This place is great! I've been coming here for years for the fish tacos. It is just a casual little spot, but the food is outstanding. Recently tried the fried fish sandwich, which was amazing, and honestly enough for two! If you are in the area, definitely give this spot a try! Sorry for no photos - but when I saw the sandwich I dove right in! read more

I was so excited to try this restaurant when we came to town. Restaurant was packed and there was a line to order, but they still produced the food very quickly. My husband ordered the crab melt and I ordered the crab Louie salad. Neither my husband or I were crazy about our food, but ingredients were fresh and tasteful and there was a ton of crab on both! We would definitely return and order something different :) read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Crab Louie and crab melt - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

We tried the fish and prawn tacos, and the prawn taco was the best I've had in a long time. It was absolutely excellent! Service was on the slower side, but the small shack was completely packed, so it was understandable. The only real downside was that smoke from the stove was drifting into the shack, so by the time we left (after a long wait), we smelled like fish smoke. Still, the prawn taco alone made the stop worth it. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Fish and prawn tacos - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

Super friendly and fast service! You order at the counter and then grab any available bench seating, it was a nice casual vibe with music to hang with friends. Food was good, the fried prawn tacos were fried so well with a slight crunch in the bite. Sauce and toppings were great as well. When I got to my fish taco, however, it got a bit soggy and not as tasty. Perhaps I should have switched the order of which one to eat first read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Rockfish & prawn tacos - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

Solid spot for fried seafood! The shoestring fries here are AMAZING! Also loved the fish tacos and green sauce they had. The breading for the calamari was not great. Service is efficient, they quoted us about a 45 minute wait for our food on a busy holiday weekend but our food came quicker. You order at the counter then grab a table indoors or outdoors. Plenty of parking and restroom on site for customers, they accept apple pay and have wifi as well. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Fish & Chips (top) & Fried Calamari (bottom) - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

It gave me the trots but tasted okay. The place could have been cleaner. The consist of the grilled fish burrito was kinda mushy.

One of the gems in the small town of Gualala. It was very easy to order online for pick-up. We ordered for 10+ people and the food was ready after only about 30 minutes of wait (faster than your average Doordash wait time). When we picked up the food, they have limited seatings and the place is packed. This seems to be quite the town's favorite spot for a quick meal. The fish and chips were delicious. Crispy, flavorful - enjoyed it a lot! read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

Small little shack in the middle of a mall off of highway 1. Ordered one fish slider and a shrimp salad. Almost too much but delicious. read more

Really wanted a good clam chowder. Unfortunately, this place wasn't it. Very bland and basically a bowl of potato soup. But, my husband had the fried prawn sandwich and it was excellent. The prawns were fried perfectly and they were crispy and tasty. (Go to the Surf Market down the way for clam chowder). I would def come back but not for the chowder. read more

Really minuscule portions of the actual seafood. Like four shrimp on a taco and the sandwich. Clam chowder had no flavor. Seemed like it wasn't made with real cream though it had lots of clams. I never add salt to food and had to. But the good thing was the fried fish slider. The rest of the food was mediocre. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Clam chowder. Tasteless but lots of clams. - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

See all

Im sorry but this has to be the most overhyped seafood place I have ever been to. I ordered a fried fish sandwich ans a cup of clam chowder. After waiting just over 40 minutes, I got my food, which literally made me laugh out . The fish sandwich literally just fell apart when I tried to pick it up. They dont use a fish fillet that fits their roll they put it on, it's three small pieces of fish loaded with lettuce and it was just a hot mess. I tried the fish absolutely not one grain of salt on the fish or fries that came with it. Bland Boeing mess. Okay, take two bites of the chowder, bland boring not a grain of salt which is when I laughed, and threw it all away. I have been all up and down the coast of California and Oregon ans I have to say, this.was probably the worst fish and clam chowder I have had anywhere on the west coast. read more

A little expensive, $7.85 for a shrimp street taco. Not a regular size taco, even though they do not state that on the menu. However, it was a delicious shrimp taco. You can get the shrimp grilled or batter fried. I had grilled. I would definitely go here again. One taco is a perfect snack. Two would make a nice lunch. read more

