Phil's Fish Market & Eatery

Very quick ordering process! Menu is on the eraser board. Hard to peruse the menu before forcing to decide what to order as people were waiting impatiently behind you. Dishes simply served with no fanfare : Tasty Ciopino , $31, comes with salad and 1 piece of garlic bread; soft shell crab sandwich served with French fries or coleslaw; and shrimp sandwich also served with the same selection of side dish. Tasty foods!!

I miss their old location right by the beach, but this new location is not bad either! It has a spacious private parking lot in the back which can accommodate up to 20 cars. There are also ample free street parkings. As soon as you step inside, you'll be greeted with a nice smell of delicious seafood dishes. They have large menus posted right by the entrance so you can easily look at and debate on what to order while you wait in line. There are also pamphlet-style menus and regular laminated menus available if you prefer to have something in hands to scan through. After you order and pay, you'll receive a number to put on your table. Grab some water and utensils yourself and proceed to either indoor or outdoor seating areas of your choice. I love that the outdoor seating area is really spacious and nicely decorated with a cute Christmas tree for holiday spirit. I have my puppy with me thus opted for the outdoor area. Our dishes arrived quickly. For every main dish you order, they provide free side salads which are freshly made and quite tasty. We ordered Linguine and Clam and Fettuccine with Blackened Salmon for main dishes. The blackened salmon is super fresh and delicious with the right amount of flavors whereas the clams are sweet and refreshing. We devoured our meals with lightening speed. Another thing I love about this place is that their portion is generous. Despite the facts that we were super hangry and their food was tasty, we couldn't finish and had to have them to go. Overall, I enjoy this new location. I take off one star because there were so many flies flying around and hovering over our food while we were there. Hopefully they'll do something to address the fly problem.

We like to take our out of town guests here, but found out that they have moved into a new location. (Old location became an office building) A bit smaller and lost the water view outdoor seating area. The clam chowder has a bit too much potatoes in it. The fish and chips, and the fryers combo were done just right. Staffs are friendly but it is pretty much a self service kind of restaurant hence the 3 stars.

New location for 2 years! Its been a while since I was in the area. Food is still great, huge menu - honestly there is something for everyone. We had: Clam Chowder Fish & Chips Cioppino Fried Calamari Green/Dinner Salad Currently they are not serving any alcoholic beverages that's okay for us! Great service !

We went on a Friday dinner at 6:30 and it was not packed and enough parking on the back of the restaurant. Cioppino which feed 3 people was good but I had better in San Francisco. The halibut marsala was ok and won't get again. Crab cake, shrimp taco and garlic bread was the highlight from all the dishes.

I will rate the cioppino as the second best I have ever had. The roasted artichokes were also really good. I would rate this place higher but the servers need to be retrained. Perhaps it's because I was trained by a graduate of Francisco Franco's hospitality program, but I expect better (even from a place where you order at the register). The waitress kinda barked at me to take the cioppino out of her hand. I get it, it's a double bowl of hot stew. Guess I was doing my job wrong as the customer. 😏 All in all it was a good meal, especially considering that we got out of there for under $100. For comparison, we recently ate at the Seafood House in Seaside, which cost about 50% more for some decidedly nonplussing sand dabs and the world's worst (hopefully) pesto. Phil's definitely tops that!

My family and I stopped by when we visited Moss Landing nearby. Place an order at the counter, then sit and they'll bring the food out quickly. The portion sizes are large and they have plenty of fresh seafood options. We really enjoyed the steamer mussels, bay shrimp quesadilla, rock shrimp & sea scallops, fettuccine alfredo with blackened salmon, cioppino and artichoke salad. Next door, they also have a store to buy fresh fish to take home.

Same great restaurant, but just a bit more seating. Located at a cozy location in the heart of the Artichoke Capital of the U.S.

We visited different nurseries in the area looking for plants on a weekend. We found this place on Yelp and saw that it had a lot of reviews. When you walk in, you order first at the register. They will provide a ticket number and bring the food to your table. It took about 10 minutes for our food to arrive. We tried the clam chowder bread bowl and cod fish and chips. The clam chowder is good but could use more clams. It's the typical thick clam chowder, but not as buttery/rich tasting. It's nowhere as good as Splash Cafe's clam chowder in Pismo Beach. The fish and chips batter is light and airy. The coleslaw and fries are nothing to rave about. I'm not a fan of crinkle-cut fries since they remind me of the fries you get in elementary school.

