clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
A seafood crudo dish on a white rectangular plate, topped with garnishments, a glass tumbler with a yellow drink, from Ima Izakaya in Detroit, Michigan. Fatima Syed

Where to Dive Into Great Seafood Around Detroit

Enjoy oysters, fried fish, and shrimp and grits

View as Map

Michiganders know that despite being hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, there is still an abundance of fresh water options for folks looking for great seafood. On top of the myriad ways that lake fish shows up on menus throughout the state, a growing number of chefs are getting creative with offering globally inspired cuisine that uses shellfish, octopus, crustaceans, sushi-grade fish, and more.

As such, metro Detroit’s most satisfying seafood restaurants can impress pretty many cravings. Whether a diner is in search of a laid-back spot for slurping freshly shucked $1 oysters or a classy dinner of king crab and lobster, these restaurants will definitely fit the bill.

Read next: Where to Catch Fresh Seafood Boils in Metro Detroit

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

The Sardine Room

Copy Link

Influenced by old-school chicken and seafood shacks, this downtown Plymouth bistro always offers good food and friendly service. Known for its happy hour “Buck a Shuck” oysters (as of October 2023, they went for $1.25-$2, depending on market pricing), peel and eat shrimp, and beer-battered fish and chips. Standouts include the jambalaya and the wild gulf shrimp and grits.

Scotty Simpson's Fish & Chips

Copy Link

Scotty Simpson’s has faithfully met Detroiters’ fish and chips needs since 1950. Though the Brightmoor restaurant offers options such as fried smelt and frog legs, the house specialty is Nova Scotian cod and chips fried in a secret batter recipe with fries, a roll, and tartar sauce. Don’t miss the pies, made fresh every Friday.

Scotty Simpson's
Scotty Simpson’s
Gerard + Belevender

Streetside Seafood

Copy Link

This intimate 55-seat restaurant boasts a small menu of traditional seafood dishes, with a contemporary twist. Popular entrees include a bouillabaisse with lobster tail, scallop, shrimp, mussels, and market fish all cooked in a saffron leek broth; jerk-spiced fish tacos; shrimp linguini; and a chilled seafood salad made with lump crab, lobster, shrimp, tomato, cucumber, egg, romaine lettuce, and green goddess dressing.

Aliz Seafood House

Copy Link

For a Middle Eastern-inspired take on seafood, Aliz offers a variety of options. Seafood-centric skewers, hummus, grilled kibbeh, and kofta sandwiches are all on hand, as well as roasted red snapper, grilled salmon with herbs, casseroles, and shrimp biryani.

The Fish Market

Copy Link

Whether it’s fillets, whole fish, or shellfish a customer is seeking, Phil and Sonny can handle it. As is in most markets, fish here is sold fresh and uncooked to go. But there’s no fishy smell here. Fresh, fried fish is also available, and it’s seasoned and cooked perfectly: hot and moist inside, crispy and flavorful on the outside. There’s a small counter to enjoy it, but carryout is ideal.

The Lobster Pitstop

Copy Link

The wildly popular Lobster Food Truck has a physical location in Dearborn, ensuring metro Detroiters that they have a reliable way to enjoy a lobster roll right here in the Midwest. The rolls here are served on a non-traditional bun overflowing with big, juicy pieces of lobster. The whole thing is dressed up with garlic butter and herbs.

La Terraza

Copy Link

La Terraza offers a variety of options typical of any other Mexican restaurant: tacos, botana, and hearty caldos. What really shines on the menu, though, is the seafood. Diners can try tostadas topped with ceviche or shrimp, sharable molcajete de mariscos filled with a mix of octopus, shellfish, and cucumber, in a chile-lime marinade, or a variety of cocktails with a choice of shrimp, octopus, or mixed. The West Vernor Highway establishment is also popular for its bar featuring colossal micholadas garnished with shrimp, as well as a stage that regularly hosts regional Mexican musical performances.

El Imperio Taco Stand

Copy Link

Got a craving for mariscos but not in the mood for eating at a sit-down restaurant? Look no further than El Imperio, a seafood-centric food truck that’s reliably parked across the street from the Huntington Bank on West Vernor Highway. Giant styrofoam cups of shrimp cocktails, to-go platters of oysters in a half shell, ceviche-topped tostadas, and even aguachile are all available at El Imperio. All choice options for hot summers in Detroit.

Voyager

Copy Link

This neighborhood spot in a renovated garage quickly built buzz for its sophisticated yet casual vibe and tasty seafood. The menu is inspired by coastal cuisine and utilizes wild-caught, responsibly-farmed, and sustainable fish and seafood. There are chilled offerings such as east and west coast oysters, and peel-and-eat shrimp. Main entrees include pan-seared scallops, calamari tentacles, and North Atlantic swordfish on the hibachi.

