I stopped by yesterday at 8:29pm They close at 9:00pm The cashier Reese R. (Her name was on my receipt) was so kind and bubbly even though it was late in the evening, I ordered the New England clam chowder and one Bear Flag Taco To Go. My clam chowder was given to me quick. So I sat down and took a spoonful of the clam chowder while waiting for the Bear Flag Taco. Big mistake though ....I should've ordered 2 Bear Flag Tacos. I'll be back Bear Flag Fish. read more

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I had a disappointing experience at Bear Flag. My burrito took over 25 minutes, and while I understand it was busy, the line itself moved quickly and there wasn't any communication about there being a long wait for food. My friends ordered clam chowder bowls, which were served right away, and they were done eating before I even received my burrito. I also noticed a dog on one of the outdoor dining tables directly outside the restaurant, which raised sanitation concerns. Bear Flag later explained that those tables are public seating and not owned or controlled by them, those were their customers and it still impacts the overall guest experience since the area is right by the restaurant entrance. I wonder if the health department would be ok with them ignoring their customers creating a health code violation. When I reached out, the response felt dismissive rather than helpful. They said 25 minutes is fairly standard because they're one of the busiest restaurants in Orange County. I would have appreciated more accountability and a more customer-focused response. The experience left a bad impression. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Went in with strong recommendations to try the poke burrito and could not have been happier! Salmon quality was amazing! Burrito was high quality all around - avocado was ripe, rice was well cooked, lettuce was fresh, and Tommy's sauce was light and the perfect touch. Restaurant itself is beautiful. Amazing natural light coming in the massive glass walls. Perfect temperature with many open segments allowing ocean breeze and smell to aerate the dining area. Great service. Saw some complaints about the wait times. We went during lunch rush and were greeted with a quick moving line and fast service. Great experience all around, will be returning frequently. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Poke Burrito - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Love bear flag so much. This is actually the first location I've ever visited. Typically get the ceviche but have tried other items on the menu like the burrito! Such fresh fish. You can never get anything better anywhere else! read more

Bear Flag Fish - Interior - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Delicious fish and poke. I prefer the ahi poke over the salmon but both are good. Can't go wrong with any of the fish tacos/burritos either. I like the sea bass, yellowtail, opah, red snapper, wild salmon, ono, mahi mahi, etc. Don't be a fool and stand in line like everyone else. Order online and pick up your order in peace! A word to the wise.. you're welcome. read more

Bear Flag is always amazing. We stoped by after some shopping at Fashion Island with the family. There is usually a line but it moves pretty quick and it's worth the wait. During your wait, you can decide what kind of meal you are craving. They always have a good selection of fish available. We started with a grilled artichoke (5/5) - grilled perfectly with a nice garlic aioli for dipping. For my main, I had the ahi poke burrito (5/5) - poke tasted fresh and the burrito is huge - I took half home for lunch the next day. I also tasted the spicy poke bowl (3/5) - poke tasted fresh but it was just too spicy for me to enjoy. I like spicy poke and eat a bunch in Hawaii but this was too much for me. If you love spicy, then this is probably for you. We will absolutely continue to come back. read more

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Bearflags has always been my go to spot whenever I'm around the Crystal Cove for the last 10. I could say it wouldn't be a successful beach day without bearflags !! My go to order is always the bearflags burrito and either half a pound of salmon or tuna. This time I went with the tuna. Ahi Tuna Poke - it's not your traditional Hawaiian seasoned poke. But it sure is good. I think the seasoning goes perfectly with chips. The ahi tuna was nice and firm and paired will with the seasoning. Bearflags burrito - Was the star of the lunch! The burrito was filled with beans and rice and pico and avocados with their Tommy sauce. All in combination with the charred blackened flavor on the fish. My go to. I recommend getting their El Yucatera salsa from the counter to go with it ! read more

Bear Flag Fish - Ahi Tuna Loke, Bear flag taco, bear flag burrito - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Love this place. Busy as can be especially weekends and in general. Food is good including their bear flag taco and their rolls.! You can also get oysters, shrimp, and a bunch of other seafood items like poke, shrimp, fish and other seafood type goods! All good! The place does have ample seating but this place has become popular especially after their last remodel as this place serves their customer purposes well. Good location, good vibes and good food! Beware that parking can sometimes be challenging because it is a small plaza in general and there are other places to eat as well. We've been here when Chris, Dillon, Frank and now Jake has been great! Verdict is a yeaaas!! read more

