Sea Chest Oyster Bar

Amazing chefs! This is a wonderful restaurant and never have we been disappointed. Every time we visit the central coast, we eat at the Sea Chest Oyster Bar!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Calamari Steak, Shrimp Scampi Pasta, Garlic Bread, Salad, Shrimp Cocktail, Calamari Strips, New England Clam Chowder

I’m not a fan of seafood but I had the shrimp scampi . No flavor but too oily. They only take cash which being my first time there luckily we had cash .

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 5

⭐ 1 Star
The food here was absolutely phenomenal, but the service was one of the most uncomfortable experiences we’ve ever had dining out. We were seated right next to one of the staff’s family members — Kalia’s husband and daughter — and it was immediately clear they were receiving completely different treatment than us.

While they got her full attention, we were mostly ignored and made to feel like outsiders sitting beside a family gathering. What made things worse was how her husband and daughter kept watching us throughout the meal — it felt like they were monitoring our interaction with Kalia, which made the entire experience feel tense and intrusive.

We also couldn’t help but notice Kalia’s husband consuming several glasses of wine while seated with their daughter during our meal. It added to the uncomfortable atmosphere and made us question the professionalism of having family seated and drinking alongside guests in the dining area.

Kalia herself was dismissive toward us, which only added to the awkwardness and made what should have been a relaxing date night feel unpleasant. Thankfully, Izzy — who we initially thought was just another waitress — turned out to be our actual server. She was kind, attentive, and professional, and truly the only reason we didn’t walk out.

It’s such a shame that a restaurant with food this good allows this kind of dynamic to happen right in front of paying guests. Being treated differently than a staff member’s family, while feeling watched the entire time, made an otherwise special night feel awkward and unwelcoming.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 5

Service: 1

Best place for seafood. Sit at the bar for dinner and a show, and to make friends! Marco and Jose are the best!!! Thanks for an amazing night!

Best seafood restaurant in California…long wait well worth we tailgated in the parking lot. Had a blast

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Cool place for oyster Rockefeller. Great view of the ocean. No reservations. Cash only. Need to come an hour before opening time of 5:30 bring wine and folding chair and tailgate

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Oysters Rockefeller

A very cute locally owned restaurant- CASH ONLY!! They do have an ATM. Arrive early if you would like a seat in the front room with ocean views. We arrived at 5:18 (opens at 5:30) and this was a line- we were in the back of the house. It seemed like 5 more groups got in behind us and then there was a wait.

They have a list of fresh caught options. Definitely get the sourdough garlic bread, delicious! We also got the mushrooms as an appetizer and they were very good. Main meal (fish) comes with soup or salad as well as a side of potato and veggies. Everyone was with enjoyed their food! The fresh caught option is $38-42- but fresh caught food from a local restaurant, it’s what we expected.

I was reading other reviews about it being bland- I would say it’s more so on the healthy side. It’s not coated in fat and bread like people are used to with their food. I thought it was delicious, the fish is so fresh it doesn’t need to be smothered. I was happy about this because finding fresh healthy food is difficult these days. Everything comes off of a truck and is covered in grease.

The service was slow but they were packed- I never hold this against a locally owned business. We ordered right away and I we got out of there around 7pm. This isn’t a quick dinner- it’s a nice sit down. Maybe different vibe at the bar though!

We got 2 classes of wine, an iced tea, mushrooms, bread, 2 fresh caught options, and a pasta it was $198.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 4

Yes, there was a line and a 1.5-hour wait—was it worth it? Heck yes! Nikki was amazing; she is a master at her craft, keeping the reservations organized and ensuring that the restaurant runs smoothly. Well done, Nikki! We sat at the bar and were entertained by the chefs. It was definitely worth the wait!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very creamy clam chowder. Nice fried shrimps. Great grilled oyster

GET THE CIOPPINO. I drive to Cambria once a year just to come order it. Everything is delicious. Beautiful views by the ocean. Cash only but they have an ATM. Come early at opening, there’s a line. So worth the wait.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Felt like home! Everything was perfect

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We went here for a birthday dinner. We knew up front it was cash only. Which is surprising, considering the prices. We line up in the parking lot for a table when they opened. We were seated promptly. The service was great. The servers were on top of everything. As we had a mix of people, we had some order appetizers as meals, some ordered full meals, and one person ordered an appetizer and a meal. First to come out was the chowders and salads. I had the chowder. It was bland. The fresh cracked pepper helped, but not much. Then came the one app that was ordered with the meal. I had a taste of the soy ginger shrimp and thought it was good. Then came the apps for the people that ordered them as meals. I tried a piece if the calamari and was impressed. Very tender and good breading. Those people started eating and we were all talking and relaxed. Then the server mentioned something about rushing the rest of the orders because the apps. We said, no worries. Well, they rushed the other entrees. They really shouldn't have. My husband ended up with barely cooked veggies and under seasoned potatoes. My entree came 5 minutes after the rest. I had the Sea Bass. It was not cooked right. This was the first piece of Sea Bass that I've had that was mushy. My potato came with no seasoning. The veggies were hard, almost raw. It was obvious they placed timing over cooking things right on this dish. This was disappointing. I expect that kind of a meal out of a place that charge half of what I paid for this mediocre food.

Calamari Calamari Calamari

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Such a lovely dining experience! The service was warm and welcoming from the start, and the staff went out of their way to accommodate us with a bigger table by the window so we could enjoy the sunset view - such a thoughtful touch. The food was very good with generous portions, and everything felt fresh and satisfying. The atmosphere struck the perfect balance between romantic and friendly, making it easy to relax and soak in the moment. Watching the sunset with such positive vibes made the evening truly memorable. Highly recommend!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Best seafood I've ever had.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4