Armstrong’s Fish Market & Seafood Restaurant

The draw is the view of the bay, clear water and boats. the hope is teh fish market means a good fish meal.
On todays special — Tilapia, yes wel doen and tasty. On the sole special, sadly overcooked and salty.
I am so disappointed that no CA restaurant serves a local seafood chowder, it does not need to be milk based new england style every time — at a fish market I had hoped for better.
Its aok — reasonably priced and good service — just not special.

The clam chowder (¹⁰⁄₁₀) was amazing. The calamari was delicious (⁹⁄₁₀). The cheeseburger was pretty good (⁸⁄₁₀) and the tuna salad sandwich was alright (⁶⁄₁₀).
We sat on the pier over looking the water. It was good service and decently priced. I would eat here again.

Reliable, not memorable, spotty service, okay value. Swordfish was good enough. Felt like the price did not match the ambiance. Plastic tables and chairs with $ 35 entrees. Weak wine selection. Probably would not go back.
Staff acted like they were doing us a favor by serving us.

I’ve gone to Catalina as a child, but went again as an adult several years ago. I don’t even know if I knew about Unilocal back then, so I just remembered to do it now. I didn’t care for it as an adult. As you know, when you’re a child, things many times are better, & hustling & bustling! But, I chose this restaurant out of handful that I came across because I try to have seafood when I have the chance & the location of the restaurant looked like it would have a nice view from where you sat.
Well, the view was the ONLY good thing about this place! The food was edible yes, but nothing memorable or special. No real flavor… just food.

We came here after snorkeling to regain our energy. I think it was the perfect place because everything was super hearty. I got some hot chocolate to go with my New England clam chowder. Yum! Then we moved on to appetizers. We shared some clams, albacore cocktail and a crab cocktail. The clams were really good. The crab and albacore cocktail were also really good. All the appetizers were simple, yet delicious.
We paid around $ 72 with tip. I thought that was a little pricey since we got appetizers only. They were all seafood though. I was pretty happy with our quick dinner.

An Avalon seafood institution, Armstrong’s does not disappoint.
Great place for lunch right on the water. Loved feeding the seagulls who would come right up to our table.
Had a half-​dozen raw oysters and grilled swordfish. Nothing fancy, but a perfect light lunch before hitting Descanso Beach Club further down the island.

The host seemed to be incompetent on how to seat people, we waited an for what seemed like forever when there were clearly many open tables. After we were fed up of simply staring at the free table, we went to the host desk and pointed out the open table, to which he responds «yeah sure you can go there.» –_​_​_​– THIS IS YOUR JOB.
As soon as we got our waitress she understood our extreme hunger and brought our bread, which we quickly devoured, it was warm and delicious!
However, she forgot our water. And when they finally did bring over a pitcher of water it had clearly been mixed with Sprite. Gross.
We had a steamed artichoke for an app, i love artichoke it was just ridiculously overpriced!
The reason for the 3 star rating, their fish is fresh and good, everything you would expect from a seafood restaurant. Definitely no the most amazing, but really good nonetheless. Not a drop left out our plates.

My first time here and in Catalina period, but I’m big on seafood and this place was recommended by a local. We were nervous when we saw the cheap outdoor patio furniture at a place charging what they do, but didn’t judge immediately. Loved the clam chowder as an appetizer! Then ordered the crab legs and lobster, both of which I’ve eaten all over the world. Crab legs were mediocre at best and the lobster was so overcooked and dry, for the first time in years, I had to send food back to the kitchen. We didn’t even want a new one after that experience. It even had ash from the grill on top! The waitress told us that was common and when she quickly grabbed the plate told us, «some things just weren’t mean’t to be». Didn’t smile or offer anything to change our opinions, didn’t even offer to get us more drinks for our near empty glasses. Said «bye» and left us our bill.
Synopsis:
Food: Ranges from mediocre to poor (especially for the price)
Service: Couldn’t identify one server who smiled or even looked like they belonged
Ambiance: Ok.
Overall: Horribly, horribly disappointed on many levels.

I give this place 3 stars but the 3^rd star really comes from the clam chowder which we had as an appetizer. It was really creamy and rich and stuffed with clams which was a nice surprise since most places only give you a handful. We also had the ceviche which was ok, had some good flavors in there but I’ve had better.
My date ordered the fish and chips and it was actually pretty decent considering everything is fried. Wasn’t too oily and the fish was moist, it was good. I had the scallop skewer which I enjoyed. The veggies were cooked but still crisp enough and the scallops were cooked well. It came with green beans and rice pilaf, the pilaf was good but tasted like something I’ve cooked out of a box before and the green beans still require some salt and pepper to taste.
The place is very touristy but hey, it’s Catalina Island. The views on the patio are nice but if you can wait the 45 minute to an hour fairy ride back for food, I’d probably do that instead.

