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Categories: Seafood, Seafood Markets [Edit]
1001 Front StTuesday is the Day to Be At Giovanni's in Morro Bay Where our Famous Fish Tacos are Just $2 Bucks Every Tuesday! DeepFried or Grilled!
Announced 1 week agoMon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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I'm always pleasantly surprised to find great food amongst the overpriced crap that's typical of tourist traps. The seafood was fresh tasting and not super greasy. I loved the calamari :D
Sit outside on a nice sunny day. Enjoy the food and gorgeous view!
We stopped here for a late lunch at 3pm on our way to San Simeon. Took about 20mins to place our order but we were ok with that because we know that they have pretty good seafood and chips.
I got the Combo with Chips (Shrimp, Fish, Scallops & Squid) and DH had the Fish and Chips. Everything was deep fried to perfection and tasted very light and crunchy! You could actually taste the freshness of the seafood. We also split a bowl of clam chowder which we though was just "bleh" since we've had better (this does not compare to the clam chowder @ the Sta Barbara Fish Co). It was watery with microscopic bits of clam -- something that we will not order again.
Overall, still a decent meal for a good price...
Oh btw, I tried to ask if they still give the Yelp discount as mentioned in a previous review and the guy at the counter said, "No. Yelp what?"... Lol
We were in Morro Bay in August for our anniversary and we decided to eat at Giovanni's Fish Market for lunch before driving back to San Jose. We were in the mood for some Fish and Chips and this place got pretty good reviews on Yelp.
We got there at 11am and we ordered the combo & chips and 1/2 dozen of their oysters on the half shell. The Fried combo plate had - fish, calamari, scallops, and shrimp, breaded and deep fried with krinkle cut fries. We upgraded the krinkle cut fries to garlic fries ($2 extra),which was worth the charge. The combo plate was pretty good, the shrimp was good, the scallops and calamari were good, not too greasy. The highlight for me was the fish though, the batter is not so thick and the fish itself was moist, fresh and just delicious! The GF really liked the oysters ( all 6 for her, none for me) and said they were delicious with lemon on it.
Great little place to grab lunch or a bite to eat, the place to eat if you are craving fish & chips or some fried seafood. The 10% off discount still applies if you mention Yelp (we went on 8/28). We'll be back next time we are in Morro Bay and crave fish & chips/raw oysters!
4 years ago, I remember coming here with my friend and really enjoyed the fish and chips and the clam chowder. So, when husband proposed Morro Bay to be a stop for our trip up north, I wanted to come back to this place. The clam chowder was hot and steamy just the way I like it, but it was nothing great. The combo and chips plate was good at the first and second bite. But as I start eating more, I just can't seem to be able to take it anymore. It was just too much deep fried stuff. If you like deep fried, this is the stuff for you. The half dozen oysters were fresh and huge, and a great deal. Don't forget to mention the 10% Yelp discount! I am a bit torn between 3.5 and 4 stars. But if I'm in the area again, I may not come back because I would probably prefer to try other places. But if it's the only option to eat, I wouldn't be upset. So, for that, it's 3.5 stars, A-OK for me.
They have fresh seafood and excellent fish'n'chips. MMmm!
Gets crowded during lunch, especially on the weekends ( and if the weather is nice)
I'm an idiot and forgot to mention Yelp for the 10% off. Don't be like me.
This place was really good. We got there at about 11:45am on a super foggy Saturday. You couldn't even see the rock. The line was about 8 people long, so it wasn't terrible.
I got the dungeness crab salad, my husband got the combo & chips, and we shared a bowl of clam chowder.
The chowder was not that great. It wasn't BAD, it just wasn't anything worth mentioning. Seemed kind of thin to me.
The dungeness crab salad was the best I have ever had! It was awesome. The amount of crab was generous and the salad itself was very fresh and plentiful. My husband's combo & chips was quite tasty, but I wasn't a big fan of the scallops. They tasted "off" to me. The shrimp more than made up for that, though!
Overall a great experience. Thank you Yelp!