I've come to Phil's a few times a year and usually the food is very good. Today was the exception. The Manhattan Clam chowder was awful and my steamed clams were just ok. I would expect better from Phil's. The big problem is they lost their liquor license several months ago but this is on their website. BEVERAGES Our bar is now open to serve Phil's specialty drinks, Bloody Mary's, Chavela's, wine, beer and we offer soda, juice, tea, milk, coffee, hot chocolate and espresso drinks (prices vary). Enjoy! I will come back in a few months with the hope things will have gotten better.

My friends and I visited during MLK weekend for lunch and it was busy but there were still enough seats as people came and left. The menu is very large so it did take some time to figure out what the three of us wanted but it was easy to order at the counter and the food then arrived promptly. The portions are large so friendly warning to come hungry! In order of what I enjoyed most to least (though least is still at least a 5/10), the steamed clams and garlic bread had an amazing broth and there were so many clams!; the fish and chips were a large serving but the batter was light and not too dense and the fries were crisp; and the cioppino was hearty and full of seafood but had an off tomato flavor that I personally did not enjoy. For the ambiance, I think it was a nice, large space and definitely a tourist friendly place.

Came here cause someone local from Monterey recommended it. We sat down and got seated right away, this whole town is pretty old and middle of nowhere where like. The food, well it was kind of good but not really satisfying. The best was probably the cioppino which was loaded with seafood, they definitely did not skimp on the meat. The calamari felt like real octopus but the batter wasn't the best texture and a bit greasy, leaving sort of an underwhelming bite. I also tried their fish and chips, similar to the calamari the batter and grease didn't hit.

I miss their old location right by the beach, but this new location is not bad either! It has a spacious private parking lot in the back which can accommodate up to 20 cars. There are also ample free street parkings. As soon as you step inside, you'll be greeted with a nice smell of delicious seafood dishes. They have large menus posted right by the entrance so you can easily look at and debate on what to order while you wait in line. There are also pamphlet-style menus and regular laminated menus available if you prefer to have something in hands to scan through. After you order and pay, you'll receive a number to put on your table. Grab some water and utensils yourself and proceed to either indoor or outdoor seating areas of your choice. I love that the outdoor seating area is really spacious and nicely decorated with a cute Christmas tree for holiday spirit. I have my puppy with me thus opted for the outdoor area. Our dishes arrived quickly. For every main dish you order, they provide free side salads which are freshly made and quite tasty. We ordered Linguine and Clam and Fettuccine with Blackened Salmon for main dishes. The blackened salmon is super fresh and delicious with the right amount of flavors whereas the clams are sweet and refreshing. We devoured our meals with lightening speed. Another thing I love about this place is that their portion is generous. Despite the facts that we were super hangry and their food was tasty, we couldn't finish and had to have them to go. Overall, I enjoy this new location. I take off one star because there were so many flies flying around and hovering over our food while we were there. Hopefully they'll do something to address the fly problem.

I'm a long time fan of Phil"s and have been eating at their Moss Landing location for years. This is my second visit to the new Castroville location. When they moved, they kept the "order, pay and find a table" concept. Parking is easier with a small lot in the back and lots of street parking. The beach next door is no longer part of the experience, which drops the ambiance a bit. The place is large, clean and well lit. The employees are friendly and helpful. Menu choices are still plenty, focused on fresh seafood. However, while prices have shot up, the quality and flavors are declining a little. My Chiopino today had cinnamon as a dominant flavor. The Fish and Chips were not as good as I remembered either. I'll still come back, but hoping for better quality next time.

Food was amazing went last week and it wasn't that full. I miss their old location but the quality is still there. Big portions. Don't recommend the cannolis if you're looking for something sweet.

