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First of all - BYOB! - why do we not have more of this??? I was so happy to bring a great Chardonnay to this place and know I was getting bent over the table with a 150% markup.
Walking into Little Fish, I felt like I was walking into someone's home. It was a cozy refuge on an awful rainy day (even if my friend did complain that they lacked an awning out front to shelter us as we awaited our table). The restaurant really makes you feel like you are up for something special with its hand written menu of the day and free and easy service.
Oh, and the food was outstanding. A lobster carpaccio was delicate and aromatic and the lobster flesh, fresh and succulent. Mussels in a coconut broth were meaty and sweet. When deciding on an entree, I was wooed by the setup of the skate dish (butternut squash, orecchiette and bitter greens) but I had never tried the fish before (always slightly put off by its appearance). Our sever gave the most skillful and enthusiastic endorsement and she was right on the money. I love it when they are passionate about what they are selling - that says it all.
Hopefully, one day I can return for the prix-fixe.
Love the little BYOB spots in Philly. This Queens Village restaurant is a thumbnail size of a spot with every seat having a view of the kitchen. But these two guys cooking and their lovely staff made us an outstanding meal. Having grown up in the burbs of the city of Brotherly Love, I enjoy coming home to discover cute restaurants that have really good food.
I usually hit my old stand-by of Dimitri's if dining in Queens Village, but I am SO GLAD I switched it up and took the GF here for a little date night. Little Fish really has a great menu of about 6 options for starters and 6 entrees.
We split some oysters, Fanny Bay and Tamahawk, one was East Coast and one was West Coast. The GF loved the West Coast ones and I loved the East Coast ones. We also got the SCALLOP appy. This was probably one of the most decadent dishes and yet somehow not over the top. The scallop was seared then sliced and served over a vanilla parsnip puree with a round of foie gras. I mean, HEAVEN! Then our entrees arrived. I ordered the Coho Salmon over black lentils with hints of smoky bacon and some other delicious item can't recall. But the best part of the dinner was the Special of the Whole Dungeness Crab. The crab deserves its own paragraph:
The crab was rubbed in a variety of spices, All Spice, Cumin, Brown Sugar, etc. I am sure the list goes on. My awesome GF left no sign of crab meat on that crustacean. I am so glad she shared though. It was by far and a away one of the most delicious preparations of crab ever yet to be tasted. It is steep in price at $45 when most of the other entrees run mid to upper $20's, but GET IT, IT IS SO WORTH IT. It came with some pineapple salad and jalapeno cornbread, but don't waste any of your precious calorie consumption on these items. Stick with the crab.
A special thanks to the lovely waitstaff. They were actually cheering on my GF for ordering the crab. They mentioned that she did better than the guy at the next table. HA! Gotta love that....Definitely a 5 star spot. Haven't had many experiences where you love every second from the time you walk in until the time you leave.
Have you ever been to a restaurant with six pages of food options? A place with a kitchen that cooks lots of variety but does nothing too well? hEllO, totally not Little Fish. This quaint little restaurant in one of Philly's quieter neighborhoods (Philly? Quiet? Ya, I know what you're thinking) has a delightfully small menu, all seafood.
I usually have a rule: no seafood on dates. hEllO, who wants to kiss someone at the end of the night with salmon breath? Not me. So you imagine my restraint when I was plEAded with to eat at Little Fish on a recent Philadelphia excursion. I fought right up until an expensive bottle of wine was waved in my face (Mollydooker's Blue Eyed Boy, fAbUlOUs). Since Little Fish is a BYOB, you're encouraged to bring your own bottle of wine since they don't have a bar. And if you're pretentious like I am, then you'll find the most expensive-looking bottle available... which may include putting a Dom Perignon label on a Yellowtail. Guilty. I've done it. Get over it.
Our server was lovely, and gave me all the "locally-made" bread I wanted. Locally-made? hEllO, if it was imported, wouldn't it go bad? Of course if it's bread it'll be locally made. But she was delightful, made pErfEct suggestions, was friendly, and knew what she was doing.
So, dinner. I started with the oysters, which carried the usual, incredible Little Fish complex tastes. But it was the entrée that mesmorized me for the rest of the evening. I ordered the skate, which arrived topped with foie gras. Every piece exploded in my mouth with flavor. And my date ordered the tuna, which was as soft as butter. I could've spread it across my body and tanned. I felt like I was biting into fish-flavored crème brulee. My mouth was in love.
