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Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants American (Traditional) Seafood, American (Traditional) [Edit]
3667 India St(between San Diego Ave & Winder St)
San Diego, CA 92103
Neighborhood: Mission Hills
(619) 497-0914
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
974 reviews for Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill
Review Highlights
"Definitely top notch fish tacos."
(in 207 reviews)
"This place has AWESOME clam chowder."
(in 146 reviews)
"The lemon garlic butter was absolutely perfect."
(in 117 reviews)
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973 reviews in English
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Review from Kristie L.
San Diego, CA
1/20/2012
I am SO happy I got to try this place before I head out to DC for 5 months!
Everything was fresh & delicious!
Calamari: even though I usually prefer a flakier outside, this is good too (although not my favorite thing on the menu)
Lemon garlic butter Mahi Mahi salad with homemade ranch dressing: sooooo yummy!
Clam chowder: Perfect consistency for me and perfect clam to potato ratio!
Bronzed Salmon plate: perfectlly cooked, not overcooked at all.
Shrimp & crab sandwich: lettuce, avocado, tomato with shrimp and crab... my favorite part was that there wasn't a mayonnaise explosion! Most crab sandwiches at other places are doused in it. But not here.... it is perfect here!
Can't wait to try more things on the menu when I get back! -
Review from Shauna M.
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food here is amazing. Fish sandwiches, awesome (always toasted with avocado).
I also love the oysters.
And the fish tacos are huge! I always order two, and then regret it, cause its impossible to finish, especially after I have had some oysters and garlic bread.
Things to know before you go:
-parking sucks. Just give yourself extra time to find a spot.
-its not very big, so big parties are not recommended.
-The line can get SUPER LONG (thanks to an appearance on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, even though this place is none of those things). I would expect an hour between arriving, standing in line, and getting your food. If you are super hungry, this is not the place to go. Even if I am not starving I order an appetizer to keep my sanity.
-NEVER NEVER NEVER sit at a table until you have ordered. They will yell at you, and everyone else will hate you. There are people that work there whos job it is to make sure you will get a table AFTER you have ordered. Let them feel useful, and save them from having to tell you to get up. -
Review from Maria C.
Merced, CA
1/17/2012
I thought the fish tacos were great. You can't get any fresher than this place. The tacos were large and fulfilling. Unfortunately, all the tacos tasted similar, so the different special sauces didn't really matter.
The only thing that I really got annoyed by was the wait. We waited for over an hour to reach the register, I removed one star for this. Besides that the service was great.
I will definitely come again for a fish sandwich next time. -
Review from Donnie M.
Chula Vista, CA
2/8/2012
I ate for the first time at this restaurant, tonight. I am not from San Diego so I will be the first to admit that there are a lot of good restaurants that I am not familiar with, but I am surprised I have not heard about this place in the past. The seafood is some of the best and freshest I have had anywhere. They offer multiple types of fish cooked a lot of different ways. After you choose the type of fish and the type of seasoning, you choose from tacos, sandwich, salad, or as a plater. The fish cuts are enormous. The oysters are great as well and they are only $15 for a dozen. Overall the prices are average to a bit above average. The restaurant is a bit small so seating fills up fast but its a great place to eat and is definitely in my top five favorite places to eat seafood.
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Review from Gregory B.
San Diego, CA
2/5/2012
I was told about Blue Water Grill from a friend who raved about the value, "Fresh Mahi Mahi sandwich for ten bucks." But the value is really just half the good news; the other half is that the food is actually excellent. One would think that in a town lousy with fish restaurants, getting great fish would be easy. If only it were so. For me, the key to seafood is quality and freshness of the fish along with simple preparation. Too much marinade, richly flavored sauces, and sophisticated cooking preparations can destroy the subtle flavor and texture of perfectly fresh fish. And perfectly fresh is the only way to have fish. At Blue Water Grill, they slather the marinades on just prior to grilling so as not to permeate the meat, grill just enough to put a nice char on the outside while leaving the meat moist and tender, then serve things up simply and unpretentiously.
I had Yellowtail tacos and the medium shrimp and crab cocktail. The tacos were huge, each packed with a large hunk of beautiful fish, covered in some crunchy cabbage, a little onion, tomato, and a tiny amount of white sauce. I felt it was missing some heat and would have liked a homemade salsa to go with the dish but had to settle for a few splashes of Cholula and some lime. A minor detraction considering how delicious the tacos were. My wife had the Mahi Mahi salad with lemon, butter, and garlic marinade. The greens were a wonderful balance of soft and crisp, the dressing was light and nice, but a bit too sweet. The fish was really perfect. The shrimp and crab cocktail was delicious, but again, could have used a little more heat and more sauce.
