Activities and Things To Do
Pier Cafe - Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Pier Cafe is situated about three-quarters down the length of the Ocean Beach Pier. The food and prices are almost as amazing as the views of the Pacific and the shores of nearby Point Loma, Mission Bay, and Sunset Cliffs. Some of the Cafe's most popular entrees include mouth-watering mango pancakes, nachos supreme, lobster tacos, the ever-popular fish and chips, and fresh clam chowder served in a bread bowl.
Click here for a menu and read more about the Cafe below.
Fishing - The OB Pier offers a great destination for anglers looking to catch a variety of fish including different kinds of bass and perch, bonito, mackerel, halibut, and barracuda. There have been many other species of fish caught off the OB Pier including sharks and rays. With nearly a full mile of rail space, the pier can a handle a lot of fishermen and allows for a variety of depths to cast your bait. The OB Pier has a bait shop where you can purchase most of your fishing bait and gear or rent fishing poles for the day. Currently there is no fishing license required to fish off the pier.
Exercise/Sightseeing - At almost three-quarters of a mile to the end and back, the pier is a great place for a morning or evening stroll or light jog. Stunning views of La Jolla to the north and Sunset Cliffs to the south, combined with the fact that cars, bikes and skateboards are not allowed on the pier, make it a favorite for mothers with strollers or small children looking for some safe morning exercise. Kids and adults can get distracted for hours watching fishermen atop the pier hoping to catch a big fish and the surfers below hoping to catch a big wave. Since the pier is open 24 hours a day and parking is always free, it's the perfect destination for exercise or sightseeing any time of day.
More About The Pier Cafe - a Chat with Chuck Fisher, Proprietor.
The Cafe, originally established in the mid 1960's is currently owned by Chuck and Shannon Fisher who purchased the struggling restaurant in 1992 from its previous owner. No strangers to Ocean Beach, the Fishers had owned an ice cream shop and arcade on Newport Blvd. prior to purchasing the Cafe.
Over 15 years after purchasing the Cafe, Chuck still goes to the restaurant almost every day and has seen a lot of interesting things at the OB Pier. One of the most memorable things he has witnessed over the years, was the sight of a large whale, young calf by its side, brush up close to the edge of the pier. Chuck says that the breath-taking sight made a huge impact on him and he still remembers that moment vividly. As for fishing, despite his last name, Chuck and his wife are not fishermen and don't take advantage of their restaurant being situated on the longest fishing pier on the west coast. Though the Fishers aren't anglers themselves, when asked whether Chuck's chefs would prepare fish that his patrons caught off the pier, Chuck noted that only commercially purchased fish is served in their Cafe (probably a good thing), but sometimes during the summer, they will provide a barbecue grill that fishermen can use to cook their freshly caught fish, and the Cafe will provide tortillas and dressing. Not a bad deal!
