Santa Monica Seafood - Costa Mesa

Again... they don't disappoint. We visited the Santa Monica site since they were opened in their current location. $12 for cioppino was a winner in our book and we were addicted! The first time here and we were thrilled. Cioppino is no more $12 but is delicious and worth every penny. Husband had the first tacos and they were also delicious.

Always fresh, always fabulous. We were lucky to get a made to order shrimps and crab plate Christmas evening and it was not only beautiful but absolutely to die for tasty. Best seafood in town!

Stop and sit at the bar for a draft bear and some oysters and clams. Great place to buy seafood too.

Service: The customer service was commendable; our waiter was friendly, patient, and happily answered our menu questions. Food: To start, we ordered a cup of clam chowder, which turned out to be a bit too thick and clumpy for our taste. For my main dish, I chose the crab cake, which was a delightful surprise, especially since it was happy hour! The crab cake was delicious and tasted fresh, with just the right amount of crab. We also shared the popular Cioppino, adding noodles to make it more filling. Served in a large bowl, it was definitely enough for two! The soup was packed with fresh seafood and topped with two generous slices of grilled sourdough bread. However, I found the dish lacking in flavor, which might be attributed to the style of the dish. On the bright side, I appreciated its lightness! I would certainly return for that tasty crab cake and to explore other items on the menu, such as the crab bisque. Overall, this spot is definitely worth a visit!

Just a short drive from Newport Beach is Santa Monica Seafood, a charming market and café that offers fresh fish and a variety of seafood dishes. We kicked off our meal with a dozen fresh oysters, which were delightful! Next, we enjoyed a large bowl of creamy crab bisque that had a subtle sweetness from the crab. For our main courses, I ordered the tuna tartare while my husband opted for the fish and chips. The tuna was fantastic—super fresh and flavorful. However, the fish in the fish and chips was fluffy but a bit bland and lacking in seasoning. We couldn’t resist trying the steamed king crab legs, which turned out to be the highlight of our dinner!