Delicious prawns and chips as well as the New England Clam Chowder! Cold beer and friendly staff. read more

Bomb clam chowder. Got it to go. Kick it up a notch by toasting up the bread bowl and pairing w/ a good local beer. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

See all

It's a cute little seafood shack to grab a bite to eat. I highly recommend getting their prawns and their delicious crispy fries they go with it. They do have a happy hour where you can get a fish and a taco but the fish taco is better with their house sauce is really delicious. You can put that on anything. Try the house sauce.. nice spot to stop at when you're in the area. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Sign - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

A fine choice. The crab was really good, but it is a bit greasy for my personal taste. We didn't love the chowder - not enough clam. Service was quick. There is both outdoor and indoor seating - so you can sit outside with your dog. read more

Shrimp and chips with a crab melt is my go to but you can't go wrong with anything. My son had the burger, and my 'dad tax' bite was delicious. Fries are good too, they give you a lot, I can never finish which is a good problem...fries heat back up well too unlike some other places that get soggy. We stop by every time we are in town. read more

We had the fish and chips. They were fresh and cooked perfectly. The people were friendly. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Fish and chips and a cold Beer - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

I can see why there is a hype with this restaurant, they serve some great food! Driving back from up north, fish and chips was a must as it cannot get any fresher. On a whim found this location via Yelp and decided to give a go. The location is basically in a strip mall, so plenty of parking. As for the restaurant itself, tons of seating inside and out. As for the menu, pretty straight forward, but I already knew I wanted fish and chips, so nothing else mattered. Fast forward to the food, fish tacos and fish and chips. Portion wise, fantastic and even better was the price point! Three cheers to them on that front, not to mention how nice the staff was and how quick they churn out the food. Everything was fantastic and hit the spot completely. Not going to lie, writing this review was tough as I am just sitting here thinking about the fish and chips, so I guess another visit soon is needed! read more

Love this place. We try to get up to Gualala when possible and always come here. Super fresh fried fish. The fish slider is the perfect size and so so fresh, with a wonderful non-greasy, light batter. My husband took a bite of mine and had to get one for himself. We also got a dozen oysters from the oyster bar: perfectly fresh and briny, and with two sauces - a mignonette and another thin spicy sauce that was among the best I've ever had. We'll be back. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

The rating is about a 4.8, but close enough for a 5 star! It was very enjoyable! A fresh seafood restaurant with little flair, just as its name suggests. Three seafood items on the menu Rockfish, Crab & Prawns, prepared as tacos, burritos, sandwiches and salads. A burger, hot dog, grilled cheese and tuna round out the entirety of the menu. Minimal fare done well! The fish & chips were fresh and tasty with a non-overwhelming batter and the fish and prawns grilled tacos were fresh and satisfying as well. The clam chowder was done nicely and served at a good temperature. A nice complement to the food was a beer and wine fridge stocked with local favorites and Mexican beers to round out a good meal. Staff was patient and friendly and served with a smile. Can't wait to return!!! read more

See all

First off, the fish and chips meal ($19.00) is delicious and prepared perfectly. Service is great and the restaurant has ample seating inside and outside. The reason for the 2 stars is that the three pieces of fish are NOW VERY SMALL. It looks like they are cutting the pieces in half/quarter. Price gouging or shrinkflation? They used to serve 3 regular sized pieces of fish with the meal. Now with half to a quarter of the fish, not sure I would recommend this restaurant. Truly disappointed as I really like Gualala Seafood Shack. read more

