Los Angeles sits on the edge of the Pacific, and its seafood scene reflects the full range of what that geography makes possible. On one end, chef Michael Cimarusti's three-Michelin-starred Providence treats a Santa Barbara spot prawn with the same reverence a French chef might give foie gras. On the other, a Yucatán-style marisquería tucked inside a South LA food hall serves equally exceptional fish on plastic plates for a fraction of the price. Between them sit century-old pier shacks, Nayarit-style zarandeado grills, and a Boston tinned-fish import that has become one of the Sunset Strip's most talked-about tables.
The city's seafood landscape shifted recently, too: Connie & Ted's, West Hollywood's beloved New England-style seafood shack, closed permanently on July 1, 2026, after 13 years, a casualty of rising costs and the lingering effects of the 2025 regional fires. Its closure leaves a real gap in the city's East Coast-style seafood offerings, and makes the remaining destinations on this list even more essential.
Few American cities can claim the same range of seafood cultures within a 30-mile radius. Los Angeles draws on its proximity to Mexico's Pacific coast, its deep Japanese culinary influence, its historic New England transplant community, and its own California-grown sustainability movement, producing a seafood scene with no single defining style. This guide ranks the 10 best seafood restaurants in Los Angeles, spanning Michelin-starred fine dining, beachside oyster bars, and the Mexican marisquerías that many longtime Angelenos consider the city's true seafood soul. Each entry includes an honest verdict and real prices, so you know exactly what to expect before you book.
Los Angeles Seafood Restaurants at a Glance
| Restaurant | Area | Best For | Signature Dish | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | Hollywood | 3-Michelin-star fine dining | Santa Barbara spot prawn | $350–390 |
| Holbox | South LA | Michelin-starred casual Yucatán | Tacos de Pulpo, Ceviche | $15–35 |
| Water Grill | Downtown LA | Historic raw bar, business dining | Grand Shellfish Platter | $45–85 |
| Fishing with Dynamite | Manhattan Beach | Beachside oyster bar | Clam Chowder, Lobster Roll | $25–45 |
| Coni'Seafood | Inglewood | Nayarit-style Mexican seafood | Pescado Zarandeado | $30–50 |
| Broad Street Oyster Co. | Malibu / DTLA | Casual lobster roll counter | World Famous Lobster Roll | $28–45 |
| Crudo e Nudo | Santa Monica | Sustainable raw bar, natural wine | Yellowtail crudo | $18–32 |
| The Lobster | Santa Monica | Historic pier views | Whole steamed Maine lobster | $45–95 |
| Saltie Girl | West Hollywood | Tinned fish, luxury conservas | King Crab Toast | $15–70 |
| Dear Jane's | Marina del Rey | Retro glamour, waterfront | Salmon Wellington | $20–65 |
The 10 Best Seafood Restaurants in Los Angeles: Full Reviews
1. Providence — The Best Seafood Restaurant in Los Angeles
Location: 5955 Melrose Ave, Hollywood | Price: $350–390 per person | Best For: Milestone celebrations, sustainable fine dining, seafood purists
Providence remains the undisputed king of Los Angeles seafood, and chef Michael Cimarusti's three-Michelin-star tasting menu applies French technique, Japanese precision, and a rigorous sustainability philosophy to line-caught American seafood. The dining room is formal, hushed, and old-world elegant, built for guests who want ceremony alongside their meal.
The theatrical Santa Barbara spot prawn, served raw with a yuzu infusion and sea salt, and the wild black cod with a black truffle emulsion anchor a menu that treats the Pacific's bounty with the reverence usually reserved for European luxury ingredients. The artisanal cheese cart closes out the meal on an unexpectedly indulgent note.
The honest verdict: The best seafood in Los Angeles, full stop — for guests who want the absolute technical peak of what the Pacific can offer, Providence is the non-negotiable first recommendation. Book at least a month ahead.
2. Holbox — The Best Casual Michelin-Starred Seafood in Los Angeles
Location: 3655 S Grand Ave #C9, Historic South-Central | Price: $15–35 à la carte, $120–150 tasting | Best For: Michelin quality without the formality or the price
Holbox is the clearest proof that Los Angeles seafood excellence isn't reserved for white tablecloths. Inside the Mercado La Paloma food hall, chef Gilberto Cetina runs a pop counter serving raw and cooked Yucatán-style seafood that earned a genuine Michelin star, treating fine-dining-grade ingredients with the unpretentious spirit of the Mexican coast.
The Tacos de Pulpo en Su Tinta — grilled octopus on handmade corn tortillas with a squid-ink sauce — and the wild scallop ceviche with orange chile and avocado define the regular menu, while Thursday and Friday nights bring an exclusive counter tasting menu built around a deeper Yucatán repertoire.
