Gualala Seafood Shack

Stopped here for a bite to eat. Ended up getting calamari along with the special of the day, lingcod fish and chips. The pieces were large and breaded very well. The calamari came with two different sauces, the green one which was just slightly spicy but offered a ton of additional flavor to the calamari. The fries were also delicious. Thinner French fries but they were fried well and were salted perfectly to go with the fried fish. The food also was ready quickly, came out very hot and there was a good selection of condiments to use as well.

I seldom write reviews but this place is incredible!! We literally PLAN our coastal trips around grabbing lunch at the seafood shack. Always fast and super friendly service. Their food is always fresh and their sauce is the best. Love this spot sooo much!

Called in a grilled fish taco on my lunch break was ready when I got there. So tasty.

Super fresh, lovely rock cod and clam chowder. Couldnt ask for more, will def be a stop when we pass through gualala from now on! Oo and their breads are banging!!

Was my grandpa's favorite place to go and eat so it was epic being able to relive the experience and the flavors. Check em out you won't regret it.

I’ve only ever gotten takeout, but they’ve got good outdoor seating. I can vouch for the prawn burritos, tuna melt, and crab melt (which is currently on the specials board). All of them were so delicious. And like everyone else has said: the shoestring fries are amazing. And their spicy seaweed sauce is a must try (it’s actually spicy!). A bonus is that they offer grilled AND fried options for the fish & shrimp. My only complaints: they don’t answer the phone, so you can’t really call in an order & the wait time for the food is 20+ minutes every time we’ve ordered. Also, please stop using the “shack roll” for the tuna/crab melt! It’s a soft bread that only ends up softer & soggy!

Food is great. I had a shrimp Louie. My husband had the fish and chips which were beautifully beer battered . The sitting is not so great. Long tables with wooden benches. Outside sitting is available but very limited. No table service. You get a buzzer that tells when your food is ready and you pick it up. We found parking without any problem.

Fish tacos and fries are so good and so fresh! Skip the soup. Tuna melt was huge and pretty decent. Slider was also good. Ate here 2x in a week! What a cute little gem- absolute must try!

Great spot - had the fish tacos, fish and chips, and tuna melt. Fries were some of the best I’ve had

Perfect Fish and Chips! I walked up here from my hotel (Seacliff Motel - wrote a review of it) and couldn't decide what to ordered and opted for the Fish and Chips because I figured it was a popular dish and looked pretty good coming out of the kitchen. Although this is a totally fried meal (Something I rarely indulge in) I was amazed by the quality of the fish and the lightness of the dish actually. The fish was so tasty and the thin shoestring fries were perfect. The tartar sauce was really good too. It was filling, just the right portion (In fact, I couldn't finish all the fries!) and also served with several lemon wedges which lightened the fried fish a bit. Anyway, service (by beeper) was quick, place had plenty of regular customers (mostly families and local workers) and the girl at the register was friendly. I chose to eat outdoors to avoid smelling like a fried fish myself :) Only drawback is that it is located on the beach side and you cannot see the Pacific - just the parking lot and hardware store. All in all a nice experience for a quick and tasty lunch. Definitely worth a visit!

We went here every single day of our stay and were never disappointed. Our favorite was the rock fish and chips. The fries are particularly delicious. The calamari strips are perfect for a snack. Good selection of beer - we liked the Scrimshaw. Very friendly and fast service. Even our repeat visits have never disappointed us.

Fish was great but actually, standout was the best shoestring fries we had in our whole lives. Max crispy to the point they had a caramelized flavor. Fish was moist. Fish burrito was great too although it did have a lot of rice.

I can't give this place enough stars. I would eat here every day if I lived near by. First of all, the owner is delightful. I told her how much I enjoyed her food and she said that they make everything including the exceptional sauce that I put on my burrito. I had the local fried Rock Cod Burrito and it was amazing. The prices are reasonable and the staff is friendly. Super casual and you can eat outside.

Amazing food! Line caught spicy tuna melt was dialed. Very friendly staff. Micheladas! And, frozen clam chowders and cioppino sauce to take home.

The Shack is nestled behind the autoparts store, and has a hole in the wall feel. We had rockfish and chips, and fish tacos, both of which were great. The fries are to die for. It's a little pricey, but that's the way it is when you are in harder to get places. I'd highly recommend this place if you're looking for seafood in Gualala.

Austin Cruz

I’ve only ever gotten takeout, but they’ve got good outdoor seating. I can vouch for the prawn burritos, tuna melt, and crab melt (which is currently on the specials board). All of them were so delicious. And like everyone else has said: the shoestring fries are amazing. And their spicy seaweed sauce is a must try (it’s actually spicy!). A bonus is that they offer grilled AND fried options for the fish & shrimp. My only complaints: they don’t answer the phone, so you can’t really call in an order & the wait time for the food is 20+ minutes every time we’ve ordered. Also, please stop using the “shack roll” for the tuna/crab melt! It’s a soft bread that only ends up softer & soggy!