Detroit Pho & Crab Restaurant

Copy Link

Tie that bib around your neck and get to know the flavors of this Viet Cajun spot in Warren. The menu specializes in the genre that fuses together the culinary traditions of the Gulf Mexico and Vietnam, a result of mass migration of Vietnamese refugees to American cities like Houston, and eventually, New Orleans. Here, diners can find pho punctuated by crab legs, lobster tail, or shrimp; po’ boys with fried catfish or other seafood; and seafood boils served in plastic bags. Guests can customize their seafood boils by selecting their preferred level of spice, seasoning, choice of seafood ingredients such as crawfish, snow crab legs, mussels, or green mussels, and a variety of sides like corn on the cob, sausage, or rice.

Ima Izakaya

Copy Link

Ima made a name for itself for its soothing bowls of udon noodle, pho, ramen, and rice but when the growing restaurant group relocated its original Michigan Avenue spot a few blocks west, they added a raw bar menu featuring hamachi or ahi tuna crudos, spicy tuna dip, marinated octopus, squid salad, yuzu shrimp cocktails, and a selection of sushi hand rolls. Guests can also opt for full entrees like Chilean sea bass pan-seared in a miso-yuzu glaze, teriyaki salmon, or shareable skewers of chili garlic shrimp. Round out the meal with a cocktail, wine, or select from a variety of ABV-free drinks.

Oak & Reel

Copy Link

Chef Jared Gadbaw moved to New York 17 years ago from his native Michigan to pursue culinary training. He eventually landed a position at Marea, where the restaurant earned two Michelin stars. Now, he’s back in Detroit with his own place, Oak & Reel, a seafood-centered Italian restaurant. Oysters, caviar, snapper, and octopus lead the list of appetizers. Among the entrees, choose a pasta dish; halibut with olives, kale, and green almonds; or scallops with peas, proscuitto, and green garlic.

A halibut steak with seven tiny red peppers on top and mushrooms encircling the halibut on a plate. A hand pours sauce from a jar onto the plate. Karmen Wettlin / Oak and Reel

Mink Detroit

Copy Link

Mink’s intimate 25-seat setup offers diners a sophisticated seafood bar with a five-course chef’s tasting menu at the center. The tasting menu changes frequently, so be sure to check online what’s currently on offer. Courses have included caviar, scallop crudo, shrimp rolls, clams in broth, and dry-aged beef tartare.

Joe Muer Seafood

Copy Link

This classic restaurant in a city institution, and occupies a perch on the main floor of the RenCen. With sweeping views of the Detroit River and Windsor, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic date or a business lunch. The menu includes spicy tuna tartar and Instagram-worthy beverages. Alongside a colossal shrimp cocktail, king crab legs, and Maine lobster, Joe Muer features a raw bar and sushi.

Joe Muer Seafood

Sindbad's Restaurant and Marina

Copy Link

This dockside restaurant has been serving seafood to Detroit’s boating crowd for some 70 years. Boaters can anchor in Sindbad’s marina and head up to the dining room for sprawling waterfront views and a feast of rock lobster tails and fried shrimp.

Brine Oyster House

Copy Link

Get a taste of NOLA at Brine Oyster House, Grosse Pointe Park’s newest dining destination. Take in sweeping views of the Park from the second-level, wrought iron wrap-around balcony, indulge in fresh oysters shucked up front, and live Jazz musical performances on the weekends.

The Sardine Room

Influenced by old-school chicken and seafood shacks, this downtown Plymouth bistro always offers good food and friendly service. Known for its happy hour “Buck a Shuck” oysters (as of October 2023, they went for $1.25-$2, depending on market pricing), peel and eat shrimp, and beer-battered fish and chips. Standouts include the jambalaya and the wild gulf shrimp and grits.

Scotty Simpson's Fish & Chips

Scotty Simpson’s has faithfully met Detroiters’ fish and chips needs since 1950. Though the Brightmoor restaurant offers options such as fried smelt and frog legs, the house specialty is Nova Scotian cod and chips fried in a secret batter recipe with fries, a roll, and tartar sauce. Don’t miss the pies, made fresh every Friday.

Scotty Simpson's
Scotty Simpson’s
Gerard + Belevender

Streetside Seafood

This intimate 55-seat restaurant boasts a small menu of traditional seafood dishes, with a contemporary twist. Popular entrees include a bouillabaisse with lobster tail, scallop, shrimp, mussels, and market fish all cooked in a saffron leek broth; jerk-spiced fish tacos; shrimp linguini; and a chilled seafood salad made with lump crab, lobster, shrimp, tomato, cucumber, egg, romaine lettuce, and green goddess dressing.

Aliz Seafood House

For a Middle Eastern-inspired take on seafood, Aliz offers a variety of options. Seafood-centric skewers, hummus, grilled kibbeh, and kofta sandwiches are all on hand, as well as roasted red snapper, grilled salmon with herbs, casseroles, and shrimp biryani.

The Fish Market

Whether it’s fillets, whole fish, or shellfish a customer is seeking, Phil and Sonny can handle it. As is in most markets, fish here is sold fresh and uncooked to go. But there’s no fishy smell here. Fresh, fried fish is also available, and it’s seasoned and cooked perfectly: hot and moist inside, crispy and flavorful on the outside. There’s a small counter to enjoy it, but carryout is ideal.