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I eat at this Bear Flag a few times a month and the fish is always good. The poke is fresh, the entrees, tacos, veggies, burritos and chowder, are all very good. The line usually goes through the restaurant and out the door to the sidewalk! It's worth the wait for a good, casual meal in a nice location. read more

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Bear flag is always a great choice. This location has a good amount of patio space that allowed us to bring the dogs. While pretty busy in a Saturday at lunch, food never takes to long. I always enjoy their fish plates. It's light and flavorful and the rice perfectly cooked. Their poke bowls are very fresh and loaded. read more

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We've been coming here for years. But we haven't been back as often lately. However, recently, we have been and reminded us how we love this place. It was packed on a nice lovely Saturday afternoon. We were still full from our late lunch so we just had the La Bamba roll (one of our faves), a half a dozen fresh raw oysters (they have Kumiai at this time, which I like among others) and bear flag tacos. For drinks, I had my fave here, Smokey the Bear. Prices have gone up (for a while now) and we're sad. We used to order their hamachi hand roll a lot, but it has doubled in price. It was good and fresh, but we just think it's over priced. However, the ones we ordered, as usual are really good and fresh. Bear flag always just hits the spot! This is our fave Bear flag location! Across the ocean, along PCH. It is especially lovely on a nice sunny day. And service is always good! We still love this place a lot! Just wish they will reconsider adjusting the hand roll prices down. read more

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Such a shame that the food does not match the aesthetic or vibes of this place at all. Staying in town for the weekend I thought I finally try Bear Flag since I always see how packed the place is. I went with a 1/2 pound poke bowl and a citrus roll, totaling about $40. This is some of the saddest representation of both sushi and poke I've ever seen. You can tell the majority of customers that dine here don't have a clue what they're eating. Starting with the citrus roll, it was so bland and boring and did not match the description at all. The menu reads "spicy crab, cucumber, avocado, gobo, topped with salmon and lemon slices and served with ponzu sauce." Well as my photos show there is spicy crab, avocado, and cucumber . . . it's topped with salmon . . . but where's the gobo? why is there one thick slice of lemon instead of thin slices on the sushi? And where is the ponzu? The salmon was chewy and bland, the rice was stiff and gummy, this was just sad. As for the poke bowl . . . how about some more edamame? The tuna was again just super cold, stiff to the bite, and just bland. I feel like it was just frozen improperly and or way too long. The sauce had no flavor, there was hardly any rice, and overall even the appearance was just disappointing. Not a place I would ever recommend or return to read more

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Very fresh fish and gorgeous views of crystal cove! Parking is quite limited and the line to order can get crowded during peak lunch hours on weekends, but there is usually available seating and their poke + bear flag burritos are amazing! This is a great option for healthy, clean, and sustainable seafood with high quality ingredients and generous portions. read more

Bear Flag Fish - 1/2 lb ahi tuna poke - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Stopped by Bear Flag for Taco Tuesday, and was pleasantly surprised! the ambiance and decor were top notch, and I especially loved the paintings and the giant swordfish hanging from the ceiling. We opted for the Bear Flag special (panko crusted white fish) tacos and the Ahi tacos. Between the two, I would definitely recommend the Ahi over the bear flag tacos. The Ahi came in big chunks that were slightly seared, topped with lettuce and tomatoes. The bear flag tacos were very thin and had a strong fishy smell. Overall, it was a nice, light dinner. Service was great also, with staff coming around to drop off food and clear the table. There is plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, and even though it was chilly outside, the heat lamps helped a bit. read more

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It was a last minute dinner plan to meet up with a couple of friends. One of them suggested the Bear Flag Fish and I was impressed. The fish in the coolers looked extremely fresh. So I had high hopes of the meal to come. I ordered the fish burrito and it was delicious. Had the right amount for freshness with the lemon wedge juice, the beans, rice and the grilled flavored fish. The chowder was pretty good too. The ambiance was very nice, too. Casual, comfortable, and not overly loud. The ocean inspired decor was a very fitting theme as well. The young lady behind the register was pleasant and helped when we asked questions. Although I think there may have been too many choices for her to give us a good recommendation. I would definitely go back again. Enjoy read more

