The 6 Trendiest Seafood Restaurants in Tucson Right Now

Seafood is one of those things that, if not done right, isn’t worth the price at all. And as you most likely already know, seafood can be pricey. But have no fear - we’ve got you covered for all of your seafood needs in Tucson. Check out these seafood restaurants for fresh fish, good prices, and cozy atmospheres. These spots are frequented by locals and travelers alike, and their parties come in all shapes and sizes. Hopefully, one of these restaurants will be your first choice the next time you go out for seafood.

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1. Mariscos Chihuahua

“The best seafood in the desert.”

51009 N Grande Ave | Barrio Hollywood | mariscoschihuahua.com 

Before there was a Mariscos Chihuahua, there was only Mariscos. In 1971, a small stand opened in Nogales, Mexico selling Mariscos (Seafood). Today, they are a popular seafood restaurant with raving reviews, a menu with bold flavors and fresh, high quality ingredients, and a great atmosphere complete with a patio lit with twinkly lights. 

“The best seafood in the desert” is a bold statement. But we can attest, as can many Yelp reviews, that they aren’t overshooting in the slightest. 

Their most popular menu items include Camarones Culichi, Marlin Tacos, Camarones Rellenos, and Filete Culichi. But their guacamole and chips is seriously one of the most talked about appetizers we’ve ever reviewed, and their ceviche isn’t far off.

In case you need more convincing still, their margaritas are made fresh. Run, don’t walk, to Mariscos Chihuahua for some delicious seafood with Mexican-inspired flavors, tasty guacamole and chips you will be snacking on all night, and freshly squeezed margaritas! Cheers!

You can purchase a GiftYa for Mariscos Chihuahua here!

“This is probably the best Mexican restaurant I've ever been to! Ceviche was so good!!! Very fresh not fishy tasting at all! & it was only $5!! EVERY TIME we come to Az I'm coming back!!” - Yelp Review 

2. Kingfisher Bar & Grill

Award-winning American cuisine.

2564 E Grant Rd | Blenman-Elm | kingfishertucson.com 

This upscale seafood restaurant offers your favorite American seafood dishes like Oysters, New England Clam Chowder, Steamed Black Mussels, and Lobster Rolls. If you want a taste of everything, you should consider the Oyster Bar Tasting which includes three oysters, two grilled shrimp, smoked ruby trout, shrimp/scallop ceviche, and fish dip.

Kingfisher also offers the best of Mexican and Asian seafood through the Grilled Seabass Tostada, fried corn tortillas, charro beans, Texmati rice, cabbage slaw, avocado, fresh salsa, and red chile aioli, and the Ahi Poke Stack, avocado, cucumber, wasabi, sambal oelek aioli, wakame, and taro root chips. 

One of their own creations, the Macadamia Nut Crusted Hawaiian Fish, is one dish to try if you want to step out of your comfort zone with new flavors and fresh tastes! It comes with a lemongrass butter sauce, Texmati rice, sautéed spinach, and fried sweet potatoes.

Don’t skip out on dessert, because they have Pear Frangipane Tart with cookie crust, whipped cream, and caramel sauce, and Flourless Mexican Hot Chocolate Torte with chocolate coffee sauce and whipped cream. Yum!

This is a great place to go for an anniversary or a fancy date night.

You can purchase a GiftYa for Kingfisher Bar & Grill here!

“Tonight was our first time to enjoy this way above average fresh seafood. We shared the oyster bar sampler, little neck clams and mussels for appetizer. Of course we saved room for dessert. Needless to say we are already planning our next visit.” - Yelp Review

3. El Berraco

Latin inspired seafood and spirits.

2960 N 1st Ave | Hedrick Acres | el-berraco.com 

El Berraco offers fresh seafood inspired by Latin cuisine. Here you’ll find tangy flavors that make their ceviche unique and bold spices that make their tostadas pop. Locals love coming here for Latin inspired seafood dishes and drinks.

Their head chef recommends the Surf N ‘Turf, a la Josper Rib Eye and chuqui shrimp with chimichurri potatoes, and the Berraquera Caliente, hot tacos served all together to share featuring tacos clásicos, el chicharrón, la quesadilla, and calamari serrano. ​​The Shrimp Al Grill, shelled shrimp seasoned with chili butter and chuqui salsa cooked a la Josper, is another of his favorites.

Other popular menu items include the Que Pineapple Machín, half of a pineapple filled with seafood, pineapple, peanuts, rielitos, and their special salseado, La Catedral, octopus, scallops, tuna, shrimp, pineapple, mango, and avocado topped with delicious fried octopus tentacles, all covered in their amazing tropical salsas, and Fundido Marisquero, mezcla de quesos, feta, parmesano, and mozzarella topped with mariscos al Josper.

If you are looking for a seafood restaurant with delicious flavors and a great atmosphere, try El Berraco.

You can purchase a GiftYa for El Berraco here!

“We went with the La Catedral seafood tower. O. M. G. This was beautiful, well presented and the FLAVOR! It came with a basket of saltines and crunchy plain tostada which were great compliments. We will definitely be back every time we're in Tucson.” - Yelp Review 

4. Mariscos Culichi

The flavors of the Caribbean.

7230 E 22nd Street | Dietz | mariscosculichi22.com 

Although they aren’t located on the coast, Mariscos prides themselves on serving the freshest seafood nonetheless. 

