Eat Like a Local: The Best Seafood Restaurants in San Diego

San Diego has fantastic restaurants of all types, but it’s a real treasure trove for seafood lovers. From fish tacos to sushi to fish and chips, America’s Finest City has exactly what it takes to scratch that itch when you’re hungry for the catch of the day. Like any great culinary city, though, San Diego has a short list of places that locals swear by. There are all the good seafood chain restaurants, including Truluck’s, which is among the best, but while you’re staying at one of the hotels in San Diego, make sure you check out some of these local places.

Mitch’s Seafood

Right on the marina in Point Loma, this is a great little place, especially if you’re looking for fish tacos. Use the GPS if you don’t know your way around town; it can be a little tough to find if you don’t know where you’re going. The fish tacos offer a variety of fish choices — triggerfish, yellowtail, grouper and more. Stay in one of the affordable hotels in San Diego and go to Mitch’s for lunch on Taco Tuesday and you’ll save a few bucks.

Ironside Fish & Oyster

The appies are off the charts good. Try the lobster rolls or chowder fries. What Ironside is really known for, though, is the raw seafood bar. If you go during happy hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday), you’ll be surprised at just how little it costs you to get the freshest oysters you’ll ever get without pulling them out of the ocean yourself.

Oscar’s Mexican Seafood

If you want a little kick, try the spicy shrimp tacos. If you want something a little more substantial, the catch of the day is always good. Oscar’s is a tiny little place on Turquoise Street and easy to miss, but locals will tell you it’s worth searching for. The ceviche (a Peruvian dish featuring garnished raw fish in a citrus sauce) is the best in the area.

If the desk clerks at your San Diego hotel are locals, they shouldn’t have trouble pointing you towards any of these places or to our honorable mention — Sushi Ota (it isn’t fancy, but it has the best authentic Japanese sushi this side of Japan).

Last updated by Angela Rogers on August 3, 2015.