Always love me some Phil's and was pleasantly surprised at how spacious the new location is. Must try's are the fish and chips, cup of clam chowder, and calamari! Honestly, the staff is so nice every time. We usually get a seafood pasta to share. We got the special of the day which was good but lacking some seasoning. Nothing you can't fix with adding some salt to your liking.

food was good! i wouldn't say it was mind blowing seafood, but i appreciate the full menu with variety! it is exactly what it's supposed to be and was up to par with my expectations of a fish market. i am a sucker for anything deep fried, so of course i enjoyed all the fried stuff a little extra. the cioppino bowl was FILLED with mixed seafood including a good amount of crab legs. i enjoyed the meal. there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating! we arrived around 11:30 on a sunday and had no problem finding a table. it started getting a bit busier by the time we were heading out. the restaurant is a bit randomly placed, but my cousin explained to me how popular it used to be at its old location. i thought it was funny that there were multiple signs at the parking lot warning that they aren't responsible for damage and theft lol. i definitely would visit again next time im visiting norcal!

I've been to the old Phil's. New location seemed vacant, yes it was mid-week off season. Food came out, my fried seafood combo was over cooked. I asked for a light fry. Place seemed disjointed compared to original location. I hope they get their shit together. It could be great again!

THEY MOVED! FYI, the restaurant is no longer near the beach. We came on a Tuesday morning. We were the first customers and no line. We got the seafood platter and soft shell crap sandwich. The seafood platter was great. I loved everything on the plate. The calamari was a TAD tough but was manageable. Scallops were great, and the fried oysters were fantastic. The soft shell crap was MEH. the sandwich contained two itty bitty crabs. Seriously? there needs to be at least 3-4 crabs for this thing. The fries were the highlight of the dish.

This is not the place I have remembered from couple of years ago or will not recommend anyone. The food especially was very disappointing! I spend over $120 for the 3 of us for something I can literally get in the Bay Area for much tastier food. We sat outdoor and there was no service except dropping our food on the table. Crab cake was not fresh, fish and chip had so much batter, everything tasted bland and the clam chowder was so thick it literally looks and tasted like pudding. Absolutely disappointing! And unfortunately I will not take my family here again.

Been going here for so many years. We drop by everytime we are in town. All the offerings are awesomely good. The lobster sandwich is my favorite and the shrimp pasta but like I mentioned, anything in the menu will not disappoint. Come early and enjoy the fresh offerings. Lots of photos posted so will keep this review simple. Let me edit and say, Yes it is expensive now and the old place dis taste better.

Was really happy coming here. There was plenty of seating, both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors they do have heat lamps, although not all of them were working. Service was great. Staff was attentive and courteous. The food, there were endless options. A little of everything to enjoy. Would have liked more pictures of their food, though. Food came out pretty fast. Everything tasted fresh, crispy and delicious. Good flavor and large portions. Definitely the spot to go for something local without having to drive all the way towards the coast for some good seafood

This Phil's Fish Market & Eatery used to be in the Moss Landing Location but now they changed it to this New location in Castroville Area about three miles away from it Original Longtime Home. For many years I've always love coming to Moss Landing to enjoy the water and the famous Phil's Seafood Cioppino on the island. Although the new location is much bigger, I'm much happier with the old location because I loved the better atmospheres and lovely surrounding environments in the the Previous Moss Landing area, for I have came to enjoyed this place for such a long period of time. We ordered Clam Chowder, Halibut Fish and chip, and my favorite Seafood Cioppino bowl. I am still happy with the food here just not the Ghetto Vibes feeling I got at this new Castroville Location. Hopefully that'll change!

Not to be dramatic but I could eat this every day. We loooove Phil's. Every single time, we are within a 15-mile radius of this spot, we have to stop by. You order at the front of the entrance, they give you a number placard to place on the table of your choosing and the food is delivered to your table. The food always comes out super quickly and seriously so well prepared. My recent favorites: - steamed clams!! - cioppino - fish and chips - clam chowder I literally cannot come here without ordering the steamed clams. There's never sand in my clams and I really appreciate their prep work. I'm salivating just thinking about my last meal here. Highly recommend.

Well this is sad news. No alcohol will be served here until further notice. You'll have to grab a beer or glass of wine somewhere else before you eat here.

The food here was amazing, especially for a little bit of a cloudy day. The lines may seem really long and make you want to turn away, but they go by quickly. I highly recommend taking a look at the menu and seeing what you want to order so that you can be at the register. Service is really friendly and you'll get your food extremely quickly. Everything we got was really delicious, but I highly recommend the cioppino and the garlic bread that comes with it!