Pilar Navarro

Food is great. I had a shrimp Louie. My husband had the fish and chips which were beautifully beer battered . The sitting is not so great. Long tables with wooden benches. Outside sitting is available but very limited. No table service. You get a buzzer that tells when your food is ready and you pick it up. We found parking without any problem.

Arlyn Weber

Fish tacos and fries are so good and so fresh! Skip the soup. Tuna melt was huge and pretty decent. Slider was also good. Ate here 2x in a week! What a cute little gem- absolute must try!

Hari Paton

Great spot - had the fish tacos, fish and chips, and tuna melt. Fries were some of the best I’ve had

Maria McCabe

Perfect Fish and Chips! I walked up here from my hotel (Seacliff Motel - wrote a review of it) and couldn't decide what to ordered and opted for the Fish and Chips because I figured it was a popular dish and looked pretty good coming out of the kitchen. Although this is a totally fried meal (Something I rarely indulge in) I was amazed by the quality of the fish and the lightness of the dish actually. The fish was so tasty and the thin shoestring fries were perfect. The tartar sauce was really good too. It was filling, just the right portion (In fact, I couldn't finish all the fries!) and also served with several lemon wedges which lightened the fried fish a bit. Anyway, service (by beeper) was quick, place had plenty of regular customers (mostly families and local workers) and the girl at the register was friendly. I chose to eat outdoors to avoid smelling like a fried fish myself :) Only drawback is that it is located on the beach side and you cannot see the Pacific - just the parking lot and hardware store. All in all a nice experience for a quick and tasty lunch. Definitely worth a visit!

Carola Bartz

We went here every single day of our stay and were never disappointed. Our favorite was the rock fish and chips. The fries are particularly delicious. The calamari strips are perfect for a snack. Good selection of beer - we liked the Scrimshaw. Very friendly and fast service. Even our repeat visits have never disappointed us.

Katarina Makmuri

Fish was great but actually, standout was the best shoestring fries we had in our whole lives. Max crispy to the point they had a caramelized flavor. Fish was moist. Fish burrito was great too although it did have a lot of rice.

Andrew D.

I can't give this place enough stars. I would eat here every day if I lived near by. First of all, the owner is delightful. I told her how much I enjoyed her food and she said that they make everything including the exceptional sauce that I put on my burrito. I had the local fried Rock Cod Burrito and it was amazing. The prices are reasonable and the staff is friendly. Super casual and you can eat outside.

Ana Crawford

Amazing food! Line caught spicy tuna melt was dialed. Very friendly staff. Micheladas! And, frozen clam chowders and cioppino sauce to take home.

Connor Gallagher

The Shack is nestled behind the autoparts store, and has a hole in the wall feel. We had rockfish and chips, and fish tacos, both of which were great. The fries are to die for. It's a little pricey, but that's the way it is when you are in harder to get places. I'd highly recommend this place if you're looking for seafood in Gualala.

Such good fresh sea food! Had the crab Louie salad, was very big and was so delicious. My partner had the fish sandwich and that was large and delicious as well! Oh and the fries were so tasty!

Mona Hernandez

Such good fresh sea food! Had the crab Louie salad, was very big and was so delicious. My partner had the fish sandwich and that was large and delicious as well! Oh and the fries were so tasty!

Fantastic fish tacos and good chowder. Beverage selection for non-alcoholic choices was very limited (no coke/Pepsi, no Sprite, etc). Staff was friendly and kitchen looked very clean and organized.

Ambiance is Fantastic Seams like a family-owned-and-operated restaurant with a nice clean bathroom the noise on the inside is a little overwhelming I wish they'd put in some kind of carpeting or something to absorb the noise Echo but the outside seating works great on beautiful day The Shack has plenty of fresh food to offer from the ocean but also for people with shellfish allergies like myself healthy delicious alternatives

Nice little spot. Food didn't seem too pricey, but the portion sizes were a bit small. Salmon special was delicious. Pretty decent overall.

Pretty bland atmosphere. The fish tacos were good, but my friends said the clam chowder was not very good. Needed more flavor.

Mondays, all restaurants are closed, and we just got here; Fresh food: fried oysters, chips and fish, calamari, and my drink. Fairly rate

We went there on a Friday afternoon for the "signature" fish and chips. Fish and fries were very crispy, but not dry. Friendly and quick service, price maybe a little on the steep side and the surroundings are not too inviting but still a good place to eat in Gualala.