Does a HUGE line at the ordering window nearly all day tell you
anything? Sooooo tasty. The fish and chips are great because they
aren't too greasy, but still taste perfectly fried. My only gripe is
that the fries are your basic crinkle fries that you can get at Vons,
and they taste like it. It's nice to eat out on the bay and listen to
the seals as well. Give it a try when you're in town.
Fun setting, looong line (30+ min), but that is what we get for going at lunchtime on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.
We had:
* Clam chowder - good, but nothing exceptional
* Fried combo plate - fish, calimari, scallops, and shrimp, breaded and deep fried with krinkle cut fries. The shrimp were the highlight, in my opinion.
* Oysters on the half shell - larger and not quite as sweet as the ones we usually have up in San Francisco. A steal for $14/dozen.
The food arrived quickly after the long wait to order. Seating is at picnic tables on the outdoor deck, dog-friendly. LOTS of children. I will definitely go back if we are in the area!
"It's all in the batter.. and the fish"
[First impression]
Again, lines are good.
When are lines not good? When you're hungry! But at least we know it's going to be worth the wait. We're typically not fish & chips people, mostly because we haven't come across one that was worthy enough. Our search is now over. Giovanni's definitely knows their fish.. and chips. The fish are lightly battered in small pieces and fried to perfection. Don't forget to try them with malt vinegar!
[Suggestion]
*Fish & Chips- COD fish
[Tips]
*Skip the oysters. While they were good, it doesn't seem like they serve it a lot here. The oysters were not chucked properly, leaving shell parts all over.
TACO TUESDAYS WOWIE ZOWIE!
I have a VERY discerning palate -- and today I had the best fish taco I have ever eaten.....ever -- At Giovanni's Fish Market .... AND these beauties are only TWO dollars a piece! Thankfully I only ordered one -- because it filled me up just fine. Firstly the tortilla's -- were delightful....not those puny teeny suckers -- but the middle size -- two of them stacked and somehow steamed/warmed to perfection....on that lay the most awesome stack of goodies imaginable. Crispy fish right out of the fryer with the moistest, sweetest fish inside -- oh my goodness :-) Then you move to the lovely toppings......tomato, and real lettuce in fine shreds.....NOT cabbage......real lettuce. Cilantro and a delightful tangy dressing -- savory and so so good. Cheese -- real shreds of hard quality cheese on top.........it took two hands to eat my one taco....I mean it's absolute perfection. NOT too big.......definitely not too small -- But it's the taste and quality that's stellar.... I believe TACO TUESDAYS are new to Giovanni's -- and we are so lucky...you won't find those 2 bit cheapy taco's here -- only deliciousness and you may also choose GRILLED fish if you don't like the batter fried fish........Bon Appetit friends -- your wallet will thank you too!
Best Fish Period!
Okay now I just have to tell you of this experience. I walk by the ? store and see…
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So my lovely gal and I were in town for a little trist. After walking around the waterfront, our appetites started to build. Luckily Giovanni's was there at the right time. Their was a line about twelve deep at the ordering window as we looked at the menu posted outside. Any place that has a line that long must be good so we queued up. My lady ordered the calamari & chips and I had the combo & chips with the garlic fries upgrade and a small coleslaw. Our orders came quick considering the line we were in. We picked it up at the pickup window and sat at one of the shaded tables on the back deck which, by the way, had a great view of the bay and the big @ss rock.
My gal liked her calamari and the combo I had was equally good. The portions are pretty substantial and I had trouble finishing it. The garlic fries were about as good as any you could get in Gilroy. Afterwards, we felt a little sluggish which was expected considering the amount of fried food we had devoured. Good food, better view and exceptional company. (that last one only applies if you have the company of a certain green-eyed beauty).
I have had fish n chips in many places, especially in morro bay, monterey bay, and san fran. But my dad the family here, best fish n chips i have had so far. I got the combo and chips, (fish, scallop, shrimp, and calmari i believe). Everything fried to perfection and delicious. Tartar sauce was great. I didn't try the garlic fries, but they did smell very good. And I think we had clam chowder as well, that was also good.
