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    Oscars Mexican Seafood

    4.4 (3.7k reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Seafood
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Oscars Mexican Seafood Photos

    OSCARS MEXICAN SEAFOOD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Oscars Mexican Seafood

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    Variety of tacos
    Zachary S.

    I came with family for a late afternoon lunch and it was mildly busy and lively. Tons of options to order, including vegetarian and today's specials. Outside has few seats, a nice ocean mural on the wall, perfect atmosphere. We first got our appetizer chips and guacamole. Chips are crunchy, thick, a bit dark. Guac is fresh, easy to scoop, nice texture. My horchata was cold and refreshing, perfect hint of cinnamon. Main food arrived after 15 minutes or so. Grilled Smoked Fish Taco: I was given lots of fresh fish, grilled nicely, avocado added texture, cilantro a nice touch. Battered Shrimp Taco: Big pieces of fresh shrimp, battered nicely, crispy and crunchy, generous toppings include coleslaw, tomatoes, all added a nice crunch. This taco place goes high on my list, and I definitely recommend to anyone.

    Benjamin C.

    Oscars Mexican Seafood After spending the day at the San Diego Zoo, I was craving some seafood. I came here upon a friend's recommendation. I got the Bluefin tuna (in a cup with avocado and 2 tostadas): Fresh, flavorful, and a perfect starter! The creamy avocado paired beautifully with the tuna, the battered fish taco (cabbage, onion, tomato, cilantro): one of the best fish tacos I've ever had, everything was perfectly ratioed and the fish was sooo good. And lastly, the grilled octopus taco (cabbage, onion, tomato, cilantro, avocado, cheese): My favorite of the three! It was my first time trying octopus in a taco, and it blew me away. The octopus was tender, smoky, and perfectly balanced with the creamy avocado and fresh toppings. Found another banger here in San Diego!

    Pulpo Taco, Surf & Turf Taco, Battered Fish Taco
    Alice Y.

    Came to Oscar's around 7pm on a Saturday night and was surprised to see that there was no line! We put in a pickup order online and the order was ready for us with everything properly included. I got the pulpo taco, surf & turf taco, and battered fish taco. I regret ordering 3 because I was full after 2 but they were all good. My favorite was the pulpo taco. The meat in the surf & turf was a little tougher than I expected. I barely ate the battered fish taco since I was full but there was a little smokiness to it. One thing to know is that it's street parking only and this location has limited outdoor bar seating, so it's a good stop for a quick bite vs. a sit down restaurant.

    Battered Fish Taco
    Ryoung K.

    There was quite a long line when we went around 12 pm. Parking can be found nearby, but a little difficult to find. You have to sort of wait a while to find seating outside. I saw quite a few people grab the food and talk about eating them at the beach. We decided to wait, sit down on the side and eat. We got several battered fish and the surf & turf tacos, but if you don't eat too much, one of each should be more than enough. The tacos were amazing. We had leftovers and it was still good later in the day. We also got the shrimp ceviche - very freshly served in a cup with a couple tostadas in a tin foil. My mom loved this so much. And of course we had to order some jarritos to go with them. Overall 10/10 food-wise! I'd recommend you visit while you're in SD.

    Tracy L.

    I always bring people to Oscars Mexican Food if they're looking for a solid taco spot. The normal Oscar's location I'm used to was temporarily closed so we went to this one; it was VERY tiny and packed because of the size. I ordered the crab/shrimp tostada as well as the battered fish taco. The tostada was HUGE! They also gave you two tostada shells so it was basically two. I thought it was delicious. The creamy avocado was the perfect touch. The fish taco was very tasty as well! I also recommend trying their sauces whatever you order. Depending on when you come, you may be able to find outdoor seating, otherwise, it may be easier to get your food to-go.

    Crab tostada
    Siu M.

    Fast lines, fresh food, great service We ordered chips and guac, ceviche, crab tostadas, battered fish tacos, skirt steak taco, and both battered shrimp and grill shrimp tacos. Everything was made fresh to order and came out pretty quickly. Our order was huge but no errors what so ever! Our group's fav were the battered fish tacos, but everything else was good too. Limited seating outdoors, but we did not have trouble finding seats as the turn over was quick!

    Bluefin ceviche, smoked octopus, Battered Fish Taco
    Crystal C.