See all

"AMAZING GRILLED AND FRIED ROCKFISH TACOS AND GRILLED ROCKFISH BURRITOS!" --A girl from Southeast San Diego. Considering Gualala is a sleepy town on the coast of California's Mendocino County with a very small variety of restaurants that are all closed by sunset, Gualala Seafood Shack is top notch. Our family recently vacationed in Gualala. My husband and our brother-in-law called in our orders and picked them up shortly before closing (at 6 PM!), so I can't comment on the service. They did say they were the only customers at the restaurant! I'm originally from San Diego, so I have a slightly higher standard of a quality fish taco than the average diner. GSS' fried AND grilled fish tacos were amazing though! This may be the first grilled fish taco I actually liked! Fresh fish with a nice sear and crust on it. I loved that the grilled and fish tacos were still distinct. My husband ordered the rockfish burrito and it was another delicious meal! I know San Diegans sometimes dog NorCal on adding rice to burritos, but it actually works in the rockfish burrito. The sauces on both kinds of fish tacos and the fish burrito were special, and I suspect they're house recipes. I was hungry from the long drive from San Jose, so I didn't take any photos of our food. Considering the rockfish on the tacos and burritos were locally caught and fresh, and that GSS is pretty much a monopoly in Gualala, expect pricing to be a little higher, which is comparable to Hawaii's average prices lol! So grateful that a friend of ours who lived in Sacramento for a few years told me, the San Diegan that Mendocino County has excellent authentic Mexican food, and he was right! GSS hits the spot after a long drive along Pacific Coast Highway! read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Menu as of Sept. 2023 - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

Delicious and fresh -- we did takeout and had the grilled fish tacos, fish and chips, and a side of crab. Everything was well-balanced to highlight the fish and not overpower you with garnish / distractions, e.g., appropriate amount of cabbage and sauce on the tacos, thin tortilla on the tacos, and light breading on the fish and chips. Only minor gripe is the portion size on the crab (which was delicious) -- at 18 bucks, would have hoped for a little more. But no big deal and I would still recommend this spot. read more

Gualala doesn't have a lot of options for eating but this place is a must if you're in the area! Serving up some really good seafood. Plus they have this very unique seaweed sauce. Pro tip: Food takes about 25min to make (very small kitchen) so grab a beer and chill. Highly recommend: - Fried fish taco - Tuna melt - Fried calamari read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

See all

I have been going to Gualala Seafood Shack for a long time now, and this place has fallen off of my list. It is a shame, because you used to be able to get a nice piece of fish in the fish taco, whereas now, there were 2 bite size morsels in a sea of cabbage. There was one street taco tortilla, where there used to be two. This "cabbage taco" fell apart in my hands, and the whole thing was cold. The price of food at the Gualala Seafood Shack has also consistently gone up. The " cabbage taco" was $6.75. I don't enjoy being ripped off. I read the review regarding the fish and chips, which I have had many times. The pieces of fish are getting smaller and smaller, and the prices are getting bigger and bigger. Good bye Gualala Seafood Shack. read more

What a find! North of town in a little shopping area you'll find an incredible crab melt. Decadent crab with loads of cheese accompanied by shoestring fries makes for a rich meal that's a must try. Not too busy when I was there so the wait wasn't long like other reviewers mentioned. But there is a cooler of drinks if you're looking to chill out before the food arrives. read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Crab melt - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

See all

This is a true jewel for the area. Great seafood with creative specialties. Fish sliders are the consistent win here for my crew. Love this place . Not fancy just simple. read more

My hubby and I stayed in Gualala for the weekend and decided we wanted to try some fresh seafood. Let me just say. It was Delicious! We tried the rockfish burrito (grilled) as they suggested that to us. We tried the clam chowder. It maybe needed a little more flavor but over all it was yummy, and the perfect hot temperature. And lastly we tried out the dungeness crab melt. It was more like a grilled cheese with crab. While it was very tasty, I think I expected it to be more like a sandwich full of crab with some cheese on top. I wish we had tried the tacos, but all the more reason to go back! The burrito though was amazing... service was great-friendly and helpful, and the vibe of the space was great and cozy. Love it. read more

Pleasant surprise while staying in Gualala!, fresh fresh fresh, fried rockfish sandwich and calamari, havent had it this fresh in awhile. hidden gem in Gualala! read more

We got take-out from here during a recent trip up to Sea Ranch, and it was such a pleasant experience! The ordering of the take out was quick and easy through their website. My husband and I got the fish and chips and clam chowder in a bread bowl to share. The clam chowder was a generous portion, and tasty but slightly under seasoned so we had to add salt, but the bread felt fresh and was served lightly toasted which was nice. The fish is a local black cod and tasted very fresh, and was still crispy even in a to-go order, and it is served with thin crispy fries, w/lemon wedges and delicious tartar sauce on the side. All in all a good experience, I'm sure we'll be back! read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

