Phil's Fish Market & Eatery

We love driving from the bay for the seafood here. It’s so fresh, and we love the cippiono, oysters, and especially the oyster shooter (with the Bloody Mary and shrimp being a great alternate too). We miss their old awesome location on the beach, but the food is well worth the drive. And yes they’ve had their bar open since mid 2025 despite what Google AI is saying about it being gone.

first visit great find from a travel show. good wine beer menu options. tasty dishes! big servings family style / high recommendation - good menu options good fair prices - can get busy unexpected restaurant type at this town well do enjoy - a bowl size is made for two persons

For better or worse, this location got a bigger space but it does not have the same feel like the old location. The setting between ordering food and drinks is weird and confusing. I noticed that they got lots and lots of items on the menu now, including Seafood Bouillabaisse. I don’t recall having such menu in the old location, we simply just ordered from the big board above the counter. And the menu was just one page, two the most, with one page dedicated to Cioppino. Anyway, We want Cioppino because that is what we remember about Phil. Not anymore. If I remember correctly, the Cioppino from the old location used to be, not as red, yellowish and flavorful. The Cioppino we got this time was red, very tomato-y and was not just alright. I wonder if they took out the saffron and fennel from the Cioppino sauce to make a new dish called Bouillabaisse. As for others, Raw oysters - fresh and good but raw oysters are usually good, as long as they’re fresh. Clam chowder - good but way too sweet for a savory soup. Fried calamari- it is not tentacles, it is calamari steak cut into pieces, flavor is not bad but over fried and dried, tasted more like a jerky. Very disappointed. Mediterranean pasta - yummy. The only dish that was good. Seafood pasta or Fruiti De Mare - probably the most disappointed Fruiti De Mare I have ever eaten. Desserts: Carrot cake - tasted like someone just dumped a bag of sugar, Costco size, into the batter and bake. Tiramisu- sugar level was perfect but bland. Need more coffee or espresso or something.

Philz’s Fish Market is no longer at Moss Landing. It is now in Castroville CA and the food is still delicious as ever. The Cioppino is one of the best, if not the best dish, to eat here. A big thank you to Crystal at the cash register, she was friendly and helpful:

Food quality was average. The place operates as full self-service: you order at the counter, collect your own utensils and high chair for kids, and find seating yourself. You still wait for the food to arrive, and drink refills are limited to only two.

What Phil's no longer has in views and vibe, it definitely makes up in food quality and convenience. We had the seafood cioppino bowl and a fried snapper sandwich, both of which were abundant and fresh and perfectly prepared. The cioppino had two large crab leg claws, numerous bay scallops, lots of cod chunks, several shrimp and calamari, and mussels and clams. The enormous snapper filet was very lightly breaded and sort of baked/fried perfectly flat and served on toasted light sourdough slices with fries and tartar sauce with lettuce tomato and red onions and pickle slices on the side. Good thing we skipped both dinner and breakfast before having lunch at Phil's Fish 😉

Not the same!!!! It was awkward. We walked up to the window and asked for menus, dont ask for menus. Look up at the wall for the menu. I did get a menu and as I was looking over one of the two menus as we got our food, the waitress snatched the menu I didn't have in my hand off the table. Yes I did want to order more than chowder. What was the attitude about and why? We ordered chowder bread bowls and honestly I wanted some/a main dish to share. Didn't seem to happen

I came down to Castroville on my annual Artichoke run, and settled in on a full pallet of jumbo Artichokes! And...Man-O-Man I can hardly wait to get back to Napa, for the 4th annual Choke-O-Rama this weekend at Artichoke Joe's downtown. But....First things first...I need to stop at Phil's Fish Market & Eatery for some of their world famous Clam Chowder, and let me yell you...it is Amazing! 5 ☆☆☆☆☆ and well worth the stop!

I only had a Fire Roasted Artichoke and a bowl of clam chowder, but those alone were 10 outta 10! Also didn't hurt that I was at Phil's on a weekday during lunchtime so there was no line at all, I feel your overall experience with having to wait in a huge line could change your opinion on the food. Thankfully didn't have to live through that. Anywho.. I will be dreaming of that Fire Roasted Artichoke until I can get my hands on another one.