This has to be the best fish and chips i've had in a long time!
And they weren't too greasy which was nice.
The garlic fries are good but not for $2. It is however, a large basket so if you're hungry and looking for garlic give it a try...
We saved about 5 bucks by bringing our own sodas from home with us.
I suggest, weather permitting that is, to take your food to the outside patio where you have a unobstructed view of the rock and the bay. It was so incredibly peaceful having some fried goodness with my darling angel pie!
I love Giovanni's fish and chips. The fish is fresh and hot and tastes delicious with the tartar sauce. Their clam chowder is also very good.
I'd give them 5-stars except they are very expensive. A small taco-boat sized basket of fries with a few pieces of fried fish and one tartar sauce will run you up near $10. It also kind of bothers me that soda refills and extra tartar sauces cost you extra. I mean, I'm already paying you almost $10 for the food, do you really need to charge $0.50 for a refill and $0.25 for any extra sauces?
Other than the issues with price, everything is great and all the food I've had here is delicious.
I came here this weekend and actually enjoyed myself. From what I remember of this place, there wasn't much to this little city. So, we get there Saturday midday and, of course, decide to get seafood. My aunt was raving about this place, so, we picked this spot. I look at the front and there is a long line...it must be that good.
After waiting in line for about 30 minutes my disappointment was about to start, but fortunately, it did not ruin my experience and I wasn't going to let that happen quite yet. We order the halibut and chips (switched out the chips for their garlic fries) and the grilled halibut burrito and some fountain drinks. For the price you pay, you get what you pay for. Everything was under $10.
Thinking to myself, OK, we waited about a half an hour to order our food...I wonder how long it will take to get our food. Surprisingly, we got it in 5 minutes. That was pleasant. After eating all our food, we concluded that this was a pretty good place to eat.
All outdoor seating...lots of tables...pretty good selection on the menu...takes credit cards...refills for drinks are $.50...beware! ask for easy on the ice
Painfully slow line to place an order. Took about 30 minutes to get to the front of the line. However, once we got to the window, the order taker and staff were very pleasant and polite. Once our order was placed, it only took about 5 minutes to get our food and it was hot and fresh, including the chips.
The clam chowder was good, not great. I've had better. I've had worse. The fish n chips on the other hand, some of the best I've ever had. Very generous portions of fish. I believe there were 5-6 pieces of fish. Can't go wrong with their fish n chips.
BTW, in the same building, on the opposite side of Giovanni's was a T-shirt store where they had the best deals in town. Adult tees from 9$ and kid's tees from $6. So if you're looking for t-shirts for family and friends, start there first. Much cheaper than they were a couple of blocks away, on the main drag. Sorry, can't remember the name of the store, but you can't miss it.
The best fish and chips in town. The smoked salmon sandwich is a must try too. They always have a long line bc of the tourists, that's why I call in my order first.
The fish and other items on the list were far TOO greasy. I have never seen so much grease at the bottom of a basket when eating fish and chips. not only that but the coleslaw was also bland and tasteless. The clams were minuscule at best and oysters were just ridiculously fatty. If you're into that okay, but if you aren't then stay away. The clam chowder wasn't even that great. Tasted like they put way too much cream and some type of solidfier such as starch or corn. The price for what you get is absurd as well.
Will never be making a return trip. I don't know where these other people have their fish and chips to base off of, but this is far from the best I have ever had. Very disappointing. It was also very dirty and poor seating, despite the congestion of people they have coming to them. You think they could add in a couple more benches or something.
AMAZING. This is a typical seaside food place --but better. They have an outdoor eatery with the requisite seagulls and pelicans at the end of the dock, and you can hear the seals bellowing below. Really good food. My husband got the halibut fish and chips, which was actually better and more flavorful than the cod that most places serve.
I got the BBQ chicken sandwich which was incredible. Hot BBQ sauce, gilled chicken breast, cheese and onion rings made for a tasty (and messy meal). If you are in the SLO area you have got to try Giovanni's - you will NOT be disappointed!