I was shocked and disgusted that Little Fish had sold out on their dessert menu. No fish for dessert? Puh-lease. At least have salmon cupcakes or trout-flavored coffee. hEllO, why would I want to follow the most amazing seafood with chocolate torte?
Perfect for a date. Especially if they're paying!
This has been a Review by Fulgencio
The Sunday night prix fixe has to be the best deal in the city. Always creative (maybe with the exception of dessert... but only because I'm pretty sure I've had the same exact chocolate torte -- with different accoutrements, but still -- the past three times I've been), always delicious, never a dull moment.
The five course usually gets you:
Soup
Starter
Salad
Entree
Dessert
Last time we went the entree was a pastrami spiced escolar with pumpernickel croutons and caper mustard sauce that, if anyone at Little Fish is reading this, definitely needs to be on the permanent menu.
Nota bene: as others have mentioned, it is a SMALL place.. so make your reservations in advance. Possibly because of the size, they seem amenable to table requests. There's one table in particular that has an awesome view of the kitchen and when we request it they've almost always accommodated us.
Even if it has already been mentioned, I was still really surprised by how small this space is. Four two-tops and three four-tops, squeezed right up against the kitchen. I was creeping over the divider to see what was going on.
Came in for the Sunday $28 tasting menu with two friends, having booked approximately a month and a half in advance. Make sure you allow ample time to find parking!
Our five-course dinner consisted of an Overbrook Farm salad with apple, orange, cranberry and goat cheese, jerk halibut with bacon, radish and cilantro, skate wing with squash, clams, crab in a saffron broth, Brazilian tiger fish with collard greens and black eyed peas in a coconut broth, and a chocolate truffle torte with raspberry sauce.
The seafood was very well-cooked, the fish was flaky and well-seasoned (a touch salty, however), and the saffron and coconut broths were amazingly flavorful. It met my expectations and I was greatly pleased with such a delicious meal for a great price.
This is the only restaurant with food that made me sick for two days but was entirely worth it. Little Fish is a tiny BYOB in Queen Village that specializes in - shocker - fish and seafood. To start, I ordered the diver scallops, which were tender and well-seasoned. Then, perhaps due to my own ignorance, I blindly chose the escolar special as my entree. The escolar was a rich, fatty fish that melted in my mouth like butter. Just phenomenal. And for the next two days, I was reminded of how phenomenal it was, as it caused gastrointestinal issues that only could be described as spectacular in themselves. But I do not regret my selection one bit. I consider the aftermath to be the nature of the beast. Well done folks. Looking forward to trying big Fish some time soon.
My BYO girls and I arrived at Little Fish on time for our reservation, but we ended up having to loiter outside for close to half an hour with a few other groups while patiently waiting for the limited number of tables to turn over. Once we were seated, the wine was opened and put on ice and our lovely experience commenced. We started with mussels, scallops and oysters. I tried the mussels, which were served in a light broth. For me, these were just okay. The scallops, on the other hand, were perfect. Two huge seared scallops sat atop a delightful pesto oil, alongside a smattering of mushrooms and some shaved truffle. I don't even like mushrooms and yet I found myself eating everything together with relish. Get the scallops.
For our entrees, one friend chose salmon, another ordered halibut and I went with striped bass. I hate to say it, but I was underwhelmed by my dish. The fish itself was perfectly portioned and prepared well, but the flavors of the broth and accompanying rock shrimp and artichoke hearts were nonexistent. Luckily, my friend didn't seem to mind that I repeatedly helped myself to her halibut, which was fantastic. Resting in the most delicious broth ever, I believe the fish was accompanied by fingerling potatoes, spinach and frizzled onions. The reason I'm not completely positive on the details is because I was lifting my fork to my mouth at warp-speed and the ingredients were kind of a colorful blur.
There were three dessert offerings, and since there were three of us it only seemed natural that we try them all. The crème brulee was spot-on, a peach tart was crumbly and delicious and the chocolate torte was very rich and decadent.
For me, Little Fish had a ton of hype to live up to in my mind. Perhaps that's why I felt a little let down by some of the things I tried. In the same respect, the plates I enjoyed were worth every bit of praise that Little Fish has been receiving. It's a must-try on the BYO circuit!
Fantastic.
Disciplined.
Met High Expectations.
Is a BYOB.
Great Service.