We have been going to Phil's for 28 years. We've always enjoyed the high quality food, the kitschy decor, and the location. After Phil would come by and admire our Westie, we'd eat, listen to music, and then walk on the beach. I don't know if Phil has retired, but his hospitality manager and food manager are not keeping his traditions alive. Phil, I would be mortified if my name was on this restaurant. Please come back and clean house! Food? It's a hit or a miss as far as quality and value. Prices are very high; higher even than Old Fisherman's Grotto on the wharf with a view! If you go with the chowder, the pasta dishes, the cioppino, or anything fried, you'll be happy. The Sautéed Champagne Oysters were absolutely a taste sensation! The sole was on the weekly specials and it was anything but special. The sole was cooked on a grill, rather than a flat-top. It was flavorless and completely overcooked with charred edges. It was served on a bed of sautéed spinach with a topping of 7 small (51/60) shrimp that were so overcooked as to be rubbery. The vegetable medley of broc, zukes, and green beans were khaki colored and tasted burnt. It also came with fluffy, flavorless rice, and oily Texas Toast masquerading as garlic bread. Service? You order at the counter, sit down with a table number, and folks bring you your food very quickly. At least, they don't automatically give you the choice to add 15, 18, or 20% to your credit card charge. No one was manning the drinks bar, and there was no self serve water station. Ambiance? This one is hard because we used to dine at La Scuola for special occasions. It was a beautiful dining room with high ceilings, photos of old Castroville, and during the holidays, they had a Nativity crèche in the loft at the front of the building. Now, there are a few photos of the DiGirolamo fishing family on one side and Phil's Scotties winning ribbons on the other side. The photos are all askew. The walls are chipped and marked up by chairs. One week before Christmas, there were plastic wreaths hung in the windows. That's it. It just looks like no one cares and it's certainly not cute and kitschy like the old place. Some menu items are sensational but most are not. The artichokes are huge but $14.95 for a Sicilian stuffed artichoke is just too much. I still would go back for the chowder, the pasta, the cioppino, and if I was there with a group, I'd get the fried Captain's plate to share.

Unfortunately, this is not the same Phil's Fish Market like the old location. Quality of the food did not stand up to its prior reputation. We ordered the Cioppino and it felt more like Cheappino!!! The sauce tasted like a can tomato bought from the store and did not taste fresh and lacked flavor. Moreover, the shrimp that was given felt like frozen bought, tiny shrimp that they just threw in the pot which you can see in the picture.. Again lacking flavor and freshness that made Phil's so memorable in the past. The crab legs tasted old and skinny with very little meat. This use to be a go to place while we were in Santa Cruz/Monterey area, but no more sadly. Very disappointing.

World famous for their Cioppino and fresh seafood. The Cioppino is wonderful and I'm not a mussels fan. The clam chowder is just ok. The have a great selection of local wines and serve beer but not a full bar. Outdoor seating at the new location is magnificent as they have heated lamps in foggy Castroville. My only gripe is cell and WiFi is terrible in this town. For locals who want to drink and people watch this is a huge blunder. Can I suggest you have a guest WiFi and give code to those who purchase food or drink and for the hundreds of tourist and locals who come daily? I'm sure it would help your social footprint.

It was my 1st time here but I went with my mom who loved the old spot. Plus side of new location is there's more parking. Downside is that it is no longer near the beach. It is an order at counter & find a spot. Staff were friendly. my mom said that the prices did increase. my brother and I both ordered the fish and chips; I think we assumed that there would be 3 pieces of fish, and it's on us that we didn't ask. It came with five pieces of fish, french fries and coleslaw. $29.95 seemed like a lot for fish and chips, but there was A LOT of food! Honestly, my brother and I could have just split it if we had known. The fish had a thicker batter to it, but was crunchy and a lot of fish per each piece. My mom ordered the clams in broth and it came with the garlic bread. She said it was excellent. Only issue was that they currently have no liquor license so she likes to pair it with a glass of Chardonnay so for her, it did not feel like it was complete. I tried them and they were not overly fishy or chewy and the broth had a simple yet delicious taste. i'm sure in the future will give it another go!

