Been coming to TJ Oyster Bar since 2013 and it still hits. Usual order: smoked tuna fries. First time I tried the stingray quesadilla instead of my regular stingray burrito. When the seafood cart came around, Juan asked if I knew moules-frites. He said throw some of those smoked tuna fries in there and you've got smoked tuna frites. Delicious. Then Alex jumped in: dip the quesadillas in that consommé and treat them like birria tacos. That meal hit the spot. read more

Good food, good drinks! I am regular here and come at least once a week or so. My only complaint is about the service, more specific this one lady. short, blonde or blonde highlights, early to mid 30s. Every time I am there she gives me the dirtiest looks. Few times I even heard some comments, like under her breath or speaking to someone about me. I know this because my friend passed by her and heard her after she sat some food down in front of us . But of course when she sits me at my table or brings my food, suddenly is all smiles! What is her problem? Valeria I think is her name, maybe Valentina iam not sure. But she really needs to be retrained or somebody needs to look more closely how she acts around customers and how she speaks about them. I always get the same items from the menu, zero modifications. My server does not seem to mind at all, so why this random lady is so upset about it? I like this place and come here often, but honestly, the way she acts makes me very uncomfortable every time I am there. I don't understand why she has this attitude with me when I never have any problems with my server or my order, heck, i've never even spoken to her other than thanking her for bringing my food! read more

Not sure what the hype is about. I waited about 6months to finally try this place out after all or the recommendations from grown locals from SD... but definitely not worth it. Oily, soggy, overly mayonnaise looking sour cream fish tacos... ick. Can someone relay me to an actual good fish taco place? read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Fish Taco - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Wifey and I craved some TJ Oyster Bar. She had a catered day a few days prior at work and we decided to check out their biggest one of their 3 (I think they have 3 in the Chula/Bonita area). This one happens to have what appears to be a full bar. We started with our obligatory Old Fashioneds and they happened to be pretty good. We then got their calamari which was paired with an aioli that had a mild chipotle flavor. We were also given 3 bottles of salsa - red, guac/green, and a chipotle salsa. The 3 salsas were delicious. I ordered 4 tacos: beer battered fish, mahi mahi, ahi tuna, and smoked tuna. All were delicious!! I've been to the other 2 TJ Oyster Bars and I've only gotten the beer battered fish tacos. Thankfully I felt adventurous and I didn't regret it one bit. Each of the tacos had their distinct flavors and textures and were so good. I will definitely return!! read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Beer battered fish taco, Mahi Mahi taco, Ahi tuna taco, smoked tuna taco - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

TJ Oyster Bar was filled table-side and bar with folks glued to the World Cup games. There are outdoor seats as well. Staff were friendly and helpful with my order FOOD 5/5 Believe the smoked tuna taco hype - its flavor is on point. 4/5 stingray machaca was good although over-hydrated and thus also less flavorful read more

See all

For the price, the portions are average. The taste is also okay. There are other locations within the area that I believe are much more tasty and have better proportions for shrimp/fish tacos or burritos. The staff is above average as is the ambiance. I sat outside with a nice breeze which was nice...not enough for four stars though. Is it worth coming by? Definitely. Worth a repeat visit? I won't be coming back and will try other spots. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Fish Burrito - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

Love this spot! This has been my go-to for keto options because they make the cheese shell for you, and they really get down with it. I also always order the ceviche tostada - it's bomb and super fresh! I've tried a few different tacos from here, and most of them are really good. The inside is spacious with plenty of seating, and there's also the option to sit at the bar for quicker service if it's just you and a friend grabbing a quick bite. Plenty of parking and the customer service is great, which makes it even better. read more

See all

Hadn't realized how long it's been since I last visited this spot (I no longer frequent the area), but it's definitely been a hot minute. Parking situation remains the same: shared mall lot that gets busy all hours of the day. Came here for a quick bite that turned into a long wait/dine. It was busy and a little chaotic, but I managed to get a seat at the bar. Ordered the smoked tuna fries and an oyster taco. Since it's been a while, I can't really compare anymore from then and now, but they were both fine. Was a little difficult to get the bartenders' attention to order more drinks and when I also asked whether the channel could be changed on the tv to another sport, they said they would check but never got back to me. Perhaps I'll come back again but when I do it's likely to be another minute as there are other food options in the area. 3.5 read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Oyster Taco, Smoked Tuna Fries - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

