Live Your Best Barbie Life In San Diego This Summer At The Malibu Barbie Cafe Pop-Up Experience!

Image: Mattel

If you’re in SoCal this summer get ready to live your best Barbie life, because a Malibu Barbie Café pop up-restaurant and roller rink is heading to San Diego just in time for Comic-Con 2025! This marks the latest stop in the café’s cross-country tour, following sold-out runs in cities like New York, Chicago, Miami, and Austin.

Bucket Listers and Mattel are teaming up to bring the cafe to “America’s Finest City” starting July 11th at the Bayside Kitchen and Bar (2137 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101). For it’s San Diego debut, the pop-up experience will feature a fully themed café feature a delicious menu crafted by Master Chef finalist Becky Brown. You’ll be able to get your skate ON in a retro indoor roller rink designed designed to evoke the sun-soaked, carefree spirit of Barbie’s original 1970s Malibu roots. The pop-up will also offer fans exclusive Barbie merchandise and photo ops (yes, you can pose inside a life-size Barbie doll box).

Images: Mattel

"We’re honored to bring this joyful, immersive experience to San Diego," said Derek Berry, President of Experiences at Bucket Listers and the creative mind behind other pop-culture pop-ups like Saved by the Max and The Golden Girls Kitchen. "Just in time for Comic-Con, we’re bringing something totally unique to the city that celebrates one of the world’s most iconic characters."

Images: Mattel

Tickets to the experience start at $25 and include a dining credit and access to exclusive Barbie merchandise. Each 90-minute reservation includes seated dining and access to the Barbie x Impala Skate Rink, where you can skate for just $1 — with proceeds going to the American Red Cross in support of California Wildfire Relief. The Malibu Barbie Cafe restaurant and roller rink is open to all ages, aside from 21+ skate nights on select evenings. Other special events including cupcake decorating classes and paint parties will also be offered.

You can join the waitlist now at BucketListers.com to receive early access when tickets go on sale June 11. The café will run for a limited time, with strong demand expected during Comic-Con and summer weekends. For updates and sneak peeks, follow @barbiecafeofficial on Instagram.

All images sourced from Mattel

Marena Bronson is an award-winning journalist, a life-long nerd, and the Editor-in-Chief of Fashion and Fandom. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.