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A seafood tower
All the pretty things at Octo Fishbar
TJ Turner/Eater Twin Cities

10 Finest Seafood Restaurants in Minneapolis and Saint Paul

Where to order oysters, ahi, langostine, massive crabs and more

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All the pretty things at Octo Fishbar
| TJ Turner/Eater Twin Cities

The Twin Cities may be over a thousand miles from the ocean, but that doesn’t mean that local diners have to skimp on seafood. In fact, Minnesota’s landlocked status means that chefs can take their inspiration from coastal cuisines from across the globe. Sushi, seafood boils, oysters, fish and chips, and more, there’s no shortage of just-arrived-this-morning fresh dishes to devour.

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Martina

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Argentinian/Italian dishes mean a wide range of seafood. Order stacks of just-shucked oysters and a throwback-made-modern take on fried calamari dusted with a bit of cinnamon before plowing headlong into a sumptuous lobster fra diavolo pasta. The low light, clean white interior dotted with fresh green plants make for a comfortably modern vibe.

A white bowl filled with spaghetti with red sauce and lobster. Kevin Kramer /Eater Twin Cities

4 Bells

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The restaurant’s moniker references the signal to sailors that it’s time for a rest, and a tip-off to diners that fresh seafood is on the menu.  There are several rustic, fancy rooms to choose from with distinctive vibes like the rough-hewn comforts of the bar, the bright kitchen-side seating or the long tables for private dining. New chef Scott Pampuch is a well-known name in sustainability circles, so expect ethically caught fresh dishes.

A tray filled with oysters and a few king crab legs 4 Bells / Facebook

Kyatchi

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All the seafood on the comprehensive menu of sushi rolls, nigiri, and sashimi is selected based on the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch guidelines.  Try the oshizushi, a pressed sushi style that’s tricky to track down in the Twin Cities.

Smack Shack

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This restaurant offers every possible preparation of lobster, including lobster-spiked guacamole, bisque, mac & cheese, poutine, and the butter toasted lobster role. Smack Shack also serves a whole lobster dinner with menu for cracking and dunking the Old Bay-scented meat in drawn butter. The shore-lunch vibe means shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops are welcome, even if we’re still sitting under piles of snow.

Smack Shack/Facebook

Kado no Mise

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The Zen-like surroundings underscore the delicate simplicity of the classic Japanese cuisine, including nigiri, sashimi, and seafood starters and entrees.  If narrowing down the selections is too tricky, opt for the multi-course omakase at the sushi counter.

The Anchor Fish & Chips

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A massive wild Alaskan cod fillet is served over hand-cut chips inside this kickback neighborhood pub.  Add a pint of Guinness for a quintessentially Irish meal without the plane ticket.

Anchor Fish & Chips [Official]

Eastside Eat + Drink

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Kick off an all night feast with a few friends inside this lively restaurant at the edge of downtown with a scads of oysters, both raw with fries and Rockafeller. Dive into cold poached shrimp before tearing into the whole roasted, entirely de-boned grilled bass. Under lauded chef Jamie Malone Eastside has become a lively good time with 90’s music playing overhead and a staff that while delightfully professional, never take themselves or the experience too seriously.

Tender and without even a single bone, this seabass is best shared with at least a couple of friends
Isabel Subtil/Eastside

Grand Catch

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The specialty of the house is the build-your-own Cajun-style seafood boil: pick from shellfish like crab, shrimp, and crawfish, choose a sauce, options include garlic butter, Louisiana, and spicyThai-chili filled Isaan, and select a heat level from mild to “insane ghost”.  Other menu items include shrimp rolls, fried white fish sandwiches, snow crab dip, and Chinese shrimp toast.

Kevin Kramer/Eater Twin Cities

Meritage

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The oysters at Meritage get all the buzz. Try them raw or broiled with tarragon butter and breadcrumbs. Although, there are plenty of other seafood dishes like like salade Niçoise and moules frites eat like the best of Parisienne bistro dining.

