Captain Kidds Fish Market & Restaurant is marking 50 years on the Redondo Beach waterfront in 2026. The business at 209 N. Harbor Drive in King Harbor opened in 1976 and has operated continuously in one of the South Bay's densest dining corridors ever since.

The restaurant's website now displays a "50th Anniversary 1976–2026" banner on its homepage, and Southbay Magazine's restaurant guide, published Thursday, June 4, noted that Captain Kidds is "celebrating our 50th anniversary in the heart of King Harbor."

A fish market you can eat at

Captain Kidds operates as both a sit-down restaurant and a walk-up fish market. Customers pick their own fish and shellfish from the market case and have it grilled or fried to order. The business receives fresh seafood deliveries daily and smokes its own salmon in a brick oven that dates to near the restaurant's founding year.

Harry Mills started the business in 1976. His son, John Mills, later took over operations and became known for personally sourcing seafood from suppliers across Southern California.

New ownership, same face

Chris Bredesen, a restaurateur who also owns The Rockefeller (three South Bay locations), Primo Italia in Torrance, and Riviera Mexican Grill in Redondo Beach, purchased Captain Kidds from John Mills. The acquisition date has not been publicly disclosed.

Bredesen said he structured the deal to keep Mills connected to the restaurant. "I believe that restaurants have souls, and John was the soul of this restaurant," Bredesen told CanvasRebel in a 2023 interview. "So instead of the full buyout I demanded that John stay on as a partial owner and continue to be the face of the business."

Whether Mills remains actively involved in day-to-day operations in 2026 could not be independently confirmed.

Bredesen said he spent roughly a year after the purchase overhauling operations with the goal of keeping Captain Kidds viable for decades to come. His restaurant group now operates six locations and employs approximately 300 people across the South Bay and Torrance.

Hours and details

The fish market is open Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant opens at 10 a.m. daily. No specific anniversary events or promotions have been publicly announced as of Wednesday, July 2.