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Pacific Fish Center & Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Korean Seafood, Korean [Edit]
131 Fishermans WharfRedondo Beach, CA 90277
Neighborhood: Redondo Beach
(310) 374-8420
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
260 reviews for Pacific Fish Center & Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Korean Spicy Fish Soup: It's spicy but oh so good." In 69 reviews -
"Quite possibly the best Mae Woon Tang I've ever had." In 15 reviews -
"5 stars - The live shrimp is absolutely delicious." In 27 reviews
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260 reviews in English
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Review from angela k.
5/18/2012
Holy crap. One of the best, fresh fish places I've been to in a while!
Came here for a friend's graduation lunch with her family. If you're looking out to the ocean, the place is on the far left pier that is sticking out with a red crab sign with korean written on it.
5 of us ordered:
Korean spicy stew (4.5 stars)
--fresh chunks of fish with out of the world flavor of a stew!
1lb of live sweet shrimp with fried heads (5 stars)
--1lb included 5 shrimps but they were very plump and large. We ask the heads be
Fried rather than put in a stew and maaaan the fried heads were amazing!
--medium platter of sashimi, inc. uni (5 stars)
super fresh, super yummy. we lucked out that day because we got served halibut belly as well. supposedly this item is not included in their usual platter. And the belly tasted more amazing, haha!
1 dungess crab (5 stars)
--mind you we were stuffed and forgot about the dungess crab which came out last! I was so full but I kept eating because it was sooo good. The best part is getting the yummy goodness on the shell! :9 (they have butter but you have to ask)
Never knew redondo beach was known for their seafood, especially korean seafood. totally a party in my mouth and a beautiful place to spend a sunny day at.
TIP:
-parking: i think for two hours it was $3 but with the restaurant parking validation, I left paying $1.50. The machine didn't work so I paid at the exit but if you are paying at the exit they take CASH ONLY -
Review from Miiii P.
San Jose, CA
5/21/2012
Certainly not the best seafood place I've eaten at, but somehow it managed to rape my wallet heartlessly in the end. Amen!
P.S. At least I liked their raw shrimps... still, it's overrated! -
Review from Jack C.
5/16/2012
Simple 3 step process.
Step 1: Order at register and pay.
Step 2: Wait for number to be called.
Step 3: Get seated, put on your bib and wait for the crab to be delivered.
Came here on a gorgeous day with just the right amount of breeze and of course with this restaurant being right along the pier the ocean air was in full affect.
When I come here I always order the freshly caught and not butchered yet dungeness crab which typically will run you around 30-35 dollars. Another must order is the spicy fish stew. The small portion is generously portioned.
Spicy Fish stew- Nothing beats korean stew and this one is no exception. The fish is soft and I especially love getting the pieces with some skin on it. The rest of the stew consists of tofu and mushrooms. This stuff is the best for leftovers too. Just reheat and eat with rice. Flavor is fantastic.
Fresh Crab- Hands down a must. Not gonna say much else to sell it. It's fresh and tasty. Simple and elegant.
The service is quick and efficient. There will be korean ladies constantly in motion providing service. It's no nonsense but that's the way I like it. I sat right next to the window peering out into the ocean. While eating a seagull flew right onto the ledge of the window staring at our food just inches away. I dared him to make a move, but he didn't. LIKE A BOSS! -
Review from Eunice K.
5/4/2012 5 photos
SERVICE/AMBIANCE:
-When you walk up to the restaurant you can see large tanks of live crab, lobster and shrimp. At the front there are pictures of everything on the menu. You give you order to one of the Korean ladies at the front, she yells to the guy in the back and he weighs your crab or lobster on the spot and let's her know how many pounds it is. Then you sit down and wait for your food. There is a lady that brings everything on a cart to your table. When we went she made sure to come back to the table several times to check if we needed anything else. Also, there are hispanic busboys who speak fluent Korean! It is the craziest thing. They speak better Korean than I do!
FOOD:
-LIVE STEAMED LOBSTER - The freshest lobster around. Served with plenty of lemons and drawn butter.
-LIVE STEAMED DUNGENESS CRAB - So fresh and delicious. You can ask for a side or rice and put the rice into the shell to eat with the crab brain.
-LIVE SWEET SHRIMP - They remove the body and serve it sashimi style. The heads are deep fried and served later.
-SPICY KOREAN SEAFOOD STEW - You must order this. The small portion is enough for a lot of people. Ask them to bring it after you have finished the crab and lobster. It is the perfect way to end your meal. -
Review from Jinha K.
Chino, CA
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
My parents ate crab here before I was born. I have only eaten crab here since I was born. My kids will eat crab here when they are born.
Eat oyster! And don't ever forget to get the spicy fish stew! It's the "happy ever after" to your meal. -
Review from Jessica H.
