I confess I wasn’t looking forward to visiting King’s Fish House, the California-based chain that opened its first Arizona restaurant last month at Tempe Marketplace.

In my mind, I had a pretty good idea what to expect: Lots of big, stuffed fish and old-time nautical equipment on colorful walls. Employees wearing corny-looking seafaring garb. Menu items with cutesy monikers like Davy Jones’ Fish & Chips.

Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. King’s Fish House has an clean, almost elegant look. Just a couple of small prints and an occasional mounted fish decorate the floor-to-ceiling wood-paneled walls of the spacious dining area. Servers are attired in black and white.

And the menu? It’s a straightforward roster of just about any type of seafood you can think of — from swordfish to barramundi to arctic char — prepared in a variety of styles. Fresh seafood arrives six days a week, and the selections change so frequently that King’s has to print new menus twice a day, according to our server.

Appetizers include a grilled artichoke ($9.45), quartered and brushed with a buttery sauce. Individual tender leaves are pulled out and dipped in a basil-garlic mayonnaise. Another highlight are the crab cakes ($11.95), two large patties that are perfectly cooked — crunchy on the outside, light and soft on the inside.

Our server enthusiastically endorses the grilled swordfish with oven-dried tomatoes ($23.95, shown at right), and she’s right. The inch-thick slab tastes almost like a pork chop and is perhaps the best swordfish I’ve ever had. It comes with a mushy ratatouille, which proves to be the only disappointment I find on King’s menu, and new potatoes dusted with Parmesan cheese.

Those looking for more variety might like the New England Clambake ($32.50, pictured below), a giant platter with a 1 1/4-pound Maine lobster, steamed mussels and Manila clams, red potatoes and two small ears of sweet corn.

If seafood’s not your thing, King’s Fish House also has burgers, steaks and pastas.

I recommend the chicken parmigiana ($16.95), two large cutlets that are lightly breaded and topped with a zesty tomato sauce that has a chunky texture closer to pico de gallo than gravy. The chicken parm comes with a choice of two of King’s 10 sides, which range from jasmine rice to mac and cheese.

There’s no letdown in quality when it comes to desserts. A rustic apple tart ($6.95) features fresh sliced apples baked in a trumpet of filo dough. My favorite, however, is the fruit crisp ($6.95) with seasonal fruit — you’re in luck if it’s blueberries — baked with an oatmeal-walnut topping.

I guess when you cast out into the uncharted waters of new seafood restaurants, sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised by what you reel in.

>> King’s Fish House, 35 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (480) 966-9121.