Benkovitz Seafoods

Eras are ending daily in our fair city of late.
The local news media is reporting that Benkovitz Seafoods has gone dark. Its Leviathan fish sandwiches are no more…
The 100 + year-​old business will certainly leave a large void in the wake of its death. I’m sure something trendy and expensive will take its place.

I was watching the news when I heard Benkovitz closed for good! I was floored, you could have knocked me over with a feather. This place was pure pittsburgh, a landmark, an iconic restaurant in the Strip.
As a kid, we’d all get in my cousin’s car on a friday night during Lent and go to Benkovits and order fish sandwiches and bring them back home to our waiting family. Sometimes we’d order as many as 17 sandwiches with fries and onion rings and walk back into the house with 7 bags of food. Of course the kids would sit on the living room floor and the adults would eat at the table. Oh those memories!
Those fish sandwiches were huge, each sandwich housing two huge pieces of battered cod and those hand cut fries. Made Lent worth giving up meat.
Benkovitz was a Strip icon since the sixties, but in business for over 100 years. When PNC Park opened in 2001 a Benkovits was there, selling those fish sandwiches in their own little corner of the stadium.
I’ll miss them, they were a part of Pittsburgh and I and the rest of Pittsburgh will miss them! Thank you for 100 great years!

Delicious fish sandwiches and a great selection of fresh fish. Coke zero on tap.
Go here and get one.
Go now. It’s one of those religious day’s you’re supposed to eat fish anyway.
Oh wait they might be closed.
Yeh 4 stars since their hours are not the best.

Benkovitz is like a seafood-​based deli/​grocery. On the one hand, there’s a cavernous display of fresh fish, soups, and seafood and mayo based salads (like cole slaw or potato), all to go, plus lots of unusual, jarred condiments (think chutneys, wasabi mayo, and lavender mustard), packaged foods, etc.
On the other hand, it also functions as a restaurant. People come for their original fish sandwiches, and they cannot be beat. Two big pieces of battered and fried white fish in a soft white bun. Eating arrangements are a very small number of tables and chairs, along with stand-​up counters. Squeeze bottles contain tartar sauce (not positive, but it tastes homemade), malt vinegar, hot sauce, and lemon.
Their fries are OK, I usually go for the onion rings, since they seem to be getting increasingly difficult to find (and they’re good, too).
They have other seafood sandwiches and also things like crab cakes and fried clam strips. But the fried fish is really the thing to get.
As other reviewers have mentioned, it can be absolute chaos at lunchtime and on the weekends. But I think that’s part of the fun of the place. And if eating while standing isn’t your thing, everything they sell is available for take out.

You cannot beat the $ 9.99 Lenten special!
Fish Sammie, potato pancakes, cole slaw and a fountain drink. The fish sandwich was perfection. Came out nice and hot, like fresh and hot that it burnt my tongue in my excitement to eat it! There were two generous pieces of fried fish between a fresh bun. After my order, I heard someone order a wheat bun, so that’s a good thing to know for future visits. I’m very judgmental with my cole slaw… So I’d say it needed a bit more pepper, but it was a decent vinegar based slaw. The potato pancakes were like mini home fry circles. They were also fresh out of the fryer. Speaking of fry… that’s not going to go down as my healthiest meal… But it was darn good!
The main difference I see here compared to Wholey’s is that it doesn’t reek of fish. Wholey’s is kinda gross. This place is incredibly clean and well laid out. You can order fresh fish as well as a plethora of different fresh salads (pasta, fish, chicken, potato, etc.) and sides. It’s definitely beat out Wholey’s in my opinion.
I cannot believe I worked in the strip for 4 years and never came here. It’s a shame and don’t let this happen to you!