Little Fish is worth your time and money. I had managed to sample their crabmeat over shiitake mushroom appetizer, Maine lobster, and Japanese black cod.
All of them were impressive showings of culinary detail.
The lobster was served with a curry-ish sauce that offered a unique taste, echoing thai sentiment somewhere in a flavor that I can't adequately describe by words alone.
The black cod had a soft texture and delicate outer crunch that people look to replicate in big-budget restaurants with focus groups.
The Shiitake mushroom appetizer tastes like alot of hard work and imagination went into it.
Go eat here.
I came a couple of years ago and had a good meal, but I hadn't made it a point to get back. However lately, I had been hearing a lot of people buzzing about Little Fish again and I thought it would be worth a second trip. And MAN am I glad I went back!
A friend and I went out for Sunday 5 Course Tasting meal which was a great choice and came highly recommended. The first and second course (Halibut with Truffled Mushrooms and a Pea Sauce & a Smoked Salmon with Cucumber dish) were good and above average respectively. Given that my friend has a soft spot both roasted beets and goat cheese, the 3rd course salad of said items was also well received at our table as well, although not groundbreaking.
But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, compared with the "entree" course of Escolar with Creamed Corn and Zucchini. One word: Sublime. The fish was perfectly prepared and the accompaniments paired amazingly. People often talk about the best dish they have ever consumed...this is near the top of my list. Phenomenal.
The dessert was the chocolate torte that others have yelped about as well. Tasty and would have paired beautifully with a glass of red wine, but we hadn't planned that well (note to self for next week!)
4.5 stars, to be exact.
I've been waiting the better part of a year to go to Little Fish. I chose it for a very special birthday dinner: my favorite cuisine at what is purportedly the best seafood restaurant in the entire Delaware Valley. I'm happy to report it did not disappoint.
The room is as small as restaurants get, and sitting right next to the open kitchen is almost like seeing the man behind the curtain. You expect to see the most expensive of equipment and be blown away by the preperation, but it's rather under-whelming. However, the magic is how they can create amazing food out of such an umimpressive little kitchen.
The Blue Bay Mussels appetizer was as good as mussels get, sitting in a tasty coconut curry sauce with lemongrass strewn about. The scallop appetizer were some of the best and most tender scallops I've had.
The entrees were fantastic, albeit slightly flawed. The clams that came with the bass were too chewy to be broken down and had to either be swallowed whole or spit out. The spicy sausage was excellent, but one little gristly piece can ruin a meal. Fortunately, everything else was so stellar, these two little hiccups were an afterthought. Also excellent was the Halibut entree with chanterelle mushrooms, truffles, fava beans and more. Everything was melt-in-your-mouth good.
One of the hardest reservations in town to get. Weekends are booked through the summer. Try going on a weeknight.
ith roasted peppers, fingerling potatoes, clams, and spicy sausage. The clams were far too rubbery and chewy
The other was
Wow, this place really lived up to the hype. Our appetizers and entrees were simply fantastic. I had mussels served in a curry broth that was out of this world. Our guests enjoyed their scallops and lobster appetizers.
Every dish was very solid. Halibut, Salmon, and Mahi Mahi entrees were all cooked and presented to perfection. Desert was just as good as the main course. My chocolate torte included raspberries that tasted like they were just plucked from the bush.
Overall, I highly recommend Little Fish. Keep in mind, the interior is spartan and cramped, but this place is all about the food. In the age of mega restaurants spending 5+ million on the interior, but serving mediocre dishes, Little Fish is testament to the fact that its the food that counts.
I have had two lovely meals here. The staff is great, and I love the feel of the tiny restaurant. Most importantly, the food is some of the best I've had in Philadelphia. I've gone for both the Sunday prix fixe and on a normal night. Reservations for Sundays usually have to be booked far in advance, so you'll have to plan ahead if you want to take advantage. However, if Sunday doesn't work out for you or you just can't plan three months in advance, know that the food is very good and the regular prices are also a great value.
Tiny place=plenty of attention from the staff, intimate environment, and great execution from the chef. Even with an open kitchen and not much room between tables the place didn't feel overwhelmingly crowded or chaotic.
The smoked salmon appetizer was crazy good. Goat cheese and roasted beet salad was tasty but not particularly exceptional. Halibut and Mahi Mahi entrees, including their side dishes, were beautiful. Ginger grapefruit creme brulee was creative and a refreshing way to end the meal. All the portions were generous, which is good because this place isn't cheap.