I'm leaving this review as a request for the shrimp in the aguachile to be deveined! The lime / lemon juice doesn't kill / dissolve whatever was in the digestive tract like the ceviche cocido read more

Tasty shrimp and fish tacos. Good value. Service was friendly and efficient. I'd go more often if they were closer

A super tasty spot!! We were visiting San Diego, and this was a great spot for Baja style seafood. We got the chicharron fish for appetizer, it was tasty with its dipping sauce. It didn't have a fishy taste at all, which is good thing. I got the ahi tuna tostada. This was my favorite, the avocado and the crunchy onions was a great combo. It felt so fresh. I also got the Diablo ceviche tostada, spicy and fresh. So much meat! It was a mix of shrimp, scallop and fish. My husband got the tacos, which were all tasty and saucy. The service was quick, the waiter was very nice. The ambiance is very casual, nothing specifically intriguing. Although the place was fairly full of people! We were seated quickly. Thank you! read more

See all

Seafood tacos are not a thing that I would usually get, because people tend to cook it too well and it becomes too true. But oh man TJ oyster bar is fantastic. I usually do not get tostadas, but that was pretty good. I've never had stingray before, but it tasted like pulled pork. Also had octopus tacos, which was melt in your mouth compared to the overly boiled octopus I've had before. The spicy shrimp was amazing with tacos. Fast service as well! Literally took them 10 minutes and then our food was there. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

TL;DR: quick, yummy seafood stop. all dishes go with their micheladas! Ordered 3 tacos: grilled ahi, fish, and the octopus. They were all delicious but the best by far, and most surprising to me, was the octopus! Normally, octopus tacos are either mushy or too chewy but the octopus taco at TJ oyster bar was phenomenal! Also ordered the verde aguachile - sooooo good! must get if you love raw seafood! And of course, a negra modelo clamato michelada was a must-get for me to wash down all the seafood! Delicious meal and would absolutely come back! Salud, TJ Oyster Bar! read more

See all

We don't live in the immediate area anymore so coming back here is a rare occurrence. We came back randomly on a Wednesday night to satisfy a fish taco craving for my wife who was about to fly out to Atlanta for a week. We were greeted and seated almost immediately and our server Juan took our order quickly. Food came out quickly, exactly as ordered and delicious. Fish tacos, cucarachas, octopus pescadilla, tuna fries, Michelada, all perfect. Tldr great food, cool environment, solid service. 5 stars read more

Super fresh and delicious seafood! I had a fish taco and it was crispy, very good for the price. I also had the seafood appetizer half size. The service was fast. Not too much seating so i can see this being packed. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

Service is fast and efficient, the ambiance (at the times I went) was lively and clean, and the food is UNREAL. EVERYTHING I ate was mind blowing. The flavor of the smoked tuna with cheese was a a match made in heaven. The calamari was perfectly fried. The tostadas offered a blend of freshness and crunch, and the shrimp aguachile is something I will dream about forever. This is a staple whenever me and the boo visit San Diego. This is a place you cannot miss. read more

See all

Really great seafood forward tacos! I've always looked forward to eating a variety of tacos inspired by ingredients from the sea and TJ's did a great job with pairing the delicious, diverse and deep flavors with my favorite vessel (the soft taco shell). Friendly service and great vibes at this location read more

See all

Went again last night to give it a second chance and once again it greatly disappointed. It took just under an hour, 50 something minutes, for a shrimp burrito that ended up getting me sick. The rest of our group got their food and were wrapping up when they brought mine out, so I just asked for it to go. Another huge disappointment and I will never return. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - They try to pass this off as crab. =/ - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Delicious! Oyster Tacos, 6 of them $30 ish dollars. Expensive. But, very Good. Received Good Service! Everything ran Smooth. Highly Recommend. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Yes. I did take a Bite. Oyster tacos. - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