Purely awesome for lunch, or a quick grab to eat. Heck, you can even buy some seafood from the plethora of fresh seafood they have on display for sale.
I came here for lunch on a Monday around noon and ordered their lenten dinner special. For $ 9.95 one, (and a very happy one, might I add,) receives their original fish sandwich, potato pancakes, cole slaw and a drink. This special is amazingly priced for all of the food you get.
Look to the fish sandwich. Believe in the fish sandwich. Love the fish sandwich.
. The fish sandwich is key here and an absolute MUST.
Benkovitz original fish sandwich is the purest, most simple, tasting breaded fish sandwich in all of Pittsburgh. Its bread and two pieces of perfectly breaded fish. The fish doesn’t fall apart as you eat it, its not greasy, and won’t leave you feeling like slush after eating it. It’s perfect. Period

Tried to go to Penn Ave. Fish Co. during the busy pre-​Christmas week and it was absolutely packed to the rafters. Rather than face an epic wait I opted for Benkovitz. It’s one of my grandma’s and mom’s favorites and a Pittsburgh institution.
Creature comforts? None. Slick ambiance? Irrelevant. I’ve only ever gone for the classic fish sandwich, not because I lack imagination but because I’ve only been here every now and then and it’s so reliably good that I can’t help myself. This time around I also opted for the fried zucchini and they were really good as well. For both the sandwich and zucchini they’re crispy, not overly greasy and not breaded beyond recognition. Healthy? Doubtful, but I promise you won’t feel like crap the rest of the day, and that’s not a given with these kinds of things.
I don’t automatically assume that a place that has been open forever is great. Sometimes classic joints simply have a blind following of regulars that don’t know any better. This isn’t one of those places. My grandma and I don’t share many culinary preferences but the Benkovitz fish sandwich is one to agree on.

In sum, really enjoyed this place. It is what it is. Good inexpensive seafood. It is that place, the place one wants to dine for simple, fried but not greasy, inexpensive, seafood.
I ordered the Shore Dinner, Fried (Includes Fish, Crab Cakes, Fries & Slaw). I was not in-​love with the crab cakes. This is not to say they were not enjoyable, I’ve just had better. Heck, for the price I don’t want to sound like I am complaining they fit the crab craving for the price range extremely well!
The fried foods did not taste like grease and they obviously either recently or frequently change the oil as no icky after taste could be found. We also ordered the fried shrimp and an order of fried mushrooms. Yum! One worries when ordering fried foods especially seafood, about it been overcook. This was not the case here. Keep in mind the breading is not to die for– this is not Monterey Bay Fish Grotto. That being sad, it fit the bill for affordable, seafood, and a quick meal.
I was impressed with their soups. That stock for the clam chowder was delightful. Rich and flavorful. I thought the serving size to be small for the price. However, it really was a nice treat to enjoy.
I’ve heard some complain about the wait staff and lines. I had no such problem– I sent my husband =)
If I had to make a recommendation, I wish this place was open later. It is hard for us with our work schedules to run down they by 4pm. For simple seafood this is the place for take out.

The food is tasty — I had the original fish sandwich as other reviews have suggested and wasn’t disappointed. I went here for lunch and it was just completely disorganized… I mean I get that your busy with the whole lunch time crowd. But shouldn’t there be a rhyme and reason for the madness… apparently not.
The whole set up is whack — you stand in line to order the hot foods — which makes sense. The cashier who is preoccupied with handing out orders is getting too distracted to take orders — which was annoying. You’d start putting in your order, and then she’d interrupt you by calling out, «shrimp in a basket is ready». You’d start again with your order and another yell would emerge for, «seafood eggroll ready» — this happened about 3 times. Annoying? — Yes. Patience wearing thin? — Yes.
But finally got our order through and she got our money and gave us ½ of our order. We stood there somewhat confused and asked where we could get our soup — and she was like over there and pointed over to the deli and was like just show your receipt. I told her I didn’t get a receipt so she proceeded to go through crumpled pieces of paper to find the receipt and was like just go over to the deli and say that you ordered soup. Ummm, ok I guess that makes it more official that I paid — just march on up to the deli and say give me soup, I paid. Ironically it worked.
Then we were looking for drinks (which we had ordered but no cups were given) — lo and behold they were in the middle of the long line for cooked foods. Cups are just on the side — they must go by the honor system in this joint, cause you could have your hearts content of soup and drinks without paying a dime they way it was set up.
While the food was good, the set-​up was horrible. You feel like your walking all over the place to get food, drinks, soup — I mean hasn’t anyone heard of flow or more technically LOGISTICS. There are little people jams all over this place and it’s not big at all — overall I think the lack of organization causes alot of stress for the employees and patrons — especially those who are net to this place.

