Penn Ave Fish Company

I’m most familiar with Penn Ave Fish Company from the downtown location so I was excited to finally visit the original location in the Strip. But this location didn’t quite do it for me. I prefer the downtown location.
First of all, the Penn Ave location is not just a restaurant but it’s also a store where you can buy fish. I didn’t know that until walking in. So the half on the left side has the dining room tables and sushi bar. The right side has the cashier counter, some refrigerators of drinks, freezers with frozen seafood, coolers with whole fresh fish, additional tables and the kitchen in the back. So it’s confusing at first when you walk in because no one is there to tell you where you can sit. Neither is there a sign. This is how I understood it to work: you can either sit down wherever you’d like and a server will come get your order or you can just order at the counter and pick a seat. You can even wander around the whole place undetected as that’s what happened to us. I wish I read Angie K.‘s Unilocal review prior to coming here as she outlines exactly how this place works.
Anyway, the food here didn’t seem consistent to the downtown location. I ordered the Unagi Don (BBQ eel bowl) and it didn’t come in a bowl; it came on a plate. The downtown location use to put it in a bowl with seaweed salad and ginger which gives it some nice variety with the addition of seaweed salad. This location only gives you the rice and eel, with wasabi and ginger. My husband got fish tacos and our friend ordered the Ronnie Roll and the Shrimp and Crab Pizza. The pizza, I was told, had a nice crust.
With the sushi bar in the left half and the kitchen in the right half, there was no communication between the two and our food did not come out consistently. The warm items came out first and the sushi didn’t come out until my husband and our friend already finished eating their tacos and pizza which meant I had to agonizingly watch them eat while I waited for my Unagi Don. Also, the service was slow since there were only two people working the front counter. Like I said, we went undetected for quite some time. For a Saturday night, it might be beneficial to staff more people.
I would probably order take out from here, because the food still tastes alright. The confusion and poor service just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Came here for dinner once because it was so hyped up and I have to say it is a pretty interesting venue. Consider it a fish market and restaurant in one. Not as nice as an actual restaurant because you can smell raw fish since it’s out in the open. Layout of the restaurant is a bit confusing as well and not as clear to someone who has never been there. I tried a decked-​out salmon sandwich there with avocado and an assortment of other additions, and it was a decent sandwich. Didn’t blow my mind, but it was good and filling. I feel like this is one of those homey, «Pittsburgh staples» that is pretty fun to visit and has decent food; don’t expect a Michelin star experience, of course.

Great food, get the Atlantic salmon sandwich… if you like fish than you’ll love this place

I like the fish, but the atmosphere inside the restaurant/​shop is not pleasant. It feels like a warehouse and the music is so loud it is unbearable to eat there.

Fresh food and quality ingredients. Service was friendly and prices were fair for entrees. Quick lunch, will be back!

Great sushi. Always seems freshly made… Haven’t had a bad experience here yet. Location is convenient for me so I’m hooked.

Part market, part restaurant, and both work so well together. Not only is the fish fresh as can be, but the prices are quite reasonable for the exceptionally high level of quality.
Next visit, I’ll be BYOB (or wine, or sake), as they don’t serve alcohol, but have no problem with patrons bringing in their own beverages.

One of the Best fish sandwich I’ve had so far in my life. I had the England black cod sandwich, and it was the perfect amount of crunchiness with the right bread consistency.
Served with cold slaw and chips and the perfect tartar sauce, I would recommend this place to all my friends who visit Pittsburgh to come here once at least.
It’s a fish market, sushi bar, and dine in place all in one.
Awesome service while I was there, you put in the order (they do to go as well) in the front.

It’s hard to miss this fish market/​eatery, right in the middle of the strip. It’s not often that you come across an indoor fish market selling the most exquisite varieties of fish and other seafood, and also housing a cool and casual looking restaurant with an interesting seafood inspired menu. I was really looking forward to eating here, but the experience was far from anything I was hoping for. Sitting in the midst of a fresh fish market, I had high expectations about the quality of seafood I would be served. The high Unilocal ratings only fueled my expectations further.
I ordered a lobster roll sandwich on a pretzel bun, and my husband went with the Smoked salmon Benedict. Maybe, I just ordered the wrong thing… I now see that most Unilocalers have not enjoyed their lobster sandwiches a lot, wish I had read the reviews earlier. Well, to their credit, the food did come out pretty fast. The smoked salmon benedict looked nice and my husband seemed to enjoy it. But the lobster sandwich was quite a disgrace. Did I mention that I love lobsters? I found it hard to believe that someone could go wrong with lobster rolls/​sandwiches. All you need is some good lobster meat and bread, maybe a dollop of butter as an added bonus. The lobster meat itself wasn’t probably bad in this sandwich, but you could hardly taste it because it was mixed with other things. And if you want to serve a lobster-​slaw kind of filling instead of pure lobster meat, you should probably add some spices and seasoning to it, at least some salt for starters. The dry, over-​toasted pretzel bun with no butter/​cheese/​mayo/​mustard did not help either. The side of fresh fruit was probably the only redeeming feature of this meal.
Such a letdown! Please do not go for the lobster roll here, even if you love lobsters as much as I do. I’m sure the other things on their menu are much better. I myself would like to try their sushis based on all the great reviews.

