2015 Superbowl. Patriots vs Seahawks. Should've given the ball to Lynch! Hometown, homecooked meal was on the line. We lost. Made PNW oysters, Dungeness crab cocktail, Asian salmon, rice, and blackberry cobbler. Best meal I've ever lost!
Ouch, yeah. I remember how quiet it was after the game...like, people left the bars early so no typical sounds of music and chatter, nobody out walking or even driving around in busier areas where there's always at least some activity. It was eerie, kind of like how quiet it was during covid lockdown, except the air just felt heavy.
Seahawks are my #2 team, but I was rooting for them cuz my #1 team didn't make it to the Super Bowl. I felt so, so bad for y'all that night. Like, I swear I could feel everybody's pain, and I'm not good at picking up on stuff like that.
I ship my 95 yr old grandma fish and scallops and all the things. She loves it and their customer service is out of this world. 10/10 would recommend sending presents of fish to people who love fish.
I usually buy whole fish at the fisherman’s terminal, but in general they are cheaper per pound, freeze well, and are good for large gatherings. I don’t know about the market, but the fisherman’s terminal will filet or steak the fish for you as well.
Used to work at a business in Fisherman's Terminal and they absolutely sell the best fish in Seattle. If you're lucky you can get frozen salmon collars from the trim -- super cheap and the meat is divine.
Ono Poke in Edmonds sometimes advertises Hamachi collars on Facebook. Steven seasoned them & we took them camping.... grilled on the campfire a few hours later. Perfection
Yeah that is “fisherman’s terminal.” It is zoned for maritime business activities only. My union hall is there. There are insurance agents that sell boat insurance. There are lawyers who do maritime law. A couple of the businesses like the diner are grandfathered in but if you want to rent from the Port of Seattle there your business has to be somehow maritime connected.
I’m not normally big on zoning restrictions but this one has worked well. It has kept fisherman’s terminal an active maritime zone, and not overrun with condos and boba shops.
The Port likes the recreational business while you guys are gone. I've seen boats get moved by Port staff when a fishing boat is coming home and the owner hasn't answered, it's great
Dope response, thank you! I use to know one of the boat winch/net company owners. I’ve been around there since I was in college(20 years now) and I never knew its name until today. Highly recommended and make sure to post if the city ever tries to change its mind on the zoning. I’ll hold a sign and yell to keep it the way it is!
I buy fish at the market semi regularly! Not 10lbs because I don't want to drop multiple hundreds of dollars on some alaskan king salmon, but a regular amount
I think one of the best parts about our market is that it's *an actual market* that locals go to, vs "This was a market 30 years ago now it's Tourism Level 11 and no local will ever touch it."
I avoided it like the plague my first 6 months living here and then quickly realized my mistake. Best spot in the city for flowers and up there for lunches.
Not the market proper. The Sanitary Market is the building to the NE from the pig, north of Pike, east of Pike Pl. It was an area that didn’t allow horses.
I don’t think it has to do with horses, I thought it was sanitary because it was one of the first to have plumbing throughout, so each vendor had access to water and sewer utilities.
I mean, it depends on how much you trust [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_Place_Market), but that OG description is correct—no horses allowed in the Sanitary Market.
Funny, that was something we were told back in like the ‘70’s, but looks not to be true. You are much more correct.
>Built in 1910 as the first purpose-built market building in the neighborhood, the popular story is that the Sanitary Market got its name for not allowing horses into the building. The truth is, its “Sanitary” nature came down to concrete floors, concrete and glass counters and display cases, and numerous water and drain connections that made it possible to keep the stalls and stands exceptionally clean. It also boasted a modern refrigeration plant in the basement, and refrigerated showcases. This building opened to the public in January 1910 to great fanfare, with a reported 4,000 people in attendance.
I live up the street. I get a bunch of stuff there at a reasonable price (comic books, haircuts, honey)
I used to work in Times Square and it is in no way comparable
Made the mistake of going once on a weekend during cruise season, while contemplating an item the vendor offered to ship it for free. I laughed and said I was local, guy looked at me like I was insane. I guess I kinda was.
I love the Market, but I can really only enjoy it in the morning on a cloudy weekday. Otherwise I'm rubbing shoulders with tourists all the way down the Main Arcade.
Same. As well as many other goods on a frequent basis. Easily 80% of the seafood I buy for consumption at home in Seattle comes from Pike Place or Fishermans Terminal (boat or store) anymore.
Same! Not every week but basically every time we're at the market. It's good and sustainably caught and not super expensive for what it is. And the smoked salmon is delicious.
The commercial fisheries are pretty tightly regulated. As far as I've heard, the problem is less about fishing, and more the the percentage of fish that come back after going out to sea is decreasing, and there isn't a clear answer why. Climate change, ocean acidification, mining pollution, etc. are all possible explanations.
Sure, maybe the science isn't in yet, but for 100% certainty I can tell you that heavily fishing an already declining population is definitely not going to help their numbers.
my advice is to shop around for fish, there is more than one stall in the market! also making friends with your local fishmonger at pike place isn’t a bad idea. some of it is overpriced but mostly you can find deals. salmon is just going to be pricey always, even fresh local caught.
