Best Seafood Restaurants In Sacramento

It's difficult to find a great seafood place that hits the spot without having to try a lot of over priced, dry or greasy seafood. Lucky for you, we've taken the time to wade through all the seafood that Sacramento has to offer in order to bring you our top five restaurants. Whether they serve it deep fried, raw, steamed or in the shell, these are the best places to satisfy your fish cravings.

A sushi restaurant may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you are craving fish, but Yui Marlu has some of the best nigiri sushi and sashimi in Sacramento. If you are someone who prefers rolls covered in sauces, then this is not the place for you. Yui Marlu specializes in fresh flavors, minimalistic but delicious combinations, and beautiful presentations. Make a reservation before you come, as this restaurant is rather small, and try out the Chef's choice if you want the best fish they have that day.

For those who aren’t afraid to get a little (or a lot) dirty, Firehouse Crawfish is amazing for three reasons: you eat with your hands, you eat out of plastic bags full of seafood and sauces, and everything you order is pure bliss. Firehouse offers a wide variety of seafood, steamed, fried, or raw, in addition to six flavor options and six heat options. The only thing that is an equal to its crab is its Cajun garlic fries.

JJ’s Chicken & Fish is quintessential soul food with a small parking lot and no air conditioning. That being said, the portions are big, the spices are spot on, and everything served is phenomenal. The best thing about JJ’s is also the most heartbreaking: every day they make a fresh pot of jambalaya and one pot of seafood gumbo, both of which are incredible. However, when they are gone, they are gone, so come early. JJ's offers an array of heavenly deep fried soul food seafood options that completely outweigh any negatives about the location and calorie count.

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Las Islitas is an experience in great food and culture. The shrimp cocktail bowl with octopus is only rivaled by the ceviche de pescado, which is served with tostadas and always worth ordering. This restaurant has a large variety of seafood options, and live music on Sundays. For those who like a little spice in their lives, try the Molcajete Caliente; it’s a mixture of seafood in a spicy tomato sauce that is truly divine.

The Grange offers a more upscale dining experience than the other restaurants on the list, but that doesn’t mean it lacks in flavor or variety. There are two things to know about this restaurant: the menu changes daily, and every seafood item it offers is impeccable. If you are lucky enough to eat there on a night when Grange is serving scallops, order them. They are buttery, perfectly cooked, and always elicit a chorus of “mmmm”s from those eating them. The beer steamed pacific mussels are served with fries in an aioli that will make you want to drink straight from the bowl. While the prices are a bit steep and you always need a reservation, it is worth every cent.

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