Seafood Restaurants in San Mateo & San Bruno: A Local Guide to Seafood Around the Peninsula. Cajun Bowl San Mateo
Updated: Sep 29
If you are searching for the best seafood restaurants in San Mateo, San Bruno, Millbrae, or near SFO, you are in one of the Bay Area’s most interesting areas for seafood dining.
The Peninsula offers an impressive variety of seafood experiences. Within a relatively short drive, diners can find everything from sushi and sashimi to Dungeness crab, Mexican mariscos, poke, Pacific-inspired seafood and hands-on Cajun seafood boils.
Restaurants such as Pacific Catch San Mateo, Sushi Yoshizumi, Sushi Maruyama, PPQ Dungeness Island, Red Lobster San Bruno, Amami Sushi, Mariscos El Pariente, Poke One and many other local restaurants give seafood lovers plenty of different options.
For diners specifically searching for a Cajun seafood boil in San Mateo or San Bruno, there is also Cajun Bowl California.
With locations in both Downtown San Mateo and San Bruno, Cajun Bowl offers customizable seafood boils featuring different seafood choices, signature sauces and spice levels.
This guide explores some of the different seafood experiences around San Mateo and San Bruno and explains where Cajun-style seafood boils fit into the Peninsula seafood scene.
Seafood Restaurants in San Mateo, California
San Mateo has developed a diverse restaurant scene, particularly around Downtown San Mateo and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Someone searching Google for “seafood restaurant San Mateo,” “seafood near Downtown San Mateo,” “crab San Mateo,” “sushi San Mateo,” “seafood boil San Mateo,” or “all you can eat seafood San Mateo” will find many different styles of seafood.
That variety is part of what makes eating seafood around San Mateo interesting.
You can have sushi one evening, Pacific-inspired seafood another day and a completely different hands-on Cajun seafood boil experience the next.
Here are several seafood restaurants and styles diners may encounter while exploring San Mateo.
Pacific Catch San Mateo
One of the recognizable seafood restaurants in Downtown San Mateo is Pacific Catch.
Located at 243 South B Street, San Mateo, Pacific Catch describes its concept around sustainable seafood and Pacific-inspired flavors.
Its menu represents a very different seafood experience from a traditional seafood boil.
For people researching Pacific Catch San Mateo and looking at other seafood restaurants nearby, Cajun Bowl provides another style of seafood dining just a few blocks away.
Cajun Bowl San Mateo is located at:
168 E 4th AveSan Mateo, CA 94401
Instead of focusing primarily on Pacific-inspired bowls and plates, Cajun Bowl centers its seafood experience around customizable Cajun seafood boils and seafood combinations.
Guests can select seafood, choose a sauce and determine their preferred spice level.
That means someone searching for Pacific Catch San Mateo alternatives, seafood restaurants around Downtown San Mateo, or simply another way to experience seafood can explore two very different concepts within the same downtown area.
Cajun Bowl San Mateo
Cajun Bowl California brings the seafood boil experience directly to Downtown San Mateo.
The concept is centered around customization.
Rather than every seafood order having exactly the same flavor profile, diners can create a combination according to their preferences.
The current Cajun Bowl menu includes sauce choices such as:
Cajun Sauce
Garlic Butter
Lemon Pepper
Ultimate Sauce
Super Ultimate Sauce
Lemon Garlic Power
Guests can then select a spice level ranging from No Spicy through Mild, Medium, Spicy and On Fire.
This makes Cajun Bowl particularly relevant for searches such as:
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You can explore the current selections on the Cajun Bowl menu.
All-You-Can-Eat Seafood in San Mateo
Another distinction for the San Mateo location is its All-You-Can-Eat seafood experience.
According to Cajun Bowl's current restaurant information, the buffet is offered exclusively at the San Mateo location, for dine-in guests.
For people searching phrases such as:
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this provides another way to discover Cajun Bowl.
Seafood lovers who enjoy trying different selections may appreciate an AYCE format because it creates a different experience from ordering one traditional seafood entrée.
Current selections, pricing, availability and restaurant policies can change, so diners should check the official Cajun Bowl California website for current information.
Sushi Yoshizumi and Seafood in Downtown San Mateo
San Mateo is also known for Japanese dining and sushi.
Sushi Yoshizumi is located at 325 E 4th Ave in San Mateo, not far from Cajun Bowl.
The restaurant is known for an intimate omakase experience based around traditional Japanese sushi techniques.
Someone searching for Sushi Yoshizumi San Mateo is obviously considering a very different seafood experience from a Cajun seafood boil.
