The star of the show was definitely the onion rings!!! OMG -- seasoned to perfection, crispy, and SO flavorful, especially dipped in ranch. Honestly, I'd come back for those alone! The chicken wings and butterfly shrimp were delicious too. We ordered the wings plain and dipped them in the buffalo sauce, and the shrimp came with two different sauces that were both so good. Service was great! We ordered our food at the bar along with our drinks, and the bartender brought everything right to our table. The busser also came by to help clear our trays, which was really appreciated. One warning: the pigeons are VICIOUS here Do not leave your food unattended because they will absolutely swarm your table the second you walk away! Great food, great service, amazing view, and those onion rings are a must. read more

The New Custom House - Chicken wings, onion rings and coconut shrimp - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

I've been coming here for years whenever I visit Avila Beach. Even after the switch to self-service, I would still regularly stop by for the coconut shrimp to go. Unfortunately, my first dine-in experience since then was really disappointing. The fettuccine Alfredo was just okay, and I definitely wouldn't recommend the steamed clams. But what really ruined the experience was the bartender. I was standing in line at the bar waiting to order a drink. When it was finally my turn, the bartender took the order of someone who had arrived after me but was already seated at the bar. At first, I didn't think much of it. I assumed customers who were already seated were being served first, so I just waited. Then, a white woman who had been standing in line behind me sat down at the bar. The bartender skipped me again and took her order instead. Thankfully, she immediately pointed out that I had been ahead of her and had been waiting first. The bartender eventually took my order, but his attitude toward me was extremely cold and unfriendly. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but after being passed over twice, I couldn't help but wonder if race had something to do with it. That's what made the experience especially disappointing. I've been a longtime customer and have always enjoyed stopping here whenever I'm in Avila Beach. Unfortunately, after this experience, I'll think twice before coming back. read more

The New Custom House - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

Lots of seating; quick service The ceviche was so good and fresh, the clam chowder bowl was excellent! Definitely would come back to eat if in the area again read more

After years of not coming back to Avila beach, we came back with our little family we built together. This time around we had oysters and fried fish and kids mac n cheese for our toddler. Memories rushed back from years ago and how we happened to stumble upon this same restaurant when my husband and I just started to date. Food is still great and service is pretty quick. Now we get to enjoy with our toddler. Thank you for the trip down memory lane read more

The New Custom House - Fried fish and kids mac n cheese - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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Came here on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Self seat, grab a menu and go order what you want. Plenty of choices and prices are decent. Food was good, big portions and plenty of refills for your drinks. Got the fish and chips which were solid but nothing fancy. Oysters were good but on the small side. The salmon salad was delicious and bigger than we expected. Overall a decent place to eat outside and people watch while filling up the stomach. read more

The New Custom House - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

The New Custom House is definitely new since the last time was here years ago! You order at the counter and then wait for your buzzer to buzz. The menu has all day breakfast, seafood, sandwiches, salads, and a kids meal. They have a lot of tri tip meals like a tri trip sandwich, tri tip nachos, and a tri tip salad. We decided to try the tri tip salad, chicken fajita quesadilla, garlic Parmesan fries, and the kids hot dog. The food came out hot and freshly made. The chicken fajita quesadilla came with a side of guacamole, pico de gallo, and guacamole. The serving size was large and definitely a meal that can be split between 2 people. The tri tip salad was delicious. The tri tip was tender and had a smoky flavor. The garlic Parmesan fries were not overly garlicky and had great flavor. They were crispy. I would get all of these items on the menu again. The restaurant has indoor or patio seating. You seat yourself. We sat on the patio and it was nice to see the ocean from our table. The New Custom House is a great choice for a meal at any time of the day! read more

The New Custom House - Chicken Fajita Quesadilla - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

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The new custom house was a great place to stop at for a quick snack and some delicious drinks. We ordered a side of fries to share... they were fresh, hot ,and delicious . We ordered a couple of drinks - a local beer and a tropical drink. The beachfront cocktail was perfect, sweet, just the right amount of alcohol and a good beach drink. Definitely brought on the ocean vibes. Staff was friendly and helpful picking out drinks Had TV's for sports games,which made it even better, so we didn't miss our teams playing! read more

