HERE, and turn up your speakers, even the music is cool. {all images by me, first image borrowed from The Malibu Cafe}. XoXo, Iris