Los Angeles, CA
crab! crab! crab!!!!! once you get to the restaurant you place your order and they grab a live one right in front of you and weigh it to see how much it'll cost.. definitely worth the price.. you're probably looking at ~30 dollars per crab..
if you're going to pacific fish center your meal won't be complete without their seafood soup.. the fish they put in there is so chunky and delicious!! .. plus the tofu and green onion they throw in there are fresh and pretty much provide that icing to the cake..
but back to the crab.. usually i'm not a fan of putting in the work to get the crab meat out of its shell.. but here.. it's worth it.. and what got this place the 5th star is their hammer.. it makes it so much easier to get the crab meat out.. plus it's fun to smack things around..
the sauce that they give you.. red pepper paste.. to accompany your crab is so delicious.. i've been here three times and have never left disappointed.. it's just so good! -
Review from Jason G.
Must haves at Pacific :
1) Dungeness Crab $30 .. http://www.yelp.com/us..... Enough to feed two people, great tasting crab and good size, very fresh (meaning that they just grabbed it out of the sea) good all season and is probably the best tasting crab you'll find in town. Mix that with some butter sauce.. mmmmm so good
2) Sashimi Plate $20.. http://www.yelp.com/us..... talk about good sashimi ! For the price and the amount you get is just worth it. This picture shown is a small size and is good for about 3 people. Depending on your hunger. includes yellowtail and salmon.
3) Spicy Korean Fish soup (Mae Woon Tang).. $20 for the small size. http://www.yelp.com/us... Great ending to a meal full of seafood. Served hot and spicy, has a mixture of fish, daikons, green onions, mushrooms. Comes with rice and kimchi on the side as well. This is why I come here, just for this soup. Very good and a must order !
Located right on the Redondo Pier. Place gets pretty hectic and busy so what ever time you arrive you'll have to wait a bit. But well worth every minute. Enjoy !Listed in: Best Seafood
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Review from Meena N.
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
YOU will NEVER, EVER have better me-woon-tang in your life. They use halibut. 'Nuff said. If you don't know what I mean, then you're not a serious fish eater. Their fresh oysters were HUGE! and they were quite delicious and cheap, 10 bucks! Steamed crab is great and it's enough to feed 2-3 people if you also get the fish stew as well. I shared a hae-dup-bap (korean version of the chirashi sushi bowl) and the fish was super fresh! They however did not put enough rice in the bowl, but it didn't matter since I had rice to go with my fish stew. I seriously cannot stop thinking about the mewoontang for a week..and now that I'm writing this review, I'm going to crave it again for another week. I can't wait until the summer when I promised to come back here with my best friend and then later again when I make my parents come visit me down in southern california.
The prices are fair, the seafood is FRESH, and ME-WOON TANG is REALLY, REALLY good. It's one of those things that goes great with soju and hite, so have yourself a great drunken eat fest here. And here's some tips: Wear the bibs, tie your hair back, ask for an extra lemon or save the squeezed ones and before you leave, wash your hands with the lemon. Scrub it on your fingertips and nails unless you want to smell like you fisted a whale's vagi...okay fine I promised myself that I'd stop being so vulgar, but you get the point. :) Enjoy! -
Review from Mya D.
San Jose, CA
4/23/2012
I was looking for seafood restaurant and I searched on yelp. This restaurant had somehow highest rating at the time so I came here with my family.
They were visiting California and wanted some touristy place to dine.
We ordered spicy seafood soup, dungeness crabs, clams,shrimp. Oysters and shochu! The food was great but considering the fact you will be eating food out of paper plates and drinking out of plastic cups... It was pricy I think.
You will be amazed by Korean speaking Mexican bus boy who's working there...lol
They are close to fluent working with Korean boss lady owner ;) -
Review from Belinda S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awful!
For some reason, we weren't allowed to order at our table while everyone else around us did.
Service was horrendous. Had to ask for everything multiple times. Very unacceptable even when we were speaking to them in Korean so there was no communication limitations.
Flies landed on our food, but that wasn't the worst part. In one of our "fresh" oysters- there was an alive mosquito larvae looking thing that was squirming around in the water. Very disgusting. -
Review from C T.
Los Angeles, CA
4/19/2012
We ordered clam chowder (barely as good as canned chowder), calamari rings with fries (definitely bulk frozen food product) and a half dozen live oysters. We paid and then were seated, at which point we were immediately told oysters weren't available. Okay, no biggie, I was totally craving them but whatever, we requested a refund on the oysters, told them explicitly as much. "Refund" was also written on the ticket. We ate some of our subpar food, thinking the server would come back with our refund. We never saw her again. We finished up, got up to go collect our refund from the cashier. She smiled large, declared the oysters just arrived! We can have them now! Wait, what? So you waited until your oysters came so you wouldn't have to honor the refund we just requested? Are you serious?
