Off the Hook: Santa Monica’s Seafood Festival
Santa Monica’s Off the Hook Seafood Festival isn’t just a tasting event—it’s a yearly reminder that the Pacific Ocean still feeds both the city and its culture. Returning to the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, Oct. 19, the festival gathers local chefs, restaurants, and breweries for a day built around sustainable seafood, live music, and the kind of casual chaos only a pier crowd can produce.
General admission ($75) gets you access to unlimited seafood tastings, beer and wine gardens, and cooking demos. VIPs ($150) trade the lines for shaded lounges and premium pours. The real action happens at the oyster shucking and eating competitions, where speed and precision meet saltwater bravado.
Behind the spectacle, Off the Hook partners with local nonprofits promoting marine conservation and responsible sourcing. It’s a subtle counterpoint to the indulgence—a message that seafood’s future depends on smarter fishing and cleaner waters.
The festival’s tone matches Santa Monica itself: part beach party, part conscience check. If Los Angeles ever needed proof that sustainability can taste good, it’s here—served raw, grilled, and fresh from the Pacific.