The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse

Name: The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse
Address: 4269 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA, United States, 94306
Telephone: (650) 213-1111
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.7

4.7

1826 Reviews

$50 and over

Seafood

Top Tags:

You will enjoy the absolute best heated and covered patio in all of Palo Alto. We have instituted all health and safety precautions to ensure all of our guests and employees feel safe and can enjoy themselves. If you have any questions, please contact us and our team will take the pleasure of assisting you.

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The Sea By Alexander's Steakhouse is the bay area's premier seafood dining destination. The restaurant distinguishes itself by focusing on rich sumptuous morsels from the sea, prepared with modern technique and flair. Chef Yu Min Lin blends contemporary cuisine with Japanese sensibility and ingredients to transform The Sea's menu into the extraordinary. Experience The Sea at its best.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 16, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 31 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(650) 213-1111

Delivery

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Cuisines
Seafood, Steak
Hours of operation
Dinner
Tue–Thu 5:30 pm–8:30 pm
Fri 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
Phone number
(650) 213-1111
Website
http://www.theseausa.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Yu Min Lin
Private party facilities
Welcome to The Sea By Alexander's Steakhouse! We are pleased to provide multiple space and menu options to best suit the needs of your group. Be it an intimate tasting dinner, product launch or your dream wedding, The Sea will exceed even the most discerning expectations.
Private party contact
Marilyn Skinner: (888) 326-4806

Location
4269 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306
Neighborhood
Palo Alto
Cross street
Dinah's Court
Parking details
Complimentary Valet Parking Monday through Friday and Weekends during private events . Otherwise self parking in our private lot.
Public transit
VTA Line 22 stops in front of restaurant. VTA Line 522 within walking distance.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Hamachi Shots$36.00
ponzu, avocado, ginger, jalapeño
Today's Oysters
- Half Dozen$24.00
- Dozen$44.00
Tuna Tartare$24.00
saffron rice, seaweed, avocado, yuzu ponzu
- Osetra Caviar Supplement$55.00
Caviar 1 oz. Siberian Osetra$235.00
wasabi creme fraiche, egg, buckwheat blini
Lobster Rocks$32.00
almond purée, truffle, mitsuba
Popcorn Crab$31.00
yuzu aioli, kale, garlic butter
Shrimp Cocktail$30.00
avocado, saffron aioli, cocktail sauce
Beef Tataki$28.00
edamame, onion, tofu, pickles, mustard vinaigrette

Entrées

Black Sea Bass (Wild Maryland)$62.00
oyster mushrooms, fava beans, carrots
King Salmon (Wild Half Moon Bay)$58.00
champagne glaze, bacon, green bean, radish, maitake mushroom
Seared Scallops Two-Way (Wild Maine)$59.00
peas, tomatoes, potato purée, aged vinegar
Miso Black Cod (Wild Monterey)$56.00
lobster soboro, bell pepper, rice cake, kale
Grilled Lobster Tail (Wild Maine)$72.00
edamame, shimeji mushroom, peach, parsnip purée
Wagyu Flat Iron$87.00
corn tempura, bordelaise
Wagyu Ribeye$95.00
charred broccolini, green peppercorn sauce
Cab Prime New York$68.00
crispy polenta, parmesan, tomato compote, bordelaise
Tajima F1 Strip (Australia)$155.00
butterball potato, green peppercorn sauce
Cab Filet Mignon$65.00
porcini ravioli, smoked paprika, bordelaise

Sides

Haricot Verts$14.00
garlic, butter
Seasonal Vegetables$14.00
shallot, butter
Mac N' Cheese$14.00
ham, a blend of eight cheeses
Wild Mushrooms$15.00
chives, garlic
Truffle Fries$15.00
parmesan, truffle aioli
Lobster Fried Rice$28.00
bacon, egg, garlic, green onions

Tasting Menu

$120 per person full table participation, before 8pm; $75 additional wine pairing

Big Eye Tuna Tartar
Tomato, cucumber, basil, summer truffle. Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc, Arietta, On the White Keys, Sonoma Mountain 2017
Salt Spring Mussels
Cauliflower mushroom, potato, turnip. Wine Pairing: Chablis, Jean-Marc Brocard, Vau de Vey, Premier Cru 2018
Miso Black Cod
Bonito flakes, kale, edamame, bell pepper, miso. Wine Pairing: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, les Hauts-lieux 2013
Grilled Prime Tenderloin
Chanterelle mushrooms, parsnip, potato. Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, Ramey, Napa Valley 2014
Chocolate Caramel Namekala
Peach compote, brioche, pecans, creme fraiche ice cream. Wine Pairing: 20 Year Tawny Port, Quinta do Infantado

