Net Winnings: The Best Seafood Restaurant in Every State

Best Seafood Restaurants in Every State

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Best Seafood Restaurants in Every State
nikkytok/istockphoto

Real Catches

No matter where you are in the United States — even in the most remote regions — tasty seafood options aren't far away. Once you decide to forgo the national chains, get off the beaten path, and take a chance on some local favorites, you'll have the chance to reel in the greatest food the sea has to offer. We scoured reviews and rankings by expert food writers and countless hungry customers to find one of the best seafood restaurants in each state.  

Cobalt in Orange Beach, Alabama
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Alabama: Cobalt

Orange Beach

Contemporary coastal cuisine is cooked up in three kitchens at Cobalt. This is true waterfront dining — the restaurant offers docking for guests arriving in boats, up to medium yacht size. 

The Hangar on the Wharf, Juneau, Alaska
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Alaska: The Hangar on the Wharf

Juneau

The Hangar on the Wharf — a converted airplane hangar on a wooden pier — looks out over Gastineau Channel and the mountains. Watch sea planes take off and land from a seat at the bar or patio, where you can order a local brew and halibut in all its glorious forms: in a chowder bowl or bento box, Cajun-style on a salad, or golden and flaky fish and chips, blackened and spiced in tacos, or griddled into a melt on baked ciabatta — you name it, they've got generous portions of it. 

Arizona: Mariscos Chihuahua
Michael S./Yelp

Arizona: Mariscos Chihuahua

Tucson

In the heart of the city, Mariscos Chihuahua blends classic American seafood with traditional Southwestern and Mexican fare. Among the restaurant's trademark dishes are ostiones en su concha (fresh-shucked oysters) and the signature camarones culichi (sautéed shrimp).


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Powerhouse Seafood & Grill
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Arkansas: Powerhouse Seafood & Grill

Fayetteville

Powerhouse Seafood & Grill was voted best in Northwest Arkansas for two decades. Live music across all genres lends a celebratory vibe for visitors, who indulge in a range of specialty seafoods and dishes from the oyster and shrimp bar.

California: Pacific Beach Fish Shop
J G./Yelp

California: Pacific Beach Fish Shop

San Diego

The Pacific Beach Fish Shop partners with local breweries to offer one of the best craft beer menus in Southern California, but it's the food that keeps the place packed. The 1-2-3 menu is so simple, it's brilliant: choose a fish, choose a marinade, choose a style.


Related: 20 Recipes and Tips for Grilling Fish This Summer

Colorado: Jax Fish House
Danelle R./Yelp

Colorado: Jax Fish House

Multiple Locations
Denver-based magazine 5280 has named Jax Fish House as one of the restaurants that has "most influenced the local dining scene over the past quarter-century," and it's not hard to see why. Founded in 1994, Jax stands out for using fresh, sustainable seafood in a landlocked state, so much so that chef Sheila Lucero has even represented the seafood industry in sustainability talks in D.C. On top of that, the menu offers a wide variety of seafood, from oysters to Mississippi catfish to Spanish octopus.

The Place in Guilford, Connecticut
Kim S./Yelp

Connecticut: The Place

Guilford
Diners at The Place sit on tree stumps instead of chairs and listen to the crackle of clams roasting on an open fire — seasonally. The Place has roots dating back to open-air Connecticut clambakes in the 1940s, and the tradition continues with a wood-sign seafood menu that starts at $5.50 (for a half-dozen shrimp) and tops out at $20 for everything except steak and lobster. It's cash only, but there's an ATM on-site.

Sambo's Tavern in Leipsic, Delaware
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Delaware: Sambo's Tavern

Leipsic
Known for the best steamed crabs not only in tiny Delaware, but in the region, Sambo's has 70 years of tradition in this town on the Leipsic River. The crabs it serves seasonally come right off the dock out back. 

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Fish in the Neighborhood
Bruce G./ Yelp

District of Columbia: Fish in the Neighborhood

This locally owned and operated storefront is cash-only, but fans of the long menu of broiled, baked, and fried fish and shrimp aren't deterred. The fried shrimp and catfish have devoted fans on Yelp, but so do the candied yams and mac and cheese. "It's out of my way but oh so worth it," says one happy reviewer.

Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant in Atlantic Beach, Florida
Deanna Z./Yelp

Florida: Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant

Mayport

In the Jacksonville area, you can and must visit Safe Harbor. The restaurant serves up fresh, local seafood, some caught during deep-sea dives, in a sometimes stunning waterfront setting.

The Shrimp Factory
Raven L./Yelp

Georgia: The Shrimp Factory

Savannah

Locally owned and operated for 40 years, The Shrimp Factory stands out even in its hometown, the seafood mecca of Savannah. There's no shortage of locals who believe the place is haunted, but even more who come back anyway for the fine dining restaurant's relatively affordable menu.  


