LA's notorious June gloom hasn't cast a shadow on the opening of Little Beach House, a glamorous clubhouse restaurant along Malibu's glittery Carbon Beach. Amongst posh waterfront homes penned by Meier and Lautner, Little Beach House is a shishito throw from Nobu that has had a stronghold on be-seen beach dining since opening in 2012. Little Beach House is of a similar aesthetic, at least on the outside, within the remodeled Nikita that lasted little more than a summer despite its unrivaled location and owners that included Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.
For those with an Every House membership at Soho House, every house means all of them except, perhaps, this one. Little Beach House Malibu has its own standalone membership, which is separate from Soho House's Every House membership and is only available to residents, and people who work or have a connection to Malibu or its immediate coastal areas. The policy has incited gasps of horror from unknowing members that have made the 30-minute commute only to be turned away - or pointed to neighboring Nobu. But for those already approved, a sprawling beachfront compound awaits with swish club lounge, dining room, lively terrace bar and sitting room with yet-to-be-seen event programming.
Having long felt the need for a proper beach club scene in LA, Little Beach House unfortunately feels more like a dapper waterfront dining room for the privileged. Its staircase foyer with curated gallery installation divides the main dining room and terrace from the upper level lounge and sitting room. But the Neutra-inspired architecture is a bit too removed from the actual sand and seems to hover above the Pacific more like an exceptionally chic boat that just happens to have DJs spinning throwback rock anthems, pretty guys in elaborate hats, and women in impossibly flowing maxi-dresses on deck. As for the food, we were impressed - from the perfect poke and fish tacos to the fresh guacamole and burger that were perhaps the only thing native and approachable about Soho's latest California beach import. With upcoming locations in Downtown LA, Barcelona, Amsterdam and NY's Lower East Side set to open in the next year, we look forward to what Soho does next.