Had the fried Cajun fish sandwich. was really good, season well, and perfectly cooked. Creamy crab soup was very good, similar to new England clam chowder. Manhattan clam chowder was ok.

Very small eating space in the middle of a small fish market. Very friendly staff, gets very busy for lunch! You may end up standing and eating! :)
I am in love with a fish? sandwich?
BEST fried fish sandwiches! I am not usually a fish sandwich type, and this was very good. Very simple looking, but great bread, very fresh fish, good crunchy coating, nice, piping hot and flaky fish inside. No fishy aftertaste either. I used tartar sauce on mine… MMMMMMmmm…I will never be able to eat a filet-​o-​fish again. :) Fries were run of the mill, and room temperature. I will let this slide bc the fish sandwich was sooooo GOOOOD!
We also had the creamy crab chowder which was delicious! It doesn’t look like much, and there isn’t a lot of chunky goodness in it, but it sure does have a ton of chowder flavor and creaminess, without being so heavy and thick. Nothing beats a hot bowl of soup when it’s 10 degrees and snowing out either!
We also ordered the fried shrimp, and it was just okay, nothing special, could not compete with the sandwich.

A good fish sandwich. About $ 7 and another $ 1.25 for a refillable fountain drink. Order at a window and sit or stand while eating.
May well be the best in Pittsburgh, but visiting from Seattle I may hold my fried fish to a different standard. Fresh fish selection was also quite small.
Plenty of free parking.

What brought me to Benkovitz is the fact that they’re a seafood place that sells fresh fish, and they happen to be right down the street from Penn Ave Fish Company. On paper they seem nearly identical, so I knew I had to try it out.
I walked in and asked the guy behind the counter what to get if it was my first time. Hands down he said «Fish Sandwich». But of course, it’s called the «Original» Fish Sandwich. Less than four minutes later I was seated at a table and my sandwich was inhaled. At first glance, the sandwich doesn’t seem that big. You get two large pieces of fried fish sandwiched in soft white buns. Nothing else. Pure simplicity. I added tartar sauce to half the sandwich and had the other half sans-​condiment to see the taste of the fish by itself. To be honest, I liked it better w/​the tartar sauce since the amount of fried fish + white bread worked to start drying out the mouth and the tartar sauce worked to keep it moist.
While I was waiting for my friend to finish his sandwich, I hopped around looking for their soups. I sampled both soups they had on hand and I should have stopped right there. It was my main goal to try the soups, but my gluttonous side couldn’t resist a cup of their creamy scallop soup, which drank like a chowder.
As a testament to how good the food is, I had my camera but completely forgot to snap pictures during my feeding frenzy.
So how do Penn Ave Fish Co. and Benkovitz co-​exist? Benkovitz seems to have an old-​school vibe with their brick walls and worn wooden floors and almost everything is fried. Penn Ave seems more «hip» with brighter colors and focuses more on grilling and broiling. Is one better than the other? That’s like asking what’s better between Coke and Mountain Dew; they’re just different.

Benkovitz is a small piece of happiness forever burned into my brain. It was here that I learned that something as simple as breaded fish could be a delectable taste treat.
Go for the lunch rush but get there early … get the fries and dose em in malt vinegar … get the sandwich and no matter how you treat it you can guarantee it will be FANTASTIC.
The place is simple and fantastic. Exactly as it should be.

wow. it’s by far the greatest seafood place i’ve been in for quite sometime. today was all about the seafood salad for me. excellent. i’ll be back to try much more. there was a good sized lunch crowd in here eating sandwiches. those lobsters looked incredible and the enormous scallops caught my eye. stay tuned on an update.

