Hermosa Beach’s The Mermaid Restaurant – A foodie review

By Michael Vallens

For those of you who are one of the lucky residents of the South Bay in Los Angeles, you might be familiar with Hermosa Beach mainstay, the Mermaid Restaurant. Not only does the Mermaid Restaurant have decades of service to the community, but it has the prime location in all of Hermosa Beach, being located directly next to the beach bike path and the Hermosa Beach Pier.

Despite the beautiful recent renovation, the historic Mermaid Restaurant is much more than your average beach dive bar. One feels at home when they walk in and immediately see a friendly face welcoming you as if you are a local. The aromas are enticing specifically because of the new ownership, led by the guys at the Killer Shrimp Restaurant group. The menu has been upgraded with new exciting options to choose from. But the emphasis still lies with the freshest of seafood available.

The best oysters in the South Bay can be found here at the Mermaid. Not only are they tasty, but oysters are a well known aphrodisiac. Hey Now! Even better, the Mermaid offers “Oyster Night” every Monday. This included $1 oysters paired with select $4 beer and wine from 3pm to midnight.

Other Happy Hour specials include everyone’s favorite Taco Tuesday, $5 Tacos of the Shrimp or Baja Fish variety with the purchase of a $3 Mexican beer. Also on Wednesday, the Mermaid pulls out the big guns with Prime Rib Wednesday (#PrimeRibWednesday) which includes a 10 oz. Roasted Prime Rib with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Spinach and a glass of select domestic beer or wine for only $20.

Along with the oysters, I indulged in a Shock Top straight from the tap and a nifty cocktail called the Harvey Wallbanger, starting with Beluga Vodka add some Bitters, citrus juices and Galiano. This drink is explained to have originated when a local surfer lost a surfing competition, ordered and drank too many of the aforementioned beverage and proceeded to “bang his head into the wall” in frustration.

All set with some adult libations, I was presented the mile high stack of Killer Nachos, served with steak, sour cream, guacamole, black beans, cheddar cheese, slice jalapeno, pico de gallo and green onion. The chips were crisp and held up well with the smorgasbord of ingredients. We’re off to a great start.

Next out was the Mermaid Restaurants sinfully delicious Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. This dish stood out because of the slightly al dente pasta shells and large chunks of Maine Lobster filled throughout. This creamy and rich delight is going to be hard to beat, but there still is more to come…

With my hunger still raging, I decided to indulge in some Baja Style Fish Tacos in honor of Taco Tuesday. The fish was fried to golden perfection and added some serious crunch to the beautiful medley of toppings which included pico de gallo, cabbage, Baja sauce and a lime wedge all on a couple of steaming corn tortillas. As soon as I took my first bite, I felt all stress shed from my shoulders and was immediately transported to the gorgeous beaches of Baja California.

My final entrée of the evening is a local Hermosa Beach favorite, the Fried Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich paired with hand cut fries. This Po Boy contained fresh large shrimp fried, tangy cole slaw and slice tomatoes all on a crusty roll. This roll is the perfect foil for the magic contained within its layers. By the time I finished this sandwich, I had already planned a trip to the Big Easy with more Po Boy’s in mind. The Mermaid’s Po Boy is authentic tasting and a tribute to all that is right with the world.

Having opened all the way back in 1954, the Mermaid Restaurant has been an integral member of the Hermosa Beach community and has remained in the memories of many Angelinos as one of their favorite Beach dive bars. But since the Killer Shrimp Restaurant group has taken over, they have added the necessary elements to make the Mermaid a destination for the freshest seafood and bar favorites known as “Mermaid Grindz”. Not only are the mixologist’s friendly and inviting, but they are highly trained, skilled and use the freshest of produce and herbs to concoct their cocktails. If you are a local to Hermosa Beach, you can get delivery from Uber Eats and Amazon Restaurants.  What a time to be alive and living that amazing Hermosa Beach life!

 

The Mermaid Restaurant

11 Pier Ave.

Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

(310) 374-9344

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