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Blue Water Seafood - Mission Hills

4.2 (4.5k reviews)
Closed • 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Blue Water Seafood - Mission Hills Photos

Business Info

BLUE WATER SEAFOOD - MISSION HILLS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Casual
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Blue Water Seafood - Mission Hills

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Halibut plate with lemon garlic butter and sub fries instead of salad
Aini R.

We love Blue Water! We like to get to the restaurant 15minutes before it opens to get in line. The place gets so crowded. The staff will take your order and assign you a table, so do not grab a table without their approval. The seafood all taste fresh. We love the halibut plate with lemon garlic butter. For the fish and chips, the red snapper with panko crust is our family favorite over the beer battered. Tip: we went at 2:30p thinking it is after the lunch rush, but the line was out the door on Sunday. We will stick to 15mins before they open.

Fish tacos
Daniel D.

Located on India street near Washington Street, this gem of a restaurant has been a local favorite for years. There's only street parking nearby so it can be tricky to find parking depending on the time and day. There's plenty of outside and inside seating and you can find a seat after placing your order at the counter. Ambience reminds me of a small fish market. The menu has a variety of seafood options which you can have cooked different ways. There are also sides and specials of the day. The food is always tasty and fresh. Prices are fair for seafood and the service is good.

Shrimp plate
Eliko S.

I picked my folks up from the airport after their trip to Alaska and my mom was hangry because she had not eaten since breakfast. I asked her what she wanted and she said, "seafood", so I immediately thought of Blue Water, and we drove right over. We parked at a metered spot nearby & walked in at 5pm. Do note that there is no dedicated parking for Blue Water, so at busy times it may be tricky to find a spot, but we had no trouble today. In the main dining ordering area & on the side patio, there were a few tables that were occupied, but there was no ordering line. All of us wanted shrimp today apparently, so my dad and I both got a shrimp taco with lemon garlic butter & my hungry mom got the shrimp platter also with lemon garlic butter. The platter came with 8 shrimp, jasmine rice, and a lovely, fresh garden salad. The server who took our order and brought it out to us was very helpful & nice. They have a ton of fresh seafood on offer though so if shrimp is not your thing, there will likely be another delightful offering from the sea that will suit your fancy. We sat in the side patio area and it was very pleasant. We enjoyed our experience this evening very much! The tacos were big and had more than 5 shrimp in them, plus cabbage, pico, cheddar cheese & white sauce. One taco was pretty decently sized. If I'd been hungrier, two tacos would've been perfect, but today, I was happy with one taco. Yum! Mom enjoyed her platter. It was beautifully prepared. Blue Water also has a decent soft drink selection and beers and wine, but we all just had their water and it was very refreshing! :) By the time we left at 5:45, a line was forming out the door, so we really came out at a good time. Peace!

entrance
Jason M.

I was spending the day in San Diego, but was heading back up to OC relatively early so I decided to grab a late lunch in lieu of dinner. I had been to SD twice before and wanted to check out somewhere I hadn't been. Enter Blue Water - the reviews and pics looks great, and the weather called for seafood, so I decided to head here and check it out. This Blue Water is located on India St in Mission Hills, though they have another location in Ocean Beach. Parking can be a little tricky, as there is no parking lot they are on a main road close to a split in a residential area. The interior is pretty spacious - the fish market is towards the front, and the ordering counter is in the back. Seating is spread out between the main area where the market is, a side room, and outdoors in the front. Decor and aesthetics are casual - very seafood restaurant-esque with straightforward design. The foot traffic set up so you order first and then find a table before they serve your meal to you. The menu is extensive - they have a large selection of fish that can be prepared several ways. It's a little overwhelming to take in, but there was no pressure for us to order; if there's a line all the more time to explore. I ultimately decided to get their mini shrimp tacos - these were served on a corn tortilla and topped with cabbage, tomatoes, onions, white sauce, and cheddar cheese with a side of tomatillo sauce. The tacos were great - super fresh, they didn't skimp on the shrimp, and all the flavors and textures worked really well together. I also ordered a cup of NE clam chowder which was good - not the best one I've had but for being in Southern California it held its own. Service was good - I'm seeing reviews of long lines but I think I came at the right time; there are barely a line to order and my meal was served shortly after that. Overall, Blue Water is a yes - I had a great experience here and wouldn't hesitate to return next time I'm in SD.

Being coming here for years and I can't believe I have never reviewed this place on yelp?
Lilibeth G.

If you live in San Diego or visiting like us, Blue Water is a MUST TRY. We have been coming to this location for many years now and it never disappoints. Plenty of seating and excellent service. We love their fish tacos, the nachos, their sandwiches, the fried calamari. Taste is always on point. During lunch and dinner it gets busy but it is worth the wait.

Classic Cioppino
Michael G.

