Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

Downtown San Diego Fresh Fish

Where to Find the BEST Fresh Fish in San Diego - Haworth Fish is IT! SAN DIEGO LOBSTERFEST INFO!

Local WallyComment

Haworth Fish is where the locals go when they want the BEST fresh fish

Living in San Diego has its perks. Not only do we get plenty of SoCal sunshine and cool ocean breezes but every Saturday we can buy the freshest sushi grade fish right from the docks. You can even see the fishermen filleting the fish in the boats below, you just can’t get any fresher than that.

HAWORTH FISH AT A GLANCE:

PLACE: TUNA HARBOR DOCKSIDE MARKET: Every Saturday the public can go to the docks located near Seaport Village (set your GPS to this location) where there are multiple fish vendors selling what they caught. This is where Haworth Fish sets up their booth - you can count on them being there every Saturday from 8 am until 1 pm, or until sold out.

You might also find them at Driscoll’s Wharf, 4904 N Harbor Drive, on Fridays from 10 am until 4 pm. This is near the Pizza Nova in Pt. Loma. They are NOT always there so always check their website.

HAWORTH FISH WILL DELIVER TOO! You can visit their website early in the week to see what is coming in and order it to be delivered for a nominal $10 fee, waived if you order $100 worth of fish.

Haworth Fish in San Diego

What Fish does Haworth fish offer?

You never really know what they will bring in but you can usually count on tuna, yellowtail, albacore, and often opah, the round moonfish that’s usually associated with Hawaii. Whatever they have you know it’s super fresh, sushi grade, and though you should never buy seafood based solely on price the prices at the docks are way lower than at a standard fish market or a Whole Foods - and way fresher!

Pieces are cut into consumer friendly sizes but be ready with a sharp knife when you get home so you can remove the skin and any perhaps the “bloodline” - but that’s super easy, even for someone who has never done it.

Tell Me More about the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market

There’s more than great tuna at the market. The Tuna Harbor Dockside Market also has booths with prepared fresh fish (great fish tacos, fish and chips, ceviche, and tons more!) and it’s just super fun to walk up and down the dock seeing what’s available, from fish so fresh it’s still alive to lobsters when in season. Come as early as you can if you want the best selection and bring a cooler - there’s plenty of free ice so no need to pack your own. And check this out, if you buy a whole fish (impulse buy, I’ve done it!) you can have them “process” it right there for a maximum charge of $13. That’s pretty great!

is the fish sustainably caught?

One of the key focuses of the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is to provide the public and chefs with sustainably caught seafood. I’m no expert but I do appreciate that the fishermen here pride themselves on being responsible in their catch and reducing by-catch. You can visit their website to see how the fish are caught here.

Haworth Fishing uses Rod and Reel, Harpoon, Longline, Trap Fishing & Deep Set Buoy Gear, all sustainable methods.

Why Haworth Fishing?

I really like supporting a family run business like Haworth Fishing. Art, David, and Nick Haworth are 3 generations of tuna fisherman based out of San Diego, California. The Haworth family started fishing tuna in 1955 and continue to fish today with a fleet of 6 commercial boats. The fleet consists of the Pacific Horizon, Gutsy Lady, Sea Haven, Kaylee H, Elizabeth H, and Tiffany H. Just super nice people who care about the fish and their customers.

Is Haworth Fishing and the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market the Best Place to buy fresh fish?

If the freshest fish is what you are after then Haworth Fishing at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is the place. Oh sure, there are other places to buy fish in San Diego - notably Pt. Loma Seafood, The Fish Market restaurant, Blue Water Seafood. And sure, Whole Foods, Lazy Acres, even Costco has “fresh” fish (or is it “freshly thawed”??). But why go there when you can go straight to the docks where the fish come in, where you can actually look down at the boats and see the fish? This is the same fish you will find in the fancy, expensive San Diego restaurants so skip the middleman and go straight to the docks.

Lobsterfest Oct 8th, 2023,

Lobsterfest is Coming! Oct 8, 2023

Come join the celebration of lobster season opening at the 4th annual Lobsterfest on Sunday, October 8th! Starting at 8am, the beloved fishing families will be selling whole lobsters while chef @marcus_twilegar is serving up delicious lobster dishes! Last year they sold out in less than 3 hours, so be sure to come early to catch the action! The event is FREE but be sure to join our guest list - CLICK HERE for all of the official info.