Public review: Amazing food, great atmosphere, and the best chowder and surprisingly best chicken strips I've ever had. F.A.P.P.S Score 22/25 Food: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Persona enjoyment: 5/5 Service: 3/5 read more

While staying in Morro Bay we took a trip to Cayucos Pier and stopped here for dinner. We ordered a hamburger with jack cheese, shrimp louie salad, and manhattan chowder in a bowl. Cute casual order and sit spot. You have your choice of inside or outside where there is stool sitting outside. The person who took our order was friendly and provided us with suggestions. The Shrimp Louie salad was delicious, with juicy shrimp cook perfectly. I even shared half of it with my husband. The hamburger with cheese was juicy, with fresh lettuce, onion, tomato, and a spear of pickle on the side for you to decide what you wanted in your burger. My son said it was delicious. The manhattan bread bowl....hearty and thick, however way too salty for my taste. That would be a pass for me next time. Overall, it's right next to the pier, lots of seating, with a variety of food options for the family. read more

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Bustling place with obviously hard-working staff. There was a line and every seat was taken. That's a good sign. I ordered the crab sandwich with avocado and cheddar cheese on sourdough bread and took it to go. The sandwich was good. I've had better crab sandwiches, but they were at crab shacks with fresh crab. I don't think this crab was that fresh but rather from a supplier. The sourdough bread was very good and the cheddar cheese was fine. I would order something different If I went back... I think I would try the fish and chips or the shrimp bowl. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Crab sandwich with avocado and cheddar served with pickle - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

2026-05-13 update Decided to try this place again and had a better experience. Got Clam and chips the first night and then the broiled fish sandwich the next day. Both were really good and the service was really friend. Their clam chowder was good too. read more

Staff was friendly and helped me decide between 2 choices. I loved what I settled on, which was a fresh fish bowl, blackened. A perfect lunch between a half day of remote work and getting ready for a wedding at the pier landing. I sat outside on the corner and enjoyed the view. read more

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The wife and I have been visiting the Central Coast for years, staying in Cambria and San Simeon. We always drive to Morro Bay for seafood. Today, we decided to try Duckies and WOW!!! The best clam chowder and fish and chips by far than any of the numerous places we've dined at in Morro Bay, this is definitely our spot from now on! read more

Food is delicious. Service is high school and trained to clear clean and restock. Ambiance is local shanty hot spot. read more

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I heard good things about this place so I stopped in after a quick beach day. The place is right off the Cayucos pier. They have some outdoor stool seating which is dog friendly. They have a lot of indoors seats too, not dog friendly. I ordered the clam chowder bread bowl, the fish n chips. The service was fast and the food was hot. The clam chowder was just ok, nothing special. The fish was cooked perfectly with good batter on the outside. I would recommend giving them a try. read more

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We absolutely loved Duckie's Chowder House in Morro Bay! The atmosphere is very welcoming and relaxed, with a casual, order-at-the-counter style. The service was fast and efficient, and they bring the food right to your table, which makes it super easy and enjoyable. We went on a Monday at lunchtime, and there were plenty of seats both inside and outside. I can only imagine how busy it gets on weekends, because this is definitely the kind of place you want to keep coming back to -- great food in a laid-back setting. Now, the food... SO good. I started with Louise's salad with crab meat, which was fresh and delicious. But then I saw my husband's crab melt sandwich and immediately had to order one for myself -- and I'm so glad I did! It was generously loaded with crab, topped with avocado and melted cheese, and tasted incredibly fresh. Honestly, everything was so good that I guess I just wanted both the salad and the sandwich Highly recommend this spot if you're in Morro Bay -- especially if you love fresh crab! read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Crab melt sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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It's a bit of a small place with cramped seating and hard benches or stools. The red chowder is more like a minestrone substitute clams for pasta. Now on to all the good stuff...food was served fast, order taker was efficient, fish and chips are top notch. The white chowder is very good, not the best, but you won't be disappointed. Folks worked hard to keep the lines turning over and the seats ready for the next round. Got the combo...fish is great, oyster was meh, shrimp was over cooked and the calamari wasn't toasty. clams were just ok. Would get the fish and chips next time. Chicken strips appeared made in house. A worthy attempt. The garlic fries are huge! No need to order a side when you can just get garlic added to your order of seafood and chips. May be the best place in town! Enjoy it when you come back to the central coast. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Red chowder - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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Wife and I stopped by Duckie's on our recent trip and we were impressed!! One our trip up the Central Coast, we tried various clam chowders at many places and THIS was our favorite!! The clam chowder had big chunks of clam and had an amazing flavor! Fish and Chips were good too! Highly recommend this place! read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Clam Chowder and Fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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We stopped for a snack after checking out the little town. It looked quite busy as the outside was quite busy. Actually, it was only outside as no one was dining inside when we arrived. People did start to utilize indoor after we sat down. It was nice out so everyone wanted to utilized the weather. It's a pretty decent size restaurant with some outdoor seating. Also, it's pet friendly hence we were outside. The menu does have a good selection of dishes. As we on the beach, we wanted seafood. Looking at what everyone ordered, it seemed to be the place for it. Plus they have beer. Ordering was quite easy. A couple beers to cool off which was poured right there so it wasn't a wait. We shared a bowl of their chowder. Comes in small, large or bread bowl. Also didn't take long to arrive and was nice and hot. Served with oyster crackers. First bits, it was really good. Nice chunks of potato and clams. Also shared the fish and chips. That was nice as well. Not sure what kind of dish it was but it was pretty flakey and thick potions. We've been to other places which we swear they brought out Van de camp fish. But here, it was quite tasty. Overall, nice place for food. Menu does have a good selection. Plenty of indoor dining which has an open feel with the open windows. A couple of outdoor seating and hi top seats that's look into the restaurant. They have beer which is great. And the place is literally at the start of the pier and seconds from the sand. Street parking is available. read more

