Best oysters in town! The food is excellent and the servers are incredibly kind. It tends to get a little noisy due to the sound bouncing off the concrete walls, so it can be a challenge to have a conversation if you're there on a busy night. My only hesitation with the food would be towards their steaks, which are often overcooked, dry and tend to be on the tougher side (despite me always ordering medium rare), so I do go elsewhere when I'm craving a tender, juicy steak. All their seafood, pasta, burger, and brunch dishes and desserts are top notch. Great beer selection, delicious wines and a couple of cocktail options. Definitely check it out if you're in Whittier! read more

We wanted to try something new, so we checked out The Crooked Gaff Kitchen in Whittier. Overall, it was a really nice experience. The staff was friendly and attentive, the atmosphere was chill and welcoming, and the drinks were surprisingly reasonably priced, which is rare these days. The food was good for bar style place. It's definitely the kind of spot that's perfect for hanging out with friends, The only thing I would do differently next time is ask to be seated at a regular table. We sat at one of the picnic-style tables, and while it fit the vibe of the place, it wasn't the most comfortable for a longer visit. read more

I've had Crooked Gaff bookmarked for months after seeing it on Instagram, so I finally brought my cousins for dinner in Whittier. We ordered several items to share. The whipped feta with beets and that warm, puffy pita bread were amazing--super fresh. It was our favorite. The cornbread was just okay; I've had that same kind of flavor before. The Paloma drink was pretty strong--since I don't drink anymore, I couldn't finish it, but it was really flavorful. We also tried the fried fish, which I don't usually order since I avoid fried stuff. The batter wasn't my favorite, but the fish inside was light. Crab cake was good...And for dessert, we had a hazelnut cookie in a pan with ice cream--I misread the menu and thought it was chocolate chip, so it was a surprise, it was gritty (more than likely the hazelnut) so it caught me off guard. Overall good place, good service and family friendly. read more

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I adore this spot. Been here a handful of times. Always a hit, never a miss. Michelin star service and food at a fair price. I would describe it as an upscale-leaning casual spot. No matter what you get, you'll be happy. Just don't sit at the bar where you can see into the kitchen...that's my spot. read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Small plates from a few years ago - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

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Always hits the spot, this place is always packed with variety and all of the flavor components go well together read more

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I slid into Crooked Gaff Kitchen in Uptown Whittier on a Monday night, chasing the $15 burger and fries deal my wife had hyped. The place was a lively bar scene Dodgers game humming on the screens, volume just right, not blasting but alive. It was surprisingly packed for a weekday, yet we got seated and greeted by a server in seconds. We ordered fast: my bacon jalapeño burger and her shrimp po' boy. Then came the wait 30 minutes. The spot was slammed, and with $5 drinks flowing on tap, it wasn't exactly painful. When the plates finally hit the table, we attacked. My burger delivered: juicy patty, crispy bacon, white cheese melted just right, creamy sauce soaking into a soft brioche bun. Hers? Generous crispy battered shrimp piled high, no skimping, topped with pickled onion, jalapeño, creamy sauce, and crisp lettuce on a warm bun. The food hit hard solid quality at a fair price. Great spot when you want solid bar eats without the hype. read more

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I'm sorry:/ I really wanted to like this place, but for the price, it fell short. The oysters were the star of the show, and the the staff was really nice. However, I felt like the price was too high, more than some fancier places like King Fish. The fish and chips were too greasy and the breading was too thick. The calamari was okay, but nothing special. I also was not ready to pay the extra fee on the bill for eating in Whittier? I payed over $200 for two dozen oysters, 2 beers, 1 glass of wine, fish and chips and calamari. I'm not sure that was worth it. read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Oysters from British Columbia and Mexico. - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

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CGK is one of the most underrated and unpretentious places where the focus is amazingly good food made from locally sourced ingredients in a relaxing and chill setting where you may find couples on date nights, group of friends or the whole family having a fun night out. Been coming here more than a few times and they have consistently serve really great and creative food worthy of a Michelin star quality in a laid back yet intimate sports bar vibe in downtown Whittier. Everything we tried here is amazing as the super talented Chef Tony changes up the menu selection every season with some fan favorites are always available. Some of the highlights: - Branzino: get this if it's on the menu! You'll regret it if you don't. Trust me. The mixture of veggies, cherry tomatoes, fried shallots and black rice makes a great companion for the perfectly cooked fish with just the right amount of spices. - Red beet: OMG it'll blow your mind away. Good for sharing and comes with special bread for dipping and scraping all those "hummus" or whatever it is that you'll lick the plate clean! - Crab esquite: this is an elevated corn elote and great for sharing with the group. - grilled shrimp taco: so addictive you can't eat just one! - Jidori Chicken lollipop: best drumstick ever! May be seasonal only. They also have fresh oysters, great pasta dishes and wagyu burgers. Good selection of beer on taps, cocktails and wine. For those dining alone, you can grab a seat by the bar and maybe strike up a conversation with chef Tony as he'd enjoy a meal there toward the end of the night. There's a small parking lot on the side otherwise there are street parking all around. Highly recommend this place and worth a special visit from out of town. We'll be back here soon trekking all the way from Chino Hills. read more

