June 29, 2006
Fish Market Forces
Located in a sort-of no man’s land of office buildings and hotels, the Maine Avenue Fish Market is tucked away in a bizarre little pocket of waterfront activity in Southwest. We were there to grab a few fish steaks before the evening rush hour for a Friday night grillfest. And we were hungry.
Newbies to the market, we walked slowly, browsing the wares while vendors coaxed us to stop here or there for a special on tuna or a pound of shrimp or whatever else. This place is like the red-light district of raw seafood. (“Baby, c'm'ere, I got a reeeeaaal good grouper that’ll make you scream!"). Keep walking, and while you’re trying to figure out what exactly the difference is between large and jumbo shrimp (uh, they look exactly the same), you see something called lobster shrimp, a hybrid that reminded us of something from a B horror film—“Mutant Crustaceans Walk Among Us!”
From there, you’ll see more exotica of the sea—tiger shrimp, a zillion types of squid and octopus, all piled high in a gray-blue mass. Then stone crab, blue crab, mountains of crab legs, and lump crab in a dizzying array of containers. At this point, you’re not sure what to do: Do the safe thing, and pick the salmon; get crazy and buy some tiger shrimp; or get the hell out of there before you hurt yourself.
This kind of situation can be dangerous, as the combination of extreme hunger, curiosity, and the promise of copious amounts of food can lead to total irrational behavior. This DCist came very close to being like, “yeah, I’ll take five pounds of lobster shrimp and a few of those squids over there,” and then running out of there with not a clue of what to do with any of it.
Luckily, salvation was just around the corner: the cooked food section (read: I can eat NOW!). Enormous containers of shrimp and crab were being sold by weight, and the vendors were enthusiastically vying for our business. One free sample of delicious shrimp secured our purchase: a pound of plain medium shrimp and another pound with a generous dusting of Old Bay. (Note: A pound of shrimp is A LOT. But we were hungry.)
We also settled on five giant steaks: tuna, salmon, halibut, mahi-mahi, and swordfish. The vendor, who was all business, couldn’t have cared less about our lack of fish knowledge. She just held out a plastic bag with one hand, while the the other arm rested akimbo on her hip, as if to say, “Put some fish in this bag, so I can get on with my day.” But she didn’t. She just waited quietly while we made up our stupid minds.
After taking in this great local tradition, we marinated and grilled the steaks, every bite of which was extremely fresh and succulent, reaffirming our belief that it’s best to get fresh food from the people who know it best. So do your summer cookout right, and hit the fish market. Just eat something first.
Maine Avenue Fish Market
1100 Maine Avenue SW
Photo by Flickr user Bien Stephenson and used under a Creative Commons license.
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Is DC so despirate for something cool that we give horrible places good reviews? If you want the worst seafood in DC, go to the waterfront where it is not fresh or clean. That fish market is a gimmick to try and look like a "fishermans warf" where you can get fresh fish that is good. If you want good, fresh fish go to Bill's Seafood on Georgia Avenue. Its a heck of a lot fresher, cleaner, and easier to get to than dc's so called "fish market".
Sorry to rip your review, but I'm always reading great reviews on this sight for horrible places...
I'm asking because I really don't know. Are any of the fish Amanda bought (or the shrimp for that matter) caught locally? Nearby? Off the coast of Virginia, Delaware or Maryland? Or are they shipped in like the fish at Giant or Whole Foods?
thanks for the enty. was wondering what the scene was like down there, specifically the freshness and value of the fish. putting aside the customer service seems you liked what you found?
Maybe Blinky the duck-eating three-eyed snakecarp.
They do sell Virginia oysters and Maryland crabs in addition to Chesepeake Bay bluefish and rockfish. I believe they also have Delaware bay flounder and Eastern Shore farm-raised tilapia.
I googled Bill's Seafood (N the Hood), and it says they're closed. Any other good fresh seafood places around the district?
Sweet tap-dancing Moses. Here's a prime example of where "the editorial we" just doesn't fly!
