Whenever I'm in Pismo, I have to eat at Brads, in my opinion It's the best fish and chips in this town and today did not change my opinion. But I think what really makes Brads special is how fast the Waite staff is ....very attentive to its customers. My drink was always filled, and my food came to my table hot, one of the best restaurants in Pismo. read more

Fish n chips and cheeseburger. One was ok, the other very good. You'd think the fish would've been the one that was very good. :) but no. It had the thick crust and didn't seem made from fresh. But the clam chowder was delicious. I'd have that over and over again. Very good service and very comfortable seating. read more

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Food and service were amazing! We were seated outside with the heaters which kept us warm all night. In addition, shout out my boy Dillon. He was extremely polite, professional, and accommodated our every need without batting an eye for our large party. He was courteous and personable which made the entire experience even better. read more

Brad's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

Love this place! Reasonably priced comfortable & warm. The food was excellent & Simone was attentive & patient & friendly. I have these weird pet peeves about my tarter sauce & blue cheese & she was so accommodating & brought me samples of each. We had clam chowder & shared the seafood sampler & it was more than enough! We were trying to find a warm place to go on a windy day & It was a great choice! & Simone's service made it even better! read more

Brad's Restaurant - Right across from Splash Cafe & no lines to wait in. Though, not sure why! Cuzzz it's worth the wait if there was a line!! - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

A long time staple in Pismo. You know what you're getting when you sit down - good beach food. Nothing is the best in town but it's all good. BBQ open on weekends though Tri-tip available everyday. read more

Brad's Restaurant - Fish and chips!! - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

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We ordered seafood platter fish and chips and clam chowder, the platter was directly from costco frozen section horrible, over cooked and worthless, fish and chips nothing special. There was loooong hair in our plate. Disgusting, clam chowder mainly potato soup. Not worth money read more

Our family of three were in town yesterday, September 6, 2025, and stopped by just before noon. We've made dining at Brad's a tradition whenever we get the chance to stop into Pismo and have done so for about 20 years... and each time it's a great food experience. Our go to is the tri-tip sandwich and it's simple fare: A nice roll, and great, wood-grilled tri-tip, the best we've yet to encounter and we've had it at many different places and occasions, Brad's is best and we all three ordered it... worth every penny. Our sides were fries, but they've got other offerings, seafood, pasta, more seafood, ... Brad's has a wide menu and the prices are reasonable. As fir the tritip... the meat was tender and very flavorful (THANKS, Oscar!!) ... and the experience as well as the service, was great... both per our usual encounter, but yesterday we were treated to a fantastic waiter: Ken. This gentleman is a waiter who takes his job seriously, a throwback to when a decent waiter, which Ken most assuredly is, not only did his job great, but is a person who truly puts customer service as his priority. We enjoyed and appreciated his approach: very up and personable fellow; he knows his business and we appreciated that. We even enjoyed his jokes. Ken made a good meal a top-notch experience. Great guy. As for the ambiance, it's part dining alfresco (open air), but there's also seating inside; we like it outside. The atmosphere is tourist casual and family friendly. Bring a jacket if you get chilly easily... it can get that way by the beach in the open air. We'll be coming back as long as Brad's continues serving up great grub with fantastic service. Hope you enjoy like we do. It made for a nice meal and a great afternoon at the beach. read more

Stopped in here for a bit of dinner on the patio area. Not too busy when I walked in. I was seated promptly. Ordered a draft beer and a steamed clam appetizer. Very tasty dish. Served with bread and a few lemon wedges and a ramiken of melted butter. Followed up with another draft beer and a baby back rib plate from the senior menu. My server was Katherine. Very pleasant and attentive to my table. The rib plate was good, and the portion was ample. The rice was a buttery pilaf type rice and was very good. I enjoyed the ribs the only takeaway was they were slightly undercooked. I don't get realmfreaked out about slightly undercooked pork but many people are put off by it due to possible tricanosis. It is not that common, but the possibility is there. Would I come back again? Yes. I did enjoy my time. read more

Brad's Restaurant - View from my table - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

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My friend and I came here from the valley looking for the best clam chowder in Pismo. Brad's has it, hands-down. The service is amazing and if you really want just a nice time to sit out on the patio and enjoy friends, this is the place to come. It's right on the main thoroughfare next to the pier. And after you're through eating, you can simply walk down and enjoy the beach. I recommend Brad's. read more

Clam chowder- watery and fishy fish & chips - over fried service - terrible - took forever to cash out read more