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Stopped by during a road trip & only waited like 10 min for takeout. We got the crab melt & clam chowder to share for a snack & it was the perfect snack, especially the sandwich. :) read more

Everything was delicious, from Manhattan Clam Chowder, Crab Cakes to Crab Melt Sandwich. The food was fresh while the portion was on point. The staff was friendly & helpful. We sat outside, but I could see that the indoor was clean and had a cool vibe. I'd love to return to this eatery. read more

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I don't know if it's the sea air - but somehow my appetite was wide open and ready to try all the things! The fish and chips were delicious! Perfectly crispy outside and tender, flakey fish inside. The tartar sauce was AMAZING and infused with dill and relish - I've never had anything like it! The Louie salad was fresh, generous servings of crab meat all nestled on a bed of lettuce. And the clam chowder was perfect!! Creamy, not too thick, and generous servings of clam - and I thought I tasted crab meat too (?) - throughout. Ambiance was great! Good energy, fast and attentive service. There was a good variety of beers to compliment your dish. You can sit outside and enjoy the passersby or sit inside. Both are good as the restaurant has open windows. I'd definitely come back and try the manhattan chowder and get my own fish and chips. read more

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I always enjoy some Duckies when in Cayucos. I love their fish as it's rarely ever greasy. Fish always seems fresh and good flavor. My wife typically gets the clam chowder. I wish the clam chowder was hotter on some days. read more

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Fish and chips was really good. Clam chowder was just above average. Service was great! Definitely will be becoming back. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - SeaSide - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

One of my favorite places for clam chowder at the coast. Fast and friendly service. Dog friendly, they have outdoor seating. Clean restaurant. read more

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Being named Duckie's Chowder House, of course, we had to go for the chowder. Filling, tasty, and overall good comfort food. We also had some shrimp and chips which I think was nice, crispy, and fresh. There's not a lot of seating but I think, there's a good turnaround time between customers eating in so wait is not too bad. Of course, the view while eating can't be beat. It could get a bit chilly though, seems like only a few seats are comfortably warm but still, overall, a nice quick meal experience with excellent views. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

Cold beer. Chilly service. Clam chowder was loaded with clams but far from hot. The steamers came in an oily/buttery broth.. the server did not bring a dish for the shells and no seafood forks. They were tricky and messy to eat. There was no way to eat them without getting this oily broth on your hands. I'm not a fan of the stand at the counter and order, you pay and are prompted to tip (which my husband did as if it were 5 star dining) and then a server drops off your food. We didn't receive anything resembling the service we tipped for. Never even a check back. I have had good meals here before, but this missed the mark. read more

M was departing for home and said she wanted some clam chowder and she wanted Duckies. We timed it so we arrived at 1230 and gave her get ready time and wait time at the airport. Yes even on a rainy day most folks stay in, Duckies had a good line of folks wanting to warm up. We sat by the window counter, tall stools not my favorite but comfortable enough. Service was fast chowder was out in five minutes and my shrimp taco's a close second. Good size on the taco's, they were hot, tasty and just enough on ingredients No surprise here, this was the first place I had chowder on my first visit to Cayucos some years ago. M says its the best and shes tries chowder at nearly every place we eat at so.. I'd agree we'll always be back for another serving, foodguy, martin read more

