Step into King’s Fish House in Mission Valley and you slip into New Orleans and the Bayou.

The architecture makes you feel like you are in a houseboat in the backwaters enjoying Cajun-inspired food and drink. Black filigree ironwork both on the rooftop and the patio with lazily rotating fans reinforce the laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) vibe.

Crabs, oysters, lobster, and fish are the highlights of the menu. There are salads, chicken, and a variety of side dishes for those who don’t prefer seafood.

Although you feel like you are in the Big Easy this restaurant group started in Southern California, not Louisiana.

“We have seven guiding philosophies of which the most important one is ‘guests first’. We offer an unconditional guarantee that we will replace a dish if you don’t like it. This way we encourage people to try different foods,” Manager Dan Henderson said.

All fish is purchased daily straight from the docks in Newport Beach. They serve at least 10 types of oysters from both the Pacific and Eastern USA. They are served with classic mignonette, habanero relish, cocktail sauce, and freshly grated horseradish.

During lobster season, they serve Wild California Spiny Lobster. They also feature Dungeness crab steamed or with garlic. Ten sushi rolls are on the menu, with the specialties being Yellowtail Carpaccio and Spicy Tuna.

The extensive fish menu offers Yellowfin Tuna, Atlantic salmon, Mahi Mahi, Mississippi Catfish, Colombian Tilapia, Eastern Sea Scallops, and Swordfish. “All of our fishes can be served three ways, baked, fried, or blackened. Our top two popular dishes are the macadamia-crusted halibut and the Miso Yaki Chilean Sea Bass,” Henderson said.

They do have gluten-free, vegetarian menus and all fish dishes can be served gluten-free.

Every month there is a Bartender’s special craft cocktail and mocktail, made from their own syrups.

February’s specialty cocktail is “First Dawn” which is Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif wine, Rosato, an Italian rosé wine, lemon, cucumber, and ginger on the rocks. February’s mocktail is “Basil & Bloom” which is Lyre’s No-alcohol Dry London Gin, basil, lemon, elderflower and honey.

“We have a list of specialty cocktails and beers. We offer a King Crab Honey Blonde beer brewed especially for us by Lost Coast Brewing in Eureka,” Henderson added.

King’s Fish House has 12 locations; the Mission Valley restaurant is located at 825 Camino De La Reina, San Diego. Phone number (619) 574-1230. Make your reservations on Opentable.com.

To see the daily menu go to https://kingsfishhouse.com/.