Captain Kidd’s Keeps Its Decades-long Reputation for the Freshest Seafood in Town, Served in a Down-home Harbor Atmosphere
Not long after, his popular King Harbor fish market expanded to include a restaurant, with folks queuing up to try their famed “Thrasher Shark” sandwich, inspired by the movie Jaws and stacked with white shark meat tucked between cheese and pineapple.
These days, there are few varieties of seafood that you can’t find at Captain Kidd’s, from fresh-off-the-boat salmon and lobster to clams, mussels and oysters. One can order items from the restaurant menu—everything from fish tacos and soft shell crab to shrimp kabobs and a house cioppino packed with 20 types of fish.
Or, select fresh fish and shellfish, sourced from local and international waters and tucked behind glass cases in the market, and have it prepared onsite to your specifications. Among the ice-nestled bounty one might spot whole Pompano fish, Canadian scallops, lobster tails from Australia or mammoth Alaskan King crab legs. It’s been over 40 years since Mills first opened its doors, and Captain Kidd’s has stayed in family hands, and true to its founder’s vision.
John Mills, son of Harry, remains at the helm as co-owner. Recounting earlier days when he worked alongside his father, John says, “I mainly focused on the live seafood and showcase. I learned as much as I could about fish while I was working with him.”
Over time, things changed, including the passing of Mills’ parents, but Captain Kidd’s would stay put.
“Captain Kidd’s has been my life and my family, along with all the workers and loyal customers. There was no question about me keeping the business going.”
Still sporting its welcoming yellow-on-aqua wood sign at the entrance and simple plank floors on the interior, any day of the week Captain Kidd’s bustles as a working fish market, complete with tanks of live crabs and workers steaming lobsters and expertly filleting whole tilapia and red snapper. A popular house selection, and Mills’ preferred dish, is fresh swordfish.
“With the multiple ways we can have it prepared, I never tire of eating it,” he says. “Today we still get fresh swordfish every week from Santa Barbara to South America depending on the season.”
If dining onsite, head for one of the picnic tables at the lively indoor dining area where groups share buckets of peel-and-eat shrimp over a beer (Captain Kidd’s serves over 20 varieties, many of them local brews) and hammer Dungeness crab over white paper table liners.
If looking for a quieter space, there are a few picnic tables located outside, along the side of the building. Lastly, check out the spacious and popular open-air patio at the rear of the building, complete with umbrella-shaded tables and ideal for dining at sunset. It’s also where you might spot John Mills dining.
“Hands down,” he says. “I love to eat on the back dock looking over the marina and out over the ocean.”
Captain Kidd’s
209 N Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310.372.7703 | captainkidds.com
Photos Courtesy of Captain Kidd’s