Small but tasty seafood menu plus a burger and dog offered. Food was good and reasonably priced, although portions on the smaller size. The wait was fine too, but the fact they hand out buzzers tells you it gets long. Staff was kind to give us an extra portion of chowder at the end of the day. Wish we’d gone back to try a few other things. Shrimp Louie salad, fish tacos, fish and chips, and works dog were all good. Kids liked the chowder bowl, which was a good size for them. Kids menu offered.

Not many places were open along the coast, so we ordered here for pick up, during our coastal stay. I liked their food, although I felt pretty shafted on the $8 calamari appetizers, We only received 5 pieces, that were soggy from to-go container and batter was over-seasoned (pic is before we ate, with n without sauces, so you can see the pieces better) I felt like a got the leftovers, of another calamari order, and would not order that appetizer again, bc of this experience, but our entrees were very good. My fish tacos were perfect, I didn't get a pic of my husband's shrimp sandwich, but he said it was yummy!!

Gualala Seafood Shack is a great casual stop for fresh, flavorful seafood. The fried fish tacos were the highlight—crispy, super fresh, and well-balanced with veggies and a tasty sauce. They nailed the texture and seasoning, making them one of the better fish tacos I’ve had along the coast. On the downside, the clam chowder was a bit of a letdown. It was too heavy on the potatoes and didn’t have enough fresh clam flavor to stand out. Still, the friendly service and solid main dishes make this a spot worth visiting.

Hidden behind the hardware store is this little gem. We stop at least one time during our stay at Sea Ranch every year. Everything is great. Today I had Prawns and Chips. The Prawns were fresh and lightly breaded. The chips are perfectly crispy. Also recommend the calamari and the Rock fish and chips. My husband said the chowder was a good choice too

We decided to try out this location after seeing other reviews. The location was clean, and friendly service with a good menu. We had the clam chowder which was very good, it wasn’t your typical creamy chowder but lighter. I had the shrimp salad and a fish taco. Both dishes were very good and I would definitely go back again when in the area.

Not a bad spot to stop if you want some seafood. But it's definitely lacking an atmosphere. There's something about having seafood on the ocean that just makes it taste better. This place is just located in a shopping plaza. However, I did enjoy the fish tacos.

Peter Farejowicz

Gualala Seafood Shack is a great casual stop for fresh, flavorful seafood. The fried fish tacos were the highlight—crispy, super fresh, and well-balanced with veggies and a tasty sauce. They nailed the texture and seasoning, making them one of the better fish tacos I’ve had along the coast. On the downside, the clam chowder was a bit of a letdown. It was too heavy on the potatoes and didn’t have enough fresh clam flavor to stand out. Still, the friendly service and solid main dishes make this a spot worth visiting.

Bonnie D

Hidden behind the hardware store is this little gem. We stop at least one time during our stay at Sea Ranch every year. Everything is great. Today I had Prawns and Chips. The Prawns were fresh and lightly breaded. The chips are perfectly crispy. Also recommend the calamari and the Rock fish and chips. My husband said the chowder was a good choice too

Linda Holder

We decided to try out this location after seeing other reviews. The location was clean, and friendly service with a good menu. We had the clam chowder which was very good, it wasn’t your typical creamy chowder but lighter. I had the shrimp salad and a fish taco. Both dishes were very good and I would definitely go back again when in the area.

Christopher R. Abbey

Not a bad spot to stop if you want some seafood. But it's definitely lacking an atmosphere. There's something about having seafood on the ocean that just makes it taste better. This place is just located in a shopping plaza. However, I did enjoy the fish tacos.

Had the fried fish taco. The batter was light, crispy and good. The chipotle cream was spicy so I'm glad I asked for it on the side. I needed to add a little salt as the fish lacked flavor. Great corn tortilla.

Long tables and benches. I did not find the staff to be particularly friendly. Appeared bored with life. But the food was good.

Food was good, but I wish they had seating in the sun. Ambiance is non existent. I probably wouldn’t wait for over an hour again.

Came here for late lunch based on reviews. Ordered fish tacos, fish burrito, clam chowder and the child's fish & chips. Spent around $90- for 3 of us. The clam chowder was bland, we added salt and pepper to taste. My son's fish burrito was basically a COLD lettuce burrito with very little fish. The tacos were about the same, more cabbage than fish. The only decent dish was the child's fish and chips. Considering what we spent, you'd expect a little more of the seafood in the dishes. Suprising being along the coast you'd expect good seafood dishes. It was pretty mediocre. Had better in Bodega Bay. Kinda disappointing. Don't believe the hype.

Ordered the crab burrito. It was mostly packed full of lettuce with little crab meat. There were also many crab shells I had to pick out. Would have ordered something different if I had known, especially since the price was higher. Otherwise the staff was friendly and they had some good music playing that I was rocking out to while eating.

