Wind & Sea in Dana Point: A Half‑Century of Sun, Sea, and the Legendary Mai Tai Comes to an End

It feels a little surreal to type this, but the Wind & Sea restaurant that has been a fixture of Dana Point Harbor since 1972 is packing up. The news hit the Instagram feed last week: the last night of service will be September 15, and the owner, Bob Mardian, is planning a bittersweet send‑off.

Bob first signed the lease when he was just 24, making Wind & Sea the first—and now the last—original eatery on the wharf. "I'm the lone survivor until Sept. 15," he told the Dana Point Times, a chuckle hidden in his voice as he reflected on five decades of sunrise breakfasts, sunset cocktails and endless chatter from the pier.

The place has always been more than a restaurant. Generations of locals and tourists alike claim it as the spot where they celebrated graduations, proposed, or simply escaped the everyday grind for a glass of that unmistakable, fruit‑laden Mai Tai. Mardian estimates they’ve poured roughly 3.5 million of the drink since the bar opened – a number that feels both astonishing and oddly comforting.

Fans have already begun to reminisce on social media. One comment read, "I grew up going to and working at restaurants in DP Harbor. It was always a special place to my family," while another mourned, "We scattered both of my parents’ ashes not far from W&S… I’ll miss toasting them with a Mai Tai." The outpouring is a reminder of how a single waterfront spot can become woven into the fabric of a community.

In true Wind & Sea style, the goodbye won’t be plain. The owners promised to auction off furniture, artwork, and other memorabilia – a chance for loyal patrons to own a piece of the harbor’s history. And, perhaps the most anticipated gesture: they’ll finally reveal the secret Mai Tai recipe. A recent Instagram Q&A sparked the promise, "Let’s talk about the Mai Tai recipe. That’s what we all want to take home after W&S is gone forever," to which the restaurant replied simply, "It’s coming."

While the future of the brand remains uncertain – the ongoing $600 million revitalization of Dana Point Harbor has already seen demolition crews at work – there’s talk that the business might pop up somewhere else in the area. For now, however, the sign will be taken down, and the lights will dim.

Closing a restaurant is never just about the bricks and the menu; it’s about the stories that echo off the water, the friendships forged over a shared plate, and the tiny rituals – like that first sip of a perfectly balanced Mai Tai – that linger long after the last order is taken. As the harbor prepares for a new chapter, Wind & Sea’s legacy will undoubtedly ride the tide of memory for years to come.