We left feeling perfectly satisfied, not stuffed. Eating fish prepared that well is a treat and the price was right. One small detraction is the long line which, if you are not lucky enough to score a patio table, will run right alongside your table. I don't care for people standing a foot from my table as I eat, talking and leering at my wonderful tacos. I would recommend coming at non-peak hours to increase the likelihood of landing a table al fresco and out of the way. -
Review from Jennifer O.
La Jolla, CA
1/27/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill has the most amazing fish tacos that I have ever had. Initially, I didn't even like fish, but I find myself frequently craving these fish tacos. Also for such fresh quality, you're getting a bang for your buck (priced ~$4). My favorite are the Mahi Mahi Tacos and my best girlfriend likes the Seared Ahi Tuna Taco.
The chips (waffle-cut fries) are also really good. I really want to try the clam chowder next, but that have not happened yet because I am addicted to their tacos! -
Review from Miss N.
San Diego, CA
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
The only thing that's missing? A WONDERFUL VIEW. This place is delicious! However, I am such a big fan of Mitch's Seafood, I couldn't help but compare. They have a fish deli (can order fish cold), but otherwise you stand in line and order and they deliver the food to your table by name. We didn't wait too long, and the person taking our order was friendly and asked us if it was our first time. To which we responded "Yes" and we immediately were explained how it works there! Before sitting down, we were given our "bowl" of Clam Chowder ($4, $3 for a "cup, and $7 for a quart) which is so fiilling! There's a strong essence of thyme (but not overwhelming, though I usually like it with a little less) that you eat with their soup crackers and it's soooo good! I'm hoping that they thicken it with potato, as the "broth" was a little grainy. I give their Clam Chowder a 4.5/5. I ordered the calamari taco which the cabbage, tomatoes, and white sauce. I didn't know it came in two large strips as opposed to breaded pieces. It was good, but I think I prefer it in pieces (easier to eat). My boyfriend had two grilled mahi mahi tacos which he finished in 2 seconds! Parking is hard to find during lunchtime but we went right when they opened at 11am during a weekday and had no problem finding parking. Parking is street parking and meter fed. Make sure you feed those meters! Saw a car with a parking ticket on it and the meter maid going around! The bathrooms were clean and I felt safe dining in there! At the time, there were police officers, and military personnel eating in there! It's located near a base, so that explains it. Paid around $18 for 3 tacos, and a "bowl" of clam chowder. If I'm in the area, I'll come back.
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Review from Mark K.
Coronado, CA
2/5/2012
I am generally a fan of this place, the food is excellent and it is nice to support local independent businesses. However, the crowd at this place has gotten out of hand. Management should seriously consider re-thinking their "order first and seat yourself after" free for all, not because it doesn't make sense, but because they should realize that they have somehow attracted the RUDEST and most inconsiderate crowd I have ever seen.
I was there with young child in a car seat the other day and we had a lady in her late 50s literally push us out of her way as she yelled at one of the waitresses to get her a table because she had ordered and wanted to sit down.
This is not the first time I have seen the customers here act like this. I have seen very sneaky people come in with outside drinks and pretend like they have ordered, people call in their orders then proceed to sit down and eat after jumping the entire line, and parties of 2 take a 6 seater and refuse to let others sit down with them.
The fact that the management has not done anything about this and allows their staff to be abused by rude customers on a regular basis makes me wonder if this independent business cares about its repeat customers or sees a dollar as a dollar and it happy to be relegated to a tourist attraction from Diners Drive Ins and Dives. -
Review from Annaliese D.
Berkeley, CA
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fish tacos and fish sandwich were delicious! We had to make a stop here before we left San Diego. In the 5ish years I lived in San Diego I never made it to Blue Water and I'm sad I didn't!
The fish tacos are HUGE! They said they put 4oz of fish in each taco and you can tell. The tortilla is stuffed full of fish, cabbage, and salsa. We had the Hawaiian Albacore, Hawaiian Wahoo and Mahi Mahi tacos and the escolar as a sandwich. The escolar was super buttery and delicious...if you see it on the menu make sure to get it!
