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    TJ Oyster Bar

    4.3 (2.1k reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Mexican
    Open 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    Business Info

    TJ OYSTER BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - TJ Oyster Bar

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    Chicharron Fish
    Olivia S.

    Bomb. Came here as a first timer and ordered an array of dishes. Everything I ordered was delicious. Not one item lacking in freshness or flavor. The establishment felt a little cramped, however I don't mind that at all. It's busy because it's good. I'd rate this spot a 9/10. Service was great too.

    Breaded Mahi Mahi Burrito
    Anthony D.

    Had this place on my radar for a while and finally made it out to Bonita to try it out! They have both an inside and outside seating area and overall the service was nice throughout the meal. They have a lot of seafood options so there will be something for everyone. My partner asked for a breaded mahi mahi burrito which they were able to accommodate and it was moist and flavorful. The portion was pretty big too. I came with the mission to try a lot of the tacos so I ended up getting the fish, oyster, octopus, smoked tuna w/cheese, shrimp diabla, and the stingray. The bigger standouts were the octopus and the smoked tuna. I really loved the smoky flavor on the tuna which was my favorite. The stingray came shredded in some type of sauce that was different and pretty good. The oysters were fried but they were a bit soft/soggy on the taco. And the fish was good but nothing standout. Overall the variety of seafood you can get here is worth coming to check out. My only critique was the taco price vs amount of food. I ordered 6 tacos just for myself and I felt that I could have eaten a couple more.

    Menu
    Nate C.

    This is the first time I don't have any photos of the food. Only because it looked and tasted so good. I got the class fish taco, octopus taco, and a shrimp ceviche tostada. Then washed it all down with a michelada. I've been here a handful of times and I don't recall ever having a bad experience. Servers and bartenders are always nice and attentive. Restaurant is fairly clean. Also, it's way more spacious compared to the original location down the street. It's a great place to have dinner with friends or even by yourself to grab a beer and watch the game. I highly recommend giving this place a try next time your in Bonita.

    Seafood Broth
    Rodrigo C.

    Delicioso!!!! This spot is great. The broth and tostada were so delicious. Perfect meal if you want something delicious and light. Our bartender was great. Always checking on you if you need anything. Loved the Spanish rock music playing and the sports Tv at the bar. Great seafood all around

    Mahi burrito
    Brianne C.

    Popped into TJ Oyster Bar since it has been on our list to try for a little while. Love a spot with parking and everyone was so friendly! I ordered the burrito with breaded mahi which comes with rice and a small salad. The rice was so refreshing with the salad! I could go back for the rice alone. The burrito was really good with the slaw. I also added cheese which I recommend. The mahi was so tender and juicy, it all came together very nicely. I will definitely be back for this one.

    Garlic Shrimp Taco
    Tanya K.

    These tacos are delicious! Tried the garlic shrimp tacos, fish taco, and the chipotle shrimp taco (my fave!). These are street tacos, so definitely get 3-5, and try a few different types. They offer you lots of sauces to try on your tacos as well. The restaurant is kind of small but there is also some seating outside. Service is pretty quick, and the staff are so friendly and welcoming! Lots of parking available at this location. Definitely a must-try spot, can't wait to go back!

    Bre R.

    This little place sitting in a retail center in Bonita was a happy surprise. Great seafood! Inside is cozy and the bar works great for single seats. A lot of people were here for the lunch hour. We sat outside & enjoyed the " water wall". They took our cocktail & food order outside & service was excellent. Tacos are street size & yummy. I had an oyster and grilled octopus/ tacos - excellent. Small serving of oyster in there, octopus was generous. My husband had fish ( battered) and ahi. All good. They have a lot of ceviche and aguachile choices. Garlic shrimp appetizer was crazy good. Creative and pretty cocktails go well with the food. Can't wait to try them again.

    Kassandra F.

    Delightful service. Fresh seafood. Reasonably priced. They also have a seemingly good happy hour.

    House Special Tostada
    Shirley S.

    Heard a lot of good reviews so recommended coming here. 7 of us but a few have been and they had their faves. I tried their House Special Tostada and it was delicious. Plenty of seafood Also tried Chicharron Fish but not what I expected. It was more like Tater Tots Fish and I wouldn't order these again. But worth coming back to try other menu items. At 1:30 pm on a Thursday it was pretty busy but no wait and the service was prompt and friendly. I just wish they would have individual checks but they did let us split the bill using three cards.

    1 octopus and 2 fish tacos
    Jennifer N.

    Updating really quick that I noticed they've removed the 90min limit. Very happy about that. My fish taco had a giant piece of fish in it the way I always expect it to be (with exception of last visit). The orange sauce is always my favorite The octopus taco is also another favorite and they put a good amount so that i had a good bite the whole experience. I also order a regular broth and yum. Calms me like tea. Our server, Ricardo, was super attentive and provided amazing service.

    Fish, smoked tuna and garlic shrimp tacos. So good
    Jenner B.

    Amazingly TJ Oyster Bar has stood the test of time. At least the original Bonita locations. I recently paid a visit to the original spot to redeem my experience at their newer location on East Palomar. They did not disappoint. All three of my tacos were on point. Large perfectly cooked shrimp. Good amount of fresh toppings and a generous amount of it. Service was fantastic. I was given 3 squeeze bottles of their delicious salsas. So good. Definitely a fan of the Bonita locations.

    Watery Green Salsa
    Vanessa R.

