Santa Monica Seafood Market & Cafe

Fresh, flavorful seafood with room for better service. The grilled white fish was cooked just right moist, flaky, and well-seasoned. The crab cakes were another standout: golden outside, tender inside, with real crab flavor and minimal filler. The clam chowder was creamy and rich, a classic done right. The seafood market is a major bonus, offering high-quality cuts and specialty items for home chefs. Staff can sometimes come across as indifferent, and long lines aren’t uncommon depending on when you go. But if you’re focused on the food, it delivers. Definitely worth a visit if you’re serious about seafood.

If they have a lobster roll on the menu, I'm ordering it and so glad I did. I got the Connecticut lobster roll, which is with warm butter on a buttered toasted roll. It's making my mouth water as I'm writing this review. It was so delicious. Although the sandwich was not that big, they stuffed it with a lot of lobster pieces. The lobster was so sweet and fresh. I also got the clam chowder. It wasn't my fave a little too thick for my liking. This restaurant is not just a café, but it's also a market where they sell a lot of fresh seafood, and other items so you can cook your meal. They also have an oyster bar. Service was excellent. They have parking in the back, but they also have metered street parking if the lot is full.

All of the fish was fresh, and it was a unique experience to walk past all the fish in the cold cases as you walk to the host stand for the restaurant side (it’s all in the same building, grocery fish store + bar + dining tables). I had gone in with high expectations for the quality of the fish. Some of the food was excellent, some was good, and one dish was just okay. PARKING: They have a free parking lot in the back, and there is an entrance in the back. WINE: We went with a glass; for white: the Saxon-Brown Chardonnay ($20.50/glass), and for a light red that still pairs great with seafood and tastes delicious on its own, I loved the Alexana Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon ($17.50/glass). FOOD: You have to know what to order, and I recommend asking your server for their suggestions for the day. We did this, and the only dish we don’t recommend wasn’t on her recommendation list either. We started with the Shrimp (recommend), Oysters (recommend - conditional), and Hamachi Crudo (okay), and then we added on the Peruvian Scallops (recommend), Chilean Seabass (recommend), and Crab Louie Salad (do not recommend). STARTERS: The Hamachi Crudo ($23) came with orange, flour de sal, thinly sliced Fresno Chile, and lemon oil. While I always enjoy a Hamachi Crudo, I wish there were more orange slices so that you could have one piece per fish, and it was a little fishier than I was expecting. SALAD: We went with the Wild Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Louie ($26) with romaine hearts, tomato, asparagus, chives, and SMS louie dressing, and it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting. It had very little flavor, far too much romaine lettuce, and in addition to missing seasoning, it felt like the salad recipe was missing an ingredient (I would have enjoyed it more if it had avocado or goat cheese). ENTREES: Our server Mollie said two of the best entrees on the menu were the Chilean Seabass ($43) and the SMS Cioppino Italian fish stew ($38). We didn’t order the Copping because we were worried it would be difficult to share, but we were very glad we took her advice and ordered the Wild MSC Certified Chilean Seabass Tenderloin with black sesame, shiitake mushroom, sautéed spinach, and spicy garlic. RAW BAR: I really like their horseradish and raw bar. From the Raw Bar at the top of their food menu, I recommend these 3 things: 1. Wild Mexican White Shrimp Cocktail with fresh dil, flour de sal, and SMS cocktail sauce, $22 for 5 shrimp. The shrimp was delicious but I wish they had an even number to share. This is a must-order, and I recommend enjoying with with lemon and a dip - the horseradish has a perfect kick. 2. Raw Purple Peruvian Scallops come with a ginger-shallot mignonette, orange, and micro-cilantro. They sell the raw bar scallops individually for $3.50 each. 3. Oyster Sampler Dozen for $39 on the menu it lists six different types of oysters, so we were expecting to receive 2 of each oyster. On the bright side, all of the oysters were very fresh and were served over ice with ample sides and two mini forks. Disappointingly, we only received an uneven sampler with only 5 different types of oysters, missing the Petite Barachois from Canada. The oysters didn’t have a card or any explanation when they were dropped off at our table, and we had to ask for an explanation on which was which. I personally am not a fan of large meatier oysters, and out of the five only one was too large for my taste. Oysters are very personal, and we didn’t tell the server our preferences, and instead we just got the standard sampler. Going from left to right in the photo (counter clockwise). 1st Misty Point (3x oysters) from VA. 
2nd Kusshi (3x oysters) from Vancouver Island, BC - Delicious but one of mine had a small amount of shell. 
3rd Totten Virginica from Seattle, WA - very large, recommend using sauce 
4th Kumamoto from Humboldt Bay, CA - This reminded me of the Pirate’s ride at Disneyland 
5th Oishi from Skagit Bay, WA - These were my favorite and I cannot wait to come back for more!