This was my first time visiting Pismo Beach, so I was taken back by the crowds. This restaurant was one of the few that didn't have a significant wait. My middle rating for the restaurant isn't reflective of the food or service. It's just a really busy restaurant with lots of families and crying babies and restless toddlers. Just not even close to my vibe. We had the tri-tip special, which was delicious. It was the perfect serving size. The server was attentive and friendly. The price of the food was fair. The food was brought out quickly. I enjoyed reading about the family history of the restaurant. If you're hoping for a quiet place to enjoy a slow dinner, this isn't the place for you. If you'd like a historical location that you can confidently bring your restless toddler and crying baby, then come on in! read more

The service was excellent and friendly. The fish & chips was awesome! There was outdoor dining as well. read more

Brad's Restaurant - 3pc Fish & Chips - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

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Probably the best clam chowder restaurant and BBQ ever. I know that the calm chowder was the best I have ever tasted and the fish and chips was equally excellent with locally caught cod lightly battered. I like my clam chowder with plenty of Tabasco sauce, funny thing is I'm not big on. Tabasco but it's the best sauce for clam chowder! Try it and let me know what you think? The restaurant is located in the heart of Pismo. You can walk to the pier. read more

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Brads is always our go to for seafood when visiting Pismo Beach. I love their breading on the fish because it is light and crispy. My sister and brother in law ordered the clam chowder bread bowls and sea food platter. My mom had the grilled cod dinner with veggies, chili beans, and side of rice. Everyone enjoyed their food. We sat outside in the patio area. The weather was great and we were seated in less than 15 min. Our service was fantastic. Can't wait to go back again to get my fish and chips fix! read more

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if you go here don't get anything else but the seafood. Steaks, burgers, etc do not order. came here last night and my boyfriends tri tip sandwich came with no bbq. the waitress explained they have a tri tip sandwhich that comes smothered and to order that next time. Good tri tip shouldn't have to be smothered in bbq for it to taste good. i tasted a strip of the tri tip NO seasoning NO flavor. I couldn't even justify eating my patty melt because it had no flavor either. when the sides are better than the main course, that is speaking volumes. waitress was nice but automatically resorted to calling the manager over and showed no interest in dealing with the matter herself. Not only that but she forgot to ring in my clam chowder so i didn't get it before my meal how i had originally planned. food was pricey for what was brought out. This is a place you go to when everything else is closed. Will not be returning. read more

im sorry but this bland ass food was not worth the EXUBERANT price!! the restaurant was cute and the service was nice but the food was mid... read more

Food was great. Had a party of 11 and they were very fast. Steven our server had a great sense of humor and kept our drinks full at all times. Will definitely return!! read more

While in Pismo Beach, we ate at Brad's a couple of times during our stay. Both times we had excellent customer service with friendly servers who were very attentive throughout our visits. The first visit we ordered the fisherman's platter with clam chowder as well as the fish and chips. The fish was pretty good but the star of the show was the clam chowder. We learned that they make it fresh every morning, which is great, but the taste is really good. A couple of days later we returned to Brad's for lunch and ordered the pastrami melt, the barbecue beef sandwich, and clam chowder. The pastrami sandwich was pretty good as well, but the barbecue beef sandwich was quite delicious. When we return to Pismo Beach, we will definitely be returning to Brad's and I will be ordering the clam chowder and the barbecue beef sandwich at some point. The menu has a lot of different options and we are eager to try other dishes and entrees when we return. I don't believe that you can g wrong with Brad's. read more

This place was AMAZING! The clam chowder was out of this world. Out of the 4 people at the table 3 of us had it and we all agreed it was the best Chowder we've had. My brother ordered the full rack of ribs and was just blown away by the portion size. He thoroughly enjoyed them and took some home as well. My mother and I had the salmon, and wow they don't skimp you with the filet. This is a salmon portion where you take some of it home with you. My father had the fried shrimp and he ate it all. Also, the baked beans were surprisingly delicious!! The service was quick and on point. You were able to see the gentleman cook the food if you're near the front. Overall I would definitely stop here if you're in the area. Although it's only beer and wine. The Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon delicious. The Arnold Palmer spot on!! read more

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I'll start my review by saying that I did not actually eat at Brad's. My family and I walked in excited to try this place and the hostess basically stared us down like we were interrupting her wedding instead of just trying to be seated for lunch. My 2 year old nephew was looking at the aquarium behind the hostess desk and she glared at him to move at of her way, no "hello, how are you guys?" No "welcome to Brad's how can I help you"... just a "how many?". When we told her four plus a baby she visibly grimaced even though there were less than six people in the entire restaurant. She grabbed menus, didn't wait for us and walked down the hall - at which we decided would be a good time to leave. I've seen several reviews with the same feedback from the front, wish I would have read them sooner to avoid the whole experience. read more

