Wind & Sea Restaurant

Wind & Sea Restaurant Wind & Sea opened in 1972 and has evolved into one of Southern California's premier restaurant desti
(3677)

Wind & Sea began as a limited-menu prime steakhouse in 1972 and has evolved into one of Southern California's premier restaurant destinations for Pacific Rim fusion cuisine. Bearing a name apropos for a waterfront restaurant surrounded by water on three sides, the restaurant serves up fresh fish and warm hospitality with a backdrop of...
you guessed it: wind and sea.

(Last, but certainly NOT least!! 🫶🏽😘)McKenna has been working at the Wind & Sea for over 14 years. She was first a hoste...
10/01/2026

(Last, but certainly NOT least!! 🫶🏽😘)

McKenna has been working at the Wind & Sea for over 14 years. She was first a hostess, then server and finally a manager! Her favorite thing on the menu is the Hawaiian chicken sandwich, the beef bits, and the coconut skinny margarita. Her favorite memory is meeting the “blonde squad” who turned out to be her best friends & meeting her boyfriend. What she will miss about the Wind and Sea is everything, this place had become her second home.

SPECIAL. NOSTALGIC. BEAUTIFUL.

Luis has been working at the Wind & Sea for over 24 years!! He had only been a chef, first fryer and then grill master. He loves to cook EVERYTHING on the menu. He is grateful for meeting his friends at this job but he will miss the tips the most!! 😉💰🤑

UNIQUE. GOOD MEMORIES.

Patsy has been working at the Wind & Sea for 12.5 years! She is the “controller,” which means she manages finance for corporate. Her favorite dish was the blackened chicken pasta from back in the day. 🍝 She will miss her office the most because the views were insane. She would people, seal, 🦭 and boat watch every day while working. She will miss the boat parades the most and how peaceful and positive her job was this past decade!

FAMILY. FRIENDS. FOOD.

Christy declined her interview but we wanted to make sure she got a shout out because she worked over three decades for us and we love and appreciate her. Thank you Christy ♥️

Gina also declined an interview but we wanted her to know how grateful we are for the years of service she gave to Harpoon Henry’s and then closing out the Wind & Sea with us. Thank you Gina, we love you! 🫶🏽♥️

One of our beloved Wind & Sea family members, Lalo, recently found himself facing an unimaginable situation. 💔After 54 y...
09/25/2026

One of our beloved Wind & Sea family members, Lalo, recently found himself facing an unimaginable situation. 💔

After 54 years, the closure of the Wind & Sea meant that Lalo lost his job—and, with it, his medical insurance. Just days after the restaurant closed its doors, he was admitted into the hospital for complications with his lungs and perhaps a much more concerning diagnosis. 😞 (Please pray as tomorrow 9/25 he goes in for another surgery.)

Now, while he should be focusing on his retirement, his health and his family, they’re also facing the overwhelming reality of medical bills and the financial strain that comes with such a devastating diagnosis.

Lalo has spent years taking care of our Wind & Sea family. Now, it’s our turn to take care of him. ❤️‍🩹

If the Wind & Sea has ever been a part of your life, if Lalo has ever made you laugh, cooked you a meal, or simply been part of a memory you cherish, please consider helping his family during this incredibly difficult time.

Every donation, share, message, and act of kindness makes a difference. 🌊🙏🏽♥️

Link to fundraiser in bio.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-lalo-through-recovery/ig/s?utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=instagram_feed&lang=en_US

09/22/2026

Change is inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any less painful. ❤️‍🩹

These last 60+ days, we poured everything we had into making the final days of the Wind & Sea as memorable as possible. So many of us worked double shifts for weeks on end. Some came from hours away, and even oceans away, just to be here and be a part of history. It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster.

And somehow, one week later… we’re still missing you. ♥️

Seeing our building almost completely empty is heartbreaking. It’s hard to believe that just one week ago, these walls were buzzing with energy, laughter, food, Mai Tais, familiar faces and so much love. It feels surreal.

But the Wind & Sea isn’t quite done with us yet. 🌊🫶🏽

The response to our merchandise has been so overwhelming that we’ve decided to keep our doors open a little longer to help get through all those online orders. We’ll be open through September 30th for MERCHANDISE ORDERS.