Finding not simply good, but great seafood in Philadelphia can be quite a challenge, most the top ten lists that are easily googled are very out of date, restaurants pop up and disappear in a blink but I must say that I hope Little Fish is here to stay.
This charming little BYOB is nestled on a corner of Catherine St. Very small fifteen tables maybe with the chef station out in the open with a small low divider separating it from the patrons. Get reservations because they fill up fast.
Get all three courses! Have an appetizer, have an entree, and please please PLEASE get a dessert!
We had the Peeky Toe Crab and the Scallops as a starter and they were cooked to perfection. The crab melted in your mouth, the flavors fresh clean and full of everything wonderful about summer. The scallop buttery and cooked to perfection, so tender.
Entree, the skate and the halibut and they were both phenomenal and we found ourselves dragging the bread on the bottom of the bowls to sop up the last bit of sauce. The ingredients are all fresh and as local as possible and you can tell in every bite.
Dessert was the Chocolate torte and the creme brulee (ginger flavored with pink grapefruit) The torte with a good red wine was bliss and sinfully rich, the brulee again clean bright and perfect for an evening summer meal.
I suggest you make this a stop on your trip to Philly, you will be hard pressed to find better seafood in the city, maybe better food in general!
I had heard from so many people how wonderful Little Fish was and finally got to put it to the test. Had dinner there this past Saturday night. Packed (especially since it was pouring rain outside meaning that diners waiting for their table had a hard time waiting outside), but staff was gracious and professional. Our waitress showed a clear love for the food, and knowledge of the preparations. Meal was a delight from start to finish. My appetizer was mussels in a lemongrass curry broth - amazing! After the mussels were done had to mop up the broth with the great bread and then finish it off with the spoon so as to not miss a drop. Others had a crabmeat appetizer that was equally beguiling. For entree we had lobster prepared jerk style, on a bed of "risotto" prepared with coconut milk and black eyed peas, with a jicama "slaw" on top. This dish was just indescribably delicious. Others in our party had equally delicious and creative meals. Desserts were also worth every calorie, from a Ginger-infused creme brûlée to a chocolate treat to a shortcake-like concoction.
It is hard to get a reservation, it is cramped, it has a limited menu, it's not cheap. BUT the food is so outstanding nothing else matters. AND it's a BYO which helps offset the cost by allowing you to save the markup on some nice wine! I know I will be back again VERY soon...
I should start by saying I had such high hopes for my meal here. Due to dietary restrictions, I pretty much only eat seafood and tofu for protein, I thought the fish-focus here would be perfect. I love the BYOB experience, and we packed a special pinot we'd been saving for the occasion.
The dinner started off on the wrong foot when we showed up for our 8:30 reservation and were informed our table was not ready. No problem- we went to grab a cocktail nearby, expecting to hear from them in the next 20 minutes or so. Well, 9:15 rolls by, and we finally go back to the restaurant, only to find out our table was not yet cleared. Ok, I understand 15 minutes behind, but 45?? And there was no acknowledgement of the tardiness, no apology, nothing.
It took another 15 minutes to get a waitress to come over and take our order. I was pretty frustrated at this point. However, I reached my boiling point when I asked our waitress for some more of the pesto spread for our bread (we were STARVING at this point), and she snottily replied "um, it's chimichurri actually"...ok, Miss 'you sat me 45 minutes late and didn't bother to take my order, but decide to be a bitch b/c I accidentally assumed it was basil and not parsley'.
The one saving grace was most of the food was pretty good. We started with the oysters with tamari and lemon, which were fine but WAYYYYYY too salty from the tamari. The scallops and mussels were very good, as were our entrees- salmon and lobster.
Maybe if you're a local they treat you better, maybe we were just being picky, but I have to say we are pretty aid back about service, and this place was horrible. Even with the food being as good as it was, I would not recommend this place to anyone.
Wow, awesome time there last night for their Sunday prix-fixe - what a deal is right! At $28 for 5 courses, this might be the ultimate recession-proof Philly deal I've stumbled across thus far.
The food was delicious, with only one course being the downer (the soup course, which was a muscle and squid and ham soup in a spicy tomato broth...but in all fairness, I like neither squid nor ham). The boy wasn't blown over by the swordfish (main course), either, but I think this was because he wasn't eating the olives it was topped with. For some reason, olives + swordfish loin = explosively awesome flavors. Yum! We'll be back.