2 tacos is more than enough for one person, but we wanted to try as many types of fish as we could and I'm glad we did!
Bonus: close to the airport...come here when you arrive and/or leave!Listed in: San Diego
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Review from Criselle O.
San Diego, CA
Came here with a good friend for lunch and the place was packed!! I was so excited to finally try this place out since it was featured on the food network but was only to be disappointed.
We ordered a lot of food for just the two us.. maybe that was a bad idea because we ended up taking most of the food to go. We got the clam chowder/calamari for appetizers and the mahi mahi tacos/ahi tacos for our main dish. The chowder and calamari were good but the fish in our tacos were pretty dry.
Not too happy about that but I wanna come back and try the place again. Hopefully next time, I have a better experience. -
Review from Heather M.
Apple Valley, CA
2/8/2012
We first heard about this place on DD&D, so when we were getting together with family in San Diego, we decided to give it a try. I've never cared much for fish tacos, but I'll eat them here any day. I had the Mahi Mahi and was delighted how much fish was in the taco. Beware...The tacos are HUGE and full of fish...definitely a good thing! My husband and I ordered two each and both ended up taking one home. My daughter ordered the Calamari...O...M...G....the calamari. I love calamari, and this just melted in your mouth. It was cooked to perfection! I loved how casual the atmosphere was...everyone in t shirt and jeans or shorts. They have a nifty patio for enjoying the gorgeous San Diego weather. We will definitely try to get back here when we're in the area.
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Review from Manny A.
San Diego, CA
2/9/2012
My first visit to Blue Water Seafood. I got in at exactly 11am and only 3 customers ahead of me. I ordered a Red Snapper (blackened) sandwhich with Avocado and Calamari on the side. Both were amazingly delicious. Fresh seafood and cooked to tenderness and the fried calamari was perfect! A bit pricey but worth the $$. The service was quick and friendly. I highly recommend this fish joint and definitely will come back.
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Review from melissa l.
Minneapolis, MN
1/6/2012
I hate Guy Fieri with the passion of a thousand suns, but he was right about this place. It is awesome.
I hate waiting in lines but it was worth it for fresh seafood. If you ever see soft shell crab on the menu, get it! They don't remove the innards like some places which adds a lot of flavor. Otherwise it's just crunch. It was so good in a sandwich.
My family enjoyed the oysters, though I didn't try any. They smelled quite fresh. Fish tacos are also a must. Two make for a good lunch. Ciopino was also great; a thin tomato-y broth with a little heat to it.
I would eat here weekly if I lived here. -
Review from The Hungry Hippos O.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
Best Everything! Clam Chowder, Garlic Bread, Mahi Sandwich, Seared Ahi Salad and a pitcher o beer. Doesn't get much better. Beat the dinner rush bc the line gets long. Perfect example of how fresh seafood should be done. Reggae music is a nice touch too.
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Review from Jennifer K.
Yorba Linda, CA
Came here because my friend loved this place. She was right. Fresh fish daily, there are no frozen fish. Order and pay up front. Seat yourselves.
Calamari - Appetizer was perfect! One of the best calamari I've ever had.
Mahi Mahi sandwich with Lemon Garlic Butter marinade ($10) - Delicious. Comes with lettuce, tomato, and added the avocado.
Red Snapper Tacos - Good, the red snapper was recommended to us because we wanted a "fluffy" type of fish. It was spot on! and the tacos are pretty big! Had to use a fork...
Halibut Tacos- Good. Same taste, different fish.
Cioppino soup in a bowl ($7) - One of my favorite seafood soups!
Lobster bisque - One of the newer soups, didn't like too much. It was too fishy and too much lobster for my taste...
Really enjoyed the food. Loved the fish. The sandwich was the best! Think I'm "fished" out now. -
Review from Jenny K.
12/21/2011
I came on a random weekday night and there was practically no wait!
Place: Parking is a little challenging (street parking only) but it is free after 6PM. The place itself is pretty big, with a good amount of seating (or it seemed that way since most seats were vacant when I went). There's indoor as well as outdoor seating. Even though the place was not particularly busy that night, it still took forever for my food to be ready. I guess its true that they move at their own pace...
Service: The girl taking my order was a little hasty, but she might just be like that because she's used to dealing with large crowds and dinner rushes. Nothing notable about the service, especially since I had my food to-go.