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After finishing up some work, we decided to come have late dinner here, since its close to home. We started with Kusshi oysters 10/10 (still waiting on our drinks) Our drinks hadn't been served yet. Wished they served house made lemonade, instead of the fountain drink choice. My chicken sandwich arrived 1st & my meal/fries were pretty cold! 4/10 (pass) 2 burgers arrived after & those fries /were way fresh & hot ! Clam chowder 6/10 read more

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I came here with friends and it was a really nice set up! I walked in straight to the bar and tables with bench seats. We ordered a bunch of items to share- my absolute favorite was the seafood pasta. It's made with squid ink pasta, and loaded with crab. It's also topped with a spicy shrimp and served with garlic toast. I also enjoyed the truffle fries which were crisp and salted just right. The service was super helpful and gave us suggestions when ordering. There's a parking lot adjacent to the restaurant, but you can also find free street parking. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the area! read more

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My wife and found this place by mistake and omg, what an amazing mistake. From the people we were sitting outside with while we waited for a table,, to the staff and to top the evening the amazing food. A must visit . read more

Food - always to die for. Bread pudding amazing Skillet cookie delicious Shrimp taco - homemade tortilla and so many flavors that compliment each other Short rib birria taco with consume Service - attentive and friendly Ambience - modern and causal Forever a customer , have to return to try several items. Such great selections. Drinks very reasonably priced. read more

If you love New England clam chowder this is the place you need to come and give it a try. It's rich and filled with many tasty treats inside that chowder. We came here to drink and have some good food. I also had the Moscow mule and it was made well. I'd definitely get a second or third round except I was the primary driver for the evening. Service was quick and our server was super nice and friendly especially since we had a clumsy friend who spilled her drink. Our waitress replaced it at no charge. This place has its own parking lot but there are plenty of parking on the street. We also had oysters, crispy calamari, & seared day scallops. The place clean and a nice place to hangout at the bar or bench seating. read more

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Sooooo good!! Probably one of the best burgers I've had in years. The esquite was very flavorful. Enough for 4 people.... read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Esquite - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

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Came here with a big group of 7-8, and we were perfectly comfortable. It was Taco Tuesday, so we enjoyed discounted tacos and beers. The dishes were unique and looked super yummy, and we pretty much shared everything. This place is perfect for big groups, date nights, or friends and family hangouts. Service was great as well. Definitely coming back again! read more

Really tasty spot. I had the cheeseburger and the chocolate milk Panna Cota. The cheeseburger was very tasty, juicy and had really good flavor. The fries were homemade and also had good flavor. The cost was $21. My ice tea was $5, which I thought was excessive. The desert was pretty good. It was more like a chocolate pudding than Panna Cota texture. I appreciated they used real whip cream. The staff were nice. It's definitely a spot that locals frequent. The acoustics inside are bad. The way the restaurant is designed, or lack of furniture, or whatever the cause is, causes loud or laughing voices to have an echoing boom. It's can be obnoxiously loud, and the place isn't close to being full. The large screen tvs playing sports at loud volume adds to the cacophony. The restaurant looks disorganized. The bar area is full of crates of glasses, open boxes are exposed, hoses are in view. It was like going to your messy friend's house for dinner because she makes good food. Other than that! Pretty chill place with good vibes and good food! I mention the disorganization because, well, for their prices I think aesthetics could be more pleasing for the consumer too. read more

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Super delicious brunch! The breakfast burger had so many delicious flavors and the chilaquiles were so good! The portion was big so I had to take half home but so worth it! The fried chicken was plump and juicy and also crazy good! Loved both! Service was friendly and prompt. Loved coming here and will be back! read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Chicken and waffles - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

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Food is soo delicious. Staff is always welcoming and friendly. The service is always great. This location can get pretty busy, but we have gone during the week and it's pretty mellow and quiet, they do close early sometimes so check the hours of operation. Loved their sangria, oysters, Brussels sprouts, shrimp and crab pasta (my favorite), their tuna poke tacos are amazing (pricy though). Everything we have tried here is delicious. Highly recommend this spot. read more

