Wahoos Fish Taco - Photo Tour

Some of you may have noticed that I have already blogged about my favorite restaurant in the whole world - Wahoo's Fish Taco - but I don't feel like I did an adequate job.

As restaurant owners well know, a successful restaurant isn't just about the food - it's about the entire experience. The same goes for Wahoos. I will be the first to tell you that their food is AMAZING, but the environment and atmosphere is also a large draw for myself, and thousand of others.

Wahoos Fish Taco (or just Wahoos, for short) is a chain of restaurants which first got their start in California. They are now also in Hawaii, Arizona, and I believe also Colorado. My Wahoos of choice is the one located in Manhattan Beach, just off of Manhattan Beach Blvd, on Manhattan Avenue.

The moment that you walk into any Wahoo's Fish Taco restaurant, you know that this is a laid back establishment - a place where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy not only the food, but also the company, the decor, and the TVs showing surfing or skateboarding videos. But don't let this fool you into thinking that they aren't serious about food or service. Oh no! I have been frequenting Wahoo's for about 9 years, and I have NEVER received bad service, bad food, or even cranky employees. And this is from restaurant workers that are most likely getting minimum wage! IMPRESSIVE!

At Wahoo's, ordering is somewhat like a fast food experience, seeing as you order from the counter. But that is the only way in which Wahoo's resembles fast food. All of the food is freshly prepared - pico de gallo, black beans, ahi rice, grilled meats, etc.

After ordering and paying, you return to your table with your order number placard. Then you wait - though typically not long! There have been time when I didn't even get a chance to get my drink at the fountain and get settled when they were already bringing food to my table. After that, the competent wait staff stop by a few times to check on you and make sure everything is alright.

Then you get to enjoy what you came for - the FANTASTIC FOOD! The cuisine is described as "Baja Mexican", which to me, means "fresh". And it is. My favorit dish (pictured to the left, partially eaten) is the Wahoo's Salad. For all those who can't see themselves making a meal out of a salad - wait! The Wahoo's salad has lettuce (duh), fresh pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, tortilla strips, a little bit of shredded cheese, and your choice of meat (grilled fish, blackened fish, grilled chicken, blackened chicken, or polynesian shrimp, or grilled vegetables).

Not really into salads? Well, how about a Banzai Burrito? Or a Wahoo's Bowl - which surprisingly doesn't come in a bowl - with your choice of teriyaki meat or veggies on a bed of rice? There are lots of other options, in which anyone would be able to find something especially appealing.

Ah - and how about kids? Is Wahoo's kid-friendly? How about menu items for kids? Short answer: yes and yes. Long answer: you bet! Wahoo's is an especially popular option for local families because of it's laid-back atmosphere. And remember that great wait staff that I told you about? Well, they are also great at catering to kids. Without asking, they bring out smaller, plastic cutlery for the little ones. They are also extremely accomodating when those rug rats dump their rice all over the ground - which I don't know from personal experience :)

Their kid's menu is pretty much what you can expect from any Mexican restaurant - kid-favorites, quesadillas and burritos. Also available though are kid's bowls, like the adult-version Wahoo's bowl, but in a kid size.

So now the meal is finishing up, and you have enjoyed yourself some healthy, tasty, Baja Mexican food. That exceptional wait staff sweeps in to clear off your table with perfect timing, all with a smile on their face.

I have taken numerous friends, family members, and neighbors to Wahoo's, and all agree that Wahoo's is an exceptional place. I can guarantee that you too will enjoy your experience at ANY Wahoo's Fish Taco restaurant.

And now, the icing on the cake when you visit "my" Wahoo's in Manhattan Beach - take a little walk down the street to visit the infamous Manhattan Beach Pier. You have now experienced a perfectly relaxing and enjoyable afternoon or evening.

Tiffany D. Wilson has lived in the South Bay of Los Angeles County for almost 10 years. She and her family enjoy the safety and rich family features that the beach communities of the South Bay have to offer, including a close and neighborly community. Also, having experienced an out-of-country move to California over 10 years ago, she is perfectly positioned to assist foreign buyers in their search for real estate in the South Bay and additional surrounding communities of Los Angeles and Orange County. She can be reached directly at 310-503-0557.