Seafood Restaurants in California

Our guide to seafood restaurants in California

Seafood restaurants range from fish shacks and oyster bars to upscale dining rooms and Cajun boil houses. What is on the menu depends heavily on the region: lobster rolls and clam chowder in New England, crab cakes in Maryland, shrimp and grits and fried catfish in the South, crawfish in Louisiana and salmon and Dungeness crab in the Pacific Northwest.

Market-price items change daily with the catch and the season, so it is worth asking about them before ordering. Many seafood restaurants post their fresh sheet on a board near the entrance.

Opening hours

Based on 292 seafood restaurants in California with published hours, the typical weekday schedule runs from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. 93% are open on Sundays, 76% are open seven days a week and 41% stay open until 10 PM or later.

Prices

Across 117 menus from seafood restaurants in California, the median item costs $15.99; half of all priced items fall between $9.00 and $22.00. The most common menu sections are Appetizers, Sides, Desserts, and Beverages.

Services

Of 858 seafood restaurants with detailed profiles in our guide: 95% list “dine-in”, 92% list “delivery”, 84% list “accepts reservations”, 83% list “good for kids”, 80% list “high chairs”, and 74% list “kids' menu”.