I usually get the clam chowder and lobster roll here, but they sold out of the lobster roll. So decided to try something new. The petrole sole sandwich was good, but could've used more fish. The sourdough was overpowering the flavor of the fish. The taco plate was surprisingly a huge portion. The grilled cheese sandwich was ok, my daughter didn't finish it because she doesn't like sourdough. The staff was friendly and the place could get very crowded during peak times. But at least there's better parking and more seating than they had in their previous location. I give meal a 3-star this time around because there wasn't anything special with meals we got.

After years of trying to get there to try the chopino.. it had a cinnamon flavor to the sauce. So much so you could smell it as soon as they placed it on the table .. other than that everything was ok.. lots of sea food in the plates .. lots to choose from.service was ok also And the restaurant was clean for as many people go through there

I come here for the fish n chips - seniors version. I'm used to the Moss Landing location but now I ride the extra miles to Castroville. The service is fast. The fish is good as are the fries. The seniors version comes with 3 not very big pieces of fish. The fish has a crisp coating. The restaurant has malted vinegar and tartar sauce. I prefer the vinegar. I don't come for the ambiance... it's Castroville, what did you expect in Castroville? My son gets the seafood pasta which looked awesome. My wife had a cup of New England clam chowder. It was pretty good because I tried some of hers. I have yet to try the cioppino, which was my favorite in Moss Landing. The fish n chips 3.5/5 NE Clam Chowder 4/5 Didn't get to try the pasta. Ambiance, it's Castroville, 1/5

Food was a bit hit and miss. Parking was good, food came pretty quick. Fried things were great. Lobster tails were rubbery, scallops were good. Pastas were a bit too al dente Stick to the friend stuff!

I was there last year and it was excellent. Thursday the 30th i stopped in and the beer and wine license was suspended and it went downhill from there. I ordered clam chowder and it was mostly flour. I also ordered halibut fish and chips and that was cooked to parchment. Very sad to leave this review but they either need to fix it or close.

First visit to Phil's since the move. We didn't sit down to eat--just grabbed a cioppino bucket to heat up at home. Unfortunately, this wasn't the same cioppino that made the place famous. For $136 after tax, you get a lot of food, but the quality didn't live up to expectations. The crab, scallops, mussels, and clams were decent, but the fish was dry, and the calamari was extremely rubbery. The crab legs were on the smaller side, and some weren't worth the effort. The biggest disappointment was the broth--it tasted canned and was overpowered by what seemed like a fennel-saffron combination. It just didn't work. We had read some recent negative reviews but wanted to give it a shot. Sadly, the broth was a deal-breaker. Oh well!

After a long drive from Sacramento, my hunger wasn't particularly intense, but I felt the familiar tug of a comforting meal. I opted for a medium bowl of clam chowder; it promised warmth and heartiness, a perfect antidote to the road. Alongside, I ordered an appetizer of calamari fillets, intrigued by the crispy allure they often bring. The service was impressively swift--though I did find myself waiting a bit for a simple water cup, which was a minor annoyance. When the calamari arrived, I was met with a thick, heavy breading that, alas, overshadowed the tender squid. A lighter touch would have allowed the seafood's natural flavors to shine through. However, the clam chowder was a different story. Brimming with clams and rich in flavor, it was exactly what I needed at that moment--comforting and satisfying, it truly hit the spot and made the quick stop worthwhile.

Always a must to stop at Phil's for a Great Seafood Meal ! They are no longer in Moss Landing . They have moved up the road to Castroville. We ordered a cup of their wonderful clam chowder to start. Fire Roasted Artichoke so goood ! Spicy Bloody Mary's for our beverage of choice. Hubby ordered the Halibut Tacos w/ fries and a salad . I had the Salmon plate. Always fresh seafood cooked perfectly! So, happy we made a lunch trip here today ! :)

Finally got to revisit Phil's at their new Castroville location. Ciopino: 4 stars. still filled with tasty seafood. The crab legs was particularly delicious with good meat texture. Flavor of the broth tasted a bit off for me but the seafood was good especially with the sourdough garlic bread. Salad was meh but dressing was ok. Fried artichoke: 2 stars. Meh. Thin batter was good but opted to try it cuz they said they didn't all ingredient for the Sicilian. I'll eat it but wouldn't order again. It was nice and soft to bite in. Shrimp quesadilla: 4 stars. Crispy flour tortilla. Comes with all the dips. Fish and chips: 4 stars. This was a kids meal and looks more like for adults. The batter was light so there was large chunks of fish. My daughter only finished 1/2. Restrooms were clean. I missed the crab quesadilla?