I love going to Elkhorn Slough (rent kayaks or take a flat bottomed boat tour) when I have visitors from out of town. Part of the tour that I take my family and friends on is to have lunch here. I like to order the cioppino but it is some work to eat. FOR 2: If I am feeling more lazy I get the mediterranean pasta and a salad. I am not a large person so for me these two dishes are enough for two eaters to share. FOR 3 people: I order the ciopinno (messy with crab legs in it that have to be shelled, but delicious) ask for 2 extra bowls, 1 order of grilled artichokes, extra bread I have also heard this is excellent: Children's Fish and Chips with Halibut The service is fine (order ahead at the counter then they bring you the food). Ambiance is great for groups and families.

Came here many years back when they were at their previous location and thought they were solid. Just tried them again twice and I would say they are still good. People complain about the quality and price, but I think the quality is still there, portions are generous, and prices are fair. Seafood isn't cheap anywhere Ordered the bowl of cioppino $30, lobster roll $30, blackened scallops $32. Cioppino was a big bowl that can easily be shared, comes with garlic bread and big plate of salad. They don't skimp on the variety of seafood in that bowl and it all tasted fresh. Soup was not too salty. Bread and salad were basic. The lobster roll was a decent size, lobster meat was flavored nicely and lightly, not the overdressed kind. Comes with perfectly crispy onion rings, a bit of basic salad, and some pretty good coleslaw. Scallops were perfectly cooked and served with a choice of side It's an order at the counter and open seating type of place. They bring your food to you. Service was good, friendly, and they don't ask for tip. They clean your table after you leave. They were able to accommodate my dietary restrictions as well. There's both indoor and outdoor seating. Full bar inside with some beers on tap as well. Parking is free and plentiful either in the parking lot behind the restaurant or on the street.

My family has been coming for years. It call get extremely busy during weekend for lunch and dinner but the line moves pretty fast. The tables are first come first serve but I think the turnover of customers is pretty fast so we haven't typically had issues finding a table. This place is known for their ciopinno so I highly recommend that! They have a family meal and it comes with a big bowl of cioppino, two salads, garlic bread. We also in ordered the clam chowder, the fish m chips and fried squid, as well as oysters! The oysters were super fresh and were $1.25 per oyster. Everything we ordered was very good, which is why this is a local hotspot.

If it weren't for the nostalgia, I'm not sure we'd spend the money for our family to eat at Phil's when we're in the Santa Cruz area. We shelled out (ha ha, get it?) $150 for our recent trip for 4. We got: - Sautéed crab -- technically an appetizer, but still one of our favorites. It's crab sautéed with capers, tomatoes, herbs and more in a wine sauce. Make sure you ask for bread for dipping - Fish and chips (halibut) -- good size portion and comes with cole slaw. Hubby liked it, but it too much breading for my taste - Fish and chips (cod) -- the cheaper version. Same big portion. Teenager liked it - Fire-roasted artichoke -- good flavor but not cooked enough, so it was hard to eat - Clam chowder in a bread bowl -- hubby said chowder really good flavor (I'm not a chowder fan) and the bread was tasty too The inside was a bit crowded, so we ate outside. It seems like there's much more seating at this location compared to the old moss landing location. And the line to order was a lot shorter than the old location. The fish market is located across the way. We missed being able to fill our own drinks and help ourselves to bread, but the counter for that rarely had a line.

We stopped at Phil's new location in Castroville. While it was fine, it wasn't anything to write home about. The parking was easy, and the dining room was very cute in an old California kind of way. Food was reasonably priced and was delivered quickly which was a plus. However, it was lackluster. It was a walk-up and order, take a number, take it to your table, and then your food was delivered by a server. Serve yourself beverages, pick up extra condiments yourself. On the plus side, there was no place to include a tip with your credit card. Tips were in a jar on the counter. Would I return? Hmm. Probably not. Would I recommend? Probably not.