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An amazing seafood and more spot. I was pleasantly surprised that it had more to offer than just seafood. I was really tempted to go with the iron skillet steak frites entree as well as perhaps the fish n' chips. But in the end I went with ink black linguine with shrimp and crab. That combination of seafood with my favorite pasta noodle in a shade this side of demonic possession made it hard to resist. The rest of my table, including Scotch, loved all their dishes too. That included burgers, more pasta offerings, and even an array of appetizers and side dishes served tapas-style. The service kicked ass as we were never left looking for assistance. The place was great too--full of TV's, open space, and lots of music. It was like having early supper in a more touristy spot than we actually found ourselves in. I loved it. Whenever I'm in Whittier, home of Martika and Nomar, as we discussed, I'll be sure to keep this spot in mind for good food. read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Swimming in a pool of all clear Birthday Dinner Shrimp & Crab Pasta (w/ demonic linguine) from #CrookedGaffKitchenandOysterBar - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

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I live in OC, but I was raised in Whittier. I was a regular of The Bottle Room. For years, I have been wanting to check out this place but haven't gotten around to it. I got to try the pulled short rib slider at Booktoberfest. It was yummy. Now I really want to go to the actual restaurant and enjoy dinner and drinks. We will head out that way again soon. The staff we met were very friendly. read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Short rib sliders - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

I am not a fan of oysters, but the bf is. He ordered six, half Baja Babe and half Kusshi, and he thought they were pretty good. I ordered a root beer, salad, and a spaghetti bolognese and they were all good. I should have saved room for The Ugly Cat Affogato- next time. Our server was nice and they played great music. read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Dessert Menu - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

This place has some pretty good dishes, but overall it's a hit or miss, especially when it comes to the way that you prefer your steak and the quality of their customer service. read more

They have a happy hour I believe Mondays where all burgers are $15 and $5 pints. Unfortunately not a full bar only beers and premade cocktails. I got the clam chowder and fish sandwich. Both were very good! read more

10/10 Recommend! We came here for lunch, I've been wanting to try this place for a while, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We sat at the bar and the service was great. We started with oysters and calamari, both super fresh and flavorful. Then we shared the ribeye steak with cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, everything was cooked perfectly. Highly recommend if you're looking for a great meal and good vibes! read more

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The service was great! Ambience was pretty chill, I had a michelada, and the clam chowder, it was delicious read more

The fish and chips were excellent, although the price was high. The margaritas were from a can, if you were curious. The clam chowder was very tasty. I will order a beer next time. read more

This place is always good, the burgers are all delicious. The beers on draft selection is great and they have specials during dodgers games. The crab and lobster pasta, poke taco, esquite and corn bread are also delicious. We had great service celebrating a birthday. read more

Best Valentine's Day dinner! Food was amazing, and as always service top notch. I'm so happy to see the restaurant full of people enjoying dinner as much as we did. Can't wait to go back! I was looking forward to the beet salad and was not disappointed. The sea bass with the most pillowy gnocchi was such a delicious combination. Brought home desert bread pudding and fruit tart, another five star from me. Keep up the culinary masterpieces. read more

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Been wanting to come here for a while, the Crab Esquite was calling my name and absolutely unique and delicious! Actually, all the food was delicious with a unique twist to it! Would definitely come back to try other dishes. Service was excellent! Street parking available but busy, restaurant has small limited parking. read more

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Always great food and IPAs, and the oysters are incredible - huge and tastey. But last visite felt ignored when waiting for a table... with empty tables seemingly available. We got a sense of dinner hours being a little understaffed, on this particular occasion. Most other visits did not feel this way, and the waiting staff is always great. read more

I was craving oysters and was so glad when I saw that this place was open rather late (past 8 p.m.) on a my partner and I made a late Thursday night visit that was so worth it. It's sort of a hidden gem - but not really hidden, per se. Located in Whittier with plenty of free street parking, you get great food - I can't speak to the drinks, but service was great, quick, and friendly. The ambiance at night was more pub-and-oyster bar like - if that makes sense? Dimly lit, a little hazy, with music somewhat loud-ish playing overhead but not enough to drown out your own conversation. You can do a nice date night, bring your more introverted mates to hang out, or even a solo night for good food! You have your pick up bar or table seating; we picked the latter and our server got to us within a few minutes with water and menus. We got: - French fries: $ Loved the fries. - Crispy calamari: $17 Very crispy; hearty portions - enough for 2 people; with a delicious vinegar-y & tart-y aioli. - New England chowder: $7 for the bowl So warm, so heart, and with a lot of clams. I loved it. - 2 dozen mix-n match oysters: Not sure of the price, but it was worth it. Since we got the mix-n match, it came with all three that they offer: -- Blue Devil: Clean with cooling hints of cantaloupe and cucumber -- Baja Babes: Briny, crisp, saltiness with a sweet finish -- Kumamato: Mild brininess, sweet flavour, with a Honeydew melon finish This is what I primarily came for and from where we were seated, I could see the oysters being shucked in the kitchen - loved that. I can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu! read more