Blue Water is a great spot when craving seafood. They are fresh plenty of selections .When we visit this place we always get our favorites, Classic Cioppino , and Sauteed Mussels and Clams. Usually, with these 2 bowls of delicious seafood, we also get their Fried Calamari but this time my Wife wanted to try their Homemade New England Clam Chowder Bread Bowl, and she also loves their Bread Chowder. This Blue water in this location never disappoints us, they are generous in portion, and the actual seafood sizes are decent , the food is always good. Staff are also always around to clean the tables or assist customers. Parking on Side streets, some are metered some are not and there's a small portion close by that is a paid parking .

Bronzed Halibut Fish Taco
Robyn S.

I've been coming here for years and am surprised I haven't written a review yet! This place consistently knocks it out of the park. The fish is super fresh, servers friendly (even under pressure), and they have the best waffle fries in town. The interior is small and parking is tough (metered street spots only)--there is always a long line to order and the place is usually packed, but it's all worth the wait--every time. I've only ever gotten the tacos or the plates, but everything looks amazing. They offer a variety of options and seasonings. They've even got a great kids menu. Two outdoor patios. If you haven't been here, give it a try. This is the original location and tastes the best to me although the OB spot is also tasty and has an amazing view to boot. If you like seafood, this is THE place.

Kim R.

Serval years later update. Stopped by to grab dinner and they didn't disappoint. I got the plate I got the swordfish plate. The serving size was worth the $$$. Service was great. They offer indoor and outdoor patio seating.

Cioppino $30
RoseMary F.

Come to San Diego for great finds on seafood. I met a friend for lunch and he recommended this spot. It is very popular, so plan to wait patiently or arrive after peak lunch or dinner times. Fortunately, we were able to get a corner table on the inside. I had a bowl of Cioppino, it came with a generous portion of mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp and red snapper in a delicious & savory broth with toasted sourdough bread. I was able to take half home for the next day, it's a winner and worth 5 stars for this meal alone! I also ordered a blackened salmon sandwich to go . It was on a French roll and had two slices of salmon on lettuce, tomato, red onions, with tartar sauce. My friend had grilled octopus with a side salad, he shared a portion with me. It was tender, meaty, and seasoned well. Menu highlights: Fried Calamari, Beer-battered fish tacos, Ahi Tuna, Shrimp tacos, Tuna Melt, Grilled fish tacos, Ceviche, Clam Chowder, Chicken tacos (kids menu item). Marinade choices: Blackened, Bronzed (Blackened with brown sugar), Chipotle, Garlic butter, Lemon butter, and Teriyaki. To the right of the entrance is the seafood market, sold by the pound to take home and cook: Ahi Tuna, Halibut, Mahi Mahi, Scallops, Shrimp, Pacific Snapper. Swordfish, and Yellowtail. Bookmark this spot to dine in or take-out. Note, they do not have parking, drive around the block for street parking only. Sincerely, Rosemary

Fish bar
Phing T.

Dear diary Had been waiting a while to try this place. It was busier than I expected on a Sunday morning. The vibe was super lively and upbeat. Parking is a hassle though, we had to park two blocks away so get there early if you want to park closer. We started with the calm chowder which was more watery than what I like but the flavor was good. Then we had the crab and medium shrimp which was *chef's kiss*. We finished with the red snapper and the Hawaiian wahoo tacos. Those were bigger than you think. Overall the wait was worth the trip there! You should definitely give it a shot.

But fresh fish to take home
Monica P.

1st time and I will be back. Lots of seafood choices to eat there or take with you to go. It's a market and a restaurant. Menu mainly seafood. Kids menu had chicken strips. The place is busy...but that is because it is so good. Worth waiting. Shrimp tacos were filling and so good and had lots of fresh toppings, cheese, avocado, sour cream, carrots which I was skeptical about but now I get it. Unique twist of flavors but delicious so just go with it! All food is made to order. There was also a sign with lots of sauces and garlic butters and lemons to add to your fish. Grouper tacos were so good. Super juicy and moist! No fountain drinks so I just bought an Arizona iced team. There is a fridge near the menus with sodas. There is also a sign with their beer selections. Staff brings you your food and they all were smiling! Which I was impressed with because it was busy! I found a picture on yelp and that is how I ordered! lol It is a busy place, good music playing but a bit on the louder side but good energy! Casual Place. Parking is a bit tough but we found a spot up the block.

Side of the building
Emmett T.

