Michael Chow opened the second California location of his eponymous high-end Chinese restaurants at the Malibu Country Mart in December 2012. This is the first Mr Chow to feature an open kitchen, where Executive Chef Jia Chi Zhao and his team serve classic signature dishes along with new and original recipes. A small bites menu is available for bar seating along with a menu of fresh, seasonal craft cocktails.

Mr Chow Malibu is offering a "semi-prix fixe menu" for Restaurant Week dinner - the whole table is served communal style. Each guest chooses one dish from each course, with a maximum of four dishes from each course per table. First course selections include chicken satay, glazed prawns, water dumplings and squab with lettuce. Second course options include Velvet Chicken, Drunken Fish, green prawns and crispy beef. Ice Cream is offered for dessert. Dinner is served with sauteed rice and seasonal vegetables.

Located in Manhattan Beach and overlooking the Pacific, the Strand House showcases Executive Chef Greg Hozinsky’s “modern heirloom” menu of traditional dishes expressed with fresh and exciting interpretations. Dishes are made with the freshest produce that’s hand-selected from local farms, touting complex flavors, subtle textures and luxurious finishes.

The Restaurant Week lunch menu starts with a choice of grilled peach, heirloom tomato salad, kale Caesar or hamachi crudo. Mains include chili verde torta, grilled King salmon, veggie melt or chicken and waffles. Dessert supplements offer petit glazed doughnuts or lime and yuzu curd.

The Santa Monica outpost of the original Water Grill - a standard bearer for seafood in L.A. for more than two decades - boasts a vintage nautical design, raw bar and waterfront location just two blocks from the historic Santa Monica Pier. For Restaurant Week lunch, the Water Grill starts with New England clam chowder, miso soup, roasted beets with organic apples or mixed organic greens. Entree choices include wild Fijian albacore nicoise salad, crab cake sandwich, wild Pacific swordfish or wild King salmon. First courses for dinner include clam chowder, miso soup, heirloom tomato salad, bitter greens Caesar or wild Eastern sea scallop crudo. Main selections include wild Alaskan black cod "miso" (sablefish), wild Pacific swordfish, wild King salmon and charcoal-grilled Mary's chicken. For dessert, select from key lime pie, caramel bread pudding or assorted flavors of homemade ice creams and sorbets. 

Whiskey Red's is a popular Marina del Rey destination known for its fresh seafood, relaxed atmosphere and spectacular 180-degree views from the largest waterfront patio on the marina. The three-course Restaurant Week dinner menu starts with a choice of New England clam chowder, fried bacon mac & cheese balls, ahi tuna poke or strawberry arugula salad. Mains include cedar plank salmon, fish & chips or rosemary roasted chicken. Supplemental dishes include brown butter scallops and 12 oz. roasted prime rib. Dessert offerings include mascarpone toffee bar, chocolate cookie ice cream sandwich or chilled baked apple. Wine pairings are available for $10 per person.

Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to explore a wide variety of coastal events, like the 44th annual Malibu Arts Festival. Produced by the Malibu Chamber of Commerce, the festival is taking place on Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the Malibu Civic Center. The Optimist Club of Malibu is serving a pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. The Malibu Arts Festival features more than 200 award-winning painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers and other unique artisans. Festival goers can visit with artists and learn about the creation of art in every genre. The festival also includes an entertainment stage with music performances, a children’s art workshop, and a food truck terrace. Admission to the festival is free. There is limited free parking and a $10 lot located adjacent to the festival. For more information, visit www.malibu.org.

Opened in 1972, Burton W. Chace Park is named for the “Father of the Marina” and long-time Los Angeles County Supervisor. Chace served on the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission and played a role in making the Coliseum the original home of the Dodgers when the team moved to L.A. from Brooklyn. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was the creation of the Marina del Rey small craft harbor. The 10-acre park features picnic tables, shelters, pergolas, barbecues and bicycle riding.

The Summer Concerts series features four classical music concerts with the Marina del Rey Summer Symphony, alternating with four pop concerts on select Thursday and Saturday nights. On Saturday, July 25 the series welcomes KC and the Sunshine Band, the Grammy Award-winning disco funk band that will have the audience boogieing to their timeless and infectious grooves. The free concert starts at 7 p.m.

Situated on the southwest corner of Harbor Drive and Portofino Way in Redondo Beach's King Harbor, the Seaside Lagoon is open daily 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. until Sept. 7. The large saltwater lagoon offers lifeguard-supervised swimming, a sand area for sunbathing, children's play equipment, snack bar and volleyball courts. On select Friday nights in July and August, the King Harbor Association presents the Summer Movie Series at the Seaside Lagoon. On Friday, July 24 the featured film is Steven Spielberg’s beloved E.T. The movie starts at 8:15 p.m. and admission is free.

Extend your Restaurant Week experience by staying at one of the top hotels in the Beach Cities, like the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor in San Pedro. The 244-room hotel is located within walking distance of Battleship IOWA, Fanfare Fountain, Port of Los Angeles and Ports O'Call Village. Other nearby attractions include Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, CRAFTED and the Korean Friendship Bell. Unwind with cocktails at the on-site Blu Bar & Lounge.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Pedro - Port of Los Angeles sits on the serene Cabrillo Marina, surrounded by hundreds of sailboats and miles of sandy beaches. The 226-room hotel is located just minutes from the Port of Los Angeles, a leader in international trade and home of the World Cruise Center. Explore the waterfront by riding one of San Pedro’s downtown trolleys and enjoying the unique scenery. The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and family-friendly Cabrillo Beach are just two blocks away from the hotel.

Situated between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, Hotel Erwin is the only beachfront boutique hotel in Venice Beach, with an ideal location just 200 feet from the sand. With the creative soul of Venice as its inspiration, Hotel Erwin features 119 brightly hued modern guestrooms that showcase local artists and reflect the community’s edgy and eclectic attitude. Enjoy spectacular sunsets and seasonal craft cocktails at High, the hotel’s open-air rooftop lounge.