Anthony's Fish Grotto

I'm visiting from Colorado and was really craving grilled lobster, shrimp, etc. I ended up not finding that, and ordered beer battered seafood plate. It was cooked well, not greasy, and the cold slaw was different, cabbage with a pineapple dressing. My favorite was the clam chowder soup and bread! You only get one roll! There's an extra charge for more bread.

Treated my wife to a wonderful lunch date to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Dined in the beautiful patio area with a great view of the "lake" and ducks. Enjoyed some delicious Fish & Chips and scrumptious fish tacos. The Old Fashioned cocktail was prepared to perfection. Our server Rob was nothing short of spectacular! He was super busy however never skipped a beat. Great place, Great food and Great service, what more could you ask for? If you haven't been here yet you seriously need to give this place a try. I promise you'll be thanking me and my taste buds.

We came for dinner at 6 in winter, so there wasn't any day light left to enjoy the views of the lake (which I've been told are beautiful). The food we ordered was prepared perfectly and had just the right amount per serving. Not stuffed and barely any left overs to take home. I ordered a grilled shrimp, fish and scallop kabob (I do wish I had more than one large scallop, but it was delicious and filling enough). My sister ordered clam chowder in a bread bowl. They ran out of New England style, so she tried the zesty red style, which I tried and we both liked(she finished it!). My cousin ordered a fried catfish, and my husband ordered the fish and chips! Again all devoured. My aunt ordered the trio ceviche, which she did end up taking some home. I hope to come back during the day time to see the lake and feed the ducks! Oh I think the patio is pet friendly (I saw a dog bowl!)

Place was great, my wife and I sat next to the lake and had a lovely evening. I forgot to take pictures of our dishes, but I took pictures of the menu. P.S. They are pet friendly.

Wonderful atmosphere. The staff seemed very rushed and tried to make another order but the server never came back to our table till after our meal was done.

My wife and I remember this restaurant from the time it was across from the Star of India. We knew the restaurant fills quickly so went early Friday evening. Our waitress was very attentive and did a good job of explaining the menu. My wife ordered the scallops. She was impressed.

Im a big fan of this restaurant, paticularly the setting outside by the lake. Is a great place to sit and enjoy a drink and nice food. The wait staff are all welcoming and efficient. However over the last year I feel the kitchen has let the side down. We've been 6 times since November and each time have been disappointed in the food. What had been reliable freshness and flavour has become bland and lacking. Not bad just lacking. We kept thinking its just a bad patch that all restaurants go through. But these last few months we've not seen the upturn. Im writing this review for the benefit of the management. We love the place but its time to get your house in order.

Went here for a date night, loved it .sat in the patio which seemed a little bit dark and cold, but the heaters and the beautiful lights in the trees made it romantic. The food was outstanding service was great.

For the history of Anthonysbsteemsbback to the Broadway Pier when the United States was in the midst of wars over seas the Anthony's Restaurant was one that opened their doors feeing those coming off the ship and going on. For the food and the atmosphere it's like when your all at the table the aroma of the clam chowder the main dishes of the fish tacos with the best fish and chips. When you go to the restaurant you would have families and couples with grandparents having a great lunch or dinner together. When you look around you saw the many famous dishes to the red or white clam chowder you could order a cup or a bowl. If you bring kids to the restaurant the restaurant would kids plates of shrimp or fish the French fries they made Idaho Potatoes some of the best with fish and chips. Checking at the host or hostess stand on the weekends would be busy the owners of Anthony's would be there to meet the families or to help seat the owners loved to walk around the restaurant. With the amazing they would have servers announce for tables if you're relaxing at the lake with the kids you can feed the ducks at the lake in the back. Anthony's the many years that the many restaurants that have been here the sbroadway pier and the Lamesa Location were the two that brought out so many people. The restaurants would welcome many of the many rotary groups many times you would see fisherman come in for lunch or dinner. Anthony's one of the best family oriented for the food and service some of the very best they would have catch deliveries fresh bread was made in house. As a Yelp Elite Anthony's is one of the best seafood restaurants that when it came to lunch they always had the best combo plates. One location that has memories for so many was the Broadway Pier you sithband look over the water. Anthony's Lamesa was the family large groups for the sounds and the great fish chips that made Anthony's Famous.

