Oceanaire Seafood

I must confess, it is the BEST CRAB CAKE I have ever had.\r \r I was recently downtown San Diego and went to the Oceanaire for Happy Hour. The bartenders are funny and very friendly. I asked for the crab cake. They instructed me that it was not on happy hour :( and suggested several other happy hour items but explained that the crab cake was worth every penny. I ordered the crab cake anyway and it was PERFECT! \r \r I proceeded to have my fill of $1 Oysters (YES! $1) a piece during happy hour ( only 5pm to 6pm). They also have a good variety of happy hour cocktails, wine and beer. I chose a glass of champagne to go with my oysters. \r \r They were rightfully busy but very attentive.\r \r Thank you guys for making it another great experience at Oceanaire. All I had to remember was the letter ""J"" as all of the bartenders had that first initial. Yummy.\r \r \r \r more

I have never tasted better seafood anywhere, and we have been all over the world. Hands down, the best ever. We don't come here often because it's just too expensive for us, but when we want to treat ourselves, we make a trip over and go for it! San Diego is really coming along with great places to eat. more

Oh no, I can't believe it...why did they have to take something so great and ruin it... more

having been to many seafood resturants in Norhtern and Southern California, I find this place to have maybe the best food, great service, and a friendly atmospher. the best. more

This is my absolute favorite restaurant. My boyfriend and I went here for Valentine's Day. The restaurant had formulated a very special menu for the occasion. Each course left us speechless. Everything from the bread, salads, and soups to the fish, meats, and desserts was absolutely phenomenal. The meals are so unique and it's amazing how the chefs know that very different ingredients and spices (that no normal person would combine) somehow can come together in a tantalizing fashion. The ambiance was romantic and comfortable. The servers were polite and knowledgeable about each dish. I wish I was rich so I could eat here at least once per week. more

I took my assistant to lunch today to the for her birthday. I had called ahead to make special plans to have flowers I had ordered and gifts placed on the table prior to our arrival. Everything was done very professionally and exactly as I had requested. The seafood was excellent and the presentation was very nice. Thank you for the excellent service. I will be back. Pros: ambiance was very nice more

Go family-style and order a few appetizers, salads and sides...The portions are huge, the food is fantastic and the service is great. Go for the hash browns...take home the left overs, they are great in the morning for breakfast! Pros: Huge portions of incredibly well-prepared food. Cons: Can be loud & a little cold more

Nice seafood place more

This is my all time favorite restaurant in San Diego! Grab a seat at the bar, order a French 75, crab cakes and chili rock shrimp and I promise you won't be disappointed. The atmosphere doesn't get any better! Pros: amazing service, cocktails, food and entertainment Cons: usually packed so get there early or make a reservation more

My visit to the Oceanaire last Wednesday was near perfect. The service was prompt and friendly and helped me make delicious appetizer and dinner choices. I overate before dinner was over and opted out of desert. The Oysters on the half were among the best I have had in California. I followed it up with a piece of salmon, again?. perfect. more

Last week a friend of mine took me to the Oceanaire for their happy hour and challenged me to eat my very first Oyster. I am not adventurous when it comes to raw seafood, but we were sitting at the Raw Bar and after a martini and the happy hour oyster prices I was more easily convinced. I actually really enjoyed it so we split about a half dozen different types. Dinner was a piece of White Sea Bass that could not have been prepared any better and we split a mountain of hashbrowns which I am sure had a pound of butter in it, but it was worth it. more

Great overall dining experience! I was impressed with the wide variety of fresh seafood on their menu and the different preparations. The staff is very friendly and attentive, but not too in your face. If you are a fan of oysters, I highly recommend ordering from the oyster bar. My friend and I ordered the Halibut and Swordfish which were both very tasty. The sides are served family style, which I thought was great since it gives you the chance to try more than one. We shared the spinach and mushrooms and mashed potatoes which were a perfect pair for the lightly seasoned fish. The cheesecake was wonderful, although, you definitely want to share as the portion is huge. Overall, it was a really positive experience and I will definitely be returning to Oceanaire Seafood Room in the future. more

top chef contender brian malarkey is the executive chef at this seafood restaurant in the gas lamp quarter of san diego. more

The food was good, but of course it was, there really aren't that many ""bad"" restaurants in San Diego. That said, there are many other seafood restaurants I'd recommend that are much less expensive and just as good guality and atmosphere. The menu is broken up into the main protein (mostly fish, some chicken, and a few steaks) which you order seperately from the sides. So for that whopping $25 plus entree, you really just get the piece of fish on a plate... then you have to order a seperate side, which is only offered family style (serves 4 or more) for another $8-12. Wine by the glass starts at $11... for a bottle that isn't worth more than $20 in the stores. Really I don't know what the huge mark-up is all about, certainly not the atmosphere, it was noisy, busy, and cramped. Pros: tasty food Cons: expensive, noisy, cramped... more

A group of 8 went out to celebrate my birthday on January 5, 2008. The Host was very professional and courteous. The waitress seemed a little aloof at first, but warmed up quickly. Pros: Great Host and wonderful dining space Cons: Inconsistent service, poor quality control more

It was my wife's birthday last Friday, and we decided to go to the Oceaniare to celebrate. The restaurant itself is very classy. Our waiter told us they were trying to create a ""50's"" sophisticated kind of look, but it looked very modern and chic to my wife and I. After being seated, our server brought us a tray of ""mini-appetizers"" to eat while we looked over the menu. The tray included olives, pickles, cucumbers, and pickled herring. Along with some bread, it was a very nice start to the meal. The menu is based upon the fresh fish that they have brought in, and is pretty extensive in terms of seafood. My wife and I started our meals with the maryland blue crab cake. It was fantastic. It was about 90% crab meat, and was excellent. For dinner, I ordered the scallops in a thai curry sauce with shitake mushrooms, and my wife ordered sole stuffed with crab, brie cheese, and shrimp. As a side dish, we ordered the wasabi mashers. My scallops were cooked very well, and the shitake mushrooms were almost ""steak-like"" and complimented the scallops very well. The curry was a bit more subtle than I would have liked, but it was still good. My wife really enjoyed her sole, and it was very rich. The only real down side of the meal were the wasabi mashers. Those mashed potatoes were OOZING with ginger, to the point where they weren't that enjoyable. Since it was my wife's b-day, they brought us out a Baked Alaska for dessert. The presentation was very creative, and the dessert itself was the perfect end to a great meal. This place is a bit pricy, but is totally worthh it. I highly recommend this place to any seafood fans, as well as people looking for a special place to celebrate. Pros: Extensive Selection of Fresh Seafood, Terrific Food, Ambience Cons: Crowded, Parking more

I echo all of the postive reviews posted here. I have been lucky enough to dine at Oceanaire in both Seattle and San Diego. Excellent food and service at both locations. Pros: Seafood more

It was my wife's Birthday... we were staying at the Marriott by Seapoint Village... called friends that have.. more

It was my wife's Birthday... we were staying at the Marriott by Seapoint Village... called friends that have a condo downtown for weekends... asked... more

Simply THE BEST in San Diego for: Pros: Variety and freshness of fish, service, ambiance more