See all

So last time I was here the food was amazing. The flavor of the food was so good that I crave it however this last time it left us not wanting it so much. We ordered 4 fish tacos and to the surprise the price has gone up significantly since the last time in which they shouldn't be gouging for what we received. The fish was flavorless and they barely put any cabbage or sauce on the tacos. We had to order it 2 times just so we could have some mediocre tacos. The staff is not friendly at all which was off because normally people are nice here but this time these girls were not. Not professional at all especially if you want the tourism and for people to come back. Word of advice: limes go better with any kind of tacos more than a lemon does. I wish I could have more pleasant things to say this time but I just can't. Hopefully in September they have corrected these issues read more

Gualala Seafood Shack - Rockfish and chips - Seafood Near Me - Gualala, California

See all

Im surprised this place has so many 5 star reviews. The clam chowder was some of the worst clam chowder we've ever tried. My crab sandwich was delicious, so that makes up for some stars. The staff isn't very friendly, they act like you're burdening them when you ask for stuff... why not just put napkins with orders? Literally most tables had to get up and ask for napkins lol. Also it was crazy expensive for what we got!! read more

There aren't that many places to choose from in Gualala. So after we finished our golf game we asked the locals in the pro shop. The only one that they gave us was the Seafood Shack. We drove over from the golf course. Under five minutes. Located in a strip mall with several other businesses. We parked in the small lot. Walked directly in to the front counter. Menu posted there. Hubby & I went with the crab louie, an order of fried oysters, and two bowls of clam chowder soup. He paid & was given a pager. Sis & BIL ordered same. Tables are picnic style tables indoors with a few tables for two outside. There were lots of take out orders so we waited patiently for our orders. Our patience was rewarded with freshly fried oysters, hot steamy clam chowder soup, and a nice salad. The crab seemed thawed as it's not Dungeness crab season yet. Plenty of shredded crab with chopped eggs, tomatoes, and olives. Two sides of thousand island dressing. The clam chowder soup contained plenty of potatoes with some chopped clams. Mine had too many potatoes and could have used more seasoning. The oysters were very moist. Five to an order. Overall 3.5 stars. read more

See all

Shrimp was fresh, however a shrimp burrito for about 20$? I've had better shrimp burritos that were cheaper in Colorado. Seems overpriced considering it's right by the coast. Good service. read more

Stumbled upon this gem and let me tell you - i will definitely be back Lots of seafood options from crab sandos , to rockfish tacos , burgers and the best tuna melt i've ever had. (the brioche bun was perfection!!) Generous beer selection too and micheladas if that's your mood. Toward the back is an oyster bar - def worth a try as well. cheers read more

This place was on a radar when we visited Gualala. Came by for lunch, we ordered a lot of food. We had the clam chowder, fried oysters, fried calamari, the fried fish sandwich, the rockfish burrito, prawns and chips, and the rockfish tacos. They cooked the food to order but our wait was relatively short. There was no wait when we arrived. The clam chowder was one of the chunkiest chowder that I've ever had. It was very tasty. Fried oysters were pretty good, calamari was good, the rockfish tacos, one grilled and one fried. The fried rockfish tacos was definitely better tasting then grilled one as there were more seasoning of the fried ones but the chipotle cream was a nice touch. The burrito are huge as well but the rockfish needed a little seasoning. Overall, a hole in the wall that puts out some solid food. The ladies that work there were friendly and patience with us. read more

See all

Great fresh seafood in a very humble location. We thoroughly enjoyed the fish and chips and grilled shrimp sandwich. Excellent shoestring French fries. Indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Food as reviewed meets all expectations. Fish and chips amazing. Clam chowder in sourdough bread bowl delicious!

An easy 5 out of 5 stars. The food was great, fish tacos, fish and chips, and fish sandwich all were all delicious!! A plus was the nice service and they had great music which really made the experience fun while we drank our beer and enjoyed our meals. read more