Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill, known by locals for its fresh seafood and genuine experience, recently announced plans to open a second location in Ocean Beach. Brothers and Ocean Beach natives, Matt and Judd Braun, opened the original restaurant in 2004 in Mission Hills, where they continue to experience crowds of dedicated regulars – thanks to their commitment to serving the highest quality fresh fish and creating a customer and family-first culture.
The Point Loma High grads grew up in and on the water in Ocean Beach, encouraging them to create a restaurant concept where “fresh” and “local” aren’t just words describing the menu, but rather a way of life. As much as possible, the Braun family buys seafood directly from the local fishermen who catch them, or the avid watermen catch the fish themselves. Also, the Braun’s long-established relationships with first-rate seafood purveyors ensures every plate, sandwich, and taco is a true reflection of Blue Water’s commitment to excellence.
“The Braun Family and dedicated team of employees have worked hard for the past 14 years to make our dream of bringing Blue Water to Ocean Beach a reality,” said Judd Braun, co-owner. “We are deeply honored and humbled to have the opportunity to expand our business into the community that raised us and where we are raising our kids. That feeling of coming home and bringing our labor of love back to our roots is simply indescribable.”
The new restaurant, which will be located at 5083 Santa Monica Ave. near the Ocean Beach Pier, will offer a fast-casual concept, with a full seafood market loaded with fresh fish, shellfish, poke, smoked fish, lobster bisque and more. Customers can see the morning tuna catch hand-cut in front of them to enjoy raw or cooked at the restaurant or to take home. There’s also an option to customize any meal by choosing the fresh fish and marinade, and choice of sandwich, salad, plate, or taco. So, whether it’s white sea bass, pulled from the Baja surf and grilled on the spot over a mesquite campfire, or yellowtail, caught off the coast of La Jolla that morning, the menu is how Judd, Matt and the team share their experiences with guests. Every day, the restaurant starts with the freshest fish possible and carefully prepares it to enhance its flavor. 
“We’ve been fortunate to have the Mission Hills community welcome and embrace us for over a decade,” said Matt Braun, co-owner. “We’ve always envisioned being a small neighborhood fish market and have been blown away by the love and support we’ve received over the years. And, opening up a second location in Ocean Beach, where I can look out at the pier, the ocean, avalanche and jetty, where I spent the majority of my life, is humbling.”
Slated to open in the spring of 2018, the Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill will be located next to Ocean Beach hot spots – Wonderland Ocean Pub and OB Surf Lodge – both operated by Social Syndicate. Matt and Judd Braun have been collaborating with the San Diego-based restaurant development group and have plans to create a family-friendly destination for the community. Updates to the plaza will include a stage for local artists, along with refreshed décor and more. Blue Water’s friends-and-family vibe is a welcomed addition to the continued evolution of the plaza steeped in local history.
“I have been blown away by Matt and Judd’s commitment to the highest quality standards in fresh fish, guest experience and their vision as a company for the past 14 years,” said Brendan Huffman, CEO of Social Syndicate. “They’ve never deviated from their standards since opening Blue Water and that’s who we want as neighbors and collaborators. We’re honored to be working with them to create a next-level culinary and entertainment destination in this awesome community.”
“I remember buying 50 cent hamburgers at Spucky’s as a kid – the exact same space we will be going into,” added Judd Braun. “I can’t wait to create this place for the community to embrace and to show visitors our way of life.”
For more information on its Mission Hills location, visit bluewaterseafoodsandiego.com.