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The 20 Best Seafood Restaurants in San Diego

Crab Hut

If you're a seafood lover and you're planning to be in the San Diego, California area, or perhaps you just moved there, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are hundreds of restaurants in the city and outlying areas, and not all of them offer seafood. We've put together a listing of the most highly rated restaurants specializing in the preparation of seafood for your convenience. Those that made it to our list offer some of the best menu items in the city along with other amenities including the atmosphere and wine lists to go with that. Here are the 20 best seafood restaurants you can find in San Diego.

Gaslamp Fish House

20. Gaslamp Fish House

411 Broadway, San Diego

This restaurant opens at 11 am to serve lunch and dinners. The interior is spacious and welcoming with contemporary and fun decor. The seafood is fresh boasting direct from the boat to the restaurant and the food is delicious. Gas Lamp offers both Mediterranean and American cuisine and it's a great place to get steak and lobster or other house specialties from the menu. They offer a raw bar and a fresh list for diners. The restaurant has been voted best seafood on several occasions and you can make reservations online, which is recommended.

Blue Point Restaurants

19. Blue Point

565 Fifth Ave, San Diego

Blue Point has been in operation since 1996, offering a raw bar, refined seafood dishes, and classic cocktails. The atmosphere is a club type in vibrant decor. The restaurant opens its doors at 5 pm for evening dining and cocktails. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Happy hour is from Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 7 pm with seafood specials including freshly shucked oysters for $1 each and jumbo shrimp for $2, or an appetizer plate for $10. Wines and craft beer selections are available for just $5 and the establishment offers Happy hour in the bar, lounge or outdoor patio. On Wednesday nights selected wines are 50% off.

Sally's Fish House & Bar

18. Sally's Fish House & Bar

1 Market Place, San Diego

Sally's Fish House & Bar is coming upon its 26th year in operation in San Diego. This restaurant is located in the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel with a modern and elegant eatery styling. The restaurant offers sushi and seafood from sustainable sources. It opens at 11:30 am daily for lunches and dinners. It is recommended that you make reservations in advance because tables do fill up quickly. This restaurant is a little more expensive, but the atmosphere and delicious range of menu offerings are worth it. The plates are light and the wine list is extensive

Water Grill San Diego

17. Water Grill San Diego

615 J St, San Diego

The Water Grill San Diego was established in 1989 in the Gas Lamp District. You'll want to call or go online to reserve your place in advance because this is one of the hot spots in the neighborhood for diners. This seafood eatery originated in Los Angeles and spread to San Diego because of its popularity with delicious fresh seafood, nautical decor, and leather banquettes. The food is plated in appetizing displays and they're known for their outstanding seafood offerings, desserts, and drinks, open for lunches and dinners.

Ironside Fish & Oyster

16. Ironside Fish & Oyster

1654 India St, San Diego

Ironside specializes in fish and oyster dishes, along with other seafood fares. They're known for their quirky nautical design accents in a renovated warehouse space with a comfortable ambiance. You can get your fill on fresh seafood and other dishes and also enjoy signature cocktails, but it's a good idea to make reservations in advance. Ironside also offers a daily sample menu that changes every day, so you can give new things a try without ordering the full portions.

Mitch's Seafood

15. Mitch's Seafood

1403 Scott St, San Diego

Mitch's Seafood is known for its fresh seafood from sustainable sources that come straight from the waters off San Diego. The restaurant sits on the waterfront with a nice view of the fishing fleet. The meals are simply prepared ina California style with tons of menu items. The eatery is open from 8 am through 9 pm daily and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. they also have great wine and craft beer menu.

The Fish Market - San Diego

14. The Fish Market - San Diego

750 N Harbor Dr, San Diego

The Fish Market is known for its grilled seafood, sushi, and oyster bars. It is a Bayfront chain branch that offers diners patio tables and the dual service of a retail market. After enjoying your meal you can take some home. The Fish Market also sponsors a variety of evening events including the scheduled Deck the Bows Parade of Lights Party in December as well as the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. It's the place to be for good seafood and partying.

The Fishery

13. The Fishery

5040 Cass St, San Diego

The Fishery is located in an old mid-century brick and mortar warehouse offering guests two valuable services. The restaurant portion offers market-fresh sushi and entree items on the menu. There is also a seafood market where guests can purchase a variety of fresh seafood and other ingredients to take home. The menu features fresh local seafood that is exactly in season so it's always changing but always exceptionally prepared.

Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill

12. Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill

3667 India St, San Diego

The Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill opens at 11:30 am daily for lunch and dinners. The fish is always fresh and carefully prepared to enhance the natural flavor. They offer a variety of sandwiches along with award-winning fish tacos, and house-specialty plates of seafood entrees with delicious and artfully plated meals. They also offer a good selection of craft beers and wines.

