Santa Monica Seafood Market & Restaurant

This was the best seafood dinner I have had in 5 years. Please see photo for this gorgeous seabass over rice and butternut squash curry dish. The waitress was wonderful. I came at 1130 and by 12n it was packed. Menu selection was great. They even listed where the various fish came from. Even full, the restaurant was not so noisy I couldn't carry on a conversation. Comfortable seats and tables. I'll go back next time I'm in beautiful Santa Monica!

Food: 5/5 Stars Service: 2/5 Stars Atmosphere: 2.5/5 Stars (you're in a fish market) TL;DR: Hostess rocked, server sucked (treated my party poorly), food was excellent. Worth the wait if you don't have a reservation. The older crowd seemed snobby. Brought some friends form out of town here for a decent seafood experience and Santa Monica Seafood Market & Restaurant did not disappoint. We came without a reservation and had a decent wait time of about 40 minutes. We were sat at the bar area and it was fun seeing the bartender work and oysters being shucked. The crowd was weird. Several entitled old people were upset that three young people wearing shorts were sat before them even though we had waited more than 30 minutes and arrived before them. I also felt as though our server didn't think we could afford to eat, suggesting that we get an appetizer. I asked for a wine pairing with for the tuna and our server seemed confused or annoyed and seemed to randomly pick a wine from the menu. Aside from the odd interactions, our food was EXCELLENT. It was absolutely worth the wait and I would go back in spite of the random snobbery. The food made up for the mediocre service. The girls at the front seating people were excellent. Just our server and bartender seemed unfriendly and snobby. Maybe they thought I wouldn't tip well and decided to treat me and my friends poorly. Well, jokes on you. Don't judge a book by its cover.

SMSM is fine dining at a casual level down level. They will work if you show without a reservation. It feels and smells and authentic fish market where you can get raw clams, oysters, and wine cheese to take home with you and or fresh fish to cook you drink from delicate crystal glass cups and heat on fine dining plates. Yes, this is a full, honest experience. However, SMSM will text your pocketbook, which is average $35 per meal. Decline our are definitely high in seniors good looking active seniors, and a few young people sprinkled in between.. There’s a price for those people who are differently able to sit. Wow, this is the feeling of euphoria eating excellently crafted plates and delicious food. Oh my God, yes we. The manager, Tracy, told us Ches Sharazaz from Chicago.

I recently visited a seafood restaurant in Santa Monica, and while I had a great time, there were a couple of disappointments. First, the good— the lobster roll was absolutely amazing! It was soft, flavorful, and just the right amount of buttery richness. The oysters were also fantastic, fresh and briny, exactly how they should be. However, I was really looking forward to trying the sea urchin, which was one of the main reasons I came, but unfortunately, they didn’t have it that day. That was a bit of a letdown. Still, the rest of the food was delicious, and I’d definitely come back!

Upon arrival, the place smelled very fishy, thus, 4 stars. My friend wanted clam chowder. You take a number and wait for your number to be called. There is a nice seating area, bar and tables, full service restaurant! The mini grocery store has many options. I have been here for a sit down full service meal which was very nice. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Free parking lot in the back, enter from 10th street, south of Wilshire.

How is this place only a 4.6? This had to be the best seafood I’ve ever had. And I don’t say that lightly, as a restaurateur. One if the best restaurant experiences too. I’m watching and everything runs extremely smoothly and with care and thought. Just. Make a reso and GO. You will not be disappointed. To get this quality and experience where I’m from, I’m easily paying A LOT more

Possibly the best clam chowder I've ever had. Striped bass with street corn was also sooo good. It does smell like fish inside but it's also an actual fish market. You don't really notice once you start eating.