Hello. I saw the posting on the Fish Markets and want to let you know where you can watch a mini-documentary about the fish markets from the WETA TV 26 “WETA Neighborhoods” series. Check it out here: http://www.weta.org/community/neighborhoods/southwest/
WETA TV 26 premiered our Southwest installment of “WETA Neighborhoods” in May with four two-minute stories about the community that run now throughout the TV 26 schedule. “WETA Neighborhoods” premieres Glover Park features in July, and throughout the year has featured Shepherd Park, Shaw and LeDroit Park in D.C.; Del Ray in Alexandria, Virginia; and Bowie in Maryland.
I hope you get a chance to see the documentary. The fish wharf is definitely a vibrant location and Southwest yet another unique and interesting neighborhood that makes up the Greater Washington area.
Are any of the fish Amanda bought (or the shrimp for that matter) caught locally? Nearby? Off the coast of Virginia, Delaware or Maryland?
I don't know about the fish the writer bought, but a small portion of the total catch at the Fishmarket is brought up by express truck or speedboat from Maryland and Virginia; the best commands a premium price. Most of the stuff for sale at the Fishmarket, however, is brought in by truck from the same sorts of places that supply Giant and Safeway. And you can usually tell.
That said, I do kinda like the Fishmarket. It's got a cheesy atmosphere and most of the fish is pretty average, but it's convenient to my house, has more character than anything else on that strip of Water Street and there's something pleasant about walk-up ready-to-eat seafood. If only they made more of an effort to clean Water and Maine after the weekends.
I had a hard time with [a]"no man’s land of office buildings and hotels". I think that gives a misrepresentation of the area immediately surrounding the market. It makes it sound like the market is at Conn Ave. and M St.
"I googled Bill's Seafood (N the Hood), and it says they're closed. Any other good fresh seafood places around the district?"
Bills Seafood-Fish in the 'Hood is not closed, at least it wasn't Saterday. You can get fish there that are still barely breathing.
Any details on "Slavin & Sons Seafood" on Glebe Road in Arlington? I pass it all the time, but have yet to stop in.
I hate to go negative, but the Fish Market is one of those places that are always being brought out by DC boosters as being symbolic of the DC area's "wonderful vibrant and unique local cultural traditions". Ben's Chili Bowl and Eastern Market are the others. Newsflash, they're all kinda lame.
WETA's "Neighborhoods" is lame too. Heck, I live in Del Ray, and Del Ray is all over the media like it's hip or something, but it's lame too. A couple ice cream places, a coffee shop, a few widely scattered overrated (and priced) restaurants, and obscenely overpriced real-estate. Too many kids, and too many dogs. Where's a good diner when you need one? Where can I get an omlette at 1AM when I'm hungry? A slice of cake or pie? I've been searching for unpretensious breakfast joints forever, and no such luck yet.
I probably wouldn't come across town to go to the fish market, but it's down the street and vastly superior to what Safeway is offering. I don't think it's particularly better or worse than most places, both in quality and price. It does have a pretty good selection, imo, but I'm no fish connoisseur.
Bill - If all those things suck, care to suggest some replacements?
Bill,
I agree with DC's lameness factor, but can you give us perspective on what doesn't suck? Granted, all the stuff at the fishmarket is trucked in on ice, but at least you can get crawfish and some nice steamed crabs.
As for Del Ray, Al's King of Steaks makes a decent cheesesteak, but yeah, the rest is pretty weak. Dinerwise, I'm with you. First Scholl's closes, then Stoneys, and now my beloved Waffle Shop across from Ford's Theater is about to become another goddamned office cube.
And if I have to read ANOTHER Washingtonpost article about "creating a living downtown," I will vomit with rage. You CANT have a living downtown without a place to get a cheap, greasy breakfast/lunch. I know the coucil is drooling over all that delicious tax revenue they can blow on useless crap, but can we please preserve a couple greasy spoons? I love Zatinya as much as anybody else, but I wants my $5.98 ribeye steak special too.