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Excellent food and drink, exceptional service, and pristinus vibrations! Lover of natural delicious grub a dubs, and exquisite Belgian bubbly bubs? Look no further! This little gem of uptown Whittier has me howlin for mo, and I won't stop till my belly explode. Can't wait to try the whole menu me lord! Cheers and go Dodgers read more

Delicious steak and drinks. Love this place. Great ambiance. The service is always accommodating. This place is a gem.

Amazing food and outstanding service! The staff was very attentive and welcoming from the moment we walked in. This five-star review is especially for the chef--your talent is truly incredible. The food had a fine dining taste and presentation, and everything was served in a timely manner. We absolutely loved it! We also came in on Valentine's Day without a reservation, and we were still seated and served delicious food. That says a lot about the quality of this place and the team's professionalism. Thank you to everyone--keep up the amazing work! read more

Love this place! Shrimp Taco and Squid Ink pasta are a must try! i was hoping the pork belly rind part's on crispy side, it was a little dry for my liking, but the flavor is good. The birria taco meat this time was a little too cinnamon-y, it wasn't like that the last time though, it's so so. Overall still great experience! cant beat the happy hour deals read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Shrimp tacos, Pork Belly Tacos, Birria Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California

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This was my first and last time here. I ordered an appetizer and three kids meals at the same time, as soon as we sat down. Two of the three kids meals came and the third young person was left without anything to eat. I get frustrated when items come out at random times, particularly when kids meals and appetizers are concerned because those dishes technically should be coursed out first (especially if I order them right away). I placed our 2 adult orders and they came at the same time as the third kids meal. We started our meals and were nearly done when we decided we were too full to have the appetizer we ordered (which at that point they had not brought out yet). I told the server I was too full to have the appetizer and asked if we could cancel. Server went back to the kitchen and spoke to a gentleman on a barstool with a laptop (who was presumably the owner) who mumbled something short to him in response. Server then came back and told me that the appetizer was being plated and to just "wait a minute". We ended up getting the appetizer as we were wrapping up our meal. No offer from staff to extend a discount, comp the late appetizer, or avoid bringing it altogether because of their oversight. Whether it be a delay from the kitchen or the server forgetting to enter the appetizer order, we should not have had to pay for it. When he brought the appetizer to us we felt compelled to share it among all of us because we were being charged for it. Another sore spot is that they list tip recommendations on the printed receipt not based on the subtotal (as is standard), but after taxes, which also includes the City of Whittier tax. I find this unfortunate and misleading. I tip for service and for the food purchased, not for what goes to the government. The burgers were stellar but I found the atmosphere more like a pub than an actual restaurant. This atmosphere sadly does not command the prices listed on the menu. The seats, menus and floors were very oily, so much so I had to wash my hands. Arugula salad was really good, but the crab cakes were not fresh and way too rich. I left feeling disappointed and defeated and stuffed to an uncomfortable degree. Really poor management. We all have stomach aches now on top of everything that occurred at our visit. I'm sad to have to leave this review. read more

Amazing Food Service and ambiance Poke Tacos are like nothing in this world. Service is very friendly, and all staff shows a sense of urgency while attending to you. read more

Came here for Sunday Sunday brunch so we tried that Hamachi Crudo, which was amazing. We also tried the crispy calamari for as an appetizer which was pretty good, but I thought it was a little chewy. We also had the western Whittier burger, which was pretty good but on the salty side recommend this place the service was great. read more

This little place was our first time and it was so good. The food was tasty and the drink was good. Server was nice. A must try if in Whittier. read more

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Pork belly taco was incredible! Shrimp taco was very good too, but spicy. Needed an extra Blind Pig (on tap) to wash it down. Fantastic place! read more

Crooked Gaff Kitchen - Shrimp and pork belly taco + Blind Pig beer on tap. - Seafood Near Me - Whittier, California