Fish Lads

I was at the Downtown Market on a Friday afternoon during lent. My Catholic upbringing kicked in hardcore and basically forced me to order the fish ‘n chips. Thank you and high fives to all members of the Holy Trinity because this was a wonderful decision.
It was perfect. Delicious hand cut french fries and crispy, not too heavy feeling (despite it being fried) Icelandic cod with a fantastic tartar sauce and some lemon wedges. It was a HUGE portion and, even though I was starving, I could only get through half of it (they do all you can eat on Friday evenings and I don’t even know how someone could go beyond the basket they give you. It’s such a massive serving). I also got a cup of the clam chowder because… duh. Clam chowder is delicious! And this one did not disappoint. Despite the huge basket of F&C I had in front of me I ate every single bite of that soup. It was just that good.
The fish counter is also really impressive. I was heading home right after my visit so I decided to get some fish to go for dinner the next night and they packed up everything on ice so it would make the drive back to Ann Arbor safely. I got the grouper and a couple of hunks of smoked white fish and it was all excellent. It was definitely on the pricier side but it’s all fresh (never frozen) and such good quality that I didn’t splurging on it. The fish is so outstanding that there’s no need to get fancy with it either. I just sauteed with it a little salt & pepper, topped with a little dusting of paprika and a squirt of a lemon wedge and it was one of the best meals we’ve cooked at home in a very long while.
Also, shout outs to the Lads of Fish Lads. Every single fella I encountered was friendly, cheerful, and incredibly helpful. Great food, awesome selection and even better customer service. You lads are the best.

I had the shrimp Po Boy. Excellent bread, veggies, fried fresh shrimp, & great sauce. Fries with it were hot, crispy, & perfectly seasoned. $ 16 for the sandwich and fries (no drink) is steep for lunch but the food does not disappoint.

Absolutely the best fish I’ve had in Grand Rapids. Nothing much else needs to be said. Always fresh. Always amazing. I just wish I could afford to eat here more often! So good!

Love love loved this place. Seriously the freshest seafood around. We got a dozen of their oysters from around the US and they were so fresh and amazing. We also got their crab cake that came with a side salad. Delicious. The breading on it is different from other crab cakes I had. More of a planko bread crumbs. We also had the soft shell crab poboy sandwich which was very tasty and made to order. The workers there were very knowledgable and so nice. We even got a half pound of fresh ahi tuna to go for sushi the next night. Make sure you give this place a shot!

Best seafood in town. Amazazing fish tacos, fish salad with daily grilled fish is to drool for, and fresh selection on fish obviously but super duper oysters!

I will pay good money for quality food and service. With that being said, Fish Lads can charge me whatever they would like for their fish and chips. My husband and I split the $ 19 halibut and fries for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. All three gentlemen we interacted with behind the counter were extremely friendly and welcoming. The fish was fried perfectly, and the fries were flavorful without being greasy. To my surprise, the in-​house made tarter sauce was the absolute star of the show. After our delicious lunch, we bought a pound of fresh, clean calamari to make for dinner. I can’t wait to go back.

Best fish tacos in GR. Extremely fresh and the tangy slaw was perfect. A bit pricey at $ 14, but you get what you pay for. One of the best lunch spots downtown.
Clam chowder was awesome as well.

Pull up a stool and enjoy the best seafood around! Po-​Boy, fish tacos, oysters, chowder and so much more! Fun to visit with the fishmongers and the folks at the next stool. I always look at what they are having and know what my order will be «next time».

Great fresh seafood. Oyster po boy was good. Jambalaya was good. Lobster roll was ok but I would’ve preferred more large lumps of lobster instead of the small dices/​minces. The real highlight was the raw oysters – just add a bit of lemon and you’ll be transported to their bay of origin. In your mouth.

Great spot! Fresh seafood, great service and creative menu. I had the oyster po boy, which rivaled anything I had on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. My girlfriend had the lobster roll, it was fantastic. I also had a seafood tomato based fish stew, excellent. Yes, a $ 50 lunch, worth every penny. I look forward to returning.

This is by far the best seafood market in west mi. The quality and variety are top notch on everything I’ve ever purchased from the incredibly friendly fish mongers.
The kitchen food at two lads is on point also. Nice selection of oysters and an expansive menu that will keep you coming back. My go to its this huge lobster roll and fries/​salad! The roll is from the bakery about 50 ft away.