July 19, 2024 Did not like it Overpriced for such sub par quality. My Red Manhattan Clam chowder looked like and tasted like a Minestrone soup, and not a good one. It also was missing the ingredients from the menu. It had NEITHER TOMATOES NOR OREGANO, but they had loaded it with a ton of carrots (which was not mentioned on the menu). The Faroe Island salmon was OK, but nothing extraordinary. Small piece for $34, I consider it slightly overpriced for a farmer grown fish. The service was quick and professional. My check was over $50 (tips not included)

This was the best seafood dinner I have had in 5 years. Please see photo for this gorgeous seabass over rice and butternut squash curry dish. The waitress was wonderful. I came at 1130 and by 12n it was packed. Menu selection was great. They even listed where the various fish came from. Even full, the restaurant was not so noisy I couldn't carry on a conversation. Comfortable seats and tables. I'll go back next time I'm in beautiful Santa Monica!

Food: 5/5 Stars Service: 2/5 Stars Atmosphere: 2.5/5 Stars (you're in a fish market) TL;DR: Hostess rocked, server sucked (treated my party poorly), food was excellent. Worth the wait if you don't have a reservation. The older crowd seemed snobby. Brought some friends form out of town here for a decent seafood experience and Santa Monica Seafood Market & Restaurant did not disappoint. We came without a reservation and had a decent wait time of about 40 minutes. We were sat at the bar area and it was fun seeing the bartender work and oysters being shucked. The crowd was weird. Several entitled old people were upset that three young people wearing shorts were sat before them even though we had waited more than 30 minutes and arrived before them. I also felt as though our server didn't think we could afford to eat, suggesting that we get an appetizer. I asked for a wine pairing with for the tuna and our server seemed confused or annoyed and seemed to randomly pick a wine from the menu. Aside from the odd interactions, our food was EXCELLENT. It was absolutely worth the wait and I would go back in spite of the random snobbery. The food made up for the mediocre service. The girls at the front seating people were excellent. Just our server and bartender seemed unfriendly and snobby. Maybe they thought I wouldn't tip well and decided to treat me and my friends poorly. Well, jokes on you. Don't judge a book by its cover.

SMSM is fine dining at a casual level down level. They will work if you show without a reservation. It feels and smells and authentic fish market where you can get raw clams, oysters, and wine cheese to take home with you and or fresh fish to cook you drink from delicate crystal glass cups and heat on fine dining plates. Yes, this is a full, honest experience. However, SMSM will text your pocketbook, which is average $35 per meal. Decline our are definitely high in seniors good looking active seniors, and a few young people sprinkled in between.. There’s a price for those people who are differently able to sit. Wow, this is the feeling of euphoria eating excellently crafted plates and delicious food. Oh my God, yes we. The manager, Tracy, told us Ches Sharazaz from Chicago.

I recently visited a seafood restaurant in Santa Monica, and while I had a great time, there were a couple of disappointments. First, the good— the lobster roll was absolutely amazing! It was soft, flavorful, and just the right amount of buttery richness. The oysters were also fantastic, fresh and briny, exactly how they should be. However, I was really looking forward to trying the sea urchin, which was one of the main reasons I came, but unfortunately, they didn’t have it that day. That was a bit of a letdown. Still, the rest of the food was delicious, and I’d definitely come back!

Upon arrival, the place smelled very fishy, thus, 4 stars. My friend wanted clam chowder. You take a number and wait for your number to be called. There is a nice seating area, bar and tables, full service restaurant! The mini grocery store has many options. I have been here for a sit down full service meal which was very nice. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Free parking lot in the back, enter from 10th street, south of Wilshire.

How is this place only a 4.6? This had to be the best seafood I’ve ever had. And I don’t say that lightly, as a restaurateur. One if the best restaurant experiences too. I’m watching and everything runs extremely smoothly and with care and thought. Just. Make a reso and GO. You will not be disappointed. To get this quality and experience where I’m from, I’m easily paying A LOT more

Possibly the best clam chowder I've ever had. Striped bass with street corn was also sooo good. It does smell like fish inside but it's also an actual fish market. You don't really notice once you start eating.

