Crystal Fish
514 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey, (831) 649‑3474, crystalfishmonterey.com
They jury’s out on whether or not Ed Ricketts would have been mortified about Crystal Fish’s brand of pickled, fishy goodness. Oh, well! More for everyone else who walks through the hustle and bustle of this New Monterey restaurant and lays eyes on the iconic blackboard specials. Crystal Fish can excite first‑timers and humble traditionalists with the sheer variety on the menu. Customers can whet their appetites with delectable appetizers like kama (grilled fish collar) and the “Japanese KFC,” also known as karaage, or Japanese fried chicken, before getting into the real good stuff with fun rolls like the Fire Cracker (shrimp tempura and spicy tuna) or more traditional offerings like the sets of nigiri or chirashi.