While vacationing in San Diego, my husband and I decided to visit Ironside Fish and Oyster for lunch on a Sunday.
I had heard awesome things about this place – especially the lobster roll – so we decided to check it out. You park at metered spots on the street, so remember to be mindful of your time while you’re at the restaurant to avoid getting a ticket.
The food was delicious, the service was great and I absolutely loved the decor of the place. It’s a very metal and iron decorations with a full bar that requires bartenders to use those library type ladders to grab the alcohol bottles. It was pretty awesome to see!
Food:
As an appetizer, we ordered the Octopus a la Plancha with chorizo, olives and sherry. The octopus was surprisingly tender and marinated nicely. It tasted amazing with the chorizo and olives!

Photo of Octopus a la Plancha with chorizo, olives and sherry
We ordered the lobster roll with brown butter mayo, crispy shallots and chives as the entree. The toast was buttery and crispy. The lobster meat was big, which is always a plus. My husband and I split it because the dish is pretty heavy, especially if you eat the fries as well! I would come back for this again!

Photo of Ironside Fish and Oyster’s Lobster Roll
As a side, we got the chowder fries. THIS WAS EPIC! I recommend everyone to ditch the regular fries and upgrade your meal to chowder fries with bacon on top. The chowder was creamy, rich and chunky with pieces of soft potatoes. I almost wanted to order a bowl of chowder after eating this because it was that spectacular!
Price:
The meal for two of us was $60 with tip and taxes, which is a bit on the pricier side for the portions we received. However, it was quality seafood so I believe it was a great value.
Service:
Excellent service here. Our server was nice and honest about the items he liked on the menu. He also knew the menu well, which made it easier for us to choose what we wanted.
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