July 19, 2024 Did not like it Overpriced for such sub par quality. My Red Manhattan Clam chowder looked like and tasted like a Minestrone soup, and not a good one. It also was missing the ingredients from the menu. It had NEITHER TOMATOES NOR OREGANO, but they had loaded it with a ton of carrots (which was not mentioned on the menu). The Faroe Island salmon was OK, but nothing extraordinary. Small piece for $34, I consider it slightly overpriced for a farmer grown fish. The service was quick and professional. My check was over $50 (tips not included)

Fresh seafood. Have had the fish n chips, raw oysters, linguine and clams and were amazing. Have never been disappointed with the food as well as the servers. And the busser's are great as well, keeping everything clean. The little market atmosphere is nice. There's always been a wait when I've gone, because I've gone at peak hours but your wait time goes fast when rummaging through the market with all their little food treasures. Or take a walk to the near by businesses and before you know it you're being called back to be seated. Totally worth the wait.

Super fresh and great quality of seafood! Price point is very reasonable for what they offer! Lots of unique variety of seafood, fish, and crustaceans! Their calm chowder is very delicious and you get chucks of calms! Service is fast and I love that they can do different cuts/cleaning methods and preparations! Since they have their cafe on one side of the restaurant it gives you a nice hustling and loud atmosphere without it being too hectic!

We went here for lunch, and it was a great experience! The staff was friendly, and our waitress was really helpful with our decisions. We ended up getting the clam chowder, the lobster roll, and the 3 taco meal. The lobster roll was overflowing with lobster! It was also well composed and looked great. The tacos were fantastic, and the white corn tortillas were a great choice. We went with the mango salsa on all of them, going with shrimp and the mahi mahi. The tacos were really filling so even though we got the fries we didn't really touch them (well...other than a few!). All in all it was a splendid lunch and fun to see the market there as well.

Really fun resturant section here that's great for people watching both customers shopping and employees staffing the store and restaurant. With that said it does feel a little claustrophobic, small seating area compared to the rest of the store. Was really looking forward to trying the food here. Grabbed clam chowder and a lobster roll with fries and it's was just okay. I was not blown away and here's why. My roll was not fresh in fact it was kinda stale. Not much butter flavor coming through on my sandwich which was disappointing. But the most important element was the lobster and my roll was chock full of tendons and ligaments, obviously inedible and makes the meal less enjoyable when you have to pull sharp bits out of your mouth. Clam chowder was just ok, imo too many potatoes -- not enough clams; and was served extremely hot, a warning would have been nice. Which brings me to the last element, service. My waiter was not attentive at all, I waited a long time for my check as he chatted with a coworker by the kitchen.

Santa Monica Seafood Market is a great spot whether you are looking for a marketplace or a sit-down restaurant. The selection here is quite wide, and it should have something for everyone. I got lucky and was able to be seated without a reservation, but I definitely would try to get a reservation if you can because it was quite busy. I got the raw Purple Peruvian Scallops to start, and they were so good. They were very fresh, and the light dressing on it was a nice touch. I also got the Fish Tacos (1 each of cod, mahi mahi, and shrimp), and they were tasty and filling. The prices here are reasonable for Santa Monica, and the staff here were very nice. You should definitely consider coming here!

I have passed this place and have passed it many a times. Ok seafood market nice . Over priced yes. Even if fresh. At this point the over high prices are due to ret not quality. Restaurant material come si come uhh okay really...my tacos . If your kitchen help are Latinos, taste what they make for there meals. Don't want the latin flavor I can switch it up real good. But your taste 's are so yesteryear not even yesterday. I'm not noticed but I am good. You need an upgrade.

Located on a section of Wilshire unofficial restaurant row, Santa Monica seafoods is a local institution in business for over 80 years. Its current location is in a former warehouse with a typical high curved curling and exposed timbers. Being a fish market, its fragrance hits you hard upon entry. You are greeted with almost a scowl from the hostess who seems to be doing you a favor. They do honor reservations in their small but elegant seating area that seems to appeal to an upscale clientele, with cloth napkins, marble tabletops and elegant wine glasses. Service is prompt and effective T, though not particularly friendly. The offerings are all seafood based as one might expect. Although you can splurge with oysters, lobster, caviar, and Champagne, there are popular moderately priced items such as the wraps, mussels, and other starters that are a good value. The wine selection is limited though well curated and U believe that you can pick a bottle from their shop when dining. We have yet to try the fish but this seems like one of the places where you know it will be fresh. There were a few duds like the garden salad that was a bit wilted and uninspired and the pasta special that had overcooked noodles swimming in a somewhat spicy vodka sauce. There usually is ample street parking. We'll come back to try some other items.

