10 Key Tips for Finding the Best Seafood Restaurant

Did you know that each year Americans are eating more and more seafood? It’s great news both for your diet and for fresh seafood restaurants around the US.

If you’re a sea-foodie, you’ll only want to eat at a top seafood restaurant, not an unworthy imitation.

But finding great seafood restaurants is similar to a Where’s Waldo picture book. You’ll find many red herrings, but the real deal can feel impossible to find.

So how can you find the best seafood restaurant? Follow these tips and you’ll be ready for the search!

The Best Seafood Restaurant—How Can You Find It?

Unlike many other traditional meals in the US, cooking seafood takes a lot of skill. It’s a delicacy and not every chef has mastered the skill. Why?

It’s one of the most difficult proteins to cook. If it’s cooked too long it becomes tough and chewy. If it’s not cooked enough it might have a nasty texture or even give you food poisoning.

That’s why you should generally order seafood at a “seafood” restaurant, not at your local Texas Roadhouse. But even if you head to a seafood restaurant, you’re not guaranteed a quality meal. So, do your research and know before you go by following these 10 tips.

1. See the Sea

If you want fresh seafood, proximity is essential. Choose a restaurant that’s close to its source—the sea! If not the sea, next to a fresh-water lake or river. If a seafood restaurant is far away from the ocean, there’s no way the fish is fresh. Even if they claim it is.

If the fish they’re cooking was truly caught that day, certain dishes may become unavailable throughout the evening. When that happens, as inconvenient as it seems, it shows you they aren’t sneakily freezing the fish and keeping it for weeks on end.

And if you choose a restaurant where you can see the sea while you’re eating, you really will have an authentic experience!

2. Quality Over Quantity

You should never compromise on quality when it comes to food. Your very health could be at risk if you do!

But that doesn’t mean you have to go to the most expensive restaurant on the block. There are many fresh seafood restaurants that offer quality food at reasonable prices.

How do you know if the food is high-quality or not? You can check their website to see whether you’re getting fresh seafood or frozen. You may also be able to find out exactly where they buy their seafood.

Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So if you try something and it tastes old or low-quality, you know not to go back. And don’t forget to write a review and let others know about your experience too.

3. Variety is the Spice of Life

Great seafood restaurants think out of the box and offer more than the standard options. Because if you’re a seafood lover and eat out regularly, the extraordinary will soon become ordinary.

Check their selection online and find out what variety of dishes they offer. From lobster to oysters to salmon to scallops, variety is the spice of life. Some restaurants may also offer an off-menu “catch of the day” too.

While most seafood restaurants exclusively only do seafood, if you’re heading out with friends make sure there are a few other options too. Then your picky friend who doesn’t like seafood can munch on some chicken instead.

4. First Class Service

On top of a great menu, customer service is vital to success in the food industry. A lack of customer service can make even the best tasting food seem bitter. Exceptional service is just as important as lip-licking seafood.

You shouldn’t have to sit there preparing a bad review in your mind. You should feel relaxed, carefree, and even special. The workers should view you as a valued customer and do their best to make your experience an extraordinary one.

It’s easy to figure out if their customer service is good or not by testing it out with a simple phone call. Either book a table or ask a few questions about the menu. Their response will tell you a lot about the place.

5. Health and Hygiene

The quality of food shouldn’t be the only criteria you look for when selecting fresh seafood restaurants. You need to choose a place with excellent hygiene. They’re dealing with raw seafood, after all!

A clean place doesn’t have to look like a scientific lab, but everything should be fully sanitized and clean. Take a look around, does the restaurant look clean and tidy on the outside and the inside?

The best way to find out if an establishment is truly clean or not is to check the bathrooms. If they’re nice and clean, chances are the kitchen is too. Better yet, choose a restaurant where you can see directly into the kitchen.

6. Traditional Cuisine

If you’re looking for restaurants with seafood and other cuisines to choose from, pick a cultural restaurant. They may offer a variety of traditional seafood plates that bring out unique tastes from their region.

For example, a broiled jerk salmon dish will give you the taste of Jamaica. Galician style mussels in white wine will tingle your tastebuds with the flavors of Spain. Or how about a traditional British dinner of fish and chips?

Yes, if you’re sick of the same old dishes on restaurant menus, try somewhere new. And with the US being full of a variety of cultures, you don’t have to travel far to taste food from around the world.

7. Drinks All Round

When choosing the top seafood restaurant, don’t forget to glance at the drinks menu too. It may not be a top priority, but seafood is generally salty. That means quenching your thirst with something delicious will be the cherry on the cake.

The best seafood restaurants choose specific drinks that help enhance the flavors of your meal. For instance, cognac pairs well with shellfish and a mojito cocktail is perfect for crabs. Likewise, Daiquiri complements oysters and a gin martini works wonders with shrimp.

If the restaurant is serious about being the best, they’ll make an effort with the drinks menu too. And don’t forget to check if the restaurant has a happy hour!

8. It’s All About the Bass

When it comes to any restaurant, a key player in the game is the atmosphere and entertainment. Because a dining experience isn’t only about the food, right?

Find a restaurant that gives off the right vibes with their entertainment. Some fresh seafood restaurants let you choose the crab or lobster you want to eat for dinner. Others cook right in front of you while stunning the crowd with mind-boggling tricks.

In addition to food-tertainment, make sure to check out the entertainment too.

Whether it’s live music or watching a sports game while you eat, you’ll find a place that suits your preferences.

You can usually find out about upcoming events, bands playing, and other info on their Facebook page. But some events may have a regular slot, such as quiz nights on a Friday or a local band on a Saturday.

9. Word of Mouth

Did you know that 92% of people trust recommendations from their friends and family over forms of advertising? And the same goes for restaurants with seafood. While we’re constantly bombarded with ads from “the best restaurants ever”, what you see isn’t always what you get.

But when it comes to word of mouth, you truly can trust your friend’s and family’s experiences. Especially if they’re a sea-foodie like you!

So the next time someone recommends a restaurant for the best crab in town, go and check it out.

10. Always Check the Reviews!

Even if you don’t have any like-minded friends who recommend secret seafood spots, there’s a huge amount of foodies out there who can help. How? Through online reviews.

Online reviews can usually tell you more about the restaurant than their own website can. Through a variety of customer’s perspectives and experiences, you can get the overall vibe of a restaurant. And because reviewers usually mention everything, from the food to the service to the atmosphere, you can get the full picture.

But like a literal piece of fresh fish, always take reviews with a pinch of salt. Some people just love to complain about everything. Read reviews with an open mind and see what the overall feedback is, instead of one person’s personal ramblings.

Sea Food—Eat Food!

From the quality of food to the drinks menu and the location, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to picking a legit seafood restaurant. But now you’ve got all the know-how on how to find the best seafood restaurant, it’s time to start searching. Comment below and give us your recommendations!

For more handy tips on how to entertain your tastebuds, check out the Recipe Box section of our blog.