San Pedro Fish Market Makes Seafood Near Me a LA Tradition

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A large tray of butter-coated shrimp with grilled vegetables on a red serving tray

Typing 'seafood near me' into a search bar usually returns a list of chains and neighborhood spots, but in Los Angeles, that query should lead you 20 miles south to San Pedro, where a fourth-generation family business has turned fresh-caught fish into a 67-year tradition. San Pedro Fish Market reopened October 1, 2025, at a new location called The Landing, securing a 49-year lease that keeps it on the waterfront through 2074. The move from the original site was part of the West Harbor redevelopment, and the new address at 706 S Harbor Blvd sits adjacent to the LA Maritime Museum with room for 3,000 guests at a time.

Planning your visit to San Pedro Fish Market or building a full waterfront day in Los Angeles? Karpo maps the fastest route from wherever you are, checks current wait times, and bundles nearby spots into one seamless itinerary.

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Why San Pedro Fish Market Defines Best Seafood LA

San Pedro Fish Market started as a humble stand with standing room only in 1956 and is now run by CEO Michael Ungaro, continuing the family legacy with the same cooking philosophy: let customers choose their seafood from fresh cases, then cook it to order with preferred seasoning. The World Famous Shrimp Tray remains the signature draw, a mountain of peel-and-eat shrimp tossed in a soybean butter and savory seafood seasoning that's been perfected over 67 years. That recipe is now bottled and sold as take-home sauces and spices, but nothing compares to watching the kitchen toss your tray fresh.

The Seafood Feast tray expands the formula with shrimp, calamari, scallops, salmon, mussels, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes, all cooked in the same signature style. Prices start around $30 to $40 for the shrimp tray depending on size, with feast trays designed to serve multiple people. If you'd rather skip the peeling ritual, the seafood counter sells pre-peeled shrimp ready to take home or eat on-site. The restaurant has been named one of America's Top 10 most Instagrammed restaurants three years running, largely because that shrimp tray photographs like a seafood avalanche.

The Landing Location at 706 S Harbor Boulevard

The new San Pedro Fish Market occupies prime real estate on the San Pedro Waterfront in the West Harbor development, a short walk from the LA Maritime Museum and the harbor itself. Hours run Monday through Thursday 10am to 8pm, Friday 10am to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 9pm, and Sunday 9am to 8pm. The restaurant takes reservations, a new option given the scale of the space, though walk-ins remain the norm for most visitors. Street parking is available along Harbor Boulevard and surrounding streets, and Metro bus lines serving San Pedro provide public transit access.

The original San Pedro Fish Market location, which served 1.8 million customers per year before closing, has permanently shut as part of the waterfront redevelopment. Any directions or reviews pointing to the old address are outdated. The Landing is the only San Pedro location now, and it's built to handle the crowds that made the original a Los Angeles institution. The 49-year lease ensures stability, so this won't be a temporary stop while the neighborhood continues to evolve.

San Pedro harbor at sunset with docked boats and the Pacific Ocean stretching toward Catalina Island

How the Choose-Your-Seafood System Works

San Pedro Fish Market doesn't operate like a typical restaurant with a printed menu of set dishes. Instead, you approach the fresh seafood cases, select what looks best that day—whole fish, shrimp by the pound, calamari, scallops, mussels, salmon—and tell the staff how you want it prepared. Cooking methods include grilling, steaming, frying, or the signature toss in soybean butter and spices. Seasoning options range from mild garlic butter to spicy Cajun blends, all developed in-house over decades.

This system means every visit can be different depending on what's fresh and what you're craving. It also means you can tailor portion sizes and spice levels to your group, whether you're feeding two people or ten. The kitchen works fast, and the open layout lets you watch your seafood go from case to flame to tray. For first-timers, the World Famous Shrimp Tray is the safest bet—it's what the restaurant has built its reputation on, and it's generous enough to share or keep to yourself if you're very hungry.

San Pedro Fish Market Long Beach for Weeknight Convenience

If San Pedro feels too far or you're based closer to the coast, San Pedro Fish Market operates a second location at 6550 E Marina Drive in Long Beach, near the marina. Hours there run Monday through Thursday 11am to 9pm, Friday 11am to 10pm, Saturday 10am to 10pm, and Sunday 10am to 9pm, with Happy Hour Monday through Friday starting at 3pm and running until close. The Long Beach spot offers similar pricing and the same World Famous Shrimp Tray, though reviews note that seafood selection and cooking methods differ slightly from the San Pedro flagship.

The Long Beach location stays open later on weeknights, making it a better option if you're finishing work downtown and want seafood without the drive to the harbor. Happy Hour specials bring prices down on select items, and the marina setting offers its own waterfront appeal. Both locations accept walk-ins, so spontaneity is always an option when the craving for best seafood LA strikes.

What to Pair with Your Shrimp Tray Visit

San Pedro's waterfront location makes it easy to turn a seafood meal into a half-day or full-day outing. The LA Maritime Museum sits next door at 600 Sampson Way, offering exhibits on the port's history and ship models that trace Los Angeles's relationship with the Pacific. Admission is free, and it's a natural pairing with lunch or dinner at The Landing. The West Harbor development includes walking paths along the water, public art installations, and views of the working port and Catalina Island on clear days.

If you're driving from central Los Angeles, the trip takes about 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, and the route down the 110 freeway offers views of the port infrastructure as you approach San Pedro. The neighborhood itself has evolved from a working-class fishing community into a mixed-use district with breweries, galleries, and historic architecture, so there's more to explore if you arrive early or want to linger after your meal. Searching for seafood near me in Los Angeles should always surface this address first.

Making San Pedro Fish Market Part of Your LA Routine

San Pedro Fish Market has survived nearly seven decades, a relocation, and shifting tastes by sticking to what it does best: fresh seafood cooked simply and served in portions large enough to make you rethink your appetite. The new Landing location at 706 S Harbor Blvd ensures that tradition continues with more space, better infrastructure, and the same family running the operation. Whether you're a local who remembers the original stand or a visitor typing seafood near me into your phone, this is the spot that defines what Los Angeles seafood culture looks like when it's done right.

The soybean butter recipe, the Instagram-famous shrimp trays, and the choose-your-catch system all contribute to an experience that feels both casual and special. You're not paying for white tablecloths or a sommelier; you're paying for pounds of shrimp cooked exactly how you want them, served on a tray you'll remember long after you've peeled the last shell. San Pedro Fish Market makes the case that the best seafood in Los Angeles isn't hiding in a fancy dining room—it's piled high on a waterfront tray, waiting for you to dig in.

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Planning a waterfront seafood day in Los Angeles means coordinating timing, parking, and what else to see in San Pedro or Long Beach. Karpo checks current opening hours at both San Pedro Fish Market locations, maps the fastest route from your starting point, and bundles nearby stops like the LA Maritime Museum or West Harbor walking paths into one seamless itinerary. Ask Karpo first and skip the guesswork.

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