What happened? 3 of us went in for dinner and 3 of left very disappointed. It was not the same good food they were delivering in Moss Landing. Service was ok but the food no Bruno. Sad, they were amazing in Moss Landing.

I'm not gonna lie, I miss the old location. You couldn't beat the beach access and the view. I also miss sitting at that bar. But I'm happy to report that the food is still the same! So is the friendly, efficient, and hardworking staff. The food hasn't changed one bit. It's still the BEST seafood in the Bay Area. Get the cioppino, halibut fish & chips, fire-roasted artichoke, New England clam chowder, and creamy Italian dressing on your salad.

We heard about this place from a friend. The reviews looked good and so we came expecting an amazing experience. Not saying I am disappointed, but just not very impressed. My husband and I ordered the Cioppino in a bowl and Halibut fish tacos. We ordered the kids chicken strips with fries and linguine with red sauce. The halibut didn't have much flavor and the Cioppino was missing something. Not much flavor, kinda like a tomato soup. The service was pretty much self service. We ordered our food, sat and waited for the server to bring our food out. Besides that you have to get up from the table to ask for napkins, utensils, etc. They have a soda machine to the left of the cash register that you have to ask for a refill. The ambience is cool. They have outdoor and indoor dining available. There is also additional seating by the fish market area. All in all it's a 3 out of 5.

Had high hopes for this place since there were many reviews about this spot. Unfortunately, we did not have a good experience and I didn't find that the quality met the value of the dishes. We ordered the following dishes: Clam chowder - 3/5 pretty creamy but average Halibut fish and chips - 1/5 over fried, dry, and very bland. It seemed like the chef forgot to put season in it. Was pretty disappointing especially for the price :( Steamed clams - 4/5 probably the only dish that I actually enjoyed Cioppino - 3/5 to 4/5 pretty average as well but did have flavor and a fair amount of seafood I was going to give this place a 3/5 but taking down a star cause of the service. Servers were not very welcoming and when we asked for to-go containers for our dishes, she only gave us one box when she saw that we had a whole leftover BOWL of cioppino and fish,chips, salads left. It would've been nice to receive at least a leftover bowl for our cioppino cause obviously I can't fit a bowl of cioppino in a box. I think if you're looking for a seafood spot to try, there's definitely better options out there.

Finally made it to the new Castroville location. Although you no longer get the oceanfront dining option, it's a nice room that is an upgrade from the previous indoor dining area. Would be significantly better if they are able to replace the current motley collection of tables. There is a nice little bar, but sadly it has no seating, just a walk up arrangement. The food for us was hit and miss. I had an outstanding piece of halibut, which was served with sautéed spinach, artichoke hearts, lime and butter. It was a tasty accompaniment, but would have been much better as a bed than a topping. The fish was the star and shouldn't have been hidden underneath. Also, the lime was odd in that it was slices of lime sauteed together instead of juice/zest. All of a sudden you get a bite of lime rind if you aren't watching for it. The rest of the plate was mediocre. Under cooked vegetable mix, OK polenta that would have been better without the tomato sauce dotting it, and "garlic bread," which consisted of two pieces of half a bolillo roll grilled on the flat top.

My bf has been to the original location in Moss Landing and has wanted to take me to Phil's Fish Market for quite some time. We were driving back from Pacific Grove and decided to stop by on the way home as we were craving fish tacos for dinner. The line was LONG when we arrived so we opted to just order to-go from the food truck tucked inside the parking lot. We ordered a pint of Clam Chowder ($11.95) and some fresh Petrale Sole Filets ($12.99/lb) and some frozen Sand Dabs Filets ($10.99/lb) to cook at home. The Clam Chowder was tasty, but pricey for $11.95/pint as there was more potatoes than actual clams. We cooked the 2.5 lbs of Petrale Sole Filets on the Blackstone for dinner that night and I was disappointed. The fish was dry and we sadly ended up throwing away more than half of the cooked fish. We haven't cooked the Sand Dabs yet, so stay tuned for updates. One of the gentlemen manning the food truck doesn't speak English so there is a slight communication barrier while the other gentleman is running back and forth grabbing the fish. There is plenty of parking in their designated parking lot.