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Hey, if you're too busy to get a manager to enter a code, then that's an ops management problem, not a customer problem. Not much sense in the hotels in the area giving out a discount card if you are "too busy". Just our family unit would have saved $9 if not for the excruciatingly difficult task to walk over for a few seconds and enter a code. But alas, it was not to be. Food was fine for kids who just want the basics. At least it's clean inside. That's the one thing going for it I guess. And the kids plates are Frisbees, so that's fun. But please don't think a tip is warranted after waiting for seven minutes to get a manager. I understand it's a manager code, but they aren't state secrets. We're six families deep on this trip, so that's significant "up charge". We will visit other restaurants during our stay from now on. read more

Right on the boardwalk of Avila Beach so very convenient and the food hit the spot as it was our meal after laying on the beach for a few hours. Grab the cocktail and a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Clam chowder was chunky and really delicious, fish and chips were on point, but a bit disappointed with the ceviche. You order at the counter, they give you a buzzer and you grab your food once it's ready and bring it back to your table. They have a lot of seating both inside and out. Unfortunately, the line was pretty long and they only had one person taking orders, even though there are several employees in the restaurant. Eventually got another person to take orders, but it was after the line grew longer and longer. read more

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The food was nice and warm. It had flavor and great portion sizes. The Asada fries you can share with two people. The service wasn't bad. Nothing I can really about it. It was a clean restaurant and had good seating area. I will try something new next time Veggie Sando: Roasted red pepper hummus, grilled artichoke hearts, grilled zucchini, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, tomato, pine nuts, toasted sourdough bread Oak grilled tri-tip (6oz), seasoned fries, Jack cheddar mix, jalapeño, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole. read more

The New Custom House - Veggie Sando and Carne Asada Fries - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

The New Custom House couldn't be any truer of a statement. The inside looks cheaper with the hard surface seating. Gone are the booths and nice tables, now looks like Chipotle. Now no service. You go up and order and then grab your order, gone are the waitresses. The food quality has also gone down. What was my favorite clam chowder in a Breadbowl and Fish n Chips, has gone to a never again. The fish was so chewy. Sad. All these places are geared for the tourists and no longer the locals. *Another one bites the DUST* read more

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Stopped by the new Custom House mid-morning for a snack between breakfast and lunch and really enjoyed it. You order at the counter from a large, easy-to-read menu, and there's plenty of seating inside and out. We sat on the patio with the ocean just steps away--such a beautiful spot on the Avila boardwalk. The menu has a great variety. I went with a large clam chowder, which was hearty and satisfying, and added onion rings that were absolutely delicious--thick-cut, perfectly battered, and clearly not frozen. My friend had the half Caesar salad with a small chowder, which was a great lighter option. If I had one wish it would be that they offer all of their salads and a half portion size, the only one they offer in half portion is the Caesar. One unexpected highlight--their takeaway bag! It's sturdy, has handles, and is actually big enough to fit large containers comfortably. Such a small detail, but so well thought out. I also spotted a lobster roll on the menu that I'll definitely be back to try. Overall, great food, easy ordering, and a perfect beachside atmosphere. The bar is close by with pretty cocktails as well as standard beers and wines. read more

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Food: 3.5. Came by on a Sunday around 6 pm. Place is associated with Mr Rick's which is connected next door. Both places share the same menu. Custom House is more an eatery while Mr Rick's can have live music and there is a pool table. Place has inside and outside seating. You order and they give you a pager. Once your pager goes off, you go inside and pick up your order. I ordered their Clam Chowder Fries with the fries well done. Food was ready timely and was at the right temperature. It was okay and luckily the fries were prepared well done. I don't think the cheese works well with this dish. I would scratch the cheese and add more bacon. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

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Drinks only! It's been awhile since we popped into this place within Avila! We were shocked by the transformation that occurred about a year ago to the inside: it's so light and beachy! Very welcoming with a great view to the outside! We curled up to the bar around 1030 and were welcomed by Michael. Michael was an excellent bartender who provided us great service and conversation. I had the Custom Bloody Mary that came with bacon, shrimp and olives and more...it was a breakfast of champions! This was a solid drink! It was great to see that locals and tourist visited this place! All treated with the same level of great service! read more

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I had forgotten that they 'de-modeled' the place so that it's no longer an upper casual restaurant. It's an order from the counter restaurant with picnic tables and prep quality food instead of restaurant quality. I say skip it. Edit: I'd like to add that the patio area is like wild kingdom. There are pigeons everywhere, demanding food. There are yellow jackets and flies. They need to control the insects and birds on the patio and they definitely need to routinely clean the concrete because it's covered in bird poop. Please do better. read more

This place has changed a lot since the last time we were here! It's no longer tables with service, you order and pay at the front and get a buzzer for your food. I got the street tacos which came with 5 steak tacos, and my husband got the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. The kids meals were good size and the kids got a frisbee as a plate & a "toy". Super pet friendly, we so multiple dogs when we were there. I liked that they had a couple Crow and Wolf seltzers! read more

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Could not get a reservation. Could not call. Had to use the web service because I couldn't get past the gate keeper.

