Smart Fish Company

Just started coming to the Old Town Newhall Farmers Market.
Probably the best fish we have ever bought and way better prices than Whole Foods.

We go back every week and get some fish every time. It's THAT good.

Drove to the Mar Vista Farmers Mkt, asked for a specific kind of fish, assuring me that what they had was it, they sold me over $200 of the wrong kind. When I wrote them, they first suggested to cook it a certain way and when pressed said it was different. They offered to pick it up from me for a refund and when I told them where I lived they suggested I go to them instead since it was only fifteen minutes away. It was way over that. They assured me again that they would have the right kind when I get there.

They didn't. Then they said to try their Silver Lake Farmers Mkt the following day, assuring me that they would have it. I go the next day thinking they wouldn't be this unreliable-- THEY DON'T HAVE IT.

They front like they are trying to give you decent customer service when they sell you over two hundred bucks of the wrong kind of fish but they don't follow through.

They sell farmed trout as wild caught salmon. They charge people more than double and lie?

Review updated:
I got a phone call from the manager that I get full refund about the clams. Anyhow their salmon was so tasty!

Unfortunately the clams I bought at silver lake farmers market was labeled "live" but they were all dead. It was $16 learning lesson next time if I buy any clams I will make sure tap and see if the shells closes. Also you are not supposed to put clams in closed plastic bag which was the way they handed me with ice in it. Since I live close from their company I visited to see if they can do anything. The yelp saids its open on Saturday but if was closed. I left voice message to the office.

Do you think you've had great fish? Well unless you've picked up some king salmon or cod from Smart Fish Company you haven't! The first time I bought the king salmon from the Silverlake farmers market I literally could not believe what I thought was fish up until that point. It was so buttery, smooth and rich! You could taste all the healthy oils. I never get fish anywhere else now. Even if you go to Whole Foods (and pay xtra) you're getting several days old fish. This is the freshest you are going to find,period. Plus it's a local small business so you're contributing to the community. And the prices can't be beat.

We come to the Farmer's Market in Laguna Niguel
and buy the fresh King Salmon.  It's top notch and so fresh!  We also tried the filet of sole, it too was very good. We'll continue to try your other selections but I love King Salmon.

This is the best fish in town in my opinion. Always fresh, never been frozen. I buy weekly and this is my favorite place for salmon. Their sea bass is incredible as well. Everything is I have bought from them so far I have loved. The salesperson gives me recipes too!

I buy fresh fish from one of their vendors all the time at the Mar Vista Farmer's market. While I don't love their selection as much as the guy at the Tuesday Culver City Market or the guy that used to go from the Friday Venice market to the Hermosa market that noon (both of whom sell from the backs of ice trucks), the fish is always fresh, tasty, and chosen from sustainable stocks.

Since these fish are always stored in coolers and packed on ice, it's very important to keep in mind the surroundings. I rarely buy from them on hot, sunny days unless I am at the market fairly early on. I always make sure the fish is double bagged with some extra ice, even though I live only a couple of blocks away. I always carefully inspect and wash the fish when I get it home.

It's always important to make sure you know what you are getting when buying fish from any source, but especially from one where there is a chance for something out of the ordinary to affect the product.

It's also important to know something about the product you are purchasing. Escolar, for example, is widely known to cause gastrointestinal distress among many eaters.

Used to trust these guys, really the go-to fish vendor at our local farmers markets here in Silverlake & Atwater Village. And you have to trust them because you can't smell the packaged fish. Unfortunately, my recent purchase smelled so bad coming out of that bag I gagged. So much for freshness. Reached out to see if they were interested in somehow making up for it but no comment. So long.

I stumbled upon this fresh fish company at the local Melrose Place Farmers Market a few weeks ago and purchased a number of items from them. One of the types of fish they had for sale was called ESCOLAR, a white tuna and it looked really great. When I asked about the gentleman working the stand about this fish, he only answered that all the fish was fresh and amazing.

With his advise, i bought 2 escolar filets for my husband.
I made the escolar from the directions they had listed and my husband got extremely sick the next day! I had never seen anything like this in my life. He has a stomach of steal, being from the the mid-west where fried food and brats are a part of life, but something really got to him.
He became so ill that words can not explain and had to leave work!!! He never thought it to be the fish and thought that he had something terribly wrong with him. He said he would give it a day and he did end up being better.

Later that night he ate the left over fish ( not thinking it was that who made him so ill ). The following day, he got the same stomach issues.
At the time, I was concerned for his health and began research on his symptoms. It then dawned on me to look up about Escolar.

I was in shock when I found many blogs about this awful fish that causes illness to may who consume and has even been banned in Japan! I could not believe that this fish had this reputation and the sellers did not even warn me!

When i approached the Smart Fish Company a few weeks later, i saw that they were still selling the fish and they really had nothing to say about my husbands illness except that he probably had a weak stomach.  I was completely nice about the situation and thought they should know about the side affects of this fish, but they were extremely rude and could care less about their consumers.

I never write reviews, but i find it extremely important to let people know that you could become ill from this fish and the sellers feel no need to warn those who buy this fish.

BEWARE of escolar and do not buy from these people!

I have had one great experience with Smart Fish Company. I purchased shrimp and salmon at the sellers suggestion at the Melrose Farmer's Market sometime in February. We had the shrimp the night we bought it and it was the best I have ever had. We had the Salmon the next night and my children (2 and 4 years) asked for 2nds and 3rds. I am surprised to hear from the reviewer who had the terrible experience and I'm really sympathetic! There is nothing more disappointing that bad customers service. Hopefully, that is the old Smart Fish Company and I will be able to continue to enjoy their friendly service and great product.