My Seafood Fix! Lure Fish House is located in the heart of picturesque downtown Ventura California only a few hundred yards from the Pacific Ocean. What better location for a seafood restaurant than in a coastal town a stone’s throw from the water. Ok maybe a little further than a stone’s throw but it’s still close!
Lure Fish House also has locations in Camarillo, Westlake Village and Santa Barbara but this location already seems to be my favorite even without seeing the others. This spot is just awesome. Lure has a wide selection of locally sourced fresh fish and their availability varies so checking the Fresh Fish board as you walk in helps keep the customer updated on what’s available that day.
The interior was very impressive. All of the maritime and fishing memorabilia throughout the restaurant was very classy and not gaudy as in some other seafood restaurants I’ve visited. This place is classy.
For starters I chose a cup of Clam Chowder and the Lure Crab Cakes served atop a cilantro corn salad. The Clam Chowder was pretty average but the crab cakes were superb! Big chunks of crab meat packed into the crispy cake exterior and drizzled with remoulade sauce. Wow. Delicious. I considered ordering another appetizer order of the Lure Crab Cakes and just have that as my main course. They were THAT good. Lol.
Tons of options to choose from…. Tough decision.
I decided on the Wild Pacific White Sea Bass which is native to this area. I like to have local caught varieties of fish from the area that I’m visiting. Today I’m in Ventura California so I chose a locally sourced fish.
The presentation was spot on! I’m a firm believer of having a good presentation adds to the overall dining experience. If the food looks as good as it tastes then its a major win. In this case, the food was even better than it looked! The Wild Pacific White Sea Bass was perfectly seared and cooked nicely throughout without it being dried out. The meaty, mild flavored fish was delightful all on it’s own without the addition of Tartar Sauce or Lemon Juice. I usually try whatever dish I order without any additional seasoning in order to see if the dish can stand alone on its own. In this case the White Sea Bass was perfect!
Ample dining room area regardless if you have a party of 2 or 12.
If you’re a fan of Oysters I’d recommend stopping in to visit their Oyster Bar.
A large variety of Oysters are available from Baja CA, British Columbia, Washington State and even some from the East Coast. I haven’t seen too many restaurants that make that extra effort in order to source different types of oysters from various regions of the country. This was very nice to see.
If you find yourself in the Ventura area, stop in and grab a bite to eat. You won’t be disappointed.
Location: Lure Fish House
VanUnity 