Food: The fish was very very fresh, and you can just tell right off the bat as you bite into the succulent sandwich and watch the fish slowly disintegrate into well defined flakes. I got a white fish (forgot which one, oops) and had it "blackened." Sadly, that option was not as good as the "lemon butter" marinate option because the blackened sauce overpowered the natural sweetness of the light, fresh fish. The price is high for a sandwich (about $10) but it was worth it because it was really good. Be careful though! The cashier girl suckered me into getting cheese and avocado without explaining to me that it would cost extra. So yeah, I paid a couple extra bucks because I said "ok, sure" to all of her offers/ suggestions.Listed in: Seafood galore
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Review from Tony H.
San Diego, CA
1/31/2012
Hands down the best and freshest oysters I've ever had.
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Review from Aj H.
San Diego, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I sat down at an empty table so that bf could place the order (he was second in line) and an elderly man who was standing around waiting for his order says that he's got dibs on the table because there's a sign outside that you can't reserve a table without having ordered. Then my question to you is why aren't you sitting down then? The restaurant should have the sign easily visible INSIDE the restaurant as well since not all people stop and read before entering.
Definition of BISQUE
1a : a thick cream soup made with shellfish or game
Take note, Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill. Your lobster "bisque" needs to be thicker. It's too watery to be considered a bisque. And at $10 per bowl, there could be some more of the soup/lobster (which tasted oddly like imitation crab meat). I had to spit out lobster shell bits every now and then. And where's the flavor? It was so bland!
Ordered a side of fried calamari, which I liked. I liked how the batter stuck to the squid. Usually, when I take a bite of a calamari strip elsewhere the whole calamari gets sucked out of its batter shell. This dish also lacked flavor.
The tacos tasted fresh, but lacked any flavor. Where was the lemon garlic butter marinade that I spoke of?
Clam chowder: Tasted sand in it. Nothing special. Progresso's clam chowder is meatier and flavorful than this. Glad I only ordered a cup for this one.
I had high hopes for this place because of Guy Fieri's stamp of approval and the positive Yelp reviews.
OVERALL:
Parking sucked with super limited parking. Had to park on a 40 degree angled street. The waiting experience to order and to receive the food sucked. The prices sucked. And the food sucked. -
Review from Justin L.
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is simply amazing, though expect a bit of a wait!
The things you'll want to know...
* Parking - over estimate on your meter, the line gets long and you might be there longer than you think.
* Food - LOBSTER BISQUE. Enough said... but then again, if try the sashimi appetizer as well.
* Dining - Get a seat in the little outdoor area, just makes it even nicer.
The seafood here is simply amazing. I also enjoy the fact that all the fresh seafood was available for purchase and you can see it in the display. That also helped me choose what I wanted to order.
Overall... I'll definitely try and make a stop here if I'm in San Diego again! -
Review from Alison L.
Arlington, VA
1/6/2012
Not that this place really needs another review... jeez there are many, but I'll put a few cents down.
We were recommended this restaurant by a family friend who said they had very fresh fish. Well that was a slight understatement.
The line was a few people out the door when we arrived. Little did we know that would mean it would be 1hr 38 min exactly till we got to taste the food. FYI- if you're outside the door, it may be a while. Basically, the system is you wait in line, and decide what you want (there's definitely ample time for that) and then once you get to the cashier you place your order, then find a table, and await the fish arrival. The turnover works well though-- in terms of you wont need to wait for a table, since people are constantly coming and going.
Anyway, I ordered a mahi mahi taco and a halibut taco (special), and the rest of the table ordered onion rings, opah (special) salad, soft crab sandwhichs, and the snapper plate. I thought the tacos were amazing. The corn tortillas were from next store's mexican restaurant so 1- they were corn, 2- they were fresh!, 3- they were awesome. There was a good amount of fish in each taco, 2/3 big pieces, and I didn't feel like i was eating tortillas or cabbage, i had fish in every bite. Definitely go for the tacos, it's the best deal (4/5$ a taco). Also, one thought the Opah was over cooked and dry .... the table thought the onion rings were a bit bready...
The rest of the table enjoyed their plates/salads, but i think the long wait was a bit of a turnoff to the entire dinner. Nonetheless, I would definitely go back! (If I planned going earlier/later and didn't have to wait as long). Note, we went on a Wednesday night, 730pm. By 830 there wasn't much of a line, and I believe they close at 9 or 930.... -
Review from Chris L.
That is one hell of a fish sandwich!
Fresh. Tasty. Zesty. And totally lives up to the hype.
