Fish Public

Came in on Sunday for their $ 1 Oyster Happy Hour. No drink specials so not much of a Happy Hour however the oysters were all you can eat for $ 1/​ea! They were big and delicious and well worth it!
A few of us shared other small plate dishes which were highly over priced. The ceviche lacked flavor and if it wasn’t for the chips that came with it, there would be NO flavor at all! Skip this dish completely.
The octopus was tender and good but again cost more than a meal elsewhere and the serving wasn’t that big.
The only small dish I would recommend would be the calamari because it had nice spiciness to it. Not much calamari on the plate but taste was there.
4 dozen oysters, 3 small plates and 7 cocktails set us back over $ 200. Worth it, me thinks NOT!
Service was SLOW but the servers/​waitstaff were fun and friendly. Would I come back? I’d come for a pre-​dinner $ 1 oyster session and eat elsewhere.

Had a very pleasant meal with family. The coconut shrimp was surprisingly tender and tasty. The staff was as attentive as can be imagined as well.
All in all a very nice evening at the Fish Public. Hope to return and try some of the other dishes soon.

Came here for Oyster Happy Hour!!! Definitely takes the cake over Ironside Oyster and Seafood happy hour! They offered two types of oysters which escapes me… But 24 empty shells later… It was blissful heaven! My friend and I also had the mussels and like every other review… Don’t be ashamed to ask for more bread to get all that yummy curry sauce! We also had an asian slaw. Meh… Go ahead and skip that one…
So food was fabulous… Service was attentive and friendly… The ambiance was chill and casual. Not too hip and not too stuffy… Juuuust right! I’m definitely coming back! You will remember my face…

One of the only restaurants we’ve ever visited twice in one weekend! Came here for restaurant week and was blown away by the appetizers of all things. Black mussels in coconut curry sauce and calamari were excellent. The calamari topped a cabbage salad with…(drum roll) vietnamese vinaigrette (aka nuoc mam).
For entrees, we had the rare opah over soba noodles (opah, similar to yellowtail, seared perfectly), salmon a la plancha (served over a risotto that was way too lemony), and finally the lobster risotto (at least that’s what it was called… hardly any lobster to be found and the risotto was a little too rice-​a-​roni-​ish).
Oh but the oysters– fat bastard ($ 2.50per) and Phantom creek were perfect. So perfect that when we found out Sundays were dollar oyster days-​we came back 2 days later for the hood canal. Hood canal oysters sweet and buttery.
On both occasions, Michaela was extremely accommodating!
Ambience is marine like, but classy casual.
happy hour every day from 5 – 6:30, $ 5 sangria, 3.5 draft and $ 5 well. Sangria was subtle.
Didn’t like dessert too much-​Peach cobbler would not recommend and chocolate almond was ok.

ABSOLUTELY the BEST Service, FOOD and drinks I have ever experience! If I could more than 5stars I would!
Dayn our server was SOOO awesome! He was very attentive and knowledgeable about the food and drinks on the menu.
My boyfriend and I got the dozen oysters and the mussels as the small plate. Both were very good but by far the Best was the Curry Mussels ! The curry mixed with the mussels had good flavor and the spice was just right, a little spice but hey that’s what makes it so good! And the bread that comes with it, that you dip with the curry omg delicious! We also had there fish tacos, which took 30 mins for them to serve to us but that was ok. They were extremely sorry for the long wait so they have us another two fish taco for free plus they took out the other two fish tacos off the plate. Great customer serves!
Anyways The fish tacos were pretty good there was a pineapple after taste to it that was pretty amazing and the lobster crab roll was ok (but still delicious) I’ve actually had better.
The drinks! Seriously the best cocktails I have had. So I got a hot tottie, hookedUp (a definitely must try) and I’m pickle-​ish ! Yea sounds like I had a lot of alcohol but it was worth trying!
Anyways! My experience here was Excellent! No complainants at all! Definitely a place to go to if you are in a mood for some good drinks and some thing to munch on :)

One word… MUSSELS! Get them! Soaked in a coconut green curry sauce it was a party in my mouth! I was so tempted to ask our waitress to doggy bag the remaining sauce but was too embarrassed to ask… it’s that good.
Fish & Chips were fried to perfection! Huge chunks of fresh fish and the tater sauce has got to be the best I’ve ever tasted.
Stellar service from the sweet hostess that greeted us and sat us down to our wonderful waitress who was attentive to our every need. Even the manager came by to say hello as well as the chef! Wow!
Love the ambiance… very cozy and rustic. Candlelit at night. Great date night spot! Parking can be hit or miss. I look forward to coming back to try the other items on the menu like the lobster and crab roll! Yum!

