I could eat here once a week. I could live here. Seriously, this is the ultimate gem of seafood restaurants. I have gone for a business lunch and birthday celebrations. They are consistent - staff, menu options, quality of food, cocktails, you name it - it's legit. I love how quaint this establishment is too - it adds to the charm and unique special vibe. There's a high vibration here while sitting shoulder to shoulder-with happy eaters and drinkers. The playlist always hits too which I think is especially important. Anyway, my favorite things to order are the steamed manila clams and fries. They come in a large plate bowl, smothered in white wine, garlic, and butter. A large piece of warm bread on the side to absorb all that goodness. It pairs so nicely with any white wine or cocktail! But the Sancerre is the best. If you enjoy an appetizer or two, the hamachi sashimi is refreshing and light as well as the tuna tartare. To finish off the meal, either opt for more wine or dive into one of their decadent desserts. I've tried the key lime pie and it is perfect for sharing. read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Steamed clams - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Explosions of flavors in my mouth like dynamite! It has been a couple days since, but I am still thinking about that Japanese Hamachi Sashimi. The apple ponzu itself is to die for and pairs so well with the Hamachi. It was resting on top of a bed of well seasoned crushed avocados with serrano chile giving that extra burst of flavor and welcomed heat. This will be part of my order on each visit from here on out. Flavor town continued with the perfectly cooked Wild Spanish Octopus. The texture of the Octopus was spot on along with the papas canarias. The mix of the chorizo-caramelized onion puree and calabrian chili mayo intensifies the umami flavor and kept me feening for more. The shishito peppers and arugula completed the dish for me leaving a plate with no remains. Taking a quick break from cooked seafood, we had some oysters, Peruvian scallops and jumbo shrimp cocktail from the raw bar. Everything was fresh with all the sauce and toppings you'd want with extra to spare! The Parisian tuna Tartare was next. The lovely smoked aioli surrounded by traditional garnishes gave every scoop of it with the buttered croutons a perfect bite. I was amazed at how thin the crouton was; made just right for tuna tartare. Then came the butter and lemon being poured over the Spiny Lobster. So much flavor and meat packed in there leaving me in awe how much of it there was. Their excellent preparation gave me all the juicy Lobster for me to enjoy. I almost went caveman style by picking up and eating it. However, I didn't want to scare the other patrons away. Lol At this point, I wasn't sure how much more food I could eat. However, even with my appetite declining, the Koshihkari Rice was still delicious! Warm spoonfuls of it made my stomach smile. Flavors were definitely not lacking from the chicken dashi, shrimp, uni and blue crab. The egg yolk mixed in made it more decadent with every bite. The dining experience ended with their most popular dessert; the Key Lime Pie. Every small bite I had of it tasted like I just consumed baskets of lime. The balance or tartness and sweetness from the Italian lime meringue was just right. Overall it was such a pleasant dining experience. I was taking on a lovely journey of the sea prepared perfectly by the cooks and Chef Alice working their magic in the kitchen. Also shoutout to the front of the house and our server Lena for the wonderful service. read more

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It's a tiny restaurant and reservation is a must. We drove back from Vegas and didn't have lunch. So we decided to give this place a try at 4:30pm on a Thursday afternoon. Good that I made a reservation for bar seating because all the tables were all reserved. Parking is always a challenge so plan for extra time. Moving onto the food. We shared the Japanese koshihicari rice with blue crab, uni, shrimp, and a raw egg yolk on top. It was full of seafood flavor with perfectly cooked rice that's not mushy even though it's in a sauce. We each ordered lobster roll, one hot and one cold. Lobster was good but I would have liked it less cooked. It came with delicious fries, slaw, and a pickle. The waiter was courteous and very helpful. He found out it's our first time dining there, we were given complementary raw scallops. I'd definitely order them the next time we go visit. Amazing seafood experience indeed! read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Complementary scallops - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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The seafood here was fresh, but I would have preferred more entree options. If you like oysters, this place definitely had a lot of oyster options. -1 star for the sparkling water. It tasted like sparkling tap water, but emphasis on the tap water. I would not order the sparkling water. The place also smelled of cleaning supplies and bleach so it affected the dining experience a bit. read more

