Best Seafood Restaurants in Jeddah, Muscat & Alexandria | Coastal Dining Guide
Step off a busy street near the water and the air changes. The noise dulls, and instead the smell of fish on charcoal, garlic sizzling in oil, and lemon juice hitting hot pans cuts through. This is what seafood feels like in Jeddah, Muscat, and Alexandria.
Each city carries its own rhythm, shaped by the sea that feeds it. Locals do not ask if seafood is good here, it’s expected. The real question is where to sit, which restaurant to trust, and which table will give the best plate that day.
Best Seafood Restaurants in Jeddah
Jeddah has always lived close to the Red Sea. Fish markets stay busy, fishermen bring in their catch early, and restaurants know their customers demand freshness. Diners here want meals that taste of the sea, not of heavy sauces hiding yesterday’s fish.
Alaaly Seafood Restaurant
Alaaly Seafood Restaurant has built its name on consistency. The roasted seabass is often the talk of the room, served with skin that crunches lightly when cut. The dining room is polished enough for formal gatherings, yet relaxed enough for families. Locals return here because they know the fish will never taste tired.
Fish Market at InterContinental
The Fish Market at the InterContinental Hotel has its own ritual. Diners walk along a counter filled with iced fish and point to what they want cooked. It’s direct and reassuring, guests see what they’ll eat before it touches the grill. The setting is hotel-level refined, but the experience is still about the fish, not the linen.
Shataa Askndria
Shataa Askndria gives Jeddah a slice of Alexandria. Garlic, lemon, and charred seasoning cover its plates of grilled fish. The flavors carry the feel of Egypt’s Mediterranean streetside kitchens. Many diners with Egyptian roots in Jeddah treat this spot as a taste of home.
Al Basali Seafood
Ask people in Jeddah where to eat simple, fresh seafood, and Al Basali will come up. The place doesn’t waste time with décor. It is about fried shrimp, big platters of crab, and sauces that bring heat without drowning the fish. Tables fill quickly, which tells its own story.
Alnawras Seafood
Alnawras has carved its place as the dependable choice. Prices stay reasonable, portions stay generous. Families order mixed platters loaded with calamari and grilled fish, and the service is quick. It’s less about ceremony and more about eating well without overthinking.
Best Seafood Restaurants in Muscat
Muscat’s seafood tastes carry the fingerprints of many cultures. Omani kitchens mix their own spices with flavors from Indian and East African neighbors. The result is food that feels rooted but never dull. What ties it all together is the sea itself. Fish and shellfish here are often cooked the very day they’re caught.
Bait Al Bahr
Bait Al Bahr, inside Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, draws visitors who want the sea close enough to hear while eating. Mussel pots, ceviche, or grilled snapper are the common orders. The view matters almost as much as the food, especially as the tide creeps in under a fading sky.
Turkish House
Turkish House is straightforward and always packed. The owner’s background as a fisherman shows in the way the fish is treated, seasoned lightly, grilled simply, served without fuss. Red snapper, prawns, calamari. Plates that speak for themselves. Families gather here, travelers follow locals’ recommendations, and the room never stays quiet for long.
The Beach Restaurant at The Chedi
Few places in Muscat feel as calm as The Beach Restaurant at The Chedi. Tables line the shore, and the sound of waves does half the work. Lobster is often chosen, along with seafood risotto. The meal unfolds slowly, paced with the rhythm of the water.
Peridot at Jumeirah Muscat Bay
Peridot is where weekends come alive. The brunch spread is known across the city, with seafood stations lined with sushi, oysters, and grilled fish made to order. The energy is different here, lively, social, less about quiet meals and more about food as an event.
Best Seafood Restaurants in Alexandria
Alexandria has always been about the Mediterranean. Fish markets are old, crowded, and noisy. Restaurants grew out of those markets, often serving food that tastes exactly like what people ate at home. Dining here feels rougher around the edges than Jeddah or Muscat, but that is its strength.
Sea Gull Restaurant
Sea Gull is one of those places where the smell of charcoal hits before the sign does. Grilled mullet and shrimp platters are the usual orders. The breeze from the sea carries into the dining room, mixing with smoke from the grills. Simple, straightforward, and satisfying.
Samakmak
Samakmak is a classic name. It doesn’t chase trends, it sticks to traditional recipes. Fish grilled with lemon, shrimp cooked with garlic, flavors that don’t need modern twists. Customers come for comfort and leave with that exact feeling.
Hosny Seafood
Hosny thrives on noise. Families gather around large tables stacked with grilled fish and shrimp, waiters move fast, and the smell of lemon and garlic hovers constantly. The chaos is part of the charm. Meals here feel alive, not staged.
Kadoura
Kadoura runs on a ritual, pick your fish, choose how it’s cooked, then wait for it to arrive at the table. The connection between the customer and the raw fish is part of the dining story. It keeps the experience close to the market stalls that inspired it.
Balbaa Village
Balbaa is famous for both seafood and grills, which makes it a safe bet for groups with different tastes. Yet seafood still dominates. Platters of shrimp, crab, and calamari land on tables quickly, often shared by entire families. The spices carry the sharp edge of the Mediterranean, strong but not overwhelming.
A Culinary Voyage Across the Seas
Seafood across these three cities never feels like an afterthought. Jeddah brings the Red Sea to the plate with roasted seabass and fried shrimp. Muscat offers calm sunsets with lobster or the clatter of brunch stations filled with oysters. Alexandria sticks to its roots, serving smoky mullet and garlic shrimp in settings that feel like home kitchens. Each city tells its own story through the way seafood is bought, cooked, and eaten.
For anyone traveling through these coasts, the restaurants above aren’t just options on a list. They are part of the journey itself, reminders that the sea feeds more than hunger, it shapes the character of a city.