Redondo Beach’s historic Captain Kidd’s Fish Market & Restaurant is a no frills, beachside restaurant, serving up some of the best seafood Los Angeles has to offer. I headed down there to meet with the owner, John, for a tour and a tasting at this iconic landmark in South Bay.
Captain Kidd’s, located on the Redondo Beach Pier, has been around for 38 years and has been passed down from generation to generation. Serving up local crab, lobster and fish, they’ve used the same purveyors for 30 + years and I understand why. The fish is the freshest you will find (some still in the tank), the range of types fish they offer is mind boggling, and they had some of the largest crabs I have ever seen. In addition to the fish market, Captain Kidd’s also houses a full-service restaurant and an expansive outdoor deck overlooking Redondo’s beautiful King Harbor. It’s a roll-up-your-sleeves and get to eatin’ kind of place.
Once they expand the bike path, you can even bike on over to feast on their large menu of fish like Catfish, Sea Bass, Yellowtail, Sword Fish and Salmon. You choose the fish, the way you want it to be cooked (charbroiled, sautéed, or tempura), the spices you want (Cajun seasoning, garlic pepper, or breaded), and then you add sides like salad, steamed veggies, rice, hush puppies, fries, coleslaw, and macaroni salad. You can also get your fish as a sandwich either captain style with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and tartar sauce or Hawaiian style with Teriyaki sauce, cheese, and pineapple.
Other menu favorites include fish & chips, clam chowder, lobster roll, fish/crab/shrimp/lobster tacos, seafood kabobs, and steamed clams & mussels. Must orders are the lobster bisque and my personal favorite, the seafood cioppino, which is basically a fish stew. They make sure to use all of the fish and this stew is where it’s at!
