10 Best Redondo Beach Pier Restaurants You Have to Try
The best pier restaurants in Redondo Beach range from old-school seafood institutions and live shellfish markets to oceanfront Mexican food, casual burgers, pizza and restaurants where the view is almost as important as what’s on the plate. That’s part of the fun of eating at the Redondo Beach Pier: you don’t have to choose between a waterfront experience and plenty of dining options.
For guests staying at Best Western Plus South Bay Hotel, a trip to the pier is an easy way to combine dinner with an afternoon or evening exploring the South Bay coastline. One important distinction, though: plenty of restaurant guides include places that are near the pier or elsewhere around King Harbor. For this guide, we’ve focused specifically on restaurants located on the Redondo Beach Pier and International Boardwalk itself.
1. Tony’s on the Pier
If you want a restaurant that feels inseparable from the history of Redondo Beach Pier, start with Tony’s.
Tony’s on the Pier has been serving seafood and steaks here for more than 60 years. The restaurant sits directly over the water and has the kind of old-school coastal atmosphere that’s becoming harder to find around Southern California.
The menu leans heavily toward seafood, with fresh fish and other seafood specialties alongside pasta and steak selections. But food is only part of the reason people come here.
Head upstairs to the Crow’s Nest, where the circular lounge provides panoramic views stretching across the ocean and coastline. On a clear day, the view can extend from Palos Verdes toward Malibu and Catalina Island. It’s an especially memorable place to grab a drink around sunset.
Tony’s isn’t trying to be the newest or trendiest restaurant in the South Bay. That’s exactly its appeal. Come here for seafood, a cocktail, a big ocean view and a taste of classic Redondo Beach.
- Best for: First-time visitors, seafood, sunset drinks and classic pier atmosphere
- Address: 210 Fisherman’s Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 374-1442
- Website: oldtonys.com
2. Quality Seafood
Quality Seafood delivers a completely different experience. This isn’t a polished sit-down seafood restaurant where you order from a conventional dinner menu. It’s part seafood market, part restaurant and very much part of the Redondo Beach waterfront experience.
The family-owned business has an enormous selection of fresh and live seafood. Depending on what’s available, you’ll find fish, oysters, clams, crab, lobster and other shellfish displayed at the market. Select what you want and have it prepared for you, then find a spot outside and eat it by the water.
Oysters on the half shell are a major draw, but one of the best reasons to visit is simply the variety. If your idea of a great seafood meal involves choosing something fresh from a market rather than ordering an elaborate plated entrée, Quality Seafood should be high on your list.
The casual outdoor setting also makes this a particularly good lunch stop when you’re spending the day walking around the pier.
- Best for: Fresh seafood, oysters, shellfish and a casual market experience
- Address: 130 S. International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 372-6408
- Website: qualityseafood.com
3. Kincaid’s Fish, Chop & Steakhouse
Kincaid’s is the choice when you want the Redondo Beach Pier setting but prefer a more traditional full-service restaurant.
Located at the end of the pier at 500 Fisherman’s Wharf, Kincaid’s specializes in seafood and steaks with expansive views of the water. The atmosphere is more polished than the pier’s casual seafood counters and markets, making it a strong option for date nights, celebrations or a leisurely dinner.
Seafood naturally plays a major role on the menu, with dishes such as New England clam chowder and fish preparations alongside steaks, burgers, salads and other options. There’s also a full bar and weekday happy hour.
The location is a big part of the experience. Large windows put the Pacific front and center, so it’s worth timing dinner to enjoy the changing light over the water.
- Best for: Date nights, seafood, steaks, celebrations and ocean views
- Address: 500 Fisherman’s Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 318-6080
- Website: kincaids.com
4. Pacific Fish Center & Restaurant
Pacific Fish Center is another place where the experience revolves around seafood in its most recognizable form. Live crab, lobster and shrimp are cooked to order, while the menu also incorporates Korean seafood specialties.
That combination makes it a particularly interesting stop for visitors who want something different from a conventional American seafood restaurant. The selection can include sashimi, oysters, clams, halibut and other seafood in addition to the live shellfish.
This is the kind of restaurant to visit when you’re less interested in elaborate presentation and more interested in sitting near the water with a table full of seafood.
- Best for: Live crab and lobster, Korean seafood and groups
- Address: 131 Fisherman’s Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 374-8420
5. Redondo Beach Crab House
If steamed shellfish is the entire reason you came to the pier, Redondo Beach Crab House makes the decision pretty easy.
This combination seafood market and restaurant specializes in live crab and lobster steamed to order. The menu also includes other seafood dishes and Korean seafood specialties, reflecting the international influences that make eating around the Redondo Beach Pier more interesting than a typical collection of waterfront restaurants.
Unlike some of the pier’s outdoor seafood counters, the Crab House offers indoor dining with ocean views, which can make it a particularly useful choice when you want the seafood-market experience without eating outside.
- Best for: Steamed crab, lobster, shellfish and Korean seafood
- Address: 100 Fisherman’s Wharf, Suite F, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 376-2244
6. El Torito
Seafood may dominate the Redondo Beach Pier, but it certainly isn’t your only option.