And that is exactly the point.
Seafood does not have to mean one type of cuisine.
One evening might call for carefully prepared sushi and nigiri.
Another occasion might be better suited to cracking crab shells, dipping seafood into sauce and sharing a large seafood meal around the table.
For the second experience, diners can explore Cajun Bowl San Mateo.
Sushi Maruyama San Mateo
Another seafood destination in the area is Sushi Maruyama, located at 279 Baldwin Avenue.
Sushi Maruyama focuses on Japanese seafood preparations including sushi and seasonal fish.
Again, this highlights the diversity of the San Mateo seafood scene.
Searching for Sushi Maruyama, sushi in San Mateo, or Japanese seafood in San Mateo may lead diners into the downtown restaurant district, where many different seafood experiences are located close together.
For those who want to switch from sushi to a warm, saucy, customizable seafood meal, Cajun seafood boils provide a completely different direction.
Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi
Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi at 204A 2nd Avenue adds another Japanese seafood option to Downtown San Mateo.
Its concept combines sushi with Japanese tapas and other small plates.
The concentration of sushi restaurants, seafood restaurants and international cuisine around Downtown San Mateo makes the neighborhood an interesting destination for people who simply search “seafood near me” without having one particular style in mind.
Within that same downtown restaurant environment, Cajun Bowl offers the bold flavors and hands-on experience associated with Cajun-style seafood boils.
Taki Nori Hand Roll Bar
Seafood lovers searching Downtown San Mateo may also encounter Taki Nori Hand Roll Bar, located at 144 E 3rd Ave.
The restaurant specializes in Japanese hand rolls.
Taki Nori, Sushi Yoshizumi, Sushi Maruyama and other Japanese restaurants demonstrate just how strong the seafood selection is around Downtown San Mateo.
Cajun Bowl adds another seafood category to the neighborhood: Cajun seafood boils.
Mexican Seafood and Mariscos in San Mateo
The seafood scene around San Mateo extends far beyond sushi and Cajun food.
Restaurants such as El Sinaloense Mexican Restaurant offer Mexican cuisine with a strong mariscos presence.
La Ronda Restaurant Peruvian Cuisine also features seafood as part of its Peruvian menu.
This creates even more choices for someone searching:
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Each cuisine treats seafood differently.
Mexican mariscos may emphasize ceviches, seafood cocktails and regional preparations.
Peruvian seafood may incorporate ceviche, seafood rice and traditional Peruvian seasonings.
Japanese restaurants highlight raw fish, sushi, nigiri and sashimi.
Cajun Bowl approaches seafood through seasoned seafood boils, sauces and customizable spice levels.
Looking for a Cajun Seafood Boil in San Mateo?
If what you really want is a table covered with seafood and bold sauces, the search becomes more specific.
A seafood boil is fundamentally different from ordering a conventional fish entrée.
The experience is interactive.
Seafood can be combined with seasonings, sauces and sides, creating a meal designed to be shared and explored.
At Cajun Bowl, guests can personalize that experience through seafood selections, sauce combinations and heat levels.
Explore the current options on the Cajun Bowl seafood menu.
Seafood Restaurants in San Bruno, California
Travel north from San Mateo and the seafood landscape continues in San Bruno, Millbrae and the area surrounding San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
San Bruno is especially convenient for travelers, airport-area employees, local families and Peninsula residents.
Popular searches include:
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Seafood El Camino Real San Bruno
One of the seafood options along El Camino Real is Cajun Bowl San Bruno.
The restaurant is located at:
1230 El Camino Real #DSan Bruno, CA 94066
Red Lobster San Bruno and Cajun Bowl San Bruno
One of the most recognizable seafood restaurants in San Bruno is Red Lobster, located at 1210 El Camino Real.
Cajun Bowl San Bruno is located at 1230 El Camino Real #D, putting both restaurants in essentially the same immediate dining area.
The two restaurants provide different seafood experiences.
Red Lobster is a national seafood restaurant chain known for familiar American seafood dishes and combination meals.
Cajun Bowl is centered around a more hands-on Cajun seafood boil experience, with customizable sauces and spice levels.
Therefore, someone searching:
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may discover that there are multiple seafood options within this small section of San Bruno.
For Cajun seafood, visit the Cajun Bowl California website.
Poke One San Bruno
You cannot get much closer to Cajun Bowl than Poke One.
Poke One is located at 1230 El Camino Real, Suite C, while Cajun Bowl is at Suite D.
The restaurants provide completely different approaches to seafood.
Poke focuses on customizable bowls generally built around seafood, rice and toppings.