As far as food quality, some may claim we did not order the best items from the menu. I say, if a restaurant can't make something delicious then take it off the menu. If you don't have an item on hand at all, try a little honesty. -
Review from Ticha B.
I've been to Pacific Fish Center a few times on the Redondo Pier. All though I'm not really a seafood fan, the live lobsters, Dungeness crabs and sweet live shrimps are the go to orders here. Before you enter the restaurant, check out the display and check out how the cooks handle the crabs and lobsters...so sad, but so yummy! LOL! You order your lobsters/crabs by piece, they weigh it and charge you (poor fellas...they get thrown into the hot boiling water once you give the cashier the ok). The sweet shrimp are sold by the pound ($34.99 a pound right now).
Pacific is more expensive if you were to cook and steam up the live crustaceans on your own (I could buy a pound of live crabs for $4.99 on a good day at the Asian market) versus the $14.99 you'll pay at Pacific. But splurge a little and have fun. Like my friend Bora K. said "you'll be doing a lot of licking, ripping, sucking, cracking, nibbling" once your hot crustaceans arrive at your table.
Service is good...they open the lobsters and crabs for you at your table (you'll have to do some work on your own with the hammer). This is a hands on experience. You can also have your lobster and live shrimp sashimi style...YIKES!
A pretty good dining experience. The seafood is a bit pricey...but like I said earlier, splurge a little if you don't mind getting messy and your hands smelling like the Pacific. Do wear the bib they give you and don't be shy. Alcohol (beer and soju) available. Fried seafood available also if you don't like the live stuff.
The pier has a parking lot with a charge. -
Review from Kristin T.
San Gabriel, CA
3/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love how you use a hammer to open up the crab haha. It's pretty fun and you can take your anger out! The crab is delicious! Fresh and hot. They break it open for you and cut the legs off so all you have to do is hammer away to get the meat.
I also like their spicy fish soup. It's hott but really good! Only thing I didn't like about it was all the shrimp in it had eggs on them and it made me sad they didn't get to lay their eggs first :(
Service here isn't the best hence 4 stars. I've been here twice and both times we basically had to serve ourselves when it came to getting to-go containers and napkins.
Since my first visit though they've improved, it could also be due that a person in my party yelled at the waitress :/ The first time I went they brought the food out at different times, the soup first then we had to wait for the crab and while eating the crab the soup got cold and the person in my party yelled at them for their poor service and that they didn't have any order to how the food came out and we paid over $300 so why they jammed us in a small table etc.. When I came again they were a little more friendly and asked before we sat if we would like the soup to come out first, same time as the crab or after. I was surprised, I guess they took what we said into consideration.
This place is pretty good, but a bit pricy. For 4 people we ordered 2 crabs, 1 small fish soup, 1 fried scallop plate and it came out to $107. But we left full and satisfied so I guess that's all that matters. -
Review from John L.
Irvine, CA
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pacific Fish is one of those places that we have a craving for every so often. I never come away dissatisfied; however, I also don't walk away thinking it was the best meal that I've had. Maybe I've just been ordering the wrong things all along? As a disclaimer, I like, but do not love seafood, especially because I am lazy and hate having to deshell crabs (and having to peel shrimp).
On our last visit, we had two dungeness crabs, the small spicy korean fish soup, as well as 1/2 dozen oysters. The total came out to be $30 or $35/person for lunch (the crabs are priced based on their weight). The use of the mallets is ingenious, and is much more effective than the shell crackers that I've used in the past. They even give you bibs to catch the inevitable spraying of shells and crab matter.
The small soup is surprisingly sufficient to feed 4 people easily. We did like this dish quite a bit, especially when you mix it in with rice ( you have to order rice separately). The oysters were okay- not bad, but not great either. I'd skip this in the future.
The crab is also tasty, especially the crab roe. My cholesterol probably shot up after eating it.
A lot of other tables got some sort of shrimp dish, which looked awesome. The next time we're around, I will have to consider getting that. The restaurant also has a large selection of alcoholic beverages for those who like to have beer with their crab - highly recommended, actually.
The pier has ample paid garage parking. However, you can also easily find parking in the residential areas and walk the 5-10 minutes to and from the pier. -
Review from Sarang Y.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
For the few times I've been here, I always get 1 whole crab for myself,1 serving of sashimi,1 serving of uni, and 1 beer. I believe it cost about $75/pp. It's not the best seafood I've ever had or anything but quality is solid and you get to eat a lot.