We also still have a few last-minute goodies we’d love to find homes for, so stop by between 9am–3pm to browse Wind & Sea merch and whatever last-minute rummage sale treasures we have left.

The dining room may be quiet, but there’s still a little Wind & Sea magic happening inside. ♥️🌊 come take some while you can!

09/18/2026

For all of you who don’t want to pay shipping fees or have been lagging on your shopping… THIS WEEKEND IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SHOP IN PERSON! ⚠️⚠️ Come to the restaurant and buy your last merch before it’s only available online. SATURDAY & SUNDAY from 9am-3pm. This weekend only!

09/18/2026

EVERYTHING MUST GO! Need glassware, chairs, a toaster?! 🪑🍽️🧂 We’ve got a bunch of random items that helped make Wind & Sea successful. Come and claim them while you can. Only two days, Saturday & Sunday. Starting from 9am until 3pm. CASH ONLY! See you one last time 🤪

Joe has been working since he was 15 years old, a total 16 years of his life. He started as a dishwasher, bus boy, barte...
09/17/2026

Joe has been working since he was 15 years old, a total 16 years of his life. He started as a dishwasher, bus boy, bartender, server, and now finally a manager. His favorite thing on the menu is the blackened chicken pasta 🍝🤪His favorite memories are the W&S Christmas parties and all around the holiday season. What he’ll miss the most is seeing his fam every day.

FUN. CHAOTIC. CRAZY.

Ryan has been working for the Wind And Sea for 4 1/2 years. First he worked as a server then got asked to move into bookkeeper and now finally he is human resources. His favorite thing on the menu is the macadamia nut crusted mahi-mahi. His favorite memory is jumping into the harbor, three times. What he will miss the most are seeing the people his friendships and the faces he gets to see every day. 🥲🤍

WIND AND SEA FOREVER!

Bree has been working since April 16th, 2014. 🫶🏽 Almost 13 years of loyalty to Wind & Sea. She worked as hostess, a food runner, a busser, a hostess manager, a bartender, and now she is a server manager. This has been Bree’s first and only job and she started literally from the bottom of the food chain and rose all the way to the top. 👏🏽🥲 She will miss everything and everyone from the Wind & Sea; customers and friends that turned to family. Her favorite thing on the menu is the big eye tuna poke stack. 🐟 One of her favorite things about the Wind & Sea is watching people grow and develop, herself included!! Watching hostesses become servers, training for different positions, and watching young, impressionable minds grow and become something bigger and greater.

LIGHT. DARK. 151.

Cole has been working at the Wind & Sea for seven years. He started out as a dishwasher, bus boy, bartended, and is now a manager. His favorite thing on the menu is the Coconut Skinny Margarita 🍋‍🟩🥥 and the macadamia nut crusted mahi-mahi. His favorite memories are the bonds and friendships created in these four walls. He claims we are one big family. What he’ll miss the most are the inside jokes and “busting each other’s balls.” 🏈⚾️😂

ICONIC. LEGENDARY. FAMILY.

Antonio has worked here for almost 14 years. He held the position of busboy manager and then became bar

Elena has worked here 20 years, first as a cocktail server and then a bartender and finally server. Her favorite thing o...
09/16/2026

Elena has worked here 20 years, first as a cocktail server and then a bartender and finally server. Her favorite thing on the menu is the sashimi and the big eye poke tuna 🐟 She will miss the people the most, because we are what make it special.

OHANA. SUNNY VIBES.

Fernando has been here at the Wind and Sea for 15 years. He started as a dishwasher and has been maintenance, dressing, food prep, and finally a cook. He loves to cook the Macadamia crusted Mahi-Mahi. His favorite memories are busy Friday night Happy Hours because he loves the rush of a Friday night!! He will miss his job, coworkers, and the work environment the most.

MI CASA.

Stacey has been here 20 years?? Nobody really knows… She has always been a server and her favorite items on the menu are California salad with Cajun salmon. Her favorite memory is when Damian‘s roommate threw giant dinner plates at Jay like frisbees and tipped over a table 31… Too many mai-tais? 🤪 She will miss her teammates the most.

YUMMY. LOVE. MONEY.