Giovanni's is a nice place to go. They always seem to have fresh fish and a variety of accoutrement to go with it. They also steam crabs on the spot for your dining pleasure and there are a variety of tables just outside at which you can dine and watch the bay. The last time I went, however, the crab tank was looking a little sorry.
Other than that, it's a great place to go. Their seasonings are great!
With a long line to order, we figured it would be a great place to get some local seafood. We were totally correct in our assumption. I had the Halibit & Chips and my boyfriend had the clam chowder. The clam chowder was so good that I went back and ordered a bowl. I recommend this place if you just want food that's good and fairly quick, depending on the line.
we tried this place on a wednesday...there was still a little bit of a line, maybe a 15 minute wait, which is fine. we ordered a grilled snapper sandwich , calamari and chips, and a bread bowl of clam chowder. the snapper was bland, although the bread was delish! the calamari undercooked...it was slimey! the chips were also bland...they could have used a bit of salt or french fry seasoning, or both. the sourdough bread bowl was tasty itself, but the clam chowder was too watery.
we tried the fresh fish market, wanting some fresh steamed crabs, but they refuse to steam anything at/after 5:20 pm. the "fresh" precooked crab they have on ice was cooked 3 days ago.
the seating arrangement outside was great, open and perfect view of the bay. the tables and restrooms were clean. the napkin dispensers, utensils, and condiments were always available. there were (of course) tons of seagulls, pigeons, and ground squirrels. i love that dogs are very welcome (you don't have to leave fido at home or in the car!).
we had tried a lil hut down the street about a week ago that was so much better! we had a calamari, clams and chips combo (light, fresh, and wonderful), cup of clam chowder (thick, tons of clams, light on the potatoes), and crabby patty sandwich (i love crabcakes!!), all perfectly cooked and seasoned.
Good food, good prices, self-service with a nice dining patio.
Both the halibut burritos and the clam chowder rocked.
There is often a long line to eat at giovanni's because of its great location, but I think it gets more credit than of deserves. The fish and chips and clam chowder are not any better than any of the other embarcadero seafood places. I do recommend the actual fish market part of it where they have a great selection of quality fish. And the live crab tank keeps my little boys entertained. But if there is a line, go further down towards the rock, and eat at Tognazzini's Dockside or Dockside II.
Positively an experience Captains Ahab, Kangaroo, Bly and Crunch themselves would be proud of. Giovanni's is about as cliche' as a fishmarket one might get, with endless nodes of authentication you must come here for one thing... Fresh SeaFood.
Morning, midday, and evenings, find yourself emmersed in all the things you sea fairing self might endulge. Enjoy outdoor seating, witha sparkling view of Morro Rock, but please, don't feed the seagulls.
Oh.. if there, look into the water, as most likely a seal is hanging out for some fresh handouts.
An absolutely wonderful place! I found it with a friend one day after surfing in Moro Bay. Since then I have moved back up to the Bay Area. However, Giovanni's is a place I visit every time I am in the area! Wonderful ambiance with delicious and reasonably priced food.
Get the Fish and Chips! Everything is fresh caught and the service is quick. Around lunch time during the week (11am - 2pm) the line can get quiet long, but the service is still speedy.
One of my favorite quick lunch-to-go stops in the area. While I've never purchased locally caught seafood here, I've always enjoyed the food I've ordered to go. My faves: fried halibut 'n chips, calamari steak sandwich, grilled snapper sandwich. These are so good, I never feel compelled to order anything else here given how infrequently I visit.
But you best not be in a hurry if you want a taste of their grub. The wait to even just order food can be pretty crazy on a nice day. In recent visits, it's taken them over 30 minutes to take 12 orders before me. Worth the while? Uuuuh, no.
On a recommendation from my sister, I came here and tried out the fish & chips. The fish was fresh and flavorful. Certainly worth the visit for that there fish and chips. I also tried the oysters on a whim and OH MY GOODNESS soo good. I ended up having a week moment and ordering 2 more oysters. Foodgasm!