I made a 4:00 PM reservation and arrived at 3:53, checking in at the host stand. The hostess informed us, rather coldly, that our table would be ready closer to our reservation time since the previous guests were still finishing their experience. She assured us we'd be checked in and texted when the table was ready. While her tone wasn't the warmest, it seemed fair, so we waited. It was chilly outside, so we decided to wait in the car. However, after 10, 20, and then 25 minutes without a text, we decided to check back in. As we approached, we noticed the same hostess leaving for the day. When we inquired at the host stand, we were told our table was ready--and had been for some time. Clearly, there was a communication issue, and it was disappointing to feel overlooked. Once we were seated, however, the experience completely turned around. The meal was exceptional, and our waitress was warm and attentive. I highly recommend the octopus, the sandwich with Maryland crab, and the pear and chocolate pie--it's absolutely to die for. While the initial experience with the hostess left a bad impression, the food and service more than made up for it. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. read more

Fishing with dynamite was such a great experience. I had the "tennis anyone?" Drink and the shrimp roll. Both were so delicious, I don't know anyone in my group that was not pleased with their order. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time. Because it is recommended by Michelin, there was not room for us when we tried to walk in. However, we made a reservation for the next day and they were able to fit a large group. The staff was knowledgeable and made accommodations for us. We asked what the saltiest oyster they had was, and they were able to give us details on the various oysters. I also asked for the dill remoulade (a sauce from a different sandwich) on the side, and recommend adding that to your sandwich or to dip fries in if you like dill! read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Shrimp roll - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

let's start off with saying if I can give a negative star I would and this is why: on 1/9/26 at 12:42 the host wouldn't let me sit at bar top when there was 5 clean seats available now first she said i have to wait 10 min cause she couldn't seat us or have time to check if they were free or clean and as you can simply see from her view they were clean and available ( all she had to say was go ahead a take a seat anywhere at the bartop) ..... plus her wait list seemed she had only one person to seat...., well i guess this place wants empty seats so i will spend my money else where... read more

Whenever I get the chance, I'll book a reservation for this place. I've been here over a dozen times and it is always amazing. They are awesome and the food is gray and the view afterwards is spectacular. It doesn't hurt that salt and straw is right up the street too for some post meal dessert read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Urchin, scallops, oysters - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Some of the freshest raw oysters and the best steamed mussels we've ever had. We also enjoyed the Koshihikari Rice. Service was a bit lacking, we never got our Tabasco that we asked for and not much check backs, but we still really enjoyed our time alone. Restaurant is very small and seems like they get packed very often, so I'd recommend calling or making a reservation. We got lucky outdoor was available when we came around 6pm but by 7 the restaurant was fully booked it seemed. read more

This is my favorite seafood restaurant in SoCal - we usually come here when we go to Kasai Hair. It is the freshest raw seafood you can find anywhere so we always order the oysters and Peruvian scallops. Hubby will also have uni on toast which is always fresh and buttery - not quite my taste but I will have a piece. We usually get two orders of the hamachi sashimi - the ponzu sauce, the avocado mousse, radish and jalapeños are such a tasty combo. We also love the clam chowder and the shrimp tacos which comes with a side of guacamole. The newest dish is a shrimp scampi - it was so yummy with a side of rice; the garlicky sauce was finger licking' good!!! The bread pudding is a perfect way to finish the meal. This is a tiny restaurant so reservations are a must. My respect for management went way up when recently, I left something behind with a lot of sentimental value. The manager, David R., really took the time to look into it and make it right. I was so grateful for the care from this restaurant. Makes me want to patron all of their businesses and share it with everyone I know. Food is amazing here, service and management are stellar. read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Latest addition: the shrimp scampi!! - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

This is my moms favorite restaurant so we came here to celebrate a birthday! FOOD: 4/5 The food is great but I would not say the seafood is life changing or anything special. My favorites were the Peruvian scallops which had grapefruit and ponzu as well as the squash rolls. The raw bar is always presented beautifully but the prices are steep. We ordered a raw lobster but in my mind it tasted like any lobster from a seafood market or grocery store but definitely at a higher price. The oysters were okay, they had around 5/6 kinds with different taste profiles. We almost didn't order the squash rolls but I saw another table eating them and they paired perfectly with cold seafood we ordered. They were soft and hot and came with the most delicious whipped butter. The koshihikari rice was phenomenal and a good size. The seared scallops were only okay, there were three that came with it and I was unimpressed especially after seeing past picture showing 5-6 of them. Service: 5/5 the waitress we had was phenomenal. She checked in with us frequently and even checked back in with the kitchen when our squash rolls were taking awhile. She also brought out a key like pie for the birthday we were celebrating. Ambiance: 4/5 the restaurant itself is extremely small. It did smell of seafood and I did notice the water smelled a little fishy but overall it's a cute place and the size is part of the charm. The outdoor seating looks nice and the bar would be a fun place to sit to watch the chefs prepare food. Overall the food was great but I feel like the restaurant was crazily overpriced for what they serve. 3 seared scallops and pork with no sides for $36 is a little crazy to me at $13 per scallop... read more