We had a great meal at SMS! Pro-tip: Make a reservation in advance since the indoor seating area is small. On a Sunday night, the wait was around an hour without a reservation so we are glad we made one! The cafe shares space with the market, so it smells a bit fishy but you get used to it. The servers were very kind. We ordered the tacos - you can pick three and I got one of each to try them all ($22). My favorite was the shrimp taco, which came with a generous portion of shrimp and was really flavorful with the fresh tomatoes. The fries were also surprisingly good. We finished the meal with tiramisu, which my friends really enjoyed, and the cannolis, which were a bit bland. The desserts were $9 each, bringing the total to around $35 with tip. It wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be, although some items on the menu were at a higher price point. But this makes sense since the seafood really is fresh and wild caught! I would get the tacos again! Other details - free parking lot, bathrooms on-site, and the market has a lot of things to choose from beyond fish like sauces and dips etc to buy and make your own meal at home. You can also place orders online for pick-up. Overall I would come back to try other menu items (or get tacos again)! Thanks SMS!

Friendly customer service from a few staff members! Note: they have limited seating so reservations is highly encouraged Parking in the back or metered street parking Great spot to grab and go fresh fish. Had the tuna wrap and shrimp wrap it was good. No complaints at all.

The best seafood market that i know. They have seafood from all over the world, fresh and some even still alive. I always come here when I am craving freshly shucked oysters. They label the originating country of all their seafood. All come from reputable sources. It will be a little pricey but you are guaranteed of the quality and cleanliness. All the staff are helpful and knowledgeable of the seafood that the sell.

Solid seafood market in Santa Monica! They have a seafood market area, an oyster bar and a restaurant. The restaurant section is pretty small and only seats ~20 people. Be sure to make a reservation in advance in case they get busy! We ordered the roasted branzino with orzo and linguini with clams dishes. Branzino - the fish was nicely crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The pesto flavor on the orzo paired nicely with the fish. The portion was substantial, I wish the pasta was cooked a bit more al dente since orzo tends to get mushy when overcooked. Linguini - the little neck clams were flavorful and well seasoned with white wine sauce. The pasta was al dente on the linguini which was a huge plus! Overall had a good experience here. The food was solid and the service was on point! The bill came out to around $50 per person with drinks. Will be back another time to try other menu items!

Santa Monica seafood market and café has an amazing range of fresh fish that is caught daily. The service is always great and the staff are very knowledgeable when making recommendations for catch of the day or recipes if there's a particular fish that you don't know how to cook. The food is also incredible here. Highly recommend the seafood cioppino, which is what I always order when I'm here. It's a beautiful tomato broth. Loaded with tons of fresh seafood: clams, mussels, shrimp & squid.

10/10 - easy. The service, the ambiance, the food - top of the line. There isn't much seating, but if there's a wait, it's worth it. Our waitress offered us fresh uni, and it was out of this world. Very laid back feel, with high class service. If you're craving seafood, this is where you have to come! Special thank you to Mollie for providing such great service!

We had lunch with friends and really enjoyed it. The oysters and shrimp were fresh, calamari crispy, mussels yummy, and the crab cakes delicious. We had a bunch of appetizers and drinks in lieu of entrees and totally loved it. The market is impressive and I was tempted to by more shrimp or a Dungeness crab on the way out. I wish we had a place like this in our neighborhood!

My go-to-place for a quick seafood lunch with a bottle of wine. One stop convenience for a lunch and buying seafood ingredients for a dinner. Good: - Great Seafood Selection - Consistently fresher than Whole Foods - They will crack the crab (Whole Food no longer crack the crab for me) - Quick Efficient Service - Friendly Staff Not So Good: - Parking can be difficult - Poke is too salty and Sushi Rice is hard and not flavorful (I can help you improve it if you like) Please bring back my favorite Salmon Wrap to the menu!