Good place for cheap, greasy diner food used to be Joe's, located next to DC-9. I haven't been for 2 years though. Is it still there? Open 24 hours. Also has a place up in Tenleytown. Florida Ave. Grill too.
Monkey & Politburo,
I know I know. I didn't mean to get all negative, and I should try to look on the bright side.
I guess most of my complaints revolve around food. I like thin-crust pizza, sweets (cake, and definately not from Cakelove), and I like well done traditionally fatty breakfast food. I'm open to some good leads in those departments. I would prefer to have these items available to me 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. A $15 pizza should feed more than one person, a good breakfast should be way less than $10, and I'm willing to pay up to $20 for a good cake to serve at a dinner party.
Also I like old ladies. If you know any old ladies who can tell bawdy stories while teaching me to knit while we throw back a couple of Manhattans, hook me up. I dont' smoke, but if she's a smoker that would be very cool I'd also like a nice lady to teach me how to bake, since my mom was not of that generation, and my grandmother is dead. Maybe I should go to church and start cruising old ladies to hang out with?
I know, I'm weird and don't really belong here.
hey - back to the fish comments... I love the fish market for the spectacle of it, but not for quality fish. Anyone know where you can pick up some sushi-grade fish around here?
On occasion I have one of those cooked lunches (fish or crab) from a Maine Ave wharf barge. Not bad.
Just be aware that much of that raw seafood is not caught locally. Especially in the spring & fall, it's shipped from the Southern Atlantic & the Gulf.
That said, you can now get to the wharf via Circulator Bus down 7th St to 4th, which drops you off right in front of Arena Stage. Only $1, and if you get a transfer, the return trip is free...
Whole Foods on P & 14th always has pretty consistently good fish, at not too high a price. Not a huge selection though.
monkeyrotica,
Stoney's is reopnening on P Street in the P Street Bistro space across from Whole Foods. Of course I doubt it'll be the same atmosphere there.
Tom Sietsema: News flash: Stoney's is re-opening, across from Whole Foods on P St. in Logan Circle, in the P St. Bistro space. Look for an end-of-July launch date.
Whoo-hoo!
Until that happens, you can get your "super grilled cheese" fix for $8.55 at Tunnicliff's on the Hill.
Hallie, you can get sashimi grade tuna @ Blacksalt restaurant/fish market on MacArthur out in palisades.
Sorry, Northern Virginia reference:
Slavin & Sons on Glebe is awesome. Their wares are fresh and their prices are always reasonable. I actually remember getting Alaskan halibut there at $11.99/lb while Whole Paycheck, er, Whole Foods had the same fish for $18.99/lb. And Slavin's was super fresh. That particular price gap may be a bit of an exception, but all in all I have never had a bad experience there. It makes sense-- they're a big-time restaurant seafood supplier.
Rich,
I was happy to hear that Stoney's is reopening, but it can't possibly have the same vibe as the original. I fear the queens will take it over and force it to serve blackberry mojitos and flirtinis.
And the Super Grilled Cheese just isn't the same at Tunicliffs.
Monkey & Bill...i know of a couple great, greasy diners in town that'l serve your needs. I just dont want to tell you so eventually you'll leave our "lame" area and go to one more to your liking. To find these places you might need to stray from Dupont or Georgetown...get to know your area a little huh?
LooLoo: if you go past the Arena Stage, you can even get closer -- there's a Circulator stop at 9th and Water.
Ok, now how is something called DCist just getting around to the SW Fish market?
Nevertheless, surprise folks, but pretty much every place that sells fish in town, from restaurants to fish markets gets their fish from the same major vendors. Trust me, none of them had a pole in the Atlantic last night.
If it can't be caught in the Chesapeake or near Atlantic, guess what? It ain't fresh. Anything you buy at Whole Foods, SW or elsewhere is at least two days old. Fresh mahi-mahi or sea bass? C'mon, those are are Pacific fish.