I was a little disappointed to walk in to find out that they were out of yellowtail, but the mahi mahi fit the bill just right. The lemon garlic butter marinade IS EPIC. So EFFING good. I mean. Usually fish sandwiches get SOGGY and are aesthetically as appealing as a wet cat, but holy frijoles. That is one tasty morsel.
Like the true fatass that I am on the *inside* (thank god for this blazing metabolism, right? I'm thinking I could have tape worms as well...oop), I also opted for a crab and artichoke dip TO MY DOME. I demolished approx 95% of it, save a little bit of the bread bowl left over. This was just okay. Not too bad. I would definitely recommend this as a shared dish (obv, I'm sure this is what the establishment intended with it). I'm going to attribute my lukewarm reception to this item due to the fact that I ate an entire fish sandwich prior.
Next time, (soonish. like tomorrow maybe) I'll be back for a plate. Or the tuna melt. Or the calamari. All of it.
FYI, there's a sizable covered outdoor patio off the side of the restaurant with plenty of seating for groups of 4-5. Lots of space in there for peeps to chow down. I'll be sure to take advantage of that next time...tot did an order to go 'cause the street parking in that area is just dismal (what else is new SD?!) -
Review from lottie t.
1/24/2012
Oh my goodness! This place is delicious! The sashimi platter is yum and worth it. We also had their own Cioppino Soup, which was ok. I probably wouldn't get it next time, but it was worth a try. Also, their oysters were fresh and delicious. I didn't have their tacos or platters, but they looked huge! Definitely a fan. And we went at 4p on a Saturday, and it was still packed.
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Review from Eugene R.
Laguna Beach, CA
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went with a friend who knew the place. We got there at 3 on a Friday afternoon. There was a long line. Normally, I don't do lines, but the food being carried out looked and smelled so good that I made an exception. The place seems to be a fish market with a kitchen in the back.
The girl who took our order was friendly and explained the different choices.
We started with a dozen oysters. Fresh and briny! Next was the local lobster bisque. Wow. Really good. It had pieces of lobster floating on top. Finally, I had a local yellow-tail taco. This is a nice chunk of fish in a large taco. If you're planning on ordering more than one, I'd suggest you look at the size.
You have to know where this is. Seems to be just street parking. Some of the spots have meters, some don't. Worth the trip, and the wait. -
Review from Eddie M.
Spring Valley, CA
1/29/2012
Awesome .. Incredible .. Delicious .. How do they do it?? It's hard to find good fish in San Diego, it's always deep fried and greasy .. But here is your place to go. Unassuming and even hard to find, I recommend them highly. Fresh and delicious.
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Review from Rob Y.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012
Best seafood in town without the pretentiousness and high prices of a sit-down seafood restaurant. Just be prepared to wait in line to order at the counter and then scramble for a table during peak times.
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Review from Matthew T.
Los Angeles, CA
11/27/2011
I think this place definitely suffers from the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives hype but it is still an above-average but not mind-blowing seafood place.
We ended up having to wait in a line the stretched out the door and took over an hour just to get to the front. That said, it would be hard for any restaurant to live up to that kind of hype.
The special of the day was Escolar and it was great and I highly recommend it. It was light, tender, and without any of the gameyness you might expect from seafood. The swordfish was also good and both are generous helpings of fresh fish. You can choose to top off your taco with a number of sauce options too. The lemon garlic butter sauce really accentuated the flavor of the fish.
For the price, (escolar $6 swordfish $4) these are big tacos and really good. I think if you come in thinking DDD = best ever, you'll likely experience somewhat of a let-down. But, it is still worth trying and I would definitely come back to try the rest of the menu...that is without the wait! -
Review from N V.
Salt Lake City, UT
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Extremely long line for lunch. Our first thought was that this better be worth it.
We got the halibut tacos, trout sandwich, and clam chowder.
The fish was indeed fresh but was also very bland. I had to add some salt and Tabasco to flavor it up a bit. Although we ordered the trout seasoned in the lemon garlic butter, I did not taste the seasonings at all.
Was not worth the hour long wait. -
Review from Moe P.
Long Beach, CA
Fresh fish and very reasonable prices. Awesome tacos!!! Surprised at how much fish you get too. Must visit!!
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Review from Rebecca A.
Escondido, CA
1/5/2012
OMG...I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Blue Water!!!
Sea food is the only meat I eat and they do it right.