And while part of me wouldn't mind some subtle changes to the ambiance, which is a bit sparse and feels a tad bit uninspired, most of me just hopes nothing ever changes.
The Sunday dinner is indeed all it's cracked up to be. Brought out of town guests here and it was definitely the right choice. I wouldn't call the portions large, but that's really not the point. Each dish seems to be prepared so carefully and thoughtfully, it makes you think you're at somewhere very fancy (when in fact you're in one the more sparse BYO dining rooms - I think only Salt and Pepper beats it for bare bones).
Little Fish, BIG FLAVOR!
Little Fish lived up to all our expectations for great seafood in a quaint environment. By scoring a reservation for their $28 Sunday prix-fixe, we were able to sample several of their dishes.
Fresh out of the oven bread w/ a dipping sauce of garlic, herbs and olive oil was amazing. We could have lapped up the dipping sauce like stray cats looking for milk.
1. Baby frisee salad w/ oranges, radishes, & goat cheese - The salad was good, except that mine didn't have any oranges.
2. Blue Bay mussels w/ wild mushrooms, butternut squash, & pastina - This was delicious, my wife thought so as well and she doesn't even like mussels. The wild mushrooms were the perfect undertone to this dish. The broth alone was heavenly.
3. Suzuki (Japanese black bass) w/ grapefruit, fennel, & fingerling potatoes - This was the best dish of the night. The crust on the fish was perfectly crispy and seasoned. The grapefruit provided a sweet & sour contrast to the saltiness of the fish. The potatoes were very good as well.
4. Mahi-mahi w/ sweet potato puree, Madras curry, pear, & watercress - The sweet potato puree was creamy and delicious. The pear also provided a nice sweetness. My wife felt that her fish was underseasoned.
5. Spiced apple bread pudding w/ whipped cream - a nice finish to a delicious meal. I wish that the bread pudding was warmed though instead of being served at room temperature.
Overall, Little Fish has great food and the Sunday prix-fixe is an exceptional deal. The courses were the right size and timed perfectly to leave you satisfied by the end of the night.
One word of wisdom - arrive early to get the best table, otherwise you might be stuck at a table that is only inches away from the next table. Don't bother trying to get reservations for a weekend in the next few months, they're booked through April. Bon Appetit!
I'm new to eating meat (I was a vegetarian for 14 years) so I was excited to try top quality fish. All in all, an incredibly meal. I ordered the skate (which I realize is not exactly a fish) and it was prepared beautifully. Service was excellent and the servers really knew the food.
The only negative is cost. Entrees are around $27 which is a bit costly for me. A shame, as I would like to eat there more often!
Went there about a month ago and all I can say is WOW!
First of all, its a BYOB which I love.
Great location & parking isn't that difficult to find.
Its very small which adds character to the place and the staff is soooo nice. They are on top of things and always there to give you whatever you need.
And the food is AMAZING. I'm not a big sea food fan, but I ate everything that was placed on my table immediately.... it was soo good!
Although it is a little pricey, its definitely well worth it.
A very cute place to take a significant other or first date.
5 Stars!!
This is as good as it gets for seafood. I loved this place!! It's a tiny little hole in the wall but you gotta love that small cozy feel. I haven't been back in a couple years now (hey, I live outta state) so I don't know if it's changed much. When I went they had 7 or eight tables, the kitchen was basically in the dining room, and the menu was written on the wall. Big cool points!
Tiny as it was you could really tell they cared about what they were doing. On one dish they had a deep fried egg yolk on top of rare tuna. How you can fry an egg yolk without breaking it is completely beyond me. But that sort of time and effort is seen in every dish. The taste of the food is absolutely sublime. Each dish is spot on. Even if you're not a big fish fan you owe it to your self to try little fish!
OMG... this place has incredible food & service.
The bread was served with a combo of chimichurri, parsley & olive oil. SOOOO yummy & unique. Most places just give you butter or olive oil.
We started with a Bibb Lettuce salad. We were just going to split one ourselves, but they lovingly split it for us. It didn't look like much but looks were TOTALLY deceiving. It was flavorful and filling.
My entrée was the Escarole with truffle spaetzle, melted leeks & parmesan broth. AMAZING!!! Once I started eating, I didn't want to stop. It was originally prepared with Skate but we were wondering what Escaole was and chef allowed me to have it with the Skate prep. (YAY!)