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Great spot for seafood! It's a pretty small place, so seating is a bit limited (they have a few tables outdoor on the sidewalk). Try to make a reservation ahead of time. I was only able to find a slot for the bar at the time I wanted to go. Some of the things I got and recommend: Cocktails: Agua Vida (tasty white Negroni, recommend if you're into negronis) The L word (refreshing, recommend!) Koshihikari rice (favorite, highly recommend) Steamed Manila clams (no longer on the menu?) Peruvian scallops (good, but nothing special) Overall it's a great spot for seafood. You can try walking in, but better luck making a reservation! read more

Used to be really good, but unfortunately not anymore. I've been to many Michelin restaurants around the world, but the food here just does not justify the price. There so much better tasting food in the area with less expensive bill. It's just the location you're paying for. However...their key lime pie is good! read more

This was the best seafood I have had in a longtime. The jumbo shrimp and oysters, we ended up getting another round. The service was absolutely phenomenal. Our waitress Jessica, was amazing! We sat outside the weather was great, honestly could not recommend this spot anymore. Fresh, flavorful. Can't wait to come back. read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Peruvian Scallops, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

I had been wanting to try Fishing with Dynamite for some time. When the opportunity presented itself I was delighted. Imagine my distress when my companion and I had to swat flies away for the entire meal. The waitstaff seemed surprised when I asked if they had a table fan to help. One was not enough and the second one barely did the trick. I was truly appalled. It really ruined the meal. I don't think I have ever been in a restaurant with such a major fly problem where the staff didn't seem to notice or care. Very disappointing experience, although the food was delicious. I can't in good faith recomment Fishing with Dyanamite. read more

They called this place the found oyster of Manhattan Beach. I found it pretty similar, but They're actually very different. There's more cooked hot dishes here and I can see a lot of Japanese influence in the dishes too. everything we had was deleicius and well executed! I'd come back here anytime and it's right by the beach too pretty cool vibes service was great too forgot about that!, read more

I selected this place for my birthday dinner with my boyfriend. We did have to wait more than a few minutes to be seated when we arrived, even with a reservation. And the tables inside where they seated us are almost uncomfortably close together, to the point where we couldn't help but hear all of our neighbors' conversations. The food was delicious, as I knew it would be. We started with a bowl of the clam chowder. Followed by the grilled octopus, which was tender and so flavorful, though I could have done with less of the slaw. Then I had scallops with a Thai-style coconut broth while my boyfriend enjoyed the shrimp and crab boil. The key lime pie to finish was the perfect capper for an excellent meal. The filling was bright, the crust was perfectly crisp, and the toasting on the whipped topping brought it all together - the dish was truly more than the sum of the parts. read more

Fishing With Dynamite - clam chowder and grilled octopus - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Made a reservation here for lunch a couple weeks in advance. Small restaurant with limited seating inside and outside, parking can be hard to find in the area. Didn't love how loud it was inside, a bit hard to hear what your friends are saying. We ordered: - lemonade - octopus - salmon - clam chowder - koshihakari rice - key lime pie Overall all of the food was absolutely delicious! My favorite was probably the octopus and the salmon. The koshihakari rice was really hyped up for me, so perhaps I had too high of expectations. It was good, but not one of my favorites. Definitely recommend and would return. read more

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Our favorite seafood spot in Manhattan Beach! Really can't go wrong with any of their dishes. Every time we're here we always order dirty martinis, oysters, scallops, and fries. Definitely don't miss out on their clam chowder (my husband's favorite) or their key lime pie; it's hands down my favorite in LA! read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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This is a nice little spot near the water. The staff is great and the food is well done. They don't have an expansive menu, but everything is well done. Try the chowder and the rolls. I would come back just for that. read more

Cozy establishment with maybe a 25 customer capacity. For overflow, they had an outdoor tent set up with heaters (it was a cold day in January). Four of us tried a whole lot of menu items, as follows: - Squash rolls (not complimentary) - Clam chowder (delicious) - Dozen oysters (tasted fresh and well shucked) - Peruvian scallops - Fries (delicious) - Maryland blue crab cake (very light and tasty) - Shrimp cocktail (looked fresh, and big!) - Hamachi sashimi (fresh and delicious) - Swordfish (good, but somewhat bland, but I was okay with that considering this fish is good on its own) - Key lime pie (on the house as an apology for so-so service) The service was spotty at times, but having worked in this industry for much of my youth and early adult years, I recognize it can be difficult to attend to customers who are not in plain view (we were outside in a tent). Overall, I thought the food was very good, but of all the items we tried, no one thing stood out in particular that would make me want to go back. That said, if you're in the mood for seafood, I found the prices to be very reasonable. All the food I mentioned above, plus a fish sandwich I cannot speak for, a $125 bottle of sparkling wine and three beers came out to $436 before tip. read more

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Can't wait to get back! This place is a secret to most. They even have a chicken sandwich. Who knew?