Cajun Bowl focuses on cooked seafood boils, sauces, spices and seafood combinations.
Someone searching for Poke One San Bruno who is actually craving warm seafood, crab, shrimp or Cajun flavors has another seafood option right next door.
Amami Sushi Bistro San Bruno
Amami Sushi Bistro is another popular Japanese option in San Bruno.
Located at 312 El Camino Real, its seafood experience revolves heavily around sushi, nigiri and sashimi.
There is also Amami Sushi at 1789 El Camino Real.
Together, these restaurants reinforce El Camino Real as an important corridor for seafood dining in San Bruno.
For people traveling along El Camino Real looking specifically for cooked Cajun seafood, shrimp, crab, crawfish, mussels, clams or a seafood boil, Cajun Bowl offers another style to consider.
Mariscos El Pariente San Bruno
For Mexican seafood, diners may encounter Mariscos El Pariente at 160 El Camino Real.
The restaurant represents another part of San Bruno's diverse seafood landscape: Mexican mariscos.
Mexican seafood and Cajun seafood share an appreciation for bold flavors but express them through very different culinary traditions.
That makes San Bruno a particularly interesting place for seafood lovers because several different international approaches to seafood can be found within a relatively compact area.
Mar Y Mar San Bruno
Another Mexican seafood option is Mar Y Mar, located at 602 San Mateo Avenue.
Its menu includes Mexican dishes alongside seafood preparations such as ceviche and seafood cocktails.
Diners researching Mar Y Mar San Bruno, Mexican seafood San Bruno, mariscos San Bruno or other seafood restaurants in the area may also want to explore the Cajun seafood category.
Cajun Bowl's San Bruno location provides that alternative on El Camino Real.
JC Bruno Restaurant
JC Bruno Restaurant at 741 San Mateo Avenue represents another style of local dining, with seafood appearing alongside other chef-driven dishes.
It is another example of why a broad search for seafood restaurants in San Bruno can produce such different results.
The right restaurant depends heavily on what type of seafood experience you want.
PPQ Dungeness Island in Nearby Millbrae
Crab lovers searching around San Bruno will likely encounter PPQ Dungeness Island in neighboring Millbrae.
Located at 195 El Camino Real, Millbrae, PPQ is particularly associated with Dungeness crab and seafood dishes served with bold preparations.
Dungeness crab has a strong following throughout the Bay Area, making searches such as these particularly relevant:
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PPQ and Cajun Bowl represent different culinary approaches to a seafood-centered meal.
If you are specifically looking for a Cajun seafood boil near Millbrae or SFO, Cajun Bowl San Bruno is located nearby at 1230 El Camino Real.
Looking for Seafood Near SFO?
San Bruno and Millbrae are especially useful restaurant areas for travelers because of their proximity to San Francisco International Airport.
Instead of limiting your search to airport restaurants, travelers can explore nearby communities for a much broader range of food.
Searches such as:
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can lead travelers toward the El Camino Real corridor.
Cajun Bowl San Bruno provides a Cajun seafood option for people staying around San Bruno, Millbrae and the airport area.
What Makes a Cajun Seafood Boil Different?
With so many seafood restaurants around San Mateo and San Bruno, it helps to understand what separates one experience from another.
Sushi emphasizes seafood quality, precision and Japanese preparation.
Poke typically emphasizes fresh ingredients and customizable bowls.
Mexican mariscos can include ceviche, seafood cocktails and regional seafood preparations.
Traditional American seafood restaurants may feature grilled, fried or baked seafood entrées.
Crab houses can center the entire meal around whole crab and shareable dishes.
A Cajun seafood boil is different.
The seafood is combined with bold seasoning and sauces, creating an interactive meal where flavor customization plays a major role.
At Cajun Bowl, the process allows diners to select their seafood and then personalize the flavor.
Cajun Sauce, Garlic Butter or Lemon Pepper?
One of the fun parts of ordering seafood at Cajun Bowl is choosing the flavor direction.
The Cajun Bowl menu currently lists multiple sauce options.
Cajun Sauce
A natural choice for someone specifically searching for Cajun seafood and bold seasoning.
Garlic Butter
Garlic and seafood are a classic combination. Garlic butter offers a rich flavor profile that works particularly well with shellfish.
Lemon Pepper
Seafood and citrus naturally complement one another. Lemon pepper provides another direction for diners who prefer that combination.
Ultimate Sauce
Cajun Bowl's Ultimate Sauce combines Cajun and garlic butter flavors.