Duckie's Chowder House - the Chair - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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You can get delicious clam chowder any day of the week here. It doesn't have to be Friday. A+

The clam chowder tasted good, maybe a bit under-seasoned for my liking but is probably preferred by most people that way. The service was great, order and sit, then they bring the food to your table. The place is right next to the beach with plenty of available parking around. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

Great food and service. We've had the clams, fish and chips, chowder, and the mixed fish and chips. Our favorite fish place on the Central Coast! read more

I am a clam chowder snob who is always looking for the best chowder. I bate thick chowder (ala Seattle), too many potatoes or not enough clams. Duckies does it right!!!! read more

We made it in about a half an hour before closing. Our Godson, who lives in the area, recommended Duckie's and we know why. My husband said it's the best clam chowder he has ever eaten. Every bite had clams. It was rich and flavorful. "Outstanding." The raw oysters were also delicious, on ice, with the good fixings, horseradish, hot sauce, and lemon. The price was also reasonable. Will return. read more

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The perfect beachy lunch spot. Just seconds away from your toes being in the sand , this location is a favorite of beach goers. The inside of the restaurant is spacious. The inside is great for large groups or small parties. The same is true for the outdoor seating as well . The staff inside were extremely courteous. You have your food in to time at all.The restaurant is clean and inviting. We tried a sampler plate and chowder bread bowl . The presentation was amazing . I couldn't believe my eyes . There was so much chowder! The sampler plate was stacked with food as well . Well worth the money for this experience. I enjoyed the chowder and the sampler plate . I will say , I wasn't a fan of the fried oyster . I'd recommend giving this place a try if you haven't . read more

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I am always looking for a spot that serves a Manhattan clam chowder, so I was very excited to try Duckie's Chowder House. Seating is fairly limited, so it may be difficult to snag a spot for a large group. The staff are super approachable and helpful. We ordered the Manhattan clam chowder as well as a fish and chips (substituted the chips for onion rings). The Manhattan clam chowder was just okay. The portion size was great and had a good amount of clams, but the overall flavor was lacking. I did really enjoy their fish and onion rings. The fish had a perfectly fried exterior with a juicy interior. The onion rings were very crunchy and paired nicely with their dipping sauce which tasted like capers. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Manhattan clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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Let me preface this by saying I am not a seafood guy, and this is what this place is known for. I personally did not have any seafood but members of my party did and they can attest to the quality and taste. The restaurant itself is as close to the beach as it gets. It is such a cool spot with their building being open concept. Seating is fairly limited as it is smaller in size, but we were able to find a table to sit out after about 5 minutes of waiting. On our particular experience the staff did their job and nothing more. Not super friendly or talkative, just right to the point. I ordered a cheeseburger because I was craving one so bad. I was surprised that the cheeseburger did not come with any fries. Overall, the whole burger itself was one of the most mediocre burgers I have ever had. No sauce, the greasiest bun I have ever had, and cooked medium well- well done. When ordering, they asked how I would like it cooked and I said medium, so that was a bit of a let down. At $12, this is a common price for this area. Overall, nothing stands out about the burger and I wouldn't order it again. There is many spots within a short distance that offer a much better burger for the price. I ordered fries separately, and they came out barely warm, borderline cold to the touch. They lacked seasoning and texture in my opinion. My parents ordered the fried shrimp and fried fish and chips. They had similar opinions on the fries as they were a let down for most of our party. On the other hand, the shrimp and fried fish were wonderful. My parents enjoyed the crispy, light, flakey batter that the seafood had been coated in. The fish and shrimp was the saving grace of the meal for them. If you are ordering just fish and want something fresh, give this place a shot. Otherwise search elsewhere if you are looking to enjoy something besides seafood! read more

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I'm a pretty hard judge of Fish & Chips. Too many times I've had really good fish, just okay chips and less than okay tartar sauce. Duckie's has it all! The tartar sauce carried the fish. Really good fries and very good fish! Batter wasn't too heavy and they came out flakey and crunchy. 10/10 would recommend. I agree that the chowder was a little watery, not horrible but I've had better. Service was great! We ordered take out this day to enjoy our meal on the beach. Overall I would be back. read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Clam Chowder Bread Bowl - Carry Out - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

I love this place. The seating is open. Close to the water, it has that beach / surf vibe. Families dine here making it great for kiddos. I commend them on their Louie Salad - Crab. The crab was delicious and quite fresh! I had some leftover to take in a small condiment container do to my salad being generously showered with crab meat. The cashier and waiters are awesome! I have been a few times and never had a bad experience. Keep it up! read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Crab Louie Salad - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

The food was great, the service was amazing. Ordered the clam chowder bread bowl and it was a must!

