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Callo de hacha ceviche with raw shrimp from El Muelle 8 in Downey.
El Muelle 8.
Matthew Kang

18 Splendid Seafood Restaurants to Try Around Los Angeles

Fried fish, spicy ceviche, clam chowder, raw oysters, and more

by Eater Staff Updated
View as Map
El Muelle 8.
| Matthew Kang
by Eater Staff Updated

Every corner of Los Angeles serves pristine seafood thanks to the bountiful fish markets that supply Southland restaurants. Because of this advantage, locals and visitors can try a single catch made 20 different ways from fancy raw bars, we-buy-you-fry stands, or unfussy, historic oceanside restaurants. Below are 19 splendid seafood spots to try in Los Angeles.

For restaurants that specialize in sushi, check out Eater’s Essential Los Angeles Sushi Restaurants map.

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Northridge Fish & Chips

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This San Fernando Valley favorite keeps things simple. It’s cash-only with linoleum chairs and tables. Somehow, the staff perfected a few things with the signature batter for fish and chips. First, the batter is light and flavorful. And two, it’s never oily.

10336 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91326
(818) 360-3474
(818) 360-3474

Fishwives

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Pasadena’s seafood mainstay is bright and airy with vibrant seafood to match. Grab a counter spot or sidle into a booth in the minimalist space, then dig into Fishwives’s extensive daily oyster and shellfish menus. The entrees nod to the East Coast, with options like a steamer basket, Maine lobster and Dungeness crab rolls, and blue-crab jumbo crab cakes with a mustard vinaigrette.

88 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 219-6199
(626) 219-6199

Ceviche Project

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In 2019, Ceviche Project chef and owner Octavio Olivas opened his cozy space in Silver Lake. It’s here where Olivas serves the likes of kanpachi tostadas or Beausoleil oysters topped with trout roe, Japanese seaweed, serrano oil, yuzu gelee, and borage flower. Ceviche Project is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

2524 1/2 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 522-6744
(323) 522-6744
Peruvian scallop on the half-shell at Ceviche Project in Silver Lake.
Ceviche Project.
Jakob N. Layman

Boston Lobster Seafood Restaurant

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This San Gabriel Valley staple is a great choice for a casual seafood dinner with a group. The flavors are full-on Vietnamese and Chinese, and it’s unusual to see a table without the house specialty: A plate of lobster stir-fried with garlic and green onions and piled on a mess of garlic noodles. Viet-style catfish and clams in basil sauce are also favorites, and although it’s not seafood, a visit would be remiss without a plate of the restaurant’s outstanding shaking beef.

4501 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 288-4388
(626) 288-4388

Also featured in:

Providence

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Chef Michael Cimarusti’s tasting-menu restaurant is one of the most sought-after reservations in town. He and his team source pristine seafood to create elegant courses that rotate regularly. One thing is certain: Every piece of seafood is fresh with laser-focused attention to detail and service.

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
(323) 460-4170
The “Ugly Bunch” dish from Los Angeles’s Providence restaurant: a gray-beige bowl filled with an artful array of uni, glistening salmon roe, and edible floral garnishes.
The “Ugly Bunch” at Providence.
Noe Montes

Also featured in:

The Lonely Oyster

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Chef Dom Crisp’s Echo Park menu is paired with a respectable wine list and fresh cocktails in Echo Park. Sit in the front or rear patios and order variations of fresh oysters, perfectly cooked octopus, or the uni wonton with Osetra caviar, wild uni, wasabi aioli, and chives.

1320 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 279-9413
(213) 279-9413
Salmon crudo at the Lonely Oyster in Echo Park.
Lonely Oyster.
Brooke Olsen

Also featured in:

Rich Crab

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Located inside a popular 3rd Street strip mall, Rich Crab specializes in the Korean specialty ganjang gejang/soy-marinated crab. The set menu includes a spicy braised salmon head, a kimchi pancake, and two types of crab — the spicy iteration is caked with a chile sauce, while the ganjang version boasts a sweet and rich marinade. The meal finishes with sliced crabs served in a spicy stew.

4253 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 277-1626
(213) 277-1626

Sáu Can Tho Vietnamese Kitchen

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Head to this Vietnamese seafood specialist for the signature baked catfish. Sáu Can Tho Vietnamese Kitchen’s whole crispy-skinned fish is served with herbs, lettuce, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber spears, vermicelli rice noodles, and rice papers. One might need to order extra tangy-sweet tamarind dipping sauce.