Super Ultimate Sauce
For diners who want several flavor profiles together, Super Ultimate combines Cajun, garlic butter and lemon pepper.
Lemon Garlic Power
This option combines lemon pepper and garlic butter.
These choices help make every seafood boil customizable.
How Spicy Do You Want Your Seafood?
Flavor customization does not stop with the sauce.
Cajun Bowl also lets guests choose a preferred spice level.
Current options range from:
No Spicy
to
Mild
Medium
Spicy
and
On Fire
That flexibility matters when several people at the table have different preferences.
Not everyone searching for Cajun seafood necessarily wants extreme heat.
Some people want garlic butter without much spice.
Others want their seafood extremely spicy.
The ability to customize the heat level allows both types of diners to explore the same restaurant.
Seafood for Families and Groups
Seafood boils naturally lend themselves to group dining.
There is something social about having seafood, sauces and sides spread across the table.
Instead of everyone focusing only on an individual plated entrée, seafood boils can create a shared experience.
That makes Cajun seafood worth considering for:
Family dinners
Birthday dinners
Dinner with friends
Group dining
Large parties
Weekend seafood meals
Celebrations
Casual gatherings
Cajun Bowl operates locations in both San Mateo and San Bruno, giving Peninsula diners two options depending on where their group is located.
San Mateo vs. San Bruno: Which Cajun Bowl Location?
Both locations offer the Cajun Bowl seafood experience, but location may determine which restaurant makes the most sense.
Cajun Bowl San Mateo
168 E 4th AveSan Mateo, CA 94401
This location is particularly convenient for people searching around:
Downtown San MateoB StreetCentral San MateoBurlingameBelmontFoster CityHillsborough
The San Mateo location also currently features Cajun Bowl's All-You-Can-Eat seafood experience.
Cajun Bowl San Bruno
1230 El Camino Real #DSan Bruno, CA 94066
This location is convenient for diners searching around:
San BrunoMillbraeSFOSouth San FranciscoEl Camino RealSan Francisco Airport hotelsNorth Peninsula
Both locations can be explored through the official Cajun Bowl California website.
Searching for Pacific Catch, Red Lobster, PPQ or Sushi? Try a Different Seafood Experience
Sometimes a restaurant search begins with a familiar name.
You might search for Pacific Catch San Mateo because you know you want seafood.
You might search for Red Lobster San Bruno because you are craving shrimp or crab.
You might search for PPQ Dungeness Island because you want crab.
Or perhaps your search begins with Sushi Yoshizumi, Sushi Maruyama, Amami Sushi Bistro, Poke One, Mar Y Mar or another local restaurant.
But the restaurant name may not actually be the most important part of your search.
The real question is:
What kind of seafood experience are you craving today?
If the answer is sushi, San Mateo and San Bruno have plenty of options.
If it is poke, there are options for that too.
If it is Mexican mariscos, the Peninsula has several restaurants to explore.
But if what sounds good is crab, shrimp, crawfish, mussels or clams covered in flavorful sauce and customized to your preferred spice level, then you may actually be searching for a Cajun seafood boil.
That's where Cajun Bowl fits into the local seafood landscape.
Discover Cajun Seafood in San Mateo and San Bruno
The Peninsula's seafood scene is diverse, and that is exactly what makes exploring it worthwhile.
Pacific Catch offers its interpretation of Pacific seafood.
Sushi restaurants showcase Japanese seafood traditions.
Mexican restaurants bring the flavors of mariscos.
Crab houses highlight Dungeness crab and other shellfish.
And Cajun Bowl brings Cajun-inspired seafood boils and customizable seafood combinations to San Mateo and San Bruno.
If your next Google search is:
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you now have another local seafood experience to explore.
Cajun Bowl California
San Mateo
168 E 4th AveSan Mateo, CA 94401
Phone: 650-445-7248
San Bruno
1230 El Camino Real #DSan Bruno, CA 94066
Phone: 650-636-4550
Explore seafood, menus, restaurant information and both locations at the official Cajun Bowl California website.
Already planning your seafood meal?
For restaurant photos, seafood dishes and Cajun Bowl updates, follow Cajun Bowl on Instagram.
Whether you discovered us while searching for Pacific Catch San Mateo, Red Lobster San Bruno, PPQ Dungeness Island, Sushi Yoshizumi, Sushi Maruyama, Amami Sushi, Poke One, Mexican seafood, Dungeness crab, seafood near SFO or seafood restaurants near you, Cajun Bowl offers another way to experience seafood on the Peninsula.
Two locations. Bold Cajun flavors. Seafood made your way.
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