Nice afternoon beverage & a super healthy late lunch/early dinner. Had a Radler & vodka beverage and a blacked snapper bowl. Yum yum The view and friendly staff and customers all made it a great experience. read more

Mersea's - Nice afternoon beverage & a super healthy late lunch/early dinner. Had a Radler & vodka beverage - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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Located at the end of the pier, this seafood house puts out a nice spread. Tons of outdoor seating but on this cold Wednesday evening, everyone was inside. Order at the counter for food and the same at the bar. Super friendly service and prices are fairly reasonable for the area. Loved our soups and fish n chips. Very tasty blonde ale, too. read more

Mersea's - Manhattan clam chowder - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

Incredible place!!! Beautifully located on the boardwalk, with such cute little animals that you can watch while you eat. We saw sea lions, sea otters, and some sort of pelicans! The food was delicious and reasonably priced as well. I had crab cakes, excellently done, for right around $18. The service was excellent, very friendly and quick too; we had our food for a family of five within 10-15 minutes. Over all, would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Avila Beach if they're looking for a a casual but still really cool dinner option!!! read more

Amazing spot to enjoy seafood overlooking Avila Beach on the pier. The 1/2 dozen oysters and clams are delicious to share..we ordered the clam chowder in bread bowl which was hearty and warming. Fried seafood combo with fries is delicious, but would only get the fried calamari next time! The heavenly dish was the clams with buttered sourdough. Enjoy it with some beer and you've got a delicious dinner in Avila! read more

Mersea's - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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Mersea's Mersea's.... how the mighty have fallen! My wife and I have fond memories eating here in 2020 and 2021 when we used to come to Avila Beach often. We have loads of pictures to commemorate the incredible view and (what was) delicious food (while wearing masks of course, #Covid). We came back earlier this month to the San Luis Obispo area for a much needed mini vacation. The FIRST restaurant we had to hit up after a 5 hour drive was Mersea's. They were SO good during Covid, so obviously their seafood would still be banging, right...? Located off Avila Beach Drive, Mersea's is at the end of Port San Luis Pier. If you come by car you need to park at the entryway lot and walk along a wooden deck that leads you to the restaurant. The walk is fun! You hear and see sea lions and otters dancing in the ocean! But just be careful walking when dark, as the plank area has very little lighting and can get slippery. The previous three times we had dined at Mersea's was summer or early fall 2020 and 2021, during peak tourist season. Mersea's was always MOBBED during those visits! I'm talking lines of people out the door waiting to order with nowhere to sit. However, because we visited in late winter the restaurant was basically empty this time! Hardly anybody was there, which was a nice change of pace. I ordered the red (Manhattan) clam chowder and my wife got the white (New England). We also split Mersea's' seafood platter. This was our GO TO order when had eaten here previously! My wife and I sat at a table and excitingly waited for our food to come out. After about 10 or so minutes an employee brought out our food. He was carrying both soups and the seafood platter in his hands. I could immediately tell he was struggling to carry everything, and that he probably should've made two trips... Struggling to hold everything, this employee slammed the red clam chowder down on the table, spilling a good amount of soup all over me! He then sputtered out "F#ck, F#ck, I am sorry bro!" I chuckled at how casually he was dropping F bombs, but I told him to grab me some napkins or something quickly instead of just standing there. He seemed really 'high' and was very slow. He eventually grabbed me a wet towel, which helped at least absorbing some of the soup that was entrenched in my jacket and on my pants! My wife and I were very startled by it all and we tried our best to get as much soup off my clothes as possible. But we were also starving and had to eat. Unfortunately, even after all that drama, my soup was EXTREMELEY mediocre. Not like I had remembered it. Zero flavor or lacking salt; and it was lukewarm. The seafood platter was whatever: pretty soggy and not crispy at all. It tasted like something that was previously deep fried the day before and then reheated. Their seafood wasn't fresh at all and my wife and I were extremely disappointed. What bothered me the most was that the employee who had spilled soup all over me never came back once to check on me, or to offer to comp our meal. I could've made a fuss over it, but we were exhausted from the long drive from Sacramento. So we just ate our mediocre food and dipped. LUCKILY I was wearing all black that day, so none of the red soup stained any of my clothes. However it was still a pain to get the soup out from my jacket in particular! I get accidents happen. That's life. But I just wish that employee was more cautious and not rushing so much. Mersea's was pretty dead so there was no need to be carrying that much food that quickly, especially when he was struggling to bring everything in one trip. As mentioned before, I also didn't love the fact that he appeared extremely high and just didn't care to retrieve the gross wet towel that he left at our table. It definitely ruined my appetite and the meal as a whole. If the food was as good as I'd remembered, I would've let the spillage somewhat pass. But since the food was pretty mediocre I can't. And same with the response from that employee. The only positive, as others have stated, is the view at Mersea's. It cannot be beat! Eating on the pier overlooking the water is such an experience! You can choose whether to eat inside or outside as well. In conclusion, if management reads this, I hope they incorporate some sort of training for staff. It's never a good idea to try and balance two bowls of soup and a plate of seafood in one trip. It could lead to spilling on customers and ruining experiences (as it did with me). I also hope they teach staff to offer some of refund or at least check in on the customer if this happens in the future. If my clothes were lighter colored, you better believe I would've made Mersea's pay for my dry cleaning bill (lol)! Do better, Mersea's! I know you can! read more