Fresh seafood.
Penn Ave Fish Company was a great find. Their menu has a ton of fish sandwiches, some soups, and also sushi. The blackened shark sandwich I tried was not bad, but what really impressed me was the gumbo. It was loaded with goodness and the flavor seemed perfect.
A great place for lunch in Pittsburgh. I’ll try to return when I am in town.

I can’t stop raving about how awesome this place is! First of all, the place is unpretentious and chill. (Sometimes you just want good sushi without having to go to a fancy Japanese restaurant.) The location is also great for a pre-​theater dinner. I went on a Wednesday night with two friends before a musical, and we had pretty fast service. (It wasn’t very busy.)
I got the Lollipop roll, which is salmon, tuna, and crab wrapped with cucumber –delicious and super healthy. My only complaint is that at $ 13, I wish I would’ve gotten more than five pieces because I was still hungry afterwards. It was so good though, I’m still giving this place five stars. I ended up also ordering a Green Fuji Roll ($ 6), which is salmon, avocado, and scallions. It was also scrumptious.
I want to go back and have more sushi and give their fish sandwiches a try. I’ve never seen such an exciting fish sandwich menu. There’s such a variety and they all sound good. Creative, but not trying to hard to be creative that the dish might not be tasty. I’m actually excited about almost everything on the menu, and definitely plan to visit again soon!

[Warning: Visitor from St. Pete FL for a short trip]
MARKET? RESTAURANT? DELI? YES!
Okay I was mildly confused walking in – fish market (I love watching fish markets in action… even indoor ones) but further to the side it looked like a restaurant… but there were also more seating for food near the entrance? Yup – it’s a bit of all three.
SUSHI AT THE DELI
Upon recommendations from the staff, we settled on the Pretty Girl Roll (Salmon, Avocado, ‘Spicy Sauce’ with Soy Wrapper) and a Yummy Roll (Spicy California Roll rolled with Tuna, Salmon & Yellowtail). The Rolls were just okay IMO. Although this was from a Fish market there was still something about the flavor that made me wonder how fresh it was. There was nothing bad about it… just nothing that was incredible either.
SANDWICHES OR SUSHI WITH SERVICE
Sandwiches and Sushi dominate the deli menu. The descriptions and styles of the Sandwiches go beyond the boring breaded and fried type… imagine Broiled Cod Parmesan or Crab Cake on top of Ciabatta Bread. I salivated looking at the Sandwiches of other diners there but we settled on the Sushi snack. You order at the counter and someone brings your dish to you. Thirsty? Just grab your bottle or can from the fridge. From your seat you also have a great view of the fish market in action.
GLUTEN-​FREE/​ALLERGIC TO ALL PYRA SAYS:
Skip the yummy-​looking Sandwiches (unless you just want to order it Breadless). At least most of the Sushi Rolls are gluten-​free… aka… no Tempura chips.

Great spot for a quick lunch or if you want to pick up some fresh seafood. Since my boyfriend and I were tourists, we didn’t get to do the latter but at least we got to enjoy some of the cooked food!
Their most popular sammie is the Sneaky Pete (grilled salmon on whole grain ciabatta wth arugula, avocado, hearts of palm, and spicy avocado cream sauce). They ask how well you want to cook your salmon. We asked for rare but that was really medium. I wish they had taken it off the grill sooner but even as medium, the sandwich was really good. The salmon tasted fresh.
We also had some of the crab tacos (seasoned lump crab meat in a hard taco shell topped with cabbage, cilantro salsa and sriracha). You can also opt for soft tacos if you’d like. I wasn’t expecting there to be a lot of crab meat but there was a good amount. The cabbage tasted really refreshing with the tacos.
If you can’t decide on one of the many food options in the Strip District, I’ll make it easy for you. Skip Primanti Bros. and check out this place instead. It’s cheap, fresh and delicious — three words that don’t often go together.