On the last evening of our visit to San Diego, we decied to go somewhere a little special. My dad suggested Anthony's Fish Grotto. I may have been here before, many, many years ago, as it seemed slightly familiar. In any case, I absolutely loved the ambiance. There's an outdoor area with heat lamps. Inside, the booths are kind of separated by boulders. There is a pool with fountains and lights outside. My dad got the New England Clam chowder. I had a taste of it. It was really good. He also had the fish and chips, which he enjoyed. My sister liked her tortellini with salmon & broccoli. My first choice, the Hawaiian Ono, was not available, so I got the coconut crusted tilapia with pineapple salsa on top. Unfortunately, the server apparently dropped it, so I had to wait a bit for it. But it was absolutely worth the wait! I really enjoyed it. And, as an apology, they gave us a free dessert. I chose a mud pie, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The service was a little slow, but very friendly. I would definitely come back here again the next time I'm in the area.

The restaurant itself has super cute decor and the water and views are amazing! I really loved the open space and seating. The service is wonderful too! The staff is attentive and on it! The food however is meh. We got a few things. The lunch special shrimp sandwich was good for the price and we enjoyed it! However, the filet mignon that was $45.00 was overcooked and did not taste like a mignon, it tasted like a sirloin if that.

The back patio is lovely, with a little lake, complete with ducks. Service is excellent, and the food is delicious. Go for happy hour for great deals. The poke stack isn't on special, but it's worth every penny.

Here again! Hoping for a repeat performance that we so enjoyed last time! We have ordered the clam chowder and the travelers trio which is shrimp ceviche and octopus in oil and pineapple ahi! All the food was delicious! Our waitress Kim was awesome and Gonzalo was very nice also! The lake is very beautiful and provides a great atmosphere inside.

This is East County's OG seafood spot. I don't think I've ever had anything bad from here. The seating is ample but go on the wrong night and you'll be fighting a senior citizen for a table. Nonetheless it's worth every black eye. You can bring a date for back up security.

Anthony's Fish Grotto restaurant established in 1946, was harborside until it closed in 2017 and opened the La Mesa location which is where I've dined a few times. Free parking in their lot. The restaurant is situated by a man made lake with surrounded by lush greenery, a fountain centered in the lake with swans, ducks and other creatures. Indoor and outdoor seating, I always prefer outdoor beneath a shady umbrella during rain or shine. Service by the hostess, waitress and servers had always been professional, accommodating and nice. The menu focuses on seafood, but also offers some favorites: steaks, burgers, pasta and brunch on weekends. Also available is a special menu for the pups, made with natural ingredients; cooked rice, salmon, and diced veggies. I ordered this for my furbaby Fendi, but she's so picky, she didn't eat it. Most of the dishes 'Ive had here were good, especially the grilled salmon with baby bok choy, carrots and mashed potatoes. The fish and chips, were subpar as Ive had better elsewhere. The clam chowder was too salty and too thick, simply inedible, I had to reject it and sent back. I was left with the coleslaw salad which saved the day along with the glass of vino. Sipping a glass of wine, with views of the lake and fun loving amusing wildlife was probably the highlight every time my pup and I dine here and that's worthy of a visit. Recommend

Our trip to Anthony's started with a very friendly greeting by the host Dylan. Dylan sat us quicker than first quoted. He even gave our Corgi a small treat after he sat us. We sat by the lake and were served by Dez. We enjoyed a relaxing lunch with our dog. We had Manhattan Chowder, QC Fish and Shrimp, and the Northern Combo of Cod and Sole. Our Corgi ate fish and rice. As usual, the food and service was outstanding!

Treated my wife to a wonderful lunch date to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Dined in the beautiful patio area with a great view of the "lake" and ducks. Enjoyed some delicious Fish & Chips and scrumptious fish tacos. The Old Fashioned cocktail was prepared to perfection. Our server Rob was nothing short of spectacular! He was super busy however never skipped a beat. Great place, Great food and Great service, what more could you ask for? If you haven't been here yet you seriously need to give this place a try. I promise you'll be thanking me and my taste buds.

Each visit I always enjoy the view and the delicious food! This time I ordered a grilled crab and cheese sandwich with a side of coleslaw. My only caveat was I wish the coleslaw had more of the iconic pineapple sauce and the grilled cheese had more crab. The ducks were busy being cute and put on a show while we ate our lunch. Our server was courteous and prompt.