    I visited this location for a bit of a late dinner on a Saturday. There was no line but the hot food is made to order so there is a slight wait. The parking is street parking a bit difficult to find a spot nearby. This Oscars location does not have indoor seating but does have some counters outside and a handful of seats. This location is probably also least clean of the 3, but hey if you don't get sick and the food is still just as good, that's fine with me. I tried the bluefin tuna ceviche, the portion is smaller than the mixed. All ceviches come with tostada shells. Personally, I preferred the mixed ceviche (larger portion and cheaper). I think I may just prefer bluefin tuna as sashimi rather than seasoned. I haven't had anything that was not good at Oscars but my go to items are the battered fish taco (white fishes every time I've gone, but does vary) and the octopus taco. The octopus is a bit chewy but the smokey flavor is a nice touch.

    Christine L.

    We always make it a point to stop by Oscar's on our annual trip down to San Diego. Our favorites are the smoked fish tacos, but everything we've had is good! This time we also got the shrimp ceviche and the battered fish taco which were incredible. The shrimp ceviche is heavy on the shrimp, and comes with a couple tostadas to pair. The restaurant is quite small and there are maybe 15-20 seats outside (all stools and bar seating). During peak hours it is difficult to find seating, so I recommend just ordering online and taking it to eat at a park or beach nearby. Oh, and the hot sauces (both red and green) are fantastic!

    Connie S.

    This is my must-stop spot every time I visit San Diego! I usually go for the fish and shrimp tacos, which never disappoint, but this time I decided to try something new. We ordered the Oscar's Combo - Taco Especial (smoked fish, scallops, shrimp) and a cup of the fish stew. Everything was absolutely delicious. The smoked fish in the taco added a unique flavor I haven't experienced at other taco places - it was a standout. As for the fish stew, I wasn't sure at first based on how it looked, but one sip and I was hooked. It's packed with chunks of fish, octopus, shrimp, veggies, and even avocado. Super hearty, comforting, and not fishy at all. Plus, it's perfect for warming up when you're sitting outside.

    Surf and Turf Tacos ($6.50 each) make sure to get the white sauce!
    Justin C.

    I was craving a San Diego staple and was not disappointed. It had been several years since I've had Oscars and was curious to see how things are currently. I ordered two Surf and Turf tacos ($6.50 each). I absolutely love their white sauce. The shrimp is juicy with a nice sear and the beef is fairly tender and well seasoned. I appreciate the amount of avocado, coleslaw, red onions, and tomatoes they put on the tacos. My go to Oscars off Emerald Street was temporarily closed for construction but luckily the OG Turquoise Street location was open. It was packed when we arrived on a Tuesday afternoon at 12:30 pm, most likely due to it being a holiday week for Thanksgiving. It seemed like a good portion of the crowd were tourists which is not surprising. The food came out fairly quickly given the line and my cashier was very friendly. She even refilled the white and orange sauces for me before I could even ask for them to be refilled. Seating is outdoor only, mostly standing - there are a few stools. Oscars is almost synonymous with San Diego. It's a legendary Mexican seafood spot for a reason. Will be coming back for years to come.

    Battered Fish Taco Battered Shrimp Taco
    Esther K.

    needed a light lunch and ended up at Oscar's! the interior is gives off an ocean dock style which was super cool. the seating is limited but i went while it wasn't as busy! - battered shrimp taco (5/5): the batter was a golden and crispy and had the just the right amount of batter. the shrimp was sweet and perfectly cooked and all the extra toppings of fresh cabbage, seasonings, and pico brought everything together. one of the best shrimp tacos i've had in a long time :) a must try - battered fish taco (4.5/5): same toppings and everything as the shrimp but i just enjoyed the shrimp more LOL. still a must try overall great spot for a satisfying meal and will come back to try the rest of their menu!

    Grilled Octopus Taco
    Evelyn B.

    To be honest, was kind of disappointed during our visit here :( this was our first stop in San Diego, was hoping for some great fish tacos! The fish was pretty small compared to the tortilla. Also, I think the taco would have been much better with a creamy fish taco sauce! They do have a lot of different hot sauces though which I enjoyed. I liked the octopus taco much better, probably because it was unique and something new for me. What saved this place was probably the service. Really nice cashier who didn't mind explaining the menu to us. She also gave us a sample of the fish stew which was pretty good.

    shrimp and fish ceviche
    Maurine S.

    Went to the one on Emerald Street and then realized when we got there it was being remodeled so we trekked over to this location and walked along to beach to find it. This location is a tiny place where you place your order and then listen intently for them to call your number. There are only a few spots to sit or stand to eat your food so you might want to get it to go. Came for the ceviche which could have used a little more lime. Ordered the combo of two tacos and a fisherman's stew and a grilled shrimp taco. Hubs really like the especial taco which had smoked fish and shrimp. Had the shrimp taco which was good and the avocado was fresh. Would have been happy with the cheaper version and didn't realize I ordered the fancier one with the avocado and slaw on it so make sure you clarify. Hubs loved the fact that there were so many sauces to put on top of this tacos. They have tacos for 1.99 Mondays through Thursdays I think from 2:30-4:30 but I'm not sure about the which ones. That would make it worth 4 stars if you could get a deal!