The café is small, but bright 11 tables inside the seafood market. It was my first time there and I gotta say that the food was amazing. I had their special main lobster tail with orzo with Calabria chili butter main lobster., it was so flavorful even the orzo was amazing with multicolored slightly corn with fresh cherry tomatoes in it. It just went with the lobster perfectly, my friend who I was with. She had the Scops, and she let me taste some of the scallops, and even the scallops were amazing, so if you love seafood, and although the place is kind of small, the food is phenomenal and I would recommend it to anyone

Free parking in the back, good customer service, average prices, and delicious food. They have an oyster bar and various menu options to choose from. I'd return to try more dishes. We had the baja striped bass and wild chilean seabass tenderloin. My dad wiped his plate clean and enjoyed every bite of the bass. The butternut squash was an excellent addition. It's not often you see that bass on a menu. I enjoyed the seabass although it didn't have that buttery texture, and I would've hoped for more effort than using spinach as a side. Half of the seabass tasted amazing, and the other half was a bit fishy.

Santa Monica Seafood Market and Cafe continues to be the excellence that they have come to be. As a renowned market for fresh seafood, fresh catches are clearly displayed with pride overhead on the board if a brightly lit display case doesn't catch your eyes as you walk in. Cooked seafood items will be your first glance. To the left are usually both whole and prepared cuts. Shellfish are usually displayed to the right. If you need any assistance the staff and fishmongers are always attentive. The Cafe is one of the highlights of a visit. The menu is cleverly designed to offer delicious choices both seasonal and encompassing. You have some basic starters available like Tartare and Chowders to an approachable lunch menu. Tacos and a sandwich selection will satisfy almost everyone, and if you're looking for a lighter affair the salads are also a good choice. The Entree selection will be touching on fine dining pricing, but the freshness of the seafood here is quite the value. To highlight the experience, there is an oyster bar too with a good selection year-round. SM Seafood will be on your list if you haven't tried it before and a great addition to your seafood experience. Weekday crowds are manageable, and weekend crowds will show their popularity well.

It was a beautiful Sunday funday for some seafood! They do have their own private parking lot in the back, and you can enter from the back as well. Most of the restaurant consists of their glass counters displaying all their freshest seafood and the variety is quite astounding! It all looks so delicious! And about another half of the restaurant are some tables and bar seating. We walked in around noon and were seated immediately. It does start to fill up more quickly after that time. Half Dozen Oysters We forgot to ask what kind of oysters they had, so they automatically brought out two of each different kinds, which I forgot what they were, but they were all extremely fresh and delicious. A little salty, a little creamy. Peruvian Purple Scallops I believe this is our first time having Peruvian purple scallops, but these were also extremely fresh, and you didn't need to add any extra flavor or hot sauce to these. I like that they added a very small slice of orange to each shell, giving it a slightly tangy and citrusy flavor, highly recommended! Lobster Roll with French Fries Average size bread with a good serving of lobster meat. Served cold. Although I felt like it could've slightly used more butter, but still delicious. And the french fries were the perfect cut and flavor and crispiness. Cioppino The cioppino was definitely the star of the show! Serving size was huge, presentation was perfect! A hearty amount of seafood: fish, clams, mussels, shrimp, octopus. And the flavor of the tomato soup was subtle and flavorful at the same time. Overall, everything here was fresh and delicious and we would definitely come back again!

Was looking for some good and reasonably priced seafood. While it was a bit steep, this place was absolutely delicious and well worth the money. We started with a dozen oysters, which were amazing and so fresh. Paired great with the Sauvignon blanc I ordered (don't remember exactly which one). The mussels were delicious as well, and the lobster roll hit. Our server was quite nice and gave me more lemons even when I mistakenly asked for limes. I would love to come back and visit the market, which was in clear view from the cute little seating area. Could see myself becoming a regular here for sure

Four Star because upon entering there was a strong fishy smell. My friend just wanted take out, so she took a number and waited her turn. She loves their chowder so she ordered both the New England and the Manhattan. Meanwhile I browsed the grocery store amd was impressed with the variety. The seafood in the chilled cases on ice all looked good, but I couldn't get over the fishy smell inside the air conditioned place. The staff are all friendly and nice. Free parking lot in the back. You enter on 10th street, south of Wilshire.

