19 Best Seafood Restaurants in San Clemente

“I rarely write reviews, but my experience here was so phenomenal that I feel it is necessary. Two friends and I went for a leisurely family style dinner and everything we ordered, from the drinks to the appetizers to the entrees, exceeded our expectations. Beyond that, everything came out impossibly fast, our server was stellar, and they gave us a complimentary dessert. I can't wait to go back.“

“Everything is over-the-top, amazing and well above expectation. We will definitely be going back there again. Appetizers and service was top notch. This was the best dinner and night we’ve had in a long time. We’re happy to have found a new favorite restaurant.“

“We were really impressed with the variety of mussels. We loved the blue cheese and mustard choices, especially with the frites! We added some bacon from the mustard to our bread dipping into the blue cheese too! We sat at the bar and the bartender was not only attentive but caring. He was would happily return!“

“You order at the counter and the staff will bring your food to you. Fast service, along with delicious and savory flavors. The ahi tuna was well seasoned. There are plenty of hot sauces to pick from. It got pretty busy on a Friday night. Overall - with the fast service, well seasoned food, and variety of options for both seafood and hot sauces, I'd come back and recommend seasurf to others!“

“We were a bit apprehensive when we took our daughter, who has multiple special needs. They were so kind, they gave us a quiet table near the fireplace, and Grace, our server, was warm, friendly and understanding. The food was absolutely outstanding; the chile relleno was probably the best I'd ever had. The chips were fresh and warm, and the hot salsa and warm black bean salsa were just great. Our daughter loved the Albóndigas (meatballs) with Spanish rice and refried beans, while my husband enjoyed the seafood enchiladas. We'd go back again!“

“Nick's has excellent service, friendly enthusiastic staff, delicious quality food, and reasonable prices for fairly large serving sizes. Very clean sleek modern design with a lively crowd of customers which at times can make it difficult to hear dinner conversations.“

“Not exactly the tourist trap we were expecting. Got in with no wait on a weekday. The steak was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The French fries were phenomenal, I had two baskets. Great place to watch the tide or the sunset. Coming here to drink and dine with friends was a great experience.“

“The food was very good and healthy. I had the two piece chicken (actually cooked on a flame grill) lunch with 4 tortillas, lettuce/salad, beans, and a smooth guac (which I really liked). Tomatillo salsa was very good. Nothing was loaded with salt which is a big deal to me. We’ll be coming back.“

“The food was absolutely wonderful, something amazing for everyone — carnivores and those who don’t eat meat. The chef is creative and talented offering dishes and flavor combinations that are unique and delicious. Foodies will love the Riviera!!“

“My wife and I come back to visit a few times a year and this is a must stop. Our favorite guy is always working hard behind the counter. We LOVE the spicy mango margaritas and the ceviche. The fact that they have a dressing bar with cilantro vinaigrette, pico de gallo, jalapeños, salsas, etc. CANT GO WRONG!!“

“Fiancé & I chose this restaurant as our rehearsal dinner venue due to the easy banquet and catering menu and finally had our first meal here. We love Italian food and really enjoyed eating at this restaurant. Beautiful intimate vibes, great service, seated right away on a busy night. The fried calamari and fresh baked focaccia bread were our appetizers and they were so delicious and comforting on a windy cold night. We had Alfredo pasta and marinera pasta because those are similar dishes from the banquet menu and were pleased with the big hearty and fresh portions, definitely had leftovers. We also got a decadent tiramisu too! Perfect tasting not too sweet! Highly recommend coming back here & looking forward to my rehearsal dinner here!!“

“Was in the area for work and gave this place a try. Nice small dining area. Ten different types of fish to choose from. The large bowls here are 5 scoops of fish compared to the 3 or 4 scoops at other locations, however the fish scoops here are on the smaller side. Very simple and not many topping options. Would like to see more toppings. The fish tasted fresh and althought it was simple it was delicious. Was there around 1pm and it was non stop with customers coming in the door so it seems like a popular place. The price was very fair and was slightly cheaper than most other Poke locations. I enjoyed the food and would give it more visits when in the area.“

“I love Inka Mama's and the phenomenal food, plus the quaint location really makes this a great place to go. The food is extremely flavorful and delicious, and the ambiance is great. Intimate, nicely styled with a missionary design. And the staff are extremely polite and helpful. A tip- ask for their soup options. They are off the menu and really really good. (I love aguadito de pollo and the bean soup.)“

“Hi, hello, I don't understand the rating for this place because I look forward to eating here every single year my family comes to San Clemente. This spot is basically the "snack shack" on the pier in San Clemente. Our family usually sets up shop on the beach near T-street, but we make the walk over here to grab lunch every day on the beach. The lines sometimes can be a little long, but they go pretty quickly. And ice cream has become such a hot commodity here that they have a separate pickup spot for ice cream. They also have plenty of seating (none in the shade though) so you can either eat your food there or you can take it with you to-go. I always order the cheeseburger and fries. The cheeseburger honestly reminds me of in-n-out and honestly, nothing better than a cheeseburger at the beach! I also LOVE their soft serve ice cream in a cone. I mean, it's $3! And they always stack it. I usually get the chocolate and vanilla swirl. This past time we went, they didn't do the best job in swirling them so I wasn't able to get a photo, but I have gotten good pics of them in the past. Seriously, nothing better than soft serve ice cream on the beach. Like I said, my family and I have been coming here for yeaaaars and it's one of our must-do things.“

“Very delicious steak and lobster. Steak platter was a lot better than seafood. The truffle bread & potatoe Lobster Is one of the kind as side dish. We did not like the ravioli because it was too salty. Their service is Good. Parking is a little hassle. Did not find Valet Parking.“

“Love it. I've been to a different location before and when I'm in the area I seek out Nalu's. It is a great casual spot for some good, fresh food. We got a Mahi plate, a panko ahí plate, and a kids chicken plate. The fish were both delicious and my kid devoured the chicken. I also love the mac salad. Will definitely be back to this or other locations. We went on a Friday afternoon and it wasn't crowded at all. Service was very fast.“

“Service was fantastic. Our waiter Luca was on it. Amazing waiter. Great food and very much authentic. We had the swordfish, Beriia , ceviche and shrimp. However, we were seated outside when I was thinking we were going to be inside and no one told us that. I saw the photos online and loved the ambiance So we did not get the feel of the ambience which I was very much looking forward to for our special occasion. So next time, I'll make sure to ask!“

“We tried the crispy shrimp, salmon, and crispy chicken bowls, the poke chips, and truffle parm tots, and the epic shrimp burrito. All of the food was SO good. The crispy shrimp bowl was my favorite with their delicious slap sauce, sesame soy sauce, sriracha lime, and the delicious chimichurri sauce. The portion was huge and so so good. And to top it all off the service was amazing!!! We are from out of town and wish that we had one near us! I'm going to be craving this again and it might be worth the drive from Pasadena!“

“Always great to come in for brunch, lunch or dinner. We’re always sit at the bar. Mateo and kimmie are always so attentive and makes sure everything is perfect. Great craft beer selections and full bar as well. Endless mimosas are a blast.“