8450 Garvey Ave #103, Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 307-8868
(626) 307-8868

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La Cevicheria

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The joys of Guatemalan seafood are at La Cevicheria on Pico Boulevard. Look around after sitting down. One will likely see most tables eating the ceviche with blood clams dressed in citrus, tomato, avocado, and mint.

3809 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 732-1253
(323) 732-1253

Also featured in:

Broad Street Oyster Company

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Broad Street Oyster Company, the once-nomadic raw bar setup known for Sunday sessions at Smorgasburg, is the busiest restaurant in Malibu, with long lines stretching on the weekends. The lobster rolls are a thing of beauty, but don’t skip on the razor clams and fresh uni. Head to the OG location or the ones at Santa Barbara, Grand Central Market, or the forthcoming stand at the Huntington Beach Pier.

23359 CA-1 #3874A, Malibu, CA 90265
(424) 644-0131
(424) 644-0131
Broad Street Oyster Company Farley Elliott

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Mariscos Jalisco

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The deep-fried shrimp tacos from Mariscos Jaliscos are an iconic LA dish but don’t sleep on the rest of the menu from this legendary seafood truck, which has a few locations around town. The cocteles are outstanding, as are the seafood tostadas.

801 E 10th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(323) 309-1622
(323) 309-1622
Fried shrimp tacos at Mariscos Jalisco on a white plate
Deep-fried shrimp tacos from Mariscos Jalisco.
Matthew Kang

Also featured in:

Mel's Fish Shack

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Open in 2008 on the corner of West Jefferson and Farmdale, Mel’s Fish Shack is a longstanding neighborhood favorite for fried seafood and soulful sides like hush puppies, mac and cheese, and collard greens. It’s no-frills seafood at its best.

4524 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 732-6357
(323) 732-6357

Also featured in:

Holbox

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Chichen Itza chef Gilberto Cetina serves up Mexican seafood specialties at Holbox in the restaurant's expansive new space at Mercado la Paloma. Look for ceviches and tostadas using ingredients sourced from Baja and the Yucatán, including hard-to-find blood clams.

3655 South Grand Avenue #C9, Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 986-9972
(213) 986-9972
Holbox for the 2020 101 best restaurants Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Also featured in:

Oh Manna Fish Market

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Oh Manna Fish Market serves up stellar deep-fried seafood in a former Wienerschnitzel (complete with the classic A-frame building). Nearly everyone orders the catfish and hush puppies, which should always be eaten immediately to savor the batter’s hot, crisp crunch.

803 E Manchester Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90001
(323) 581-2145
(323) 581-2145

El Muelle 8

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El Muelle 8 is the very definition of an LA story. Two music industry friends brought a popular Sinaloa seafood restaurant to Downey where they serve cured bass ceviches, and a spectacular dish called a tuna fit showcasing a ring of tuna sashimi strips, cucumber, red onions, and avocado twisted into a rose and doused with an umami-spiked, acidic salsa negra.

8659 Florence Ave, Downey, CA 90240
(562) 746-0025
(562) 746-0025
Callo de hacha ceviche with raw shrimp from El Muelle 8 in Downey.
El Muelle 8.
Matthew Kang

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Coni'Seafood

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Coni’Seafood is an LA favorite where Nayarit-style grilled seafood keeps folks coming back to try the wonder that is the whole grilled snook smothered in chile paste. The impeccably fresh aguachile doused in fiery green sauce and served with cucumber and red onion is also a must-order.

3544 W Imperial Hwy, Inglewood, CA 90303
(310) 672-2339
(310) 672-2339

Also featured in:

Fishing With Dynamite

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Chef David Lefevre’s Fishing With Dynamite has been steadily serving its Manhattan Beach community for a decade with Peruvian scallops served on the half-shell, Maryland-style crab cakes, and grilled wild swordfish. The squash rolls with rosemary butter and Key lime pie is as essential as the seafood headliners. Don’t miss out on the cocktails.