The indoor seafood market and grocery store is very cute. You can order fresh seafood to take home and cook . There is also a seating are area inside / the restaurant where you can order a great meal from clam chowder to Caesar salad to calamari to some cooked fish. I love the atmosphere inside.

Haven't been here for years since moving to Miami but happy to see that the quality , taste atmosphere and service is still great. Still not the most affordable place but nonetheless still worth a look.

Visited Santa Monica Seafood Market for a weekend dinner and tripled down on orders of the wild fish tacos. It's worth trying all three options as each have a unique flavor but the clear winner in all our books was the shrimp taco. It was loaded up and had just the slightest kick of spice. Topped it off with some dessert. The tiramisu was light and nicely balanced between the sweetness of the cream and the bitterness of the coffee. The only skip was the cannoli. For those driving in, lots of metered parking both on Wilshire and the side streets.

Love this place. The servers are always helpful and the seafood is consistently fresh. My partner loves the cioppino. It's not on that many menus and they do it very well. It's a pretty big portion so bring your appetite or split it. I've tried many things on their menu from the salmon to the crab cakes to the fish n chips. It's all great, simple and fresh. They take reservations now and I highly recommend making them if you plan on going during the weekend for dinner service. It's a tiny seating area that's basically a sectioned off area of the market. Very casual and friendly. Doesn't feel touristy at all.

Gross. Old fish. Not sure how they can sell fish that is this disgusting. My entire house smells like 3 week old fish. It doesn't expire for a week. Gross. Never again.

I do love the wide variety of fish selection here, and the service is always great. The prices are quite high though, and I wish they carried Toro. I do like that they carry sashimi grade fillets as well, as we've purchased salmon sashimi here a few times. However, for Hamachi or Tuna, we've always had to go elsewhere, like Nijiya, for their selection and better prices. There are tons of condiments and other ingredients for sale to go along with whatever seafood dish you're intending to make. It's quite a selection! Free parking in the lot in the back.

Tried this seafood restaurant for the first time. They have a seafood market inside with variety of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. They also sell frozen products as well as caviar. We ordered oysters, tuna poke, and seared tuna. Parking is on the street. We sat at the bar, the Asian lady server was nice. Worth trying!

We came too early before the cafe opened but the marketplace was open, so we just shopped. Lots of fresh seafood on display. Staff was friendly and helpful. Be aware takeout prices are different from sit down. The market is very open, airy and welcoming!

SM Seafood restaurant is okay but it is the sneeky Door Dash involvement in the restaurant menu that I need to warn you about. At the top of the SM Seafood website, Doordash quietly inserts a $5.00 off coupon, Online Only, if you order $35 or more from the menu. (It usually expires in two days.) If you stop here and examine their price menu, you will see that it is more expensive than the genuine SM Seafood menu. And if you order with this coupon, you will pay more than if you called SM Seafood direct by phone to order and picked up yourself, even with the coupon. But you will not get the $5 coupon discount. I didn't get any discount, and SM Seafood says they cannot honor the coupon because it is not theirs, it belongs to Door Dash. So Buyer Beware.

This is a mix of fresh seafood market and restaurant where you can buy prime seafood, raw or cooked at the restaurant, and pick your wine to enjoy there as well. The seafood is always fresh (from the market) and delicious. This is an excellent option to enjoy when in LA, also nearby the Santa Monica hospital.

One of my favorite seafood spots on the west side. I usually have oysters at the bar but the market is great too. Love it!

Great food / great service / chill vibe Can grab food to go at the seafood counter too. Little market attached for some shopping as well.

