A visit to Rock N’Fish restaurant transports diners to the glory days of the Rat Pack. The Food is simple, satisfying, and never ending, adhering to the tradition of classic seafood and steakhouses. The result is a continuous onslaught of massive portions
that challenge even the heartiest appetites. An evening at the Rock'N Fish
is a return to a time characterized by a warm, sophisticated
crowd and a welcoming culture of excess.

Since year 2000, the Rock'N Fish Restaurant brought the first fine Seafood
and Steak house to Manhattan Beach area and has been accumulating
awards ever since. Entrance transports diners to the ambience
of a private club with exceptional service.

 

The amazing wine list pairs with classic steakhouse specialties, distinct salads, and quality seafood fare. Whether you go in for an upscale dinner or a more moderately priced lunch, Rock'N Fish’s is a cut above the rest. Renowned for it's famous drink, the Navy Grog, Rock’N Fish is well situated in Manhattan Beach's downtown area. This fashionable eatery, a local favorite, provides an
overall experience of uncompromising quality, boasting a classic
ambience only associated with Chicago or New Orleans.

The dining room’s layout allows for a variety of seating options, creating intimate nooks and sprawling banquets that frequently accommodate parties between 10
and 40 people. The restaurant has tall ceilings, hand painted murals and decadent chandeliers in the main dining room or enjoy your experience on the beautiful indoor/outdoor patio. We readily comply, settling into our table.

 

The menu is as much of an homage to the traditional steakhouse as the décor.
While the menu presents an extensive variety of selections, each dish emphasizes
the freshness of its ingredients with simple, but masterful preparation. Steaks are cooked over mesquite and minimally seasoned to accent their natural flavors,
while seafood is similarly prepared with a light, but expert hand. Rock N’Fish emphasizes simple satisfaction, providing straightforward, unpretentious, yet
skillfully refined dishes, and wave after wave of sides that overwhelm the diner by their quality as well as their colossal quantity. It is truly a bountiful feast.

Our feast begins appropriately with the staggeringly large selection of appetizers that were out of this world! Mountains of panko-crusted Calamari Strips, golden Chicken Wings, crispy Fried Zucchini, and thick, gooey Potato Skins send the tantalizing
odor of fried starches into the air and immediately put my salivary glands to
work. Each appetizer is expertly prepared. My guest’s opt for the New
England-Style Clam Chowder Rich and hearty chowder with smoked
bacon. The soup is amazing and the taste is superb!

 
New England-Style Clam Chowder                    Crispy Crab Wonton            

The Crispy Crab Wonton is light and slightly buttery, a perfect complement to the subtly sweet, crab within, and the fried exterior is crispy and not overly greasy, while the interior remains moist and distinctive, one of the best wonton’s you can ever try!

 
     Giant Coconut Prawns                     Oak Grilled Artichoke Hearts

Next we tried the Giant Coconut Prawns Giant prawns lightly coated in shredded coconut and panko, served with pineapple beurre blanc. Each bite is an explosion
of salty, savory flavor and the appetizer is almost a meal unto itself. If you
love giant prawns and want to try the best in town, this is the one!

Another specialty was their signature Oak Grilled Artichoke
Served with roasted garlic aioli. Very light and delicious!


Dungeness Crabmeat Cocktail

The Dungeness Crabmeat Cocktail follows the precedent
established by the Assorted Appetizer Platter: it is massive and elegantly
presented. Enormous pink crab curl around a large crystal goblet filled with ice. The center almost glows with the intense flavor of the cocktail sauce. The crab is refreshingly cold, with a soft, succulent, sweet taste. The pungent, spicy cocktail
sauce enlivens the palate as much as the coolness of the crab soothes it. It is
the simple presentation of superbly fresh ingredients, conveyed
to the table withrefined minimalism.


Top Sirloin and Australian Cold Water Lobster Tail

As the entrees arrive I feel, for a moment, how the fabled Jack must have felt after climbing the beanstalk and encountering the giant’s smorgasbord. The Surf & Turf Top Sirloin and Australian Cold Water Lobster Tail dwarfs its plate, its succulent juices pooling on the meat pinkish-red surface. Each tender bite is moist and buttery, virtually dissolving upon reaching my mouth and filling my taste buds with a concentrated essence of beef. A dip into a creamy sauce transforms the experience, infusing the meat with the earthy heat of this potent root. As a counterbalance,
the dark, robust au jus returns the palate to the prime meat’s quintessential
meatiness. The result is an education in the complexities and
subtleties of beef, a most gratifying lesson.


Double Baked Potato and Spinach
The Double Baked Potato selected as an accompaniment provides a rich, starchy pillow for the fleshy flavors of the Filet Mignon. Presented with an enticing, golden crust, each mouthful of buttery whipped potato is a comforting return home
for the taste buds. The Australian Lobster was divine, and I have no words
to describe the presentation and taste. Since this dish comes with 2
choices of their amazing side, I also got their Sweet Potato
Fries, which were also delicious and crispy!


Kapalua Ribeye and King Crab Legs

The Kapalua Ribeye, a tender Rib-eye beef which is hand cut, then treated for 72 hours in a pineapple-soy marinade before being served with “Hibachi” teriyaki
sauce for a taste of the islands. The knife cuts through to reveal a juicy, jewel-like ribbon of pinkish-red in the center, an inviting sight. The meat’s texture, though
less buttery than the Prime Rib, is moist and tender, and epitomizes the simple,
hearty pleasures of an expertly executed steak. The experience is a
marriage of privileged indulgence and homey comfort.

The enticing smell of garlic and butter precedes the Crab Legs leaning over the
plate, we are greeted by an inviting sight: Spicy Mac ’N Cheese and Sautéed Spinach, the result is a dish that radiates sublime
gratification and warms the diner from head to toe.

Although my companion and I are approaching food coma, it is impossible to
resist the temptations presented by the dessert menu. We select the
Bananas Foster Sliced bananas flambéed in a dark caramel-rum
sauce, topped with candied walnuts and ice cream.


Bananas Foster

This dessert is a tropical oasis for the tongue, a refreshingly light that takes the taste buds on an exotic escapade which I would say it was the essence of paradise. After the weightiness of our substantial banquet, this dish was a delightful endnote.

As we exit our table and prepare to leave the remnants of our gluttony behind, I glance around at my fellow diners. Although the Rock N’Fish exudes a retro air of “old boy’s club” exclusivity, the restaurant’s crowd is very diverse. Business diners and groups
of men share the space with couples and families, many with the sense of ownership and familiarity exhibited by regular clientele. While we come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life, this restaurant brings us together, attracting us all by the promise of being treated with the same nostalgically romantic
notion of prestige, notoriety, and class associated with the glamorous
swinging social and casual scene of the 1960’s… Leftovers in tow,
we spill out onto the street, squinting against the harshness
of daylight and a return to reality.
            
Special thanks to owner Michael Zislis for your amazing hospitality!


For map and location click Here!

For more information please visit their website at rocknfishmb.com