The honest verdict: The best casual Michelin-starred seafood in Los Angeles — for guests who want genuinely exceptional cooking without the formality or price tag of the city's tasting-menu temples, Holbox is the outstanding choice.
3. Water Grill — The Historic Downtown Raw Bar Institution
Location: 544 S Grand Ave, Downtown LA | Price: $45–85 per person | Best For: Business dinners, celebratory shellfish platters
Open since 1989 inside the grand Art Deco PacMutual building, Water Grill has anchored Downtown LA's financial district seafood scene for over three decades, built on a private fish distribution network that gets catch from boat to kitchen within hours. It is the natural choice for business dinners and special-occasion crustacean feasts rather than intimate dates.
The towering Grand Shellfish Platter — oysters from a dozen regions, king crab, and sea urchin over ice — and the grilled California spiny lobster tail are the dishes that define the restaurant's reputation for scale and abundance as much as technique.
The honest verdict: The best historic raw bar in Los Angeles — for guests who want a grand, three-decade-old Downtown institution built for celebratory shellfish spreads, Water Grill is the outstanding choice.
4. Fishing with Dynamite — The Best Beachside Oyster Bar in Los Angeles
Location: 1148 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach | Price: $25–45 | Best For: Relaxed beach-town seafood with genuine technical polish
Chef David LeFevre runs this tiny, roughly 30-seat restaurant steps from the Manhattan Beach sand, blending laid-back surf-town energy with meticulous cooking and an unrivaled selection of domestic oysters. It is proof that beach-town casual and genuine technical ambition aren't mutually exclusive.
The award-winning New England Clam Chowder, a rich, bacon-flecked clam velouté served with house-made crackers, and the hot or cold lobster rolls drowning in melted butter are the two dishes regulars order without fail, finished with a Key Lime Pie built for sharing.
The honest verdict: The best beachside oyster bar in Los Angeles — for guests who want polished New England seafood cooking with genuine South Bay beach-town atmosphere, Fishing with Dynamite is the outstanding choice.
5. Coni'Seafood — The King of Nayarit-Style Mexican Seafood
Location: 3544 W Imperial Hwy, Inglewood | Price: $30–50 for a shared dinner | Best For: Large groups, whole-fish feasts, Mexican coastal cuisine
Run by Connie Cossio, Coni'Seafood is the definitive reference point for Nayarit-style Mexican seafood in Los Angeles, an unpretentious spot built around slow-grilled whole fish and expertly handled fresh shrimp. It is designed for large, hungry tables rather than intimate dining.
The signature Pescado Zarandeado — a whole butterflied snook fish marinated in the restaurant's secret sauce and grilled over mangrove wood, sold by weight — and the fiery aguachiles with lime and green chile define a menu built around bold, coastal Mexican flavor.
The honest verdict: The best Nayarit-style seafood in Los Angeles — for large groups who want a genuine whole-fish feast grilled over mangrove wood, Coni'Seafood is the outstanding choice.
6. Broad Street Oyster Co. — The Lobster Roll Record-Holder
Location: 23359 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu (original) and Grand Central Market, DTLA | Price: $28–45 | Best For: Casual, no-reservation lobster roll cravings
What began as a small Malibu counter has become one of California's most talked-about casual seafood destinations, now with a second, equally popular outpost inside DTLA's Grand Central Market. There are no reservations — guests line up, order, and eat at communal wood tables — but the seafood quality rivals restaurants with far more formal service.
The World Famous Lobster Roll, a toasted brioche bun overflowing with lobster meat served hot with butter or cold with mayonnaise, is the reason people wait in line, and the option to add caviar or fresh uni on top has become the connoisseur's move.
The honest verdict: The best casual lobster roll in Los Angeles — for guests who want restaurant-quality seafood without reservations or formality, Broad Street Oyster Co. is the outstanding choice, whether in Malibu or Downtown.
7. Crudo e Nudo — The Sustainable Raw Bar Vanguard
Location: 2724 Main St, Santa Monica | Price: $18–32 per shared plate | Best For: Natural wine lovers, guests who want hyper-sustainable raw seafood
What started as a pandemic-era pop-up has become a fixture on Santa Monica's Main Street, with chef Brian Bornemann running this small wine bar and crudo counter around a strict zero-waste, hook-and-line-caught philosophy paired with natural wines. It is one of the more quietly ambitious seafood concepts in the city.
The yellowtail crudo dressed with coriander oil and California citrus, and scallops served live with cold beurre noisette, showcase a kitchen more focused on ingredient integrity than spectacle.
