Today we took a hike up to Sandstone Peak — the highest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains. And as it happens, the road to the Circle X Ranch where the trail begins, leads us right by Neptune’s Net – a Malibu institution.
We stopped in for lunch after our hike. We were hot — it was much warmer than expected — and very thirsty. Good for us, Neptune’s Net has a great selection of beer. The vibe is really informal. You get in line by the coolers, where you pickup your drinks. When you get to the register, you place your order and pay ($10 minimum charge for debit and credit cards). Then you try to find a place to sit. This took a while, as the place is very busy and popular on the weekends.
On the patio, they had communal picnic tables, and being just two of us, we were able to squeeze in between to other couples.
One other item of note, the place is split into two sections, with different menus and lines. The “restaurant” has a lot of choices, including the grilled fish tacos that I ordered, fried seafood, and their “famous” clam chowder.
On the right side of the building is the fresh seafood. Joan went over their and ordered a pound of large steamed shrimp.
HOT TIP: The line on the seafood side was almost empty. The restaurant side was much busier. Keep that in mind and you could save some time.
Even though it was crowded and busy, the process went pretty quickly.
The Beverages
He got a 25-ounce Rolling Rock (as the can said, it comes with an “extra ounce!”). It was cold and hit the spot after a hot hike up Sandstone Peak.
She got a Stella Artois. Solid choice.
The Food
He ordered the fish tacos, with grilled fish (also comes fried, but not my thing). They weren’t gourmet, but they were delicious and really hit the spot.
She ordered the steamed shrimp. A BIG plate of steamed shrimp, with melted butter. So much shrimp, I got to help. Messy as hell, being the peel-and-eat variety, but totally worth the effort and a great value
We both got a small serving of the clam chowder, which in spite of it being a hot afternoon, was really very good.
The highlight might’ve been the people watching. Neptune’s Net is popular both with bikers (the Harley-Davidson predominates) and beachgoers. The mix led to some interesting folk.
Neptune’s Net
42505 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
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