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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.

Where to Dive Into Great Seafood Around Detroit

Enjoy oysters, fried fish, and shrimp and grits

by Serena Maria Daniels Updated Oct 18, 2023, 4:19pm EDT

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by Serena Maria Daniels Updated Oct 18, 2023, 4:19pm EDT

Fatima Syed

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

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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

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.

340 S Main St, Plymouth, MI 48170

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20 Fantastic Plates of Fish and Chips in Metro Detroit

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.

22200 Fenkell Ave, Detroit, MI 48223

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Scotty Simpson's — Scotty Simpson’s

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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.

273 Pierce St, Birmingham, MI 48009

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A post shared by Streetside Seafood (@streetsideseafood)

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.

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14507 W Warren Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126

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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.

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4355 Schaefer Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

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A post shared by Nancy (@ncaputo1)

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.

10405 Ford Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

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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.

8445 West, 8445 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

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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.

7812-7816 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

Also featured in:

Detroit’s Essential Mexican Restaurants

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.

600 Vester St, Ferndale, MI 48220

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Bartenders pour drinks behind the bright white bar with large black pendant lights inside Voyager.

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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.

26680 Dequindre Rd, Warren, MI 48091

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Also featured in:

Where to Catch Fresh Seafood Boils in Metro Detroit

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.

2100 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

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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.

2921 E Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202

Visit Website

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.

Also featured in:

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.

Open in Google Maps

1701 Trumbull, Detroit, MI 48216

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A tray of oysters on ice next to a menu for Mink.

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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.

400 Renaissance Center #1404, Detroit, MI 48243

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Also featured in:

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.

100 St Clair St, Detroit, MI 48214

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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.

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15033 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230

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Also featured in:

The Hottest New Restaurants in Detroit, December 2023

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The Sardine Room

340 S Main St, Plymouth, MI 48170

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.

340 S Main St, Plymouth, MI 48170

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Sardine Room (@thesardineroom)

Scotty Simpson's Fish & Chips

22200 Fenkell Ave, Detroit, MI 48223

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.

22200 Fenkell Ave, Detroit, MI 48223

Visit Website

Scotty Simpson's — Scotty Simpson’s

Streetside Seafood

273 Pierce St, Birmingham, MI 48009

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.

273 Pierce St, Birmingham, MI 48009

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Streetside Seafood (@streetsideseafood)

Aliz Seafood House

14507 W Warren Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126

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.

Open in Google Maps

14507 W Warren Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126

Visit Website

The Fish Market

4355 Schaefer Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

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.

Open in Google Maps

4355 Schaefer Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nancy (@ncaputo1)

The Lobster Pitstop

10405 Ford Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

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.

10405 Ford Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126

Visit Website

La Terraza

8445 West, 8445 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

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.

8445 West, 8445 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

El Imperio Taco Stand

7812-7816 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

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.

7812-7816 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

Voyager

600 Vester St, Ferndale, MI 48220

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.

600 Vester St, Ferndale, MI 48220

Visit Website

Bartenders pour drinks behind the bright white bar with large black pendant lights inside Voyager.

Detroit Pho & Crab Restaurant

26680 Dequindre Rd, Warren, MI 48091

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.

26680 Dequindre Rd, Warren, MI 48091

Visit Website

Ima Izakaya

2100 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

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.

2100 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

Visit Website

Oak & Reel

2921 E Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202

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.

2921 E Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202

Visit Website

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.

Mink Detroit

1701 Trumbull, Detroit, MI 48216

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.

Open in Google Maps

1701 Trumbull, Detroit, MI 48216

Visit Website

A tray of oysters on ice next to a menu for Mink.

Joe Muer Seafood

400 Renaissance Center #1404, Detroit, MI 48243

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.

400 Renaissance Center #1404, Detroit, MI 48243

Visit Website

Sindbad's Restaurant and Marina

100 St Clair St, Detroit, MI 48214

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.

100 St Clair St, Detroit, MI 48214

Visit Website

Related Maps

Brine Oyster House

15033 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230

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.

Open in Google Maps

15033 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230

Visit Website

Related Maps