Duke's Malibu reopens after fire and mudslide damage

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- Duke's Malibu, a longtime dining staple, welcomed customers back on Friday - more than a year after the deadly Palisades Fire forced its closure.

The restaurant, a community fixture for nearly three decades, withstood last year's wildfire. But heavy rains that followed triggered mudslides along the burn scar, sending debris surging into the building and causing extensive damage.

After months of cleanup and remodeling, Duke's is officially open for business.

"We had to remodel everything so it's a brand new restaurant and we've been here 30 years so it's pretty rare to have a brand new restaurant 30 years in," said Kobe Kanan with Duke's Malibu. "I'm sure we'll see a lot of surfers on our patio. It's the best weekend we can open, honestly. I mean it's March, it's 85, some good south swell so, it's a Duke's Malibu weekend for sure."

Keep in mind, the restaurant plans to operate on limited hours during its initial reopening period - Thursday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.

Duke's will have a fixed menu with summer lunch classics and dinner favorites. With the warm weather expected this weekend, they're expecting a full house and recommend you make a reservation.