The honest verdict: The best sustainable raw bar in Los Angeles — for guests who want hook-and-line-caught crudo paired with genuinely interesting natural wines, Crudo e Nudo is the outstanding choice.
8. The Lobster — The Historic Pier-Side Icon
Location: 1602 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica | Price: $45–95 | Best For: Spectacular ocean views, milestone dinners with a view
Originally opened in 1923 as a modest fish shack at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier, The Lobster has operated in some form for over a century, surviving a 1980s closure after El Niño storm damage before reopening in its current glass-walled, two-story form in 1999. Few restaurants in the city can match its 180-degree Pacific Ocean views.
The whole steamed or grilled Maine lobster served with clarified butter, and a rich Cioppino in the San Francisco Italian-American tradition, headline a menu built to match the setting's grandeur.
The honest verdict: The best historic ocean-view seafood restaurant in Los Angeles — for guests who want over a century of pier-side history alongside genuinely excellent whole lobster, The Lobster is the outstanding choice despite its tourist-facing location.
9. Saltie Girl — The Tinned Fish Paradise
Location: 8615 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood | Price: $15–70 | Best For: Guests who want a genuinely different seafood experience on the Sunset Strip
Transplanted from Boston, Saltie Girl has become known for housing one of the largest tinned fish (conservas) collections in the world, served in an eclectic, salmon-velvet dining room dotted with nautical details. It treats humble tinned seafood as a genuine luxury category in its own right.
The tableside selection of sardines, tuna belly, octopus, and anchovies, served in their designer tins with toasted bread, Normandy salted butter, and global sea salts, is the restaurant's defining ritual, alongside a celebrated King Crab Toast.
The honest verdict: The most distinctive seafood concept in Los Angeles — for guests who want to discover tinned fish as a legitimate luxury category, Saltie Girl is the outstanding choice on the Sunset Strip.
10. Dear Jane's — Retro Waterfront Glamour in Marina del Rey
Location: 13950 Panay Way, Marina del Rey | Price: $20–65 | Best For: Nostalgic 1980s glamour, waterfront dining with yacht views
The seafood-focused sibling of steakhouse Dear John's, Dear Jane's sits directly on the Marina del Rey docks, channeling the retro glamour of classic American seafood restaurants from the 1980s with intimate tables, vintage styling, and generous caviar service.
The salmon en croûte in a Wellington-style puff pastry, the gratinéed clams casino, and rainbow trout finished amandine with brown butter define a menu built around old-school American seafood comfort rather than modern technique.
The honest verdict: The best retro waterfront seafood in Los Angeles — for guests who want 1980s glamour and yacht views alongside classic American seafood cooking, Dear Jane's is the outstanding choice.
How to Choose the Right Seafood Restaurant in Los Angeles
Choose by Occasion
- Milestone celebration, no expense spared: Providence — the city's only three-Michelin-starred seafood experience.
- Michelin quality on a budget: Holbox — genuine star-level cooking at food-hall prices.
- Business dinner: Water Grill — grand, three-decade Downtown institution.
- Large group whole-fish feast: Coni'Seafood — Nayarit-style grilling built for sharing.
- Sunset view dinner: The Lobster — over a century of history at the Santa Monica Pier.
Best Seafood Neighborhoods
- Santa Monica: The Lobster and Crudo e Nudo — historic grandeur and modern sustainability minutes apart.
- Downtown LA: Water Grill and Broad Street Oyster Co. — from formal raw bar to no-reservation lobster rolls.
- Hollywood / West Hollywood: Providence and Saltie Girl — the city's most decorated and most distinctive seafood addresses.
- South Bay: Fishing with Dynamite — Manhattan Beach's polished, low-key oyster bar.
Essential Seafood Dishes to Try in Los Angeles
- Santa Barbara spot prawn (Providence) — served raw with yuzu, the dish that best represents the Pacific's luxury seafood at its most refined.
- Tacos de Pulpo en Su Tinta (Holbox) — grilled octopus with squid-ink sauce, Michelin-starred cooking at street-food prices.
- Grand Shellfish Platter (Water Grill) — a towering ice-packed spread of oysters, king crab, and sea urchin built for celebration.
- Pescado Zarandeado (Coni'Seafood) — a whole snook grilled over mangrove wood, the definitive Nayarit-style seafood experience in the city.
- World Famous Lobster Roll (Broad Street Oyster Co.) — the roll that built a cult following from a single Malibu counter.
- Whole steamed Maine lobster (The Lobster) — a century-old Santa Monica Pier tradition best enjoyed at sunset.
- King Crab Toast (Saltie Girl) — the standout hot dish at the city's most distinctive tinned-fish destination.