Danny has been here 8 consecutive years, he was brought on to the staff by Bob Mardian himself. He is always requested by our customers because of his wonderful service. He has worked as a banquet server and bartender but mostly as a server. His favorite thing on the menu is the steak medium rare with mashed potatoes. His favorite memories are when the customers leave their cakes behind and he gets to eat them 😋 one time he ate seven crème brûlée’s that were left behind. His favorite part of the job is organizing things at work and that’s what he will miss the most.
RELIVING MY CHILDHOOD. FRIENDSHIP.

Sarah Alt has worked over 25 years and held the positions of “kicking a**” here at The Wind & Sea. Her favorite dish is the poke bowl or the old school albacore sandwich 🥪 Her favorite memory was getting dressed up in 70’s outfits with her best friends for her 30th birthday and drinking before rollerskating at the Wind & Sea. Her other favorite memories are others, jumping or falling into the harbor. She will miss the people the most.

MAI TAI MANIA 🍹🤪

Tracey has been working here for over 30 years but the time is unclear. She started working for these restauran

A message from the owner’s daughter, Ali Mardian: ♥️🌊The doors may be closed, but the Wind & Sea isn’t going anywhere ju...
09/16/2026

A message from the owner’s daughter, Ali Mardian: ♥️🌊

The doors may be closed, but the Wind & Sea isn’t going anywhere just yet.

After 54 years, we’re still wrapping up 365+ orders from our beloved customers — (and behind every one of them is Ali, who has been working relentlessly to design, organize, pack, ship, and keep the Wind & Sea swagger alive!! 🥹👏🏽🫶🏽, THANK YOU ALI!!!! WIND & SEA RETAIL )

The outpouring of love from this community has meant more to our family than we could ever put into words. It’s made one thing very clear: you’re not ready to let Wind & Sea go… and neither are we.

My dad, Bob Mardian, built something that became so much more than a restaurant. It became a place for first dates, family dinners, birthdays, sunsets, Mai Tais, lifelong friendships, and memories that will live far beyond these walls.

So if you’d like to keep a little piece of it with you, you can. 😋🫶🏽

Our online shop will remain open for the foreseeable future. Wear the hat. Rock the sweatshirt. Give your little one a Wind & Sea onesie. Keep a piece of this place close.

The restaurant may have closed, but the legacy doesn’t have to.

Thank you, Dana Point, and everyone who ever walked through our doors, raised a glass, shared a meal, worked a shift, told a story, or simply loved this place.

We love you right back. 😘🌊

Keep the Wind & Sea alive. See you online ☺️WIND & SEA RETAIL

09/15/2026

You asked. We answered. 🍹

The world-famous Wind & Sea Mai-Tai, straight from the man who helped make it famous — Jackson.

After 31 years behind the bar, Jackson became a Wind & Sea legend, even earning his very own “Jackson Style Mai-Tai.” And now, we’re finally giving up the recipe you’ve all been begging for. 😉

If you’re brave enough to recreate this one at home, please drink responsibly… and as Jackson always says:

“Always call an Uber.” 😂🍹

Cheers to Jackson, 31 years of memories with him, and one hell of a Mai-Tai. ♥️🍹

The day has come. 🥲Today, we open our doors to the Dana Point community for the very last time.What a joy these past 54...
09/15/2026

The day has come. 🥲

Today, we open our doors to the Dana Point community for the very last time.

What a joy these past 54 years have been.

I asked Bob what his favorite memory was, and without hesitation, he said opening night: August 22, 1972. He remembers the rush of people coming through the doors, eager to see the new place, take in the view, taste the food, and be part of something brand new.

And in a strange, beautiful way, that feels a lot like what we’re experiencing right now.

Except those customers who walked through our doors 54 years ago didn’t know what was waiting for them. They went on to make memories here. They met lifelong partners. They brought their children here. And eventually, their children brought their children.

Think about how many love stories began inside these walls. ♥️

The first date in the dining room.
The first “I love you” at the bar.
A proposal over dinner.
Wedding rehearsals upstairs.
Birthday celebrations, family dinners, celebrations of life, friendships, reunions—and all the little ordinary moments that somehow became the ones people remember forever.

Imagine how many families exist because two people happened to find each other at the Wind & Sea.

We are so lucky that 55 years ago, Bob found this little spot by the harbor and decided to take a chance on it.

He built a restaurant.
But together, you built the story.

And after 54 years, there are countless stories to tell.

