This Top-Rated Arizona Restaurant With 4 Locations Has The Hands-Down Best Fresh Seafood In The Desert

Arizona is a landlocked state, and the desert isn't typically associated with fresh seafood — but Chula Seafood is changing the game. With four locations (two in Scottsdale and two in Phoenix), the family-owned business has been distributing fresh fish to the Grand Canyon State through its locally sourced supply, casting a line off Southern California's Point Loma. From there, the supply takes a short, same-day trip to North Scottsdale and is quickly distributed to your plate. This rapid processing seems to be earning the restaurant quite a few fans, and its guest-backed reviews and numerous awards have made it the hands-down best seafood in the area. 

Its downtown location, just a 10-minute drive northwest of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, is a fitting first introduction to the chain. It's received a sparkling 4.9-star review on Google, with customers admiring its meaty, flaky dishes, including the poke bowls, fish tacos, and lobster rolls. "Same great food as the original [location]," one loyal customer noted. In fact, this downtown destination has earned higher marks than its South Scottsdale flagship, which holds a 4.7-star rating on Google. Chula's other two locations — Uptown Phoenix (4.3 stars) and North Scottsdale (4.6 stars) — round out the lineup, each with a fresh selection from the Pacific.

It's not just locals who love the establishment, as Chula has also been recognized nationally. Its chef, Kyle Kent, was named a 2026 James Beard Award Semifinalist, and Yelp even named the company as the "Best Seafood Restaurant" in Arizona in 2025. For travelers craving a taste of the coast without leaving the desert, Chula serves exactly that.

When eager travelers build out an itinerary, they sometimes forget to factor in where to eat. Luckily, Chula Seafood restaurants are found in some of the most popular destinations in Arizona, so you don't have to make a big detour to enjoy its fresh dishes. As mentioned above, a good place to start after landing at the Phoenix airport is Chula's downtown location. Fill up on oysters or grilled fish, before heading to some of the most affordable attractions in town, like the nearby Arizona Capitol Museum — just a 10-minute drive west. 

From downtown, Chula's other three locations are all worth the detour. Head north up Central Avenue to Uptown Phoenix for the fish and shrimp tacos and the tuna melt, or venture into Arizona's Golf Capital, where the Grayhawk makes an easy stop for a poke bowl or the cioppino after a round at Grayhawk Golf Club. Finish the trail at the original South Scottsdale spot, dishing out fresh catch since Chula first brought its boat-to-desert concept to the Valley.

Reviews across all four locations skew positive, but a few recurring themes keep it from being perfect. Pricing tops the list. One Tripadvisor reviewer wrote, "I ended up getting fish tacos, it came with two that was $22, steep! But, those were very, very good." Others flagged the noise level, with one reviewer saying that they'll return when it's not busy. Still, for a restaurant that's turning heads nationally, a little noise and a higher price tag are a small trade-off for the freshest catch in the desert. Hungry for more? Check out where to find the best fried fish restaurants in every state.