I went to Catalina expecting a Hawaiian paradise simply for the fact that it is an island surround by the Pacific Ocean. Boy was I wrong. It’s a great tourist destination and for the older folks to go to spend their weekend off. I wasn’t a fan but hey I gotta get some grub on before I hop back on that long ferry.
Checked out Armstrong’s Fish Market cause it was outdoors and overlooked the ocean. I ordered the Pacific Snapper and she got the New Zealand mussels and Little Neck clams. Both were fresh and a delight! Service was on point and we were stuffed! I would suggest this place to go to if you ever visit Avalon. One gripe were the seagulls and birds. They are hawks I tell you! They’ll scour and when they see a group of people leave they’ll dive right into your food and snatch that garlic bread with no care in the world!
If you’re looking for fresh seafood and a great view. Take your date here and score in a nearby bathroom stall.

2 stars for the view alone. I dont know what’s up with the reviews on Unilocal,they’re either very high or very low. Unfortunately my experience here was part of the low crowd. Came here for lunch and wont complain about the price since its Catalina Island but I will complain about the other stuff.
The portions were very small! On the «combo» plate, the veggies were laughable. It was basically 3 pieces of broccoli. the rice portion was small too. C’mon rice doesn’t cost much! And the main portion of the meal was small as well (the fish). Good fish would’ve made up for the rest of the meal, but it was not even fresh. How can it not be fresh? We’re on an island! The drinks were all so watered down. The coffee tasted like it had ran through the filter fifty times already. The «bread sticks» before the meal were like individually wrapped ones from Costco that had no taste. Service was a little slow, but alright.

Another over-​priced, snooty restaurant on the water…
$ 30 for a plate of stinky, stiff, not fresh, over-​cooked piece of s!@# (I mean «fish»)
all the while being ignored over and over again by our waitress
$ 130 for 4 ppl. I think I’d gotten more value out of my $ by putting it into the stripper college fund in Vegas.

Great lunch.
I was taking a walk along the bay with my eye out for seafood and spotted this place. I love the view from the patio.
The service was low key and friendly. I had the combination plate from their mesquite-​wood broiler menu. I really enjoyed the flavor and ate every bit of it.
I thought the prices were very reasonable.

We were walking around shopping in the shops and wanted lunch. We had eaten in most of the best already, and thought since the sun was warm and shining, it would be nice to eat outside. (most of our trip was cold and raining).
We stopped to read the menu and the chief was outside taking a break. He immediately asked if we needed help on the menu. The menu was fairly straight forward, and we really wanted the view, so the food although important, was secondary. However, the chief’s person attention and enthusiasm was a nice touch.
We were seated outside on their patio, which was rather small, only about 10 or so tables, so we already felt lucky! The menu appeared basic, your standard sandwiches, fish, salads and chowders. I ordered the Fish & Chips and my husband ordered the seafood salad.
I had already taste tested Fish & Chips from another restaurant, sort of quest for the best, similar to my husband’s quest for the perfect clam chowder.
The Fish & Chips have been good, but average, and this one was pretty much the same. This dish had very few or no spices added to the beer batter, making it average. Creative cooks, think outside the box. But, people don’t go to Catalina for the food. But, one restaurant, newly opened within the year, that was very creative, but needs to get over the kitchen coordination, to get the timing right. (See my review of Avalon Grill.)
Let me just say, the Fish and Chips at Armstrong’s, were by far my favorite. The fries were crispy, fish had a nice crunch, and a very moist inside. I added a house salad and it was better than most on the mainland, a nice mix of greens and fresh vegetables.
My husband’s chowder was one of his favorites and his seafood salad and it was bountiful. It was more food than he could eat, so he fed some of his shrimp to the seagulls and that was a show in itself. When a seagull landed on the empty table next to us, and all of his friends were around our feet, while the gang leader grabbed a bunch of our table’s breadsticks, we knew we needed to stop. It was like the movies «the birds».
The chief came out to talk to us, as we were finishing our meal. He gave us a little history on the restaurants, some of his local must see places, and told us a little about him and how long he lived on the island. That was such a nice experience. I expect during the high point of the tourist season, he probably be so personable, another reason visiting off season can bring more extra special experiences.
After the education on food sources, realizing everything they have comes from the mainland, where we live. My normally high expectation’s lowered, in respect to the effort they go to, to have the best while keeping costs realistic. These restaurants provide a very nice accent to the beauty of the Island.
All in all, the food, the location and the people, created the setting for a very enjoyable lunch experience. An experience we will revisit soon.