I forgot to to post this review from lady year!!! Amazing experience as this place was more challenging to reserve a table pre-pandemic due to space but with addotional outdoor seating, I was able to secure a dinner reservation. This restaurant is more than the seafood version of its sister restaurant, the MB Post which I love as well. Both have great servers. There are some unique new dishes such as the Koshihikari rice with soft egg on top which ny fruend wanted to try and it was delish. We also had the yummy Grilled Octopus and while we were there, we saw a fresh shipment of uni from Santa Barbara arrive. For dessert, the Key Lime was so refreshingly tart and excellent, being the greedy glutton, I'm not sharing the next time I'm here! Metered parking. read more

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Before you even have one bite of the exquisite dishes served at this darling Manhattan Beach seafood restaurant, you'll feel welcomed as a very important guest. Are you dining for the first time? You'll receive an extra special treat. Our hostess found a seat for us at the Oyster Bar on a very busy Sunday and filled us in on the history of the restaurant while we got settled. Then John, our server led us through the mouth watering menu with perfect suggestions and a ton of charm. Tony, behind the raw bar, checked in frequently to be sure we were enjoying our meal. We definitely were! Each course was incredible. All five senses were activated as we tried each dish, and we had such a fun experience. The restaurant is beautiful, the service is impeccable and the food is divine. We cannot wait to go back. read more

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So I found the food uneven. The Peruvian scallops were great. The Hamachi sashimi was not. I read a review here that said the Hamachi was tough. Regrettably I tried it anyway - I'd definitely agree with the "tough" assessment. The cut was very thick and it was not tender at all. Furthermore, and oddly, my plate of Hamachi only had three pieces, but my bar seat neighbor who also ordered it had five. I mentioned this to the server and they corrected it ... that would've been $10 per piece of Hamachi. Definitely not worth that price. I also had the Boston chowder which was OK, but it did not have much seafood/clams. It was mostly potatoes and cream with a little bacon. read more

Worst experience lately. The quality of food is fast food type, but prices as high end restaurants. Dishes are covered in spicy sauce, hard to taste any flavor, or expensive and disappointing (worth noting, among others, the tuna tartare that comes in the size of small ketchup sauce container but is priced at $23). I came in so hungry and am leaving disappointed and hungrier. read more

This is one of the places I love to go to when I want to enjoy a good fresh meal, outside with a drink. The servers are always polite, knowledgeable and on it. With the outdoor seating, you can get a terrific view of the ocean while sipping on a nice cocktail. The tartar, oysters, octopus and key lime pie never fail to be VERY good. read more

We decided to spent our anniversary in South Bay and stubble into this restaurant. The vibe and service was great from the start, sat at the bar with bartender John, funny and very helpful with recommendations with the menu. We had Peruvian scallops and little necks and Prawns for started, than crispy fish sandwich. They surprised us with key lime pie for our anniversary. Definitely will be coming back to the place, 5 STARS for sure read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Butter Head On Prawns - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Overpriced fish, but cute environment. Very friendly service. Not sure I would go back, there is better fish elsewhere.

Just like other reviews suggested--skip the entrees and stick to the fresh seafood selections/platter. Oysters and Peruvian scallops are a must! Also, recommend the tuna tartare, if only they offered more of the buttery rye crisps. The octopus was good, but charred more than I would like. Still contemplating whether I would pay $30 for that dish again, maybe if there were more octopus. Fish sandwhich was a bust, fresh fish but lacked flavor, but at least they make it up by giving you heaps of French fries and a lackluster clump of coleslaw. Lobster roll--good seasoning and on a buttery roll but was a bit small in size. The Japanese risotto that was highly recommended was too salty and heavy with lemon flavor. Waitress was willing to take it back to be remade, but we were already stuffed. I'll skip this next time. Clam chowder was full of seafood and infused with bacon, had great flavor, but watery in consistency. Cocktails were meh Note, you are forewarned how long you have the table for. You can tell they want you to dine and dash because they clean up your plates quickly. It doesn't matter to me, but if you're looking for a place to catch up with friends or family, this might not be the spot. All in all, if I'm ever in the area I'll be there for their seafood platter only. read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Oysters and Peruvian Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Have been wanting ti try this place for ages and had a phenomenal anniversary dinner here with my husband last night! We ordered oysters, a dry white wine, the seared scallops, and the stewed rice. The oysters were delicious and the menu rotates there depending on season. The scallops came with a Japanese curry, pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts and sage; it was a taste explosion and I loved it! The stewed rice was also incredible. We were treated to the pretzel bread pudding for dessert t for our anniversary which was so kind and sweet. I'd love to come back to try additional menu items (looking at you steamed mussels!) read more