I can't wait to go back again! This place puts Cochon to shame.
This place is the shit. I've been there three times; I try and try to try other B.Y.O.'s but keep coming back to Little Fish. Their menu is constantly changing, but I've never had anything there that I wouldn't order again. Plus, the waitstaff is perky (I can use that word because I don't think they employ any males) and helpful if you're having trouble deciding between a few different things.
The only bad thing about Little Fish is how amazingly small the place is, but you'll get over it the moment you put something in your mouth (notable exceptions being napkins, dirt, a foot)....
Best seafood I've ever eaten. Mussels were delicious, as was the tuna. Unfortunately the halibut was sold out so we couldn't try it, but i guess that just means i'll have to go again soon. Completely worth the trip.
Little Fish is fantastic. As other reviewers have noted, Little Fish is exactly that -- little. The meal was terrific from start to finish. They've opted to replace standard olive oil with a chimmichuri dipping sauce. The lobster appetizer was unreal -- a serious piece of lobster bathed in delicious buttery goodness adorned with fresh peas and mushrooms. My striped bass was perfectly prepared and the BF's skate wing was also terrific (but we decided the bass was the real winner). Both dishes were nice sized-portions and really nice balanced flavors.
The price is a bit high ($27-29 for entrees) but balanced by the fact that it's BYOB and the food is well worth every penny.
The hand-written and butcher paper menus add charm, while the friendly and talkative waitstaff makes dinner more enjoyable.
The only drawback is that because the restaurant is so small, the space can get a little smoky and steamy when the kitchen really gets going and bathroom is nothing short of underwhelming.
I came to Little Fish with huge expectations. A 28 in Zagat for food. Ranked as the #3 fish restaurant in the ENTIRE US by Bon Appetit magazine. Huge foodie recommendations.
My friend and I had the Sunday prix fixe tasting menu (which is the only thing you get on Sundays) for $30. You get five courses (a salad, appetizer, two entree dishes, and a dessert) all of fairly small portion size, which is to be expected.
We started off by getting there about 15 min early (we found parking right away, but parking down there is a NIGHTMARE so I'd recommend a cab). They had about 3 tables open but we were told we had to wait. A woman and her daughter arrived about 10 minutes after us and they were asked which table they wanted and were seated within a minute! We were then seated a few minutes later. Bad, bad start.
After being seated it took a while for us to get our wine opened and even longer for us to get water. There were about 20 people in the restaurant and only one server and one busboy.
Once the seating finished, the service got somewhat better, although it took many attempts to get any notice from the server. Chicken with its head cut off comes to mind.
The dishes we had were: arugula salad with pine nuts and lemon, mussels with fennel, tomato and onion, a skate dish, and swordfish with olives and chick peas. The skate was the standout and the only dish that made me say "wow." The salad was so ordinary. The mussels were similar to what you'd taste at most Belgian restaurants. The swordfish had a chance to be great but was totally overwhelmed by the chef's liberal use of olives...and I love olives! It was cooked perfectly but the olive flavor really overpowered the moderately flavored fish. A shame. The dessert was an apple tart that was decent but not amazing.
I'll go again but this wasn't the life stopping experience I was told I'd have.
I lucked out and got treated to this fantastic restaurant by a friend who got stood up trying to take a guy she was dating out for dinner on his birthday. Unrelated story, but I got to reap the benefits of the shallow, fickle nature of relationships these days...
Onto the experience. The place is tiny, so a reservation is a must since it is also one of the best meals I have eaten in Philadelphia. The place looks as though it might have been a sushi bar at some point since the kitchen is takes up one side of the small room and it is right there open for the diners to see. Our seat was perfect. It was the one away from the other tables and positioned in the left corner by the kitchen. It was very unobtrusive and we got to see them building what turned into some very beautiful dishes. My only mild criticism is the decor. It kind of reminds of what Robert Wyland's dining room would look like. I don't care so much for the intense aqua theme, but being a seafood spot.... I suppose it worked, and it is easily overlooked because of every other aspect.
I wish that I had written this right after eating so I could accurately describe our dishes, but this was a while ago so i can just say that we had three courses and every single one of them was near perfect. The server was extremely friendly, prompt and knowledgable. The menu is very small so it probably wasn't the most daunting task to memorize to perfection every ingredient in the dishes. Don't take the small menu as a downside. It is a definately a quality over quantity type of situation, and if you are worried about running out of options on repeat business, they run nightly specials so you don't have to keep getting the same five or six things.