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Mersea's is a very casual, coastal restaurant. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor seating is fun in watching the otters, seals and seagulls. Sometimes seagulls can be a nuisance but we didn't experience this. Ordering at Merseas: There is a large menu on the wall, when you walk in. Figure out what you want and order at the counter. The day we were there, it wasn't too busy, so they delivered our food. I'm not sure if that is normal procedure but definitely very nice service. After you eat, throw away your trash so it doesn't end up in the ocean. Food: I had the crab Louis salad. It was fresh and good but not that filling. My husband ordered the clam chowder with all the toppings offered (of course, at extra $$'s) and the fish tacos. Both were excellent!! That's what I would order next time! This restaurant is a drive from the main Avila Beach area where most visit. It's located at the end of a pier, a short walk from the parking lot. If you have any difficulty walking, I think you can drive down the pier to drop off but call the restaurant for more information. It can be a little windy walking to the restaurant, and especially if you sit outside, bring a jacket! read more

The tangerine wheat beet is delicious and the view is spectacular. I love this place Live music too sometimes read more

Hands down the best steamers (steamed clams in white wine broth) I've ever had! Delicious. A must!! And you can't beat the view.

We wanted fish and chips and clam chowder. So my wife and I shared them. She also added fried clams at the last second. It was all delicious but every thing needed a little salt. Great meal we will be back. read more

The special is always a great choice at Mersea's! It can be a busy spot on the weekend with limited seating, but a weekday dinner is totally doable. The food is fast, fresh, and delicious! It's definitely my favorite spot in Avila! read more

Mersea's - The special was red snapper, black beans, pico de gallo and avocado! Simply magnificent! - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

I ordered the steamed clams. They were not cleaned properly. there was still A LOT of sand in them. So crunchy the clams were also overcooked so they were rubbery. Broth had great flavor. But I couldn't enjoy the broth bc I was using it to rinse the sand from the clams. . I sat outside and the view was gorgeous. The overhead heat lamps worked too well. My scalp and face were burning hot. Before dining here you should consider if the clams aren't properly cleaned, what else isn't being properly cleaned? read more

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The only choice if you want to have a meal on the pier, nice reasonable spot with counter service, and prices to match. Beautiful outdoor seating with view of the bay and frolicking seals. Really enjoyed my red snapper sandwich, the blackening preparation was excellent. restaurant was very busy for the lunch, rush, but the staff was polite and helpful. read more

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Let's start with the food. Fresh good tasting fish, prepared blackened very moist. The sides were very hood. Girl coke was out for the day. Prices very good the negative the flies both inside and out. They make equipment to rid the place of the large amount of flies. Hope they fix that issue. read more

Not cheap. Not expensive either. Now keep in mind that in touristy locations like this, a lot of times it's either ritzy eateries or locations that are maybe a step up from ballpark food with little in between. This is not ritzy, low key and relaxed with outdoor dining. Bring your dog please. Many do. As such you'd expect the food to be in the choke it down sphere. Such is not the case. Not at all. Honestly, the fish and chips was among the best I've ever had. You don't have to ask if the fish is fresh. It's right off the dock. not overdone and dry it's fall apart moist and succulent. The fries were hot and fresh. Not the sad, sitting around type that you see all too often. I didn't get the fish tacos but they got very good reviews. With all that, at least expect stingy portions, right? No, not the case again. Only the diner that always eats everything, you know the type, only that guy finished. Take out containers please. So, yes, it wasn't either cheap or pricey but considering what we got both in quality and quantity, it was very reasonable. Very indeed. Service was quick and snappy. I haven't even mentioned the dessert or the view. Dang, if you're going thataways, check it out. I recommend it! read more

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A perfect day with a perfect meal, great staff and quality food on a busy weekday afternoon and the staff was on top of their game! The teamwork was something that I am trying to instill in my crew and have not achieved yet. I'm not in food service but run a traveling crew of skilled workers who needed to see an example of what I need from them and Mersea's showed it. read more