Cocktails

Sea Jay$15.00
Grey Goose la poire vodka, Vedrenne elderflower, lychee, lemon, cardamom spiced cranberry rosé Lillet foam
De la Rosa$15.00
Los Vecinos espadin mezcal, rose chai Pama, grenadine, lime
Hi Ho Hibiscus$14.00
hibiscus vodka, Lo-Fi amaro, ginger, lime, ginger beer
Rings of Saturn$15.00
Masahiro Okinawa gin, Velvet Falernum, Small Hand Foods orgeat, lime
Overboard!$15.00
Plantation Xaymaca & Doctor Bird rum, Stiggins pineapple rum, passion fruit, lime, clove
Wakizashi Blade$15.00
Toki whisky, Heirloom pineapple amaro & creme de flora Sidetrack black walnut nocino, honey, applewood smoked
Barrel Aged Last Word$15.00
Junipero gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino duo, lime
Barrel Aged Manhattan$15.00
Maker's Sea Stave Pick 2019 bourbon Carpano Antica, Punt e' Mes & Dolin rouge vermouths, orange & aromatic bitters duo
Whisk(e)y Flights
- Japanese Whisky$45.00
- Bourbon Whiskey$35.00
- Scotch Whisky$35.00

Beers

Scrimshaw, North Coast Brewing, Pilsner, 4.7% ABV, Fort Bragg, CA$8.00
California Condor, Barebottle Brewing, Unfiltered American IPA, 7.3% ABV San Francisco, CA$8.00
Rintel-Weisse, Palo Alto Brewing, Hefeweizen, 5% ABV Palo Alto, CA$8.00
Cinq Cents, Brasserie de Chimay, Belgian Trappist Tripel, 8% ABV Hainaut, Belgium$14.00
Organic Chocolate, Samuel Smith's, Chocolate Stout, 5% ABV, Tadcaster, UK$9.00

What 1,826 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco Bay Area
Seafood
Peninsula
Special Occasion

