Nico's Fish Market

Seafood market · San Diego

Nico's Fish Market

Seafood market · San Diego

745 Emerald St, San Diego, CA 92109

Highlights

We are a fish market restaurant located in Pacific Beach, just steps away from the beach. All our fish is caught from our boat FV Winnebago and our team of local fishermen, ranging from local waters here in San Diego, Baja, and up to San Clemente. Come on in to see our fish case with our just caught fish fillets for you to bring home. Ask us what catch you would like to bring home and we'll wrap your fish accordingly. We will also tell you where it was caught, who caught it, and how. In addition to the fish market, we have our restaurant side. We offer our fresh catch in a variety of options: burritos, tacos, plates, sandwiches, salads. We also serve ahi tuna poke bowls, ceviche + chips, and poke + chips. Freshly harvested oysters are available as well. We look forward to welcoming you in, shaking your hand, and educating you on our catch. Each catch brings a different flavor and texture to your palate which makes the experience new and exciting every time. We are Local Fishermen.

745 Emerald St, San Diego, CA 92109 Get directions

nicosfishmarket.com

@nicosfishmarket

@eater

"Nico’s Fish Market is the permanent location of a roving outfit that’s been popping up around town since 2022, including regular weekend residencies at Oceanside’s South O Brewing and the Shanty in Cardiff. The Emerald Street space is the fruition of a dream that founder Nico Gibbons has held since he was a teenager. At 18, the San Diego native started as a bus boy at El Pescador Fish Market, working at the 50-year-old La Jolla institution even while attending college at UCLA and eventually becoming a fishmonger. Through family connections, Gibbons spent several months living in Mexico City, training in the kitchen with chef Federico Rigoletti (Contramar) while spending nights cutting fish in the city’s main seafood market. After returning to San Diego, he learned the wholesale side of the business at Hawaiian Fresh Seafood, where he graded tuna for the poke experts. Photos of the local fishermen who fuel the market and restaurant, including Gibbons himself, are displayed next to the retail seafood counter, where sashimi plates and containers of poke sit on ice next to filets of fresh fish, from bluefin tuna to local halibut and swordfish. The menu includes poke bowls plus tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and plates featuring the day’s fresh catch always cut to order. They’ll also be running specials featuring seasonal local seafood and are working to secure a beer and wine license." - Candice Woo

Nico’s Fish Market and Restaurant Opens in Pacific Beach - Eater San Diego

View Postcard for Nico’s Fish Market

Brit Fleck

Google

🚨🚨🚨🚨BEST FISH SPOT IN SAN DIEGO. Run immediately here. Tacos, poke and burritos galore you cannot go wrong with anything on this menu. The fish is as fresh as it gets with local catches daily and a huge array of options. It’s SOOOSOOO good and the owner Nico is absolutely wonderful. Cannot recommend this spot enough!!

Eleonora Caiazzo

Google

If you're looking for the best poke or seafood in San Diego, look no further than Pacific Beach's hidden gem at the King of Poke! The quality of the fish is absolutely unreal—so fresh and flavorful it melts in your mouth. Not only do they serve up incredible poke, but they also run a market where you can grab the same top-quality fish to cook at home. The owners and fishermen are some of the nicest, most passionate people you'll ever meet, truly dedicated to serving the highest-quality seafood. Their knowledge and love for fish shine through in every bite. A must-try for any poke and fresh seafood lover!

Matt Hashemi

Google

If you’re looking for local seafood, then Nico’s is your spot. The staff are very friendly, the food is very high quality, and the ingredients are top notch. The location is right by the beach which is perfect and most importantly, Nico is passionate about this place. He greets everyone and truly wants everyone to enjoy a little piece of San Diego. If you’re local or visiting, I would recommend coming here to try their fish tacos or poke!

Danielle M

Google

Nico's (known for their pop ups) has a brand new brick and mortar location. They did a nice job remodeling the spot. Everything on the menu sounds delicious as well. I tried the Nico burrito, very tasty with the sauce they give. The poke is also very good. I'll be back to try other items!

