The Fairfax Girl Team 
California Fish Grill is a West Coast-based fast casual dining restaurant specializing in, well, fish. The team opened its first East Coast restaurant in Fairfax at 11048 Main Street, Fairfax in September 2025, and celebrated the opening of the Alexandria location at 17003A Manchester Blvd, on January 12th 2026. The Fairfax Girl chatted with Chef Louie Jocson about the restaurant, seafood, and why Old Bay will definitely be on the menu. Read on for more with Chef Louie Jocson of California Fish Grill.
Chef Louie Jocson. Image courtesy of California Fish Grill.
About California Fish Grill
California Fish Grill was founded in 1998 in Gardena, CA. The restaurant specializes in bold, flavorful seafood dishes made to order, combining the convenience of fast-casual dining with quality ingredients. California Fish Grill serves only seafood that meets high sustainability standards, including those recognized by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program, third-party certifications, or credible improvement projects.
A rockfish dish at California Fish Grill. Image courtesy of California Fish Grill.
Chef Louie Jocson is the VP of Food and Beverage for the brand, and he said that it was a natural choice to bring the restaurant to the East Coast. “There are a lot of similarities, with both being coastal communities,” he said. “People are particular about seafood.” In terms of why the restaurant is a good fit for the DC area, he said “[The restaurant] is generous with our portions. It’s a friendly and comfortable environment. It’s just a good place to enjoy seafood at an affordable price.”
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In terms of sustainability, Chef Louie said it’s a deliberate choice. “We want people to enjoy seafood for many generations to come, and you can only achieve that through sustainability,” he said. “We source from sustainable sources, whether it’s farm-raised or wild harvest. We source from sustainable fisheries or aquaculture sites all over the world.”
What to Expect
The menu at CFG has salads, sandwiches, entrees, bowls, and a kids menu (that has chicken). At the center, of course, is fresh seafood. Guests can customize their meals with signature sauces like garlic butter or Cajun, with entrées offering between 20 and 67 grams of protein per plate. Chef Louie said that the team has made some menu tweaks to cater to the East Coast audience. “We learned that on the East Coast, fish and chips is made with cod, specifically. In California, we can make it with any fish,” He said. “On the East Coast, people love lobster rolls, branzino, and rockfish. And Old Bay, we will definitely be adding Old Bay.”
A branzino meal at California Fish Grill. Image courtesy of California Fish Grill
Chef Louie said that incorporating local preferences is key for the team. “We love getting suggestions and feedback from guests,” he said. “Such as adjusting a spice level.” Chef Louie said the team has been appreciative of the way Northern Virginians have approached them with feedback. “Something I noticed here is that the community approaches us in a way that is a conversation, and helps us improve. It’s so nice and refreshing.”
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As part of every new restaurant opening, California Fish Grill donates to its longtime partner No Kid Hungry, supporting efforts to end childhood hunger. The brand also offers local nonprofits an easy way to fundraise through its partnership with GroupRaise at www.groupraise.com/cafishgrill.
The restaurant offers catering in addition to dine-in and takeout orders. California Fish Grill Fairfax is open Sunday to Wednesday, 11AM to 9PM; and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 11AM – 9:30PM. California Fish Grill Alexandria is open Sunday to Wednesday, 11AM to 9PM; and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11AM – 9:30PM.
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