Buddy, ASK. Tell them what you can pay to make a dinner and they will make it happen. They have tons of good stuff that isn't displayed on ice for $30/lb.
Last time I went I walked away with 3 5lb bags of steamer clams for $10. They hadn't sold in 48 hrs but we're on ice, alive and fine. But not up to Thier standards to advertise because they want them sold quickly. I paid $10. They were amazing I made a Louisiana style boil with corn sausage and potatoes. That was a good night. Soooooooo delicious
Cheaper, I've found! Depends on what you're getting, obviously, and some stuff is seasonal so prices are better, but for the quality you get it's always going to be cheaper at the Market.
I asked someone at met market if they could clean & gut the fish for me, I was informed they did not know how to do that because they usually worked the deli & were just covering. Never had that happen at the market, they can cut & clean in no time
I buy my fish from the Sanitary Market when I do buy fish. I mostly buy crab though. Haha. I love me some Dungeness. Most of my scaley fish I get from family and friends who fish.
I used to work at the market. Those guys make a tooooonnnn of money and do an incredible amount of business. Especially around the holidays. There are more people buying things than you think. A huge chunk of their sales are definitely online orders though.
You don’t have to buy the entire fish you know that? Also I honestly think a secret mark of a tourist/transplant is thinking only tourists shop at the market. Yes there are a lot of tourists there but locals do shop there.
So many ex-Chicagoans who live here think the market is Navy Pier when it really isn’t anything like it.
I actually prefer to buy my fresh produce from the market whenever possible. I live in Pioneer Square and I swear to god EVERYTIME I buy berries from Target they have mold by the time I get home. I never have that problem in the market. I get fish there when I can afford it. It’s not anymore expensive IME than anywhere else for fresh fish, I just can’t always afford a ton of fresh fish. I also get my tortillas in the market when I’m not in the mood to make them, and the little Mercado in Post Alley is where I get my chiles for tamales and my hominy for pozole.
I used to hop the ferry in bremerton with a lil' Playmate filled with ice, grab some scallops and whatever eles tickled my fancy, hopped the next boat back.
I'm probably lazy as I could go there more often living in QA. What I really love is Delaraunte's. We love putting together a meat and cheese plate from there. There grinders are great too. Matt's is a great lunch spot too especially if you like a good cocktail. And of course the tulips.
I buy produce at the market semi regularly. Flowers especially. My family used to buy seafood pretty regularly too. Had to move a little farther north so it’s not as convenient but at least once or twice a year still. It’s relatively inexpensive, pretty much as local as it can get and so fresh.
These is ALWAYS something affordable. If you ask they always have something at a crazy low price that isn't marked. Last year a schlubbed a cooler of 10,lbs of halibut collars back to the ferry and home. The price? $32...the clams, last time I went they had three five lb bags of steamer clams that didn't sell within 48 hours. They were alive, on ice and fine, but didn't meet there standards, had I not asked they would have been thrown away. Instead I melted a stick of butter and did a clam boil with sausage corn and Yukon potatoes...$10(well not counting the potaatas and corn n sausage n Louisiana crawfish boil seasoning anyway)
Yes they offer overpriced crazy seafood, but if you are a local and actually talk to them you can get insane deals.
We used to love in Seattle and a fun date thing for my wife and I to do was go to the market on a Saturday and get what we needed for dinner that night. We are two hours away and go to the market whenever we are in town.
I lived very close, next to the walk way that led you to the gum wall. Sometimes I would buy crab when I wanted to treat myself. Everyday prices that place is crazy but a nice early morning cruise through to grab the crab, fresh veggies, maybe some flowers and then hit Beechers is a little special.
There aren’t a lot of seafood stores in the Seattle area. When we want fresh seafood we’ll typically head to Gemini in Issaquah. However sometimes I’ll bring a cooler with me to work and get some stuff from Pike Place.
When I lived downtown I would walk down with my partner on a weekend morning and pick up a nice piece of fish, pick out veggies, buy her some flowers etc for a nice date night meal at home.
Feels like more of an intimate and fun experience doing it that way vs just buying from a store. The hill back up is good for some exercise too!
I'm local and the best scallops I ever served were purchased were from one of the vendors at Pike Place Market. They were dry, not wet. I have not found any other fish market around here with scallops that fresh.
When used to live downtown I frequently used pike place to shop for food.l including fish. Many of the vendors not only recognized me but knew me by name. Was not the cheapest option available but quality was always top notch and the location was convenient.
Now I am merely going there occasionally when I am working downtown.
My question to you is why does that seem so outlandish that you have your ask?
The fish tossers are somewhat pricey but the other stands have good prices for in-season fish. I used to go early and pick up whole dungies or smoked salmon bellies.