1148 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 893-6299
(310) 893-6299

Also featured in:

Quality Seafood Inc

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One of LA’s oldest restaurants happens to serve some of the freshest seafood on the Redondo Beach boardwalk. Quality Seafood’s offerings provide something for all with a New England-style clam chowder, ceviches, a salmon poke, fried and grilled tacos, fresh oysters, paella, beers on tap, and a lobster clam bake for two. 

130 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 372-6408
(310) 372-6408

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Northridge Fish & Chips

10336 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91326

This San Fernando Valley favorite keeps things simple. It’s cash-only with linoleum chairs and tables. Somehow, the staff perfected a few things with the signature batter for fish and chips. First, the batter is light and flavorful. And two, it’s never oily.

10336 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91326
(818) 360-3474
(818) 360-3474

Fishwives

88 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103

Pasadena’s seafood mainstay is bright and airy with vibrant seafood to match. Grab a counter spot or sidle into a booth in the minimalist space, then dig into Fishwives’s extensive daily oyster and shellfish menus. The entrees nod to the East Coast, with options like a steamer basket, Maine lobster and Dungeness crab rolls, and blue-crab jumbo crab cakes with a mustard vinaigrette.

88 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 219-6199
(626) 219-6199

Ceviche Project

2524 1/2 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

In 2019, Ceviche Project chef and owner Octavio Olivas opened his cozy space in Silver Lake. It’s here where Olivas serves the likes of kanpachi tostadas or Beausoleil oysters topped with trout roe, Japanese seaweed, serrano oil, yuzu gelee, and borage flower. Ceviche Project is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

2524 1/2 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 522-6744
(323) 522-6744
Peruvian scallop on the half-shell at Ceviche Project in Silver Lake.
Ceviche Project.
Jakob N. Layman

Boston Lobster Seafood Restaurant

4501 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770

This San Gabriel Valley staple is a great choice for a casual seafood dinner with a group. The flavors are full-on Vietnamese and Chinese, and it’s unusual to see a table without the house specialty: A plate of lobster stir-fried with garlic and green onions and piled on a mess of garlic noodles. Viet-style catfish and clams in basil sauce are also favorites, and although it’s not seafood, a visit would be remiss without a plate of the restaurant’s outstanding shaking beef.

4501 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 288-4388
(626) 288-4388

Providence

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Chef Michael Cimarusti’s tasting-menu restaurant is one of the most sought-after reservations in town. He and his team source pristine seafood to create elegant courses that rotate regularly. One thing is certain: Every piece of seafood is fresh with laser-focused attention to detail and service.

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
(323) 460-4170
The “Ugly Bunch” dish from Los Angeles’s Providence restaurant: a gray-beige bowl filled with an artful array of uni, glistening salmon roe, and edible floral garnishes.
The “Ugly Bunch” at Providence.
Noe Montes

The Lonely Oyster

1320 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Chef Dom Crisp’s Echo Park menu is paired with a respectable wine list and fresh cocktails in Echo Park. Sit in the front or rear patios and order variations of fresh oysters, perfectly cooked octopus, or the uni wonton with Osetra caviar, wild uni, wasabi aioli, and chives.

1320 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 279-9413
(213) 279-9413
Salmon crudo at the Lonely Oyster in Echo Park.
Lonely Oyster.
Brooke Olsen

Rich Crab

4253 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Located inside a popular 3rd Street strip mall, Rich Crab specializes in the Korean specialty ganjang gejang/soy-marinated crab. The set menu includes a spicy braised salmon head, a kimchi pancake, and two types of crab — the spicy iteration is caked with a chile sauce, while the ganjang version boasts a sweet and rich marinade. The meal finishes with sliced crabs served in a spicy stew.

4253 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 277-1626
(213) 277-1626

Sáu Can Tho Vietnamese Kitchen

8450 Garvey Ave #103, Rosemead, CA 91770

Head to this Vietnamese seafood specialist for the signature baked catfish. Sáu Can Tho Vietnamese Kitchen’s whole crispy-skinned fish is served with herbs, lettuce, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber spears, vermicelli rice noodles, and rice papers. One might need to order extra tangy-sweet tamarind dipping sauce.

8450 Garvey Ave #103, Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 307-8868
(626) 307-8868

La Cevicheria

3809 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019

The joys of Guatemalan seafood are at La Cevicheria on Pico Boulevard. Look around after sitting down. One will likely see most tables eating the ceviche with blood clams dressed in citrus, tomato, avocado, and mint.