Related: The 20 Most Haunted Hotels in America

Banzai Sushi Bar
Banzai Sushi Bar/Yelp

Hawaii: Banzai Sushi

Haleiwa

Arguably the best sushi and seafood in the Hawaiian islands is served up at Banzai. The restaurant partners with local fishers and a network of organic farms on the North Shore to bring unrivaled freshness to diners.


Related: The Best Sushi Restaurant in All 50 States

Chandler's
Jim P./Yelp

Idaho: Chandlers

Boise

When you think of seafood, Boise, Idaho, might not come to mind — but Chandlers could change that, with a quality statement on the menu that promises all seafood is flown in fresh, with lobster tail, abalone, Alaskan halibut, and more choices on the menu.

Halfshell
Tom B./Yelp

Illinois: Half Shell

Chicago

In the same location since 1968, this neighborhood haunt is known for its king crab legs, jumbo shrimp, and fried catfish. Don't be scared off by the landlocked location — some reviewers call the king crab the best they've had anywhere. 

Chubby Trout Brewbarn & Eatery
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Indiana: The Chubby Trout

Elkhart

The Chubby Trout in Elkhart boasts a seafood menu focused on perch, a European cousin to walleye called zander, salmon, and, of course, trout, complemented by a comprehensive beer menu with plenty of local brews.

Catfish Charlie's in Dubuque, Iowa
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Iowa: Catfish Charlie's

Dubuque 

Catfish Charlie's doesn't stop at catfish — fried oysters, jambalaya, and bourbon salmon all grace a spicy Cajun-inspired menu. 

Wichita Fish Co.
Amber S./Yelp

Kansas: Wichita Fish Co.

Wichita

The Wichita Fish Co. claims the largest variety of seafood in the state, and the menu suggests it's true, with options of tilapia, pollock, catfish, scallops, shrimp, and oysters — just to name a few.

Charlie's Seafood & Carry-Out Restaurant
Jacob D./Yelp

Kentucky: Charlie's Fresh Seafood

Lexington

Simple fried seafood sandwiches are a specialty at Charlie's, which also maintains a huge selection of frozen seafood for take-away. Try the catfish dinner or whitefish sandwich special and be sure to add the cocktail sauce made fresh on site.

Middendorf's in Akers, Louisiana
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Louisiana: Middendorf's

Aker and Slidell

Middendorf's has been in this town just north of New Orleans since 1934, serving celebrities from football's Manning family to the Prince of Monaco. The restaurant's specialty is thin catfish, but since you're in Louisiana, there are also local specialties such as frog legs.

Billy's Chowder House in Wells, Maine
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Maine: Billy's Chowder House

Wells

Maine is more closely associated with lobster than any other place on Earth, so it's hard to pick one seafood house as best. The understated Billy's Chowder House, however, makes a strong argument with its Famous Platter — a full pound of fresh-caught seafood. And its chowders and stews are meals by themselves.

Jerry's Seafood
FoodWanderer A./Yelp
J.T. Farnham’s Seafood & Grill
RoadTrip N./Yelp

Massachusetts: J.T. Farnham's Seafood & Grill

Essex 

The spoon-floating thick chowder at J.T. Farnham's Seafood & Grill might be the best in a state famous for great chowder. The golden fried clams have also brought plenty of acclaim.

Streetside Seafood in Birmingham, Michigan
Khris G./Yelp

Michigan: Streetside Seafood

Birmingham


Streetside Seafood is dedicated almost solely to the sea (and a bit to rivers and streams), with only three land-based menu items (including a green salad and coleslaw). Look for four types of oysters, soups of lobster, crab, and clam, as well as pricier entrées from whitefish to lobster.

Minnesota: Sea Salt Eatery
Meky W./Yelp

Minnesota: Sea Salt Eatery

Minneapolis

Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes — and some of the best stuff to come out of those lakes winds up on the tables of the Sea Salt Eatery. Baskets include catfish, oysters, shrimp, and fish, and there's also a full po' boy menu, seafood tacos, and crabcakes.

Felix's Restaurant & Oyster Bar - Gulfport
Andreanov C./Yelp

Mississippi: Felix's

Gulfport

While the New Orleans branch of this restaurant may be more familiar, Felix's has made a name for itself in Mississippi for Cajun favorites such as crawfish po' boys, turtle soup, and oysters on the half shell. Shrimp cocktail, crawfish pies, and even king crab are on the menu, too.

Peacemaker Lobster and Crab Co. in Saint Louis, Missouri
Brett D./Yelp

Missouri: Peacemaker Lobster and Crab Co.

St. Louis

How can the coastal seafood at Peacemaker taste so fresh? The answer: A fresh catch is flown in every day. A 130-year-old stone oyster trough is the focal point of the establishment, which serves up lobster as Frito pie as well as in rolls and boils.