I love seafood but honestly am unimpressed by Pittsburgh’s selection of dated, stuffy seafood restaurants. When I think of seafood restaurants in the city I think of Mccormick and Schmick’s, in which the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. I know that there are some gems (Rolland’s lob

I had to decide whether to have dinner here or at Wholey’s. Only one if them serves Leona’s ice cream sandwiches. LOL
It was our first time eating there. We weren’t sure where to sit. Half looks like a fish market with tables and half looks like a restaurant. We went in the market side. The young lady at the counter explained that we could sit anywhere and that we could order there or table side. We asked for recommendations. Her name was Brenda and she was very helpful.
We took a seat and checked out the menus. There was a sushi menu, a specials menu, and a regular menu. Honestly it all sounded good. I decided to go with her recommendation.
I ordered the Crab Stuffed Grey Sole with a side of asparagus. There were two pieces of fish stuffed with crab. Yum! But it also had a sauce that resembled a Lobster Bisque. OMGosh!!! I could have licked my plate. The side of asparagus had been grilled and was also very good.
My hubby ordered Mussels. These were bigger than the ones we get at the beach. Instead of a white wine, butter, and garlic sauce these had a tomato based sauce. The hubby said he liked those more than the ones he gets at the beach. That is saying a lot.
Obviously I had a Leona’s ice cream sandwich for dessert. In fact I got two to take home.
This is a great place and I will def be back to try more! FYI-it’s BYOB!!!

My sushi roll was really good and had fresh fish. My boyfriend’s teriyaki salmon sandwich was also delicious. Woman taking our orders was friendly and helpful. But it was a pain when we were paying. Had to wait forever and no one pays attention even though you are standing at the register that says PAY HERE.
The concept is a little strange. You go up to the counter, pay and wait for your food. Except the food comes out whenever it is ready. So if you are dining with someone — expect your food at different times.
The fish was very fresh and I think is a great plus. The location was also ideal — right in the middle of the Strip District.

On my first tour of Pittsburgh, my boyfriend took me to The Strip district. We walked around and planned on eating lunch in the area, so we decided on Penn Ave Fish Co. Upon entering, the atmosphere is a little confusing because the restaurant is split into two sections with various counters within each one.
We just walked to the closest counter and the menu there seemed good, so we quickly placed and order and grabbed drinks in the nearby coolers. I got the seared tuna club sandwich and he got three fish tacos.
Soon enough, our orders were brought to our table next to the register. The crusty ciabatta bread for the club sandwich was so good and the tuna was cooked perfectly. The second layer of the double-​decker sandwich had strips of bacon, lettuce and tomato on it. My boyfriend’s fish tacos were not the typical fried-​fish kind. They had assorted chopped fish in a heavily-​spiced taco sauce, which I wasn’t the biggest fan of. We traded condiments. He ate his tacos with my side of coleslaw, and I used his spicy mayo with my sandwich.
My sandwich also came with a side of mediterranean chickpea and rice salad, which we were both big fans of. A great lunch idea to DIY!

BEST fish place in Pittsburgh by far. Penn Ave Fish Company has the best fish sandwiches. My husband & I have been going here for years and have tried most of their fish sandwiches, all of them are fantastic! We have never gotten a bad or even so so meal from this restaurant.
I have tried their sushi just a couple times & it is some of the best in Pittsburgh too. So fresh!
If you have family or friends from out of town visiting & you’re looking for a nice restaurant to take them too, Penn Ave Fish Company is perfect. We have taken almost everyone who comes to visit to this restaurant & they all love it too!
Another plus (at least for me) is they have outside tables you can eat at with your dogs.
This place is a must try ASAP!

The sushi is fantastic, so I decided to try out the Sunday brunch menu. The blackened shrimp burrito is fantastic, and they are not shy about their shrimp! I debated between the burrito or the tuna «steak» and eggs… which also sounded amazing. If you’re really looking to venture off the traditional brunch menu, they even serve breakfast sushi (which I eye-​spy-​ed at the table next to me).
It’s a super casual atmosphere, and the perfect way to start a Sunday morning. With so many breakfast and brunch options in the strip I think this place may get overlooked, which is unfortunate… so don’t be fooled by the long lines at the diners down the street… some days when you don’t want greasy eggs and pancakes, walk the extra block or two for a fantastic seafood twist on the best meal of the week!