At this seafood restaurant, they believe that good food is worth waiting for. All of their dishes are made in-house with ingredients from some of the most reliable vendors in Tucson, AZ. Once your order is placed, you should expect their chefs and prep team to take the time they need to craft your meal with a focus on unique flavors and special touches. It will be well worth it.

They are known for their world-class ceviche. It’s available with either shrimp or fish, and this raw dish features citrus flavors, onion, coriander, and chili pepper to give it a kick. If you are craving something fresh and flavorful, this is for you. And since it’s served cold, it’s even better on a hot day.

Mariscos Culichi also serves all of your cooked seafood favorites, including shrimp, crab, lobster, and many different kinds of fish. They serve your seafood the way you want it, whether that’s blackened, fried, or another cooking method of your choice. If you don’t like raw fish, a seafood favorite such as the Filete Brasa is a great choice for you.

“Tried this since it has great reviews, and it did not disappoint. Food was EXCELLENT and service was too. Small place but do not pass it up. Ceviche was delish and everything we had was authentic and very very good!” - Yelp Review 

5. Angry Crab Shack 

Small chain known for Arizona's original seafood boil with Asian-Cajun flavors.

1365 W Grant Rd | Tucson | angrycrabshack.com 

This small chain is home to The Seafood Boil Experience, Arizona’s original seafood boil with Asian-Cajun flavors. You pick your seafood, a signature sauce, and a side, you can spice up your boil if you’d like, and there you have it!

In addition to their seafood boil, their dinner menu offers appetizers, sandwiches, soups and salads, and their popular basket meals, all at very affordable prices. That’s because those at Angry Crab Shack believe everyone deserves to have fine-tasting seafood. Here’s to that!

As you may have guessed, making a mess is encouraged here - as long as you enjoy your food! This makes it a great family-friendly seafood restaurant, that and their kids menu. They have Chicken Tenders, Fried Shrimp, Mac N’Cheese, Kid’s Cheeseburger, and Mini Corn Dogs which are each paired with fountain drink and a choice of seasoned fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries, carrot sticks, and apple slices.

They also have a great selection of handcrafted cocktails, including the Cajun Bloody Mary, house infused spicy vodka and organic bloody mary mix, topped off with a float of stout and garnished with jalapeño, lemon, lime, marinated asparagus, olives, and a crab leg, which pairs well with seafood. They also have a Bacardi Bucket O’Rum if you’re really looking for a good time. It’s made up of four Bacardi Rum favorites, Coconut, Banana, Mango, and Dragonberry, with pina and melon agua fresca.

“Came in as a party of 13 including 2 toddlers and 2 babies and we were met with the kindest servers that were more than happy to help us in any way we needed. We were all extremely impressed with the quality of food!” - Yelp Review

6. Coctelería La Palma Mariscos Y Mas

Authentic Mexican seafood.

1143 S 6th Ave | Santa Rita Park | coctelerialapalmamariscosymas.com 

This seafood restaurant is actually a seafood truck. But don’t let that deter you from coming here, it’s still just as established, and delicious, as any seafood restaurant in Tucson. Plus, you don’t get stuck with long wait times which is the case at most fancy seafood restaurants.

Here at Coctelería La Palma Mariscos Y Mas, they offer a wide array of fresh authentic Mexican seafood. They use the freshest ingredients in preparing their food to provide the best quality and taste, all so guests can enjoy the authentic tastes of Mexican seafood.

Their most popular menu items include the Tostada Embarazada, the Tostada de Camarón Cocido, the Taco Quesadilla, the Frito Ceviche, and the Fish Ceviche. 

Their cocktail menu is actually made up of seafood cocktails - surprise! The Campechana cocktail has fish ceviche, octopus, shrimp, and sea snail. It is delicious!

They also have larger plates like Camarones A La Diabla, spicy shrimp, and dishes with breaded seafood like the Camarones Emapnizados, breaded shrimp, and Filete Empanizado, breaded fillet. If you have a hankering for the dish pictured above, that’s the Camarones Sinaloenses. This shrimp in a cheesy, creamy chile sauce comes with crispy fries and rice. It tastes even better than it looks, if that’s even possible.

We almost forget - they also make homemade lemonade and horchata which aren’t exactly easy to come by. These drinks are the perfect thing to wash down the strong flavors of your Mexican inspired seafood dishes.

This is a great seafood spot to go to if you want authentic Mexican seafood dishes like those we mentioned and strong flavors in your dishes. This spot has been around for 25 years, and it’s not going away any time soon.

“THIS PLACE HAS THE BEST FRICKING SEAFOOD TACOS OF ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIME!!!!! So fresh, so flavorful, and so reasonably priced. Their food is absolutely worth every penny and then some. I need to try everything on their menu. Just go.” - Yelp Review

In Tucson, you can find seafood restaurants that offer Mexican and Latin inspired seafood plates, family-friendly seafood buckets, and upscale American seafood towers. That’s a wide range, but that’s why we love Tucson’s food scene! These are the restaurants that are trending now, but surely there will be more to come in the future. El Berraco, for example, had the goal of being “a trademark of seafood inspired by Latin cuisine by 2021,” and here they are on our list of the trendiest seafood restaurants in Tucson right now!

We’re so excited to see what’s to come in the food scene in Tucson, but for now, let us know in the comments which of these trending seafood restaurants in Tucson you try first! And if you like one enough, purchase a GiftYa to the restaurant for one of your friends so they can experience it too!