Spend a little time around the fish counter at Whole Foods when they change the shrimp case and watch the counter guy open a thawed bag of frozen shrimp. Same with Costco and everything else.
Basically your choice for freshness is catch it yourself or hold your nose and forget about it.
Ok, now how is something called DCist just getting around to the SW Fish market?
Nevertheless, surprise folks, but pretty much every place that sells fish in town, from restaurants to fish markets gets their fish from the same major vendors. Trust me, none of them had a pole in the Atlantic last night.
If it can't be caught in the Chesapeake or near Atlantic, guess what? It ain't fresh. Anything you buy at Whole Foods, SW or elsewhere is at least two days old. Fresh mahi-mahi or sea bass? C'mon, those are Pacific fish. How long do you think it took that truck to get to DC?
Spend a little time around the fish counter at Whole Foods when they change the shrimp case and watch the counter guy open a thawed bag of frozen shrimp. Same with Costco and everything else.
Basically your choice for freshness is catch it yourself or hold your nose and forget about it.
I've always liked the SW fish market, the prices are far better than Whole Foods, etc and the fish (to me) is fresh enough - though you're right that it isn't being fileted there or anything.
rong,
Trust me, I try to never set foot in Georgetown, and I've mostly kept away from Dupont since Anne Taylor came to town.
I'm no expert on fish, but the steaks we bought, after being marinated and grilled, were delicious, especially the mahi-mahi. Plus, it's a great spectacle, as others have commented, and the vendors are very nice. But that's just one person's experience...
A bit of a trek depending on your location, but H-mart also sells sushi grade.
Super H Mart, Upstream Seafood, BlackSalt for fresh, good fish.
Hey Bill,
If you need a greasy spoon thats open 24/7 and is cheap go to Steak and Eggs in tenleytown. Its cheap, its okay at the weey hours of the morning and they serve butter with an ice cream scoop. The outdoor seating, although it looks out on conn. ave., isn't bad when you need some fresh air.
+
"Fresh mahi-mahi or sea bass? C'mon, those are are Pacific fish."
That's funny I grew up on the NC east-coast and used to catch dolphin(mahi-mahi) and sea bass all the time.
Clearly you have NO clue what you are talking about so keep your ignorant comments to yourself.
We catch mahi-mahi off the Florida Keys all the time. Not an exclusively Pacific fish by any means.
youre a retard, mahi and grouper are everywhere. DC Fish market is an excellent place to go. Great experience for the kids, and grown ups alike. Good write up!
Yeah yeah I like DC's fish market for the entertainment value but if you don't know about all those Korean markets that sell fresh and cheaper fish, then you really have not been around at all. They are everywhere in NOVA and MD. If you don't have a car to get out there, get a ZIPCAR or FLEXCAR!
I get fresh food for a lot cheaper there all the time . Oh and they are open late too.
Most of the fish places in the area has upsides and downsides. Most of the negative comments are from folks who have negative ideas about most things, or so I suspect. Depending on what you're looking for the markets vary. If you want fresh crab, lobster, and clams (still alive) then the Fish Market is fantastic - is it far cheaper than anything in the area. As for the fish, it depends how good you are at picking out the fresh stuff, i.e. eye clarity, smell, etc. If you are comfortable with your knowledge than the Fish Market is a good place to shop. Slevin and Sons is also excellent and falls somewhere between the Market and Whole Foods when you consider prices. I think their product is very fresh and they do great deals on things like lobster and crab meat. Whole Foods also has some good seafood but the prices can be pretty extreme - again, it depends on your needs.
The Fish Market is a working environment - go into the fish cleaning house to get your purchase fileted or cleaned - and it looks and feels as such. If you want a spotless shopping environment then go to Whole Foods. If you want something in the middle, go to Slavin and Sons. All of them provide great service and products with vastly different experiences. I wouldn't tell anyone to avoid any of them: get out and see what you like.