El Torito’s pier location serves familiar Mexican favorites in a full-service dining room overlooking the ocean. The restaurant also has a tequila bar, outdoor patio seating, happy hour and Sunday brunch.
It’s a useful choice for families and groups where not everyone wants a seafood dinner. The combination of a broad Mexican menu and oceanfront setting also makes El Torito one of the easier crowd-pleasers on the pier.
For visitors who have spent the afternoon walking along the waterfront and want to settle in for tacos, fajitas, margaritas and a view, this is an easy option.
- Best for: Mexican food, margaritas, families, groups and Sunday brunch
- Address: 100 Fisherman’s Wharf, Suite G, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 376-0547
- Website: eltorito.com
7. The Shrimp Lover
The Shrimp Lover brings Thai and Cajun influences to the pier’s seafood-heavy dining scene.
As the name suggests, shrimp is a specialty, including the restaurant’s signature spicy shrimp. But the menu extends to a wider assortment of seafood, making this a fun option when you’re craving bold seasoning rather than simply grilled or fried fish.
The pier and ocean views add to the experience, but it’s the combination of Cajun-style seafood and Thai flavors that helps The Shrimp Lover stand apart from the more traditional seafood restaurants nearby.
- Best for: Spicy shrimp, Cajun seafood and Thai flavors
- Address: 125 W. Torrance Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 374-6555
8. The Slip Bar & Eatery
Not every meal at the pier needs to revolve around a platter of seafood. The Slip Bar & Eatery offers a casual alternative right in the center of the International Boardwalk.
The menu covers classic bar food including burgers, pizza, sandwiches and salads, with vegetarian options available as well. Cocktails and craft beer make it an easy place to stop when you’re more interested in grabbing a drink and something casual than sitting down for a formal meal.
Its location on the boardwalk keeps the waterfront atmosphere intact, so you’re not sacrificing the pier experience just because you’re taking a break from seafood.
- Best for: Burgers, pizza, craft beer and casual drinks
- Address: 120 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 376-8910
9. Waterfront Pizzeria
Traveling with kids, looking for an inexpensive bite or simply craving pizza instead of seafood? Waterfront Pizzeria keeps things straightforward.
The restaurant serves hand-tossed pizza using fresh ingredients, available by the slice or as a whole pie. Indoor seating is available, but grabbing a slice while exploring the pier is part of the appeal.
This isn’t where we’d send someone looking for a special-occasion waterfront dinner. It is where we’d send someone who wants an easy, casual meal without leaving the pier.
- Best for: Pizza by the slice, families and a quick casual meal
- Address: 203 Fisherman’s Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 374-7499
10. Charlie’s Place
Charlie’s Place has been serving visitors on the pier since 1972 and represents the wonderfully unfussy side of eating by the beach.
The menu includes hamburgers, fries and fish tacos alongside classic boardwalk treats such as funnel cakes and ice cream. Draft beer is available, and the restaurant offers takeout service and outdoor patio seating.
Charlie’s makes the most sense when you don’t want dinner to interrupt your day at the pier. Grab something casual, sit outside and get back to exploring.
- Best for: Burgers, fish tacos, families and casual pier food
- Address: 200 Fisherman’s Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
- Phone: (310) 372-2567
Which Redondo Beach Pier Restaurant Should You Choose?
If it’s your first visit and you want the classic Redondo Beach experience, Tony’s on the Pier is hard to beat. The restaurant’s history, over-the-water location and Crow’s Nest views make it as much a part of the pier experience as dinner itself.
For the freshest possible seafood-market experience, head to Quality Seafood. Choose Kincaid’s when you want a more polished sit-down dinner, while Pacific Fish Center and Redondo Beach Crab House are especially appealing when live crab, lobster and other shellfish are the priority.
If your group wants something other than seafood, El Torito provides a full-service Mexican option, while The Slip, Waterfront Pizzeria and Charlie’s Place cover the casual end of the spectrum.
Make an Afternoon of the Redondo Beach Pier
One of the best things about eating here is that the restaurant doesn’t have to be the entire destination. Come early enough to explore the pier, watch the boats around the harbor, browse the shops, walk along the waterfront or spend some time on the beach before dinner.
You can also approach the pier less formally and build your own progressive meal. Grab oysters or seafood from one spot, stop somewhere else for a drink, then finish with ice cream, gelato, a churro or another boardwalk treat.
The official pier directory currently lists more than 30 places to eat and drink across the Pier and International Boardwalk, so these ten aren’t your only choices. They’re a starting point for deciding what kind of waterfront meal you want.
Exploring Redondo Beach From Best Western Plus South Bay
For guests staying at Best Western Plus South Bay Hotel, Redondo Beach Pier is one of several South Bay coastal destinations worth working into your Los Angeles itinerary. You can spend part of the day around Redondo Beach, explore neighboring Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach, and return to the hotel after an afternoon or evening by the ocean.
Best Western Plus South Bay Hotel
15000 Hawthorne Blvd
Lawndale, CA 90260
Phone: (310) 973-0998
bwsouthbay.com
Restaurant menus, hours and availability can change, so check directly with the restaurant or the official Redondo Beach Pier directory before your visit.