Top 10 seafood spots by the sea

4. SEATTLE, WA

Sunfish
Amid banter between the two Greek owners and the customers, Sunfish serves up delicate, paper-wrapped cod, halibut, wild salmon, and shellfish. For a sampler plate, try the combo ― or better, Sunfish's signature fish kabob. Nearly everything is less than $10 and comes with homemade tartar sauce and garlic malt vinegar. Eat here or across the street at Alki Beach, with views of Puget Sound. INFO: $, cash and local checks only; closed Mon; 2800 Alki Ave. S.W.; 206/938-4112. -Jim McCausland

5. NEWPORT, OR

Quimby's Restaurant
Three big hunks of Alaskan halibut, tempura-battered and quickly fried, and a healthy scoop of fresh, zesty slaw: There's more on the menu, but with a meal this good, why bother? Make a night of it; tablecloths gussy up the place, and the Newport Performing Arts Center is across the street. Or stomp off the sand on a beach day; it's just a block from the Nye Beach Turnaround. Bonus: The ocean view is nice too. INFO: $$$; 740 W. Olive St.; 866/784-6297. -Bonnie Henderson

Drakes Beach Café
Every Sunday afternoon in the summer, outdoor grills start sizzling at the tip of Point Reyes National Seashore. Hikers plunk down at cafe tables in the sun or right in the sand by the waves to feast on piles of barbecued oysters, smoky corn on the cob, and grilled garlic bread. Then there's the menu inside, drawn from local, mainly organic, truly top-notch ingredients: Dungeness crab, Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, and Brickmaiden Breads. INFO: $$$; seasonal hours (call for current hours), closed for lunch Tues and Wed in the summer, closed for lunch Mon-Thurs in the fall, table-service dinners Fri and Sat (dinner reservations required), 1 Drakes Beach Rd. (next to the visitor center); 415/669-1297. -Margo True