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I didn't know that there was such a good poke spot in Newport Beach! Though it is a bit of a pain getting parking due to the limited spots, we were lucky and found a spot right outside of the restaurant. We got in line, and even with a bit of a wait we soon ordered our poke and we grabbed our numbers to try to find somewhere to sit. The one con about this place is that it is suuuper busy, so that it is also hard to find seating here, but we managed to grab a space on the bar-looking tables that were outdoors. By the time we ordered, which was a bit after noon, some of the poke that we had wanted to try was sold out, so we ended up getting the spicy salmon and the ahi, both of which were super fresh tasting and I think was worth the wait. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Salmon Poke + Coronas - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Food was great but kitchen items take a while when they're busy. Calamari fries were tasty Burrito was kind of bland but it's better with the side sauces. Pole and tuna poke were amazing. Clam chowder was good as well. Staff is very friendly read more

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People have raved about this place. I thought it was just okay. You walk in, there is often times a line. There is a menu on the board, but it's a little hard to get all the details. You order at a counter, and that takes up a lot of time. If you order soups and sides, the cashier gets it's all for you right then. But you are not given a tray or anything to take it to your table with. So you end up having to do multiple trips, and walk back in front of the next person ordering. It's a poorly run system. The cashiers are young and not super helpful with any questions. There is a bar, but you have to order separately. The food? I have high expectations. The clam chowder was fishy. Possibly from using canned clams? Not sure. The chips with the poke are essentially unsalted and flavorless. The poke was good. Just good. 4.5/10 We got the fish taco for taco Tuesday and a fish burrito. Again, but they good, but I have had way better at a place that doesn't specialize in fish. This is a good casual spot to bring family. It's a little awkward to meet for a date for bring friends. It's hard to find a table sometimes. It's a little chaotic inside. This restaurant needs to figure out if it's a regular old casual walk up and order kind of place or if it's a step above. It kinda rides the line. I've been to other places that have this same concept that excelled. We will try again. I'm into second chances. read more

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Came here on a Monday and it was still pretty lively for a weekday, which is always a good sign. The plaza has parking available if they know you're coming to Bear Flag, which makes things convenient. I ordered a pound of salmon and half a pound of ahi. I usually prefer salmon over tuna, but this time I was really impressed by the ahi poke -- super fresh, clean, and flavorful. The salmon was solid as always, but the ahi definitely surprised me in a good way. We also got sides of seaweed salad and guac, and they were generous with the complimentary chips, which was a nice bonus. Overall, a great spot for fresh poke with good portions and a lively atmosphere. read more

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Best for your Bucks$$! Fresh food, fresh seafood whatever seafood you want or even clam chowder the best! Service is fast, food delivery is fast too and just the freshness on every bite with great view of ocean and breeze... very well lit! Just awesome . Well done guys! read more

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It was good but not wait-in-line-for-an-eternity good. Love that they serve it with chips! Took it down to crystal cove and had it while enjoying the ocean view on a hot day. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I was visiting California last weekend and found this while looking for affordable seafood. It did not disappoint. I started with cioppino which was very good although it had carrots and zucchini and the carrots were a little undercooked. It also could have been spicier. It was served with a few slices of bread that was meh. I like a crunchy crust bread with soup. For my entree I had the small seafood plate which was a choice of 1/3 lb of fish and 2 sides. For what it was it was very good. Not the best seafood I've had but given the price I very much enjoyed it. I'll definitely be going back at some point when we make it out there again. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Small fish plate - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Bear Flag Fish Co. is a chain seafood restaurant offering tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and sushi. They use locally-caught fish at their three locations in Newport Peninsula, Crystal Cove, and Huntington Beach. This location is at the Crystal Cove Shopping Center along PCH. We ordered a pound each of the ahi poke and the salmon poke along with a couple sides of rice. They also provided a whole bag of chips to eat with the poke. Both were fresh and soft but I preferred the flavor of the ahi more. My only gripe is that they had big chunks of green onions and I would've preferred either smaller slices or thinly-sliced onions. This is a good spot to grab some lunch and bring to the beach for a nice picnic, especially with the tons of beach and coastline in the area. read more