I'm not into the hammering thing because it makes such a damn mess. Actually, the best part of the crab is getting a bowl of rice and mixing it with the broth that is sitting in the body. Maybe throw in some butter and soy sauce. And voile! I love seafood so much that when I'm here I have zero sharing and loving spirit. I have to make sure I have 1 serving of everything to be satisfied (and full). -
Review from J T.
El Monte, CA
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Will never eat at this place ever again! Seafood is below average and the service is horrible. I went with a big party of 12 and the waiter thought it was fitting to give us 4 lemons to share amongst ourselves. Wow, right? It was the same with butter, so we kept having to ask for more sauces + condiments. But the weirdest part is that you have to order and pay for your food first before being seated. This boggles my mind (still) because you have to include tip even though you haven't been serviced or helped. Does this make sense to anyone? So yeah, great that I tried it but it ends there. You're better off going to a Boiling Crab or if I dare say, a Red Lobster :x
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Review from Matthew L.
Pasadena, CA
4/4/2012
Introducing the worst fried food in the south bay. Even though they serve fresh seafood their fried is definitely from a bag. So disappointing. Even the fries sucked. Biggest waste of $30 ever. Also the clam chowder is from a can and is watery. I think Cambells is better.
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Review from Dave C.
1/31/2012
PFC always hits the spot when it comes to Korean-themed seafood. For about $40 a person (not including drinks and it can be much more $$$ if you order more than 1 entree per), you will get more than your share of fresh dungeness crab and the best spicy seafood soup I've had in LA. The large seafood soup, aka maewoontang, comfortably feeds about 2-3. Not much to add to the other reviews than a few tips I've discovered over the years:
1) Parking is best at the garage entrance from Torrance Blvd, stay on left side as you're driving into the garage. Up 1 flight of stairs and you are basically right next to the restaurant.
2) Place is owned and frequented by 80-90% Koreans. So expect sometimes sparse service especially when busy. And bringing someone who speaks the language helps a bit. Also, this past visit we actually tipped ahead of time (when paying with CC at the register) and the servers were mysteriously nice to us throughout our dinner. Even brought out free coffee as a 'service'. VIP baby.
3) I don't know about you but the crab guts mixed with rice is a near delicacy in many Asian circles and yes, amongst my friends as well. Almost like a ghetto seafood pate. I shed a tear when I see people throwing this stuff out.
4) Portions are huge here. Other than maybe the seafood soup, I really wouldn't take anything else home for eating later. Speaking of that soup, reheat this with some ramen noodles and you'll have the best spicy noodle soup you've ever made. Enjoy. -
Review from Vicki C.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a gem! Definitely an LA experience that reminds me of east coat sea side crab shacks, but with a Korean twist (spicy sauce and sashimi style instead of Old Bay).
The secret is out, because this place is always busy busy busy. Make sure you give yourself 30-45 minutes leeway in case the line to order is long. After ordering, you will probably wait another 30 minutes as they get your food and table ready. This is where the complaining ends...
CUZ THE FOOD IS OFF THE HOOK!!! I have been here twice now with my family; I love going with my parents because they love trying new things, and their pockets are much deeper than mine. This last time, we had a large party of 6, and we were able to try lots of dishes (except they were out of shrimp, out of season I guess, boo). In order of yumminess, here we go (most are must-gets, but my favorites are in CAPITAL). Oh yeah, and don't forget to order your favorite beer - they have like a huge variety.
SPICY FISH SOUP - You HAVE to get this. I think this dish is the perfect marriage of seafood and Korean, which is what this place is all about. The red spicy soup is like the kind you would find in most Korean establishments, but instead of meat or kimchi, it is chock full of large fish pieces. We got it spicy, which definitely had a kick - perfect with a bowl of rice.
CRAB - Not the small blue crabs you'd find in Baltimore, but HUGE LA style. Get ready to get dirty.
LOBSTER - We had this 2 ways - tail sashimi and steamed head and claws. You can also get either fried (we spied on the next table, and it looked AMAZING). The tail sashimi was a little mushy - my friend said that some places filet it a little more delicately so the pieces come out larger. Either way, tasty with a squeeze of lemon.
Raw Oysters - With lemon and Tabasco sauce - can't go wrong.
Fried scallops - Just wanted to try. Noting too special, probably won't be getting this again.
Abalone sashimi - OK, so I guess my palate isn't refined enough, cuz this thing was SUPER expensive and I just didn't like it... Really crunchy, which was surprising to me cuz I'm used to cooked abalone that's pretty soft. My dad was a fan, so if you like abalone sashimi, try it, but just not for me. -
Review from JT L.
Brea, CA
4/3/2012
Have been to this place for the past 10 years now. We always ordered the crabs, jumbo shrimp, clam soup, sometimes spicy clam soup. They are always fresh.