Lizzy Lukrich

Google

i spotted a group eating what appeared to be a fabulous fish sandwich and poke at the beach and they directed me to Nico’s. i ordered the halibut fish sandwich and it was delicious; i recommend adding their orange hot sauce on the side. i will certainly return to try their poke and tacos. food orders do take a minute to make but i’d say it speaks to the freshness.

Erika Rebelin

Google

Best poke in San Diego! The poke bowl was well seasoned with a lot of flavor. The Tuna they pick at this restaurant is perfection, shiny, deep red, all the way to the texture. I had to ask the owner how do they find the fish to be so delicious. So they basically go out and find their own fish so they don't buy it of a vendor, or another source and from years of experience he can tell which fish is the best/most flavorful. I really appreciated how they selects the best fish out there they clearly care about the quality of their product. Their customer service was great everyone was very polite. The place is very clean, modern and great prices . I'm excited to go back and try other stuff on the menu.

Greg Zurawel

Google

If you’re looking for fresh, delicious seafood - look no further. I’ve yet to have a bad meal here (and I’ve been 10+) times and it always hits. The freshest poke I’ve ever had. Highly recommend the La Chinesca and whatever the local catch of the day. Once you try this local staple you’ll - you will be back.

Danielle Hiser

Google

Talk about a restaurant that lives up to the idea of fresh fish with California vibes. Such a great look and feel to the store front, chill vibes and decor inside and the most epic food you could taste. Never have I been to a place where I can actually see the fish that is going into my fish tacos or burritos- and now I’ll never go anywhere else! Delicious food and the owner Nico is so dedicated and there to educate his team and customers on all things fish! Highly highly recommend!!’

Brock ..

Yelp

Best poke in San Diego! Also the nicos burrito was delicious with crispy fish, fresh ingredients and toasted tortilla.

Noah H.

Yelp

Food was great and service was too. I got the fresh catch burrito with halibut. Very cute spot

Joe E.

Yelp

Not many places better than Nico's Fish Market. We have been going to most of their pop-ups when they started doing them last year on the weekends and so stoked they opened up a shop here in PB. The food is incredible. Everything is very fresh and you honestly can't go wrong with anything you order. I always get the plates. The Nico's plate is breaded snapper and it always delivers. The other fresh catch plates are great too. The burritos are awesome and the poke is very very good. Service is always great. Everyone is very friendly and helpful with everything. Will be back weekly!

Sebastian P.

Yelp

Must try spot if you're in the area! Great food at this little spot just a few steps away from Pacific Beach. The staff member was very helpful and knew all of the fish options available. The tacos (Nico's) were full of flavor and textures, fish tacos that aren't deep fried fish can have a mush texture sometimes but this place knows what they're doing. Layers of ingredients, melted crispy cheese between a blue corn tortillas is a great foundation for a fresh fish with a panko crust, topped with pickled onions for a nice acidity punch, topped with avocado and a creamy sauce to smooth things over. Truly a great bite and this became my favorite fish taco I've ever had.

Emmett T.

Yelp

No longer a pop-up business, Nico's Fish Market has opened a brick-and-mortar location in PB replacing a longtime taqueria just several hundred feet from the waterfront. The suite had inside seating for about 20 diners along with front patio tables that could hold another dozen customers. Fresh catches of the day were on display in a glass case at the service counter. The menu board was divided into three sections... starters on the left; two bowls and a burrito in the middle; and tacos, sandwiches, plates, and salads on the right. What I appreciated was photos on the left wall of the fishermen on staff with a description of their background and types of seafood that they catch on their boats. It added a personal touch and allowed customers to learn about the experiences of the anglers. The place was pretty busy when I arrived on a weekend afternoon. After placing an order for a Bigeye Tuna plate, I took a numbered buzzer and waited for my food. A takeout container with black beans, white rice, pico de gallo, pickled onion, radish, avocado, Lily sauce, and eight slices of grilled tuna was handed to me after 15 minutes or so. The fish was succulent and fresh. The sauce was a homemade aioli. If I had to nitpick, then I wish more beans and rice were provided as the base for the $20+ plate. The ingredients did make for a hearty mid-day meal that I rated with four stars.

Danielle M.

Yelp

Grace H.