We've been Phil's customers for over 30 years! Whenever we visit Monterey Bay, we always make sure to grab a bite at Phil's. This is our first time at their new location, though. The menu is still the same, but the place looks a bit run down. I'm not sure what happened, but it's a bit of a bummer because in our memories, Phil's is always a fun place for our family to enjoy our summer trips to the sea. We'll definitely come back again next time, but I hope they can spruce up the decor a bit.

I've admittedly never been to the new location, and it's been years since I've been to the OG location in Moss Landing, but I can tell you that it will forever live fondly in my memory. Being far away from Phil's is one of the saddest parts about living in the land locked state of Idaho. I am thrilled they took over this spot, and even if I'm just remember the nostalgic Phil's of my younger days- I know it's an improvement on what the old restaurant in this location had become.

I was driving on my way back from Monterey and heard this restaurant had relocated and was a huge hit in town. My partner and I stocked up on some clam chowder, so we weren't too hungry, but wanted to try something at Phil's before heading home. The calamari fell short of our expectations. It wasn't crispy and there were no tentacles at all that day. :/ perhaps tentacles would've made it tastier for us? I found the calamari to be rubbery tasting and the breading was not crispy, but cakey. Cocktail sauce was good and the tartar sauce was okay. We did end up getting a cup of their clam chowder too, but the flavors couldn't compare to the spot we usually go to in Monterey. Mostly potatoes and no clams :( Felt more like a potato chowder than clam chowder, but it's possible we got unlucky with our scoop. Business was booming inside and tons of people were waiting for their food, but the wait didn't seem so long. Give or take 10 minutes to get your items.

I'm a sucker for Chipino. Was in town again and had to try again. Dungeness is BACK. Thats a definite PLUS. -overall food is good, but NOT GREAT as it's glory day. - Went w/ party of 7. Service SUCK BiG TIME. the youngster taking order was cool. The lady that brought us our food was not pleasant and very snappy. She drop off all items at one end of table, even when we pointed out who it belongs to. OVERALL, Phil's Fish Market is what u can call a "HAS BEEN." Was once great. With the current service and food quality, "we must go our separate ways!"

Service was great! Ambiance was great! Food- So so I don't think I will ever visit this place again. Way too expensive for half the amount of food that they gave u at the old place. One slice of garlic bread and small bowl of ciopinno was just ok. Huge chunks of tomato mostly. The oysters (Prepared) is basically pico de gallo over it. Good luck. Lost the magic. Waaaaay more expensive too. I have no problem paying more, but I want more food. Quality food.

I would give this a very high 3-star rating. Phil's seems like a nice establishment that serves up fresh-tasting meals, probably on the healthier side of dining out. The vegetables on the side were very tasty, and the fish was high-quality. However, the flavors were just OK. Lobster rolls in California are always a gamble. This gamble was not worth the premium price tag, but you live and you learn.

I heard about their ciopinno and had to try it. It didn't disappoint , packed with a ton of seafood! Everything was very fresh... clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops , crab, and fish. My boyfriend ordered the blackened salmon with fettuccine Alfredo . He thought the pasta was a bit bland but salmon was good. Both meals came with salad. Fried artichoke hearts were also nice and crispy. Clam chowder was also a hit. Definitely packed with value. I saw the other tables ordered fried seafood and everything looks really good.

Nice option for lunch. Shrimp sandwich was flavorful. Shrimp and chips were also good. Plenty of parking in the back lot although there are many signs to secure your belongings. Not sure of this a high crime area or just super cautious. All employees were kind and helpful. I will be back to try something not fried.

We were so excited to try this restaurant because I read an article about it recently, but sadly, it was extremely disappointing! This was probably one of the worst clam chowders I've ever had. There were hardly any clams -- it tasted more like cream soup. I could only have a couple bites of the stirfry calamari because it tasted like an attempt at bad Asian food. Because the restaurant was hyped as having fresh seafood, I was surprised that it was made with deep-fried calamari steak pieces. The salad didn't taste fresh and was sloppily made. Tasteless fries were on the side. Prices were comparable to restaurants in SF so I definitely would not recommend eating here for poor quality and high priced food.