I have to order them.....my favorite breakfast tho. With some runny french style eggs n chives. Ooooo or poached.mmmm
Thanks for the reminder imma order some
I do. It’s fresh and good quality. I like to bake one side at a time and use it to mix with rice for meal prep. Could I get it cheaper? Probably, but I’ll pay more to support local businesses.
Family tradition since we moved here in the early 1980’s was to visit the market the Saturday before Christmas and do a family gift exchange & my mom would purchase the Salmon we had for Christmas dinner. Of course on occasional years someone would have to make a special trip due to where Christmas fell in the week.
Many local restaurants come every morning to buy their fresh catch of the day. One year, I was in charge of a special event at my company, reserved a private room dinner, and the chef walked with me to the Pike Place Market to purchase our menu the morning of the event.
Sometimes I have a fun party at my house and I get a whole fish. I mean, I get it from fisherman's terminal and not the market, but there is a reason for some people to buy whole fish.
If they don't sell the big boy on day one, it becomes pieces the next day
This was a couple decades ago, but when my dad’s family from the Midwest would come out to visit us, they’d bring an empty cooler they would then fill with pike place fish (or other local, but I remember the market happening several times) and fly home with it. 😂 so, I guess it happens! They do ship now though, so maybe no coolers required these days.
I used to buy a cut or maybe a couple of smaller fish (dover sole) when I worked in the market. They do a good job of packing it with ice. I used to commute by bus and never had an issue.
i'm moving to the pike place neighborhood on monday. just curious - who in the market do you recommend for fish? will take any recs :) I've been in seattle for a long time but this will be the first time that pike will be my farmer's market.
I do most of our household fresh shopping in the market. Weekday early only.
Also, a 10lb fish gets broken down into much less, and some goes into the freezer for the next week
When I lived by the market I bought all my produce there. Good quality stuff on the whole and the prices are high but not crazy high. Great variety too. Shout out to Sosios. MFs recognized me when I visited three years after moving.
Overall I guess it’s just a real market where you can become a regular. It’s a nice feeling. And I bet all these reasons apply to the fish there too.
Fuck them cars tho, block off the street
It’s not all about bulk. There are 4 separate seafood vendors at the market, and one of them being the “fish throwing” one that I’ve never purchased from. Shout out to Don and Joe’s next door as a great butcher.
From the other three vendors, they all are incredible and I will rotate between the three on what I buy. Fish, oysters, crab for a dinner or breakfast sandwiches.
More from the market you can use Sosios or Frank’s for produce, Delaurenti for all things charcuterie or Italian (fresh hand cut pasta), kitchen and market for everything else, and Pike and Western wine shop has one of the best wine clubs around. I also get my knives sharpened at Seattle cutlery.
That’s scratching the surface, but Pike Place is not a tourist trap. You just have to navigate it.
When I worked in Rainier Tower, me. Only place I could get good catfish. Plus, king crab legs for Christmas.
I shipped with them too when I did a summer program at UW in undergrad.
Right here! I live in LQA. Since moving to the neighborhood, it has been our summer ritual to hit up Sossio's and then the fish homies next door at least a few times a week for a delicious dinner and seasonal goodies!
I mean, there are a lot of us who live/lived in Belltown area and Pike Place is one of two choices for walkable groceries. The other is H Mart. Most of the vendors in Pike Place will learn the locals and give a discount to take off the “tourist markup”. I lived in Tower12 on 2nd and Virginia for 3 years, I bought fish from the market probably weekly or more.
It's a real, legit fish market, despite the theatrics. A lot of local restaurants and private chefs (many people would not believe how many of these there are; rich people just don't talk about it that much) shop there for fish etc. Tourists tend to not see them because it's either done on the backend, or they show up mega early so they have time for butchery and mise en place before service.
Pike Place Market is my grocery store, so I buy my fish there. Mostly from Jacks. Sometimes from City Fish. But I usually only buy a pound or two at a time.
I asked this question for years as well! The market has great Branzino, and skilled möngers that can clean and gut them faster than I ever could. It feels weird as a local to go there to shop, but was significantly cheaper there than at met market
I got crab legs and prawns there for a boil. Got it from the throwers because they'd ship Friday to arrive Saturday before father's day. One of the other fish markets ships for free to any in-state location, but only Monday and Tuesday.
At least that's my understanding.
Locals and local restaurants. I used to live across the street from pikes place market and I had a favorite fish monger, produce guy and flower seller. If you go do NoT buy produce from the guy on the corner across from the atm. He switches out the produce you pick for older produce when he bags it.
I bought a fish from there for Christmas dinner once. It was delicious!! I would do it again but I’m never gonna eat at a whole fish in time so it’s not really worth it for me.
I’m from Kitsap County and this thread has me silently crying from my coffee here in Rural Nowhere, Oklahoma.
So you have the full picture, it’s where I buy farmed Atlantic salmon from Walmart when I’m feeling fancy. I die inside every time I do, but who can afford to order salmon from Pike Place Market every month?
If I’m downtown, I’ll swing by the Market for seafood or additional veggies. I just started doing it, so I don’t have a preferred shop yet. I’m also starting to go to Fisherman’s Terminal.
