Downtown · Best Waterfront Restaurants in San Diego
The Fish Market Review
Last updatedRanked #7 of 8 in Best Waterfront Restaurants in San Diego
A reliable bayfront seafood house next to the Midway.
Score breakdown
- Experience86/100
- Consistency88/100
- Value82/100
- Atmosphere88/100
- Uniqueness80/100
The verdict on The Fish Market
Ranked #7 of 8 — 85/100 in our Best Waterfront Restaurants in San Diego coverage
The Fish Market's ground floor is a busy, dependable seafood room with a straight-on view of the bay and the USS Midway. It's a safe choice with kids or a group.
What to order at The Fish Market
Across our coverage the recommendation is consistent: Oysters and mesquite-grilled catch.
Eat downstairs at the oyster bar; upstairs is double the price for the same view.
Is The Fish Market worth the price?
The Fish Market sits at $25–45 — the budget band for this category. Nothing else we ranked in this category lands in the same price bracket, so the comparison is against cheaper or pricier alternatives rather than a like-for-like rival.
The Fish Market FAQ
Is The Fish Market expensive?
The Fish Market is priced at $25–45, which puts it in the budget band for this category. There is no other option at the exact same price point on the same list, so treat it as its own bracket.
Is The Fish Market worth it?
It scores 85/100, 1.9 points below the 86.9 average for its list. It still ranks, but there are stronger options nearby in score.
What should I order at The Fish Market?
We recommend the Oysters and mesquite-grilled catch.
What else is nearby The Fish Market?
The Nolen (89/100 in our best rooftop bars in san diego list) and Animae (87/100 in our best restaurants in san diego list) are also ranked in the same neighborhood, so it's easy to pair a visit.
What works
- Strong consistency — scored 88/100 in our ranking
- Strong atmosphere — scored 88/100 in our ranking
Know before you go
- Uniqueness is the weak point — 80/100, below the rest of its scores
- Eat downstairs at the oyster bar; upstairs is double the price for the same view.
The full review
The Fish Market's ground floor is a busy, dependable seafood room with a straight-on view of the bay and the USS Midway. It's a safe choice with kids or a group.
On our weighted scale it earns 85/100 — good for #7 of 8 places we evaluated for best waterfront restaurants in san diego. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes.
What to order at The Fish Market
Oysters and mesquite-grilled catch
Price: $25–45
How we scored The Fish Market
Every score on this page comes from the same editorial rubric we apply to the whole category: experience, consistency, value, atmosphere, uniqueness. The criteria are weighted toward what matters most in the category, compared against every other place we ranked in the same list rather than against an abstract ideal. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes. Scores are editorial judgments rather than aggregated user ratings.