This is one of the best places I can think of for a date. It is a BYOB which I love. I like shopping for some good wines before going to eat and being able to drink a couple of bottles amongst friends without it costing over a hundred bucks. The ambiance is nice (minus one point for underwater porno set wall decor). The privacy is nice. I don't really like eating in places where there are 500 other people stuffing there faces all around you or crying kids or obnoxious drunks. You get none of that here. The plae is quiet, smells good, and is romantic. It's a pretty sexy place. The chef/owner has truly carved out his niche and mastered it. I would recommend this palce to anyone looking for true dining experience that exceeds expectation. My advice, though: don't skimp on the experience. The money you save by bringing your own wine should be put into getting something from all courses. It gives you longer to talk in the great atmosphere and it offers a rollercoaster of amazing flavors from the chef.
Went here for a girls night out. Not exactly sure if they were just having a bad night or what but my dining experience here was pretty disappointing.
Appetizers
Calamari Pastini -- Not too shabby.. if you like the taste of olives, im sure you'd love this dish.
Crab concoction -- Ummm... seriously? Bland. Boring. I'll pass.
Mussels -- I heart mussels. Very tasty! I'd recommend getting this as a starter. Don't forget to ask for extra bread to dip in the curry sauce. Mmm.
Arugula salad - Just a salad. Not much to comment on this one.
Main Course -- I'm not sure what my friend's dishes tasted like but I ordered the Skate. The skate was very flavorful BUT it was way way way too salty! I love adding salt to everything, but if I'm complaining that it's too salty... yeah.. something is not right.
Dessert - Ordered all four of the dessert choices. They were all very good. I'd say my favorite was Chocolate Truffle Tort. Drool...
I dont know if I'd go back here or not. The food was just average and the staff was borderline rude. We had a reservation for 4... we all ordered 4 appetizers, 4 entrees, and 4 desserts, which of course takes time to eat. We were munching away at our dessert when the the waitress comes up to us and says we had to pay and leave because another group of people were coming in. Rude much? I understand that they need to turn over their tables, but with the amount of food we ordered we should have been given enough time to actually finish it. We ended up leaving with most of our desserts still sitting there. What a waste.
Little Fish = Big Taste
The dishes here were so flavorful and colorful. The calamari was done differently than I'd ever had it, but awesome in a fresh tomato base with pine nuts, olives, and capers. The calamari is sauteed and light with no breading but tender and yummy.
Tried Papa's scallops and they were so very good with tangerines (i think) and a bright beet juice giving it a nice deco.
got the snapper green pea spaetzle for my main attraction and it was wonderful. The fish was done perfectly and the spaetzle was creamy but not too soft. The sauce wasn't too heavy for fish and the peas (which I usually don't care for) were really big and fresh.
I love when garnishes are really tasty too and the green pea leaves were not bitter at all and fun to munch.
uummm yes, dessert was a must. key lime, chocolate truffle, and espresso pana cotta all shared but at the same time guarded dearly. yumm yum yummmm.
Gorgeous night to sit outside with our own wine (BYOB) dog sniffing good aromas and Little Fish food to fill our bellies.
Absolutely Wonderful
I came here for their Sunday night prix-fixe tasting menu. $28 for 5 courses. I was totally blown away. Everything we had was absolutely delicious and I consider it to be a fantastic bargain. I cannot wait to come back here. I think Sundays could become a mainstay for me once I move to Philly.
I'm not sure why Zagat rates this place so poorly on the decor and service. While there is not much pizazz, it's charming, very small and a wonderful dining experience
*Definitely get reservations early. On Sundays they have two seatings: 6PM and 8PM.
I was so excited to get reservations for 5 people tonight! We all really enjoyed our food!
Appetizers-I had the scallops (so awesome), others got the calamari and crab dishes--all were tasty
Dinners- I had the skate (along with another person at our table)---the spetzel was a little salty--we told the waitress
Others got-the mahi mahi--awesome, and the Escarola (butter fish)--very good!
I would have given them 5 but the saltiness of the skate dish....but I will definately return and recommend this restaurant!
I've been intrigued by Little Fish since I first discovered it in Queen Village near my favorite italian restaurant. We finally decided to try it out the other night- we called to see if there was a table available (one of 7 in the restaurant) and the hostess was able to accommodate us- (despite the fact that they were booked up that night) so we rushed out the door.