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I can't believe I haven't reviewed Bear Flag Fish. Food is consistently delicious. Great quality fish. Service is fast: stand in line, order, and they deliver to your table. Ambiance: casual. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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I cannot rave enough about Bear Flag! Every time I go, I just have the most fresh seafood and it does not disappoint! A couple things to know about Bear Flag is that they get their fish fresh from fisherman so they don't always have the same variety of fish - I actually really like this about Bear Flag because I know that at least I'm getting fresh, high quality fish! This location is small, but it always has big flavor (don't skip out on the special bear flag sauce in the back with the other hot sauces). The service is not the fastest but it is friendly. The longest part of the wait is waiting to order though, otherwise it is decent! One thing that I don't LOVE about bear flag is the table and seating - I do see someone coming out to clean them but it's not always clean when you're finding a table, probably because it's so crowded and there are a constant stream of people eating and leaving. Super casual place with good enough service though so I don't mind the slightly messy ambiance! read more

got the tacos and a burrito, it was alright. a little overpriced for kind of mediocre food tbh. i think the best thing to get was the poke nachos because the poke was actually really fresh, but everything else you can skip. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I have been to this location a few times and find that they are very consistent. Had to write a review today. The food is very good and the ambiance does not disappoint. The service is excellent and the staff is very helpful as well. Will keep coming to this location whenever I get a chance again. read more

Didn't know there was a second location here with parking!! Parking can be quite filled, especially at sunset theres limited seating inside but outside seating available by the other restaraunts. We did it for there. The seafood plates are cooked fish. Got all the pokes available and fish tacos. The poke comes with chips, , but they dont give extra chips for ordering more poke/ guac (seemed the same amount as other plates). Service is fast! And its well staffed, plus great interior aesthetics. **Taco- Tuesdays have $3 fish tacos. Even though they look small, its well worth the quality with some lemon. The fish is surprisingly buttery. The tortilla is a bit small and thin but ultimately come here for the flaky fish which isnt like typical fish and chips. *Ahi poke- has a fish flavor but not fishy and no mercury taste. Nice bounce. Flavor of marinade isn't too overpowering, you can taste the fish. Fresher than other places I've had of lb poke spots Salmon poke- deep rich omega 3 oil flavor, again marinade isnt too overpowering. Tends to be salty creamy. Looked less fresh than the ahi poke but was still fresh and fatty. I think I like the ahi more as this one is very rich (good thing Ceviche- sadly this one felt off to me. Maybe needed more lime for me but the marinade was great, the fish had tinge of fridge cilantro taste which confused me. Texture wise feels a little older than the other too ( but is "cooked" by the citrus) Think some fresh jalapeño or onion would've paired nicely. Guac- made fresh, seasoned decently, pretty standard not chunky or anything Their squeeze sauce is kind of sweet and sourish. The hot sauces pack a punch, surprisingly the green one is spicier. The chips are fresh (no old oil) have a nice crisp and arent overly oily. Service inside was fast, but for some reason we were asked every 30 minutes if we were done when we were clearly eating. We only sat a table outside of the patio area because all the seating was taken, and would've been fine taking the plates in ourselves. So im not sure why we were rushed so much since it was nowhere near closing. Pretty much order at the counter and self serve water/utensils - fast casual. Outside seating available but note seating may be limited for big big parties, inside and patio were full. Overall fresh fish, great great view, busy. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Price 9.2025 - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This spot is walk up ordering and then you find a spot to sit. They did have a bar to order drinks from. Everything was so fresh! We got the ceviche and clam chowder to start. The chowder had large chunks of potatoes and was creamy! The ceviche was perfectly flavored. The Mahi Mahi burrito was huge! It had lots of toppings and fish. The Ahi Tuna poke bowl was my favorite! You got to choose your base, meat, and toppings. We got the half pound of tuna and there was so much in it!! We got the Tommy sauce on the side. They had a selves serve sauce and water station. It was busy the entire time we were there! They did serve the soup and ceviche right away after you ordered which I liked! read more

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While the restaurant was beautiful, the food was not worth the price. When other poke places have a limit on toppings you can add, it's for higher quality side options like avocado, krab, seaweed salad etc, while the cheap toppings, like cucumber, radish, corn etc are unlimited. The bowl was 20$ but you were only allowed to get 4 toppings, all of which were vegetables options. While that price is only slightly above average for poke, for 20$ I don't want to be nickel and dimed over cucumber. The fish was delicious though! If I were to come back, it would be to buy the fish à la carte read more

This is an old favorite spot I frequented many times after hanging out in Newport Beach but first time having a nice sit down at Crystal cove one under the wonderful sunshine in January. The seafood plates are also so fresh and healthy. I could not leave home without the ahi poke with chips. Excellent for satisfying the seafood cravings. Busy just as the OG but always worth it. read more