The view was def nice; the service? Not so much; our server was overwhelmed with too many tables and we had to wait a bit for our order to be taken, then waited for salad dressing, and and order was missing part of meal. Was not expecting such a long wait time for lunch... maybe someone called in sick? Who knows. We were disappointed

Walking into this restaurant made me realize how fun dining out used to be - this place is so well decorated, I thought I was at a theme park! Places these days are not as daring when it comes to decor and design. Dining over a beautiful natural spring lake, watching the ducks and egrets swim about, really takes me far away from the bustling city of La Mesa or the mayhem of the 8 freeway. The roasted Brussel sprouts were a perfect way to start the meal. Crispy, perfectly cooked, and delicately seasoned, with a perfect amount of Smokey bacon to compliment each bite. I ordered the 10oz Ribeye which was beautifully cooked with perfect sear marks. The tender meat was piled on top of thick and creamy red mashed potatoes and stunning asparagus. Gigi and Kathleen were incredibly kind, and really made our experience one to remember. While I don't eat seafood, I will say that everyone around me who had a seafood plate delivered to their table silently gasped and made 'mmmm' sounds when eating - I'll take their reactions as a sign of a good meal!

I've been back in California for about a year and a half, and I've been wanting to get over here to Anthony's as I have fond memories of coming here with my parents when I was a kid, but that was 50 years ago, actually over 50, but that part doesn't really matter much. I called to make sure that they had some fresh oysters as I haven't had any fresh oysters since I've been back in California. So I grabbed my friend and we went to eat an early lunch. And of course, there was no parking close. It was already jammed full of cars by the time we got there. So it was a bit of a walk, but I didn't mind. I was looking forward to this meal. We decided to sit outside on the small lake, it looks more like a pond to me, but hey whatever. I ordered the oysters first and a corona with a lime. It was a nice seat and of course it was beautiful outside. I looked at the menu and figured I'd get the lobster with a fillet, but we waited and waited after they brought my beer and the oysters which were pathetic actually. I don't remember having any oysters in a long time that were so small. The shells weren't that small but the oysters themselves were just pathetically small, barely a bite. And whoever opened the oysters did not cut the oyster free from the shell so I had to do that on each one so I just basically ended up tearing them up since I didn't have a knife. Very un impressive especially when you're talking six oysters for $20. to me, That's pathetic also. We waited and waited and waited, but by the time someone came back, I was fed up with waiting and I was fed up with having puny oysters for $20, and it turned out the corona was $15. I could buy a case of corona for $15, so that was a pathetic markup also. Yes, this place is expensive and upscale, but I don't expect to pay $15 for a single beer, nor do I expect to pay $20 for six crummy little oysters that were not prepared properly. I asked for a check and we just left. All the fond memories I have as child eating at this place are destroyed in one little afternoon sitting. I'll never be back, and I can't really recommend this place with the experience that I had. If this place was really good it wouldn't have 3 1/2 stars. It's a gift to be giving you two stars, because as far as I'm concerned, it should be one, but I don't like leaving the one star unless it's a total total disaster. This was just a major disappointment. I ended up going and getting a nice 16 inch meat lovers pizza from my favorite pizza place. It doesn't make the stinging of going to a crummy, expensive restaurant and getting lousy service and gouged for the food better, but I did enjoy the pizza.

Ambiance was nice and the view of the lake was amazing. Agustin, our server, was really attentive to us and super friendly overall. He really made our time at the restaurant special! Food was also really good, especially the mud pie dessert! Heavily suggest coming here, and if you do, ask for Agustin!

Service was decent. Ambiance looks dated. Needs a refresh. The food? Gawd awful. Yuck is another description for what was served. The cooks need training on quality and flavors. I find it hard to believe people give this place high ratings. I suppose the bar is low versus for me I expect better than what was served here. Especially for the prices. One dish was sautéed shrimp with vegetables and rice. Not sure what they did but both the shrimp and vegetables were inedible. I wanted to return it but the person I was with did t want to make a big deal. The best part of the entire mean was the Spumoni. Something the cooks didn't get to make thank goodness. I'd avoid this place. The Brigantine is nearby. So if you want fish go there. What a waste of time and money.

So great! Really great ambience! Super fun survive! Great food! Even our busser is as awesome!! Dylan and will! Had a great Valentine's Day here!

After passing this place all my life I finally found myself dining here. I've always passed since I'm not a seafood person but my in laws are. We came here to celebrate Father's Day as they had availability for 5 within 10 minutes. We even got a table with a lake view. They have a lot to offer and plenty of non fish/seafood items on the menu. A good selection for drinks too. They do serve complimentary bread though it's a roll per person haha no more or less. The view was nice but the back half of the restaurant is pretty warm compared to the front. No AC was blowing and we had to leave without any after meal banter because of this. They can host large groups and have outdoor seating with includes for dogs too. I got a rib-eye ordered medium rare but came out well done. Fries and rice pilaf. Meat was ok I thought about sending it back but I didn't wanna be waiting for a refry so I just ate it. Seasoning was good. Rice was good, standard rice pilaf. Everyone seemed happy with their food Overall not bad wish my meat was cooked correctly but our server was so so sweet and attentive .