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Me and my Grammy stopped here on Halloween for a bite to eat. We shared the fries, raw scallops, and the Koshihikari rice. All of these items were delicious. The servers were very kind and helpful when choosing our meal. My only complaint is that we sat outside and I wish they had outdoor heaters, but that's not too big of a deal. Highly recommend and will be back! read more

Fishing With Dynamite - Peruvian Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Good & service was good too. Seafood is fresh (Hamachi in ponzu & clam chowder) Hamachi melts in your mouth goodness. Clam Chowder is different. It is a creamy smoky flavored chowdah. It was on the watery side. The oysters were so fresh. For dessert I ordered the banana cream pie. The bottom of the crust was translucent (under cooked) and hard. The banana filling was dark gray from the banana ripening up in the filling. Looked pretty on top but the inside didn't look pretty. It tasted ok despite a hard crust. We were comped a key lime pie for the disappointment and that really made up for it. Taste was awesome. Highly recommend the raw bar. read more

Ahhmazing!!! Is all I can say. I'm so late with this review and I don't how I missed it. Went for Dine LA (shame it's been so long) But I didn't forget how delicious EVERYTHING was! Started with scallop Crudo, it was delicious and citrusy! The grilled octopus had great flavor and so did the clam chowder. I was really surprised at how delicious the Tuna toast was.. it's a heavier dish but well balanced. My absolute favorite was the grilled prawns! I'm not sure how they got so much flavor in those little suckers but they were good! Chef sent out a sample of the scallops since we didn't order any.. wonderful and delicate flavor, and a great gesture from the chef. The restaurant itself is small but they also have chairs outside for extra seating. I'd definitely recommend a reservation. read more

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My husband took me to this place for my birthday, and we fell in love with this restaurant. The atmosphere is very casual yet authentic. Sitting by the window, you can enjoy the view of Manhattan Beach. The Chef, also the owner, personally greeted each table, displaying great generosity and friendliness. He made us feel like we were visiting friends. Briefly, he explained the daily specials and offered recommendations. We mentioned our desire for the seafood platter but also wanted to explore other menu items. The Chef kindly customized the platter for us, swapping a few items and adding complimentary dishes as a birthday present. The Brazilian scallops were tender and fresh, while the Santa Barbara uni was remarkably clean and sweet. I feel like I've barely left the restaurant, and I'm already planning my next visit. I highly recommend this place! read more

We were in the area, and the name of the restaurant piqued my interest. This place is small. We came on a Sunday evening, but got seated quickly because we wanted outdoors, but it was freezing and no heat lamps. BONUS POINTS! Service was great. Friendly. Professional. Delivery of the food, however, took an hour from when we got seated to arriving at the table. It took FOREVER! I understand maybe because the restaurant was completely full and EXTREMELY BUSY... but we all ate at different times because our food arrived so spaced apart. I mean, we finished our BOTTLE of wine before the last dish came out. Wow. We've never had that happen before, and we were not extremely thirsty, or overzealous. Overall, the food was delicious. Everything. The service. Was great! The restroom was clean. If we lived in this area, we'd most definitely give it a second chance, but we don't. Would we come back here, probably not because of the delivery of food. We didn't have dinner together. It was spaced out. The food was good, but delivery could've been better, but I'm gonna blame it on how packed and extremely busy the restaurant was. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. read more

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Always such a treat to eat at FWD. The staff are attentive and friendly, the raw bar so delicious and fresh and the cocktails on point. Love the proximity to the pier and ocean. read more

Literally best dinner and best vibes. You feel like you're in Europe. It's so small and cute and the service was amazing. read more

Stellar service from Shelby and everyone on the FwD team. Caught up with some old friends for a delicious lunch and sassy, special cocktails. I will dream of the rockfish tacos when I get back home to NYC. Please patent and share that recipe for the malt vinegar mayo for the fries. read more

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Fishing With Dynamite is a cozy and vibrant oyster bar and was the perfect last stop on our California coast roadtrip. This place has such a fun and eclectic vibe and is an absolute must if you're in Manhattan. The oysters were so fresh and delicious and it was our first time trying oysters from Mexico. They have a wonderful wine list and an awesome food menu. The mussels and fries hit the spot. We received great service at the bar and can't wait to visit again! read more

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