We had a solid experience here and this was recommended to us by a local merchant retailer, even over the famous Splash Cafe. We were satisfied and loved not having a wait for a table and the quick service too. The food was good here. Parking can be tough, but doable. read more

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Excellent clam chowder! The service is not the best, but the food is good. There is both indoor and patio seating, and most people tend to go for the patio. read more

They promised me a cup of chocolate syrup. What I got was ice cream. B

Average looking diner down the block from the pier. Food is decent. We ordered a tuna wrap, bbq chicken sandwich, clam chowder, fish and chips, and dinner salad. Food and Service is good. Decor is plain and drab. The only thing that screams beach town inside is the fish tank at the entrance. Pricing is fair/average. Example $5 garden salad, $8 kids meal, $10 for bowl of soup. Dining inside was underwhelming without a beach vibe. Patio dining is available but it's wedged between buildings without a view. read more

Brad's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

Decent food with affordable prices. Can't beat the 1 minute walk to the Pismo pier as location. Although there was nothing that really stood out about the food, I found it to be pretty good. I tried the BBQ tri-tip sandwich which was still available on Monday. Weekends the BBQ is open and is shut down the rest of the week. The fish and chips were a lot better than many places I've tried -if I return I'll order that again. The service was wonderful. I had to find street parking which was limited on a Monday. I did notice their was a paid parking lot next to the pier just down the street. read more

Brad's Restaurant - Tri-Tip Sandwich was pretty good and filled with plenty meat - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

We came here for lunch after a morning of exploring the sites around Pismo Beach. It is located on Poneroy Avenue about 2 blocks from the Pismo Beach Pier. They have a decent selection of food and beverages to choose from. The ambiance is a casual setting with a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating. The service staff were all friendly and attentive. Price of the food is comparable to nearby restaurants. The clam chowder was very tasty and had a decent amount of clams (not the best I've had, but very good). The fish also tasted good, but I've also had better. The clam strips were a bit tiny and I wished there were a little more as there were a bunch of tiny pieces under the few bigger piece. When you are looking for some good food as you are by the pier, Brad's Restaurant is a good place to eat and you won't have to stand in the long line at Splash Cafe across the street. read more

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The food is as pretty bland, I think this place is geared towards the senior population. The bread bowl was too soft for sourdough. The chowder was not very good, heavy on the flour, low on the clams and other chowder flavors - it was definitely not to the chowder competition level of other nearby establishments. The fries were warm but soggy. The grilled fish tacos looked delicious but were also very bland. Following suit, the broth for the steamed clams lacked flavor. On the plus side : the kids shrimp was delicious, as was their tartar sauce. The service was friendly and responsive. It's a descent place on the main strip, but set aside for a more private experience. No views, very clean, and relaxing. They do BBQ on the weekends, we came for late Thursday lunch. Maybe that's their specialty. Disappointingly my wife did get sick afterwards - she had the chowder. read more

Average quality of food although hubby liked their clam chowder because they are not as salty as the Splash Cafe. The Buffalo Clams that the waitress recommended was a bit too spicy for us but I appreciated how much tomato is is loaded with. Seating is more comfortable than the Splash Cafe and it has a large outdoor seating area too. read more

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The clam chowder was very good and the food came very quickly. Also the chocolate milk was good Fin age:13 read more

It's safe to say this place is one of the tastiest luscious clam chowders I have ever had..they top the clam chowder with some nice seasoning, they ask if you would like to top it with crab, shrimp or lobster so I added crab to the soup and it was life changing! I love the consistency of the chowder, thick but not too thick, flavorful, not skimpy on the clams, and not too sandy within the broth. This will be my new go to when I'm in the area, thanks! read more

The dude and I came to Brad's on 07/31/21 which was literally across the street from our hotel. We walked over about an hour and half from closing and was greeted immediately by staff. We were informed that indoor dining would be seated immediately and outdoor dining was about 30 min wait which we wanted to dine outside! Why not? It's such a beautiful day out and plus that's been our preference since the Pandemic. We decided to walk around Pismo for about 15 minutes and walked back as it got near the time to be seated. We were seated about 10 minutes later so the wait was about 30 minutes. The patio had a full house for sure!! We were seated by a cozy area which was very romantic and intimate for sure. We were greeted by our waitress who introduced herself and shared the specials. She gave us some time to look at the menu and drink menu. I ended up getting the White Zinfandel Rosè which was delicious 7/10 the dude ended up getting a beer which he said was pretty good. We ordered their famous appetizers of the BBQ Clams which was seriously delicious 9/10. Packed with flavor. No complaints. By this time I was already getting full! They have pretty filling dinner plates which I ended up getting a fish meal which was so delicious 9/10. The fish was cooked to perfection and very flavorful and it had some pretty good texture to it as well. Definitely wasn't mushy at all. The clam chowder was so tasty! Definitely wasn't salty!! Or overpowering with fishy taste it was probably one of the best clam chowders I HAD IN A LONG TIME! Seriously delicious. I feel my meal was very well balanced for sure. The dude ended up getting the steak and shrimp plate with fries. Since I don't eat beef I didn't try the steak at all but the dude said it was good! Also, for those who are not a fan of Clam Chowder like the dude he says for those who don't like it, don't skip it as it is very good!! I did try the shrimp which was flavorful and tasty - I would recommend in a heart beat! The music was awesome. I feel like each place I go to they always have a sense I am coming and play all my favorite songs. Overall, we seriously enjoyed ourselves here and so happy that the hotel was across the street as we seriously needed to rest after such a delicious rich and tasty meal. I didn't even put a dent in my food xD so I did have lunch the following day and tasted just as good! Lastly, the staff was ah-mazing just as the food. If there is a wait it is SO worth it. read more