I understand that Saturdays are busy - but we arrived at 5:40pm and didn't leave until 7:15. We had three people in our party, and we all new what we wanted pretty quickly. Our server (who supposedly was a Lead Server) was slow and absent minded. Forgetting multiple items or getting items wrong completely. A table that was seated well after us with a different server was served before us. Food was hit or miss. Creamy New England Clam Chowder was delicious...we came specifically for that, so I was glad. One of us had the bread bowl which she said was too soft for sourdough. I had the Crab and Shrimp cocktail. Tasty, but a little too much sauce. One of us had the Shrimp Trio. She said it was good. One of us had the appetizer Linguini with Clams...they were out of Linguini. She had it with penne. Clams were good size and tender...but she said the dish was too salty (and she loves salty so that said a lot to me.) I had the Bay Combo. Upgraded to wedge salad (nice and crisp). I ordered a side of asparagus (at the servers recommendation) and it came with green beans. The fish and shrimp were over cooked and dry...but we simply had no time for a redo, so we didn't tell the server. As we were in a hurry because we had tickets to a show, while trying to pay, we asked someone up front if we could pay up there and were told no. Luckily someone in our party had cash to cover the bill so we could just leave. We were so disappointed. Ambiance itself - beautiful.

Anthony's restaurant is one of our all-time favorites. They have the most wonderful food and bunny is our waitress and she's been here a long time. She knows her stuff. She is very efficient. You can sit here and watch the baby ducks swim around the lake. And the fish and chips is amazing

I had never been to this location of Anthony's, though believe that it is the only location that still exists today. I recently met a friend there for a Sunday lunch. When I arrived, I was happy to find plenty of parking. I wasn't sure about the space, so I showed up without my dog, but later learned that they have plenty of dog-friendly patio seating. What was the most striking when I walked up was the shell-shaped entrance, which had a very retro feel. We arrived at noon on a Sunday. The place was buy, but it was absolutely huge, so we had plenty of options for outdoor seating. I saw several people dressed up, as though there were some bridal showers and baby showers taking place. The outdoor area has a duck pond that is quite large, with small fountains off the side of the building. It was really beautifully done. They also sell duck feed for the kids. On Sunday, they had their regular menu and their brunch menu. I chose the salmon Benedict, though the crab cake Benedict sounded equally appealing. Service was good. I liked that staff walked around with pitchers of iced tea and water so we could have refills throughout our lunch, I had mixed feelings about my food. The fruit was fresh and sweet. The egg on my Benedict was perfectly cooked and runny, but I thought a seafood place would have had a bit thicker pieces of salmon. My salmon was not the highlight of my plate, as it should have been. The potatoes had a sun-dried tomato sauce. It was tasty, but I would have preferred more traditional hash browns or house fries to accompany my egg dish. I noticed a great looking happy hour menu, and since I regularly work nearby, I may return to check it out. All in all, I really loved the atmosphere and friendly service. The best part was the retro feel. I enjoyed the food, but I do think it could have been better. I look forward to coming back to sit by the pond and try some different menu items.

Came here on our vacation with family. We had never been here. Hostess, and staff are awesome very welcoming. Prices are fair and that's nice. We placed drink order with our waiter and everything was served in a timely manner. Its kept clean and has nice decor. The meals we ordered along with bread and butter were super delicious. Everything right down to the seahorse Sundays for the kids was great. A new favorite when we are down for a visit in the future. Can't wait to try more things on our next visit.

Have not been here in years. It has been well maintained. We went Thursday Dec 18th. The restaurant is very wheelchair friendly. We were seated right away. No wait, no reservations. Our waiter Jonathan and our busboy Alec were extremely attentive, patient and professional. We had a great experience. The food was worth every penny. It's a nice clean, quiet place to eat delicious food. Everyone was friendly. We will definitely go back.

I was craving lobster tail and steak and happened to come across Anthony's Fish Grotto as a recommendation -- and I'm so glad I did. My wife and I went last night, and the entire experience was absolutely amazing. From the moment we walked in, the ambience had me excited, and once we stepped inside and saw the beautiful lake, it genuinely took my breath away. And somehow, it only got better from there. The food was incredible -- perfectly cooked and full of flavor -- and the service was just as fantastic. Everything from start to finish felt special. We can't wait to come back!!

Still great! The breading on the OG seafood is light and the tartar sauce is unique. The lunch entrees are an appropriate size and less expensive than at night. The setting on the lake is delightful, but too hot today for the outside lakeside tables. I was there as they opened and snagged a window table.

