If you are staring down a Saturday with three kids in the minivan and Hwy 92 looking long, here is the honest answer: yes, the 50- to 60-minute drive from East San Jose to Half Moon Bay via I-280 and Hwy 92 is worth it for a family seafood lunch. Pillar Point Harbor has a “fish off the boat” scene where families can buy just-caught seafood directly from returning fishing boats most mornings, and the harbor doubles as the kid activity. These six spots earn the gas and the crossover traffic.
1. Barbara’s Fishtrap (Princeton-by-the-Sea) — Open since 1971, this harbor-front institution at 281 Capistrano Rd has been called “The Toast of the Coast,” with picnic-table seating overlooking Pillar Point.
Golden-fried cod fish and chips run $19.95, calamari $24.95, and a bowl of homemade clam chowder is $16.95. One catch: cash-only with an on-site ATM, so plan ahead. Family-friendly and easy on the wallet.
2. Sam’s Chowder House (Half Moon Bay) — Oceanfront at 4210 N. Cabrillo Hwy, this one is named to Food & Wine’s “100 Most Scenic Restaurants in America” and won the 2025 OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award.
The lobster roll was featured on NBC’s TODAY Show as one of the best sandwiches in America. The patio has fire pits, s’mores kits, and per Visit Half Moon Bay, “a short stairway which leads from the restaurant down to a lovely beach teeming with frolicking children and pups.” Pricier, but the kid activity is built in…