The beloved Dana Point restaurant Wind & Sea will be closing Sept. 15 after 54 years.
The waterfront restaurant was opened in 1972 by Robert Mardian, a Stanford graduate who abandoned his plans to pursue a career as a lawyer to instead enter the restaurant business. Wind & Sea soon became an Orange County staple, serving seafood and its self-proclaimed “best mai tai in the world” on Dana Point Harbor.
The restaurant’s building is set to be demolished shortly after its final day of operation as part of the $600-million revitalization project that will modernize the harbor and bring new restaurants, hotels and shops.
The closure was announced in a post by Wind & Sea on Instagram last week.
“While our hearts are heavy, we are filled with immense gratitude for the incredible journey we’ve been fortunate enough to share with you,” the post said. “To our guests: Thank you for welcoming us into your lives and becoming part of our family.”
The post has amassed more than 1,200 comments across Instagram and Facebook from longtime customers upset by the news.
“Tragic. I understand modernizing Dana Point Harbor, but I don’t support losing the businesses that made it worth visiting in the first place,” one commenter wrote.
“Shame on Dana Point,” another said.
Wind & Sea said in a comment it would share its mai tai recipe on its social media accounts before closing.
A government filing this week revealed 198 employees will be laid off when the restaurant closes on Sept. 15.
Mardian closed his other Dana Point Harbor restaurant, Harpoon Henry’s, in August 2025 after 50 years of business. That restaurant closed for demolition as part of Phase 3 of the Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Project that also led to the end of the Mariner’s Village in early 2026.
As Phase 4 of the revitalization project moves forward this fall, Wind & Sea is not the only longtime restaurant shuttering.
Proud Mary’s, open since 1977, and Turk’s, open since 1984, are also closing.
Two other Dana Point Harbor dining establishments will be relocating: Coco Bloom Coffee is moving to Newport Beach, and Frisby Cellars Winery will operate out of its location in Rancho Mission Viejo.
While the future of these restaurants is uncertain, Dana Point Harbor Partners are negotiating possible opportunities for after the completion of the project. “The businesses impacted by the next phase of construction remain in ongoing discussions with Burnham-Ward Properties’ management and leasing teams regarding opportunities within the completed harbor project,” said a spokesperson for Dana Point Harbor Partners in a statement. “Interim temporary locations are also under consideration.”
The Dana Point Marina Inn was set to be demolished and replaced by two new hotels on the harbor, though the vote to approve the leases has been postponed to next month.
The wharf area of Dana Point Harbor will close to the public for construction Nov. 1.
The post This beloved Orange County restaurant is closing after serving 50 years of mai tais appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