This restaurant is my childhood wrapped up with so many memories! From going to lunch with my grandmother (her favorite place) to meeting up for family dinners on special occasions, to now sharing these same traditions here with my children. This is the last of several Anthony restaurants in San Diego. It's the OG of them ALL with so much history. Since 1946 Mama Ghio took her uniquely inspired Italian dishes to life that still live on through generations of her famiglia. They are most known for their Manhattan (red) clam chowder. There is NOTHING in this world like it. So creamy, just the right amount of perfectly cut cubed potatoes, marvelous mirepoix, combo of clams & just the right amount of pleasant spices. The calamari and that batter are unbelievable! Light texture, tender tentacles and crunchy exterior that are cooked to perfection. Plus, their red cocktail sauce that companies it, is literally the best (cocktail sauce) you'll ever have in your life! Their creamy tartar sauce is pretty tasty too. The louie salad (choice of seafood) is incredible in presentation & taste. The house white salad dressing you could drink. LOL Order extra!! These menu items (I refer too) are extraordinary, hard to perfect and that's why these dishes are a family secret recipe(s) for a reason! Over the years things have changed on the menu as far as menu options, original taste (I recall) and price, but the memories will forever stay the same. EVERY time we are in San Diego this is a must have spot for me. My favorite restaurant for so many reasons including the gift of bringing me back in time. The entire locations grounds are maintained well. We like to dine outside by the water. It's a dog friendly area as well. You are able to feed the ducks/ geese and fish with bread & or saltine crackers. Inside it's a little mermaids paradise as an illusion of an "under the sea" theme. Highly suggest you go during off peak hours. Either right when they open or a late lunch around 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM for an early dinner. Otherwise, you will have a hard time getting in or have a long wait. They offer happy hour, kids menu, brunch specials, banquets and a private dining menu too! Please visit their little inside shop near the hostess station (entrance). Pick up some of their amazing cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, trinkets and more!

We had a large party of 15, Nancy our server and rest of staff handled it like a pro! Very happy with service and food. Prices reasonable. Seating and booths very accommodating and comfortable, with nice view of duck pond. we ordered a wide range of items from the menu from steak, calamari steak, daughter got clam linguine from Appetizer as her entree. Octopus leg was excellent pupu. My Crab/Shrimp Louie was excellent as my meal. Big Bay Combo looked scrumptious next to me..A few enjoyed their margaritas, bottle of wine, water refills were prompt. Bill was reasonable & easy parking! would come again next visit to SD.

Went to Anthony's the other day with my family who was visiting town. Overall it was good. The waitress was very kind and I loved the view of the lake. I loved the clams, but wasn't the biggest fan of the cheesecake.

We had my mom's birthday celebration here and it was amazing! We got the banquet room that overlooked the water. We were very well taken care of. The tables were set up with nice linens and napkins.Everything we ordered was delicious and served timely. Our waiter Will amazing! He was on top of everything and catered to our every need. The ambience is beautiful . can't say enough about our experience. Thank you so much!

Our waiter was good but I have to tell you about Alec, the bus boy. This young man (who I've seen here for several years) is so polite and is on his job helping all customers always with a smile! I think he will be an excellent waiter for your business some day very soon! He would get my vote!

Came for dinner on a Monday night, and this restaurant is super underwater themed, really leaned into the decor with it. I enjoyed the lake out back and patio lights were pretty! As for the food, I ordered the seafood kabob and some cole slaw which was a way bigger portion than I thought, kind of closer to a salad and on the sweeter side. The seafood kabob was good! The scallops almost melted in my mouth and I loved the garlic butter. The BREAD we got as an appetizer was divine, crunchy outside, very soft and fluffy inside. That along with the pimento butter was great! Our server was very sweet and attentive as well, gave us good recommendations. For dessert we got their seasonal pumpkin creme brûlée cheesecake, which I felt like on paper there was a lot going on, but was curious to try. The cheesecake itself was a little dense, but I loved the crust and the crunchy top that came with the creme brûlée. Didn't get much pumpkin, but it was still good.

Anthony's consistently serves delicious, simply prepared sea food which allows the natural goodness of the seafood shine through. Their white clam chowder is comfort food for us. It's the perfect starter. The lunch portion of fried fish and shrimp is served with a choice of sides and we got the coleslaw. The coleslaw is another Must-Have - slightly sweet with pineapple is perfect. The fish and chips are hot and crispy and their tartar sauce complements the dish perfectly. I got the sand dabs and they were prepared with a light crust and a dash of lemon. Our server Bev was super! We came in as they opened so there was a rush to seat and get people's orders. Bev was cheerful and efficient and handled the diners with ease. We love sitting by the window and watching the ducks in the pond.