Why only 3 stars? It's all about the service.... It is own by the korean, I think their English level is limited to the food itself, if you asked more, they will be like eeeeeh? Then start speaking Korean to you, obvious I am not Korean. AND, if they know you are not Korean but Asian looking, they will treat you differntly from Korean customers....So I keep the order simple and easy for them to void any miscommunications. -
Review from Carolyn P.
Westwood, CA
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm still full as I write this. My lovely friend and fellow Yelper invited me along with her family for lunch. Her parents did the ordering and they did not mess around! We shared 2 crabs, 1 lobster (sashimi-style for the tail, the claws and head were steamed), fried scallops, fresh raw oysters, abalone sashimi, and a big pot of Korean spicy fish soup.
Everything was SUPER-SIZED. The crab was the size of my head and the lobster tail ALONE was bigger than my arm. The shellfish was fresh and delicious. The lobster tail sashimi was a bit mushy (I've only had it once before in Japan and the texture was different). You have the option of having the lobster sashimi style, fried, or steamed. I think the next time I go back, I'll have the lobster tail steamed and have the rest fried.
The best was definitely the crab. With my plastic bib tied on tight, I went to town with my wooden mallet and was rewarded with sweet and fresh crab meat.
The downside is the price. I was lucky to join in on a big family lunch but definitely would not have been able to try all the different dishes if I had paid my own way. I miss the affordable lobster shacks in Maine and other seafood shacks in the Northeast...this is not one of those places. But hey, everything's more expensive in LA right? And as I sit here in my happy shellfish-induced food coma, I'm ready to start saving my pennies for my next meal at Pacific Fish Center! -
Review from Jewelyn T.
Las Vegas, NV
Hey RB yelpers!
Koreans love this place... everyone eating here was korean. interesting.
I just spent my weekend in RB with my gf (who happens to be korean)
We were very unhappy with our experience at PFC.
The women at the register ignored us when we were trying to ask questions before placing our order. SO I told my gf to speak korean to her and then the women responded. rude right?
Then after placing our order... We finally got our food after a long wait and we had to ask several times for utensils and water. No one came to check on us.
What really upset us was the live crabs stacked and crammed in the glass. I know they are on the way of being someones meal but I consider that animal cruelty!
When we left, no one told us bye or thanking us for giving them business. The women in the front ignored us as we walked out passing her.
Never again! If you like rude and bad customer service... and animal cruelty then support PFC... I'm not.
On top of everything... I left there still hungry How upsetting. This was the only place I tried on the pier. What a mistake!
NEXT~ -
Review from Grace K.
11/4/2011
I've been here 3 or 4 times and each time I vow to not come back.
The service is good and they have a great view, right above the water. However, their dungeness crab is overpriced. You can get just as fresh crab from the Korean market on Sepulveda and it's significantly cheaper. Of course some people may argue you are going for the "mood"(said in a Korean accent) which translates to ambiance. They give you a bib and a wooden mallet which is fun to play with. Also, you don't have to clean up the mess afterwards.
Given the choice, I'd rather get king crab legs during Costco's Seafood Road Show and steam them at home. That, a glass of white wine, seasoned lemon juice, melted butter, and tabasco= one happy gal. -
Review from Candy W.
Chino Hills, CA
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here with 7 other people and the bill came out to be $400.
Here's the breakdown...
8 Fresh Crabs. Very fresh indeed. Loved the taste, didn't have the nasty seafood taste. Must get the gochu sauce to go along with the crab for dipping! Don't forget the head! Get a bowl of rice and mix it in the head, it's worth a try!
1.5 dozen Oysters. It's very fresh indeed
2lbs of Fresh Shrimp. I love shrimp, but this shrimp was honestly nothing special. There was a lot of poop (vain), it was thick and long. I would have been okay with it if my friends didn't point out how it's poop. Made me not want to eat it anymore
Large pot of soup. This soup was pretty amazing. It came with plenty of fish and enough for a bowl for all of us with some left overs. There was a lot of content in the soup, it wasn't just all soup. This dish came at the very end when we were finished with all the other seafood and it was the perfect dish to top off the whole meal.
AND a little tip, don't try to buy the catfishes in the tank in front of the register. I thought they were for sale to eat, but the korean lady got mad at me for trying to eat her pet fishes... -
Review from Kim K.
San Gabriel, CA
11/27/2011
It's been awhile since I've been to the pier. When I was in highschool, I used to come here and get the fried calamari. But now that I'm all grown up, I finally discovered what this Korean/seafood restaurant has to offer. [BTW this place is really Korean....the staff and the other guests were ALL Korean. Luckily I was with Koreans who did all the hard work.]
