Reel Inn
| Reel Inn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1986 |
| Closed | January 2025 (temporarily) |
| Owner(s) | Andy and Teddy Leonard |
| Food type | Seafood |
| Street address | 18661 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90265 |
| City | Malibu |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 90265 |
| Other information | Destroyed in the Pacific Palisades wildfire in January 2025 |
The Reel Inn was a seafood restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California.[1][2] It was opened in 1986 by Andy Leonard; twenty years later, it was described as a "landmark of glorious decrepitude" in the New York Times.[3] It was destroyed in the Palisades Fire in January 2025.[4]
An "iconic Los Angeles fish shack," the interior of the Reel Inn was decorated with old surfboards. Food was ordered at an outside counter and served through a window on paper plates.[5] The menu was written daily on a chalkboard, and specials incorporated puns such as "O Sole Mio" and "Salmon Chanted Evening".[6] [7] It was a hangout for actors and musicians including Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.[8]
In 2001, the land on which the Reel Inn sits was acquired by a conservation group, becoming part of Topanga State Park.[9] The California Department of Parks and Recreation identified the Reel Inn as a historical resource and a visitor service, allowing it to remain in business in the park.[10]
The owners announced their intention to rebuild the restaurant and began a GoFundMe account to support their employees on January 22, 2025.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Amsden, David (2025-01-25). "An Ode to the Reel Inn, A Treasured Gathering Place Lost to the LA Fires". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ Simon, Ruth (2025-01-13). "Malibu's Famous Fish Shack Is Gone. Its Owners Aren't Sure They Can Rebuild". WSJ. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ Horyn, Cathy (2006-11-30). "800 Very Unsquare Feet". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
- ^ Simon, Ruth (2025-01-13). "Malibu's Famous Fish Shack Is Gone. Its Owners Aren't Sure They Can Rebuild". WSJ. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ "Remembering the Reel Inn, a century-old building, lost to the Palisades Fire". KCRW. 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
- ^ Andrews, C. (1987, Oct 18). "Reelin' in the Seafood'', Los Angeles Times
- ^ Parkes, C. (2006, Apr 15). "What I love about...Los Angeles", First edition, Financial Times.
- ^ (1989, May 07). Julian Escapes Lennon Shadow, Rolling Stone
- ^ Kondo, Annette (March 15, 2001). "1,659 Acres to Be Acquired for Park". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ Chasen, Susan (January 10, 2002) "State Park Gives Lower Topanga Businesses Two More Years", Topanga Messenger
- ^ Medina, Mekahlo; Patel, Sahana (2025-01-22). "Reel Inn Malibu owners fundraising to help employees impacted by Palisades Fire". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
