The inaugural Off The Hook seafood festival took place at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, October 17, 2015. Benefiting Seafood for the Future, the Aquarium of the Pacific’s nonprofit seafood sustainability program, the event featured food from over 20 restaurants and drinks from Shock Top, a major sponsor, and other wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverage purveyors.
My favorite bites of the event were Canon Club‘s fresh-fried oyster po’ boy, The Upper West‘s Southeast Asian inspired scallops, and Del Frisco’s Grille‘s ahi tuna tacos.
Other highlights included The Farm of Beverly Hills‘ gougeres and tartare, The Lobster‘s seafood corndog, and FIG‘s tuna poke and raw oysters.
Salt & Straw and Paloma’s Paletas provided sweet refreshments in the form of ice cream and popsicles, while bands like Black Crystal Wolf Kids played great live music.
At $60/$90 for GA/VIP respectively ($70/$100 the week of the event), it’s not cheap, but for all you can eat seafood and all you can drink alcoholic beverages, it’s not a bad deal. Not sure the VIP level is worth the $30 premium, with only a handful of restaurants (Geoffrey’s Malibu, Herringbone, etc.) exclusive to the VIP area, though the quick lines at FIG’s station in the VIP section definitely beat waiting in the longest line at the event, The Jolly Oyster, for fresh shucked oysters, which both were serving.
I actually think Off The Hook was one of the better run first-time events, and I would certainly go back. If the organizers beefed up the VIP level (including early access, or at least a separate entrance line), and added a few more restaurants to the line-up, the event would be that much better next year.
For more food shots from Off The Hook, check out hashtag #offalohook on Instagram.
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Off The Hook Santa Monica Seafood Festival
200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
http://offthehookseafoodfest.com/
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