As my loyaI readers know, I never like deducting stars from a prior rating – especially for a place that I previously rated 5 stars. However, I feel the need to do so in this case for a major reason: false advertising.
I came by this past Sat. for lunch to try the sushi, since I’d long been wanting to do so, and I’ve been on a sushi kick lately. I’d heard this place had the best sushi in PGH, and the sushi I’d seen in the photos and on others’ plates had looked promising. Before going, I looked up the prices on the website, and the price for the sashimi lunch, the platter that most interested me, was listed as $ 9.50. I didn’t see it listed on the chalkboard menu anywhere, but figured the price listed on the website would be accurate. Imagine my surprise when, after eating, I went to pay and was told that it was actually $ 14.99. What had actually seemed like not a bad deal for the quality and quantity of sushi I received quickly turned into quite a pricey lunch.
I would be remiss to mention that the sashimi itself was incredibly fresh and excellent in quality, so I was very pleased with it in that regard. (My favorite component was the octopus – I loved the texture!) I also found the quantity to be appropriate for a lunch portion – at least, for me (perhaps not so much if you’re a large guy). And, as an added plus, the presentation was pretty, and service was efficient. So, I must agree that this is indeed the best sushi I’ve tried in PGH, and is 5 star quality in that regard.
If the difference between the price on the website and the actual price had been a dollar or two, I probably would have let it slide, esp. in light of the quality. However, a 50% difference in price is substantial, esp. to someone like me who doesn’t exactly have money to burn. I’m not sure if the difference was intentional, to lure people in, or unintentional, as in the sushi page hasn’t been updated in years. In any case, though, this is a major discrepancy that needs to be corrected.
Aside from the price differential, a couple other minor things bear mentioning. The first is that I find the order first and pay after system unintuitive and unnecessary, given that there’s no real waitservice or even a bar. The second is that the sushi menu isn’t readily apparent to newcomers who approach the front counter to order.
Although I’m leaning towards a 3 star rating, I’ll be generous and average my previous 5 star rating with my 3 star experience this time and award a 4. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back again at some point to try a soup or classic fish sandwich, though it’ll probably be awhile. We’ll see if they can redeem themselves in the meantime.

Decided to check out this place after reading the reviews. Place was crowded with people so it was a little hard for me to find the sushi listings. Read the chalkboard menu and at the cashier’s suggestion opted for the lobster salad sandwich on a pretzel bun. I was told it comes with Cole slaw and a pasta side of your choice. My husband opted for the crab cake sandwich combo.
We were told to find a place to sit and they would bring the meal to us. When we were finished then we would go to the register for payments. It struck me odd as to why they would follow that procedure but we pulled some drinks out of the frig and decided to make sure we accounted for everything when we were done eating.
Next to the ordering counter they have an area where you can order fresh fish and sushi to go. We took a table in the adjacent room that had a «fish» soup bar, a salad bar, and a sushi bar. There is also a TV for convenience. The waitress shortly came out with out meals. The portions were average size and just enough. My lobster salad tasted more like the mixture than the lobster itself but my husband enjoyed his crab cake sandwich.
Our waitress stopped over to see how we were doing and I asked her about ordering the sushi. She told me that the sushi listing is inside the ordering table and not the chalkboard. She gave me a paper menu to go with the complete listing. The prices had me a bit confused so I took the matter up when I went to pay. She explained a single order of sushi consists of 3 pieces and I could build from there. So I must say my sandwich was adequate and now that I have the paper menu the next time I visit will give the sushi a try.
Dress is very casual and service was prompt. Will give it another try next time I am in the vicinity.

The sushi here is super fresh and all sorts of delicious!
Between the four of us, we split about 11 – 12 rolls, 2 appetizers, and 3 desserts, along with a bottle of sake + 3 coffees. The total ended up being a little over $ 50/​person (tip included), so it is kinda pricey, but we definitely enjoyed our food, and service was great. They were also friendly with substitutions/​alterations, which, as of late, is pretty rare, so that was definitely appreciated!
I can’t eat seafood other than fish and I don’t drink alcohol, so I can only speak for the…
–Edamame appetizer (super tasty, with sesame oil + red pepper flakes)
–Vegetable Risotto appetizer (very flavorful!)
–Green Fuji Roll (let’s face it, I love and adore anything with salmon + avocado)
–Fantasy Roll (tuna + avocado goodness!)
–Spicy Salmon /​Yellowtail /​Tuna rolls (it’s spicy fish with asparagus! :] I liked the extra crunch!)
There was also a lot of love at my table for the Mango Mariachi (?) roll.
The 3 desserts we had consisted of a cheesecake, a bananas fosters-​type dessert with phyllo pastry and homemade peanut butter whipped cream, and a s’mores dessert. The s’mores dessert was a little too sweet for my taste, and the cheesecake was good, but not the best I’ve ever had. Of the three, the bananas foster was most definitely the crowd favorite, and disappeared almost instantaneously!

This review is for the strip location. BYOB. No corkage fee. This is a very important thing to remember! We saw some patrons with grey goose and cranberry which they brought in an ice chest :) love it.
The seafood is so fresh and delicious. I love that the rolls don’t seem to be too heavily masked with sauces allowing the fish to really show off it’s individual flavors. The texture was on point for each item.
***Only part that wasn’t so great was the gumbo. It was nothing close to what real gumbo is like. More like tomato soup with really minuscule amount of seafood. Only resemblance to gumbo was the two pieces of okra in it. There were carrots in it too. So wrong…
Service was great. Bathrooms were clean.
FYI. My fiancé told me the downtown location is much more suited for date night. This location is fun and vibrant with lots of space. Fish for sale is fresh but slightly pricey. You pay for the high quality… :)
I’d come back for the awesome sushi and oysters.