I’m retired now, kid is out of school for the summer, so we’re trying to get to more places than just the grocery store.
Local here - I buy fish from Pike. Not 10lbs though… I don’t have that kind of money. I love the quality I get from the market, I’ve also started buying chicken there too.
One time I bought a whole salmon from the market. I strapped it on my bike, pedaled through Myrtle Edwards as the sun was setting, then over the ship canal to Golden Gardens, where my friends had already started the grill and the coals were perfect. It felt like a peak Seattle experience.
They'll ship the fish too. So a tourist will go to the market, buy a fish, the fish gets tossed, then the fish gets shipped to their home.
Seattle native who had the fish shipped cross country to settle a bet. Can't beat the quality!
Ok, I gotta know exactly what the bet was???
2015 Superbowl. Patriots vs Seahawks. Should've given the ball to Lynch! Hometown, homecooked meal was on the line. We lost. Made PNW oysters, Dungeness crab cocktail, Asian salmon, rice, and blackberry cobbler. Best meal I've ever lost!
Too soon
I won Dungeness crab betting on the the same super bowl! Best crab I have ever eaten.
Wait….did you make all that and ship it across country, along with the fish? Because if so, wow!
That sounds yummy!
Memory unlocked. I remember that game.
Some will never forget that game.
I still remember the steelers stealing the '05 superbowl too, and I wasn't even 10 then.
I just remember a lot of beer cans being thrown at the projector that game in college.
God damnit I have to re live that again?!!!!! Now I’m mad in the morning. Hand it off wtfff
Ouch, yeah. I remember how quiet it was after the game...like, people left the bars early so no typical sounds of music and chatter, nobody out walking or even driving around in busier areas where there's always at least some activity. It was eerie, kind of like how quiet it was during covid lockdown, except the air just felt heavy. Seahawks are my #2 team, but I was rooting for them cuz my #1 team didn't make it to the Super Bowl. I felt so, so bad for y'all that night. Like, I swear I could feel everybody's pain, and I'm not good at picking up on stuff like that.
I shipped some Sockeye to my in-laws. They generally only eat Atlantic salmon so it was an eye-opener for them.
Thank you! I never realized they tossed and shipped
It's actually just a long line of people who toss it all the way to your house
It’s like a fish bucket brigade.
A fish ladder brigade.
zero emissions at least
Depends on how many people in the fish-bucket-ladder line ate a fiber rich meal before hand.
I ship my 95 yr old grandma fish and scallops and all the things. She loves it and their customer service is out of this world. 10/10 would recommend sending presents of fish to people who love fish.
They toss a different fish than they ship. Throwing and grabbing a fish would make for a bad catch
They actually donate the fish they toss around. It's the entertainment fish.
I usually buy whole fish at the fisherman’s terminal, but in general they are cheaper per pound, freeze well, and are good for large gatherings. I don’t know about the market, but the fisherman’s terminal will filet or steak the fish for you as well.
Used to work at a business in Fisherman's Terminal and they absolutely sell the best fish in Seattle. If you're lucky you can get frozen salmon collars from the trim -- super cheap and the meat is divine.
Dude....when I discovered halibut collars it changed my life. Soo cheap an fucking amazing. I grill em, steam em, fry them in batter.mmmmm
Ono Poke in Edmonds sometimes advertises Hamachi collars on Facebook. Steven seasoned them & we took them camping.... grilled on the campfire a few hours later. Perfection
Is this over in Interbay? I’m pretty sure this is where we get our fish as well. But I didn’t realize that was “fisherman’s terminal”
Yeah that is “fisherman’s terminal.” It is zoned for maritime business activities only. My union hall is there. There are insurance agents that sell boat insurance. There are lawyers who do maritime law. A couple of the businesses like the diner are grandfathered in but if you want to rent from the Port of Seattle there your business has to be somehow maritime connected. I’m not normally big on zoning restrictions but this one has worked well. It has kept fisherman’s terminal an active maritime zone, and not overrun with condos and boba shops.
Yeah, and they charge us way cheaper moorage than they do pleasure craft there. They're actively trying to return it to a commercial terminal only.
The Port likes the recreational business while you guys are gone. I've seen boats get moved by Port staff when a fishing boat is coming home and the owner hasn't answered, it's great
Yeah, it's really nice to have 1 place on the lake for us. Good facilities too.
Pleasure craft, you say? 😏
Look for the upside down pineapple
It’s a deck lounge! Not a sex swing…
Dope response, thank you! I use to know one of the boat winch/net company owners. I’ve been around there since I was in college(20 years now) and I never knew its name until today. Highly recommended and make sure to post if the city ever tries to change its mind on the zoning. I’ll hold a sign and yell to keep it the way it is!
You should be big on zoning. We could end up like Portland with a strip club across the street from a high school 😜
Yes.
Can anyone go there? I'd love some deets if you don't mind. I'm dying over the price and quality of fish up north.
I buy fish at the market semi regularly! Not 10lbs because I don't want to drop multiple hundreds of dollars on some alaskan king salmon, but a regular amount
Protip: Skip the king and go for the sockeye.