Wow what a find! We heard about this long time institution from a local friend and were pleasantly surprised by the size of the place, with its own parking lot in the back off the Main Street (by which you can directly enter the door -- there is no door from the main road). The prices were a bit high as we perused the menu at the cash register--you order there and take a flag on a stand to whatever indoor or outdoor table you choose and they bring your food. But we had heard about the cioppino and sprung for the $70 for two version. We sat down at an outside picnic table and got our waters. Within 5 minutes our salads (which come with the cioppino) were delivered. Simple iceberg with a slice of tomato and nothing special. About 10 minutes later a huge bowl of cioppino arrived, with bib, shell crackers and tiny forks. The bowl (a foot diameter and half a foot deep) was filled above the bowl line with tons of bits of fish, calamari, mussels, clams, and four large Dungeness crab legs. Several large pieces of garlic toast came as well, which we used to soak up lots of super rich and hearty tomato seafood broth. The broth was superb, clearly the product of long simmering many types of seafood, incredibly flavorful like a bone broth. With a cool wind blowing off the farmlands and Monterey Bay, the hot hearty stew was perfect! Two adults could only eat about half the dish, so we took home half the portion -- which meant the $70 cost was really for two full meals for two adults, a really good price for a filling and high quality serving of comfort food. Staff was very pleasant and we left an extra tip since they bus the dishes for you afterwards. Will be back for the cioppino. The other dishes on the large menu looked good but were a little pricey.

Great food at a reasonable (California) price. The Ciopino is famous and deserves the fame. A good balance on the sauce is appreciated. They does not skimp on the seafood and you will have plenty to fill you up. Also tried their grilled sea bass and it was also excellent. The grilling was just perfect. The only underwhelming thing was clam chowder. It's not terrible but it's not something that will blow your socks off. The services fast you just order at the front counter and they bring your food to the table pretty quickly. Bonus fact: there are additional sitting space in the building next to it. From there to sell fish (get some if you like)

Phil, if you read this review then know this.... Your quality is tailing off. Your Manhattan chowder was served luke warm. This is after being served New England clam chowder, and I specifically asked for Manhattan. Your person at front doesn't know the difference? There weren't that many clams that I could detect texturally, and it was basically thick creamy New England chowder with possibly tomato pureee added to make it red. In my opinion it was "Cream of (fill in blank) " soup. You also have a strange setup coming into the restatsunt. We entered where it says "exit" and there were no menus seemingly available, before we ordered. We scrambled to select something from your daily chalkboard. Then, we had to go left to get our cups filled, then cut back across the same line to get to indoor seating. Why did you put your soda fountain drinks there? Seafood sliders were good. Kudos there. The Fish and Chips not so much. The fries werent good. My son said the fish absorbed the oil somehow, and when he bit into the fish it squirted hot oil. Not sure but he didn't want to finish them. My other son got calamari and it was overcooked. It wasn't light golden brown, rather deep crusty brown. We think it was left in the frier a min too long, probably because your Kitchen staff wasn't paying attention. and they didn't think people would care The coleslaw served with the fish and chips was mediocre. I mean, you can do something to make the recipe pop. It was an par with coleslaw you'd get a Safeway. Over the years, I've stopped at the old location faithfully for seafood. I'll give your new location another try in a few months. But it could be my last.

The quality has absolutely tanked since the move. The service was bare of any sign of life or energy except for the kind older woman who refilled my drinks. More than half the staff was standing around on their phones or pointlessly doing nothing which is completely unattractive in a restaurant with such a great reputation. The Halibut Marsala I ordered lacked all flavor and had onions soaked in balsamic vinegar just piled on top of the filet. The coleslaw had to of been made a week before I came in as it was completely soaked and soggy and the rice that came with my halibut as well was rock hard. The best part of my meal was the $50 gift card my family gifted me for Christmas. Please do better Phil's.

