Giovanni's Fish Market And Galley — Restaurant in Morro Bay

Local Seafood Take: Want the freshest & most diverse Seafood on our coast?

Congrats you made it!

The only comparably fresh Seafood may be found at certain local Sushi places [e.g. Kanpai in Shell Beach].

As for trying to get fresh fish in this area's Supermarkets or even dedicated Seafood shops, you are not going to get the freshest....and most likely not-wild & defrosted. How do I know? I shop all over this area every week.

As for the few negative reviews... hey... no place is perfect, and if you are unlucky to have gotten something not so great, then please bring it to their attention on site. I find that they & the owners are quite pleasant people. Portions will sometimes vary on who is working, how busy they are, or other unclear reasons. I find that they will ready trade a Tartar Sauce portion instead of Cocktail sauce if one asks nicely. In view of the pandemic, we all need to chill & recognize that these are really hard working people who do want happy customers. It is NOT a tourist ripoff place by any means.

In just the past year alone, despite the pandemic, I have been coming here consistently for my usual Combo Fried Plate. Of course, it is a challenge to get all things just right, to then wolf it down before it gets cold, in the cool Morro Bay breezes...and to also fight off the Seagulls...kind of like a Hitchcock remake! BTW- Seagulls are nasty cannibals.

I often get their Fishwich sandwich and a side of their Clam Chowder [which is far better than the Wallpaper paste sold at Splish BTW].

Once in a great while, I will treat myself to the BBQed Oysters, for some tasty morsels.

While I do subscribe to their email newsletters and sometimes visit the Seafood Shop itself, I figure if I am going to drive all the way here from Pismo, I just want to let them cook it, eat , and run. I frequently combine this trip with trips to Baywoods Monday Farmers Market, or the one on Thurday's next to Spencer's Market in Morro Bay. Ironically, the downtown Morro Bay FM has few Vege Vendors, & more crafts, so I am not a fan.

For those locals who do not realize it, not so long ago, they opened up a separate cooking area, with both a new ordering & pickup window, on the side of the building, opposite the ocean. While they have fewer choices, such as BBQed Oysters, they still have plenty of their wonderful fried plates, and there is rarely a line on this side. For some reason, most tourists group up on the seaside counter/kitchen, so that they can have an ocean view I suppose. The seaside kitchen is usually open till 6PM, and the other side closes at 5PM.

I am partial to the Combo plate. You get the fresh catch of fish [usually 2 solid pieces of Cod, I think], a nice portion of Calamari, a few small Scallops, and about 2 shimp...plus a load of fries & tartar/cocktail sauce/ 2 lemon wedges. I have had this dozens of times and while the size varies a bit, it is almost aways totally fresh & delicious. A Yelp Check-In may also snag you a small cup of their Chowder, which is super-nice.

If you are visiting and never tried the rather unique local version of "BBQ'ed Oysters", it is a must! You are welcome! :)

For those who do not know, this is a long standing family run business, which has been good to the community. They also provide fresh seafood options to SLO Veg, which delivers fresh Vegetables/Fruit/Produce boxes to the greater SLO/ Five...

Thank you for the feedback to my honest review. The tasteless smoke treatment was not disclosed on your site. I understand the impact of low rating but I have to be very objective on my experience as consumer. Looking forward to see your improvement on product description as well as quality standard behind your product.

Here's a reference to anyone who cares or wanting to know more about what is tasteless smoke treatment.

"Many countries have prohibited or chosen not to approve the use of carbon monoxide (CO) or "tasteless smoke" for use in fresh meat or fish packaging. These bans are primarily due to concerns that CO can mask spoilage by retaining a bright red color in meat and fish, potentially misleading consumers about the product's freshness. Countries that have banned or not approved the use of carbon monoxide for food preservation include: European Union (EU): Prohibited the use of carbon monoxide for meat and tuna products in 2003, according to FoodNavigator-USA.com. This decision was based on concerns that the stable color could last beyond the microbial shelf life of the meat and mask spoilage. Japan: Does not allow the use of carbon monoxide treatment for fish like tuna, yellowtail, and tilapia. Canada: Does not recognize or approve the use of carbon monoxide treatments for fresh or frozen fish. Singapore: Also bans the use of carbon monoxide in tuna. It's important to note that while these countries have banned or restricted the use of CO, it is still considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA in the United States. However, the use of CO in meat packaging remains a contentious issue in the U.S., with debates and calls for better labeling practices to inform consumers."

Giovanni’s fish market has been our must visit when passing Morro Bay area. We’ve placed their online order a few times. It’s been a while since our last order. We love their smoked fish and locally sourced seafood. The frozen bluefin toro we received recently were “product of Indonesia with tasteless smoke added to retain color”. When i double check on their website, i realize they had disclose that the fresh frozen was indeed from Indonesia. It’s my mistake not to pay attention about this details since my last purchase was indeed locally sourced. But the preservative method of tasteless smoke is something that i am not a fan of. I’ve also had a bad experience when i purchased some frozen blue fin toro from Indonesia in local grocery a few months ago. So I am really disappointed when i received them. After i called the store, someone told me they would have to check with their manager and email me back regarding about this issue. Haven’t heard anything from...

UPDATE: We've been back numerous times since my first review. This place is ok, hunny LOVES their burgers, son likes the corn dog kids meal. For the 4 of us, now 3 adults and 1 child, the bill is typically around $60 & they want a tip...you pick up your own food at the window & clear your own table! Want a refill on that drink? Take it up to the service window yourself and pay $.50. Why ask for a tip? I don't get it. My go to item is their grilled chicken quesadilla, & every time I've been back they can't get the ingredients right or the same! It's on their menu, their ingredients! I give up....if I have to go back I'll just get the over priced cheese burger. Previous review: Thoroughly disappointed this last trip! We go every year. Every year for the last 8 years I have ordered their grilled chicken quesadilla. It is AMAZING! So amazing that I convinced my in-laws to get one this year. But this year, it may as well have been from McDonald's. They cut up breaded chicken strips, put in jack cheese and gave me a side of salsa in a cup! There was hardly any pieces of chicken strips in any of the 3 we ordered. They lacked flavor, the best part was the salsa in the cup! I was so embarrassed and felt very sorry for my in-laws, who usually order the fish and chips ever year. When I went to ask the kitchen crew why the change, they looked at me like I was crazy. Claimed they had not changed a thing and didn't know what I was talking about! I explained what it has always had in it and they disagreed with me and said it was never made that way. Really?! Then what have I consistently ordered/received for the last 8 years? They couldn't give me an answer, just shrugged at me shaking their heads. I am so disgusted. We paid $8 for 1 tortilla, 1 cut up chicken strip at the most, about 1 cup of Jack cheese and 3 TBS of salsa in a cup. The last 8 years it has had cut up fresh grilled chicken breast (Tons of it), jack cheese, salsa and cilantro IN the quesadilla and then grilled to crispy perfection. Plus, the little extra cup of salsa on the side. The quesadilla is usually so stuffed though, I can barely pick it up to dip it in the salsa! Maybe they ran out of fresh chicken breast, maybe they were cutting corners because it was so busy, but it was inexcusable for them to make me feel like I was out of my mind. Own up to changing the recipe if that's what you've done, that way I know to never order it again! Being dishonest causes you to lose...