The food is okay. I had the fish sandwich, pretty good, the calamari light and fluffy. Prices were higher than quality. Service was average/slow even with a low amount of customers for lunch. The decor is older. The pond and water spouts are neat. Outside tables need spinning fly shoo swatters or plants that catch or deter flies.

What a great find! We went there for my birthday lunch and it really exceeded expectations! It's very nice location when you are inside that overlooks a lake (with outdoor seating as well), has a varied menu with several seafood and several dishes to choose from in every category; and the prices are surprisingly reasonable considering the generous portion sizes and excellent quality of the dishes. I highly recommend this place for a date night, no occasion, special occasion. We plan on becoming regulars.

My first time back since Anthony's was on the waterfront near the Star of India. I had an artisan salad consisting of whole spinach leaves, diced (seemingly canned)beets, boiled shrimp, candied pecans, and some cucumber and tomato. It was lacking in quality and flavor. My husband's portions were small, and my father's clam chowder was just okay. We expected high prices, but this time the food was not worth the price. The stars are for the nice atmosphere.

7 of us went to Anthony Fish Grotto last night.The food was a big disappointment.The Sirloin steak was tough and the baked potato was cold.I ordered the Bay combo and the salmon was paper thin and dried out,the swordfish was the size of a silver dollar and void of any seasoning..The icing on the cake was when we asked for more bread we were told we would have to pay 65 cents for each additionAl roll.The service was horrible,when we first sat down we were being rushed to order but the food took a long time.This was a birthday dinner for 2 of the ladies and turned into a big disappointment..Never going back again

The highlight was Rob, our waiter singing Happy Birthday to my wife. See attached video. The food was good too.

A lifetime of memories at Anthony's (nearly 6 decades). Growing up Anthony's Harborside was my first fancy grotto (restaurant) . Always my choice for birthday dinners or family special occasions. As I grew up I would discover La Mesa and Chula Vista were impressive places for date nights. I would eventually do business lunches at Chula Vista. My Sister's Rehearsal Dinner was at the Golden Triangle location. It is bittersweet that only the La Mesa waterfront grotto is left. We as a family are still happy to go for special occasions. Somethings have changed over the years but the personal nostalgia is still very alive and we have Mama Ghio to thank. Today the last standing location in La Mesa offers 10/10 food. 10/10 service, 10/10 atmosphere. I hope there are many people like me that always smile and nearly weep when coming here. From my family to yours we wish you another 79 years of success. Thank you!

Service was decent and ambiance was great. Table overlooked the large pond. If we were to come back I hope to be seated outside. Food was just ok. Halibut was just ok and they forgot to put the mango-pineapple on it. Had to ask for a side of it. Baked potato was good. Citrus rice pilaf was good as well. Ceaser salad had an overly fishy and salty taste. This place was for a much older crowd it seemed like as that's who I went there with.

This place is very cute and dog friendly which makes me love it even more. The ceviche is good, the burger was delicious, the service is always great, very attentive with my drinks.

We were seated outdoors (right outside the automated door) and waited for 10 minutes while wait staff in the area walked by, served a table seated after us and completely ignored us. I waved down someone delivering water to another table and asked for water. He brought it and we continued to wait for service while watching the wait staff service every other nearby table, while avoiding eye contact with us. This restaurant is expensive and we were prepared to spend the money for two seafood entrees and some drinks. We live in the area and have celebrated here often in the past. After 10 minutes of being completely ignored we left. We went to Little Roma, a wonderful Italian family-owned restaurant not far away and had a fabulous meal with excellent service at a fraction of the price. Check my review there. We'll definitely be visiting Little Roma again soon. (In fact, Aromas of India is also nearby and it's fantastic. Both are better options than Anthony's. What a disappointment. )