Live Dungeness Crab- you get plastic bibs and wooden hammers to help smash the crab legs...and OMG, the crab is so FRESH and so DELICIOUS. there's butter or spicy sauce, but sometimes you don't even need it.
Spicy Fish Soup- served with Korean side dishes and rice, it was really filling. the soup had pieces of fish, tofu, mushrooms, and other vegetables.
For 3 people it cost about $120. Although it is on the pricier side, it's something that you should definitely try. It's totally worth how fresh and tasty the food is. It's fun using the hammers and smashing the crab legs. Add beer and soju, and you'll be in for a good time.
Parking is easy. And the beach is right there for you to walk along and sober up. -
Review from Jim A.
12/18/2011
This is the only ocean front seafood place i continue to frequent.
The food is very good. Granted with a little work you can make all this yourself but the kim chi and barley tea keep me coming back.
The atmosphere does too. -
Review from O G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/4/2011
Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars
Sashimi Salad: I don't think it had the best quality of fish in it, but I did enjoy eating it. It was different from your typical sashimi salad. It was served it with some rice and with korean red pepper paste. The portion was pretty big and filling and was easily sharable.
Baja Oysters: They were not sweet at all but they were fresh.
Korean Clam Soup: Peppery and light tasting. There are plenty of clams!
Korean Spicy Fish Soup: It's spicy but oh so good! I avoid the fish. I don't like to deal with the bones. You can temper the spiciness with some rice or just let the soup cool a bit. However, the soup does taste the best piping hot.
Dungeness Crab: It was fresh and steamed perfectly. The crab was sweet and juicy. One can be easily shared between two people.
So why not 4 stars? It's a bit on the pricey side and the place is nothing fancy. Also, I want more veggies in my soup and by veggies, I don't mean green onions. -
Review from Jenn L.
Cypress, CA
Updated - 2/20/2012
Came back here to get me some good ass crab in my belly... Everything was going well, [except for the service] until we paid. We tipped them little because of horrible service then the servers stopped us and made us pay more. I'm never coming back here EVER again. DAMN KOREANS.
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Review from daniel p.
Brea, CA
12/29/2011
This should actually be a rating of 3.3 stars
If you love crabs, and you love korean food, this place is one of the best. The have a nice view, where you can see the ocean; they have a very ship like atmosphere when you enter in (all wood), and the korean sauce is soo good! I love their dungeness crabs. Add rice in the shell (after you are done) and with all that juice/spicy sauce, and juice, it is soo good. Then you have the bill and its not soo good. =T
But i love coming here once in awhile (after i have saved enough money). If you are around redondo beach come by this spot. (if you have cash) -
Review from Matthew P.
Los Angeles, CA
Came here over the weekend with a huge group since we were all craving crab. Most of us been here before since all of our parents brought us here since we were toddlers and we were all reminiscing our memories of eating delicious crabs. When we arrived at the restaurant, we noticed that this place hasn't changed much: the lines were still long and everyone were still enjoying the fresh crabs. The line went quick and we ordered the usual: An order of dungeoness crab per person, a order of a large sashimi plate to share, and 2 large order of Korean Spicy seafood soup to share. Be warned that these prices aren't friendly and the price of per crab can run from $28.00 - $31.00 depending on the market price of the crab. The large Korean spicy seafood soup can be shared between 4-5 people and it's only $25.99. However the large sashimi plate does go for $99.99 and that can be shared between 2-4 people depending on the group.
Since we had a large party, we ended up waiting quite some time (30 minutes) for our party to be seated but since this is located on a pier, we got to enjoy the sunset and the people fishing on the pier. As we got seated, the food came out almost immediately and the preparation is as quick as their service. Everyone was given a bib, hammer, plates and cup as well as side sauces (soy sauce, butter, korean spicy paste) right when the food arrived.
As I dove in for the fresh sashimi, you can really smell and see the freshness. I immediately went in for the abalone and it was DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, they do only give you 1 abalone in this large platter and if you're sharing with people, you have to share slices of this tiny abalone :( . The types of sashimi that also came on the plate was an assortment of tuna, halibut, salmon and also an assortment of the non typical sashimi such as sea snails, sea cucumber, and what I believe to be pickled octopus (from the texture).
When I started to go for the crab, I was quite shocked by how big these crustaceons were. The waitresses literally cut and open the parts of the crab for you so it's very easy for anyone (experienced and noobs) to enjoy the crab. Also at the end of your crab meal, save the shell with all the yellow innards and the waitress can mix some rice with tabasco for your consumption! It might be weird to look at but it sure is yummy :)
To my surprise, the Korean spicy soup was AMAZING. The spicyness of the soup with the fatty fish, it was a great end to my crab dinner. I recommend that everyone to get a side of the soup!