Snapper tacos are massive and delicious! Could use some sauce but I probably could have asked for a side. Clam chowder was outta this world, definitely a must have and not just roux like at most places these days. Outdoor seating area is dog friendly and market sells smoked dried salmon, yum!

Great place to stop off on your way to or from the Monterey area. Parking can be challenging on the weekends with lots of people passing through. They have a parking lot in the back. Order at the register, get a number and sit at a table. Grab your drink from the drink counter. They bring your food to the table. Condiments all at the table. We both like the fried scallops. I'm not a huge fan of the fries and wish they did some other sides like veggies. They can swap it for a salad.

It's been years since I've revisited Phils, starting with the decline in quality and care that put his name on the foodie lovers map and with the kudos from the Food Network of years past. Then the pandemic struck and the eventual "forced" relocation from the original spot in Moss Landing. Firstly and unfortunately, the quality has not improved. The Calamari & Chips ($24.95) were overcooked, rubbery and not served warm. The fries were low quality frozen potatoes, the cocktail sauce was so congealed that I had to use a fork to stir into a usable consistency. The side of coleslaw was tasteless and swimming in mayo. In simpler language, it's gotten worse with the outrageous crazy price increase for a "fast food" type of dine in service. Speaking of, and I use the term loosely, the service was not friendly, especially the grumpy old lady behind the beverage counter. I asked for a water and she handed it to me with rude frosty glare. The other servers looked annoyed and felt they didn't want to be there let alone bringing people's orders to their tables. The ONLY pluses for the existence of this business and it's new location is that it's much more roomier, but lacks the sea charm of the original place near the Moss Landing harbor and that its generating much needed tax revenues for the town of Castroville who recently lost it's beloved, world famous Artichoke Festival of 65 years. Phil turned to the dark side as well as his back in regards to his humble beginnings of bringing good quality seafood to long standing local patrons and now the business is just a churn and burn catering to the almighty tourist dollar who read outdated rave reviews of days long past. Well sir, you got my last "buck" as I will not be returning. IMHO...I'd rather have a McDonalds fish sandwich which is better tasting!

Came to Phil's Fish Market for a solo lunch after doing a mini birthday trip to Moss Landing. I really enjoyed the casual atmosphere and my meal overall! Located in downtown Castroville, Phil's is the perfect spot for your seafood cravings. It is walk-up service where you order at a register, then take a number to any open table. I ended up ordering: - Half dozen oysters: these were delicious and only needed a squeeze of lemon - Cup of clam chowder: lots of clam meat and comforting for a breezy day The wait for my food was a little longer than expected. But once my food came, nothing mattered because everything was so yummy. I would definitely come back for lunch for their fried fare and cioppino!

We drove specifically to have artichokes & seafood on our way to Monterey.. My deep fried artichokes were mushy, the steamed mussels were pathetic (hardly any meat in them) the broth was good.. What a waste of of time

This was a very bad food experience. First of all the parking lot has 8 signs "park at your own risk, high theft environment". The fried zuchini was dripping in grease and the batter was 3:1 ration to zuchini.....horrible. The infamous Sand Dab sandwich used to be top notch. This one came out with greasy buttered sourdough bread and two pieces of fried sand dabs. Fixings on the side were minimal. Worst ever. I had not idea they let this establishment fall to pieces. No Pride...no honor in cooking....I reviewed the other diner's plates and they all were MID at best....and the fact that everything is 200% more expensive than other seafood restaurants is literally a crime. SO DISAPPOINTED.

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

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

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

Since they moved to the new location, it was our first time dining in. We had cioppino, clam chowder, and halibut with marsala sauce. All of them were delicious. I'd love to go back and try more dishes!