I have been a patron of this establishment for many decades. I even used to enjoy the other restaurant they had on the Embarkadaro, located near downtown San Diego, next to the Star of India. My favorite was the "Fishette." Why people always take away the good things in life is a very strange mystery at best. But with regard to the La Mesa Anthony's restaurant, I go there typically for the same entree 99% of the time. They used to have, (many years ago), a shrimp dish called, "San Felipe Shrimp Cocktail." They got RID of it many years ago and WHY, well... that is anyones guess! It was a fantastic treat and they used to serve marbled bread with their signature whipped butter but they got RID of that bread style too! For the longest time, they always had a very delisious, high priced Key Lime desert but, about three months ago, they got RID of that too! The word is that the vendor who made it, wanted MORE MONEY for it, so the guy that owns Anthony's got RID of that TOO! I have even mentioned in the past about the accommodations in the mens rest room. That owner could not care less about the customers because, he has done NOTHING to correct the suggestions I offered him. MOST of the PATRONS are senior citizens, like me. Many of us have arthritis in our hands. That said, the manner in which the paper towel dispenser is situated on the wall is highly suggestive that the owner does NOT want people using too many paper towels! (See the photo) with the red arrow pointing to the round knob that we are expected to be able to TURN with WET HANDS in order to get even one or many two, very THIN sheets of cheap paper to attempt to dry our hands with. The OTHER mention, is how the SOAP dispenser is situated on the wall. It is hard to reach, awkward as all hell, and difficult to push to get the soap out of it, especially with having arthritis in your hands! I suggested to the owner a long time ago that he consider having automatic soap and paper towel dispensers installed in the restrooms. Obviously, the owner is cheap! Not caring one iota about his customers. The place is always packed with people who come there to dine, and with that, one would think that to fork out a few more dollars for some decent soap and paper towel dispensers for the customers would be a very thoughtful consideration. But NOPE! Ain't doin' it! We were just informed that the PRICES for all menu items have now been raised, to keep up with the ever increasing Greed Epidemic that began in the early 1980s in the USA and has since, become what many would refer to now as being the "Line in the Sand" as to whether it is even WORTH the time to go out and enjoy a nice meal anywhere anymore. What is eventually going to happen, (and I suspect, SOONER than later) is the complete closure of nearly every business both brick and mortar as well as on line businesses because the "people" will, by & large, not be able to afford it anymore. Lastly, we, "customers" are not dumb, stupid and blind. While in line before this establishment opens its doors each day, there is a sort of coy pond at the left side of the entrance which is, and has been completely neglected for many years. That, in and of itself, tells us that the "owner" truly does not care AT ALL about what people think. The attitude is clearly, "If you aren't happy here, go someplace else." Another thing, DOGS, have ZERO BUSINESS being allowed into ANY restaurant in the United States of America. There USED to be such a thing as COMMON SENSE and CONSIDERATION for "OTHERS" but, even since the pushed upon society advent of bold Liberalism has taken over the country... Common Sense has been tossed out the window with all the rest of the positive human virtues that, at ONE TIME dominated American society. It IS INDEED coming down to brass tax, so to speak, in that some of us at least, are going to alter our future plans about dining in certain places from now on and we simply won't be showing up anymore. Lack of caring can be a two-way street.

A most festive ladies lunch with excellent service from Silvia. Our drinks were kept filled and our food orders were delivered quickly and we felt very well taken care of. Food was excellent and we appreciated the smaller portion plates that were offered. My salmon and cod and coleslaw was just right and very tasty and the two ladies that ordered the avocado salad with shrimp both commented on the delicious dressing and took half their salad home. The trout almondine with fries was also delicious. The warm soft rolls with two types of flavored butter were yummy as well. We topped off our meal by sharing the dessert special of the house and that was enjoyed by all!! Excellent spumoni ice cream and rum sauce cake!! We were fortunate to see many ducklings and water birds today. We chose to eat indoors because of the humidity today and it was very pleasant I side and not too cold. Lots of patrons were enjoying outdoor lakeside dining in the shade. A good time was had by all!

Another wonderful lunch at Anthony's today! I so enjoy the Orange Roughy and today I enjoyed it with Red skinned mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus! The service and ambience have been consistently great over the last few months and the view is excellent! I continue to come back every month and who knows, I might try another menu item next time!!

So, yes, this is an institution. It was a sad day when the Anthony's on the water closed. My parents remember going here in high school if they wanted to impress their date. For those of you still dating, if you want to impress your date, skip Anthony's. There are so so many excellent seafood restaurants in San Diego. Why you'd settle for this very average representation is beyond me. Unless you're old and it brings back that nostalgia. This isn't about the dated decor. I could care less. Honestly, I prefer the decor to be out of date. It shows they're more focused on their food and less on their appearance. It isn't about the outdated menu. Who cares? If you're doing something right and its good, why change it. What it is about is the execution. And the price. If you're going to charge the same amount as some fancy place downtown you better live up to the flashy downtown experience. And, as has been pointed out, the experience here is something your parents would recognize from when they went here in high school. I have to admit, they didn't cook any fish badly (except my sanddabs). The calamari steak, salmon, and fish and chips were well cooked. The salmon portion was small. Little ordered it and she was still hungry. And she has a tiny appetite. For $29.50 we were expecting a little more. It was cooked well but underseasoned. Like not seasoned. Sure, you can add salt and pepper or drown it in tartar sauce, but should you have to at a place that specializes in fish dishes? By far the best dish was the calamari. An "Anthony's Classic". It is thick but not rubbery. It's also $22.50. For squid. The small bite I had of the fish and chips were fine. Nothing special. I've had waaay better fish and chips (to Anthony's credit I've also had waaay worse). My sanddabs, also an "Anthony's Classic" were a joke. I don't know what classifies as a "classic" but I wouldn't claim these as mine if I were Anthony's. Small, overcooked, and under seasoned they weren't worth half of the $18.50 they cost. To say they were disappointing is an understatement. And, even if they had been amazing, I could have eaten about 6 more of them and not been full. I don't know how you manage to overcook one side of a fillet of fish and keep the other side cold. But they did. Well done Anthony's. You've somehow defeated science. If this place was really good or a lot cheaper I would eat here every time I'm in town. Unfortunately, its not. I'm sure I'll be back. The parentals are turning 80 so I find myself humoring them and going places they remember from the "good ole days". But will I enjoy it? I doubt it.