3809 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 732-1253
(323) 732-1253

Broad Street Oyster Company

23359 CA-1 #3874A, Malibu, CA 90265

Broad Street Oyster Company, the once-nomadic raw bar setup known for Sunday sessions at Smorgasburg, is the busiest restaurant in Malibu, with long lines stretching on the weekends. The lobster rolls are a thing of beauty, but don’t skip on the razor clams and fresh uni. Head to the OG location or the ones at Santa Barbara, Grand Central Market, or the forthcoming stand at the Huntington Beach Pier.

23359 CA-1 #3874A, Malibu, CA 90265
(424) 644-0131
(424) 644-0131
Broad Street Oyster Company Farley Elliott

Mariscos Jalisco

801 E 10th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

The deep-fried shrimp tacos from Mariscos Jaliscos are an iconic LA dish but don’t sleep on the rest of the menu from this legendary seafood truck, which has a few locations around town. The cocteles are outstanding, as are the seafood tostadas.

801 E 10th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(323) 309-1622
(323) 309-1622
Fried shrimp tacos at Mariscos Jalisco on a white plate
Deep-fried shrimp tacos from Mariscos Jalisco.
Matthew Kang

Mel's Fish Shack

4524 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Open in 2008 on the corner of West Jefferson and Farmdale, Mel’s Fish Shack is a longstanding neighborhood favorite for fried seafood and soulful sides like hush puppies, mac and cheese, and collard greens. It’s no-frills seafood at its best.

4524 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 732-6357
(323) 732-6357

Holbox

3655 South Grand Avenue #C9, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Chichen Itza chef Gilberto Cetina serves up Mexican seafood specialties at Holbox in the restaurant's expansive new space at Mercado la Paloma. Look for ceviches and tostadas using ingredients sourced from Baja and the Yucatán, including hard-to-find blood clams.

3655 South Grand Avenue #C9, Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 986-9972
(213) 986-9972
Holbox for the 2020 101 best restaurants Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Oh Manna Fish Market

803 E Manchester Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90001

Oh Manna Fish Market serves up stellar deep-fried seafood in a former Wienerschnitzel (complete with the classic A-frame building). Nearly everyone orders the catfish and hush puppies, which should always be eaten immediately to savor the batter’s hot, crisp crunch.

803 E Manchester Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90001
(323) 581-2145
(323) 581-2145

El Muelle 8

8659 Florence Ave, Downey, CA 90240

El Muelle 8 is the very definition of an LA story. Two music industry friends brought a popular Sinaloa seafood restaurant to Downey where they serve cured bass ceviches, and a spectacular dish called a tuna fit showcasing a ring of tuna sashimi strips, cucumber, red onions, and avocado twisted into a rose and doused with an umami-spiked, acidic salsa negra.

8659 Florence Ave, Downey, CA 90240
(562) 746-0025
(562) 746-0025
Callo de hacha ceviche with raw shrimp from El Muelle 8 in Downey.
El Muelle 8.
Matthew Kang

Related Maps

Coni'Seafood

3544 W Imperial Hwy, Inglewood, CA 90303

Coni’Seafood is an LA favorite where Nayarit-style grilled seafood keeps folks coming back to try the wonder that is the whole grilled snook smothered in chile paste. The impeccably fresh aguachile doused in fiery green sauce and served with cucumber and red onion is also a must-order.

3544 W Imperial Hwy, Inglewood, CA 90303
(310) 672-2339
(310) 672-2339

Fishing With Dynamite

1148 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Chef David Lefevre’s Fishing With Dynamite has been steadily serving its Manhattan Beach community for a decade with Peruvian scallops served on the half-shell, Maryland-style crab cakes, and grilled wild swordfish. The squash rolls with rosemary butter and Key lime pie is as essential as the seafood headliners. Don’t miss out on the cocktails.

1148 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 893-6299
(310) 893-6299

Quality Seafood Inc

130 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

One of LA’s oldest restaurants happens to serve some of the freshest seafood on the Redondo Beach boardwalk. Quality Seafood’s offerings provide something for all with a New England-style clam chowder, ceviches, a salmon poke, fried and grilled tacos, fresh oysters, paella, beers on tap, and a lobster clam bake for two. 

130 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 372-6408
(310) 372-6408

Related Maps