Octo fishbar

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Japanese-style lobster rolls, scrambled eggs with baby squid, octopus bolognese, seafood pozole: the menu at Octo Fish Bar treats seafood to a world’s worth of flavors and inventive preparations and leads in the industry in sustainable sourcing.  James Beard Award winning chef Tim McKee partnered with regional seafood importers The Fish Guys before opening this casual Lowertown eatery inside a food hall. Amble over to Almanac Fish to pick out a catch of the day and ask the kitchen to prepare it.

TJ Turner / Eater Twin Cities

Martina

Argentinian/Italian dishes mean a wide range of seafood. Order stacks of just-shucked oysters and a throwback-made-modern take on fried calamari dusted with a bit of cinnamon before plowing headlong into a sumptuous lobster fra diavolo pasta. The low light, clean white interior dotted with fresh green plants make for a comfortably modern vibe.

A white bowl filled with spaghetti with red sauce and lobster. Kevin Kramer /Eater Twin Cities

4 Bells

The restaurant’s moniker references the signal to sailors that it’s time for a rest, and a tip-off to diners that fresh seafood is on the menu.  There are several rustic, fancy rooms to choose from with distinctive vibes like the rough-hewn comforts of the bar, the bright kitchen-side seating or the long tables for private dining. New chef Scott Pampuch is a well-known name in sustainability circles, so expect ethically caught fresh dishes.

A tray filled with oysters and a few king crab legs 4 Bells / Facebook

Kyatchi

All the seafood on the comprehensive menu of sushi rolls, nigiri, and sashimi is selected based on the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch guidelines.  Try the oshizushi, a pressed sushi style that’s tricky to track down in the Twin Cities.

Smack Shack

This restaurant offers every possible preparation of lobster, including lobster-spiked guacamole, bisque, mac & cheese, poutine, and the butter toasted lobster role. Smack Shack also serves a whole lobster dinner with menu for cracking and dunking the Old Bay-scented meat in drawn butter. The shore-lunch vibe means shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops are welcome, even if we’re still sitting under piles of snow.

Smack Shack/Facebook

Kado no Mise

The Zen-like surroundings underscore the delicate simplicity of the classic Japanese cuisine, including nigiri, sashimi, and seafood starters and entrees.  If narrowing down the selections is too tricky, opt for the multi-course omakase at the sushi counter.

The Anchor Fish & Chips

A massive wild Alaskan cod fillet is served over hand-cut chips inside this kickback neighborhood pub.  Add a pint of Guinness for a quintessentially Irish meal without the plane ticket.

Anchor Fish & Chips [Official]

Eastside Eat + Drink

Kick off an all night feast with a few friends inside this lively restaurant at the edge of downtown with a scads of oysters, both raw with fries and Rockafeller. Dive into cold poached shrimp before tearing into the whole roasted, entirely de-boned grilled bass. Under lauded chef Jamie Malone Eastside has become a lively good time with 90’s music playing overhead and a staff that while delightfully professional, never take themselves or the experience too seriously.

Tender and without even a single bone, this seabass is best shared with at least a couple of friends
Isabel Subtil/Eastside

Grand Catch

The specialty of the house is the build-your-own Cajun-style seafood boil: pick from shellfish like crab, shrimp, and crawfish, choose a sauce, options include garlic butter, Louisiana, and spicyThai-chili filled Isaan, and select a heat level from mild to “insane ghost”.  Other menu items include shrimp rolls, fried white fish sandwiches, snow crab dip, and Chinese shrimp toast.

Kevin Kramer/Eater Twin Cities

Meritage

The oysters at Meritage get all the buzz. Try them raw or broiled with tarragon butter and breadcrumbs. Although, there are plenty of other seafood dishes like like salade Niçoise and moules frites eat like the best of Parisienne bistro dining.

Octo fishbar

Japanese-style lobster rolls, scrambled eggs with baby squid, octopus bolognese, seafood pozole: the menu at Octo Fish Bar treats seafood to a world’s worth of flavors and inventive preparations and leads in the industry in sustainable sourcing.  James Beard Award winning chef Tim McKee partnered with regional seafood importers The Fish Guys before opening this casual Lowertown eatery inside a food hall. Amble over to Almanac Fish to pick out a catch of the day and ask the kitchen to prepare it.

TJ Turner / Eater Twin Cities

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