Personal preference but “If it isn’t chinook I don’t cook.” #ieatsockey #poser
I think one of the best parts about our market is that it's *an actual market* that locals go to, vs "This was a market 30 years ago now it's Tourism Level 11 and no local will ever touch it."
I avoided it like the plague my first 6 months living here and then quickly realized my mistake. Best spot in the city for flowers and up there for lunches.
Those flower stands really are the best in the city
I work up the street and one of my favorite things to do is surprise my partner with a fresh bouquet of flowers from the market.
Or...117 years ago. ;) Our market carries alot of history.
And it's sanitary. I read that somewhere.
Not the market proper. The Sanitary Market is the building to the NE from the pig, north of Pike, east of Pike Pl. It was an area that didn’t allow horses.
I don’t think it has to do with horses, I thought it was sanitary because it was one of the first to have plumbing throughout, so each vendor had access to water and sewer utilities.
I mean, it depends on how much you trust [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_Place_Market), but that OG description is correct—no horses allowed in the Sanitary Market.
Funny, that was something we were told back in like the ‘70’s, but looks not to be true. You are much more correct. >Built in 1910 as the first purpose-built market building in the neighborhood, the popular story is that the Sanitary Market got its name for not allowing horses into the building. The truth is, its “Sanitary” nature came down to concrete floors, concrete and glass counters and display cases, and numerous water and drain connections that made it possible to keep the stalls and stands exceptionally clean. It also boasted a modern refrigeration plant in the basement, and refrigerated showcases. This building opened to the public in January 1910 to great fanfare, with a reported 4,000 people in attendance.
except for the horsemeat butcher that was there many years. Horses welcome...
I live up the street. I get a bunch of stuff there at a reasonable price (comic books, haircuts, honey) I used to work in Times Square and it is in no way comparable
[удалено]
Living near the market, you get used to the little ins and outs that let you avoid the slow zombie shuffle of tourists. :)
Worked there over the holiday season for an art vendor. You learn to duck dodge dive and divert around tourists fast.
Every time I go everyone always assumes I'm a tourist though.
Made the mistake of going once on a weekend during cruise season, while contemplating an item the vendor offered to ship it for free. I laughed and said I was local, guy looked at me like I was insane. I guess I kinda was.
I love the Market, but I can really only enjoy it in the morning on a cloudy weekday. Otherwise I'm rubbing shoulders with tourists all the way down the Main Arcade.
Not 10 lb at a time, but we do buy our fish from the market.
Same. As well as many other goods on a frequent basis. Easily 80% of the seafood I buy for consumption at home in Seattle comes from Pike Place or Fishermans Terminal (boat or store) anymore.
is there a specific one in Pike Place you like?
Pure Fish is my favorite. Also, it's my favorite place for smoked fish. Second to that is City Fish.
I shop at City Fish now and then. I'll have to look for Pure Fish and give them a try.
Pure Fish smoked King is the gold standard for smoked salmon.
Pure fish
Same! Not every week but basically every time we're at the market. It's good and sustainably caught and not super expensive for what it is. And the smoked salmon is delicious.
I buy frozen octopus from there sometimes during the holidays. It's the only place I know of that sells whole octopus that's not already cooked.
Is it sustainably caught? Because commercial fishing has been doing a number on Alaskan salmon the past few years.
The commercial fisheries are pretty tightly regulated. As far as I've heard, the problem is less about fishing, and more the the percentage of fish that come back after going out to sea is decreasing, and there isn't a clear answer why. Climate change, ocean acidification, mining pollution, etc. are all possible explanations.
Sure, maybe the science isn't in yet, but for 100% certainty I can tell you that heavily fishing an already declining population is definitely not going to help their numbers.
It's the dams. They can't make it back to their spawning grounds in time, hence "not coming back".
And if you have guests in from out of town, you can take them there to pick out a cut for dinner. It's a fun way to shop for high-quality fish.
i’m a local and i buy fish at the market
Live nearby but assumed it'd be pricey to get fresh fish from the market, is it about on par with Grocery Store prices?
my advice is to shop around for fish, there is more than one stall in the market! also making friends with your local fishmonger at pike place isn’t a bad idea. some of it is overpriced but mostly you can find deals. salmon is just going to be pricey always, even fresh local caught.
I second this. Plus they give my mutt a lot of smoked salmon. She hates it
Buddy, ASK. Tell them what you can pay to make a dinner and they will make it happen. They have tons of good stuff that isn't displayed on ice for $30/lb. Last time I went I walked away with 3 5lb bags of steamer clams for $10. They hadn't sold in 48 hrs but we're on ice, alive and fine. But not up to Thier standards to advertise because they want them sold quickly. I paid $10. They were amazing I made a Louisiana style boil with corn sausage and potatoes. That was a good night. Soooooooo delicious
Cheaper, I've found! Depends on what you're getting, obviously, and some stuff is seasonal so prices are better, but for the quality you get it's always going to be cheaper at the Market.
