8 Of The Most Expensive Seafood Chains Across America

Once upon a time, diners considered a seafood dinner a bargain meal — in the 19^th century, oysters were half the price of beef. But if you've shopped for fish lately, you're well aware this is no longer the case. Diminishing wild seafood stocks, combined with increased demand and the logistical difficulty of keeping perishable fish and shellfish fresh in transit, mean you'll pay dearly for your seafood feast.

For this reason, those not confident in their seafood cooking skills often turn to restaurants when they get a craving for fish. If they're going to splurge, they'd rather trust a pro to do the cooking. And yes, you'll pay a steep price for restaurant expertise on top of the cost of the food. But for special occasions, it can be well worth it. Enough of us crave fancy seafood (at least once in a while) that a number of national and regional chains have emerged to offer us just that. So if you're looking for a special-treat seafood meal, here are some of the most expensive seafood chains in America.

If you believe a splurgy meal should feel like a celebration, Eddie V's is the place for you. Its dress code (the restaurant recommends "business casual or resort evening wear") and elegant vibe will make you feel like getting dressed up and acting like the sophisticated grownup you may or may not normally be. And Eddie V's delivers on its promise of an elevated experience.

First and most importantly, the extensive menu is dominated by decadent special-occasion items, from fresh seafood towers to caviar to prime steaks, with prices to match. For instance, Eddie V's large shellfish tower, The Big Eddie, which features shrimp, oysters, lobster, and crab, along with an assortment of house-made sauces, will set you back $135 as of this writing. The beverage menu matches this high-end energy — Eddie V's offers up a range of dressed-up cocktails and a carefully curated wine list. To complete the experience, you can also enjoy music performed by a live trio in the lounge. It won't be cheap, but you'll feel like you've treated yourself to something special.

Some may not believe that a serious seafood restaurant could come out of the landlocked Midwest, but Ocean Prime –- which launched in Michigan in 2008 –- delivers on the promise of its name, offering up top-quality fresh seafood and an award-winning wine list with Midwest hospitality. The restaurant presents itself as a serious place for serious occasions. Besides its elegant regular seating areas, it offers private rooms for special events, with customized services that can include custom floral arrangements and audiovisual support.

But even if you go for a simple date night, Ocean Prime isn't the kind of restaurant you randomly wander into. While its dress code is technically easy to follow (no exposed underwear or overly revealing clothing), admission is at the manager's discretion — so if you go, make an effort to look polished. Your reward will be an extravagant seafood meal in an elegant setting. Menu offerings range from shellfish towers to sushi, and the menu leans even harder into seafood than most seafood specialists. You can get roast chicken or a wagyu burger at Ocean Prime, but that's not what you're here for. Ocean Prime is all about seafood. All of it will be top quality, but none of it will come cheap — even a small plate of chips and caviar dip in the lounge comes in at $39.

Driving down I-10 through Houston, you may have noticed something odd: rows of restaurants featuring different cuisines — from steakhouses to barbecue to burgers to Mexican — all with some variation of Pappas in their name. They are indeed related. All are run by the Pappas brothers, the grandchildren of a Greek immigrant and restaurateur.

Among the varied restaurants in their portfolio is Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, an upscale chain featuring Cajun-accented seafood. This wasn't a random choice — while the restaurant was inspired by the New Orleans French Quarter, Pappadeaux's home base of Houston also has a sizeable Cajun and Creole population. 

The restaurant may boast a casual, friendly atmosphere, but it takes its food seriously: The menu focuses on fresh seafood cooked from scratch, and dishes range from an old-school oven-baked crab cake ($35.95) to Texas Redfish Ponchartrain, topped with crab, shrimp, and a brown-butter wine sauce ($46.95). It's pricy compared to the average prices at sibling restaurants such as Pappasito's Cantina, but if you're in Texas and in the mood for crab cakes, gumbo, crawfish, or fresh oysters, it could be just what you need.

New England has been synonymous with seafood since the first days of European settlement. Commercial fishing in New England, especially for cod, dates back 400 years and was once the dominant industry in the colony. While fishing no longer plays such a dominant role in New England commerce, the local love for seafood persists, and today, seafood restaurants such as the regional chain Legal Sea Foods continue the tradition of celebrating fresh local fish and shellfish.

Founded in 1950 as a family-owned fish market just outside of Boston, Legal Sea Foods has become a go-to destination for New England seafood classics such as New England clam chowder, Rhode Island-style fried calamari (the state's official appetizer), stuffies (local clams filled and baked with chourico (Portuguese sausage) and cracker crumbs, and of course, lobster rolls. 