Brigantine Seafood

11. Brigantine Seafood Restaurant

2725 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego

Brigantine Seafood restaurant opens its doors at 10 AM daily and features a casual and clubby atmosphere in a chain platform so there are others in the nearby towns. They specialize in surf n' turf meal combinations with seafood and other types of American fare. Their fish tacos and oysters on the half shell are real crowd-pleasers. You can also enjoy a glass of wine or a craft beer with your meal. You might want to reserve a table for dinner because the eatery fills up quickly.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room

10. The Oceanaire Seafood Room

400 J St, San Diego

The Oceanaire Seafood Room is one of the premier dining locations in San Diego, located in the Gas Lamp District. The establishment is a part of a high-end restaurant chain that offers a sophisticated yet lively environment that draws crowds of diners. The art-decor is reminiscent of an ocean liner with upscale accents and the service is great. Menu items range from simple seafood with an oyster bar, or more complex such as the chicken-fried lobster with truffled honey, or the California sole Florentine stuffed with crab, and much more. They are known for their seafood, steaks and extensive wine list.

Pacific Beach Fish Shop

9. Pacific Beach Fish Shop

1775 Garnet Ave, San Diego

The Pacific Beach Fish shop opens it doors at 11 am daily to serve lunch and inners. The environment is cheerful with a fish theme including a huge swordfish to greet you at the door. It's a casual atmosphere with communal benches and some of the best fish tacos, sandwiches and salads in town. They also offer local microbrews along with 10 types of fresh fish sold at the counter.

Point Loma Seafoods

8. Point Loma Seafoods

2805 Emerson St, San Diego

Point Loma Seafoods started out as a simple seafood purveyor. It's still a casual eatery but they serve some of the most well-loved fried fish and crab cakes in San Diego. The food is fresh from the boat and they offer a variety of fried dishes, sandwiches, salads and sushi on the menu.

Truluck's

7. Truluck's

8990 University Center Ln, San Diego

Truluck's is known for the fresh seafood that is sourced from their own fisheries. The restaurant opens at 5 pm nightly to serve dinners. This is an upscale seafood and steak chain that offers moderate to reasonable prices for well-prepared meals. Although the surroundings are swanky, the atmosphere is still relaxed. Come in and enjoy the half-price happy hours and an extensive wine list to get started.

Crab Hut

6. Crab Hut

1007 Fifth Ave #101, San Diego

The Crab Hut is a comfortable nautically themed restaurant that offers a variety of seafood menu items along with some amazing cajun-creole classics. They also have a great list of craft beer. The prices are reasonable and seafood is available by the buckets. They open at 11:30 am to serve the lunch and dinner crowds. You can order online if you want to enjoy a wonderful takeout meal or make reservations to dine inside.

Oceana Coastal Kitchen

5. Oceana Coastal Kitchen

3999 Mission Blvd, San Diego

The Oceana Coastal Kitchen is housed within the Catamaran Resort Hotel in San Diego. It is an upscale eatery that is known in the area for its spectacular bay views and well-prepared seafood dishes. The restaurant provides weekly specials and a wine and craft beer list. On some evenings live music is also featured. It's one of the preferred locations for a night of good seafood and entertainment.

Tom Ham's Lighthouse

4. Tom Ham's Lighthouse

2150 Harbor Island Dr, San Diego

Tom Ham's Lighthouse is open for brunch lunch and dinners in a premier waterfront events space. The seafood dishes are excellent with an extensive menu along with selections of beers and wines. The restaurant is ideally located in a spot where there are events taking place almost nightly. On the grounds, many different types of events are scheduled from weddings to corporate events.

Oscars Mexican Seafood

3. Oscars Mexican Seafood

703 Turquoise St, San Diego

Oscars Mexican Seafood restaurant is one of a chain of popular Mexican seafood restaurants known and respected for their ceviche and fish tacos. The menu is extensive with vegan selections, fish of the day, and many more hearty menu items. The servings are ample and the service is highly-rated. Oscars Mexican Seafood is just a few blocks away from the beach with sidewalk dining available.

Red Lobster

2. Red Lobster

3780 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego

The Red Lobster restaurant in San Diego is a part of a lively restaurant chain offering American seafood standards with a lovely New-England theme for each restaurant. Some seafood lovers prefer Red Lobster because of the similar themes found throughout all locations throughout the United States. It offers familiarity and a standardized menu so it's easy for patrons to find their favorite dishes in any town. The menu items are moderately priced. Red Lobster opens at 11 am daily to serve guests with high-quality and fresh seafood offerings, including surf and turf items, salad bars, wines, beers, cocktails and desserts for lunches and for dinners. Red Lobster has been serving the American public for decades and it has become a staple for seafood lovers.

Top of the Market - San Diego

1. Top of the Market - San Diego

750 N Harbor Dr, San Diego

Top of the Market restaurant in San Diego is located above the Fish Market in an upstairs venue. The expansive views of the San Diego Bay to are breathtaking. The cuisine is among the finest available in all of San Diego. The setting is elegant and intimate featuring exhibition-style cooking with attentive service. The goal of the staff is to provide each guest with a memorable dining experience in this cozy and upscale seafood restaurant featuring waterfront fine dining.

Dana Hanson

Written by Dana Hanson

Dana has extensive professional writing experience including technical and report writing, informational articles, persuasive articles, contrast and comparison, grant applications, and advertisement. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic (particularly business and lifestyle), because as a lifelong learner, she loves to do research and possess a high skill level in this area. Her academic degrees include AA social Sci/BA English/MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology.

Read more posts by Dana Hanson

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