I love restaurants that are in a shopping plaza, easy parking! We arrived and were seated outside, which was fine since they had a heat lamp that worked great. We ordered: Shrimp and fish tostadas - one order is definitely good to share with someone else. they give you extra chips to eat with. It was fresh and tart. fried oysters - fried well, but could have done without, or maybe do fresh next time. tried aquachile for the first time - it was good! tart, sour, the shrimp was good though! sample platter - this was huge! the fish bites were delicious. I thought we were going to be so full and feel heavy from the fried items, but they were all fried really well. The shrimp was yummy and so was the calamari. Their sauce was a perfect accompaniment. tamarind michelado - THIS IS A YES, soooo good. I don't like beer but this hit the spot. Thank you to the waiter for being honest, and told us we probably ordered just right and to wait on ordering more. We were so full! Wish we had room to try some tacos though LOL. but overall super satisfied and happy to have tried new things. They were very nice and checked on us often. Outside seating was kind of cute, since there was a water wall? LOL next to us. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Appetizer platter - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

Finally getting to quell my urge for their Jamaica drink. I ordered 2 shrimp chipotle tacos. They come with cheese between the shrimp and tortilla and thats it. Wife ordered 2 Fish tacos which come with cabbage, tomato and a white sauce. Tacos were served pretty quickly. Ate our 2 tacos and then we decided on another fish taco for each of us. Service wasn't the most attentive tonight by our waitress. Music was way too loud and could definitely be lowered as people were trying to hold conversations. We were seated quickly and were in and out in about 35 minutes. Didn't have one tonight but you have to try their Tamarindo Michelada. Refreshing and very delicious with your favorite type of beer. read more

See all

While I cannot confirm the oysters at the bar are the best, I can praise how good the tacos and smoked tuna fries! They were not too salty, but they tasted fresh from the sea. Additionally, the happy hour deals are great! This bar is great for fun/ casual hangout. With a modern design and dim light, this bar was chill. The service is fast, even with the busy happy hour. read more

See all

The place is hidden next to Vons in a shopping center . The food was good but their other location on Palomar was better in flavor and the service was way better and faster. The seven sea seafood was good and I loved the salsa in a green bottle. Very spicy and citrusy. The red salsa was not as spicy as the green one but was good too. The green salsa gave the 7mares a better flavor to enjoy the soup. The food is holding up their rating. For being a bigger business, the service here wasn't the best and our waiter delayed in several things. We waited for a moment for him to bring our food and drinks... Luckily our food was warm when it got to our table but would've enjoyed to have the missing items we ordered and more drinks. When the check came, we told our server to please remove the items that we didn't receive, off of our check and he assured us he had taken them off. He then had us pay on the electronic pad and when we asked for the itemized receipt, we still were charged for the food that was never brought to our table... This took a moment to fix which was a little overwhelming since we had been waiting for the waiter for a while for refills on drinks. This place was busy, noisy and a little unorganized. They only had the men's bathroom available because the women's was out of service. read more

See all

The last couple of times we've gone the fish tacos have been warm, not hot. And a little soggy as if the fish taco had been premade and left out waiting to serve. The taste was also not very good. It had a taste as if they were cooked in old oil. read more

I had to ask if this was the correct size and was reassured it was. We ordered 2 full aguachilis for 50$ and this was the size. They are good but not worth the size hence giving it a 3 star. Still can't believe this was a full and not a half. read more

Memorable dinner it this great spot in Bonita. First of all - both the regular michelada and tamarindo michelada were so fantastic. The sampler platter and the oysters were a perfect beginning, followed by the exceptional tostadas (stingray machaca and the ahi tuna which was the best bite of the whole night)! We didn't love the fish tacos as much as the tostadas, but really everything was great. read more

See all

I usually leave a tip and then end up regretting it, they never bag up hot sauce or utensils to go or ask if needed. I have to ask and flag someone down to pick up my to go order. Also it's hard to get anyone's attention here. The bartender, waiter, waitress, buser all seem to either ignore, indifferent, and don't act on urgency. It's usually not welcoming and a bit awkward since they ignore. I've even been asked if I needed something and they never returned, similar to another reviewer. Bartender/buser even made eye contact but ignored me. The food is good but the portions are small and sometimes I wonder if it's even worth it. 5/5 for chef 1/5 for service. read more

Went for dinner last night Bad experience. . My Son is autistic and we brought him to eat his "safe food" was told by server " no outside food ' My son is 4yrs old . Felt not treated right !! read more

Hubby and I just had a delicious dinner here and let me tell you the rock shrimp is to die for. Which was so delicious and I got fish tacos. Do you wanna be what I like about their menu is that it's super simple and not overbearing. Everything on there is so good. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - Rock Shrimp!!! MUST GET!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

