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Breath taking sunsets - Nelson's at Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Nelson's at Terranea Resort

4.6
4.6
394 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American

Make a booking

2 people
23:30
Booked 33 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Great for scenic views
  • Charming
A guest favorite for casual dining, Nelson’s is perched directly above the ocean coves made famous by the 1950s television series Sea Hunt – from which this modern surf shack takes its name. The cliff-top eatery pays homage to Sea Hunt’s main character, Mike Nelson, as well as actor Lloyd Bridges’ lifetime efforts to protect the environment and the ocean. Guests enjoy coastal cuisine and a warm, friendly bar atmosphere surrounded by outdoor fire pits and unrivalled sunset views. This Southern California restaurant offers one of the most scenic locations in Palos Verdes to enjoy a meal or drink in a relaxed setting.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Gastro Pub, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00–20:00 Fri 11:00–21:00 Sat 09:00–21:00 Sun 09:00–20:00
  • Phone number
    (866) 690-6821
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Juan Nunez
  • Area
    Rancho Palos Verdes / Rolling Hills Estates
  • Cross Street
    Palos Verdes Drive South
  • Parking details
    Hotel Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 394 people are saying

Nelson's at Terranea Resort reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Beach Cities

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Beach Cities

    Great for scenic views

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Nestled along the stunning Pacific coastline, Nelson's at Terranea Resort offers an "incredible view" and "wonderful location" perfect for a relaxing meal. Guests praise the "friendly and attentive staff" and enjoy diverse menu options, like the "amazing lobster roll." While some find it pricey, the vistas make it "worth the visit."

394 Reviews
  1. Erin

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Spectacular view, fabulous service (Pierce ) and exceptional food!!

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  2. Shelvy

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    It was such a lovely experience, being able to be near the water and able to see whales and sea lions. Food was pretty good as well

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  3. Shawn VIP

    Los Angeles55 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Today we celebrated a birthday and I made mention of this when I placed our reservations. Started with golf, then the spa, then dinner. It was slightly overcast when we arrived for golf but after 30 mins or so the sun shined brightly. Nothing is better than playing golf on a sunny day and on the ocean! The spa was wonderful and we looked forward to a sunset, ocean view dinner. The sunset was beautiful, views of the ocean was beautiful; however, our dinner was regretfully underwhelming. We ordered clam chowder, chicken wings, and a lobster roll. Regretfully, the wings had zero flavor, the hot sauce on the side was just hot and the lobster roll was supposed to be a hot sandwich but was cold and the lobster was tough. The star of dinner was the chowder so readers, out of the aforementioned, definitely order this item. As for the other two…hmmm.

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  4. Dru Ann

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 21 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were a table of 4 people adults. I ordered the grilled swordfish tacos. The fish was not grilled but rather burnt and dry. Quite disappointing for the price paid. Cost for 4 people for lunch was $170 plus $32 for the tip so $202. The service was very good.

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  5. Whitney

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 18 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience! Great food! Great service! My daughter has a doll who she claimed was her birthday. Service came out with a cake, candle and they sang. Food was delicious and timely.

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  6. Charlotte VIP

    Birmingham2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 17 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really nice relaxed vibe, right by the ocean. Great cocktails, views, lovely for a weekend lunch spot. For where you are it wasn’t expensive but if you didn’t have the views then it would be.

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  7. Jason

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Tasty food. Can be very busy at times. You get a great view of the ocean.

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  8. Mick VIP

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 2 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    My wife and I love to visit Nelsons but wow the food has gone down on quality. We spend 20 years in the the hospitality space and are very open and understanding, and actually sometimes too unforgiving of restaurant experience. A few months ago, we took my wife’s mother-in-law to Nelson‘s where we had to send back the nachos. Low quality cheese sauce on top of soggy nachos. The most recent visit last week we ordered the calamari as a starter. All of the breading fell off the calamari and sat in a pile of grease at the bottom of the bowl. Surf is OK ambience is always great. That’s why we go there. I really concerned about the quality of your food and considering maybe not going back.

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  9. Jon

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service and food was great. Chilly night and they made sure the table was nice and warm. After dinner they shuttled us to our car also. Great night

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  10. David

    Los Angeles6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 20 January 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The location is spectacular at the beautiful Terranea Resort on the cliffs above the ocean. Service was friendly but very very slow (They seemed short-handed). The menu is pretty limited, but we enjoyed what we ordered. The BBQ brisket sandwich was a highlight. Go for the ambiance.

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FAQs

Nelson's at Terranea Resort offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (866) 690-6821.

Nelson's at Terranea Resort is rated 4.6 stars by 394 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
23:30
Booked 33 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Nelson's at Terranea Resort

100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Palos Verdes Drive South
  • Area
    Rancho Palos Verdes / Rolling Hills Estates
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00–20:00 Fri 11:00–21:00 Sat 09:00–21:00 Sun 09:00–20:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Gastro Pub, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Hotel Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Juan Nunez
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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