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i LOVEEE bear flag fish! I got their shrimp taco + ahi poke and it did NOT disappoint!! Their service was good and I love the vibe of the place, especially because it's right by the beach. I highly recommend! read more

My family goes to Newport every summer, and this place is a staple every time. The fish is amazing in every form. Normally we get the tacos, but this last time I got a burrito and it was also delicious. They also have great sides, like their chips and salsa, grilled asparagus, and even miso soup! We also love buying their fresh fish to grill up at home. They turned us onto Opah, which is now one of our favorite fishes. It's awesome to see they've expanded their restaurant and eating area and they now have an awesome bar too. The service is always pretty quick, and we usually get our food, eat it, then go up to the side counter to order our fresh fish to take home. So the line to eat-in is long, but we get the fresh fish almost right away. If you're hungry for fish tacos or looking for fresh fish to take home, absolutely check this place out. read more

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I've heard great things about Bear Flag so we decided to stop in today to get some lunch. We walked right in and ordered tuna poke, salmon poke, chips and guacamole, and a fish taco. The poke was so fresh and good they also give you chips on the side which are thick chips so you can scoop the poke and the chip doesn't break. The guac was really fresh and tasty as was the fish taco! So glad we decided to stop here for lunch today! read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

It's my favorite restaurant but today they cut the sushi wrong and it's hard as a rock. It's disgusting. I had to pull it out of my mouth. I will remove this review later because I don't wanna hurt the business, but I want the owner to see that Sushi has been cut wrong. It's horrifying. read more

Service was good, staff is nice and friendly. The place is also clean. Food portions were okay, not like other poke shops that pack your bowl. This place is also pricier w limited topping options and you can only choose 4. I dont think id come back just cause its pricey for less, and parking is HARD to get. Its in a little plaza on a busy street. Theres a lot next to it but it was packed and everywhere else you have to pay for parking. The sauce on the tuna was great though! read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

It's sadly to write this review. On April 19, 2026, at 6:21 PM, we visited this restaurant to enjoy what we expected to be a delicious meal; however, upon returning home, my wife unfortunately began suffering from food poisoning. I am writing this to you at 2:30 AM, following a prolonged ordeal of vomiting and diarrhea. I have no desire to take legal action against you, but I felt compelled to leave this comment in the hope that others might benefit from it. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I've never been to the Crystal Cove location, but since we were at Reef Point, grabbing tacos for lunch was the move. We came for $3 Bear Flag Tacos on Tuesday, and they were just as satisfying as always. We ordered 10 tacos to share (2 is usually enough for me). We also ordered chips with pico de gallo and guacamole, but the tortilla chips were disappointing (across all stores); they tasted somewhat stale and flavorless. Not salted. I wish they would taste better, because I love ordering their salmon poke. They had the self-serve Bear Flag sauce station, which is not available at the Newport location, and plenty of water and clean bathrooms. The Crystal Cove setting is beautiful, with more seating available than the other Bear Flag spots. Outdoor seating is especially nice and feels more relaxed. Just be aware that parking can fill up fast in the plaza, so you may need to walk from a farther spot. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Chips with Pico de Gallo & Guacamole and Bear Flag Tacos - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

4.5/5: $31.14 for 1 pound of salmon poke. It is average-high price, but it's worth it every once in a while. 1 pound is good enough for two people. I'm always craving their chips and poke. The fish is so fresh, it melts in your mouth. They give you a good amount of tortilla chips (2 big bags) and it's a perfect way to get some protein and enjoy the beach. There's always a huge line here so I'd recommend you call ahead and place your order then. By calling and ordering ahead, I got to skip the big line and go straight to the register to pay. Only reason for the 4.5 rating is that it was hard to know I had to go to the register for to-gos. I wasn't really sure what was happening when I got inside, it was really chaotic. But I got the attention of a worker after about 5 minutes who was able to help me out. read more

Bear Flag Fish - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Ordered the $10.50 Guppy meal for my 7 year old granddaughter and the panko coated white fish was burnt. It tasted burnt and it looked like it was air fried not deep fried so the panko was burnt read more

Bear Flag Fish - This is the kids "guppy" plate - a panko crusted white fish but the panko is all burnt - Seafood Markets Near Me - Newport Beach, California