11 Most Expensive Seafood Chains In America

Dining at the best and worst seafood chains in America can be a bit unnerving when you discover it costs an arm and a leg for a claw and a tail, especially when funds are tight. Though not all seafood restaurants serve supreme fare at premium prices, there are a number of expensive chains that tempt the discerning fish fan — and some keep their prices so high that your meal could land you underwater if you're not careful.

In general, many expensive seafood chains go out of their way to provide exceptional dining moments for their clientele, even if it means charging more. That may be one of the biggest seafood restaurant red flags for anyone who keeps a tight rein on their entertainment budget, but for those who don't mind splurging every once in a while, it's a savory reassurance. In both cases, it helps to have some guidance regarding what the most expensive seafood chains offer and how customers feel about what they're paying for. 

Clearly, prices can change over time and based on location. Menu items are also subject to alterations due to availability. While you may find differences between these descriptions and menus in your area, these seven chains currently operate the most expensive seafood restaurants around.

When you see the word "prime" in the name of a seafood restaurant, you can bet you'll be paying top dollar. Eddie V's Prime Seafood proves this principle by ratcheting up prices on its first-rate surf-and-turf selections. It also does a crack job delivering on quality. Nobody wants to pay a lot for seafood that tastes like ocean water. But at this chain, customers are likely to get their money's worth.

For example, the menu at Eddie V's Scottsdale location shows off an all-American oyster selection, detailing tasting notes for each based on its locale. You won't find that on the Red Lobster menu. If you have your heart set on South African lobster tails, plan on paying more than $100 for a pair. If you really want to make a splash, ask for The Big Eddie, a tower of seafood composed of lobster, crab, shrimp, tuna, and oysters for $135. And for the steak eater, prices range from $60 for a 10-ounce filet mignon to $112 for a 12-ounce gold grade wagyu strip.

Yelp reviews for Eddie V's are overwhelmingly positive. The wealth of five-star ratings speaks volumes about whether the high-end experience at one of the chain's 30 restaurants is a worthwhile expense. Customers who've dined in multiple locations praise the consistently delicious food, while others appreciate the attentive service that comes with the incredible food.

If the seafood chain you choose has a location in Beverly Hills, you know prices will be jaw-droppingly high. And so it is with Ocean Prime, where even simple creations cost a pretty penny. That may be great for the well-off diners who are likely to frequent this spot regularly, but for the curious culinarian in search of a peak experience? Not so much.

There's very little under the $20 price point on the Beverly Hills menu. Even in the appetizer section, basics like goat cheese ravioli are $25. In the mood for a dressed whole Maine lobster? Add $63 to your bill. If a comforting side dish like baked lobster mac and cheese is calling your name, you'll shell out a whopping $49 for the privilege. And if Chilean sea bass sounds scrumptious for dinner, expect to pay $64 for that plate. At least the nigiri sushi is a bit more reasonable at $11 to $18 apiece. The soups and salads are less pricey as well. But steaks run from $66 to $134, so beef here definitely comes at a premium.

Guests shower the Beverly Hills location with a gratifying 4.7-star average on OpenTable. Other locations of the chain, which span from California all the way to Massachusetts, show similarly stellar profiles. A combination of great service, spectacular food, and inviting atmosphere seems to be a winning combination for which patrons are willing to pay big bucks.

If your pockets are full and you're in search of a fine chef-inspired seafood meal, you're in true luck at Truluck's. At its Miami location, you can enjoy the bounty of the seas with $39 fresh, jumbo-sized Florida stone crab claws as an opener and follow up with a Mediterranean salad filled with calamari, crab, and shrimp for $32. If it sounds like a costly evening before you even get around to ordering your entree, that's because it is. A meal this upscale comes with a price tag to match.

And about that entree. A few of the options from the watery realm include Ōra king salmon at $65 for a full-size cut and $51 for a petite. Chilean sea bass is a steep $51, while the roasted cauliflower steak — one of two plant-based options — rings up at $26. Think of all the fresh cauliflower you could buy for that kind of cash.

Of course, you're also paying for ambiance, which customers often highlight in Yelp reviews for romance and live music. Those reviews number in the thousands across 12 locations in Illinois, DC, Florida, and Texas. The Miami restaurant alone holds a 4.4-star overall rating. Guests who love a vibrant vibe and an all-encompassing seafood dinner with well-prepared dishes seem to be Truluck's target audience. Knowing that dining in Miami is more expensive than in any other American city helps explain the expense, though it may not help you cover the check.