The focus is on fresh, responsibly sourced seafood, which means you'll pay a premium. A half-pound lobster roll goes for $53, and even a basic tuna melt (albeit made with olive-oil poached tuna) goes for $19. Most of the chain's locations are in the Boston area, with a few scattered throughout other regions of New England. If you're outside New England, you can have many of its dishes delivered to you, but it'll be even pricier than eating in one of the restaurants.

Joe's Stone Crab has locations across the country. Still, it stays close to its Florida roots, offering up classic seafood preparations with tropical touches, including a crunchy coconut shrimp starter, a mango mojito on the cocktail menu, and of course, key lime pie for dessert. Like any self-respecting seafood house, it offers a range of seafood classics, from crab cakes to lobster tails to grilled salmon with a ginger teriyaki glaze. And despite the casual, beachy vibe, you'll pay white-tablecloth prices for your meal: $59.95 for the lobster tail entrée, for instance.

But the main reason to go to Joe's is for the stone crab claws, which come to the table chilled and cracked, with mustard sauce for dipping. Be aware, however, that the fat claws are all you're going to get of the iconic Florida mollusk. To maintain a sustainable population of the sought-after wild stone crabs, fishermen who catch them are only allowed to remove one claw of legal size from each crab before returning the still-living (and likely annoyed) crab to the water, where it lies low until the claw grows back. If this sounds wildly labor-intensive, it is. And it's also why an order of jumbo claws will set you back $129.

Texas may have made its culinary reputation through its barbecue, but its long Gulf Coast shoreline means the state has an active fishing industry and plenty of cooks and eaters who know how to make and enjoy a great seafood meal. With multiple locations in Texas and surrounding states, Landry's Seafood House is a product of this culture. It offers up dishes with distinctively Texan touches, such as seafood-stuffed jalapeno poppers, Cajun favorites like gumbo and blackened redfish etouffee, plus classic fish and chips and oysters on the half shell.

Landry's describes its dress code as "smart casual," which seems consistent with a place where you can get everything from a casual oyster po-boy for $20 to broiled or pan-grilled seabass for $45. For extra decadence, you can embellish your fish with a topping of shrimp, scallops, crabmeat, and mushrooms for a $12 surcharge. Seafood is clearly the priority, but Landry's welcomes diners hungry for other fare as well, offering burgers, steaks, vegetarian options, and even a kids' menu.

Restaurant connoisseurs tend to fall into two camps: those for whom polished service and a pristine setting are everything, and those who don't care if the chairs or napkins match as long as the food is fresh and skillfully prepared. Seafood lovers from both camps will find something to enjoy at Truluck's, a privately owned group of restaurants with locations in Texas, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Illinois. 

The restaurant bills itself as a special occasion destination, with service and ambiance to match. But just as important is its emphasis on fresh, sustainably sourced seafood prepared by experts. The menu features classic seafood treats such as oysters Rockefeller and trout amandine, along with original creations such as jalapeno salmon bearnaise. It also serves prime steaks and chops for any carnivores who might be tagging along.

The catch is you'll pay dearly for the privilege of a meal at Truluck's. A full portion of the jalapeno salmon bearnaise is priced at $49. However, the restaurant also offers smaller portions at lower price points: a petite portion of the salmon goes for $35. For a truly decadent meal, spring for the $175 Prime King Crab, served with Parmesan mashed potatoes, asparagus, and lemon butter.

Bonefish Grill doesn't look like an especially fancy restaurant. Elegant but not stuffy, it feels fancy enough for an anniversary dinner but casual enough that you can walk in wearing jeans and no one will bat an eye. The restaurant calls its unique vibe "polished casual," but its food tells a different story — the laid-back atmosphere belies a serious kitchen built around fresh seafood. The restaurant calls its servers "anglers," and trains them to recognize the best seafood options for customers' individual tastes. So even if you can't tell hake from halibut, you'll have someone knowledgeable to ensure you get something you'll enjoy.

Because seafood varies by season, the restaurant offers a rotating list of seasonal and limited-time items, such as Scallops Florentine Butterfish — a filet of rich, firm white fish topped with spinach, scallops, and a creamy cheese sauce, served with a side of jasmine rice and asparagus. At $30, it's not as expensive as entrees at more formal restaurants, but it's still a special-occasion investment. On the regular menu, a pair of cold-water lobster tails starts at $45. So if you love seafood but aren't into the stuffy vibe of other high-end places, Bonefish Grill may be a good choice for you.

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