Malibu Farm Tiburon — Restaurant in Tiburon

Malibu Farm boasts a prime location – accessible by ferry from San Francisco and conveniently situated right off the ferry terminal. The outdoor patio seating offers stunning waterfront views, perfect for enjoying a meal with a California coastal vibe. While reservations can be made for indoor seating on the first or second floor, the coveted patio is first-come, first-served.

The restaurant's interior is light and airy, with ample natural light streaming in. The minimalist design leans towards elegance, creating a relaxed yet stylish atmosphere.

Our meal started on a positive note with the 1 dozen Hog Island oysters. They were incredibly fresh and delicious, accentuated by two tasty sauces, with the red sauce being my favorite. My "Surfers Rancheros" offered a delightful mix of flavors (mostly savory) and textures – the crispy tortilla, perfectly cooked fried egg, and generous portion of avocado paired well with the roasted vegetables and creamy cheese.

Unfortunately, not all dishes lived up to these initial highs. While my friend's build-your-own fish tacos featured well-cooked fish, they lacked in flavor. The lobster sliders were a major disappointment, falling short of expectations. The salmon scramble was another unexpected turn – instead of featuring the salmon alongside the scrambled eggs, it was chopped and mixed in, offering a decent but not particularly exciting experience.

The steak and shrimp skewers, however, provided a welcome return to form. The tender and juicy steak paired nicely with the balsamic glaze, while the red wine sangria offered a refreshing and flavorful beverage option.

The cost of food and drinks here deserves a mention. While the waterfront location and ambiance contribute to the experience, some items like the $10 watermelon juice felt overpriced for the quality.

The service was adequate but not exceptional. Our server seemed a bit rushed to take our order upon being seated, leaving us feeling slightly pressured.

Malibu Farm Tiburon offers a scenic location and a relaxed atmosphere. The fresh oysters and some dishes like the "Surfers Rancheros" are definite highlights. However, inconsistent food quality, some overpriced items, and slightly rushed service prevent it from reaching a...

Maybe Manager!

I’ve been a resident of Tiburon for some time now as a foreigner, and I frequently visit Malibu Farm, a place I truly enjoy and happily bring both my family and friends to—well, at least until today.

On this rainy day, I went there for lunch, planning to have a salad while getting some work done on my laptop. The young host at the entrance generously seated me in the completely empty downstairs dining area. When I asked for a table upstairs, where I usually sit, I was told the upper floor was “currently closed.” Fine, I didn’t argue. I ate my meal.

Curious, I later asked one of the staff why the upstairs area was closed. To my surprise, they told me it wasn’t closed—it was actually open. Interesting.

Shortly after, I saw someone who appeared to be a manager and asked a server to confirm. When I directly asked, “Are you the manager?” he gave me a witty (or at least he thought so) reply: “Maybe yes, maybe no.”

Alright. I explained the situation and asked why I was seated downstairs. With a sarcastic tone, he vaguely responded that upstairs might have been full. Right. So I pointed at the stormy weather outside and asked how a place I regularly visit could suddenly be so full. Then, I straight-up asked whether I was seated in an empty hall because I was a foreigner or simply a single male diner. He brushed it off with vague, dismissive responses.

I thanked him and left.

I’m not one to write negative reviews about places I love, but Malibu Farm is a spot I enjoy visiting with my son, my wife, and my friends. So, I feel the need to point this out.

A little advice for our “Maybe Manager”: instead of acting like a part-time manager who deflects customer concerns with lazy justifications, perhaps try listening, investigating, and offering a real response.

I sincerely hope this isn’t some passive-aggressive penalty or discouragement strategy for certain customers—whether it’s about accents, solo diners, or something else. Malibu Farm, with its diverse staff and reputation, should pay more attention to such small but important details.

Otherwise, one day, they might find themselves managing a restaurant full of...

Besides the gorgeous view of the water, which is definitely amazing, I have to say that the food here was not that good at all. Before anything food related, I ordered a Shirley Temple, which they said after 15 min of waiting that they have no more. That I understood because it happens so I ordered the Rose Lemonade. The drink itself was decent enough but I was able to bear it. Now the problems begin after ordering the Nachos they had. First of all, the nachos did not taste or feel like nachos. I expected tortilla chips and melted shredded cheddar cheese and maybe some other stuff too. It was non of that. The chips itself tasted stale, and somehow burnt. Yea I get that nachos are suppose to be heated up but I don’t know how you mess up on the chips itself. There was barely any cheese (which beats the purpose of Nachos). The dip itself was good for sure but without the full experience of Nachos I was not able to finish it. Now here comes the main entree, I ordered the Squid Ink Calamari Linguine. Nothing in the menu that it said was spicy at all. I expected the salt of course because I am basically ordering sea food but the way the salt and spice mixed, it added an unpleasant feeling in my mouth. Salty and Spicy overpowered the taste of the meal. I was not able to enjoy my dinner at all. Thankfully the service here is nice enough. It looks like they really care but they forget things often, which I also understand as well because we are human after all and everyone works differently, but the fact you are paying 400$ for dinner or more with should not be that expensive with the service. I didn’t bother ordering desert or anything else after with the disappointment I had. This is my first time writing a review for a restaurant because usually the places I go I love. The first time in my life I didn’t like the food. My overall experience was not that well and I don’t recommend this place for a date night or a family get together, but everyone has their own opinions and tastes and so do I. This was the best way for me to not...