We really enjoyed Giovanni's food. Their menu is basic but pretty thorough when it comes to wanting seafood. I had excellent salmon tacos and my girlfriend had fish and chips. We could have gone for the whole live local crabs they had in an outdoor tank if we had the money. (If you want to act like a kid, reach into the tank and touch the crabs if nobody's looking. The crabs won't pinch you. Really).
If you go inside the market, you can get some beer or wine and enjoy that with your meal instead of the soft drinks the walk-up window has. The market also has fresh local fish and smoked fish along with seasonings, marinades and spices.
I recommend this place for a quick lunch by Morro Rock that doesn't break your bank.
This is the most ridiculous line of all time. Seriously, and I've stood in some annoying velvet rope lines in my day.
Visiting a seaside locale, I wanted to grab some cheap but tasty seafood grub, preferably where I could eat outside & enjoy the view; Giovanni's seemed to fit the bill. But boy oh boy, I wish I would've known getting lunch here would take long enough to appropriately make the meal a dinner. It was thisclose to taking an eternity.
So my boyfriend and I walk up to a formidable looking line, but I figured (1) it was fast food so the line would probably move fairly quickly, and (2) if the line was this long the food was probably worth it. All I can say is, be prepared to wait because you'll wait in line & then you'll wait some more for your food. I'd say go when you're not all that hungry because by the time you get your food you'll be famished. In fact, we stood in line for almost an hour & then it took another 15 or so minutes for our food to get done.
That said, the grub is actually quite tasty. The fried fish and fried clams were pretty darn good and the fries, well, they were fries. I wouldn't recommend upgrading to garlic fries for the additional $2 since it's not really that garlicky (if ever you've tried Gorden Biersch garlic fries these will disappoint). What really made me happy were the $14/dozen raw oysters. YUM and cheap yum = Double Yum.
If it weren't for the line, this place would easily qualify as 5 stars for me since the food's good and you can sit outside on the deck while you eat & enjoy the beautiful view including the occasional sea lions that swim about. But the insane-o 1+ hour wait really dropped this down to 3 stars for me.
As someone who now knows, here's the secret to avoiding the long lines & still getting to enjoy food: If you're just going to get the chowder, get it from inside the market where you can also get raw oysters & alcohol. That's definitely going to be my plan of attack next time I stop by.
Best fish and chips ever. Great crab rolls also. A must visit.
Ever since I met H about 10 years ago, he has been raving about the calamari sandwiches from this place. He was a little worried when we got there cuz it has been some time since his college days when he last had a calamari sandwich there...
The verdict: The calamari sandwich is still AWESOME!!!! The clam chowder is really good too. I think the fried calamari, fries and garlic fries could have been less greasy. But they were good.
I'd read about this place in TripAdvisor and couldn't leave Morro Bay without trying their combo fish and chips. Luckily, we were there shortly after it opened so we were served quickly and got to watch the crowds waiting in line. I had a wonderful seafood salad AND a combo fish and chips ( upgraded to garlic fries which were SO worth the additional $2, yummy with choppd parsley, loads of fresh minced garlic and Parmesan - worth the drive from San Francisco to Morro Bay, just for those!!! ). My combo was lightly battered, full of fish, shrimp, calamari, scallps - better than any I had, even in the UK.
My friend's crab sandwich, though a bit runny, was absolutely delicious - and all consumed on Giovanni's deck with a view of the ocean and Morro Rock. He even manages seagull control pretty well!!!!
morro bay always reminds me of fisherman's wharf crossed with the worst parts of santa cruz- like i'm expecting the fucking "bush man" to jump out and scare me as i'm walking into the crappy kite shop. giovanni's covers the whole "anything you want in a bread bowl" aspect quite well.
since this entire area is devoid of any proper supermarkets, we often seem to find ourselves always making the trek to giovanni's where we are at least assured some decent fresh seafood. there is always something interesting and tasty in the live tank, yesterday there was abalone and the time before that giant spotted shrimp. so somehow they do manage to keep it real amongst all the crap, and for that they deserve 4 stars.