Today, we get to make a few more.

Come raise one last Mai Tai with us. 🍹♥️

For our final recipe request, we’ve giving you the Nachos Grande. 🧀 A mountain of cheese, chips and goodness. Some of yo...
09/15/2026

For our final recipe request, we’ve giving you the Nachos Grande. 🧀 A mountain of cheese, chips and goodness. Some of you liked it dip style… for that you can put all the ingredients in the plate and keeps the chips on the side for added crunch bonus 😏👍🏽 YUM!

Rice Pilaf: the ultimate comfort food. 🥹🍚✨ Buttery, cozy, carb-loaded and made with love. What’s not to love?! 🤗Another ...
09/14/2026

Rice Pilaf: the ultimate comfort food. 🥹🍚✨ Buttery, cozy, carb-loaded and made with love. What’s not to love?! 🤗

Another little taste of the Wind & Sea to take home with you. ♥️

This one goes out to the grandbabies of the Styles family. ♥️♥️♥️♥️The third generation to grow up, play, laugh, and mak...
09/14/2026

This one goes out to the grandbabies of the Styles family. ♥️♥️♥️♥️

The third generation to grow up, play, laugh, and make memories in the dining rooms of the Wind & Sea.

Baby Slone may be the only one who will remember tackling her brother across the carpet in the Bar & Lounge, or demolishing an entire mud pie and proudly feeding it to her little brother. 😂🍦

They’re still too little to understand just what Grandpa Jay built here over the past 54 years. They won’t remember the sound of the bar, the familiar faces, the smell of the kitchen, the sunsets through the windows, or the feeling of walking into a place that somehow always felt like home.

But their family will remember for them.

They’ll hear the stories of Grandpa & Grandma & their own parents getting married at the Wind & Sea. They’ll see the pictures. They’ll grow up knowing that their grandpa helped build something truly special… a Dana Point Harbor classic, a gathering place, and a second home to generations of families, friends, fishermen, servers, cooks, and neighbors.

And to all the little grandbabies — and the ones still to come — who won’t get the chance to grow up at the Wind & Sea:

This one is for you. 🫶🏽🥲

You may not remember it, but you were part of it.

And we hope you always know that Grandpa Jay’s Wind & Sea was one of the greatest places the Dana Point Harbor ever had. 🌊

54 years of memories. Three generations of Styles. One very special place.

This one’s for you, little ones. ♥️🌊

Yesterday we sold over a THOUSAND mai-tais, what a way to celebrate the last final moments together. 🍹🍹🍹 I’m proud of us...
09/14/2026

Yesterday we sold over a THOUSAND mai-tais, what a way to celebrate the last final moments together. 🍹🍹🍹
I’m proud of us for going out with a BANG! 💥👏🏽
FINAL TWO DAYS OF THE WIND AND SEA ERA.
Thank you for the love and support ♥️🙏🏽
We love you so much.

TARTAR SAUCE! Here’s the secret to our deliciously creamy & chunky tartar sauce 🤤 please enjoy 😉
09/14/2026

TARTAR SAUCE!
Here’s the secret to our deliciously creamy & chunky tartar sauce 🤤 please enjoy 😉

THREE MORE DAYS.🤍
09/13/2026

THREE MORE DAYS.
🤍

Our creamy Clam Chowder first needs the broth to create the chowder, a long process that is totally worth it in the end ...
09/13/2026

Our creamy Clam Chowder first needs the broth to create the chowder, a long process that is totally worth it in the end 😋 please enjoy our Wind & Sea Clam Chowder recipe 🍲

Our last Saturday = Jay + his kids’ Family Night ✨♥️ (with Karen Styles taking the night off as the world’s best grandma...
09/13/2026

Our last Saturday = Jay + his kids’ Family Night ✨♥️ (with Karen Styles taking the night off as the world’s best grandma & babysitter 🫶🏽😂)

What a joy it has been to watch James & Danielle grow up here at the Wind & Sea..and now see them as parents, bringing their own little ones here for daycare, playtime, and all the memories that come with growing up in this place.

For the Styles family, this goodbye runs especially deep. For more than four decades, the Wind & Sea has been their second home, a place where they grew up, raised families, made lifelong friendships, and created countless memories.

