Best Fish for Grilling: 7 Seafood Picks & How to Grill Them Perfectly
- Giovanni
- Aug 11
- 7 min read
Summer may be winding down, but grilling season definitely isn’t — and neither is the opportunity to enjoy some of the best seafood of the year.
Here on California’s Central Coast, August is especially important for one of our favorites: Wild California King Salmon. The 2026 summer commercial salmon season is entering its final open periods this month, which means the local California King we look forward to all year won’t be around forever.
If you’ve been waiting to put a beautiful piece of King Salmon on the grill, this is the time.
And while King Salmon may be the star of late summer, it’s far from the only seafood that belongs over hot coals.
After more than 40 years of cutting, cooking and selling seafood at Giovanni’s Fish Market in Morro Bay, we’ve learned one thing: some fish simply grill better than others.
The best fish for grilling have enough fat, thickness or firmness to stand up to direct heat without drying out or falling through the grates.
Here are eight of our favorites — and exactly how we like to grill them.
1. Best fish for Grilling : California King Salmon
Best for: Rich flavor, crispy skin and an impressive centerpiece Grill: Medium-high heat Our favorite preparation: Skin-on fillet with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and lemon
Let’s start with the fish we’re especially excited about right now.
Wild California King Salmon — also called Chinook — is prized for its rich flavor, buttery texture and naturally high oil content. That fat is also exactly what makes King Salmon such a fantastic grilling fish.
It stays moist over high heat and develops a beautifully caramelized exterior without losing that luxurious texture inside.
How to grill King Salmon
Pat the salmon dry, lightly coat it with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Start skin-side down on a clean, well-oiled grill over medium-high heat.
Leave it alone.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when grilling fish is poking, flipping and moving it constantly. Give the skin time to crisp and the fish time to naturally release from the grill.
For a typical fillet, grill skin-side down for roughly 5–7 minutes, then carefully flip and finish for another few minutes depending on thickness.
A squeeze of fresh lemon is honestly about all a great piece of King Salmon needs.
Fishmonger Tip: Keep the skin on. It protects the delicate flesh from direct heat and can become one of the best parts of the entire fillet.
Seasonal note: California’s 2026 Central Coast commercial King Salmon season is approaching its final summer harvest days in August. Availability can change quickly, so if you see fresh California King Salmon available at Giovanni’s, this is one fish we wouldn’t procrastinate on.
2. Swordfish
Best for: Steak lovers Grill: High heat Our favorite preparation: Olive oil, garlic, lemon and herbs
If there were a fish specifically engineered for a barbecue, it might be swordfish.
Swordfish steaks are thick, firm and meaty enough to go directly onto a hot grill without giving you anxiety every time you reach for the spatula.
Brush the steaks lightly with olive oil and season before grilling.
Cook over high heat for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
You’re looking for a nicely browned exterior while keeping the center moist.
And please don’t cook the poor thing into drywall.
Swordfish is naturally leaner than salmon, so once it’s overcooked, there’s no bringing it back.
Fishmonger Tip: A simple 20–30 minute marinade with olive oil, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs works beautifully. Avoid leaving swordfish in a highly acidic marinade for hours; the acid can begin changing its texture.
3. Alaskan Halibut
Best for: Mild, clean flavorGrill: Medium-high heatOur favorite preparation: Butter, garlic, lemon and fresh herbs
Alaskan Halibut is one of the most popular fish we sell for good reason. It’s mild, flaky and incredibly versatile.
But halibut is also very lean.
Translation: don’t walk away from the grill to make yourself a cocktail and forget about it.
Choose thicker halibut portions whenever possible for grilling. Lightly oil both the fish and the grill grates.
Depending on thickness, give the first side approximately 4–5 minutes before flipping, then cook the second side until the center is just cooked through.
A little compound butter melted over the top immediately after grilling is hard to beat.
Fishmonger Tip: Thick halibut portions are much more forgiving than thin pieces. If you’re ordering specifically for the grill, thickness matters.
4. Ahi Tuna
Best for: Fast cooking and a steak-like texture Grill: Very high heat Our favorite preparation: Sesame, soy, ginger and wasabi
Ahi is where the rules change.
Rather than slowly cooking the fish through, many people prefer high-quality ahi quickly seared on the outside while leaving the center rare or cool.
Get the grill screaming hot.
Lightly oil the tuna and grill for roughly 60–90 seconds per side for a rare center, depending on thickness and personal preference.
Slice it across the grain after resting.
The contrast between the smoky, seared exterior and tender center is fantastic.
For those who prefer seafood fully cooked, simply continue cooking to your desired doneness.