This place has a great location hanging over the waterfront in Avalon. The open air atmosphere makes dining here a delight. Unfortunately, when we were seated they told us we had to be out by a certain time so our whole meal was relatively rushed.
They start you off with some mediocre sourdough bread and have a few decent appetizers to choose from. As far as entrees, obviously they have tons of seafood options and I don’t know why you would be dining here if you didn’t intend on getting seafood. They are all very affordable and I could recommend the Orange Roughy, just because it’s a fish you don’t often see on many other restaurant’s menus.

Fantastic view, ok-​to-​poor food. The perfect ingredients for a tourist trap.
Seriously, this is the view you want in Catalina. Right over the water with a perfect view of the harbor. This is why we came here. But for the prices, I would hope for a little more than plastic cups to drink from and paper cups for dipping sauces.
The seafood and vegetables (we each got a combo) have almost no seasoning and were pretty dry. I commend them on the large menu and variety, but it was executed pretty poorly. I got the salmon, which was cooked well, but not worth what I was charged for it. We skipped the pricey drinks and flasked it instead. Hey, it was that kind of place.
I’d try any of the other restaurants on the main strip instead.

DRINKS!!!
walked right to the back pier seating and ordered drinks. Catalina iced tea and a great mudslide!

Went here for dinner on 4^th of July with friends. This restaurant has a great view of the fireworks off the dock. Watching the fireworks was the main reason why our group chose this place.
The food is pricey, the quality is slightly above average but not the best. I know the prices of meals are inflated because you are on an island. It’s almost $ 30 for a ‘mesquite grilled’ swordfish or steak. The rice pilaf was surprisingly good but the vegetables were unimaginative and disappointing. Great service though, the waitress was very professional and split the check without a problem.
I would say this is a good date place because of the nice outdoor patio, really relaxing in the afternoon with a couple of drinks.

Ambiance: I like that there’s patio seating where it overlooks the ocean. You can even see sting rays swimming by — that was cool.
Service: Our waitress was good but at the same time she was very pushy. She kept wanting us to order their swordfish. And when we asked for an extra bowl for the large clam chowder, she kept saying «oh it’s too small to share, you should order another one. it’s not meant to share»
It took her a long time to take our order, and she apologized she said that she got held up by a customer. she was engaged in a conversation w/​another customer. Okay whatever. so we ordered.
I ordered a ceviche, but it never came. So i told her to please cancel the order. She was apologetic and then said «i did write it down… see? it’s right there, aww shoot, i’m sorry about that. man, that customer distracted me [referring to the customer who was talking to her that made her late to take our order]» totally didn’t make sense… but whatever. She later brought out a mini sample size of ceviche for me to try since i didn’t get to try it — so that was nice of her. way to redeem herself, right? haha
Food: They give you a good amount portion. The food, overall, was literally, just «meh. I’ve experienced better. «
1. my friend got the clam chowder, it was just way too thick. I do like thick clam chowder since it’s suppose to be like that, but this one was so thick that it was just rich. i’m glad i didn’t order it or else i’d be full but that one bowl. The clams that they have in the chowder was good — it was quite meaty, none of that dinky little clams where you don’t even know if you ate it or not.
2. The salmon was just okay… i thought it was overcooked.
3. my ahi tuna was cooked right, rare in the middle. it was fresh and the cut was pretty thick. They grilled the fish in mesquite-​bbq grill… so you can’t really mess up the flavor in that. The baked potato that came with it was just okay. The vegetables that came w/​my meal was bad — tasted like cafeteria vegetables (carrots and green beans) yuck!
4. linguine and clams — it was garlicky and it was okay. nothing special about that dish. I’ve had better linguine & clams.
5. ceviche… i’m glad that i didn’t have to pay $ 8 for it. haha. good thing she never put in the order. It wasn’t bad. but it wasn’t great. So i’m okay that i never got the full portion.

I visited Armstrong’s last summer in hopes of delicious seafood and ended up with edible seafood. Everything seemed fresh, but nothing had any flavor. I almost wished they would let me go back into the kitchen and whip something up for myself. It reminded me of hospital food.
Our waitress was extremely friendly and helpful and the view from the patio was lovely, if only their food was better! I probably won’t be back.