It’s hard to say goodbye to a place that has been part of your family for so long. 🌊♥️

Hey, I have an idea!! 💡🤗TUESDAY = FULL WIND & SEA SWAGGER DAY. 😎🤙🏽Let’s ALL wear our Wind & Sea merch on our last day an...
09/12/2026

Hey, I have an idea!! 💡🤗

TUESDAY = FULL WIND & SEA SWAGGER DAY. 😎🤙🏽

Let’s ALL wear our Wind & Sea merch on our last day and be completely decked out from head to toe. Hats, shirts, sweatshirts… if it says Wind & Sea, WEAR IT. 😂

Then when you come in for your final Mai Tai, we can all take one giant group photo in our gear and make sure we go out looking as ridiculous, nostalgic, and Wind & Sea as possible. 🤩🥳

One last day. One last Mai Tai. One VERY well-dressed crew. 🍹🌊❤️ SEE YOU SEPT 15th WITH ALL YOUR SWAGGER ON!!!

Our Wind & Sea Calamari is crispy, buttery, and delicious. 🤤 a big time fan favorite, can be eaten as an appetizer in st...
09/12/2026

Our Wind & Sea Calamari is crispy, buttery, and delicious. 🤤 a big time fan favorite, can be eaten as an appetizer in strips OR eat them as Calamari steaks and keep the portions to yourself 😉👌🏽

Our last Saturday at the Wind & Sea together. We wish we had more seats in the restaurant to fill with all your happy fa...
09/12/2026

Our last Saturday at the Wind & Sea together. We wish we had more seats in the restaurant to fill with all your happy faces 🤗 thank you for your overwhelming support, our Dana Point community means the world to us. We will miss you all. ♥️

Our final Friday EVER! Our final Friday night Happy Hour 🍻🍹🍾Your final 5 days to catch a sunset, a mai-tai, some of our ...
09/11/2026

Our final Friday EVER!
Our final Friday night Happy Hour 🍻🍹🍾
Your final 5 days to catch a sunset, a mai-tai, some of our amazing staff, the views, the vibes… everything.
Everything is about to change in 5 days, thank you for sharing these last moments of home with us.
We love you ♥️

You can officially count the days left to visit the Wind & Sea on ONE HAND. 🥲🌊Just 5 days until we close our doors for t...
09/11/2026

You can officially count the days left to visit the Wind & Sea on ONE HAND. 🥲🌊

Just 5 days until we close our doors for the very last time.

Five more days of Mai Tais, sunsets, the coolest staff, familiar faces, good food, old stories, and that unmistakable Wind & Sea swagger. ♥️

If you’ve been meaning to come by one more time… this is your sign.

Come make one more memory with us. 🌅🍹

First we gave you the dipping sauce, now we give you the artichoke 😏 E N J O Y ✨
09/11/2026

First we gave you the dipping sauce,
now we give you the artichoke 😏
E N J O Y ✨

FOR OUR FINAL THROWBACK THURSDAY TOGETHER, we saved some of the best for last… behold, the infamous 1988 Swimsuit Calend...
09/10/2026

FOR OUR FINAL THROWBACK THURSDAY TOGETHER, we saved some of the best for last… behold, the infamous 1988 Swimsuit Calendar! ❤️‍🔥✨
1988 was a different time… and WOW, did these women have courage!! 😂🔥📅

Before anyone calls HR, let’s remember: this was 1988. 😅 These calendars featured some of the beautiful, confident women who worked at our Wind & Sea family and sister restaurants (Harpoon Henry’s & Kona Inn) …and they absolutely committed to the assignment. 💋🌊🔥🌺

The bikinis. The hair. The poses. The confidence. The sheer 80s-ness of it all. 😂

We’re admiring these women for their beauty, bravery, and willingness to say, “Sure, let’s make a calendar!” because let’s be honest… this would probably have a VERY different approval process today. 👙💥

So enjoy this wonderfully wild little piece of Wind & Sea history. Only in 1988, folks. ⚓️🌊♥️

Address

34699 Golden Lantern Street
Dana Point, CA
92629

Opening Hours

Monday 11:30am - 2am
Tuesday 11:30am - 12am
Wednesday 11am - 12am
Thursday 11:30am - 12am
Friday 11:30am - 11pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 12am

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wind & Sea Restaurant posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category