Related: 11 Ways to Turn Junk Food Into a Proper Meal

Montana: Tupelo Grille
Becky C./Yelp

Montana: Tupelo Grille

Whitefish

At Tupelo Grille, shrimp and crawfish cakes, shrimp and grits, and Southern bayou catfish are all on the menu — and that's just the appetizers. Can't decide? The Zydeco Combo makes a whole bunch of hard choices for you.

Plank Seafood in Omaha, Nebraska
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Nebraska: Plank Seafood Provisions

Omaha

Respect to Plank Seafood for its oyster bar, but also for the Prince Edward Island mussels. And the snapper ceviche. And the calamari. And the grilled walleye.

Other Mama, Las Vegas
Other Mama/Yelp

Nevada: Other Mama

Las Vegas

There's more to Vegas than the Strip, and if you're up for a bit of a drive, dinner at one of the city's buzziest restaurants is unlikely to disappoint. Where other Vegas restaurants are cavernous, this one is intimate — it only seats 45 — and it's housed in an unassuming strip mall. But there's no need for any gimmicks, because the food is indisputably the star of the show. After starting off with waffle fries and spicy salmon tartare, diners can face-plant into the raw bar's mouth-watering selection of oysters, sushi, sashimi, and ceviche.

Newick’s Lobster House
Shelley M./Yelp

New Hampshire: Newick's Lobster House

Dover Point 

New Hampshire is in lobster country, and Newick's excels at crustacean cuisine. Founded in 1948 by the family that still runs the place, Newick's offers a few dishes for land lovers – but the rest of the menu comes from the water, including "lobstahs" and "chowdah."

The Anchorage Tavern and Restaurant in Somers Point, New Jersey
Tricia G./Yelp

New Jersey: The Anchorage Tavern Restaurant

Somers Point

Sure, being featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" raised the profile of The Anchorage Restaurant — but locals didn't need any convincing. The tavern has been a Somers Point staple for more than a century, and New Jerseyans have watched it evolve into one of the most lauded eateries in the state.


Related: Oldest Restaurant in Every State

Down N Dirty
Arielle B./Yelp

New Mexico: Down N Dirty Seafood Boil

Albuquerque

This low-key seafood spot doesn't put an emphasis on decor, but it does live up to its name by delivering boiled seafood, no frills. Fans like the crab legs and the peel-and-eat shrimp.


Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant in New York City, New York
michelle t./Yelp

New York: Black Nile

Brooklyn

You can't go wrong at Black Nile, a seafood-soul food joint (which offers not just shrimp and grits, but whiting, lobster, salmon, snapper, and crab cakes on either black pepper or cheddar cheese grits). Start with crispy salmon sliders with peach jalapeño hot sauce and create a meal whether fried, grilled, or baked. 

Calabash Waterfront Seafood Shack in Calabash, North Carolina
Lilit. O/Yelp

North Carolina: Calabash Waterfront Seafood Shack

Calabash

As a coastal state, North Carolina has plenty of seafood restaurants. Few are as authentic and fresh as the Waterfront Seafood Shack. It's right on the water and the company has its own fishing boats. This humble little eatery earns high praise from diners and has been pulling fans back in for decades.

The Toasted Frog - Grand Forks
Paul H./Yelp

North Dakota: The Toasted Frog

Multiple Locations


After more than a decade as a staple in the Grand Forks area, The Toasted Frog has earned a reputation for some of the finest seafood statewide (so much so that they've since opened up locations in Bismarck and Fargo as well). The fish tacos, walleye piccata, and fish special featuring king salmon are among the dishes that keep the place bustling.

Blue Point Grille
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Ohio: Blue Point Grille

Cleveland

If you really have a hankering for seafood, Blue Point Grille serves a dish called "My Blue Point Heaven" with lobster tail, scallops, shrimp, lobster mashed potatoes, and asparagus that should do the trick. Too much? There's always the grouper or the salmon. 


Related: Celebrate Spuds With 27 Tasty Ways to Cook Potatoes

Trapper's Fishcamp & Grill
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Oklahoma: Trapper's Fish Camp

Oklahoma City

A quirky spot with campy decor reminiscent of a backwoods fishing lodge, the seafood on the menu at Trapper's Fish Camp is much more serious. Peel and eat shrimp, crawdad tails, oysters, and shrimp and clam pasta are menu staples. 

Georgie's Beachside Grill in Newport, Oregon
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Oregon: Georgie's Beachside Grill

Newport

The views at Georgie's Beachside Grill are at least as stunning as the food, which has more of a New England lobster house feel than the high-end ambience lets on. Like the mighty Pacific it touches, the portions at Georgie's never seem to end.

