Fish 101 “schools” local, sustainable, seasonal seafood and produce in Leucadia, California

Fish 101 is a casual seafood restaurant located on Coast Highway 101. Although their name is reminiscent of a college elective, what you’ll learn is that they are very serious about seafood and produce (sustainable, local, seasonal) and the environment (land and ocean). They recycle as much as they can at the restaurant from beverage containers to their cooking oil (recycled and reused as biofuel) and the take out containers are compostable. It is favorite spot among locals and is recommended by The Kate Stanton Inn for a nice casual seafood dining experience.

Albacore Tuna Poke ($9.95) is made with sashimi grade tuna, sweet onion, shoyu, wakame, and served with wonton chips. It’s pretty good, but would be better with more shoyu and a touch of sesame seed oil. Also, cutting the fish into similar size chunks would help get the flavor into the fish evenly. Wakame is good, but ogo would be better as it lends more of a briny flavor. The presentation is very nice with the look of a tartare. Rating: 4/5

Fish N’ Chips ($10.95 for 2 pieces, $13.95 for 3 pieces) is beer-batter fish fried in rice bran oil and served with fries and house made tartar sauce. The outside is crispy and crunchy. The fish is tender and succulent on the inside. Their house made tartar sauce is fantastic! If you like it on your fish, go for it. But it is also great as a dip for your fries! Rating: 4.5/5

Grilled Fish Plate ($13.95) is your choice of Today’s Catch simply grilled and served with your choice of two sides. In this case, salmon, fries and cole slaw were chosen. The salmon is perfectly grilled with tender, succulent meat and smoky, chargrill flavor on the outside. The cole slaw is nicely dressed with just enough dressing and presents with a slightly sweet flavor. Rating: 4.5/5

If you’re looking to a healthy seafood meal and want to help the environment while you eat, Fish 101 is a great place to stop for a casual straightforward meal. Just be prepared to wait if dining during peak hours as they are quite popular!

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5 stars

Décor: 4 out of 5 stars

Service: 5 out of 5 stars

Food: 4 out of 5 stars

For more information:
Fish 101

1468 N. Coast Hwy. 101

Leucadia (Encinitas), CA 92024

+1.760.943.6221

Hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Closed on Monday