Yelp

A happy accident! We were gonna go to Oscar's across the street and saw they were closed, so we went here, and holy shit it was so bomb! We tried the poke which was great but the Nico's burrito is the reaaaaal deal. 10/10 would definitely come again. And we met the owner Nico who was super nice and attentive, great service! Definitely check this spot out, honestly one of the best burritos I've had in SD since moving!

Brady M.

Yelp

Went here for a quick dinner since we showed up late to the BBQ and all my friends ate all the food. It was a blessing in disguise because my oh my was the food here delish. Look at how pumped my gf was

Holly A.

Yelp

This place was great! I got a swordfish sandwich to go, and it came out pretty quickly. It was very tasty, without being overly complex or fancy or anything, which lets you really taste the fish. Maybe just a little heavy on the sauce, but otherwise a solid sandwich.

Andi Z.

Yelp

These folks clearly take pride in what they do. All the food was great; they know how to cook fish perfectly. We got a catch of the day plate with dorado, catch of the day burrito with corvina, and ceviche. Just about everything is made in-house down to the tortilla chips and hot sauce on the table. Biggest surprise was the "lily sauce" - creamy, tangy, bright, great to drizzle between bites of burrito. Friendly service, lots of helpful suggestions about what fish to get with what dish. Hope to be back soon.

Erika R.

Yelp

Emily K.

Yelp

Wow! Didn't expect to like it but ended up loving it on our weekend trip to San Diego so we got it twice! Originally got it after the acai to be able to sit at the tables with our toddler. Their Nico's fish taco was so flavorful, with a blue corn tortilla, it was delicious! It was better than Oscar's! Definitely coming back

Tor Z.

Yelp

Best poke on the mainland ??? I think so !! Very happy this place opened. A new staple in PB !! Fish is fresh, rice is perfect, and all the accouchements are lovely. Also the chili crisp ??? Unreal. Eat here !!

Sally T.

Yelp

I've been here 4 times since they opened about 10 days ago so I figured it was about time I wrote a review. I patiently waited for this place to open for months and it was absolutely worth the wait. I believe the owner is a born and raised San Diegan and he is normally at the front working. The food can take up to 15 minutes so call ahead if you're in a rush otherwise just chill with some poke and chips while you wait on your food. I'm obsessed with the fish/poke burritos. It's all such fresh seafood and the store itself is very clean with a nice aesthetic.

Dave F.

Yelp

Wow. Found this gem on Yelp and glad I did. Super fresh fish. We had three different dishes and all were fantastic. Recommend the La Chinesca and Nico's Tacos. You're welcome.

Jamie O.

Yelp

Love Nico's! Best poke I've ever had. Can't wait for them to start doing popups again in Oceanside. For now, we'll have to stop in anytime we are down south.

Brett B.

Yelp

High quality food. Worth the drive from north county San Diego. Very fresh flavor and doesn't leave you feeling weighed down after. I've tried the Nico burrito, poke, oysters, and half lobster. All were beyond expectations.

Sophia H.

Yelp

Amazing fish plate and poke! The fish was so fresh and it was the perfect light lunch. Can't wait to go back!!!

Ashley S.

Yelp

Nico's is my new favorite taco spot! The food is SO good and fresh. Honestly you can't go wrong with anything you order, but my absolute favorite was the Nico Tacos. Each taco order comes with 2 tacos and they're a good size. The employees were extremely friendly, and the ambience is relaxed beach vibes and very clean. I can't wait to go back!

C G.

Yelp

I've stoped in a couple of times. The fish in the case looks amazing! I had the 8 oz poke, also amazing!!!! The owner is a local fisherman and knows fresh fish. When InPacific Beach it's a must go for the seafood lover.

Melissa B.

Yelp

Really amazing poke pop up at surf lounge and getting a new shop in pb. It took a while to get our food but it was worth the wait! I got the La chinesca, which had crispy rice topped with seaweed salad, ahi tuna poke, and some amazing sauces. The carrot papaya hot sauce is probably my favorite part - it's a very flavorful hot sauce and I'll be going back to buy some for sure.

Kateryna K.

Yelp

Best seafood in SD! Anything you get here is fresh and done even better than you would make it at home!

Glenn M.

Yelp

Went to Nico's for the first time after being recommended on a flight home from Dallas by a young man sitting in my row. Wowza...delicious food, very friendly service, and extremely clean.

