Ironside Fish & Oyster

The Best Fish and Chips in San Diego

"For an elevated fish and chips experience, diners can go for tempura-battered rockfish, plated artfully with fries seasoned with Old Bay (a mix of spices and flavors including celery salt, mustard, red pepper, and paprika), coleslaw, and tartar sauce ($26), at this perennially hip Little Italy seafood haven. Take advantage of the great selection of craft beers and pair your plate with a nice Saison or maybe even a cocktail — try “J’s Famous Ironside Bloody Caesar,” which has founding chef Jason McLeod’s secret Tofino Distillery vodka and Caesar dressing blend with optional add-ons like an oyster and shrimp or half an order of ceviche. Anyone coming to dine at Ironside can feel good knowing their meal supports local fishermen from Tuna Harbor Dockside Market." - Roxana Becerril, Keri Bridgwater

Where to Find the Best Seafood in San Diego

"This dedicated seafood restaurant is breathtakingly decorated as if you stepped into a vintage ocean liner. Known for its raw oysters, the Little Italy establishment also shines with classics like lobster rolls with brown butter mayo, filet-o-fish sandwiches with spicy tartar, and octopus a la Plancha." - Helen I. Hwang

Where to Eat and Drink in Little Italy

"A vintage nautical setting provides a stunning showcase for seafood, boasting one of the neighborhood’s better happy hours, offered on weekdays between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. that highlights $1 freshly-shucked oysters. Don’t miss out on popular plates like shrimp, lobster, and rockfish ceviche. Choose from the 50 cocktails on offer or pick something from the expansive wine and beer menu." - Candice Woo, Helen I. Hwang

Where to Eat Seafood in San Diego

"This dedicated seafood restaurant in Little Italy is breathtakingly decorated as if you stepped into a Gilded-Age ocean liner. With a new executive chef who grew up on the north shore of Massachusetts, Danielle Van Steen is now leading the kitchen, adding her personal flair to dishes like bone marrow with tuna tartare and sesame smoked trout, along with Ironside classics like lobster rolls and octopus a la Plancha." - Helen I. Hwang

"Like a nautical version of the yellow brick road, illuminated anchors embedded in the floors of Ironside Fish & Oyster lead you to the Emerald City of raw bars, where the bounteous platters come in Big, Bigger, Biggest, and Holy Sh*t. This last assortment might include, say, 24 oysters, 14 shrimp, 14 mussels, two pounds of lobster, two ounces of sustainable royal white sturgeon caviar, a portion of rockfish ceviche, and some kanpachi crudo for good measure (the mix changes daily according to what’s fresh). Not that lovers of cooked seafood will go hungry at chef Jason McLeod’s Little Italy hot spot, where the catch of the day is a perennial favorite. There’s even a small yet mighty vegetarian lineup (think charred broccolini with dried chilis, garlic, and parmesan; and Japanese sweet potato with scallion chimichurri and puffed quinoa). It’s all rounded out by an impressive bar, where 11 categories of whiskey are represented. While the menu occasionally diverges from the strictly seafaring, the decor never does. The interior design features prow figureheads turned lighting fixtures and artful stacks of steamer trunks."