ROOMS WITH A VIEW

Of the water, that is. Need we say more? ALICE’S RESTAURANT (23000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (213) 456-6646). Alice’s decor and style are so low-key that its general excellence may take you by surprise. The restaurant, on Malibu Pier, is blessed with a gorgeous view of the surrounding ocean. Its menu is mostly seafood, but seafood with its own cadences. The calamari is dipped in cracker crumbs for a crisper finish. A good tuna steak is made better with an interesting cactus ratatouille . New Zealand mussels are brightened considerably by a jalapeno-and-sesame vinaigrette, cooled with cucumbers and cilantro. There are good pastas, especially linguine with scallops and masaga (smoked roe). Open for lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner nightly, brunch Sunday. Reservations. MC, V. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, $25-$55.

FIASCO (4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, (213) 823-6395). Fiasco offers more than its bay view as a reason to go to the marina. The admirable wine list is a clue: People serious about wine are generally serious about food. Recommended entrees include the gently soured chicken, nicely grilled salmon and the veal sauvage with a wild mushroom sauce. Steaks are given top billing on the menu (appropriately, since Fiasco’s noisy atmosphere is that of a steak house). Soups are generally superior, as are the desserts. Open for lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner nightly, brunch Sat.-Sun. Reservations. All major credit cards. Full bar. Lot parking. Dinner for two, $25-$35.

GEOFFREY’S (27400 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (213) 457-1519). Dreamy is the word for Geoffrey’s view. There are large windows and an outside terrace that winds around the edge of its cliff over the Pacific. Clerestory windows on the opposite wall have been enlarged to frame potted flowers terraced up the hillside. Geoffrey’s menu features Malibu Fare--an all-spa (low-calorie) cuisine. For lunch, there’s grilled Hawaiian ahi; for dinner, appetizers include sauteed prawns and saffron crayfish tails. Entrees include medallions of beef, grilled Norwegian salmon, and steak elaborated with port, grapes and raisins. Geoffrey’s is calm and worth the voyage--especially on a clear night. Open for lunch daily, dinner nightly. Reservations. All major credit cards. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, $80-$115. MALIBU SEA LION, U.S.A. (21150 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (213) 456-2810). With its two-tiered seating, the World Famous Sea Lion U.S.A. offers a splendid view of the cemented-together coastal rocks and the ocean beyond. The first thing you see inside this frenetic restaurant is a gigantic slab of chocolate cake on display, under a bell jar on a pedestal. Explains the menu: “Our overabundant portions are HUGE”--and indeed they are. Potato skins oozing this and that (chili, cheese, BBQ beef), steak, great platters of ribs, chicken and fish, an all-you-can-eat Grande Buffet extravaganza. . . . The salad bar has got to be the world’s biggest, with 100 items. But save room for the entrees--grilled salmon that’s nice and fresh and plain; shrimp scampi, grilled, with deliciously garlicky drawn butter, and tender, meaty boiled lobster. Open for lunch daily, dinner nightly. All major credit cards. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, $20-$50.

NEWPORT LANDING (503 E. Edgewater Ave., Newport Beach, (714) 675-2373). Located right at the Balboa Ferry, Newport Landing is just steps away from a forest of pleasure-boat masts. Its view of the bay is captivating: a cozy, Disney-like stretch of placid water bristling with boats, nestled in gently undulating hills. The oyster-bar food is nothing more than you’d expect, but the downstairs menu is another story. Beefsteak and swordfish are there, to be sure--good, aged New York steak and nicely crusted grilled swordfish. But the best plate may be the free-ranging chicken, seriously barbecued: It’s positively brown with smoke, as well as moist and tender. The rack of lamb, garlicky and smoky on its charred exterior, is a barbecue treat. There’s also a very creditable pasta, and sauteed dishes that aim to be out of the ordinary. Open for lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner nightly, brunch Sunday. Reservations. All major credit cards. Full bar. Street parking. Dinner for two, $30-$55.

THE TOWERS (Sand & Surf Hotel, 1555 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (714) 497-4477). The Towers is just what it seems to be--a luxury spot, a high vantage point for looking down at the sea and the Laguna Riviera shoreline, a place where people come seeking major plushness and a terrific sunset view. The view is striking, and it’s everywhere: There are mirrors on most of the walls, so the motion of the sea is wherever you look. Most of the Towers’ entrees consist of meat and seafood in cream sauce--but impressive, rich cream sauce. The scampi is exceptionally fresh, and there’s an excellent Chinese-style duck served in a honey and cilantro sauce. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, dinner nightly. All major credit cards. Full bar. Valet parking in evening. Dinner for two, $50-$70.