Santa Monica Seafood is fresh seafood market with small cafe to the side with appetizers, soup and entrees. There's a small lot behind the restaurant and metered parking along Wilshire/Side Streets. They have great customer service - I left my credit card with them, they saved it and I picked it up the next day. For the food: The Pan Roasted Branzino is delicious. The skin is perfectly crisp over a bed of pesto orzo. The New England Clam Chowder is a fan favorite - multiple people at the table ordered and finished the entire bowl. There's Happy Hour every day from 3-6pm and if you love fish tacos, $4 Taco Thursdays 2-5pm.

This place is rad. The fish market is really cool. There is an ample selection of fresh fish and produce to buy. You can basically walk in, select your fish, select all the accompanying ingredients, and walk out with a complete dinner. I like to browse the display case and aisles because the selection is very impressive. We don't usually buy fish from the market because we live over an hour away, instead we opt to have an early dinner in the bistro. My husband and I usually eat at the bistro, we enjoy the casual ambiance and service. We order shrimp cocktail, sea bass, or halibut, and sometimes one of each to share. We also order oysters and white wine. Absolutely delicious. The last time we dined there we had the caesar salad and ate dessert as well. I haven't been disappointed yet.

I tried the lobster roll and the New England clam chowder. The clam chowder is very good, nothing really to say about it other than if you like New England clam chowder, you'll like this restaurant's version. The lobster roll is a whole other story, unfortunately. I was surprised and disappointed that the lobster meat turned out super firm and rubbery. Either they didn't store the lobster properly, or (more likely) they overcooked it. For a dedicated seafood restaurant and market, it shouldn't turn out that way. My wife and her sister shared a piece of halibut. Their fish came out way overcooked, as well. I think that if they could improve the quality control via-a-vis the cooking, this would be a great place, but as-is, it's fine if you're in the area and want to take a chance on overcooked seafood, otherwise there are better places not that far away.

I shop here all the time for seafood (the freshest in the city), but have never been to the cafe so I decided to give it a try. I ordered the taco trio and my partner ordered the tuna melt. Obviously since it's a seafood market the scent isn't ideal to eat in, but it comes with the territory. The ingredients were super fresh and we were very happy with our orders. The service was was super quick and we were in and out in about 35 minutes. Looking forward to trying other things on the menu !

The Santa Monica Seafood Market is a fantastic spot for anyone who appreciates fresh, high-quality seafood. The selection here is extensive, with an impressive range of fish and shellfish that showcases the best of the coast. Each option is fresh and well-displayed, making it easy to find exactly what you're looking for. During my visit, Cisco helped me at the fish counter and was incredibly knowledgeable. He took the time to explain the different types of fish, their flavors, and the best ways to prepare them. His expertise and friendly approach made the whole experience enjoyable and informative. Cisco's guidance made choosing the perfect fish easy, and his passion for seafood really came through. If you're in Santa Monica and want a quality seafood selection with top-notch service, I highly recommend stopping by. Thanks to Cisco, my experience was nothing short of excellent!

If you are on vacation here in Santa Monica don't miss this place the seafood is excellent and the chefs are amazing and very knowledge . This time they change a lil bit the menu So I decide and try the Baja bass exceed my expectations and the lobster roll as good as ever desserts are yummy too

Mollie provided exceptional service during our recent visit. She was attentive, knowledgeable and made great recommendations. Orders were delivered promptly and accurately, and her friendly demeanor made our dining experience truly enjoyable!

Very expensive for a half seafood deli/cafe and the service is not performed at the price of a restaurant. The Staff was on their schedule.

We made reservations, and when we arrived, the Hostess made sure our table was available! Angelica, our waitress was very Friendly and accommodating! We ordered Saxon-Brown Chardonnay with our meal. For dinner, we ordered Icelandic Grilled Salmon and Battered Cod Fish & Chips! Our food came out quickly, hot, well prepared, and Tasty! The ambiance was low-key yet busy. The entire staff had everything under control!!!