Los Angeles Seafood Price Guide
- Casual counter / food hall: $15–35 per person
- Mid-range sit-down: $30–65 per person
- Premium raw bar / whole lobster: $45–95 per person
- Ultra-premium tasting menu: $350–390 per person (Providence)
Insider Tips for Seafood in Los Angeles
- Book Providence at least a month ahead for weekend dates. As the city's only three-Michelin-starred seafood destination, tables disappear fast, especially around anniversaries and milestone celebrations.
- Ask about Holbox's Thursday or Friday tasting counter specifically. The regular à la carte menu is excellent, but the limited weekend tasting menu showcases a deeper Yucatán repertoire that regulars consider the kitchen's real showcase.
- Visit Broad Street Oyster Co.'s Malibu original for the ocean view, or the DTLA outpost inside Grand Central Market for convenience. Both serve the same lobster roll, so choose based on whether you want a coastal drive or a Downtown pit stop.
- Go to Coni'Seafood with at least three or four people. The Pescado Zarandeado is sold by weight and meant for sharing; a whole fish easily feeds a table of four.
- Request a window table at The Lobster for sunset. The restaurant's 180-degree Pacific views are its single biggest draw, and a poorly timed reservation means missing the payoff entirely.
- With Connie & Ted's now closed, Fishing with Dynamite is the closest remaining alternative for New England-style clam chowder and lobster rolls in the LA area. If that was your go-to spot, this is the natural replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Seafood Restaurants in Los Angeles
What is the best seafood restaurant in Los Angeles?
Providence, holding three Michelin stars, is the best seafood restaurant in Los Angeles, led by chef Michael Cimarusti's sustainable, French-technique-driven approach to Pacific seafood. Holbox is the top alternative for guests who want Michelin-level quality at a fraction of the price.
Is Connie and Ted's still open?
No. Connie and Ted's, the West Hollywood New England-style seafood shack, permanently closed on July 1, 2026, after 13 years, citing rising costs and the lingering impact of the 2025 regional fires on local dining habits.
Where can I find affordable, high-quality seafood in Los Angeles?
Holbox in South LA offers genuine Michelin-starred cooking at $15 to $35 a plate. Broad Street Oyster Co. is the strongest alternative for a casual, no-reservation lobster roll experience at a similar price point.
What is the best Mexican-style seafood in Los Angeles?
Coni'Seafood in Inglewood is the definitive Nayarit-style Mexican seafood destination, known for its whole grilled Pescado Zarandeado. Holbox is the strongest alternative for Yucatán-style seafood specifically.
Where should I go for seafood with an ocean view in Los Angeles?
The Lobster, at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier since 1923, offers the most historic and dramatic ocean views of any seafood restaurant in the city. Fishing with Dynamite in Manhattan Beach is the top alternative for a more relaxed, beach-town setting.
What is the most unusual seafood experience in Los Angeles?
Saltie Girl in West Hollywood, home to one of the largest tinned fish collections in the world, offers the most distinctive seafood concept in the city, treating conservas as a genuine luxury category.
What is the best seafood restaurant for a business dinner in Los Angeles?
Water Grill in Downtown LA is the top choice for business dinners, thanks to its formal but not stuffy dining room, three-decade reputation, and shellfish platters built for impressing clients. Providence is the stronger alternative when the occasion calls for the city's most decorated tasting menu instead.
What should I order at a Los Angeles seafood restaurant if I've never had Nayarit-style Mexican seafood before?
Start with the Pescado Zarandeado at Coni'Seafood, a whole fish marinated in a smoky, tangy house sauce and grilled over mangrove wood, then shared at the table. It is the single dish most likely to convert newcomers to the style, and the aguachiles alongside it offer a brighter, spicier counterpoint.
Final Verdict: The Best Seafood Restaurants in Los Angeles
Los Angeles's seafood scene spans an extraordinary range, from Providence's three-Michelin-starred temple of Pacific seafood to Holbox's Michelin-recognized market-stall counter, and from a century-old pier shack to a Nayarit-style whole-fish feast in Inglewood. For the single most complete fine-dining seafood experience, Providence is the definitive choice. For exceptional cooking without the formality or price, Holbox stands alone. And with Connie & Ted's now closed after 13 years, Fishing with Dynamite has become the city's most reliable destination for genuine New England-style seafood comfort.
Reservations across nearly every restaurant on this list move fast on weekends, and several — Providence, Holbox's weekend tasting counter, and Coni'Seafood for large parties — are worth booking two to four weeks ahead during the busier spring and summer months. Plan around that, and the reward is a genuinely unrepeatable week of eating.
Explore More: Continue exploring Los Angeles with our guides to the Best Restaurants in Los Angeles, the Best Pizza in Los Angeles, and the Best Hotels in Los Angeles.
