Cameron's Seafood Market

Good seafood is not always easy to find in inland Pasadena, so this sprawling 300-seat restaurant is a delightful discovery, especially when the kids are in tow. With its somewhat clichéd nautical decor (lots of mounted fish and sepia photos of fish, fishing boats and fisheries), it's hardly elegant and certainly not pretentious, but offers an extensive selection of decent quality seafood at everyday prices. It boasts a huge oyster bar and lively crowds keep several big mesquite-fired grills busy at all times.

Favorite dishes include cioppino, Cajun-style mahi mahi, old-fashioned fish & chips, lobster thermidor, grilled salmon and catfish with a Southern flair. An excellent New England clam chowder is available, as are respectable pastas, steaks and generous salads. Cameron's also provides an adjacent market that sells fresh seafood to go. Dinner for two: $45.