    I've been to both TJ Oyster bar locations and this one (next to Vons) has been disappointing the past few times I have gone. I'm not sure what has changed but there doesn't seem to be any pride in the quality or consistency of the food. Did the chefs change? Management? Suppliers? For the price you're paying you expect things to be fresh and cooked well but that hasn't been the case. The location is nice and has a good ambiance and the staff is very friendly and attentive but the food is just not doing it for me anymore. I love to get the ahi tuna appetizer but this time the avocado was old and brown and had a bad taste. The fish itself appeared discolored around the edges and the texture seemed off, like it was freezer burned. The mahi mahi tacos were very dry and lacked any flavor, no seasoning, just bland overcooked fish. The green salsa that I usually love was so watery. The fish ceviche was probably the only decent thing from my order. When I first at here about 2 years ago, it was really good but the past ~8 -12 months, something has changed.

    Shrimp Chipotle Taco, fish taco and smoked tuna taco
    Annie D.

    Finally made it to TJ Oyster Bar and I was not disappointed. They were busy on an early Saturday evening for dinner but we waited no more than 20 minutes. Love that they have craft cocktails. Our favorite dishes were the smoked tuna and the Baja cali taco which was like their kitchen sink taco with a bit of everything in it. Service was good. Would definitely come again Ahi tuna tostada 9/10 Cooked shrimp tostada 7/10 Smoked tuna taco 10/10 Baja cali taco 10/10 (love the pepper) Mahi mahi taco 9/10 Salmon taco 8/10 Chipotle shrimp taco 6/10 too saucy

    Smoked tuna fries half portion

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    5 months ago

    Best fish tacos in San Diego! Must try!! All 3 locations are great! All affordable and all amazing!

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    Ask the Community - TJ Oyster Bar

    Do they take reservations?

    No, they do not take reservations.

    Do they allow dogs 🐶?

    They have a patio where you can sit outside and eat with your dog! :) I don't think they allow them in the actual restaurant though

    View All 3 Questions

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    3.3
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    I met a friend for lunch here on Wednesday, and I was honestly very surprised by how amazing this…read moreplace is! It has such a fun vibe inside, and I can definitely see it getting even more lively and energetic in the evenings and on weekends. There were only a handful of people dining when we arrived, so we were quickly seated at a booth. They have plenty of tables and booths throughout the restaurant, along with bar seating. We were immediately brought chips and salsa. I can't tolerate much spice, so the red salsa was pretty spicy for me, but they also have a green salsa that you can request, which was much more my speed. We ordered: *Surf & Turf Burrito: This thing is HUGE and could easily be split between two people. I had half and still ended up taking some home for leftovers. It reheated surprisingly well too! This was honestly one of the best surf & turf burritos I've had. It was packed with large chunks of fresh shrimp and delicious melted cheese. Definitely the standout for me! *Adobada Taco: This was also huge and loaded with protein. The meat was cooked perfectly and wasn't dry at all. We added some of the green salsa on top, which gave it a great extra kick of flavor. Overall, the service was great, the prices were reasonable, and the portions were incredibly generous. I was seriously impressed by this place and can't wait to come back for another surf & turf burrito!

    8/21/26 2/5 Overall -- Please Reconsider the Tap Water Policy…read more This was my first time here. The band was absolutely amazing, the atmosphere was fun, and we met some great people. Some members of the band were incredibly friendly and even bought us drinks. Unfortunately, despite enjoying that part of the evening, I'm giving the establishment 2 out of 5 stars because of its water policy. I want to make something VERY clear to the owner: I do not have a problem paying for bottled water. I can afford to buy water, and that's not the issue. The issue is that not every customer wants to purchase bottled water. Some people simply want a glass of tap water with ice while they're drinking alcohol. We specifically asked for tap water with ice and were told that bottled water was the only option. If customers are already spending money purchasing alcoholic drinks at your establishment, I don't think providing a glass of tap water with ice is an unreasonable request. You're not going to go broke giving a paying customer a glass of tap water. In my opinion, that's basic hospitality. More importantly, establishments serving alcohol should ENCOURAGE people to hydrate. If someone has been drinking and asks you for water, why would you make access to basic tap water more difficult? I believe businesses that profit from alcohol sales have a responsibility to promote responsible drinking and customer safety. Again, this isn't about whether I can afford a bottle of water. It's about the principle. Give your paying customers the option: bottled water for those who want to purchase it, and a basic glass of tap water with ice for those who don't. I normally tip very well, but I chose not to tip because I strongly disagreed with this policy. The band was fantastic. The atmosphere was great. But management's water policy significantly affected my experience. The food was disgusting. They need to hire a better chef. Overall: 2/5.

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    We very much enjoyed our meal at El Viejon in Chula Vista. When dining in, you order at the counter…read moreand they bring your food to your table. It is a small location but they really have maximized the space. We had no trouble getting a booth. We ordered the fish ceviche bowl to share, which was delicious. A generous shareable serving and the fish was perfectly "cooked." Ceviches are served with your choice of tostadas or chips. I would prefer more pico and perhaps some avocado. But overall it was a 9/10 dish. I also ordered a grilled fish taco with rice and beans. The fish taco was so flavorful and stuffed full with toppings and a large piece of grilled fish. This taco was outstanding. 10/10. My partner had the surf and turf nachos which he also rated highly. I think they could have used a little more cheese. But he said the steak was tender and juicy. The shrimp were seasoned well and there were a lot of them! Everything was delicious and we will be back for sure!

    We had the pleasure of having lunch here on Friday afternoon. Service and food were both excellent…read more My sisters and I ordered carne asada nachos and the surf and turf burrito. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. Staff was friendly and they thanked us as we left the store. Very nice experience for our first time trying it. Highly recommend and we will definitely return.

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    Kids cheese quesadilla with beans and rice

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    TJ Oyster Bar - seafood - Updated August 2026

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