I really like this place and I agree with the some of the others that Benkovitz is better than Wholeys. I had some business downtown yesterday and was lucky enough to be close to Benkovitz. I usually stop in here on Saturdays. They have an awesome prepared food section. Some of my favorites are the lobster salad (great quality lobster and mayo). I don’t get it that often because it’s a bit pricey. I think $ 28/​lb. But, a small container with a few crackers is the perfect lunch. I hadn’t been here in a while and I was happy to see that they’ve added more tables to the inside and they also have a few outside. They primarily used to just have stands where you stood and ate standing up (which is fine also). I don’t really cook, so I can’t speak to the prices or quality of the seafood that you can buy, but it certainly looks fresh and the staff is always helpful. I’m pretty sure it’s family run. This place has been around for close to 100 years and I can remember going here for fish sandwiches when I was a kid with my dad. They have great fish sandwiches, but it’s not like the kind you get at other pittsburgh joints, meaning it’s a reasonable size. They have a good sushi counter, but surprisingly I’ve found in the past that they often don’t have many of the items on the menu. My mom also really likes the fried smelts (which are tiny fish that you eat whole (head and all)). I like them as well with hot sauce. I noticed yesterday that they now have a curried fish sandwich, which I definitely need to try on my next visit. They make great soup here, but I suggest only ordering it if you get there early in the day. I’ve had it towards closing time and it was like eating a bowl of glue. Yesterday I was feeling a little worse for the wear after having maybe one or two martini’s to many at Blue (which, btw I’d love to review, but it’s not listed on this site.) As an aside, check out blue in the NH great martinis! And, Kim is the second best bartender in Pittsburgh. Anyways… They had soft shelled crabs yesterday (guess they are in season). So, I had a soft shell crab sandwich with plenty of hot sauce and horseradish. It was the perfect remedy for how I was feeling from the night before. I also had the clam strips which are a much better option than fries. Really good lightly fried food with hot sauce and iced tea. This may be the perfect next day meal after a night of too much fun. I think the soft shell crabs are only in season for a few months, so go and check it out. I believe it’s $ 8.95 for the sandwich, which I think is pretty reasonable. Sit outside and enjoy the people watching.

Some Pittsburghers would say that Wholey’s is the place to go for seafood. I completely disagree. Coming from places where I could go out to the water and purchase my seafood off a boat, I want the freshest and best quality fish, especially if it’s gonna be eaten by myself. Benkovitz is by far the best around to buy fresh seafood. The service is always good and quick.
They also sell pre-​made food (never tried it but it looks good) as well as gourmet condiments and the like.

It’s only fair to mention up front that I used to work at Benkovitz once upon a time. (Ah, those were the days… serving Hall of Fame greats like Franco Harris; cleaning lobster tanks; learning what a «milker» was and that some folks actually buy these headless female fish with the ‘guts’ intact on purpose; calamari salad with tiny tentacle garnishes; running an errand on the way home only to have people 100 feet away hold their noses in disgust as the heavy scent of fish-​house wafted in my wake. To this day some folks still affectionately know me as ‘Fish’ (instead of Trish), but I digress. ;)
Benkovitz is hands down the best place to pick up quality frozen, fresh, and prepared seafood and sauces. It’s a small joint in The Strip District and can get a little crowded, but worth the trek even if only for a fried or broiled fish sandwich and a fresh prepared seafood salad. There is no seating indoors so get yours to go or expect to eat standing up at the small rails along the storefront window provided for this purpose.

yes, you will
a sammy, grab a bowl a soup. yinz will be back

My favorite fish sandwich on planet earth. I go to Wholey’s to buy fish, but to eat it, Benkovitz has been a staple in my house since the ‘70s.
I love the standing-​room-​only vibe, especially at the holidays. I love their soups. I just feel so «Pittsburgh» here. What a great family-​owned business that makes amazing food and refuses to compromise. Remember when they had a stand in Three Rivers Stadium?
Those were the days.