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The breakfast food was good; however, the waiter was hysterical - kept us entertained throughout our meal as well as providing stellar service. He had ALL the Dad jokes! :-) Talked us into returning later for their Chowder. read more

I feel like Brad's Restaurant is an essential stop when visiting Pismo Beach. They serve awesome seafood at great prices. I always have to try the clam chowder whenever I visit a new beach town, and the clam chowder at Brad's did not disappoint. It was nice and hot with just enough fish to make it delicious, but not overbearing. My husband and I also ordered a side of calamari to share. It was fantastic. I always love calamari and can never complain about it for the most part. The service was great. We did not wait too long for our food. We also greatly appreciated the fact that we came when it was almost closing time, and we were still happily seated. We did not feel rushed at any time throughout our meal even though the restaurant was about to close. I would definanly recommend Brad's when visiting Pismo Beach. read more

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My wife and I stopped by for some Fish and chips this past Thursday evening. While we were waiting the issue of Clam Chowder came up with either the manager or the owner.... He let us sample the clam chowder that was made at Brads and OMG was it good. I had to order some. Now when I go to Pismo my priority besides having a nice relaxing time at Pismo I will ALWAYS stop in at Brads and get the Clam Chowder. AND the fish and chips were excellent as well. Their tartar sauce is outstanding!!! Thank you for talking me into trying your CC!!!! read more

So we were staying a block away and it was getting late. The group decided on going to Brad's. Our waitress was super cool. She deserves five stars for sure. The menu was huge. You kind of get lost with all the options. I ended up going with the fisherman meal that provided the option of clam strips, calamari or scallops. I originally wanted the scallops but I was told the plate comes with two scallops that are smaller than a quarter. That's a joke. I'll pass. The nice waitress said the clam strips come with a good amount. The food came out fast. A bit too fast for frying freshly dipped fish. Obviously the fish was premade and not dipped when you order. The clams were definitely from a bag. My buddy ordered fish and chips but somehow got fish, chips and a calamari strip. Somehow the cook mistakenly placed a calamari strip on his plate and not a full fish fillet. In the end my meal was just ok. Not memorable for sure especially since we're by the ocean. read more

Brad's Restaurant - If you zoom in on this picture, you might see a clam strip or two. - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

I have never been to a better restaurant than Brad's Restaurant! Absolutely amazing food and even better service from our wonderful server Ken! Loved the atmosphere and relaxing ambiance. read more

Brad's Restaurant - Calamari & Squid - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

The service from Dillon our waiter was TREMENDOUS! We had a table of 15 for my brother's wedding and had him running ragged. He was quick, professional, and polite to say the least. I will be returning here primarily because of the great hospitality he exhibited. Basically, this man is a unit on the floor. Thank you Dillon read more

Brad's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California

Horrible service!! Our waitress seemed to be mad at us for being there, she never told us her name or I would let you know who she was. Never brought out our clam chowder and tried to charge me for it and which isn't that big of a deal but she didn't even say sorry or asked if I still wanted it. Then getting the 10$ back that was charged for the bowl of chowder was a hassle met with more bad service. It's too bad cause the food was really good but not worth the headache, there's plenty of other restaurants that sell fish and chips at the beach....with people who don't hate their job. read more

Great food and service. Their fish and chips and clam chowder bread bowls are great. Tri tip on the oak pit out side is tasty. Nice outdoor patio to enjoy the weather and meal read more

A must when visiting Pismo. We shared the clam chowder and seafood platter. We were extremely pleased with both. All was delicious and came out in a timely manner. Service was good. Ambiance was pretty chill. The restaurant was built in the 80s and that shows, but still nice. read more

Brad's Restaurant - Clam chowder and seafood platter - Seafood Near Me - Pismo Beach, California