When we first arrived, we weren’t sure what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised! The food was absolutely delicious and looked wonderful on the plates. The staff was attentive and friendly, which made our visit even better. I’m already excited to go back! I’ve included some pictures to share the experience. We also got to try some tasty fried calamari and a great carrot cake!

We really enjoy the food. The setting isn’t fancy, it’s literally in the fish market/shop and smells of fish, but food is great. You can’t get more fresh fish and the preparation and flavors are awesome.

Delicious food, excellent service ~ our table ordered Caesar salad, clam chowder, tiger prawns, crab cakes, sea bass, ahi tuna, swordfish, tiramisu, and carrot cake (maybe a bit more) and everything was superb ~ the taste, the presentation, the service, the space. Highly recommend.

Best seafood market in the area with option to dine in. For more info and to checkout new hot spots follow us on instagram @gemislist

What a great selection of ready to eat seafood--it was so hard to choose, so we got a nice spread including the squid salad, baha ceviche, candied and peppered aalmon, and their oak smoked salmon. Each was absolutely delicious and we ate most of it on our car ride back to Ventura. We also grabbed some of their clam chowder, which was very hearty almost as thick as a pot pie and next level in terms of flavor. Next time we plan to try one of their other types of ceviche, their cioppino, and also pick from their oyster variety.

My culinary GPS seems to have skipped this amazing seafood destination (for too long), in Santa Monica. This place is an institution, and I am embarrassed that it took me so long to get here. It is both a fresh sea food market (that supplies to numerous nearby restaurants) and a dining hot spot. The seating is limited and so is the menu, but what a wonderful selection of items. For the adventurous sea food lover, the chowders of New England or Manhattan can be found anywhere. But what about a Fish Chowder that will blow you away. This was my first selection. The temperature was right, the fish so fresh, not too much tomato and a wholesome, fragrant and satisfying broth. Wow. Then I contemplated on the Lobster Roll. Most places short change you. The server assured me that it would be 4oz., and so it was. I chose the Connecticut (warm) Lobster Roll with Fries (instead of a salad). The Roll arrived in perfect fashion, with flavorful and fresh abundant lobster meat, a well buttered and toasted roll, accompanied by a generous portion of thin french fries. Yes, it was one to remember. I was eating at the Oyster bar and my neighbor, on the left side state that his New England (cold) Lobster roll was like the one on the east coast. The menu has several other enticing selections. My right side neighbor suggested a few. I have to got back soon, and regularly, so I can try them all. Overall, an unforgettable and superb lunch dining experience.

Only automated system when you call and it says they are open everyday but when we arrived on New Year's Day. They were in fact, closed. Could do a better job of updating system and communicating hours when they're closed so people don't waste their time.

We ordered the Lobster roll kit for 2 for takeout for the weekend ($55). The box is very nicely packaged and the items are made to order. It's a very simple meal kit, mixing the ingredients together under 5 minutes. The kit comes with 2 brioche buns, 2 generous portions of lobster for each roll, 2 packs of chives, and 2 lemon aioli sauces. To complete the meal, theres 2 chocolate chip cookies from Zookies and 2 bags of chips as well. The lemon aioli was delicious - tangy with a slight bite from what I think is garlic? Loved it. The lobster chunks were fresh and blended with everything was really nicely dressed. Overall, we enjoyed this quick and easy kit!

Love supporting local businesses and FRESH SEAFOOD! I wasn't able to dine in but picked up some seafood for meal prep and some groceries! The manager was super sweet and definitely will be visiting for lunch/dinner soon!! The place is divided by the store shop and bar/restaurant! There's meter parking and packing behind the restaurant!

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

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

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

Kinda over priced, you can get better fish and chips at California fish grill, and it would be cheaper too. Service was fine, there are no qualms about it. The ambiance was very open market themed, it was pretty cool if you're into it.

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

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

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

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

Such a special place... the cafe menu is great. I was sitting and facing the seafood counter and thinking about everything that could be done with the fresh seafood. The portions are large... we had calamari fried and it was very large... the cioppino was outstanding. The amount of seafood was incredible. My wife had the trio fish tacos with a salad that had the perfect amount of dressing. I have been coming to Santa Monica for years for work and finally tried this wonderful restaurant. The service was spot on and the place was lively. We are coming back!

Great place to get FRESH seafood! I get the salmon and it's absolutely delicious. You can count on everything being fresh and a bit pricey. You get what you pay for and the quality there is top notch!

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

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

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

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

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

Awesome place to get fresh fish. The kitchen was closed when we visited but were able to get the lobster roll deal, which was a nice option for lunch. Staff are super helpful and there is fast service. Highly recommend. The hustle and bustle of the market is also fun to be a part of, which really add to the "fish market" ambiance.

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

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

Love this spot. The clam chowder + fish tacos are great. The Branzino and crab from the market is really fresh. Some of the best seafood on the westside

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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