Diners' Choice: Seafood restaurants in California Central Coast

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Seafood cuisine in California Central Coast? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyses more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favourites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Oyster Loft

4.8

4.8 (3637)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Pismo Beach

About the restaurant

More than a restaurant, Oyster Loft is an experience, where the excellent service is rivaled only by the flavor and beauty of our dishes, upscale cuisine and regional seafood dishes artfully prepared. Dine with sparkling views of Pismo Beach, and enjoy appetizers, seasonal main courses and indulgent sweets.

Oyster Loft boasts a menu rich with fresh fish. Our raw bar features a variety of oysters shucked on the half shell from both the east and west coasts. The menu also includes seafood dishes, shellfish preparations and a selection of meat to round out the offerings. The range of the menu offers you the opportunity to choose your dining experience.

Top review

LindaVIP

Dined 1 day ago

This restaurant never disappoints! One of our favorites.

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4.8

4.8 (7226)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Pacific Grove

About the restaurant

Passionfish offers a unique California dining experience with serious food and realistically priced wine in a fun and casual atmosphere. The ever-changing menu features the freshest, sustainable seafood, slow-cooked meats, organic greens, and delectable desserts, all complemented by an award-winning wine list priced nearly to retail. Passionfish is proudly owned and operated by Chef Meral Alpay and her son, Berk Guvenc. As pioneers in sustainable dining, Passionfish became the first restaurant in Monterey County to earn official ‘Green’ certification, reflecting their strong commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable seafood education.

Top review

Thomas

Dined 4 days ago

We celebrated our anniversary at Passion Fish and as always were completely satisfied. It started as we walked in the door and were greeted with anniversary wishes. Our wait staff was outstanding; the meal outrageously delicious and beautifully presented. We had an excellent evening.

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Maple-Banana Bread Pudding

Ada's Fish House

4.7

4.7 (239)

$30 and under

Seafood

Pismo Beach

About the restaurant

Ada's Fish House is a family owned and operated establishment, boasting fresh fish and seafood in a relaxed atmosphere. Ada's offers classic coastal dishes with an East Coast influence such as crab cakes and lobster rolls with mouth watering specialties of Pacific Coast Halibut, local snapper, and seafood pasta. Ada's sources fresh seafood daily in order to provide the highest quality product to their customers. Executive Chef and owner, Douglas MacMillan, is always introducing new and exciting dishes - simple and fresh. A mostly local wine list and full bar await your arrival.

Top review

Peggy

Dined 2 days ago

Ada'a Fish House never disappoints - best in town!

the C restaurant + bar

4.7

4.7 (1218)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Monterey

About the restaurant

Our family-friendly Monterey Bay restaurant is close to the Aquarium, situated over sapphire waters and immersed in the natural beauty of the California coast. The C restaurant features only seafood endorsed by Seafood Watch of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The delicious Arctic Char featured on Executive Chef Matt Bolton's menus is similar to salmon in taste, texture and color, but is available year-round, and is rated a "best choice" by Seafood Watch.

Located at the upscale InterContinental The Clement Monterey hotel on Monterey Bay. Every table at the C restaurant has a view of the pristine and scenic Monterey Bay. Marine life sightings abound, including dolphins, whales, harbor seals and sea otters. Enjoy the parade of sea creatures and shore birds as you savor the finest in California regional cuisine.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 7 days ago

Food was exceptional! Service was amazing. The live music was perfect. View of the ocean, breakfast the next morning was just as good!

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Popular dish

Pacific Swordfish

Popular dish

Monterey Bay Calamari

Popular dish

White Corn Ravioli

Old Fisherman's Grotto

4.7

4.7 (1621)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Monterey

About the restaurant

Nestled on the historic Fisherman's Wharf, overlooking the picturesque Monterey Harbor, Old Fisherman’s Grotto is a must-visit dining destination. Renowned worldwide for its exquisite cuisine, impeccable service, and charming ambiance, the Grotto offers a culinary experience like no other. Our menu showcases fresh seafood sourced sustainably, USDA prime beef, and an extensive wine selection with over 200 choices recognized by Wine Spectator Magazine. With a commitment to providing an intimate dining atmosphere, we enforce a zero-tolerance policy for excessive noise levels, ensuring a pleasant experience for all our guests. We kindly ask patrons to keep noise levels moderate to respect others' dining experiences.