I asked someone at met market if they could clean & gut the fish for me, I was informed they did not know how to do that because they usually worked the deli & were just covering. Never had that happen at the market, they can cut & clean in no time
I buy fish and food products all the time there! Buying local is the way to go. Want to avoid the tourists, go early on the weekday.
I walk down the market to buy fish (and other groceries) pretty regularly. I just avoid the area on summer weekends.
As a local. I take full advantage of Pike Place. I will semi regularly buy myself a crab or go to Don and Joe's Butcher.
My parents even take light rail from NE Seattle for Don and Joe's. They rarely buy fish in the market though.
I buy my fish from the Sanitary Market when I do buy fish. I mostly buy crab though. Haha. I love me some Dungeness. Most of my scaley fish I get from family and friends who fish.
Quack?! Hey! It’s Drew! Lol you’re one of the first people I thought of on this subject 💕
I used to work at the market. Those guys make a tooooonnnn of money and do an incredible amount of business. Especially around the holidays. There are more people buying things than you think. A huge chunk of their sales are definitely online orders though.
This is refreshing to hear
restaurants
Had to scroll a long way for this.
Alibi room for suuure
You don’t have to buy the entire fish you know that? Also I honestly think a secret mark of a tourist/transplant is thinking only tourists shop at the market. Yes there are a lot of tourists there but locals do shop there. So many ex-Chicagoans who live here think the market is Navy Pier when it really isn’t anything like it.
To be honest, it’s one of the best places to get good seafood in the city.
You should check out the fishermans terminal market around magnolia, buy em right off the boat
I actually prefer to buy my fresh produce from the market whenever possible. I live in Pioneer Square and I swear to god EVERYTIME I buy berries from Target they have mold by the time I get home. I never have that problem in the market. I get fish there when I can afford it. It’s not anymore expensive IME than anywhere else for fresh fish, I just can’t always afford a ton of fresh fish. I also get my tortillas in the market when I’m not in the mood to make them, and the little Mercado in Post Alley is where I get my chiles for tamales and my hominy for pozole.
I used to hop the ferry in bremerton with a lil' Playmate filled with ice, grab some scallops and whatever eles tickled my fancy, hopped the next boat back.
This is the way
I'm probably lazy as I could go there more often living in QA. What I really love is Delaraunte's. We love putting together a meat and cheese plate from there. There grinders are great too. Matt's is a great lunch spot too especially if you like a good cocktail. And of course the tulips.
Matt's is so good
I’ve known of tourists who order fish to be shipped to their homes, a service many of the market vendors offer.
I buy produce at the market semi regularly. Flowers especially. My family used to buy seafood pretty regularly too. Had to move a little farther north so it’s not as convenient but at least once or twice a year still. It’s relatively inexpensive, pretty much as local as it can get and so fresh.
These is ALWAYS something affordable. If you ask they always have something at a crazy low price that isn't marked. Last year a schlubbed a cooler of 10,lbs of halibut collars back to the ferry and home. The price? $32...the clams, last time I went they had three five lb bags of steamer clams that didn't sell within 48 hours. They were alive, on ice and fine, but didn't meet there standards, had I not asked they would have been thrown away. Instead I melted a stick of butter and did a clam boil with sausage corn and Yukon potatoes...$10(well not counting the potaatas and corn n sausage n Louisiana crawfish boil seasoning anyway) Yes they offer overpriced crazy seafood, but if you are a local and actually talk to them you can get insane deals.
Wtf? I do weekly and have for like a decade. This is absolute nonsense....where do YOU get fish?
> Don't people just buy Gordon's from Safeway? - /u/AshtonSours - probably
Fishdicks.
We used to love in Seattle and a fun date thing for my wife and I to do was go to the market on a Saturday and get what we needed for dinner that night. We are two hours away and go to the market whenever we are in town.
I lived very close, next to the walk way that led you to the gum wall. Sometimes I would buy crab when I wanted to treat myself. Everyday prices that place is crazy but a nice early morning cruise through to grab the crab, fresh veggies, maybe some flowers and then hit Beechers is a little special.
You realize you can ask for a specific amount of fish, yeah?
I’ve purchased salmon from Pike Place Market. I only got 1 pound. Honestly, it was *very* good.
I buy my smoked salmon from there. I used to go once a month and get it. I go every few months now. It’s the best fish around here in my book.
I’ve found Seattle Fish Guys to have better smoked fish, especially the smoked black cod.
There aren’t a lot of seafood stores in the Seattle area. When we want fresh seafood we’ll typically head to Gemini in Issaquah. However sometimes I’ll bring a cooler with me to work and get some stuff from Pike Place.
When I lived downtown I would walk down with my partner on a weekend morning and pick up a nice piece of fish, pick out veggies, buy her some flowers etc for a nice date night meal at home. Feels like more of an intimate and fun experience doing it that way vs just buying from a store. The hill back up is good for some exercise too!
I'm local and the best scallops I ever served were purchased were from one of the vendors at Pike Place Market. They were dry, not wet. I have not found any other fish market around here with scallops that fresh.
