New seafood restaurant opens in downtown SLO. See inside and get a look at the menu
A new seafood restaurant has opened its doors in downtown San Luis Obispo, serving up locally sourced fish and oysters.
Lure Fish House, in the new mixed-use building at the corner of Monterey and Santa Rosa streets, is the restaurant’s seventh location but the first to open in SLO County.
The restaurant is owned by David Cortina and run by his sons-in-law Matt Rek and Peyton Strait.
“This is a big family affair,” Strait said.
The first Lure Fish House opened in Camarillo in 2010, Cortina said. Inspired by his love of seafood, time as an oyster bartender and years of experience in the restaurant industry, Cortina was moved to open his own restaurant with his family.
Lure Fish House also has locations in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Westlake Village, Porter Ranch and Scottsdale, Arizona.
“We have always loved San Luis Obispo,” Cortina said. “With Lure, we are really kind of following the missions and building up the coast of California. When we found out this building became available, it was sort of a no-brainer. It just looked perfect.”
The inside of the restaurant has an industrial vibe, Rek said, and with custom European lighting and murals, the space is intended to evoke the feel of European-style seafood houses.
What’s on the menu at Lure Fish House
The menu features a wide range of seafood, starting with the Daily Catch, which includes wild-caught fish like ahi, Pacific rockfish, Pacific white sea bass, swordfish, king salmon, and black cod from the Channel Islands. The fish comes with two sides, from a selection such as Parmesan potato cake, french fries, sweet potato fries, pineapple coleslaw, cilantro lime rice and more.
The Raw Bar offers three kinds of oysters, including Grassy Bar from Morro Bay at $3.40 each, $19.50 for a half dozen and $38 for a dozen. A wood-fire oven is used to roast the oysters.
Also on the menu are many other seafood favorites, from ceviche and shrimp cocktail to fish and chips and seafood chowder. There’s even a 10-ounce grass-fed hanger steak for those with a taste for beef.
Most of the entrees range from $21 to $36.
To source the fish, the restaurant uses local vendors, including one in Morro Bay. The fish is delivered to the restaurant daily, Strait said.
“We try to source our fish locally whenever possible,” Strait said. “We serve the highest quality fish we can find.”
Cortina added that it has been exciting to be able to tap into the Morro Bay fish scene.
Sustainability is also an important consideration when sourcing the fish, Strait said, and Lure’s seafood includes wild-caught selections from Washington state to New Zealand.
“We do not have anything on our menu that is bad for you or bad for the environment,” Strait said.
More information
Lure Fish House is now open Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday service from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. will begin on April 28. For more information, visit lurefishhouse.com or call 805-586-1356.