Rodrigo F.

Yelp

Really fresh fish and decent quantity. La chinesca flavor is bomb. Need to come back to try the burritos

Hannah S.

Yelp

favorite fish pop up finally has a brick and mortar spot! so fresh and delicious, great size burritos and fresh fish for a reasonable price the people are so friendly and helpful! 10/10

Marc K.

Yelp

Top notch fresh fish! Only problem is they don't have an official brick n mortar store front. They partner with local businesses to set up a pop-up restaurant. They are local fisherman that are looking to share their recent catch. Whether it be the poke, plate or burrito, everything is amazing. We had a party of 12 and everyone enjoyed their meal. I guess there is something to be said about a good chef and fresh fish! I am told you can see where they will be on their Instagram account. https://instagram.com/nicosfishmarket?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Han L.

Yelp

I went to their location at the shanty. I came too late so a lot of the stuff was sold out, but I enjoyed the nico burrito and nico taco. I would come back, but for now, I really like the people running this and their concept.

Judy H.

Yelp

Delicious fresh ingredients. Great customer service. Lily's sauce is supreme. Great location. Put your order and go take a peak at the Pacific

Anne P.

Yelp

We had fish taco with grilled mahi mahi and red snapper burrito and both were excellent. Then bought some opah and sea bass to cook at home and both were terrific. Not a lot of choice in the market but it was on a Monday, late in the day. Prices for fresh fish were very reasonable.

Robyn H.

Yelp

We absolutely love Nico! The fish is beyond imaginable!!! Tonight we had a grouper and my mouth is still savoring the flavor! Nico is beyond fabulous!!! His service is incredible! The ambience is literally supporting a small business owner! Please stop by and pick up a FRESH piece of fish YOU will not be disappointed!

Wen Q.

Yelp

Food is okay. Enjoyed the tacos with the daily catch options but the nico's burrito was underwhelming and the poke was not fresh or tasty. Pricey for what it is.

Geoff L.

Yelp

What a great experience here! We stopped in for some sea bass to take home and cook but sampled a Nico's fish taco while we were there and it was delicious! PERFECTLY breaded and cooked. This is a weekly pop-up that happens on Fridays so we won't be able to take home fish from here every night, but we'll be sure to make fish Fridays a thing from here on out. Pro-tip, if you're not going directly home after getting fresh fish to go, bring a cooler or a bag of ice so you can keep your fish as fresh as possible.

Arjun P.

Yelp

Best casual seafood in San Diego. Staff is always friendly and the food is always top tier. My favorite is the sea bass! Get it if it's on special. But everything on the menu is great.

Gena L.

Yelp

Way to go Nico! The first time I found this little pop up I wasn't super hungry but had to try the fresh faire. They had their catch of the day tacos but I wanted to try the Nico taco. I mean it's apparently good enough to use their namesake. I took one bite and thought this has to be one of the best fish tacos around. Sometimes I jump the gun and write a glowing review instantly only to be disappointed on my next visit so this time I decided to wait. Well tonight we showed up around happy hour to have a couple tacos as an early evening appetizer a few months after our first visit. We tried the Nico's taco to verify consistency and also tried the fresh catch mahi mahi taco. Both were delicious but I would have to give the edge to the Nico's taco. The breading is just the right amount of everything. We did have to wait a little longer this time, I'm assuming because word is getting out about how good and fun this little pop up is, but were content sitting outside on the patio enjoying the evening and the food was worth the wait.

Michael P.

Yelp

Nico's has the absolute best fish burrito I've ever had. The flavors are out of this world, and the fish is always so fresh and perfectly cooked. If you're a fan of fish burritos, you definitely need to try Nico's. Trust me, you won't be disappointed

Pierre B.

Yelp

Delicious and fresh. Nico nailed it. You can't go wrong with any item on the menu. Highly recommend this place

Lani D.

Yelp

So happy we stumbled upon this GEM. Never had a poke burrito and let me tell you I was missing out! Beer and catch of the day taco was outstanding. They even have a cute outside dining area to enjoy your dinner!

P L.

Yelp

The Fish burrito was barely ok, not much fish inside. The ahi tuna bowl had too much creamy sauce w rice that are all clumped together. The ahi is not the freshest. We should get a re-do.

