Seafood in the Desert? Go Fish!

We live in a glorious era of diversification and deliciousness. Foodies can feast on fresh produce, robust proteins and sinful desserts, all in the same meal.

This appetite for variety fuels the Palm Springs cuisine scene. We enjoy locally sourced ingredients, but we are never limited by geography or climate. Some of the best seafood in California is available right here in the sun-soaked majesty of the desert, so grab a net and catch the wave to the Palm Springs seafood scene!

So-Good Shushi

The appropriately named Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey embodies Palm Springs’ zest for the best. The finest seafood selects festoon your plate, dappled with unexpected flourishes like coconut flakes and black truffles. But food is just half of the delectable equation at Sandfish. They pair every morsel with whiskey wonderment, boasting dozens of distilled options. Your palate will be swimming with delight!

For more casual, Happy Sushi Palm Springs is your choice and has a large menu to choose. Not only do they have a variety of shushi rolls, but specialties like Yellowtail Chili Ponzu, Albacore Crispy Onion, and Salmon Truffle Sashimi. So-good Palm Springs seafood.

For Japanese cuisine, Taka Shin offers an extensive sushi bar including tradition sushi (2 pcs), shashimi (3 pcs), special rolls, rolls cut (6 pcs), rolls cut rice outside (8 pcs), and a chef’s special choice course of Omakase.

Fresh Fish Joints

Keep the good times flowing at nearby Boozehounds, where you can doggy-paddle through the welcoming waters of crudo done right. Choose from Tasmanian Trout, Japanese Yellowtail or Bluefin Tuna, and don’t forget to pack your passport for adventure! Once you’re battened down for the main course, savor Boozehounds’ miso Chilean Fish & Chips. It’s doggone great!

Set sail for Fisherman’s Market & Grill, where you can peruse your proteins and collab on how you want them prepared. Selections include Ahi Steak, Swordfish, White Seabass, Charbroiled Albacore, and Stuffed Salmon, just to name a few. Their Fish ‘N Chips is beer battered and made to order.

Copley’s represents the pinnacle of globetrotting gastronomy. Their menu sprawls the planet, from Hawaiian ahi tacos to Scottish salmon to Maine lobster. The preparation of Copley’s seafood dishes is as ambitious as their lineage. For example, lime ceviche emulsion mingles with a parade of pineapple, crab, raisins and shrimp to transport your dining experience to uncharted, unparalleled, unforgettable heights.  If there’s a type of fish you crave and don’t see on the menu, just ask and they will order it for your next visit.

Palm Springs Seafood & Shellfish

Heat up your taste buds at Snow & Crab, a Cajun eatery renowned for crawfish, clams and the eponymous crab that lends its esteem to the menu. They’ve got Dungeness, King and Snow varieties, so get a leg up on your crab leg game! Or if catfish is more your persuasion, sink your whiskers into their fried, buttery mélange of offerings.

Teamwork makes the bream work! Next, work your way upstream where you’ll discover Shanghai Red’s Oyster Bar. Whether you’re feeling like a Rockefeller or in the mood for a basic bisque, this hearty hideaway will wash away your hunger in a flood of freshness!  Try the Cioppino, an Italian stew with clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, crab and whit fish in a delicious spicy tomato broth.

Mussel your way over to Ruben & Ozzy’s for a truly tasteful voyage to YumTown (aka Palm Springs).  If you’re not sure where to start, order the seafood sampler. Three of each of Coconut Shrimp, Oysters Rockefeller, Clams Casino, & Stuffed Mushrooms. Then spice up your life with crab enchiladas that put the fun in fusion. But R&O is particularly famous for their oysters. They’ll make you so happy, they should be called JOYsters!

We’re not done yet. Pomme Frite has a special Mussels menu, including a Dozen Mussels Au Gratin. Other options include drunken mussels and a number of mussel entrees. Did we mention they also have a wonderful seafood Bouillabaisse with seasonal Fish, Tiger Shrimp, Sea Scallops, Mussels, Clams in a Saffron Broth, with house Croutons and Rouille?

It’s Your Pick

Now that we’re sizzling, fire up a great time at Riccio’s Steak & Seafood. Indulge indubitably with salmon, shrimp or ahi perfectly paired with the just the right beverage. But our personal fave: scallops lounging in a bath of port wine butter sauce. And to keep you smiling, say cheesecake! Riccio’s desserts provide a dashing nightcap to your evening.

You will be bowled over by the bowls of brilliance awaiting at Haus of Poké. Design your dine by combining octopus, salmon, yellowtail or even tofu with a garden of garnishes. Are you a green onion enthusiast or a mango pioneer? Either way: hear, hear! Round out your custom bowl with seaweed or grains – rice to meet you!

Just around the corner is Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar, with their expansive outdoor patio. Ahi mini tacos, blackened shrimp and mahi mahi conspire to consume your consciousness until you are convinced you’re on a Caribbean island simmering squarely in the heart of downtown Palm Springs!

The secret to succulence is a sense of surprise. Even restaurants that aren’t specifically known for their seafood can hook your curiosity and reel you in with their depth of diversity. Zin American Bistro, for example, peppers their specials with oysters on the half shell, pan-seared salmon and roasted cod sauced with a bespoke splash of lemon beurre blanc.

Speaking of exotic (yet accessible) eats, The Tropicale Reataurant & Coral Seas Lounge offers sushi, calamari, prawns and a bevy of other items prepared with care and flair to spare.

Just across the street, Kaiser Grille elevates their already impressive ingredients with a passion for innovation tempered with a warm blanket of tradition. You’ll blow the roof off your hunger by lifting the lid off their Paella Valencia. Saffron imported from Spain waltzes with lobster, clams and chorizo as it all harmonizes in a wood oven until the results are resplendent. Or, if Pacific is more your pleasure, hula your way to their Hawaiian mahi mahi coated with a textural treatment of macadamia nuts.

The seafood in Palm Springs is a microcosm of our overall aesthetic. We blend the best international elements of taste and hospitality with a signature vibe that is uniquely our own. You can allow your culinary imagination to drift freely while always being moored to a high standard of flavor and satisfaction. Say bon voyage to boredom and all aboard for excellence!

By Kevin Perry