Point Loma Seafoods

San Diego Bay is a hub of varied activity.  From wherever you may be standing on the waterfront, you can turn one way and see the picture taking tourists enjoying the palm trees, shops, and historic ships.  Turn your head ever so slightly and there’s the locals rushing to lunch at one of a number of great eateries.  Admire the beautiful downtown skyline and multi-million dollar yachts as the thrilling scream of a fiery jet engine from a Naval Fighter roars overhead.  Yeah, it’s a festival for the senses.

Of course, whether you’re a local or a tourist, the sense of taste will be longing to be satisfied.  That’s where Pt. Loma Seafoods comes in.  Located on the beautiful north end of the harbor, this San Diego institution is a must-stop for seafood lovers.  Eating super fresh ocean fare with fishing boats literally just steps away has a mysterious way of putting the whole experience over the top.  The vibe, though busy and a bit hectic, is great, part of their schtick.

Pt. Loma Seafoods is, first, a fish market.  You’ll walk in and more than likely be a bit confused.  There’ll be a large crowd of people, with no semblance of a line.  That’s because there’s no line.  You might look for a “take a number” sign, but you won’t find that either.  Confused, lost, and maybe a bit overwhelmed, you might be tempted to just walk out.  But then you’ll get a glimpse of the cases filled with bright and gleaming fish and realize all you smell is the ocean.  No unpleasant “fishiness”, just the unmistakable aroma of fresh fish.  You’ll know that the wait will be worth it.

With no number tickets or carefully organized lines, it’s a wonder that order is kept so well.  Everyone just kinda figures out who’s next and walks up to the next available worker behind the glass cases.  One thing you’ll have to remember is that they only accept cash.  Why they don’t upgrade, I have no idea.

Location and vibe are important factors to a restaurant’s success, but the main thing is the food.  Pt. Loma Seafoods is easily the best seafood restaurant I’ve ever been to.  Freshness is the key, so most everything is prepared pretty simply.  No need to hide any off flavors here.  But a couple SoCal twists just add to the yummiliciousness.  They have a sushi chef who creates absolutely stunning rolls right out in the open.  I’ve had the Rainbow Roll and the California Roll that is made with real crab (I think most people have only had it with “Krab”).  Both are right up there with some of the best renderings of these standard sushi delicacies I’ve ever had.

They have awesome fried fish, which is lightly breaded and very tasty.  As good as it is, the fried fish pretty much becomes a vessel by which their homemade tartar sauce is shoveled into my face.  The absolute best tartar sauce on the planet.  I’m not one to just throw such lofty praise around like that willy-nilly.  It’s truly unique and tasty, and, best of all, available at a self-serve counter so that one can over-indulge on this creamy condiment.

My latest find there was their fish tacos.  In a border town that’s also nestled up against the mighty Pacific Ocean, it is just natural that you can find great fish tacos every couple blocks.  Once again, Pt. Loma Seafoods, is right up there with the best of them (certainly, better than most).  The fried cod is perfectly crisp and authentically adorned with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, shredded monterey jack cheese and a sprinkling of queso anejo.  So good!