Amazing Fish Tacos at Mission Bay
Out for a walk around the marina before going to dinner one evening while staying at the Hyatt Mission Bay, we were enjoying the sunset which is always spectacular over the Pacific Ocean and especially as a backdrop to the boats in the marina.
We resisted leaving the peace and quiet of the marina with the boats silhouetted in the lingering colors of the sunset. Normally would have gone to my favorite eatery, Anthony’s Fish Grotto, but at this point we just wanted a little bit to eat anyway, so decided to check out a little place we had passed on our walk. Nothing fancy, and certainly not a place I would have driven off the street for or otherwise considered; but it was clean, and it did offer seafood which we could eat in the peaceful solitude of the marina. (I take advantage of fresh seafood anytime I can, and especially in San Diego!)
A fun and almost ‘funky’ not so ‘little’ place attached to a fresh fish market, Sportsmen’s Seafood Restaurant claims ‘The best Fish ‘n Chips In Town’ (don’t they all?!), which they could very well have, but we opted for the Fish Tacos, our preference especially for a small meal. Their menu has quite a 
variety for such a seemingly small place and includes a Chicken Breast Sandwich and Hamburgers for the non-fish eaters.
Perhaps we were hungrier than we thought, but our fish tacos were amazing! Grilled Ahi Tuna with iceberg
lettuce, a little guacamole (with just a hint of hot pepper), cheese, and Pico de Gallo on some of the thinnest (possibly homemade?) flour tortillas ….umm–yummy! So yummy that we found ourselves going back several evenings for a small satisfying meal after a fun day out and about San Diego. We
even made it our ‘farewell’ lunch before heading home, getting to enjoy their patio dining and the activities of the marina, including a seal swimming around and under the boats looking for a tidbit!
Sportsmen’s Seafood Restaurant has their own fishing boats–so the fish is really fresh! They also process the catch of sports fishing fleets claiming to have been serving the Sports Fishermen in San Diego since 1965.
Ever had Tuna Jerky? Try it here! The World Famous Tuna Jerky Co located in the fish market, offers a free sample of their daily catch marinaded and smoked with the family’s secret ingredients and techniques. It was delicious but I still prefer fresh, and thanks to their very helpful and friendly service, I was able to take home a nice Ahi fillet, packed well in ice for the trip!
At our first evening’s visit, a jar of saucer-sized chocolate chip cookies at the the pick-up window caught Tommy (the cookie monster’s) attention. Learning that a relative of the owner makes them, he had to have one, trusting it would be a great homemade cookie. No doubt about it — these rank at the top of our list of chocolate chip cookies to go back for (which we did several times during our stay–along with fantastic fish tacos!!)
I highly recommend you give Sportsmen’s Seafood Restaurant a try! Just off West Mission Bay Drive at 1617 Quivera Rd. (619) 224-3551
I was there and have to tell you that they are the BEST Fish Taco’s I have had anywhere.
It’s fun to try fish tacos in different places. My fav is Rubios in San Diego, but that could be because a friend practically had to drag me by the hair to go there and try fish tacos (sounds horrid!) and so Rubios was my First. Now I’m hooked, so will look forward to trying the fish tacos at Sportsmen’s Seafood Restaurant. The fact that the fish comes off their own boats intrigues me – Has to be Good!
I agree: sitting outside that little stand eating Rubios fish tacos was a special experience of its own and look how fish tacos have become a staple menu item in many restaurants as well as a frequent recipe shares since Rubios first introduced them! So many variations are available. These grilled Ahi tuna tacos at Sportsmen’s Seafood Restaurant are unique as a light, fresh, and satisfying variation.