Luke's Lobster
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Pennsylvania: Luke's Lobster

Philadelphia

The City of Brotherly Love is one of the world's great restaurant cities, but even in Philadelphia, Luke's Lobster stands out. The cozy BYOB joint, steps away from historic Rittenhouse Square, has sustainable seafood in lobster rolls, crab rolls, shrimp rolls, as well as lobster bisque and clam chowder.

Rhode Island: Matunuck Oyster Bar
Long H./Yelp

Rhode Island: Matunuck Oyster Bar

South Kingston

Few states scream great seafood as loudly as Rhode Island — and the Matunuck Oyster Bar might be the loudest. The restaurant's motto is "farm to table and pond to plate," and that concept is evident not only in its sizable raw bar, but in dishes such as the restaurant's famous lobster rolls.

Whaley's Restaurant and Bar in Edisto Island, South Carolina
Barbara F./Yelp

South Carolina: Whaley's Restaurant and Bar

Edisto Beach

A legendary seafood dive, Whaley's spices things up with live music and karaoke. The cheap but plentiful menu offers exciting options such as sushi nachos and stuffed shrimp, and a bunch of fried options including select-grade oysters and flounder.


Related: 30 Historic Dive Bars Across the Country

Oyster Bay Bar and Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota
jane u./Yelp

South Dakota: Oyster Bay Bar and Casino

Deadwood

The most legendary city in South Dakota — and perhaps the most iconic of the Old West — is Deadwood. Its Oyster Bay was a legend before being featured on the Travel Channel. Famous for its oyster shooters, Oyster Bay fosters a raucous atmosphere complete with live music and karaoke.

Ed's Fish House in Nashville, Tennessee
Ana C./Yelp

Tennessee: Ed's Fish House

Nashville

Its website is a late-’90s throwback. Its catering truck looks like a Los Angeles street food cart. Its most famous dish is a whiting fish sandwich. It's Ed's Fish House, the gold standard for seafood in Nashville since 1972. Not convinced? Go to Nashville and ask the locals. Ed's is seasonal, so check the website before you go.  

Shrimp and Stuff
Vini J./Yelp

Texas: Shrimp 'n Stuff

Galveston

The crispy, crunchy, irresistible lure of Shrimp 'n Stuff and its gigantic, hand-battered shrimp has been known to Galveston residents for more than four decades. It's arguably the best in the state.

Summerhay’s Halibut & Chips
Adam G./Yelp

Utah: Summerhay's Halibut & Chips

Salt Lake City

The namesake dish is prominent on the menu, but Summerhay's Halibut 'N Chips serves up much more than just fish and french fries. Try a bread bowl filled with chowder or the family basket of halibut. 

White Cottage Snack Bar
Keith H./Yelp

Vermont: White Cottage Snack Bar

Woodstock

New England has no shortage of amazing seafood houses, but the White Cottage in Woodstock has fried scallops and whole belly clams that keep the crowds coming back, two dozen flavors of ice cream to end the meal, and seasonal swims in the Ottauquechee River flowing past.


Related: 20 Things You Never Knew About New England

Rappahannock Oyster Co. in Topping, Virginia
Diana T./Yelp

Virginia: Rappahannock Oyster Co.

Richmond

The Chesapeake Bay is known for some of the finest shellfish in the world, much of which end up on tables at Rappahannock. Its oyster wholesaler has been working the bay since 1899, providing Olde Salt, Barcat, and Stingray oysters for shucking.

Chinook’s at Salmon Bay
Kaushik B./Yelp

Washington: Chinook's at Salmon Bay

Seattle

In the heart of the Seattle Fishermen's Terminal, which houses more than 700 fishing vessels and has served as the heart of the North Pacific fishing fleet for more than 100 years, Chinook's at Salmon Bay serves seafood that lives up to the history. 

West Virginia: Tricky Fish
Kashif K./Yelp

West Virginia: Tricky Fish

Charleston

The iconic Tricky Fish boasts "beach shack food, cold beer, and frozen drinks." Try the crab cake po'boy, the mahi-mahi tacos, the Buffalo shrimp, or the rotating chalkboard specials.

Wisconsin: Newport Shores
Michelle B./Yelp

Wisconsin: St. Paul Fish Company

Milwaukee

The St. Paul Fish Company won't just sell you a seafood meal, it'l sell you some seafood as well, at either its Milwaukee or Mequon locations. But go ahead and feel a little lazy, as you can feast on two fish tacos for $11, a po' boy for $13, or a full lobster boil for $27, and in either a dining room, oyster bar, or outdoor tiki bar.

Wyoming: Rocky Mountain Sea Food
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Wyoming: Rocky Mountain Seafood

Afton

Wyoming may be cattle country, and Afton may be a town of only 2,000, but Rocky Mountain Seafood will take you straight to the coast with its seaside decor and ample selection of fresh and cooked seafood. Notable items on the chalkboard menus include farm-raised salmon, Alaskan halibut, and Cod Parmesan.


Discover more restaurant recommendations across the country right here.