We took the kids to the beach and of course everyone was hungry for lunch when we got there. So we gave The New Custom House a try! My youngest tried the shrimp kids meal, my oldest got the cheeseburger kids meal and my mom and I tried their fried fish. My mom got hers with fries and I tried their clam chowder. There was a generous amount of clams in my cup of chowder and it had great flavor. The girl who took our order was super patient and answered all of our questions. The whole place had a nice vibe and they kept it clean. They had clean, nice restrooms too. We would definitely come back. read more

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good customer service and the food was delicious we come home every time we go to avila read more

The New Custom House - taco salad and Burger & Fries - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

My friend and I went last week and it has changed since I was there. Not necessarily a bad thing! I got the clam chowder in a bread bowl which was very good and filling. I also got the shrimp cocktail. My friend also got the shrimp cocktail and I don't remember it being as big as it was this time otherwise we might have just bought one to share! Overall it was good and it's the perfect environment for a beachside restaurant. read more

The New Custom House - Old Custom House Clam Chowder and Custom House Shrimp Cocktail - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

My food was excellent. It was so good I forgot to take a picture. They gave indoor and out door seating. Both are excellent. They play great music and have screens showing sports. I recommend the salmon salad. My kids loved the Mac and Cheese while my husband ate the great fish tacos. read more

The New Custom House - Mac and cheese - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

Love the new look. The food here is delicious. The food is well prepared and reasonable. When you can eat and look out and see the ocean that's exciting and exhilarating. Keep up the good work. read more

We had a great experience here after a hike at Avila Ridge! Ordering was easy, and our food was ready quickly. The garlic Parmesan fries were delish! The location is great - right along the pier. Easy to park/ walk in. Beautiful views from the deck! read more

Love this little beach food shack! Food was great, came out quick, beers are cold, and the patio is right on the boardwalk. Not much more I could ask for I only want to eat fish and chips and fish tacos when I'm at the beach, so Custom House is my new go to in Avila Best bites: Fish and chips were excellent. Light, crispy, flavorful Onion rings are perfectly crispy with a solid bite of onion Sunburst Other bites: Ribs on farmers market day were good, just don't expect Texas bbq quality read more

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The sign at the entrance said to find your own table, order inside and get a pager, go inside when pager goes off. We were surprised to have Helena take our drink and food order, then brought us a pager. A nice view of the ocean and pier. Weather is great! read more

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Bring back the old menu and the old interior. Service was fine. Don't like the menu Seating is very uncomfortable. Will not return. No wonder we were the only people in the entire place. read more

Our experience actually took place at Mr Rick's which is the bar attached to the Customs House. The tri-tip sandwich has meat shaved so thin you can almost see thru it. And tasty? Oh yes. The bbq sauce you get with it is world class too. It's packed for a reason folks! Exceptional food with awesome people read more

I'm here at the farmers market. I just bought forty dollars in drinks. The management would not let me sit at their patio area because I bought a nacho from another vender. Rude people, don't eat or drink here. read more

Fried fish & fried shrimp, flavorless. Coleslaw, no flavor. Dinner ruined. Do not get the lobster Mac & cheese, no flavor, no lobster. Habanero burgers & tri tip were ok read more

This has always been a go to spot for us, but it has turned into something unrecognizable from the Custom House we have loved for so long. The service is non existent and the food was borderline. The ambiance reminded me of a cafeteria. So sad such a great place could decline so much. read more

Quick service, patio seating, free refills. Largely a do-it yourself place (order at the counter, pick up your food when the coaster light up, get your own refills. My veggie sandwich was very good with lots of avocado. My sister's burger was undercooked (prefer no red inside). The fried fish was declared tasty. Lots of tables with shade which is appreciated! read more

The New Custom House - Veggie sando - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

A fun place to sit outside and have a snack. They were very nice and brought our dogs a bowl of water. You go inside to order and then a server brings you your meal. We would go back next time we are in the area. read more