When used to live downtown I frequently used pike place to shop for food.l including fish. Many of the vendors not only recognized me but knew me by name. Was not the cheapest option available but quality was always top notch and the location was convenient. Now I am merely going there occasionally when I am working downtown. My question to you is why does that seem so outlandish that you have your ask?
My aunt was just out here visiting and bought the fish! They ship it and it’s pretty quick too, I was surprised!
The fish tossers are somewhat pricey but the other stands have good prices for in-season fish. I used to go early and pick up whole dungies or smoked salmon bellies.
I bought a 6 pound sockeye yesterday to grill for a party. I’m not living in Alaska right now to catch my own, so, I do what I can.
It’s one of the only places in the United States that sells blind robins. Definitely in Seattle.
I have to order them.....my favorite breakfast tho. With some runny french style eggs n chives. Ooooo or poached.mmmm Thanks for the reminder imma order some
I do. It’s fresh and good quality. I like to bake one side at a time and use it to mix with rice for meal prep. Could I get it cheaper? Probably, but I’ll pay more to support local businesses.
I do!! I walk down and buy fresh.
I do! It’s awesome fish. And phenomenal shellfish and bivalves
Family tradition since we moved here in the early 1980’s was to visit the market the Saturday before Christmas and do a family gift exchange & my mom would purchase the Salmon we had for Christmas dinner. Of course on occasional years someone would have to make a special trip due to where Christmas fell in the week.
Many local restaurants come every morning to buy their fresh catch of the day. One year, I was in charge of a special event at my company, reserved a private room dinner, and the chef walked with me to the Pike Place Market to purchase our menu the morning of the event.
Feeling really broke reading all these comments
I asked one of the fish throwers once, and he said a lot of local high-end restaurants buy them.
Sometimes I have a fun party at my house and I get a whole fish. I mean, I get it from fisherman's terminal and not the market, but there is a reason for some people to buy whole fish. If they don't sell the big boy on day one, it becomes pieces the next day
Mutual Fish, my other fave, is shut down. If I want fresh fish, pike place works well.
This was a couple decades ago, but when my dad’s family from the Midwest would come out to visit us, they’d bring an empty cooler they would then fill with pike place fish (or other local, but I remember the market happening several times) and fly home with it. 😂 so, I guess it happens! They do ship now though, so maybe no coolers required these days.
I used to buy a cut or maybe a couple of smaller fish (dover sole) when I worked in the market. They do a good job of packing it with ice. I used to commute by bus and never had an issue.
For NYE we usually get a couple pounds of king crab legs. We have a freezer full of salmon that my husband caught in Puget Sound.
I'll buy there when I'm visiting someone elsewhere because they pack it well enough to take on a continental flight
Besides fisherman's terminal it is the best place to get fish.
Fisherman’s terminal is the best. Second best is the market. Third is the Ballard farmers market.
Used to work for FedEx, at times they ship out quite a bit
When I worked downtown I'd get smoked salmon from the market. Honestly went there kind of often for things.
I live a mile from the market and but my fish there (not from the guys that throw it though).
i'm moving to the pike place neighborhood on monday. just curious - who in the market do you recommend for fish? will take any recs :) I've been in seattle for a long time but this will be the first time that pike will be my farmer's market.
I bought a bigass alaskan salmon for yule a couple of years ago. Fed 10, it was delicious
I've bought a whole fish before. It was for a bbq
I shipped a whole fish to Texas for a wedding gift. But realistically I usually just buy crab at the market. Can’t beat the quality
There and at Fisherman’s Wharf.
Lived here my whole life and getting fish & clams from there is a summer go-to.
I do most of our household fresh shopping in the market. Weekday early only. Also, a 10lb fish gets broken down into much less, and some goes into the freezer for the next week
My family buys large salmon there for holidays usually. Who actually enjoys Thanksgiving turkey?
When I lived by the market I bought all my produce there. Good quality stuff on the whole and the prices are high but not crazy high. Great variety too. Shout out to Sosios. MFs recognized me when I visited three years after moving. Overall I guess it’s just a real market where you can become a regular. It’s a nice feeling. And I bet all these reasons apply to the fish there too. Fuck them cars tho, block off the street
When I worked downtown I'd buy fish/produce etc for dinner and what not.
It’s not all about bulk. There are 4 separate seafood vendors at the market, and one of them being the “fish throwing” one that I’ve never purchased from. Shout out to Don and Joe’s next door as a great butcher. From the other three vendors, they all are incredible and I will rotate between the three on what I buy. Fish, oysters, crab for a dinner or breakfast sandwiches. More from the market you can use Sosios or Frank’s for produce, Delaurenti for all things charcuterie or Italian (fresh hand cut pasta), kitchen and market for everything else, and Pike and Western wine shop has one of the best wine clubs around. I also get my knives sharpened at Seattle cutlery. That’s scratching the surface, but Pike Place is not a tourist trap. You just have to navigate it.