Impressive space located on Wilshire and 11th in Santa Monica. Tall ceilings, open space, with a large half circle iced display of vast variety of the freshest fish, oysters, clams, shrimp, etc. A modern dinning space serving menu options to please all seafood lovers. Clean, with a initial strong whiff of seafood upon entering, the service and food here aims to please. My personal favorite item is the aqua Chile Mexican White shrimp ceviche- perfect degree of heat, acid and salt embracing the succulant shrimp in which it is marinaded. The oysters here are perhaps the best I have ever had on the west coast; a must order should you dine here. The purple Peruvian Scallops failed to impress me as much as I had hoped for; although the scallop was perfect in taste and freshness, the ginger shallot mignonette and orange did not have much flavor. Another must order is the SMS Cioppino which is the best I have every had. This Italian fish stew with clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari is served with two crispy charred bread to be dunked in the best cioppino sauce I have ever had. This sauce is also sold in a jar at their market, however, it is not as spectacular as when served at the restaurant. Can't wait to go back and try other items.

I came here last Sunday and was in such a mood (great one) to be here. It did not disappoint. This is a neighborhood place, adding to its charm. There is an impressive seafood display, in fact, the best around town. I had lunch here, opting for the grilled swordfish sandwich, which was done perfectly well. There was enough to be full without being sick. The place was full during the mid-afternoon, of the LA Marathon. I appreciate the ambiance of the restaurant, which also had good people watching. The service was good without being intrusive. It was a very positive experience and i recommend it highly to anyone.

The food and ambiance is incredible. Excellent suggestions for lunch. It's a historic spot.

I had a fun time here. I did not try any prepared food. I came in for dinner ingredients. The place is pricy but I understand the convenience of it being clean, well maintained and staff and all that. The seafood all looked fresh and well organized. I got all the seafood I needed such as raw octopus, clams, shrimp and scallops. I also got other ingredients like panko, baguette, white wine, etc. I went home and made a shrimp and scallop aguachile, clams in white wine, seared octopus and coconut shrimp. I remember I got ticket #18. The guy who served me was really cool and very nice. He was very helpful.

For some reason I always forget about how great this restaurant is. It is mostly a market but has a delicious little cafe that is great to eat at. The service is always fantastic and I wish they would create a few more tables to have more space. I came here on Friday with family as they advertised a special for $6 Lobster Tacos (while supplied last beginning on 2/17). We were all so excited to try them! We started with clam chowder which came out pretty fast. Next was time for the main event - the lobster tacos. These were probably the best lobster tacos Ive ever eaten. The lemon aioli was fantastic and everything that came with the tacos was great. There was so much lobster meat and for $6 each it was such a fantastic deal! We raved about how much we loved the tacos to our waiter and I had asked him how long they would be around. He told me that they will be available for about 2 weeks and if enough people like them they may end up on the permanent menu. We loved the tacos so much that we decided to go again today on Tuesday, 2/22. We asked again for the lobster tacos but were told apparently it was a one day event. We were quite shocked as we were told they would be here for about two weeks previously and even the ad for then said "beginning 2/17" not only 2/17. I understand the "while supplies last" part but they service seafood tacos and they offer a lobster roll, so clearly they still have the ingredients. We ended up ordering calamari, tuna tartare and shrimp tacos. Although the food was good it did not compare to the incredible lobster tacos. I really hope they bring them back again as I will be awaiting their return. Until then I shall patiently be waiting.

If you love seafood you have to come here! Whether you're a chef at home with the array of options of fish an shellfish or to sit and dine in for lunch. I had a special treat of getting asked out for lunch so I splurged on the calamari and salmon. Absolutely delicious! Love the free parking and endless refills of my Diet Coke!

Wow. Was not expecting all. of. this. Went here on NYE eve. It was CLEAN, and packed with people but they are EXTREMELY organized & efficient. The lines were long but the wait was short. And everyone who worked that day was super friendly. We bought all kinds of fish, oysters, 2 things of uni, and some crab legs. It was the bomb dig. Fish was so fresh & packaged perfectly and omg the uni was delish. Also stopped by again today to pick up more fish and uni & it was just as clean & pretty as it was last time. Lines moved fast, people were friendly. They really know how to treat people at this store and I'm here for it. New favorite place. Bestest fish market in LA, I promise. This Native Hawaiian approves.