Fantastic chowder!! Someone recommended Duckies to us and we thought the chowder and the shrimp cocktail was fresh and delicious so flavorful will return again! Definitely go for the bread bowl yum read more

While visiting San Luis Obispo for the weekend we stopped here in a whim on the way to Hearst Castle. We loved it and would definitely be back. It's casual, food comes out fast, and they have a decent selection of local beers on tap. The lines can get long and there's not a ton of seating. We got a bowl of clam chowder. It was really good, served quite hot and stayed hot, and was a very large serving. The only thing that could have made it better was a slice of warm sourdough bread with butter. We also got the calamari with chips. Wow was this good. The calamari was incredibly delicious and the batter was perfect...not too heavy and lightly breaded. We got a light beer that was good. They also have merchandise that's cute. We will definitely be back! read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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Duckies is within walking distance of our motel ( Cayucos Motel ) so we decided to order pickup as we have a cute place to eat at the hotel. The white clam chowder was yummy not super thick and not thin but just right. Lots of clams. The fish and chips was also very good, Krispy and moist. The tartar sauce was amazing ( I usually pass on tartar sauce ) we also tried the onion rings. Very crispy and sweet onions and the ranch was good. We also had the Duckie cheese burger ordered med cooked perfect, great sauce juicy. Could have used more sauce because it was so good. Definitely will go back. Service was also excellent. Sorry no pics, too hungry. read more

Light lunch to try something new along the journey and stumbled upon Duckies. The clam chowder was fresh and they were generous with the toppings. The crab melt was a delicious surprise. I usually don't like to order crab in a sandwich because I tend to be disappointed but I'm glad I went against my better judgement and chose this sandwich. It was light and the avacado was a nice compliment to the crab and melted cheese. I will definitely be back! read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Crab melt - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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Wow, great food!! The best clam chowder I have had on the coast. My wife had the fish bowl, Grilled and I had the fish sandwich blackened. The fish was tender, fresh and cooked to perfection, with great tartar sauce. We split the Onion rings as well, best I have ever had. This is the nice thing about retirement, eating one meal a day a 2 in the afternoon. read more

Thank you Duckie's for consistently making delicious salads. I love your fresh delicious shrimp salad. The lettuce is so crispy & fresh. Your dressing too so fresh & delicious. Thank you read more

Duckies looks like exactly where you want to eat when you're in a small beach town. It's 20 steps from the beach, it smells delightful, and the people are really nice. (It also can get really crowded.) Order from the counter and try your luck nabbing a table/booth. There's a decent amount of seating inside and a few tables outside, so if you see someone wrapping up -- it's in your best interest to hover. They offer two clam chowders -- New England and Manhattan. I should have tried both, but went with a bowl of New England. One of my favorite things when ordering soup, especially a creamy one, is when they arrive at the table piping hot, which this did. It was delicious. I would have liked more/bigger pieces of clam, but the overall flavor and components was great. Next up -- a Crab Melt, which is a grilled cheese with crab and avocado. It was nice, but not killer. The flavor of the crab was so delicate, it was totally overwhelmed by the avocado. The second half was deconstructed at the table to better enjoy the individual components. Finally, fried clams and fries. Highlight of the afternoon! The fries were hot and crispy, and the clams flavorful with a just-right crunch. We also tried the Garlic Fries, just because. They certainly were garlicky ... and delicious! But the serving size was far too large in addition to all our other food. Cayucos seems out of the way, but it was a delightful diversion from our wine tasting. The beach wasn't crowded and the tidal pools were teeming. If you're in the area, do stop by -- and give Duckies a try. There were so many great things on the menu! read more

Duckie's Chowder House - Crab Melt, Clams and Fries and Garlic Fries - Seafood Near Me - Cayucos, California

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Service is quick, just order at the counter. You get a table marker to let them know where you are. Ordered the white clam chowder bread bowl. So glad I brought my coat. All the windows were open and the breeze was up. I took a bite of the cap that comes off the bread bowl. I had a tough time tearing a piece off it! Next was the chowder. Nice, hot and well flavored. I got a piece of clam. Anticipation. Then I could not tear, cut or separate a piece of the bread. The bread was just tough. The gave a knife, but it would not do any damage to the bread ball on my plate. Alas, I ate the chowder, scraped what I could get loose from the inside of the bread bowl. I was not favorably impressed with my visit or my meal. read more