My husband and I used to eat at Red Lobster a few times a year for birthdays or anniversaries. Since they closed most of them in San Diego, I was searching for a place to go get lobster tails for my birthday recently. Surprisingly, I seemed to have a hard time finding somewhere inland that served basic lobster tails, crab legs, shrimp, etc. at a reasonable price. Most places were near the coast and also extremely high priced and didn't even serve basic seafood, but more combination items, like crab cakes. We've driven by this restaurant numerous times, and I believe we had even tried it decades ago, but when I saw they had the basic seafood at reasonable prices, we decided to try it. The restaurant has been there a long time, and the decor inside certainly shows that. It is an underwater theme and honestly looks tacky and old. They do have a nice man-made lake you can see from the seating near the windows, with ducks that are fun to watch. We sat inside, in a window booth and one thing I didn't like was the clear plastic/glass dividers between the booths. When my husband went to the restroom, there was a gentleman eating alone in the next booth facing my direction and I felt uncomfortable since he kept staring at me. They should make the booths more private. The service was ok at best. An older woman was our waitress and we did have to wait quite awhile for her to come by. Then after we ordered our drinks, she said some guy would bring them. We waited and waited and finally she came back with our drinks and said something to the effect that she thought he was bringing them but I guess I am. Really?! How unprofessional can you be...get your act together! We also had to flag down someone to refill our sodas during the meal and she never even checked on us until the end. The food though was actually very good. I got the two lobster tail meal with drawn butter, a baked potato and grilled asparagus. They change the vegetables seasonally so that was the offering that night. My husband got the coconut shrimp and that also was very good. It was a little disappointing for this type of restaurant to not also offer a small dinner salad with the meals, just bread and sides. My husband got the pineapple coconut coleslaw as a side with his meal, which was a pretty large separate bowl, that incidentally he had to ask for as they didn't bring it out with his meal. Prices were reasonable for seafood dinners, comparable to Red Lobster pricing. Overall, we would come back as the food was great, and there are not many other choices for good seafood in East County.

Wow! What a diamond in the rough! Anthony's Fish Grotto is an amazing restaurant with a great lakeside dinner in the heart of East County. The ambiance is like no other restaurant in the area. You forget you're in La Mesa. The food was amazing and the service was prompt and friendly. Highly recommend!

Food was good. Service was great. He was very funny and entertaining. Ambience is comfortable and a little loud. Because of a happy birthday party.

If you know, you know. Stop asking for a remodel, it's probably not going to happen. Stop asking for a more elevated menu, it's probably not going to happen. Stop asking for better service, it's probably not going to happen and it's not even bad to begin with. What you do need to start doing is this... Showing up, this La Mesa classic is still as dope as it ever was and the outdated charm is exactly that, charming. I mean, the pond/lake/swamp, whatever this thing is, is simply a bit odd but awesome at the same time. They also have a "cabana" you can rent for private parties and you can also play some bocce ball. What's not to like? Oh, you, the person who doesn't like Anthony's, I don't like you.

Their website says they are La Mesa's best kept secret and they aren't kidding. We found this place thanks to Yelp and I highly recommend it. Beautiful view! We lucked out and got there after the brunch crowd so it was nice and peaceful with no wait. Everything on the menu looks good. We like to order appetizers so we can sample more items, and we went with the oysters and mussels. We decided to be adventurous and try the mussels with blue cheese. Two of the servers said in all their years there, no one has ever ordered that even though it's on the menu. We loved it but admit that it may not be for everybody. I was happy that they offered a wedge with a shrimp po'boy sandwich for brunch, it was perfectly sized and amazing. So happy we found this place!