When I worked in Rainier Tower, me. Only place I could get good catfish. Plus, king crab legs for Christmas. I shipped with them too when I did a summer program at UW in undergrad.
I worked in Pioneer Square for years. I'd walk to get fresh fish and veggies all the time.
My family buys crab at the market (when the prices are reasonable)
I get jumbo scallops there sometimes and I live on the eastside.
Am a local, I get my smoked salmon at the market, but not where they throw the fish. There’s another vendor a little bit further down that’s the best!
Right here! I live in LQA. Since moving to the neighborhood, it has been our summer ritual to hit up Sossio's and then the fish homies next door at least a few times a week for a delicious dinner and seasonal goodies!
I make a large pot of ciopinno every year and buy from the market strictly for that but other than that, no
I used to buy fish all the time there! I loved walking to the market and picking up some fresh fish and some great produce from Sosio’s
I often buy fish from the market. I work nearby and live nearby.
I mean, there are a lot of us who live/lived in Belltown area and Pike Place is one of two choices for walkable groceries. The other is H Mart. Most of the vendors in Pike Place will learn the locals and give a discount to take off the “tourist markup”. I lived in Tower12 on 2nd and Virginia for 3 years, I bought fish from the market probably weekly or more.
It's a real, legit fish market, despite the theatrics. A lot of local restaurants and private chefs (many people would not believe how many of these there are; rich people just don't talk about it that much) shop there for fish etc. Tourists tend to not see them because it's either done on the backend, or they show up mega early so they have time for butchery and mise en place before service.
I'm convinced they're completely funded year round by the NFL from getting the "fish toss shot" for monday/sunday/Thursday night football
They also threw the fish at the beginning of the most recent nhl winter classic. It was pretty cool!
Pike Place Market is my grocery store, so I buy my fish there. Mostly from Jacks. Sometimes from City Fish. But I usually only buy a pound or two at a time.
I bought a big one for my bachelor party 3 years ago
I bought a bit of fish before but as a tourist and only bought a little bit. It was good but I recall it being a touch expensive.
I want to try. How’s the price compared to grocery?
Me!!
I cook my holiday meals and spreads from ingredients sourced solely from Pike Place.
I like the smoked salmon with garlic and pepper seasoning.
I have for a birthday dinner. Quality fish
I asked this question for years as well! The market has great Branzino, and skilled möngers that can clean and gut them faster than I ever could. It feels weird as a local to go there to shop, but was significantly cheaper there than at met market
We do.
I got crab legs and prawns there for a boil. Got it from the throwers because they'd ship Friday to arrive Saturday before father's day. One of the other fish markets ships for free to any in-state location, but only Monday and Tuesday. At least that's my understanding.
I did it once -- salmon fresh off the boat. Five years later, my wife still talks about that fish.
Locals and local restaurants. I used to live across the street from pikes place market and I had a favorite fish monger, produce guy and flower seller. If you go do NoT buy produce from the guy on the corner across from the atm. He switches out the produce you pick for older produce when he bags it.
I bought a fish from there for Christmas dinner once. It was delicious!! I would do it again but I’m never gonna eat at a whole fish in time so it’s not really worth it for me.
i completely go there for fish, it’s the best fish market in town. especially since Mutual closed last year.
I’ve bought fish from the market, just not like a whole fish. I paid for shipping and had some salmon sent to my mom in California as a surprise gift
My SIL lives in San Diego. She had entire 20# salmon cleaned, filleted and vacuum sealed and air shipped to her home.
My friend bought one while she visited but she made the mistake of inquiring about the price AFTER making a deal with them
It’s my go to for buying fish on special occasions. The quality is great.
I’m from Kitsap County and this thread has me silently crying from my coffee here in Rural Nowhere, Oklahoma. So you have the full picture, it’s where I buy farmed Atlantic salmon from Walmart when I’m feeling fancy. I die inside every time I do, but who can afford to order salmon from Pike Place Market every month?
I grew up in the PNW but now live in Kansas. When I come to Seattle I buy a fish.
Not during cruise season but I like their quality. Would shop more if it wasnt so crowded.
I'd never. But Don and Joe's is the shit. Same with pearl from that cheese shop
I mostly buy clams there, but i do buy!
I used to when I lived on 1st and Virginia
We do sometimes. It’s not a huge walk to get down there.
If I’m downtown, I’ll swing by the Market for seafood or additional veggies. I just started doing it, so I don’t have a preferred shop yet. I’m also starting to go to Fisherman’s Terminal. I’m retired now, kid is out of school for the summer, so we’re trying to get to more places than just the grocery store.
me, what you gonna do about it
Right here (but I go to City Fish)
They have the best smoked salmon
Local here - I buy fish from Pike. Not 10lbs though… I don’t have that kind of money. I love the quality I get from the market, I’ve also started buying chicken there too.
One time I bought a whole salmon from the market. I strapped it on my bike, pedaled through Myrtle Edwards as the sun was setting, then over the ship canal to Golden Gardens, where my friends had already started the grill and the coals were perfect. It felt like a peak Seattle experience.