I LOVE blue cheese dressing and they have the best by far!!
I travel 45 min just for their Yellowtail Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing..um add Avocado and you got it made!
Thank you blue water for being the best in the business!! -
Review from Sandra M.
San Diego, CA
1/4/2012
Okay okay it's been said before cuz they got nearly 1000 reviews. Dang, at first i had some sticker shock going on thinking I was going to go get rolled tacos from El indio, but my friends heard great things. I am so glad I stayed and had some of the best ahi I have had before. I got it in a sandwich and it was so good. I never have ahi this rare unless I go for sushi but it was bomb. The sandwich was kind of expensive but I added avocado to it. I will check this place out again and maybe bring the man I think he would like it. They got some good beers in the fridge too and my friend had to get clam chowder and it was great too.
Over the parking in that block, so I park at El Indio and keep a look out for the tow trucks - sorry, E.I. i gotta use your lot. -
Review from Roehl A.
Chino Hills, CA
12/20/2011
Great things come in small packages!
This is a gem of a place tucked in astrophysics mall near the San Diego airport. The food is fresh and tastes great!
We had the Clam chowder- good, thick, lots if clams. We also got the ceviche, mahi-mahi taco, blackened red snapper with avocado sandwich, blackened sea bass, and the calamari appetizer.
Everything was fresh, tasty, and excellent! The fresh ingredients really make a difference!
Service was friendly and efficient. It's self seating but were able to get tables right away. It took a while for the food to arrive but that's what happens when everything's made to order.
One way to recognize the place beyond the lines us a shadow of guy fires head on it's doorstep. Ha! -
Review from Halal E.
San Diego, CA
1/26/2012
This is the best bang for the buck when it comes to fresh seafood in San Diego. I've been there many times now and have always been totally satisfied.
For starters, the clam chowder is great. For those rare cool, foggy San Diego days, it's a must have.
My favorite is the fish tacos. it's packed with a big chunk of fish meat of your choice. Two of those is enough to fill you up for dinner. Mahi Mahi is the way to go. The grilled fish & chips are probably the best i've had anywhere.
The place is busy and you'll have to wait in line to order before grabbing a table to sit. But it's well worth the wait. -
Review from John G.
La Mesa, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've had lunch here a couple times now, and have left pretty happy.
First - don't be in a hurry. This is not fast food. It's a little place, with limited seating, and there is always a line. They move at their own pace. If they went faster, you'd end up standing with your meal, because they need time to turn their limited tables.
DON"T PANIC when it looks like you're not going to get a place to sit. Just take it easy and relax - you'll get a seat before you get your food.
You stand in line, in front of the fresh fish counter, and decide what type of fish you want, how you'd like it prepared, and how much of it you want. Sandwiches, plates, or tacos. I've had a plate and the sandwich - my wife has had the tacos.
The fish is FANASTIC! Always perfectly cooked, always fresh. I usually get the Lemon Garlic Butter seasoning, but there are several available, and eveyrything always looks and smells great.
If I lived closer, I'd be in this place all the time. Hands down, some of the best seafood in town. -
Review from Genevieve C.
San Diego, CA
1/21/2012
Stopped by Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill because I was in the area and my boyfriend had seen yelp reviews saying they had the best fish tacos in San Diego. We ordered one Wahoo fish taco cooked in the lemon garlic butter sauce and he had one spicy oyster shooter. We went at about 9:30 on a Saturday night. The place was not super busy, but not empty, either. There were a couple people in front of us and we waited in line for about 10 minutes. The girl at the counter was extremely slow and kept walking away and doing random things in between customers. She didn't once smile at a customer and made me feel like I was wasting her time. I could see the cooks in the back and they had the same apathetic and annoyed demeanor, sauntering around the kitchen. I attribute this to the fact that it was almost closing time, so maybe if I go back again at an earlier point in the day, the attitude of the workers would be more positive and the service would be more efficient.
Ok now about the food. We wanted a shark fish taco; however, they were out. So we settled with the Wahoo. I personally thought the fish was dry but it was still tasty (if that makes sense). I could not taste the lemon garlic butter at all and drenched the taco in the extra lemons a waitress brought out for me. It was of decent size and cost $4. I would probably only come back if I was in the area and not make a special trip to eat here. -
Review from Zildheam D.
San Diego, CA
11/19/2011
Best grilled shrimp tacos EVAAAH!
long line, no parking and yet i rated four stars.