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    There's not much seating but the food is great. The fish tacos and the torta de Oscar are divine

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    Oscars Mexican Seafood Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Oscars Mexican Seafood

    It this kid friendly?

    If your kids like to eat fish tacos, then yes! But it doesn't have any toys, games or play structures. It's also primarily a stand/sit outside and eat, or takeout, place.

    Is there a kids menu?

    not that I saw...but I wasn't looking :0

    Are the corn tortillas gluten free?

    I dont think so! I witnessed someone asking a month ago and the cashier said no

    What time do they start serving their fish/shrimp tacos?

    Should be an all day thing as far as I know

    Do they have Happy hour?

    No, they do not!

    Where do you guys get your fish? From a local fisherman or how do you order it? Is it frozen and then thawed?

    Hi! Yes, from a local fish market and we don’t use frozen fish always fresh:)

    Is the battered fish taco dairy free?

    Yes

    Do you use lard in your food?

    No, we do don’t.

    Are you guys open on Monday July 5?

    Yes

    Is this place currently open for take out?

    Yes, as of a week ago. They seem to be loosey goosey with their closing time so beware. They've closed before their stated hours on at least two occasions.

    What time and day is happy hour?

    Any happy hour here?

    99c battered fish tacos from 2:30-5:30pm from Monday to Thursday

    How big are the tacos?

    Standard taco size - think small corn tortilla folded in half with fillings. Two-three are enough for most people.

    In the past, they didn't accept credit cards. Do they accept it right now?

    Yes they take credit cards

    Is there a happy hour?

    Yes. 99 cent battered fish tacos 2:30-5:30 Monday through Thursday.

    Can we bring our fur babies?

    Yes! They have outdoor seating :)

    When did this location open?

    2011

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    Good Food and good customer service. Everyone is friendly and the store is nice too. It is very…read morelively.

    Nico's is an amazing seafood spot that is not only chill but amazing in its seafood…read morechoices/flavors. Nico is very close to the beach and in the middle of some shops. The interior is very chill filled with history about the location and a mostly blue/white palate. There is a display of the fishes of the day in the front although usually there is a line, especially during the summer months. Nico's has several menu items centered around their seafood - poke, a plate, tacos, burritos, oyster shooters, and ceviche (think I most of them but may be forgetting a few). They get their seafood fresh every morning. Once you order, you can find a table both inside or outside and wait for your order to be called. Usually the line isn't too long and pretty efficient. And the staff is super nice in telling you about their favorite fishes of the days and recommendations. They also have some drink items including beer, sparkling water, and sodas along with water stations near the front and their signature Nico sauce. Here's a few items we've gotten over the couple years we've been here: *Fish Ceviche: The ceviche comes with some chips and in different sizes (4, 8, 16 ounces). For two people, the 4 oz. usually is good to tide us over until the meal is ready. It is a good balance between being lime-y and full of nice herbs/spices. *Taco: They have a few different taco options. I've tried the Nico which is delicious and is their constant panko crusted snapper item. But I really like to usually go for some of their fish of the day options like the salmon and swordfish which are even tastier. It comes with items you'll find in many of their other items like the Lily mayo-like sauce, pickled onions, melted, avocado and corn tortilla. It's delicious and is even better with their Nico Sauce. *Plate: This though is my usual order where you get the fish of your choice blackened or with lemon garlic butter with a bed of rice, pico de gallo, pickled onion, avocado, Lily sauce on the side. It helps the seafood sing more on its own and like all the items separated. For two people ordering two tacos + a plate + 4 oz. ceviche and a sparkling water, it came out to around $55ish which felt fair. Parking is a bit hit-or-miss around the immediate area. During the summer months in particular, we usually aren't able to find parking nearby and have to park across the street or at adjacent streets. Nico's is a fantastic stop that we constantly come back to for nearly each of our San Diego trip.

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    Interior
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    The Fishery

    The Fishery

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    Women-owned & operated

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    Pasta mussels pecorino
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    JRDN Restaurant

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    Wagyu burger at locally owned restaurant
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    Single Fin Surf Grill

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    Kids are splitting the chicken tenders and the fish and chips!!
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    Cocktail Sampler

    Oscars Mexican Seafood - mexican - Updated August 2026

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