San Diego ― it's basically just tacos, sunshine, and happiness. When in San Diego, you gotta order all things baja. I asked my friend if she had any recommendations for baja tacos and she suggested this place. We got a dozen baja oysters (Thrillist ranked this place as one of the best oyster bars in San Diego), a fried fish taco (which they won an award for in Bon Apetitit magazine in their Taco Nation edition), a shrimp taco, and a mahi mahi taco along with a glass of horchata. I can see why they're so loved by locals. It's laidback and unpretentious, and they easily accommodated our walk-in party for seventeen kindly. Great service and great eats! read more

See all

If you're ever in Bonita and your stomach starts whispering "mariscos..." like a dramatic telenovela villain, there's only one move: head to this spot. You know the one. The one with parking so plentiful it feels like a Costco lot but without the aggressive cart traffic. This place is the definition of consistent. Rain or shine, weekday or weekend, hungover or totally composed, the food always hits. The service? Friendly, fast, and they don't look at you weird if you order three fish tacos and a plate of tuna fries just for yourself. (Don't judge me. You would too if you knew what's up.) Speaking of the tuna fries what sorcery is this? They're crunchy, creamy, fresh, spicy... basically the culinary equivalent of a mic drop. And then there are the fish tacos. Bonita-famous. Possibly universe-famous. They're the kind of tacos that make you consider writing poetry, or at least posting a dramatic close-up on your Instagram story with a fish emoji and the caption "Mood." Prices? Decent. You won't leave broke, but you will leave full and a little smug because you know you just ate like a champion without having to valet your car or sell your left kidney. Bottom line: If you haven't been, go. If you have been, go again. And if you're sitting there thinking, "I don't even like seafood," just try the fish tacos. They'll convert you. read more

See all

We got the shrimp ceviche tostada and tasted very fresh. As well as the scallop cocktail which I very much enjoyed. I didn't like the house special tostada but my partner did. I liked the music they played and the restaurant itself is very nice. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - House special tostada - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

Tj Oyster Bar is a great representation of amazing Mexican food in San Diego. Seafood is fresh, tacos are extremely tasty and service is amazingly quick! Our food came out within minutes after ordering. I was truly impressed. I wanted to try this location because it has more seating and menu options compared to the location down the street. Super clean and spacious. It is a sit down restaurant. Plenty of parking available too. I will definitely order the smoked tuna taco again. read more

Tj Oyster Bar - shrimp Appetizer - Seafood Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

The seafood is fresh and really good here. Great service and atmosphere too. They serve good portions and the prices are reasonable. read more

See all

TJ Oyster Bar is a must visit! It's unassuming and located in a shopping plaza, but that makes parking super easy. The seafood tacos and ceviche is a must have! I recommend ordering multiple dishes to share, tapas style for the best experience. Friends who fly in always request a visit to TJ Oyster Bar, and I'm happy to oblige! read more

I really like this location more than the one on East Palomar Street location. There's always people here sitting down eating. Great service. I never do take out here because doing a sit down kind of thing, makes the experience better. Food is amazing. My favorite go-to item is the agua chile & chipotle shilrimp fries. read more

It's ok. The fish taco was hot but not super good. Next. tj oyster bar tj oyster bad th

I went on a Monday around 7 and it was like a 10 minute wait to get a table. It is a sit down restaurant as opposed to ordering at a window The food came out super quickly though Fish Ceviche - fresh, flavorful and yummy. Some of the best ceviche I have found in SD Ta queso Shrimp Taco - nice blend of cheese , peppers and shrimp Ahi Tuna taco . - i thought it would be raw or seared ahi tuna but it was fully cooked, it was just okay. The other two items were really good though I highly recommend and I will be back read more

See all

My bf has been telling me about these amazing smoked tuna fries since I've met him and I'm glad we finally were in the area so I could try them out! It was a busy Saturday and we got our names on the list for a table, one opened up much quicker than anticipated! For food we of course got the smoked tuna fries (I got a half order since he was going to finish an order on his own hahah) and then we got the ahi tuna plate that comes with amazing fried onions and tostadas to enjoy it with. Overall I'm so glad I finally got to try it out and look forward to our next trip back! read more

See all

Great service. Jose was awesome. Food came out fast and had some great flavor. Chilled on the patio, a little warm outside but they have AC inside. read more

See all