Kelly M.

Yelp

The poke was so fresh! Amazing food! We had the poke and the oysters on the half shell. Super good!!!

Andrea S.

Yelp

So good! Such a great combinations of spices , seasonings, perfection. The fish was fresh. Recommend the ahi bowl

Jessica R.

Yelp

This pop up in Carlsbad Village has the best fish in town! Is family owned and they are super friendly! I loved the poke bowl and I haven't tried the burritos but they looked so good, I will try them next time! Highly recommended!

@eater

Nico’s Fish Market and Restaurant Opens in Pacific Beach - Eater San Diego

View Postcard for Nico’s Fish Market

Brit Fleck

Google

Eleonora Caiazzo

Google

Matt Hashemi

Google

Danielle M

Google

Lizzy Lukrich

Google

Erika Rebelin

Google

Greg Zurawel

Google

Danielle Hiser

Google

Brock ..

Yelp

Best poke in San Diego! Also the nicos burrito was delicious with crispy fish, fresh ingredients and toasted tortilla.

Noah H.

Yelp

Food was great and service was too. I got the fresh catch burrito with halibut. Very cute spot

Joe E.

Yelp

Sebastian P.

Yelp

Emmett T.

Yelp

Danielle M.

Yelp

Grace H.

Yelp

Brady M.

Yelp

Holly A.

Yelp

Andi Z.

Yelp

Erika R.

Yelp

Emily K.

Yelp

Tor Z.

Yelp

Sally T.

Yelp

Dave F.

Yelp

Wow. Found this gem on Yelp and glad I did. Super fresh fish. We had three different dishes and all were fantastic. Recommend the La Chinesca and Nico's Tacos. You're welcome.

Jamie O.

Yelp

Love Nico's! Best poke I've ever had. Can't wait for them to start doing popups again in Oceanside. For now, we'll have to stop in anytime we are down south.

Brett B.

Yelp

Sophia H.

Yelp

Amazing fish plate and poke! The fish was so fresh and it was the perfect light lunch. Can't wait to go back!!!

Ashley S.

Yelp

C G.

Yelp

Melissa B.

Yelp

Kateryna K.

Yelp

Best seafood in SD! Anything you get here is fresh and done even better than you would make it at home!

Glenn M.

Yelp

Went to Nico's for the first time after being recommended on a flight home from Dallas by a young man sitting in my row. Wowza...delicious food, very friendly service, and extremely clean.

Rodrigo F.

Yelp

Really fresh fish and decent quantity. La chinesca flavor is bomb. Need to come back to try the burritos

Hannah S.

Yelp

favorite fish pop up finally has a brick and mortar spot! so fresh and delicious, great size burritos and fresh fish for a reasonable price the people are so friendly and helpful! 10/10

Marc K.

Yelp

Han L.

Yelp

Judy H.

Yelp

Delicious fresh ingredients. Great customer service. Lily's sauce is supreme. Great location. Put your order and go take a peak at the Pacific

Anne P.

Yelp

Robyn H.

Yelp

Wen Q.

Yelp

Food is okay. Enjoyed the tacos with the daily catch options but the nico's burrito was underwhelming and the poke was not fresh or tasty. Pricey for what it is.

Geoff L.

Yelp

Arjun P.

Yelp

Best casual seafood in San Diego. Staff is always friendly and the food is always top tier. My favorite is the sea bass! Get it if it's on special. But everything on the menu is great.

Gena L.

Yelp

Michael P.

Yelp

Pierre B.

Yelp

Delicious and fresh. Nico nailed it. You can't go wrong with any item on the menu. Highly recommend this place

Lani D.

Yelp

P L.

Yelp

The Fish burrito was barely ok, not much fish inside. The ahi tuna bowl had too much creamy sauce w rice that are all clumped together. The ahi is not the freshest. We should get a re-do.

Kelly M.

Yelp

The poke was so fresh! Amazing food! We had the poke and the oysters on the half shell. Super good!!!

Andrea S.

Yelp

So good! Such a great combinations of spices , seasonings, perfection. The fish was fresh. Recommend the ahi bowl

Jessica R.

Yelp

Nico's Fish Market

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