Cook’s Seafood abruptly closes after 98 years of operation

Cook’s Seafood, a long-standing Bay Area institution, has abruptly closed both of its locations in Menlo Park and Pleasanton. The closure was communicated to staff via a group text message from owner Roy Crumrine Jr., informing employees that they were terminated and the buildings were closed.

The business, which first began selling shellfish in Menlo Park in 1928, was founded by former policeman Bill Cook. The restaurant was known for its signature fish and chips, a dish Cook was reportedly inspired to serve after his service in England during World War I. Over the decades, the business passed through several owners, including Robert Rahe and Roy Crumrine, who began as a dishwasher at the establishment in 1955.

A sign posted at the original Menlo Park location cited a difficult year for restaurants as a reason for the closure. The sudden shutdown follows the recent opening of a second location in Pleasanton last year and marks the end of nearly a century of service to the community.