I have passed by this Blue Water location in the Middletown neighborhood next to the highway numerous times before stopping by recently for dinner. The parking spaces in the adjacent lot seemed to be all dedicated to the neighboring businesses so I found a curbside spot along India St. A large parklet in front of the suite had several tables set up for al fresco dining, but it was empty during my visit. Everyone elected to sit inside the main dining room or in the covered courtyard next to it. There were a couple of refrigerated glass cases to the left when you walked in. It was the market side of the business with lots of fresh seafood on display. I didn't see any customers make purchases in that area as all of us decided to line up to order food/drink from the service counter. A two-sided menu sheet listed plenty of choices. Creating your own grilled fish plate was the featured entry. Sandwiches, salads, tacos, soups, sashimi, seafood cocktails, appetizers, and specials (entrees) were the other categories. I picked a cup of the Homemade Hearty Seafood Soup and the Classic Cioppino for my meal. After paying at the register, a numbered sign was given to me which I took to a table in the courtyard. Within 15 minutes, both items were delivered by a worker. The soup was a tomato-based broth with assorted seafood and vegetables. I believe some type of white fish was the main protein of which there were several chunks in the cup. It was warm and hearty as described. The cashier told me the kitchen was running low on scallops. They would supplement the cioppino with additional clams and mussels in place of the scallops. Shrimp and red snapper were the other components in the bowl of marinara sauce. Three pieces of toasted sourdough came with the order. There were at least a dozen mussels and nearly as many clams. I did notice a few scallops in the mix along with about four pieces each of shrimp and red snapper. For $30, it was a fair price for cioppino given the amount of seafood. I have eaten versions that cost 20 percent more with 20 percent fewer ingredients.

Fresh Fish
Chun M.

After our plane landed in San Diego, even before taking my phone off airplane mode, I had a hankering for seafood! Luckily, I found an old bookmark for Blue Water located just on the other side of the highway from the rent-a-car garage and even got a parking spot right in front of the restaurant! When we walked in, I had a déja vu moment. I recognized the blue awnings, the wall mounted Mahi Mahi & Yellowfin Tuna and the fresh fish in the refrigerated case and realized that we had been here back in 2011 (pre-Yelp Elite), when we came to SD for Comic-Con! We queued up to order our food and the nice server managing the dining room directed us to a table out in the patio area. When your food is ready, the server homes in on your table number stand to deliver the goods. We started by sharing a hearty bowl of thick New England Clam Chowder and the taste brought me 2500 miles back to New England with chunks of clams & potatoes. The seared Black Pepper & Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna was a great tasty appetizer, but could have been an entree because it came with a nice bowl of rice. We also had an assorted trio of seafood tacos, which were sizable enough for the wife & I to share, with a Beer Battered Cod and another with Fried Scallops. The third Scallop & Shrimp Track Taco was big enough to come on its own plate, all dressed up in crema, slaw, onions & avocado. I was jealous of the table next to us because they had 2 gigantic bowls of mussels and the couple were unabashedly slurping up the juicy mollusks with wine & tomato sauce from the shells. I'm drooling just thinking about it, so I gotta make my way back to San Diego really soon!

Local halibut sandwich

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the fresh seafood, generous portions, and varied seafood menu, along with a casual, lively atmosphere.

Read the full review summary in the app

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2 months ago

Amazing fresh seafood! Whatever they catch they have until they run out. Cute atmosphere and always packed for good reason ;)

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Blue Water Seafood - Mission Hills Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Blue Water Seafood - Mission Hills

Do they take reservations?

I don't think so, they don't have a regular hostess, you just order at the counter and they bring to table.

Will you ever bring the crab and artichoke dip back to the menu? We miss it!

Hey there! Thank you for the feedback, I will share this with our on-site team 🙂

Do you offer catering menu?

Hi there! You can email info@sdbluewater.com for catering options.

Are you open for take out order on Thanksgiving?

We will be closed on Thanksgiving

What is your email address?

info@sdbluewater.com

What is the fresh seafood in the market that I can take home? What is the best time of day to buy?…

Their fresh fish changes by season and availability. Be prepared for a waiting line though. I tried to order in advance online but they never responded to my request.

Do you order own food or is there ?waiter services

Hi there! Orders are placed at the counter with our cashiers and brought to your table when ready.

Are you taking reservations?

We do not accept reservations.

Do you guys allow dine in?

We currently have limited outdoor seating available.

Are you guys doing taco Tuesday again?

Our Ocean Beach location is offering Taco Tuesday from 4pm-close.

I need two lobster tails for Thursday, do I need to call in tomorrow morning?

You should call, they only sell what they catch.

Do you sell fresh lobster tail to take home?

Hi Brittany, we do not carry lobster on hand but can request with a 24 hour notice.

What is the best time to come here on a saturday morning?

We try to get there 15 to 20 minutes before it opens!

Are Pets allowed?

No, and if you go (and I recommend you do because it's the bomb), you'll understand why.

View All 15 Questions

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Excellent, fresh seafood open market! When they first…read moreopened in SD, we found the most beautiful octopus. Love grabbing fresh/seasonal fish and seafood that has been freshly caught by local fisherman to cook a yummy feast. Can't get more fresh than this! They are open every Saturday morning from 8am- 1pm or when they sell out. They also have a seafood cutting station. Pricey, but if you're looking for fresh versus the preciously frozen seafood sold at most of the SD grocery stores, this will be your goldmine.