Fishmonger Tip: Because lightly cooked or raw seafood carries additional food-safety considerations, buy tuna intended for this preparation from a seafood source you trust and handle it carefully.
5. White Seabass
Best for: California seafood lovers Grill: Medium-high heat Our favorite preparation: Olive oil, lemon, garlic and parsley
White seabass is one of California’s great local fish and doesn’t get nearly the national attention it deserves.
The meat is mild, firm and beautifully suited for grilling.
Use thicker portions, oil them lightly and cook over medium-high heat until the fish releases naturally from the grate before flipping.
White seabass works especially well with Mediterranean flavors: good olive oil, lemon, garlic, parsley, capers and maybe some grilled tomatoes alongside it.
No need to bury good fish under twelve ingredients.
Fishmonger Tip: When grilling any thick white fish, resist the urge to repeatedly flip it. Once is usually enough.
6. Jumbo Shrimp
Best for: Appetizers, skewers and feeding a crowd Grill: High heat Our favorite preparation: Garlic butter and lemon
Shrimp may be the easiest seafood on this entire list.
Use large or jumbo shrimp because tiny shrimp can go from perfect to rubber bands in about the amount of time it takes to sneeze.
Skewer peeled shrimp or grill larger shell-on shrimp directly over high heat.
Usually 2–3 minutes per side is plenty.
They’re done when the flesh has turned opaque and the shrimp have developed some color from the grill.
Garlic butter at the end doesn’t hurt anything.
Fishmonger Tip: When making skewers, put the shrimp close together. It reduces exposed surface area and helps keep them juicy.
7. Sea Scallops
Best for: Something a little decadent Grill: High heat Our favorite preparation: Olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon
Large sea scallops are phenomenal on the grill.
The secret is dry scallops and high heat.
Pat them extremely dry before cooking, lightly coat with oil and season immediately before they hit the grill.
Grill about 2–3 minutes on the first side without moving them. Flip once and finish the other side.
You’re looking for a caramelized exterior with a tender, juicy center.
Fishmonger Tip: Moisture is the enemy of browning. The drier the surface of your scallops when they hit the grill, the better your crust.
The 5 Rules for Grilling Fish Without Destroying It
You can buy the best piece of seafood in California and still turn it into something resembling a roof shingle.
Fortunately, most grilling disasters come down to a few avoidable mistakes.
1. Start with a clean grill
Fish loves attaching itself to dirty grill grates.
Clean them thoroughly while the grill is hot.
2. Oil the fish
A light coating of high-heat cooking oil helps prevent sticking and improves browning.
You can also lightly oil the grill grates immediately before adding the seafood.
3. Stop touching it
Put the fish down and give it time to cook.
Properly seared fish releases much more easily from the grill than fish you start trying to pry loose after 45 seconds.
4. Flip once
Most seafood only needs one flip.
Every additional flip is another opportunity for your beautiful piece of fish to become a sacrifice to the barbecue gods.
5. Don’t overcook it
This is the big one.
Seafood continues cooking slightly after it comes off the grill, especially thicker pieces.
FDA food-safety guidance recommends cooking most fish to an internal temperature of 145°F, or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
An inexpensive instant-read thermometer takes most of the guesswork out of grilling seafood.
So, What Is the Best Fish for Grilling?
If you want rich and forgiving, choose King Salmon.
If you want meaty, choose Swordfish.
If you want mild, choose Alaskan Halibut.
If you want quick and impressive, choose Ahi Tuna.
If you’re making fish tacos, grab the Mahi.
If you want local California flavor, try White Seabass.
If you’re feeding a crowd, Shrimp is almost impossible to beat.
And if dinner calls for something a little more decadent, put some large Sea Scallops over the fire.
But right now, there’s one additional reason we’re putting California King Salmon at the top of the list.
California King Salmon Season Is Almost Over!
Wild California King Salmon isn’t something we can simply manufacture more of when the season ends.
California’s fisheries operate under tightly managed seasons and harvest limits, and the 2026 Central Coast summer commercial season reaches its final scheduled fishing periods during August.
That’s part of what makes truly seasonal seafood special.
You enjoy it when the ocean gives it to us.
For more than 40 years at Giovanni’s Fish Market in Morro Bay, that’s how we’ve approached seafood: find the best fish available, handle it properly and don’t mess with it more than necessary.
So if you’ve been waiting for an excuse to fire up the grill and cook California King Salmon, consider this your excuse.
August won’t last forever.
Neither will the King Salmon.
Shop fresh seafood from Giovanni’s Fish Market and have it delivered directly to your door.
Seafood availability changes with seasons, weather, fishing conditions and harvest regulations. California salmon regulations are subject to in-season changes.
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