Dana Point, California — A beloved waterfront restaurant that has served generations of customers, seafood and famous mai tais is preparing to close its doors after more than five decades in business.
Wind & Sea Restaurant will close on September 15, 2026, ending its long run at Dana Point Harbor. The restaurant announced the closure in an Instagram post last month, telling customers that it would soon say goodbye to its longtime harbor home.
“On September 15, 2026, we will close our doors at our beloved Dana Point Harbor home,” the restaurant said.
The closure is tied to the ongoing Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Project, which is expected to transform the harbor with new restaurants, hotels and shops. According to the Los Angeles Times, the restaurant’s building is scheduled to be demolished shortly after the closure.
For longtime customers, however, the announcement represents more than the loss of another business.
Customers return for one final visit
News of Wind & Sea’s closing prompted an emotional response from customers who had spent years visiting the waterfront restaurant.
Comments poured onto the restaurant’s social media announcement, with one longtime customer describing the closure as a “true tragedy.”
“Tragic. I understand modernizing Dana Point Harbor, but I don’t support losing the businesses that made it worth visiting in the first place,” another commenter wrote.
Another customer said they had continued hoping the restaurant would somehow find a way to remain open.
“We were still holding out hope that somehow you’d be able to stay open,” the commenter wrote.
In the days leading up to the closing, thousands of people reportedly stopped by Wind & Sea to revisit the restaurant, enjoy familiar favorites and say goodbye to a place connected to decades of memories.
Wind & Sea became a Dana Point institution
Wind & Sea opened in 1972, when Robert Mardian launched the restaurant after changing direction from his original plans to become a lawyer.
A Stanford graduate, Mardian instead entered the restaurant business and helped establish Wind & Sea as a destination along Dana Point Harbor.
The restaurant became particularly known for its waterfront setting, seafood and its signature mai tai, which it proudly described as the “best mai tai in the world.”
In its closing announcement, Wind & Sea reflected on the role Mardian played in creating the restaurant and the memories customers built there over the years.
“We are so lucky that 55 years ago, Bob found this little spot by the harbor and decided to take a chance on it,” the restaurant said. “He built a restaurant. But together, you built the story.”
Famous recipes shared before closing
As its final days approached, Wind & Sea also gave customers a way to preserve part of its legacy.
The restaurant shared the recipes for its iconic mai tai and other popular menu items on social media ahead of the closing.
For longtime patrons, the recipes offer a chance to recreate some of the flavors associated with years of harbor visits even after the restaurant itself is gone.
The closure also follows another major change for Mardian’s restaurant legacy in Dana Point.
Harbor revitalization brings more closures
Mardian’s other Dana Point Harbor restaurant, Harpoon Henry’s, closed in August 2025 after 50 years in business. The Times reported that its closure was connected to demolition plans associated with the harbor revitalization project.
The project also resulted in the closure of Mariner’s Village in early 2026.
Wind & Sea is not expected to be the final longtime restaurant affected by the next phase of construction. Proud Mary’s, which opened in 1977, and Turk’s, which opened in 1984, are also expected to close, according to LA Times.
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Other businesses are taking different paths. Coco Bloom Coffee is relocating to Newport Beach, while Frisby Cellars Winery will continue operating from its Rancho Mission Viejo location.
A spokesperson for Dana Point Harbor Partners said businesses affected by the next construction phase remain in discussions about possible opportunities within the completed harbor project, including potential temporary locations.
For now, Wind & Sea’s final chapter is being written at the harbor where it spent 55 years serving generations of customers.
Did you ever visit Wind & Sea Restaurant or try its famous mai tai? Share your memories and thoughts in the comments.