Legal Sea Foods is one of the better-known names in the seafood chain restaurant game, especially when it comes to extravagantly priced plates. The chain has been serving seafood since 1950, giving it a pedigree and pricing structure that's more reasonable than the other high-priced seafood chains. The allure draws diners in like a siren song at 26 locations across Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

The pricey nature of the restaurant is relative, obviously. Take the menu at the Boston Copley Place location as an example. Oysters of the day go for $3.50 apiece here. Combine that into the seafood tower for four with shrimp cocktail, tuna tartare, lobster, and clams, and you'll be paying $96. One of Legal's signature crab cakes will cost you $24, and fillets run between $29 and $44. The steaks, at least, are slightly more affordable than some of the other upscale chains on this list, topping out at $48 for a 16-ounce grilled boneless ribeye.

Is Legal Sea Foods worth the price tag? Reviewers say mostly yes. Business Insider praised the cost for two to eat at the restaurant, but expressed some disappointment in the food. Other customers on Reddit clarify that the consistency justifies the cost, claiming the restaurant is a safety net keeping them from lesser chains like Red Lobster.

If you've perused the selection of stellar seafood restaurants around the U.S., you've undoubtedly already stumbled upon McCormick & Schmick's. The chain has developed a reputation for delivering fantastic catches that satisfy discerning diners, although its prices tend to sit on the lower side of expensive. That's good news for anyone who adores seafood but also likes paying their electric bill. 

A basic order at the Anaheim location of McCormick & Schmick's might go something like this: Start with a shareable Dungeness crab and shrimp cake from the appetizer menu for a cool $24.50 before trying a classic West Australian lobster tail for $52. Wagyu steak frites or a dry-rub angus for the hungry carnivore hit at just under $50. Add a bowl of lobster bisque for $15 and a large side of blistered Brussels sprouts for $12, and you get an idea of what a single customer might pay. It's not as pricey as other upmarket chains, but it's also not as affordable as fish and chips at Rubio's.

In addition to scintillating seafood creativity, guests can also enjoy the pinnacle of mixology inventiveness at McCormick & Schmick's bar, where cocktail craft gets extra attention. Of course, those sips will add to your bill. With 17 locations around the U.S., McCormick & Schmick's puts chic and elegant chain dining within reach, as long as you're ready to pony up.

Chart House aims to provide a top-notch experience for anyone with a taste for high dining. You won't find signs that you're at a fake seafood restaurant here. This chain churns out chef-inspired seafood creations featuring the finest fish and crustacean selections available. Naturally, a description like that means you'll be paying higher prices.

Its restaurants are stationed from coast to coast within the U.S., which means prices are likely to vary depending on the region. Sampling the Alexandria, Virginia dinner menu, you'll find appetizers both cold and hot, ranging between $16 and $27. A globally inspired dish, such as sea bass and lobster risotto, is a $53 plate. However, you could dial that back to $35 with a lemon herb-crusted salmon instead. Chops and steaks vary from $33 for sous vide roasted chicken to $55 for an herb-crusted Callahan prime rib. For the more frugal diner, there's Chart Your Course, a $58 prix fixe menu that provides a starter, entree, and dessert.

The thousands of reviews on OpenTable holding down a 4.4-star overall rating suggest that if you have the funds, Chart House makes fine dining a tasty prospect. Devoted fans seem happy to pay what they must to enjoy a meal here, reserving tables for dates and special occasions where money is no object — or at least less of an object than usual.

Traditional Cajun cuisine makes Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen a stand-out among the most expensive seafood chains on the circuit. The restaurant may be known by diners for its hot honey-glazed gator bites, but connoisseurs recognize that the unique character of well-prepared seafood is worth paying extra for.

On the Phoenix menu, a large fried calamari and octopus starter runs about $36. You'll pay $1 less for a dozen oysters. And the aforementioned gator bites are just under $25, which might be a bargain for such a unique plate. Steaks start at around $60, while Cajun fish dishes go between $27 and $43. A Pappadeaux signature platter featuring fried fish favorites rings up at just under $53. If none of that makes your credit card seize in fear, you might be in for a fantastic dinner.

Pappadeaux maintains locations across eight states, with most of its restaurants located in Texas. If the 4.1-star average among more than 3,000 Yelp reviews at the Phoenix location alone is any indication, steep prices here don't seem to scare off devoted customers. The truth about Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen from customers' perspective is that they love being seated quickly, among other service highlights, and call out the happy hour as a golden moment for great dining.

Mastro's may be best known for first-rate steaks, but it's also every bit the high-end seafood outlet. Locations sling super-pricey dishes that may make patrons wonder how much one should be willing to pay for a fine meal. With filets and chops on the menu that cost as much as your electric bill — or more — Mastro's caters to the elite and the financially daring.