It's a tourist trap and it works…read more This has got to be the smallest fish market I have ever seen dockside. There are only a few fish stalls selling everything from lobsters to various tunas to swordfish to halibut. Not too much of a selection to prevent overfishing, I think. The main attraction for me is at the end of this short pier. It's the food stall. It's a pretty penny but the taste of freshness is worth it. That sea urchin just melts in your mouth. I could eat that all day if it wasn't for the $$$ The lobster roll wasn't what I'm accustomed to. I'm use to the east coast with mayo and chives. This was oily buttery if that's a thing. But those fries were amazing. The half spiny lobster was also ok. I think I got it more for the experience than the taste. Overall four stars. It's a fun experience and if you wanted fresh fish to grill at home this is the place to get it. Also this place is dog friendly and watch out for those seagulls. M

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I loved my seafood here! Very fresh and lots of menu variety to get whatever seafood you are…read morecraving. I asked for some slight variations on the menu and they handled it no problem, with smiles! Love places like this! What champs! The vibe inside was casual but still a nice place to meet up for dinner, we were in a cozy booth in the back and I really liked the lively atmosphere that was still chill at the same time if that makes sense. The server was really nice (sorry I didn't get his name) but I was impressed with how many times he checked in to make sure we were enjoying our meal!! I will definitely be back to try more, this location is really nice and close to a lot of things in the area. Great place to meet up with friends!

First time here and trying Bay Park in SD…read more There were about 10 open tables inside and 3 open tables outside. Hostess said it was a 20 minute wait. So we went to the bar where it was full and waited 5 minutes for a table to open up. We ordered the lemon pepper shrimp appetizer, michelada, and Maui draft. The michelada was delicious. For dinner we had the sushi tower, panko fish taco and the cod fish and chips. The lemon pepper fried shrimp never made it out. The sushi tower had wonton chips and a red, green sauce on the side with pickled ginger and wasabi. My order of fish and chips was slightly disappointing. This was a cheat meal for us so the fries were cold and hard. Note to kitchen: don't serve cold, hard French fries. The cod came in 3 pieces and had a nice tartar sauce. The fish taco was huge but it was dry and needed either more sauce or lemon. Hostess: 1 star Bar staff: 4 stars Kitchen: 2.5 stars Result avg= 2.5 stars Wish our dining experience would have been better. I would have bought a shirt.

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Bay Park Fish Company - Fresh Seafood Pasta! Clams, mussels, shrimp, and fresh white fish! Served over linguini and finished with a spiced cream sauce!

Fresh Seafood Pasta! Clams, mussels, shrimp, and fresh white fish! Served over linguini and finished with a spiced cream sauce!

Bay Park Fish Company - Come enjoy our front and back patios, covered and heated!

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My husband returned from a two-day fishing trip and needed to have his catch processed. He forgot…read moreto make a reservation, but fortunately the team at Fisherman's Processing was incredibly helpful and walked him through the process and available options. Since we're from Temecula, it was especially convenient that they could collect the fish and contact us when it was ready. They estimated up to two days, but the processing was completed the very next day. Their location is easy to access, right on the corner near Old Town San Diego, with convenient parking available in the back. The quality of the processing was outstanding. We opted to have the collars included, which added a little to the cost, but it was well worth it. Everything was expertly vacuum-sealed, fresh, and packaged so well that there was no fish odor in our trunk during the drive home. Excellent service, convenience, and quality. We would definitely use Fisherman's Processing again after future fishing trips.

Hands down the best product I have ever received!!!…read more For three decades, I have been blessed to fish on long range trips out of San Diego, from Catalina to Clipperton, and everywhere in between. I've seen it all, and I can say without a doubt that the product that I just received from Fisherman's Processing is the very best in the industry. That rainbow, iridescent hue of light diffraction is the proof right there. Solid omega 3's, and it all starts with the processing on the Royal Star. The crew is dedicated to Shinkei Jime, proper bleeding, cleaning, and immediately getting each and every tuna into the RSW. On my most resent 16 day trip, not once did I see any fish on the deck for more than just a few minutes. Even during the hot bites with fish constantly coming over the rail. The crew's work ethic is clear. Not only do they want you to have a great time and catch the fish of a lifetime, but they sincerely want to produce the highest quality product achievable. Who wouldn't want share the very best product with friends and family? Thank you to the Royal Star and Fisherman's Processing. My wife said I can go again and again if I come home with fish like that! SOLD!!!

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Fisherman's Processing - Yummy spices and sauces

Yummy spices and sauces

Fisherman's Processing - Plenty of the best for the family!

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Blue Water Seafood - Mission Hills - seafood - Updated October 2026

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