The dining room was cozy and quaint with an open kitchen and classic decor - surprisingly comfortable, intimate setting. Our server greeted us and gave us a thorough description of each of the fish entrees on the menu that night, she was very knowledgeable and helpful with everything. We started things off with the calamari appetizer- sauteed in a tomato, caper, and pastina sauce- it was tangy, light and delicious - a small taste of what was to come. For the entrees I ordered the red snapper prepared in a red sauce with mussels and preserved lemon on top, my boyfriend got the mahi mahi prepared with a curry and sweet potato sauce. Both dishes were out of this world- probably the best seafood I have ever eaten, and certainly one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. The portions were just the right size- not too big or small.
I don't usually go for dessert, but since the entrees were so amazing, I was curious. We chose a pumpkin mousse- it had a subtle, slightly sweet flavor and was the perfect end to an amazing dinner.
I'm looking forward to returning for their sunday night prix fixe dinner that I've heard so many good things about.
Overall an amazing dining experience - highly recommended.
Absolutely phenomal. We had the mussels coconut sauce and a fish dish that was terrific. Service was absolutely phenomenal. Can't wait to go back.
My mom and my lady friend at the time had the same birthday, so at the end of October, we had a double date at Little Fish.
It is quite tiny, but the food is fabulous. There is a changing lineup of 5 courses, with perfectly appropriate portions and diversity of dishes.
oh, and bring your own!!
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! went for the sunday tasting menu and that's all i needed to say this place is yum!! perfect portions to give you a good sample and reasonably priced. Make sure to call in advance as this place is as tiny as mouse hole! BYOBs like this are my favorite. Can't wait to go back for the real thing.
Perfect dinner. Every dish I tried had such amazingly strong and balanced flavors. The room is very small, almost clumsily intimate. But it works. I wish I was there right now with a couple bottles of white Burgundy and some good friends.
was craig laban on crack when he only gave little fish 2 bells?
so my friendlies and i came here for the sunday night prix fixe dinner, and um, can i eat here every sunday?
tasty salad (complete with bacon!!), followed by nicely cooked scallops (yes, i agree, la ban, they were a bit generous with the salt), mahi with chickpeas, arctic char with nom nom nom brussel sprouts (could have done sans mustard). and everything was fresh.
dessert cleansed the palate nicely with a nice tart key lime pie.
it's byo. and the sunday deal is the best. seriously...$35 including tax and tip? rock on.
yes, it's small. and it was definitely weird with the table behind me constantly looking at us, practically invading our space. but you know what? i'd take that every sunday, just for the tasty seafood to be had.
The food here is inventive, very delicious and presented with style. I ordered for the table the scallops and calamari to start and 4 different entrees and split everything up. The halibut ended up being the crowd favorite but each dish had a unique appeal. To finish we ordered a key lime dessert and some sort of chocolate tart.....a perfect ending.
Warning: Don't go with large hungry men like I did because the portions are on the smaller side. We went through many bread servings to try to fill them up.
I'm sorry that I did not have the experience that others did here. I've taken a day to really let it sit and make my decision, because on Sunday when I left Little Fish, I was at best, disappointed.
I went for the Sunday Prix Fixe so perhaps that's why I was underwhelmed. They started us off with a baby frisee salad, that was ok. Followed by a seared Scallop which was cooked perfectly, however...they only gave us half a scallop. I used to work as a chef, I understand food cost etc etc, but it felt cheap to receive only half a scallop. The third dish was a Grilled Mahi-Mahi over chickpeas, topped with Grapefruit and fennel. I was pretty excited about this dish. However it was over cooked and under seasoned. The Chickpeas were PERFECT though! If they would have perhaps salted the fish a tiny bit after searing it I'm sure it would have had a much fuller flavor. Our fourth dish was a seared Salmon served on winter squash, mushrooms and a third ingredient that is now escaping my memory. It was probably the best dish we had. If only they would have got the temperature of the fish down I'd have been 100% happy with it. When I started eating it was well done, half way through the fish it was medium rare. I happen to like my fish medium rare, so I was happy with the middle, however it's always my opinion that the temperature should be consistent. We finished with a key lime tart, which was a bit too sweet for me, but over all pretty good.
I'm going to be sure to go back on a night that isn't Sunday so I get a more accurate opinion of the place. But for now...I'm going with three stars...
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