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F
Fanofgoodfood
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
overall3food4service2ambience3
I’ve eaten here several times, and the service keeps going downhill. Our server was missing in action most of the evening. It took her forever to take our order, and I had to ask two other staff for the bill before it was brought to us. The sommelier was also kind of creepy. He came and asked if he could help us choose a wine. I told him we brought our own bottle. Then he just stood there staring at us for a long time and made us all feel uncomfortable. The food was good but still overpriced.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall3food3service5ambience5
This is the second time I’ve been to The Sea and this time was not as good as the first. To begin I would like to say the service was excellent from the bar staff, to the waitress and the crew. They were prompt, professional and informative. For drinks we got a spicy margarita and a kings of old and both were excellent. We ordered a bottle of Willamette Pinot Noir and it was also excellent and the sommelier came over and gave us a history of the vineyard and it was truly nice experience. For food we got the hamachi shots and lobster rocks and both were very good. The hamachi shots never disappoint and the lobster rocks were perfectly tempura fried. For our mains we got grilled lobster and the crispy bass. The grilled lobster presentation was beautiful and was expertly prepared. The problem was with the crispy bass, the fish was so soaked in chili sauce that it was really soggy and the flavor of the fish was over powered by the sauce. It was very disappointing. Overall this was a good but not great experience. The appetizers, drinks, waitstaff and one of the two mains were great. The problem with the crispy bass though put a damper on the experience. Overall I’d give it 3.5 stars, would have been 4.5 if the bass was as advertised.
SM
SherryM
San Francisco
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and great experience. Highly recommend the seafood tower and tomahawk.
S
Sherryc
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Yesterday was my birthday and I brung some friends here to celebrate my day. The service and food was all so good! We will all definitely be coming back. The atmosphere is classy and tasteful, the food was excellent!
MK
MayK
San Francisco
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Celebrating our 60th wedding anniversaryersary. Had a very dry tasty dinner
o
onlythebest
San Francisco
14 reviews
3.0
14 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2022
overall3food2service5ambience5
I wanted to love The Sea. I'm an east coast (originally) seafoodie, and great seafood restaurants are hard to find. There are a lot of things to love about The Sea. The cocktails, the service, the ambiance are all 5/5. The quality of the ingredients is high across the board. The menu is creative! And they served cotton candy at the end. Nice touch. So what's the problem? The only way I can describe it is that the chef's reach exceeds their grasp. Only one, the lobster fried rice (i know, but it just sounded so good!) was poorly prepared—greasy and the lobster was tough. Every other dish we had suffered from either being unbalanced or bland. As an example, the hamachi shots were almost great. Fresh ingredients, delightful presentation. But the jalapeno overpowered the fish and they were hard to 'shoot'. Too big for a comfortable mouthful and not enough liquid to slide easily out of the glass. I could tell you where each dish we ordered missed the mark, but I think you get the idea. Maybe we were just unlucky and ordered the wrong things but out of five dishes (sides are extra), 4 of 5 were a near miss, and 1 was a complete bust. And when you want a great seafood meal, regardless of price point, that's not what you want. —disappointed diner
FV
FionaV
San Francisco
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful experience.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 2, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was amazing service
L
Luv2stealrecipies
San Francisco
129 reviews
vip
5.0
129 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
A great go to for a special occasion or just to enjoy some of the delicious signature dishes. First time in the front dining room which is more intimate and quiet. Loved it. Patio is also a favorite. I could dine just on appetizers! Hamachi shots are crave worthy it is always hard to choose. Mains are spectacular with lovely fresh fish and shellfish. The wait staff was over the top GREAT!
H
Happyeaters
San Francisco
35 reviews
vip
5.0
35 reviews
Dined on April 27, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We dined outside on the terrace, which was nicely protected from the wind and has plenty of heat lamps. Inside sounded quite loud, even on a Tuesday night, so we were glad to have a quieter spot for a romantic dinner. Service was super attentive, no details were overlooked, and most of all, every single person we encountered (hostess, servers, clearers, bartender) was so pleasant! It is lovely to be welcomed and cared for when enjoying a special night out - whoever employs the staff is doing an excellent job. The menu offers the gamut - from reasonably priced items to high end luxury dishes/beverages for those spending their buy-outs and stock options. You can go either way and feel perfectly at home here. We loved the octopus starter, grilled lobster entree, black cod, and a side of buttery rich wild mushrooms (which ended up being just a little too much food - it was delicious but we honestly couldn't finish.) And it all comes with terrific house-baked breads to die for. (Just wish they made some gluten free!) This is a brilliant place for a special occasion, but also a great place for a normal dinner out that isn't a birthday or anniversary (or expense account blow out). So don't save it - go anytime, you will be glad you did!
MV
MonicaV
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 25, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Joanne was very attentive. Very helpful and the food was great
JR
JeffreyR
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on April 17, 2022
overall3food4service4ambience3
We came in for Easter Brunch today. We have eaten here several times over the past few years. The service is always exceptional. As is the food. Today I ordered a bloody Mary and they told me they didn't have any tomato juice. So then we tried to order a Ramos Gin Fizz and they said they did not have the ingredients for that. At this level of dining, I find that unacceptable. Today the food was good except for the Hamachi shots. They were not on point as they have been in the past.
MS
MaryS
San Francisco
20 reviews
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on April 17, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience5
The food was very delicious and cooked the way we asked.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Special Easter brunch menu - good portion sizes and good variety - something for everyone. We got the seafood tower in addition to the brunch - way too much food but it was terrific, especially the abalone - it was very tender!
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Service was phenomenal and the food delicious! Our second visit did not disappoint.
LP
LiamP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Dinner was amazing, we did the tasting menu and will definitely be back.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 14, 2022
overall2food3service3ambience3
The food was good and the service was fine but neither was reflective of the, four the lack of a better word, obscene prices on the menu. I would have expected an extraordinary experience for the money spent. Even corkage at $50 / bottle was far beyond anything I have paid at other more impressive establishments. It seemed that prices were expensive just for sake of being expensive. Again, there was nothing bad about the experience overall, the food was good as was the service, just not to the level of an $850 dinner bill for 6 of us and that was without the purchase of any alcohol.