Oh and the gal at the register seemed to have an attitude.
But the food is great, cheap too. Fresh seafood, friendly prices
and maybe the gal at the counter was having a bad day -
four solid stars for this place. -
Review from Desi N.
San Diego, CA
1/6/2012
India Street is known for having excellent food which is why everytime I am there, I am indecisive as to what to eat! One day, I stopped into Blue Water & I wasn't sure what to order. I just knew that I wanted fish! I ordered a Chipotle Ahi Sandwhich. It was mouth watering delicious and words can't describe the perfections of this sandwhich! Not to be overly dramatic but that's exactly how I felt! Definitely can't wait to go back!!!
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Review from Jessica I.
San Diego, CA
12/29/2011
Had my first lunchtime visit here. My party sampled tacos, sandwich, ceviche, and the ciopinno soup. Everything was very fresh and the staff was pretty helpful in choice selections.
The soups were served immediately and blazing hot, just as I like. I added a bit of Cholula for some added flavor.
The ahi sandwich was yummy, but I still added Siracha to make it zippier. Plus, I had to salt the fish a little.
The tacos (one sea bass, one shrimp), both good, but should perhaps be served in aluminum foil so the tortilla does not get cold so fast. I only had a bite of the sea bass, it seemed very good. Just a note, if you don't like the charred flavor, don't get the blackened. I love it, so it worked for me, but my lovely lunch date didn't like the burnt flavor. His lemon garlic butter was great.
The ceviche needed salt and hot sauce and didn't seem to have too much shrimp in it. I would skip that next time.
The drinks are reasonably priced and the tables have pretty quick turnover, so no need to take it to go - at least not the time I went.
I'd go back for sure. Maybe next time I'll try the grilled fish and chips - it really looked good. Or maybe the tuna melt, those are always yummy tummy. Or maybe some oysters... -
Review from Artie P.
San Diego, CA
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sorry, Blue Water, but I won't be back. And it's more because of the experience than the food. We went early on a Friday night trying to beat the crowd, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Drove around several times for a spot. But that's not your fault. What happens inside is. The line was barely inside the door and there were about 15 parties in front of us. We waited in line for 40 minutes to place our order. I had no idea why it took so long until I got close to the front. The one cashier is actually hand-writing orders, answering the phone, getting drinks, and handling take out - all at the same time. Several people had problems with their takeout orders, which meant the line came to a stop. And the people in front of us were asking about every single item on the menu. They took 5 minutes by themselves. The servers came over to help, which seems like a good thing until you realize that if they have time to come over and help, things are moving too slow.
The clam chowder and drinks were served immediately. Side of fries came out about 10 minutes later. And then the rest of the food 10 minutes after that. I had the wahoo plate, which was very good. My wife had the mahi-mahi sandwich, and it was barely edible. Just way too much going on in that sandwich.
I can't stand waiting for my food that long. I know it's not fastfood, but 60 minutes is unacceptable.
Unless you are purposely backing up the line because your kitchen can't keep up, here are a couple of suggestions: 1. Get a modern electronic ordering system, or if that's too much cost, buy a few pads of paper with preprinted menus on them so the cashier can circle instead of write. 2. Start a second line with another cashier to handle phone calls and takeout.
When I get the urge for fresh seafood again, I'll make the drive to Point Loma Seafoods. That place handles tons of people much faster and the food is just as good, if not better. And there's more seating. -
Review from Tanya L.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
This place is AWESOME! Omg.. I was looking for a place where I could get sustainable, local seafood--top-notch. I found what I was looking for. I've dined in twice. First time I tried their Salmon, on a sandwich (They give you a choice of fresh fish, and then a choice of how you want it served: on a plate with rice & veggies, a sandwich, tacos or a salad). The salmon was SO tender and like nothing I had tasted in a LONG time. Amazing. Then, the second time, I had salmon tacos. I ordered two of them because they were only $4 each & I though I would need 2. I really could have just ordered 1, they were SO well served. I love that the tables have Sri-Racha & all kinds of good condiments on them.
Highly recommended.
only reason I didn't give it a 5 is 'cause the last time I went I bought fish to go & granted, it could have just been the way I cooked it, but I didn't feel so hot after that. Nothing serious--just...not the best... -
Review from Sandra L.
Bakersfield, CA
1/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Prepare to wait in line, but the food is worth it. The fish tacos here are huge! I love how fresh everything tastes.
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