Wanted to come see the new location. It's a lot roomier and the place is nice and clean. Walked in and ordered. The service was quick. I don't recall these meals being so massive. Each ordered would have fed 2-3 people. Food was hot and fresh. The Cioppino was super refreshing and great tasting. The lobster roll had good amounts of meat. Only complaint on the lobster roll I would say would have to be the bun. A little too oily/buttery. I would like a thicker bun that would hold the lobster together instead of fall all over the place. Couldn't even add the pickles, lettuce and tomato that came with it. Overall, I would still come back. More things on the menu that I want to try!

Big improvement since our previous visit on almost every aspect that I touched on in my 2023 review. We ordered seafood sliders, cioppino in a bun, and clam chowder. The sliders are on the appetizer menu but easily serve as a full meal with soup or salad on the side plus give you a lot of variety. The scallops especially and the shrimp in the sliders were cooked to perfection, better than when the restaurant was in Moss Landing. I like the new change in this dish where the buns are grill toasted and the sliders are served deconstructed. The salmon and fried calamari steak sliders were under-seasoned and a bit over done. Cioppino was on point and as we remembered it. The chowder was under-seasoned but came to life with a bit of table salt and pepper, could use more clams though. They have expanded their dining area, installing a shaded patio for outdoor dining and adding tables indoors near the fish counter in an adjacent building on the other side of the patio. This expanded seating arrangement has improved the ambiance of the main indoor dining which previously felt stressfully overcrowded, airless, and noisy. Person working FOH was fantastic: welcoming and engaging. Had to wait ~10 minutes for someone to attend to the bar, perhaps the addition of a bell or light patrons can use to summon the barkeep would balance the understandable realities of fully staffing. Barkeep was awesome at making drinks. Appreciated the bussers coming by twice to keep the table cleared. Wait staff is more of a delivery service so don't expect anyone to come by to ask how you are doing mid-meal (it was this way in Moss Landing too) but thankfully the dishes were delivered via tray.

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

Came here to check out the new location since they move from Moss Landing. This place is different but still has some of the old things from the old restaurant. Fast service but the food is different. Check out what I ordered.

I went there for Father's Day of last year. Have always gone to PFM when they were in Moss Landing. I spent $200.00 for the most tasteless, oily old food! It was disgusting beyond belief! If i would have known it was going to be a letdown, I would have spent my money on Long John Silver or a Filet o Fish at McDonalds. Sad to say they would have tasted so much better!

Close this place you'll be doing the fish/seafood/sea creatures a favor by having another, a better restaurant serve them. It's more salad on tue plate than anything. Idk if this place returns the water back to the sea but they can atleast offer .ore water or have someone offering g more water like the bartender. All he was doing was looking at gay-fish on his phone the entire time I was there what a shame. Let's not forget the paisas I could've sworn I heard some of them say that woman's fish smells worse than what we serve here. Pinche RAZA! The 1 star is given to the younger waitress she was actually working. It's funny that they still got my order wrong with the dressing but I won't mention that. Skip this place trust me you'll be doing yourself a favor. Oh and I walked I to the fish market and the 1 waiter or whatever he was, was just chitchatting with some waitress (i guess) that was on her brake put kids now and days are useless.

This was our first time visiting at the new location in Castroville, they have two rooms for sitting, and an outside area. I'm not crazy about the are where you lace the order, it's very tight and right next to the entrance to the first dinning room. Service was good as usual, menu has not really changed, they had allot of things out of stock though. The drinks station is to the left of the ordering station and the first dinning room to the right. Again, all very tight when it gets busy. We ordered the Clam chowder cups to starts and their Cioppino for our main dinner. The bus boys keep the dinning room clean and flowing. One table leaves and they are immediately cleaning up. I miss their old location, being able to walk out to the beach right after eating was the best.