I went to Phil's Fish Market in Castroville and bought frozen cioppino sauce for our Christmas dinner. I bought 4 pint containers. When I opened them, I discovered that the contents were not cioppino sauce. They were filled with the cheapest, nastiest smelling spaghetti sauce one can buy out of a can. It was horrible, and we ended up not using the horrible sauce, and creating a different dish. That awful sauce would have ruined not just our dinner, but $300 of quality seafood. In past years, we could always count on Phils which was in Moss Landing. This is not the same owners. The original owners built their business on quality and integrity, both of which these owners lack. DO NOT GO THERE

We went on a Sunday night and it was empty which wasn't a good sign. We haven't been in years and always remembered how good it was at the moss landing location. This new location is no whereas good as the old location. The food was so generic. We ordered the cioppino, calamari, fried zucchini, clam chowder, aguachilies and kids pasta. The clam chowder was more like potato soup and very heavy. The calamari were nothing special. The fried zucchini were cold and probably frozen before being fried and I had to pretty much walk in the kitchen to find someone to help. Also I had to ask for missing food as the cooks were just standing in the kitchen talking. For over $100 the food is definitely not worth the drive out there. We will find a better place next time and stay in Monterey. We will not be back.

2.5 Rating - This was our first visit to the new location in Castroville. We have many great memories at Moss Landing and have always made it a trip to Phil's when we go to Monterey and Santa Cruz. There were mixed reviews about the new location so we had to try it for ourselves. We got there close to lunch on a Tuesday. There were a few patrons, and for the location (which felt like the middle of nowhere) was a good sign. We ordered calamari, clam chowder, steamed mussels, and a crab sandwich. First, the clam chowder came out, hot...however, I knew it was not going to stay hot when I got to half the bowl. Unfortunately, it was underseasoned, and I went at it with the salt and pepper. Comparable to a can of Progresso. I was really sad about it. I remember that steamed mussels dish oh so well in my past experiences, that I could lick my bowl for every last drop. However, when the dish arrived to our table, I could already tell it was going to taste different due to the color and texture of broth. Ugh, another disappointment. The broth tasted like salted water. The crab sandwich didn't look appetizing with it's presentatation on the plate. The size of the bread made it look like you're not getting alot of crab. The best dish was the calamari. Not much to say other than cooked well and breading was light and crispy. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be back. Prices are high for mediocre dishes.

Fun setting and delicious food! Scallop bow tie pasta was fantastic. We went at 2:00 and it was busy. Everyone was super friendly. Service was quick.

our first time since the restaurant moved locations. so disappointed. clam chow seemed to be left over from the day before. it was so thick you need a knife to cut through it. lettuce on our salad was brown and wilted and the fish...all was over prepared and very fishy, not fresh at all. No wine or beer was available. And prices are ridiculously high. Not likely to coming back. Again very disappointed, we really enjoyed the Original Phil's.

Been dining at Phil's Fish Market for years at their Moss Landing location. Made the visit to their new Castroville location. You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. Dining room was bright and spacious. They also have patio seating. We enjoyed: Champagne oysters with garlic shallot butter Fried seafood sampler - clams, Squid, shrimp and scallops Crab cakes Cioppino Mussels in white wine Mini chowder in a bun Blackened scallops Chicken strips Burger Everything is delicious.

Have been there regularly the past two decades. Went last month for the first time since they moved to their new location. New location was spacious and airy, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the digestive beachside stroll after stuffing my face. Fish and chips were delicious! But clam chowder had way too much celery in it! Every bite was had soggy celery chunks. And the soft shell crab sandwich was disappointing in presentation- so greasy and just anticlimactic for almost $30. The young man taking our order kept trying to warn us there was only a crab shell, and absolutely no meat in the sandwich. Meat is definitely there! Given our disappointment over the sandwich (not for the same reasons he was warning us though), we should have listened lol. Anyway, hope this was a one-off with the clam chowder. We bought two quarts of chowder to go, so there was a lot of chowder left that no one wanted to eat.

Great spot, first visited at old Moss Landing location years ago. This go, I ordered cioppino for 2 or more, along with a roasted artichoke. The artichoke was fair but not sublime in the least. So, felt let down, because I expected more. Cioppino was delicious and generous with all the fish shrimp crab and squid participating. Crab listed as snow crab on posting, extraordinarily. This affected my enjoyment- in mind I wanted Dungeness for some reason. I guess snow crab seems alien, not desirable. Snow crab is Japan or Las Vegas The ambiance is wanting for not still being in Moss Landing, by sand and water. Just a fact. Food is special though. It is the taste and flavor, a moment that would otherwise be lost to time. Glad they're here. It was a worthy afternoon. Bought smoked salmon from adjacent fish market. Good for a meal the next day!