| 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 (Mailing address) |
| County | Los Angeles |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 90265 |
| Coordinates | 34°2′23″N118°34′54″W / 34.03972°N 118.58167°W |
| Other information | Destroyed in the Pacific Palisades wildfire in January 2025 |
The Reel Inn was a seafood restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway in the unincorporated community of Topanga, California, Los Angeles County, United States. [1] [2] Located adjacent to the city of Malibu, 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]
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. [4] The menu was written daily on a chalkboard, and specials incorporated puns such as "O Sole Mio" and "Salmon Chanted Evening". [5] [6] It was a hangout for actors and musicians including Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. [7]
In 2001, the land on which the Reel Inn sits was acquired by a conservation group and became part of Topanga State Park. [8] 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. [9]
It was destroyed in the Palisades Fire in January 2025. [2] The owners announced their intention to rebuild the restaurant and began a GoFundMe account to support their employees on January 22, 2025. [10] In August 2025, California Department of Parks and Recreation informed the owners that they would not renew their lease, so the Reel Inn could not be rebuilt. [11] [12] [13] After a backlash on social media, California Department of Parks and Recreation issued another letter saying that it is committed to "exploring a path forward that makes it possible for the Reel Inn to thrive on State Parks property," indicating that the Reel Inn might still be able to reopen. [14]