Where were told if you want the best fish food go to Mersea's well it was true. Great food great service great full bar. Had fish and chips seriously the best ever and an excellent Long Island ice tea. Really fun experience seeing and hearing the Sea lions in action while you ate lunch. read more

We came here specifically because of the great reviews. We were a little disappointed after reading all the hype what our experience was. We ordered fish tacos and crab cakes along with the New England clam chowder. Tacos were very salty and the crab cakes had too much filler in it. I'm used to chunks of crab with some breaded seasoning to hold the crab together - let the crab speak for itself. These were orange colored crab cakes with crab so fine you couldn't differentiate the crab from the filler. I only ate one, the hubs ate the other one since the fish tacos were too salty. We were ready for some decent clam chowder to complete our seafood experience. It was warm, thick, flavorful, and full of clams. The sea lions was the icing on the cake while sitting outside. read more

This is a must try when in Avila. It's a cute little restaurant on the pier. The food is good and the price very affordable. Our party of 4 ordered a dozen oysters, Louie salad, crab cakes, crab melt, side of fries, grilled chicken sandwich, a bowl of clam chowder, beer and a glass of wine all for $125. That's a steal for lunch on the pier with a view of the seals. Our food was ready in about 15 minutes. If you want a casual, good seafood place, this is a gem in Avila. read more

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This place is a gem! Amazing views, fantastic service and the food was outstanding! Visited Avila Beach for a few days. A bartender at another Avila place recommended Mersea's. It was on our list already, but we went for lunch the next day. Tried 3 clam dishes...all fantastic! Fried clams, clam chowder (mixed the Manhattan and New England), snd my favorite the steamer clams. All fresh and delicious! The steamer broth was the best I've had. I ate it like soup after the clams were gone. The staff was great! Friendly and knowledgeable. Explained all the dishes. Clearly proud of the food. And we watched seals and otters while we ate. Highly recommend! read more

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It doesn't get any fresher tan this!! Right off the boats. We had the Crab Cakes. the Fish Tacos and the clam Chowder All exquisite. The views of the harbor are to die for. The sights and smells of the ocean are refreshing. Locals, Locals, Locals!! read more

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Such a great atmosphere to devour delicious seafood! My shrimp tacos were plentifully full of shrimp! My friends fish and chips were the ideal crispness and his cod was firm and flaky! We had fun watching the people and the seals while we sipped our Modelo beer and Pinot Grigio on the pier seating , while the fog rolled in and the boats bobbed gently in incoming tide! read more

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Mersea's is a good place to go and have some Delicious Fried Food and a cocktail and take the kids and family to. read more

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The food was delicious, the view was amazing and the sights, sounds, smells were all central CA pier! There is a full bar and I highly recommend the Bloody Marys. You should park off the pier and walk down to the restaurant to savor the full experience. If you would prefer to drive, there is paid parking on the pier. The restaurant is very casual, but the servers are very friendly and laid back. If you find a table, you might need to ask a server to clear it, but they are happy to do that. Bring a sweater if you go at night. It gets cool by the water. Enjoy! read more

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Visiting from landlocked Denver, Colorado, Mersea's is a slice of heaven for the atmosphere alone! Set on a pier, with a magical view, there is also magical food! Husband had shrimp tacos that were wonderful. I had the fried clams that were overdone, so the kitchen replaced them with the cod that was terrific. Often a sign of a good restaurant is not so much that they're always consistent, but that they do right when there is a mistake made. I can see this becoming a yearly visit.... read more

Mersea's - View from our table at Mersea's. - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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If you're ever at Avila Beach area, I highly recommend checking this place out. Just the stroll up the pier, we saw so much wild life activity!! Honestly, we weren't even planning to have dinner here but came across it blindly while admiring the views and wild life. So glad we did. The staff are really nice. The food was great! And the views amazing! Overall wonderful experience. Now for the details - Upon walking in, you order your food at the counter and then look for a seat (both indoor seating and outside seating available). Outdoor seating seemed dog-friendly as I saw some fur babies outside also. As it was evening and a bit chilly, we chose to sit inside. Inside, there's a small bar area with seating as well. As you're sitting, enjoying your beverage and viewsX the staff would bring you your food. So aside from ordering ahead, it's pretty much sit down service. As for the food, I highly recommend the clam chowder. It was perfect for that chilly evening weather. Hit the spot. We also loved the steamed clams. There's plenty of bread to sop up the sauce too. As for the fried sampler, it was ok. I was really looking forward to the fried clams but was kinda of disappointed. It tasted mushy inside. Not sure why. But the rest of the fried sampler was decent. I also order a 1/2 oysters to try. It tasted really fresh. A little grainy at times but not horrible. There were a number of other items I'd love to try out next time. And probably will go during the afternoon for lunch to enjoy the outside seating with a nice cool beverage. Very nice experience read more