Well, looks like I have another reason to make the trek to Grand Rapids all the way from Detroit!
My cousin brought me to the market and I was really impressed with it – it was like a breath of fresh air.
We ordered oysters and somehow ended up ordering the shrimp too, and getting a free sample of their fried halibut. It was all delicious. For the oysters, we ordered the Chesapeake, Kumamoto, and Wellfleet. I liked the Wellfleet (saltier than malpeque) and Kumamoto (clean and fruity), and my cousin liked the Chesapeake. The oysters were so fresh and the hospitality was something else. Good people, good food, and I can’t wait til they come to Detroit ;)

Fish Lads is AWESOME! After several date night fails we have finally found somewhere we love to eat. The fish is fresh and delicious and the «lads» are friendly and helpful. We have enjoyed the cod fish and chips, the lobster roll, and the mussels in curry broth. The cod is fresh and light. The lobster roll was chocked FULL of lobster but was not heavy… they take it easy on the mayonnaise. The roll was nice and soft and buttery. The mussels were the best I have ever had. I could have drank the sauce from a mug it was so good. Hands down our favorite restaurant in Grand Rapids.

Super knowledgeable staff who is very friendly and eager to help you figure out what exactly you should purchase. The fish is pricey, but well worth it because everything is very clean and fresh. They are also very clear about where they get their stuff, so I will pay their prices willingly. I’m from the coast, so I am still unsure about how I feel about seafood out here, but hands down I would go to them to buy saltwater fish before any other place in GR.

I heard the scallops are amazing there. I have yet to still try it! The crew stated their lobster roll is the most popular so how could I resist! The lobster roll was lacking some flavor to me but my boyfriend loved it!
The oysters were freshly shucked, I highly recommend the Chest peak oysters !

They are fish professionals… they know their fish and everything is really fresh.
Smoked fish dip is the bomb diggity dog!
Lobster rolls – one of the best I’ve ever had. At $ 19 a pop it better be! Fresh and full of lobster chunks. And not too much mayo.
Seafood cioppino (fish stew) was very delicious. A little on the peppery side but that was fine.
Pricey joint, but you get good stuff here. As for the staff and service… they are nice lads.

Ate here while waiting for a training I was taking downtown. I treated my self to the lobster roll. At $ 19 it was a splurge. It came out and was HUGE. Definitely large enough to be split between 2 people. It was fresh and while good it was a little bland. They do not skimp on the meat and the house made fries were delicious. I don’t know if I would get it again but I am going to return to try a po-​boy soon.

I forgot to pack my lunch on Thursday this week, so I stopped in to the Downtown Market to see what sounded good. I was headed for sushi, when the board at Fish Lads caught my eye. Specifically the Po Boy. I love me a good Po Boy, so I pulled up a barstool and ordered the one with soft shell crab instead of shrimp. It did not disappoint! A very good sandwich, filling, fresh ingredients, good flavor. The fries were really good, too. And, of course, they have malt vinegar for the fries, which is my favorite.
Service was good, and the guys working there seemed to be having a good time and they were all very friendly, chatting it up with customers.
The only downside is it ain’t cheap. Worth the cost for sure, but not a place to grab lunch regularly just because of the price. With that said, good luck finding a cheap seafood place with seafood as fresh as Fish Lads serves. I’ll be back to visit on three pay-​period months.

This place has amazingly fresh fish and seafood. My partner and I stopped in on a weeknight for dinner and had a shrimp Po Boy and the lobster roll– both fresh and delicious, plentiful servings with hand cut fries. A few weeks later we stocked up on cooked lobsters and crab dip for a New Years feast, which was delicious (crab dip is spicy but oh so delicious) and the guys behind the counter were totally helpful and friendly. Recently my wife got the oysters which she said were delicious. All in all a great experience, educated and dedicated staff, great food. It is an expensive place for sure– sea food is typically rather expensive however, so that’s not a major surprise.

Great selection of fish and other seafood products as well as amazing food. Had the lobster roll and it was everything I had been looking for after weeks of craving one. My son had the fish and chips and those were impeccable as well. Love the house made tartar sauce. Brought home some crab and artichoke dip to enjoy and it is fresh, tasty and delicious.
The customer service was amazing as was the food preparation.
Thank you for the great experience and great food. I will defiantly be back.