We decided to try Phil's Fish Market and Eatery because our 12-year-old, a crab fan, was promoted to middle school. This would be our first time in a while, and they had moved to a new location in Castroville, CA. Upon entering, we ordered food at the counter. If you buy a drink, you go to the left of the counter to pick it up. The woman taking our order and collecting the money wasn't particularly friendly, but the girl who gave us our drinks was very nice. We found an available table and headed there. We arrived during lunch hour, and several people were already there. I noticed that the table was old and had old chairs. We had a window seat overlooking Merrill St. in Castroville, CA. Our food arrived promptly, and everything seemed to be in order. Our 12-year-old son enjoyed his crab, which he could choose between hot or cold. the crab big with plenty of meat, he was happy. I ordered the spicy jumbo shrimp with rice, salad, and bread. Except for the crab, the food was served on a plastic plate. My dish looked like they had just thrown everything on top and forgotten about its appearance. The shrimp was delicious, but the sweet sauce underneath was too sweet. The rice was cold, the salad was fresh, and the bread looked like it had been run over by a car. The other meal ordered was cod fish. The cod was stringy and mushy, so we don't believe it was codfish. This was a $130 lunch, and I expected much better service and food. I don't expect to be served in plastic dishes. To make matters worse, we were disappointed with our overall experience. Except for our 12-year-old liking his crab, we wouldn't return.

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

Phill has some fantastic fish food offerings/they have moved from their Moss Landing location/

Get the cioppino! The regular bowl is enough for 2, despite what the menu says. The scallops were also good as well as the oysters on the 1/2 shell (although very basic dressings for it). Service was friendly, and I imagine if we came at a busier season (summer?) the ambience would be very casual busy fish spot - this time it was casual quiet small town feel.

Finally got to try this place but it fell a bit short. I was told this place is to die for, but it was very much like any other fish n chip place. I also was told recently that the new location doesn't taste as good. I got a few items. Clam chowder - not as good as fish shopper but decent for the Monterey bay. Fish, calamari and shrimp fry - The calamari was the best but the fish fell very short. It was too breaded and dry. Garlic bread - two pieces of not so crispy garlic bread but it was nice to dip in the clam chowder. I would come back just for the fried calamari.

Outstanding clam chowder and fire-roasted artichokes! I love the setting of the old 1800s school house building. Parking can be a little cramped, but there is also street parking. Don't be intimidated by the long line to order. It goes fast, and once you order, you get a number, and there is plenty of seating. The wait staff brings your order to the table. I love that they have a smaller version of the clam chowder in the bread bowl. They also have the large standard size, but the smaller one is perfect for a smaller appetite. More places should offer this option. This is a great stop if you're traveling this section of Highway 1. Castroville is such a charming old farm community!

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

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

The new eatery is easy to get to and delivers on the fresh fish and yummy Ciopinno. A bit bummed they didn't include any fresh Dungeness crab in the Ciopinno since it's Dungeness crab season. Other fish and seafood dishes didn't disappoint!! Casual, diner vibe with good food! Fresh, flavorful and large portions. Service was quick, salads that came with our meals were bigger than expected. Love supporting local business away from the tourist area.

I'm so disappointed. This was one of our favorite places for seafood when we lived here. They moved and I looked to see if they opened somewhere else and they did. But it's not the same quality and the flavors are just not there. Coleslaw had no flavor. The lobster was supposed to be cooked in butter, but didn't seem to be. Not much flavor there. The best thing were the onion rings. They were everything you want in a crispy, flavorful onion rings. I guess I won't go out of my way to visit again. So sad.

WHAT in THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE!!!! Ordered a chicken salad no flavor at all I asked for some ranch dressing waitress said its 1 dollar then she says we already put Cesar Salad dressing on it.. I was like were is the dressing I didn't see any! They served us a strawberry shortcake desert and the cake in there was tasting old! I was like were the Heck is Phil at! People working there were not to polite really short like here's your plate goodbye! I paid $50.00 for something that was not worth $50.00 at all! I am not going to lie the clam chowder was better then Monterey!

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

Phil's in Moss landing was crazy busy and great. They moved to Castroville. Now at 5pm on a Saturday there were 10 people in the place. Food was horrible. I spent $93 for the two of us and it wasn't worth $10. The end is near for this restaurant. From decades of greatness to now this...never going back

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

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

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

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