By Janene Forman
So happy to be writing this review of the Oceanside Broiler located in the marina in the Oceanside harbor area. I went for dinner with a friend a week or so ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. What used to be the Cannery on the north side of the Marina, this has been changed into a similar fare (fish of course!) but the food is fresh and delicious. The prices have a range from 8 for appetizers to 32 for the filet. The fish dishes are in the 20’s.
If you are coming for dinner, you must arrive before sundown, as the sunsets from this location are beautiful
. We got a booth next to the window (a must if you are coming at this time) and enjoyed the shrimp cocktail appetizer (very large shrimp!), a Caesar salad, and then our entrees. I had the fish and chips. Now, I rarely order this, as most of the time, the fish is greasy and there is too much breading for my taste. I ordered it anyway, since I figured it was a good gauge for reviewing a restaurant. I absolutely loved it.
The fish was breaded as expected but wasn’t the least bit greasy. There was a large portion, but not too much and the fish was flaky and delicious.
My kind of fish and chips. The French fries were hot and flavorful, the coleslaw was great too. My friend had the shrimp pasta dish and enjoyed her dish. They give you a generous portion of shrimp and the cream sauce was wonderful. The sourdough bread…. always a favorite at fish places, was hot and fresh. The kind of bread you can’t get enough of and that is perfect for sopping up the cream sauce in your pasta dish. They also have their own beer, which is delicious.
I also want to give them kudos for their service. I go to a lot of restaurants, and this frankly sets the great places apart from the good places.
You can have great food and atmosphere, but if the service isn’t great, you might not go back. Often, it is about the experience as much as it is about the food. We had outstanding service at this restaurant. The friend I went with, is a tough customer when it comes to service, she likes to take her time dining, and always wants the appetizer, salad and then the entrée served. She is very clear about this when ordering, so there is no mistake that this is how she wants it. Our server did an outstanding job fulfilling her request. Again, she asks for this every time we go out…and most of the time it doesn’t work out the way she asks, so I wanted to make a point of it. 11 out of 10 for service.
Other offerings include a happy hour in the bar and lanai (which also has nice views, GREAT prices and it happens every day, check the website for times) and a Sunday brunch.
The lunch menu has an array of tacos, salads and sandwiches along with the other daily fish offerings. Sushi too! I’m trying that next time.
Janene Forman
Oceanside Broiler Restaurant
1325 Harbor Drive North
Oceanside, CA 92054
760.722.3474
www.oceanside-broiler.com