The Lobster Pitstop

The wildly popular Lobster Food Truck has a physical location in Dearborn, ensuring metro Detroiters that they have a reliable way to enjoy a lobster roll right here in the Midwest. The rolls here are served on a non-traditional bun overflowing with big, juicy pieces of lobster. The whole thing is dressed up with garlic butter and herbs.

La Terraza

La Terraza offers a variety of options typical of any other Mexican restaurant: tacos, botana, and hearty caldos. What really shines on the menu, though, is the seafood. Diners can try tostadas topped with ceviche or shrimp, sharable molcajete de mariscos filled with a mix of octopus, shellfish, and cucumber, in a chile-lime marinade, or a variety of cocktails with a choice of shrimp, octopus, or mixed. The West Vernor Highway establishment is also popular for its bar featuring colossal micholadas garnished with shrimp, as well as a stage that regularly hosts regional Mexican musical performances.

El Imperio Taco Stand

Got a craving for mariscos but not in the mood for eating at a sit-down restaurant? Look no further than El Imperio, a seafood-centric food truck that’s reliably parked across the street from the Huntington Bank on West Vernor Highway. Giant styrofoam cups of shrimp cocktails, to-go platters of oysters in a half shell, ceviche-topped tostadas, and even aguachile are all available at El Imperio. All choice options for hot summers in Detroit.

Voyager

This neighborhood spot in a renovated garage quickly built buzz for its sophisticated yet casual vibe and tasty seafood. The menu is inspired by coastal cuisine and utilizes wild-caught, responsibly-farmed, and sustainable fish and seafood. There are chilled offerings such as east and west coast oysters, and peel-and-eat shrimp. Main entrees include pan-seared scallops, calamari tentacles, and North Atlantic swordfish on the hibachi.

Detroit Pho & Crab Restaurant

Tie that bib around your neck and get to know the flavors of this Viet Cajun spot in Warren. The menu specializes in the genre that fuses together the culinary traditions of the Gulf Mexico and Vietnam, a result of mass migration of Vietnamese refugees to American cities like Houston, and eventually, New Orleans. Here, diners can find pho punctuated by crab legs, lobster tail, or shrimp; po’ boys with fried catfish or other seafood; and seafood boils served in plastic bags. Guests can customize their seafood boils by selecting their preferred level of spice, seasoning, choice of seafood ingredients such as crawfish, snow crab legs, mussels, or green mussels, and a variety of sides like corn on the cob, sausage, or rice.

Ima Izakaya

Ima made a name for itself for its soothing bowls of udon noodle, pho, ramen, and rice but when the growing restaurant group relocated its original Michigan Avenue spot a few blocks west, they added a raw bar menu featuring hamachi or ahi tuna crudos, spicy tuna dip, marinated octopus, squid salad, yuzu shrimp cocktails, and a selection of sushi hand rolls. Guests can also opt for full entrees like Chilean sea bass pan-seared in a miso-yuzu glaze, teriyaki salmon, or shareable skewers of chili garlic shrimp. Round out the meal with a cocktail, wine, or select from a variety of ABV-free drinks.

Oak & Reel

Chef Jared Gadbaw moved to New York 17 years ago from his native Michigan to pursue culinary training. He eventually landed a position at Marea, where the restaurant earned two Michelin stars. Now, he’s back in Detroit with his own place, Oak & Reel, a seafood-centered Italian restaurant. Oysters, caviar, snapper, and octopus lead the list of appetizers. Among the entrees, choose a pasta dish; halibut with olives, kale, and green almonds; or scallops with peas, proscuitto, and green garlic.

A halibut steak with seven tiny red peppers on top and mushrooms encircling the halibut on a plate. A hand pours sauce from a jar onto the plate. Karmen Wettlin / Oak and Reel

Mink Detroit

Mink’s intimate 25-seat setup offers diners a sophisticated seafood bar with a five-course chef’s tasting menu at the center. The tasting menu changes frequently, so be sure to check online what’s currently on offer. Courses have included caviar, scallop crudo, shrimp rolls, clams in broth, and dry-aged beef tartare.

Joe Muer Seafood

This classic restaurant in a city institution, and occupies a perch on the main floor of the RenCen. With sweeping views of the Detroit River and Windsor, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic date or a business lunch. The menu includes spicy tuna tartar and Instagram-worthy beverages. Alongside a colossal shrimp cocktail, king crab legs, and Maine lobster, Joe Muer features a raw bar and sushi.

Joe Muer Seafood

Sindbad's Restaurant and Marina

This dockside restaurant has been serving seafood to Detroit’s boating crowd for some 70 years. Boaters can anchor in Sindbad’s marina and head up to the dining room for sprawling waterfront views and a feast of rock lobster tails and fried shrimp.

Related Maps

Brine Oyster House

Get a taste of NOLA at Brine Oyster House, Grosse Pointe Park’s newest dining destination. Take in sweeping views of the Park from the second-level, wrought iron wrap-around balcony, indulge in fresh oysters shucked up front, and live Jazz musical performances on the weekends.

Related Maps