Top review

Mary

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent service. Nice atmosphere. Food was good.

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Popular dish

Neptune's Platter

Popular dish

Macadamia Crusted Halibut

Popular dish

Fried Calamari

Sardine Factory

4.7

4.7 (4959)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Monterey

About the restaurant

Every city has that one can’t miss restaurant, where celebrities feel at home and every other guest feels like a celebrity. Since October 2, 1968, The Sardine Factory’s cachet has made dining in our historic Cannery Row setting a tradition for world leaders, sports heroes and entertainment icons. Our award-winning chefs prepare delectable creations of fresh, sustainable seafood and USDA Prime Aged Beef; winner of Restaurant Hospitality Magazine’s "Best Wine List in America" award. The Lounge’s live entertainment, Happy Hour and affordable menu are a casual alternative to our other dining rooms. Celebrating over 50 years under the same ownership and management! Voted "Best Restaurant in Monterey" by Monterey County Herald readers.

Top review

Jim

Dined today

Great service. There were 6 of us and we all had something different. Ribeye, prime rib, sea bass, calamari, octopus and seafood pasta plus 6 different deserts. All the best . Don't skip the abalone bisque.

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Popular dish

Sardine Factory's "Sorbet on Ice Swan"

Popular dish

USDA Prime Filet Mignon

Popular dish

Abalone Bisque

Vista Steak and Seafood

4.7

4.7 (1732)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Pismo Beach

About the restaurant

Vista Steak and Seafood is located on the bluffs in Pismo Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Featuring all natural hormone free steaks and fresh seafood, this coastal dining one of a kind restaurant has something that will sure to please everyone.

Reservations are highly recommended. We gladly accept reservations for parties of 6 or less via Open Table. Please call the restaurant directly for parties of 7 or more ~ 805-556-9000.

We will do our best to accommodate seating requests however we can not guarantee a specific table. Vista has no outdoor seating so please leave your fur babies at home.

Top review

Susie

Dined 4 days ago

Our Ribeye steak was perfection. Full of flavor and tender. Veggies and potatoes tasty. Service excellent.

LOCAL Montecito

4.7

4.7 (268)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Montecito

About the restaurant

Incredible outdoor seating with two heated patios, firepit, couches, and a 360 degree bar. Featuring local ingredients and exceptional dishes from multiple cuisines paired with an extensive and rare wine collection, LOCAL has it all in the heart of Montecito.

Top review

nicole

Dined 1 day ago

Very good food and service - could be more lively with more options

Lure Fish House - San Luis Obispo

4.5

4.5 (53)

$30 and under

Seafood

San Luis Obispo

About the restaurant

Welcome to Lure Fish House, if your preferred reservation time is not available about half of our overall seating is unreserved for walk-ins. Our bar and oyster bar areas offer our full service menu and are open seating in order of arrival. Lure Fish House is a Ventura California based family-owned restaurant featuring the freshest sustainable seafood from trusted sources. Our Arizona Lure has its seafood order prepared in our own Ventura California seafood cutting facility and is directly driven to Arizona about 15 hours after it is ordered from the chef in Scottsdale. We feature organically grown local produce and wines from local vineyards whenever possible. We also feature a full bar with specialty cocktails made with freshly squeezed fruit juices and a raw bar serving a variety of fresh chilled seafood and oysters.

Top review

Nancy

Dined 2 days ago

The staff was friendly - the service was fast - love being able to make a reservation - food was excellent - the noise level is way too high but that will not keep me from going back.

Mission Bistro

4.6

4.6 (490)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Carmel

About the restaurant

Located on Mission Street between Ocean Ave & 7th Ave, in Carmel California. Mission Bistro Restaurant is owned by Shaheen Alnuaimi. Our history-rich location is warm, charming, and above all cozy. We offer brunch, lunch, dinner, local, and import wines. Chef Matt Zimny sources from Monterey and Santa Cruz County farms and ranches with the goal of serving what is fresh and currently available. At Mission Bistro we do Seafood and Steaks right. Cheers!

Top review

GaryVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Really a great place. Not a large menu which I like because they focus on what they do best. Food is locally grown and sourced. A lot of organic and real foods, although they don’t want to fall into that farm to table cliché. I was talking to I think the owner and he was very humble about not marketing his restaurant that way but just have good food that is healthy for all to enjoy. I thought it was great and will be back! Aloha from Hawaii.

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