If you're trying to keep your leisure spending under control, this isn't the place for you. Checking the Scottsdale menu as an example, even a simple dish like organic lemon pepper chicken is priced at $40. If A5 wagyu beef carpaccio from the appetizers menu sounds like a better bite, be prepared to pay $47. The highest-priced seafood entree offered for your enjoyment is a $105 platter of roasted garlic jumbo black tiger prawns, and the most supreme steak you can ask for is a 40-ounce Australian wagyu tomahawk for $275. The only items available for under $20 are soup, salads, and sides, and even those sections of the menu include items that climb towards the $50 mark, such as $48 lobster mashed potatoes.

Visitors with funds to spare give Mastro's high marks for atmosphere and specialty service. Some call out the $80 prix fixe menu, which provides a four-course meal essentially for a song. Anyone who's cautiously curious can keep an eye out for similar promotions throughout the year at the chain's 26 coast-to-coast locations.

For the utmost in high-cost crustaceans and filets, Bluewater Grill is a spot with an undeniably upscale sheen. Seven California-based locales provide coastal vibes to go with the food, while one Phoenix restaurant brings seafood to the Sonoran Desert. High-priced seafood with an ocean background is one thing, but recreating the experience in a parched desert city requires a lot of imagination from the clientele.

Cruise in for a taste of what Bluewater Grill's Catalina Island location has to offer, and you'll find rock lobster tail and two sides for $64, a San Francisco cioppino pasta bowl filled with clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, and scallops for $40, and a surf-and-turf plate for $95. Aiming for something simpler to minimize your spending might lead you to the lobster roll, but you'll still be paying $32 for one, served with fries or coleslaw. On the lower end of the menu's pricing spectrum, a classic fish and chips plate lets you scale your spending back to $26, while a seafood Louie salad is $25. There's also a kids' menu that nets you full meals for under $20, but it doesn't include the same stellar selections as the adult-oriented fare.

Of course, there are one-star reviewers who call out the overpriced nature of Bluewater Grill, and some who warn about the poor food preparation that happens on occasion. But glowing reviews are plentiful from five-star diners who appreciate the attentive service and level of detail given to the dishes they've ordered.

As long as you bring a lot of capital to The Capital Grille, you should be able to make it out of the restaurant without having to wash dishes to foot your bill. Opportunities for seafood lovers to overspend on a meal here exist in 30 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Costa Rica, and Mexico City. If you're sticking close to home while sampling the eatery's selections, consider splitting your Uber to keep more dining money in your pocket. You'll need it. 

The NYC Wall Street menu is brimming with dishes that require a moderate investment, like a Maine lobster salad for $41 and a sliced filet mignon entree for $45. No item on the seafood section of its menu is priced under $50. The most expensive — a combo of seared scallops and lobster — runs $68. The Chef Recommends section features some of the chain's most expensive steaks, such as a bone-in ribeye with a 15-year-aged balsamic for $89 and a dry-aged bone-in NY strip for $79. Porterhouse and Snake River wagyu raise the stakes even higher, both at $95. Try the lobster mac and cheese for a much sweeter $28, but beware: It's among the For The Table selections, so the portions may be smaller than expected.

On the bright side, you get your money's worth when it comes to quality. Customers on the likes of Facebook and Yelp have extremely positive things to say about their dining experiences at The Capital Grille. While plenty of reviews highlight the eye-watering bill, they also praise the ambiance and service.

Don't be confused by the mix of names under which this chain operates. You might find locations named Steak 48, Ocean 48, or Steak 44 in your area. Regardless of the name, this is one of those spots where you laugh a little when you read the menu, wondering who orders caviar for $350 and butter-poached Maine lobster tails for $110 each. Then, you realize you're not the target audience and you high-tail it to Long John Silver's for a more affordable chain restaurant fish basket.

But maybe you're not intimidated by costly shellfish. If so, the $135 wood-roasted shellfish tower might be the choice for you at its Scottsdale, Arizona, location (where it's known as Ocean 44). Dungeness crab cocktail from the raw bar can be had for a mere $58, while Chilean sea bass from the fresh fish and seafood will cost you $67. Those seem like a pittance compared to the steak selections. An 18-ounce bone-in filet mignon is $95, a 22-ounce, 45-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye is $105, and a bone-in wagyu tomahawk is a staggering $295. In other words, make sure you've paid your rent before reserving a table here.

Plenty of five-star reviews make Ocean 44 sound like a sure-fire seafood choice for the well-off. Large portions of well-prepared food presented in a soothing ambiance and personal touches like birthday cards make customers feel like their trip is money well spent. Just know that it takes a lot of money if you intend to spend yours here.