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Our first visit to Merseas. We were looking for outdoor seating and that we could bring our dog, Jack. We enjoyed a nice walk down the pier, and the restaurant was located on the pier. There is free parking at the street or paid parking on pier. The staff were friendly and the service was good. We tried the Guave IPA, and it was definitely a good recommendation from the bar tender. The food was cooked well and tasted great. The seals were keeping us amused along with the local wildlife. If you are at Avila Beach, then this is definitely a place you need to come try. read more

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We liked the atmosphere. You have the option to sit inside or outside. It was a warm day so we chose to eat indoors. Seating inside is limited. The food was good. We had a 3 piece fish and chips meal. We upgraded to Parmesan fries. So yummy. Lots of garlic on the fries. The fish was tasty, moist, and flaky. Delicious. Our meal cost $16 and that actually surprised me because prices have been going up on everything lately. I felt this was a very good price for what we got. Kyla took our order and she was a sweetheart. Great service. This is our 2nd time here. We're from San Diego and on our last trip up the coast in 2021, we enjoyed our meal here as well. read more

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Wow location was beautiful to sit outside. Near water, seals, & beautiful scenery. Now the plate we both ordered was shrimps & fries. Delish! Hot food & fast service. One of the best meals so far while visiting SLO. read more

Mersea's - Shrimps & fries - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

I had the $12.00 hamburger. It was okay. A bit dry with no kind of sauce on it. Didn't come with fries either. Just the hamburger, pickles, onions, tomatoes, lettuce. And cheese that I paid extra for. My friend had the same thing but the meat wasn't cooked enough on hers. My husband had the $16.00 fish & chips. He enjoyed it very much. And our friend had the $11.00 clam chowder bowl. He enjoyed it. Portions where good. Service was good as well. read more

Brrr it was cold but to be expected near the water. My bf and I were hungry after a drive up from SoCal. Quick search on Yelp lead us here. I got the shrimp and chips. He got the calm chowder in sourdough bowl. We shared and both were happy with our meals. Only annoying thing we're the birds continually trying to take your food. Lol! Great service! Great place with nice view!!! read more

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We had a great dining experience. Thanks to Manager Mike and the team, particularly server Gavin, provided exceptional service. Area was clean and they are very welcoming, with a beautiful ocean view that added to our dining experience. The staff make my pets feel welcome too. The fish and chips were fresh and crispy, with a light batter. The clam chowder was creamy and flavorful, perfect for a cool evening at sunset. We'd highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food and service with a beautiful ocean view. Thanks again for making our family weekend getaway memorable. read more

Awesome views. Food mediocre. Prices ok. Generally staff friendly but not consistently. Owner great when he is there.

Fish plate was great, served with veggies and rice. It's a nice view from the pier and a nice walk to the restaurant. The parking was plentiful in the lot before driving into the pier. read more

We stopped in for a light meal, got a bowl of chowder and the shrimp cocktail for sharing. The food was very fresh. The staff was extremely friendly noticing that I was ordering for two and asking if I wanted a second spoon. The views are spectacular, of course, being at the end of the pier. Plentiful of outdoor seating. The nearby bathroom was surprisingly clean, beginning in a common space and maintained by Port San Luis. read more

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Quick, yummy and good value for money. They let me make the chips garlic fries. I like how they took the tails off the shrimp too. My man loved his fish. Great views from inside too but limited seating. read more

Mersea's - Shrimp and chips, fish and chips - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California

We really loved this place! We visited two times in one weekend. Everything was really good, this will be a must visit each time we're in the area! Watching the animals in the water was fun and the outdoor dining was nice! read more

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Guy taking my order at the counter was absolutely no help and seemed irritated that I took a look at menu above him.

Always enjoy the Dorn family restaurants. Wish the bar was bigger. Food is always good and of course the barking of the seals

My husband loves fish n chips and orders them often. This was the best and freshest ever! We will be back. I'm going to order the bowl as the fish was so good and fresh. I had the clam chowder in the bread bowl. It was tasty but now I know I won't be rolling the dice if I order their fish. Sitting out on the pier watching the sea lions and otters while we dined was great! Also the prices were very reasonable. read more

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Was excited to finally stop in for lunch this week. It's out on the pier where you can watch the sea lions and otters . It was raining when we got there and so we couldn't use the tables outside and the inside is super small with 4 tables and about 8 bar seats. You order at the counter and they will bring it to you. The food was good we got a crab Louie $18 , which was not bad and the crab was yummy. We also got the fish and chips $16, the fish is breaded not battered but it was still delicious. Would love to try the clam chowder next time! read more

Mersea's - $16 fish and chips - Bars Near Me - Avila Beach, California