Overall, my experience here was great and I can see why our parents brought us here time and time again. It was funny to look at ourselves now to do what our parents did for us. I can definitely see myself coming back here again and again. -
Review from Laura S.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Owned by Koreans. I assume every seafood place is owned by Chinese because I'm from SGV so my mistake for saying "Shay shay" to the owners haha
Ate the Crabs and mussels there...
None of them had flavor because they did not have any sauce to them. They just tasted bland. I ate them of course with butter but I prefer flavor added.
This is a good place if you like just cooked seafood with no sauce and you just use the condiments on the table.
I prefer the seafood cooked in flavor sauce. It needs to have flavor and this sadly did not.
They provide a cool hammer to crack open the crab. Very yummy.
PARKING: Underground structure
This restaurant is near the pier. -
Review from cheryl r.
Long Beach, CA
11/5/2011
This place tends to have a FUBU (For Us, By Us) business philosophy and tends to cater to fellow Koreans. I'm not a hater but I did notice that when Koreans came in, the waitress and lady behind the cash register greeted them in a "sing-songy" voice and bowed their heads a few times. However, when I walked in or when other folks walked in, we would get the side look of "what do you want?...Are you here to use the restroom? if so, it's for customers only...We don't give free water...we only accept cash or credit cards, checks not welcomed...bums no welcomed here either...what do you want?"
Once they figured out that I was a real customer, they were cool with me, but I didn't get the sing-songy welcome. That's all right, I was there for the food, anyways.
I read about the live shrimp, so this was a must to order. You have a choice of either steamed or sashimi style. I chose Sashimi where they decapitate the heads and fry em up good to serve. The raw bodies were served on a bed of stringy daikon strands with a dollop of wasabi on the side. The shrimp was big, juicy and somewhat sweet. I made the right choice in choosing Sashimi. Expect to pay about $18 for half an order (3 shrimps) and about $25 for 5.
Expect to pay about $30 bucks for a whole crab. I wish I knew about the house sauce for dipping because drawn butter is too bland for me. Had I known, I would have ordered that in addition to a few lemon wedges. The crab was cooked well and was steaming hot when it landed on my table. I could not believe I finished the whole thing by myself. I washed it down with a bottle of Asahi light.
I will have to say that the crab had a lasting affect on my person because it had permeated through my veins and skin. So much so, that for the next few days, I could smell the faint scent of my visit to Pacific Fish Center.
I noticed that several folks ordered the Fish Soup. It runs about $25 a pop and comes in it's own cauldron with a few sides. it was too large for one person finish , so I chose to refrain. I've made mental note for next time, though.
Needless to say, I satisfied my crab cravings for a long while. However, once I have replenished my savings and my need for crab, I will be back. -
Review from Ally K.
Los Angeles, CA
9/6/2011
Q: Why wouldn't the crab share his toys?
A: Because he was SHELLfish!
Sorry, I had to start off with a corny/lame joke. But, I laughed so who cares!
When I was a little girl, my parents would bring me to Redondo Beach to crack and eat some crabs. I would remember playing with the wooden hammer while my mom would feed the crab meat to me. After a 15 year hiatus, I returned to a similar restaurant to bring back the days of nostalgia.
One Saturday, my fiance and I decided to bring our Turkish friend to eat some fresh broiled crabs. We invited another couple and ordered our food around 6pm. Between the 5 of us, we ordered 4 Dungeoness crabs, Spicy Fish Soup and 2 bottles of Hite, totally $170. We were given a number and asked to wait outside before getting seated. The wait took about 15 minutes.
Our crabs came out fairly quickly and the Spicy Fish Soup (with a side of white rice) came at the end to satiate our palate. The crabs were full of meat and so juicy. I prefer the spicy sauce (a mixture of red pepper paste, sesame oil, sugar) over the melted butter. I'm not an expert at hammering the crabs so I gave that job to my fiance, who fed me huge pieces of crab meat. A girl can't complain.
The Spicy Fish Soup was ok. Personally, I would rather have my mom's but if I ever had a craving for it, I would come here. The soup had plenty of fish meat, shrimps, and assortment of vegetables. It wasn't too spicy, but I'm Korean and I have a high threshold for spiciness.
We left the restaurant around 7:45pm to see a huge line snaking through the pier with an estimated wait time of 1 hour. I would highly recommend coming at an earlier time to avoid a long wait, although, it is kind of worth it.
Parking is available at the structure, although we got free parking near a park and had to walk about 2 blocks. I think it's a good idea to park kind of far so that you can walk off the food.
I would definitely come back to this restaurant with my parents! -
Review from Justin R.
