Last chance to enjoy Anthony’s at the waterfront. 70 years of great memories and seafood at Anthony’s Fish Grotto, which will close on January 31, 2017.
Time is running out. Anthony’s Fish Grotto on San Diego’s waterfront will be closing at the end of next January. The restaurant has produced fond memories for millions of people over the course of its 70 year history. You have one last chance to enjoy this wonderful, unique place before it’s torn down.
Next year, the Brigantine will introduce a new restaurant at this scenic location, right next to the Star of India. I was told by a gentleman who sells art on the sidewalk nearby that the new Brigantine building is now under construction, and will be brought in across San Diego Bay on a ship or barge. That would certainly be a sight to behold!
Late yesterday morning I walked down to the Embarcadero to devour some french fries and a yummy tuna melt at Anthony’s outdoor Fishette. I sat on the wood deck dipping my fries in tartar sauce and breathing in the fresh air. I simply gazed out at the water. Â Pleasant visions floated on the sparkling blue, including a visiting cruise ship and San Diego Yacht Club sailboats. Between licking my fingers, I took a few photos.
Anthony’s has been a fixture on San Diego’s Embarcadero for 70 years. But their lease ran out and the Brigantine will soon build a new restaurant at this location.I’ve stood in this line many times. This is a favorite spot for tourists and locals alike.Eating seafood on benches inside a protected area of the informal outdoor Fishette, over the gently lapping water of San Diego Bay.Funny sign over the Fishette soda machine shows two fish in love.I’ll attest that Mama Ghio’s secret tartar sauce is a tasty concoction!Anthony’s Fish Grotto opened in 1946, right after World War II. I remember eating here many times as a child.Another photo of the small casual Fishette. I prefer dining outside, but many enjoy the more formal Fish Grotto restaurant, which occupies the interior of the building.In my opinion, some of the best seats in San Diego.A gull was patiently watching my fries.Activity on San Diego Bay included a refueling cruise ship. Those guys in the boat fishing were being watched by a circling sea lion.Here comes the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s historic Pilot boat, out on a harbor tour. Those sailboats racing in the distance belong to the San Diego Yacht Club.I love this place. It will be sad to see it go. (In this photo you can see the concrete posts where the Fish Grotto’s boat dock used to be. It was destroyed in that ferocious El Nino windstorm that I blogged about in early February.)Another beautiful day on the Embarcadero. Time marches on.
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14 thoughts on “Last chance to enjoy Anthony’s at the waterfront.”
Saddened to hear this. There is an Anthony’s along I-8 in El Cajon (or maybe La Mesa); not quite the same thing! Monterey has a whole pier lined with these over-the-water restaurants of all grades and dress-codes, and it adds something of a je ne sais quoi to the whole nearby town which is, like San Diego, a tourist mecca. We need more of this here, not less, and while the Shelter Island bait shop, one of our favorite visits, is nice, it somehow doesn’t measure up.
Hopefully the new Brigantine has a great atmosphere and outdoor seating over the water. Another fun little place is the new Burgers, Bait and Beer by the Embarcadero Marina Park South pier. It’s not over the water, but it has good personality and excellent people-watching opportunities!
Yes, let us hope! Thanks for the tip on BB&B. Haven’t been down to the city since I retired last May, and right now, my son has my car on a long-term loan, but we’ll make that one of our first stops when we get out and about again. See you there!
Always a shame when such a lovely place as this is being torn down and replaced by something new, especially when you have such fond memories of being there. Let’s hope the new place will be just as nice, I’m sure it will, and your photos have captured this slice of San Diego history before it is changed.
Like many San Diegans, I think that the Port District should have renewed their lease. There’s something to be said for loyalty. I hope to get down there one last time before they close. Do you remember the Anthony’s in La Jolla on Prospect? I used to go there often with my family on Sundays.
I’m from Canada and we first visited San Diego March of 2014 and found this gem (Anthony”s). Everytime we go to San Diego (every year) we always make sure to stop by at Anthonys. it became like a habit. So sad to hear that they demolished the restaurant. Well I guess it’s always the big corporation wins.
A new restaurant is now being built in the same spot. It will be about twice the size and feature a public observation deck. I’m hopeful it turns out nice!
Cool San Diego Sights! 
Saddened to hear this. There is an Anthony’s along I-8 in El Cajon (or maybe La Mesa); not quite the same thing! Monterey has a whole pier lined with these over-the-water restaurants of all grades and dress-codes, and it adds something of a je ne sais quoi to the whole nearby town which is, like San Diego, a tourist mecca. We need more of this here, not less, and while the Shelter Island bait shop, one of our favorite visits, is nice, it somehow doesn’t measure up.
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Hopefully the new Brigantine has a great atmosphere and outdoor seating over the water. Another fun little place is the new Burgers, Bait and Beer by the Embarcadero Marina Park South pier. It’s not over the water, but it has good personality and excellent people-watching opportunities!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, let us hope! Thanks for the tip on BB&B. Haven’t been down to the city since I retired last May, and right now, my son has my car on a long-term loan, but we’ll make that one of our first stops when we get out and about again. See you there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always a shame when such a lovely place as this is being torn down and replaced by something new, especially when you have such fond memories of being there. Let’s hope the new place will be just as nice, I’m sure it will, and your photos have captured this slice of San Diego history before it is changed.
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Don’t you just hate it when landmarks like these disappear. We always expect them to always be there!
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The only thing constant is change, I suppose…
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Like many San Diegans, I think that the Port District should have renewed their lease. There’s something to be said for loyalty. I hope to get down there one last time before they close. Do you remember the Anthony’s in La Jolla on Prospect? I used to go there often with my family on Sundays.
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No, I don’t recall an Anthony’s in La Jolla. Was that many years ago?
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I was pretty little so I’d guess it was somewhere in the 60s and 70s. It was about where George’s is now, I think.
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I’m from Canada and we first visited San Diego March of 2014 and found this gem (Anthony”s). Everytime we go to San Diego (every year) we always make sure to stop by at Anthonys. it became like a habit. So sad to hear that they demolished the restaurant. Well I guess it’s always the big corporation wins.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A new restaurant is now being built in the same spot. It will be about twice the size and feature a public observation deck. I’m hopeful it turns out nice!
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