Horrible! Bring back the original Custom House. We used to come here often as regulars.... Now we won't be returning. Food was horrible. Service was minimal. read more

HORRIBLE ALL AROUND: Food is definitely mediocre. Service is horrible. No more table service. Self serve, walk up to window, order, get number, when called, pick up. NO MORE DINNER SERVICE. Ambience has been cheapened. AWFUL!!! read more

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Wow, a lot of mixed reviews. It's an old place with lots of reviews, and a lot of recent (spam reviews?) that talk how bad it is compared to the old place. Well, I saw it thru my own fresh eyes without comparison, and I liked what I saw. * Great looking place * Menu filled with fish & chips, chowders, sandwiches, nachos, clams, salads, and ahem, breakfast served all day. * 2 large bars * large sidewalk patio (the largest of any restaurant in Avila * nice service I only had a bread bowl of their CAJUN CHOWDER (with spice and crawfish added), and wow, it was great. $15.50 and it was more than an ample portion. When in Avila, I'll be back. read more

This pains me. This used to be our go to spot in Avila. Breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Now, forget it. The interior remodel is not welcoming, ordering food at a window, self seating and picking up your own food? With these prices? In this economy?! We didnt have any issues before paying $150 for dinner, now you're telling me Fish Tacos, garlic parm fries and a bread bowl of chowder is over $40? GTFOH. They used to have great servers. This used to be a good place to come have a good meal and people watch at the beach. The prices reflected that experience. Now, nope. It's so sad to walk by and know what it used to be as we go past them and into Blue Moon instead. To go from three places to have a nice meal on the beach to one is crazy. The investors have made a mistake and I hope they're seeing it in their pocketbooks. read more

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This is the most amazing restaurant I have ever been to. They are completely dog friendly and the staff is the nicest I have ever had at any place anywhere. The food is tasty and well priced. Espresso martini was just ok but the bartender Chloe helping me is top notch! Usually it's pick up yourself but since she saw I had a puppy and minimal hands so she brought it to me without me even knowing. I came her Friday night and sat outside: the two male bar tenders were also so friendly and helpful but this Chloe made my experience. Chill spot for beach goers and a nice environment for a casual date. I noticed a pizza parlor connected of seafood isn't your jam. read more

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This is so disappointing. The Custom House we loved is dead and gone, and in its place is the "New" Custom House. A loud, cheap cafeteria serving mediocre. overpriced food. We should have walked out, but decided to give it a try. We should have kept walking. Do yourself a favor and keep walking. There are much better options in Avila Beach. New Custom House.... Do better! read more

I had the stream clams - not impress the clam was not in season, so small no meat at all. My entire pot is all other veggies. read more

The New Custom House - Stream clam - New American Near Me - Avila Beach, California

My places to dine at typically revolve near the places I'm driving clients to...in this case Avila Beach. My chef buddy says the best Clam Chowder is at the Custom House. So my assistant and I decided to taste for ourselves. Defiantly quite on this Thursday night for a beach town, First street parking was not an issue for my 24' Sprinter. We walked up and saw that most of the seating is outside under umbrella covered tables, very pleasant for our Pier setting tonight. The sun was headed down and we went into the House. Big place, lots of seating in here too. There was no question as to what you do and we walked up to the Order Counter. I'm sure there's plenty of time to read through the entire menu board when you're line but we were up first and last tonight. Hummm...Well Okay we ordered the "Boston Clam Chowder", salads looked good...Lobster Roll, that's it Lobster Roll. Now this is a thirty dollar sandwich so it better be frigi'n awesome. I asked but they couldn't tell me the size of the lobster tail I was getting in the roll..."well its shredded lobster so I don't know the weight". That instilled no confidence for in me, what were paying for tonight? I do know that we ordered and enjoyed the "pint" of Chowder. This is top three best CC I've tasted, M is the aficionado and she said it was the best. I agreed, not too thick and plenty of tender clams. The flavor itself was a 5or6 on the clam tastes meter, just enough I thought. The Lobster roll was served with a few choices and sweet potato waffle/criss cut fries won. We shared the roll and I will say it was very good. Could it have used some more Shredded Lobster of course. "I'll have the lobster with a side of toasted roll please." I won't tell you how much dinner cost us that night, cause if you have to ask... I will say that I'd recommend a meal here if your in town. Next time we'll go with the chowder and something else on the menu but for tonight it was all very good and easy and that helps. Foodguy-martin read more

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