If you are looking at the menu wondering what to get, you should get the fish tacos with a cup of chowder. The fish & chips and prawn & chips are small portions - 3 small chunks of fish or 6 shrimp. And while the shoe string fries ARE delicious, I don’t want to spend $20 to fill up on them. We left hungry. Good but I won’t be a repeat customer.

The place was busy and the food looked good. I think we just happened to order the only meal that was underwhelming. We got the New England Clam Chowder, and it was almost all potatoes—about 95% potatoes and 5% clams. Stick with dishes you know won’t be loaded with fillers so you don’t fell ripped off.

Stopped by on our road trip. We’re very excited by the reviews and the delicious sounding menu. We waited more then 45 minutes for our to go order. We ordered the crab melt, fish tacos, and the shrimp burrito. The fish tacos were the best of the three. The melt was generous and filling, but pretty spicy and the fries were limp and felt like I got yesterdays batch. The burrito only had about 3 shrimps and the whole thing tasted massively like lemons. Clearly a beloved local spot, so bummed we couldn’t give it a higher ranking, but it was pretty expensive for the quality. Maybe we just unlucky with a busy time? Or picked the wrong items?

J.M

The place was busy and the food looked good. I think we just happened to order the only meal that was underwhelming. We got the New England Clam Chowder, and it was almost all potatoes—about 95% potatoes and 5% clams. Stick with dishes you know won’t be loaded with fillers so you don’t fell ripped off.

Sarah

If you are looking at the menu wondering what to get, you should get the fish tacos with a cup of chowder. The fish & chips and prawn & chips are small portions - 3 small chunks of fish or 6 shrimp. And while the shoe string fries ARE delicious, I don’t want to spend $20 to fill up on them. We left hungry. Good but I won’t be a repeat customer.

B B

Stopped by on our road trip. We’re very excited by the reviews and the delicious sounding menu. We waited more then 45 minutes for our to go order. We ordered the crab melt, fish tacos, and the shrimp burrito. The fish tacos were the best of the three. The melt was generous and filling, but pretty spicy and the fries were limp and felt like I got yesterdays batch. The burrito only had about 3 shrimps and the whole thing tasted massively like lemons. Clearly a beloved local spot, so bummed we couldn’t give it a higher ranking, but it was pretty expensive for the quality. Maybe we just unlucky with a busy time? Or picked the wrong items?

Kimmy Duque-Whitney

Came here for late lunch based on reviews. Ordered fish tacos, fish burrito, clam chowder and the child's fish & chips. Spent around $90- for 3 of us. The clam chowder was bland, we added salt and pepper to taste. My son's fish burrito was basically a COLD lettuce burrito with very little fish. The tacos were about the same, more cabbage than fish. The only decent dish was the child's fish and chips. Considering what we spent, you'd expect a little more of the seafood in the dishes. Suprising being along the coast you'd expect good seafood dishes. It was pretty mediocre. Had better in Bodega Bay. Kinda disappointing. Don't believe the hype.

Food was gross and way over priced! Came visiting to Gualala and was hoping to find some decent food out here but unfortunately this place was one of them I tried and I left feeling sick to my stomach. Would not recommend at all.

I hate to give a bad review to this place. We went here the first time a few years back when passing by. However every time the fish is getting lesser and lesser. 20$ for three small pieces fish and a pile fries is just not ok anymore. Why making a good place worse over time. You seemingly have aot of customer. Extended the menu which is great but yet you forgot your basics, a good seafood place. Sorry but not dining here next time when driving by....

We were excited to try this spot—it’s a small place with great service. Unfortunately, the crab melt was a huge disappointment. At $27, I expected something special, but it had a strong fishy smell and the flavor was even worse. The clam chowder was just okay—bland and with very few clams. On the bright side, the fish tacos seem like a much safer bet. Recommendation: skip the crab melt and chowder, and stick with the tacos.

Julie Swingle

We were excited to try this spot—it’s a small place with great service. Unfortunately, the crab melt was a huge disappointment. At $27, I expected something special, but it had a strong fishy smell and the flavor was even worse. The clam chowder was just okay—bland and with very few clams. On the bright side, the fish tacos seem like a much safer bet. Recommendation: skip the crab melt and chowder, and stick with the tacos.

Oyster is fresh and tasty, and that's pretty much about it for the good things. The dine-in service was terrible. We waited for 45 mins to get our food served and the food was not worth the wait. The patty from the burger was dry and hard to chew and honestly all the things we had ( Crab salad, crab melt sandwich, etc.) were all straight up mediocre. We were not told about the long wait time and when we approached the staff asking we've been waiting for 42 mins, the staff told us "well it is a 40 - 45 mins wait and now it's just 42", as if he was joking and not really care about the bad experience they were providing. TLDR if you have to come here, order take out or just eat at the oyster bar.