7/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is one of those places that I grew up on. My mom would choose this place often for her birthday dinner. We went here so much that I got tired of crabs. Crabs and shrimp became very boring until I started eating at Boiling Crab and Claws. It's a great place for a party of 6-10 people. Ever since my family got bigger, it got harder to find a place to sit here. This place gets very crowded and I wished that the pier was a hidden gem.
Last night was the first time I visited the pier in a couple years. I came with a couple friends and we were looking for food. I couldn't resist the clam strips. I recommend just about anything on their menu here especially their fried seafood plates. The crabs usually just come with butter for dipping.Listed in: Deadliest Catch
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Review from Greg T.
9/16/2011
you won't find monterey park seafood prices at Pacific Fish Center but what are you expecting at the Redondo Beach Pier? you're going to pay a premium for the location. Good variety of fresh seafood (dungeness crab seems to be a fav) and a traditional Korean dish (spicy seafood soup) thrown in for good measure.
the good:
We went with a lb. of fresh, sweet shrimp @ $24.99/lb - steamed and a small spicy seafood soup @ $19.99. Shrimp was super tasty...skip the cocktail sauce...it doesn't need it at all. Spicy soup was accompanied with 2 bowls of steamed rice and a side of kim chee. Soup was a treat..choc full of fish and tofu with enough heat keep it interesting. Tasty but not amazing. You can get the same thing @ a dozen restaurants within 5 miles at better prices.
the awful:
I was really bummed by the lack of any graciousness by the woman that took our order. not one smile..not one thank you. this is a really big deal to me...saying thank you. it takes so little effort but goes such a long way. I guess business is so good these days that a little graciousness is not needed. thank god the bus boy was friendly. if it wasn't for him we probably would have asked for our money back and left. yeah..it was really that bad. bummer.... -
Review from Rawhide W.
Los Angeles, CA
11/10/2011
This is a "get your hands dirty" style location for Whole Crab.
Fresh out of the water. Excellent soups. I wouldn't do any of the Sashimi.
Stick to the fresh oysters, Crabs and hot soups. -
Review from Hans Z.
South Pasadena, CA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here twice and got food poisoning from this place once.
The highlights are the fish soup, live shrimp and live oysters. Are are good, although one of the latter gave me food poisoning once and I've survived the dirtiest places in China without getting food poisoning...
Don't bother with the sashimi platter. The small platter has maybe 20-ish pieces and is $60. Nearly half of my platter was a white fish which was very chewy and tasteless. The rest was just salmon and ahi. Typical and overpriced. Also had 5 pieces of uni which was average.
You will also likely be seated by multiple tables with really loud lip smacking eaters, since the waitress will line you up sequentially. Be forewarned.
Strongly consider going to Quality Seafood if you want Uni, Oysters or other shellfish. Much fresher and better value
Pros:
-Items are usually good.
-Oysters are good, but Quality Seafood has better stuff I think.
-Live shrimp are good.
Cons:
-I got food poisoning once here.
-Sashimi platter is utter crap. -
Review from Thomas C.
7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Where to start.... This place is interesting. It's sort of like a half tourist trap half decent place to eat if you know what to order, or are Korean.
The sashimi and crab seem pretty fresh, but their prices were quite high. Given the location I'd expect this, but still. The 3 groups who ordered in front of us easily spend $200 for groups of 3-4.
We decided to try the spicy fish stew and a half order of oysters. Bill came out to a little over $30. not bad at all. The portion of the stew was quite large and the broth was very very good. The oysters were actually incredibly fresh and were very delicious. I was quite surprised actually.
I doubt I'd get the sushi or crab here since you can get the same quality elsewhere for less, but the food was quite decent and price was good too. -
Review from Phoebe W.
Alhambra, CA
2/13/2012
I love the seafood there, fresh and clean, but the service is not good. Waitress never smiled and when they are busy, they just ignore you.
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Review from Angie K.
Los Angeles, CA
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I didn't know the name to this place until Yelp. It's famous amongst Koreans as the seafood restaurant located at the redondo beach pier. It's so fresh and delicious that it's a must location for many families and couples.
Must get:
Live Dungeoness Crab
Live Shrimp
Spicy Fish Soup (MaeWoonTang)
Things to note:
- don't forget to mix rice + sesame seed oil + gochujang with crab guts (inside crab head). It's a must eat to be paired with fresh crab meat.
- live shrimp order comes with fried shrimp heads. The meat in the crab head is delicious. Some prefer to eat the brain as well, but as for me, I still think it's a bit gross.
-Maewoontang is a must, because Koreans always crave hearty soups to go with the seafood/meat.
The oysters here are not fresh. I've had so much better at upscale restaurants. They are huge in size though, so whoever goes for quantity over quality, this place is for you.
Overall, a fun place to date and enjoy seafood!