This is the best fish and chip place. I have been to plenty of places for fish and chips. Brad's in pismo beach was my favorite until i came to here. When we go to pismo on our last day on the way home we drive down to Morro Bay for the food and shops. We had not fond a place yet the wowed us. My husband and I always have our neurotic chihuahua with us so at the and of the trip its not like we can lock her up in our room or the car so we have to find a place that excepts dogs. Mostly out doors then we found this place. I knew it would be good when i saw the long line. Take about 45 minutes just to order the food. Then you have to wait for the food. We had the out door patio dinning this time and my son was with us. The food is so good that it is worth the wait and I cant wait to go back. I had the Halibut fish and garlic fries. The fish was so juicy and fresh not greasy and the garlic fries were crispy but not greasy with plenty on garlic, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. My husband had a huge crab quesadilla. I was like why would you order that with all the other stuff then he had me take a bite and OMG it was sooooo good. It was loaded with crab and only 9 bucks. My son had shrimp. It looked okay i didn't have any since I was shrimped out so I cant say how it was. Over all worth the wait of ordering and waiting for a seat and the food!
Best place to go when you're craving fried seafood. The oysters and chips alone are great. Upgrade to garlic fries, they're only $2. Whenever I go, I always get the combo and chips to share with my bf. I don't come here too often because of the drive...and the fact that I don't want to gain extra pounds from all that oily good stuff. I like to go on a weekend, but expect long lines during lunch hours.
This is another place I must stop at every time in Morro Bay. Looks like they have remodeled since the last time I was here, which is a good thing. More seating, easier to get your food, and the seagulls were not bugging as much. I ordered the calamari & chips and clam chowder bread bowl. The clam chowder sucks... very watered down and full of celery. I hate celery in clam chowder! The bread bowl was crispy and good. The calamari was better than the last time I was here (but that was 2 years ago) but the garlic fries weren't very "garlicky". My roomie got the crab salad sandwich, garlic fries, clam chowder bread bowl, and 6 fresh oysters. The oysters were HUGE, but they just didnt have much taste to them like the smaller ones usually do. She had one spoonful of chowder and hated it. Her crab salad sandwich was stuffed with crab, but it had no flavor. She had the same opinion on the garlic fries. I also noticed they had a small outside bar with a couple people gathered around having a couple beers and mixed drinks.
I'd still come here because I like the seating area and the calamari was good.
Good window restaruant right on the bay.
Mmmmm Giovannis... They have some bomb ass Clam Chowder. We always take like a large cup (almost mini bucket like) home when we go down to that area to visit my sister. Their fish and chips are hella good too. The view from their seating area isn't bad either! You can see Morro Rock from the seating area. For those short people out there... you DO have to tip toe or at least wear those stilettos to reach the counter (yeah... I'm only 4' 9") but that was actually a while ago, they were in the middle of renovation, so I'm not quite sure if their counter has gone to "normal" height or at least low enough for my short folks out there. Another thing to watch out for.... LONG LINES!! When me and my boyfriend went, we waited for about half an hour just to order our food! But, it was worth it! While waiting though, you can entertain yourself by looking at the live crab that's in the tank, OR watch the little kids jumping around there and making bets to see if any of them fall in! (hahaha... so mean... sometimes I ask myself... how the hell am I a children's photographer?? haha) But aside from that Giovanni's is a MUST when you go to Morro Bay, OH and of COURSE you gotta go and see Morro Rock...
can't believe i didn't post one up for one of my favorite places in SLO county. i went to school here and been going here when ever i got the chance to. its got the best fish and chips. everything is fresh and i just get some oyster shots go to with it. and they usually have large oysters too so you really get to enjoy it and not feel jipped by the cost.
i can't say much for the fries, but you're not really there for the fries. you're there for the seafood and they sure know how to fry up some nicely seasoned seafood. it usually comes in shrimp. halibut, scallop, and calamari. all goood
Morro Bay, CA
Category: Seafood
Morro Bay, CA
Category: Seafood
Morro Bay, CA
Category: Seafood
Morro Bay, CA
Category: Seafood
San Luis Obispo, CA
Category: Wineries
Husband and I took a road trip up to SF for a…