TE
TrudyE
San Francisco
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience4
The only thing that would make this better would have been a server who spoke better English or an actual handout with the dishes for the day printed out. Masks while good for safety are horrible when one is trying to understand someone.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful celebration dinner for my wife’s birthday. Staff, ambience, and food were all exquisite. Definitely a night to remember. Thank you!!
JM
JenM
San Francisco
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 11, 2022
overall2food1service2ambience2
Steak was under cooked and smothered in sauce. After sending it back, it returns as the same steak cooked as requested and sauce to the side. For the price we paid we anticipated for a brand new steak but instead received service from an Outback Steakhouse where the same steak was wiped down and charred on the outside. No longer a fan.
AP
AdrinaP
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Such a great place for a special occasion. Maria, our wait person was WONDERFUL. She was so helpful with menu items that we had questions about. The food was AMAZING. The plating was artfully done. And at the end of the meal came the most delightful cone of COTTON CANDY!!! Oh joy, joy, joy.
R
Rodriguez
Seattle
26 reviews
vip
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on April 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent place. Dishes are great! Service is perfect, everyone knows what to do, so I did not feel the present of the personal, great, it feels privacy. The little special things make the dinner time great.
DC
DavidC
San Francisco
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 7, 2022
overall3food4service3ambience5
We have been to The Sea many times and every time it was a great experience but last night was a big exception. It was kind busy but that should not be an excuse for the poor service. Our appetizers were served together with the entrées and this should never have happened! No one came to check on us until toward the end. No one came to pour water for us again toward the end. We felt forgotten and disappointed!
AG
AntonioG
San Francisco
25 reviews
vip
5.0
25 reviews
Dined on April 2, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
THE FOOD AND SERVICE WERE GREAT, ENJOYED MY EVENING.
L
Louise
San Francisco
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on April 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and service as always! We loved all our dishes.
PZ
PierreZ
San Francisco
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on March 27, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
Don't have the time to go into all the details but this is a fantastic restaurant. Kitchen doesn't amazing job to turn around. Dishes in the food is prepared in a way that is very pleasing. One thing they can improve on is coordination between servers and presenters. I would not hesitate to come back again but be prepared to spend a lot of money.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have been to the Sea many times and it never disappoints. My favorites are the fried clam chowder and the John Dory. The presentation on the clam chowder is a truly unique. I also enjoy the lobster rock appetizer. Resturant is pricey but worth it
MH
MonikaH
San Francisco
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great food, very delicious. We had an excellent dinner!
MM
MammaM
San Francisco
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 21, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Video: youtu.be/CHsbZFlsfzU. A nice place for special occasions. Good food, great service and awesome desserts. We had Wagyu Flat Iron and Grilled Catch of the Sea as entrees, side of truffle fries and seasonal vegetables. The steak was ok, felt the dish is a bit on the heavy side since it came with an interesting corn tempura. The grilled fish was good with the caramelized cauliflowers. The truffle fries was too heavy on the truffle aioli this time. Usually I really liked the fries. My favorites are always the desserts. We had Pretty in Pink (Lychee panna cotta) and Rise n' Shine (mandarin soufflé). Both are really delicious! Panna cotta was light and silky, soufflé was super fluffy and really good with the vanilla creme anglaise. Definitely will go back there again.
EH
EdenHensleySilverstein
San Francisco
11 reviews
vip
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on March 20, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience5
To celebrate our daughter’s 10th birthday and 1st away game we made an early reservation (5:30pm) on the covered, heated outdoor veranda and enjoyed the tasting menu.
m
michaelm
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Enjoyed our family dinner, we will return. Excellent staff and the food was fantastic!
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service and food!
ND
NickD
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Hands down the best steakhouse I’ve ever eaten at in my life.
s
smile
San Francisco
51 reviews
vip
5.0
51 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, drinks, service and atmosphere. It is definitely date, occasional, and special dinner. Food is amazing, especially seafood.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
7 reviews
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 6, 2022
overall4food3service5ambience4
Most dish we had was delicious. Only complaint I have is the lobster part of my surf & turf dinner wasn’t cooked very good. Lobster was rubbery & very chewy. I’ll never order lobster here again.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding service, friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, and engaging. Beautifully plated food and cocktails. High quality. Definitely a place for special occasions. Complimentary amuse bouche for all and a little dessert delight for a birthday girl plus the house made cotton candy.
DB
DBdb
Chicago
20 reviews
vip
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience3
The menu changes regularly (generally with seasonal availability of ingredients) and is well curated with an appealing variety. The food is very well prepared and imaginative with attention given to clever and unique plating/presentation. Service is excellent. From the warm greeting at the door, to the well trained wait staff, to the informative but not pretentious explanations of the food, to the helpful and friendly bus staff, everybody is kind and on-their-marks. I especially appreciate how each course is served precisely - the dishes are placed in unison, oriented so they have the best presentation, and silverware and wine glasses are matched appropriately. The Sea has a wide selection of wines and a nice variety of craft cocktails. For those who prefer to dine outdoors, they have expansive seating that is pleasant, quiet with a nice ambience and service is still spot-on.
MB
MikeB
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Sea by Alexander’s never disappoints. We celebrated my husband’s birthday here last night.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place and food
MK
MohK
London
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2022
overall2food3service1ambience1
Very poor service we waited for an hour and a half for our entrées and when the food arrived it was mediocre. Did not live up to expectations. The management gave us free desert because we complained but we didn’t want dessert we wanted a better service!

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse does offer delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 213-1111.

The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse is rated 4.7 stars by 1826 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.