Really a nice experience.
Came with one of my friends who knew the chef.
Chef Mark Schmitt is one of the most humble and unpretentious chefs I have ever met.
The ambience was sweet, bright, open like a beachy feel to it even though we are far from the beach.
We sat at the bar, lots if room, comfy chairs.
Chef Mark served us off the menu, including a very tender fish he just picked up that morning himself.
The flavors of the 3 oyster regions he served were simple and mostly amazing. (One of the oyster regions had more of a fishy taste, didn’t care much about that one.
The bartender (forgot name…) made one of his amazing craft cocktails for me… a #hookedup…a vodka made with cucumber, sriracha strawberry lime martini to a tee.
He tried to explain how I should get it bc it wasn’t too sweet, but needed just enough sweet (I’m very particular about my Martinis being dry).
My friend got the ‘I’m prickle-​ish’ which was beautiful looking and tasty to boot… it had tequila, Serrano, prickly pear was just this amazing magenta color.
He was spot on and it rocked (x2!)
We also had the grilled octopus which was cooked perfect, soft, juicy and succulent.
Even my fave Cucina enoteca’s octopus wasn’t as good!!! (Sorry CE)
We also had an albacore tuna with a watermelon infused taste which was out if this world.
One of my favorite dishes that night though had to be the mussels… OMG for the coconut green curry broth that they were drowning in.
Served with a huge piece of toasted French bread which was simply divine.
A little salty but I’m learning that most mussels are probably bc of the salt from the sea?
We ended up with 2 desserts courtesy of chef mark… a brownie served with icecream and a ‘peaches and cream’ dessert.
No offense, but not only was I too full, but they were a little too dry and bready, and I would’ve loved a custard or soft dessert…
next time!
They have a few craft beers on bottle and tap and many choice whiskeys to end the night… mccallan personally did the trick!
Thanks to the whole team including the GM Jeff…
I am coming back soon to show you off…

Come through on sundays for $ 1 all night long til they run out!
Food was delightful, but I have to say the service was incredibly slow. Can’t blame them when they only had about one actual server for a sunday night. Most of the stuff on the menu ran out as well, not sure if this was happening after we ordered or before and they just forgot to tell us, but halfway through our meal as we were waiting for our entrees to come out some of the stuff we ordered like the brussel sprouts they didn’t have anymore! We ended up trying to braised kale with fried egg, which was pretty good but probably would have liked it better without the runny egg. Wasn’t a fan of their sangria, but their mac and cheese was pretty good! I would probably try to come back earlier on a sunday just for their oysters though.

Two words: steamed mussels. Fish Public’s steamed mussels with coconut green curry broth is one of the best things I have ever had. It’s so good that I can’t help but order it every single time I’m there. The broth is very flavorful and spicy, so if you can’t handle the heat, then this dish may not be for you. It’s also served with a huge piece of grilled bread to sop up all that heavenly, spicy broth goodness. It’s meant to be an appetizer, but it’s a large enough portion that I order it as my entrée. One of these days I’ll order something else, maybe. Oh, the grilled octopus – with arugula and pepper almond relish. You will need to order that, too. Trust me.
The Maine lobster roll (only available on Fridays and Saturdays) and FP burger are pretty delicious. The house chili-​lime chips that come with the lobster roll is so good; I wish they would just bag the chips and sell them by the pound. A few other dishes are not as big of a hit: the mac ‘n cheese is so so, and the crab toast could have been better (crab needed more acidity and the toast got soggy fast). Also, you can’t beat ½ off fish and chips on Fridays (5 – 6:30pm). The fish varies but is always tender and fresh – and huge portions! I love their housemade tartar sauce – so good. And it’s pretty hard to stop eating the skin-​on house fries. I love fries.
For dessert, the bruleed banana split is simple but very enjoyable. They actually have a regular and large size; the hubby and I shared a regular size, which was plenty for us. Also, I loved that they used coconut ice cream along with vanilla ice cream.
We used to go to the Kensington Grill occasionally; it was a good restaurant, a mainstay in Kensington. But I am so glad that it has transformed into Fish Public – it is absolutely my new favorite neighborhood spot!

Atmosphere: 5; comfortable but nice. Indoor and outdoor options.
Food: 5; unassuming but tasty and well put together balanced flavors.
Drink: ?; did not have any cocktails.
Price: 4; very reasonable for the quality of plate.

I have been craving seafood for weeks and love the Kensington area so I was really excited to come to Fish Public for dinner. Unfortunately, I wasn’t wowed after our dinner there last night.
To start, we ordered a dozen oysters as part of their Daily Special, along with a 22 oz beer. I was surprised that they didn’t come with any cocktail sauce but what really was disappointing was that every oyster I ate came with grit and left me fishing oyster shells out of my mouth. Finally I stopped eating them as I was afraid that every bite would come with a crunch. Our friends ordered the ceviche and said it was good but nothing special and kinda dry.
Entrees were enjoyed by all except for me as my mussels were extremely spicy and even though the menu stated they were in a green curry sauce, if the spice level is above a 7, maybe you should mention that on the menu as well. My husband had the grilled octopus street tacos and we both agreed that they were very good, but we would have enjoyed them better as full tacos with more meat. Our friends had the seafood bouillabaisse and shrimp and grits and their plates were almost licked clean by the end of the meal.
We all shared the chocolate pecan pie and devoured it. It was delicious and rich.
We sat outside but after the sunset the only light we had was a small candle in the middle of the table. Our server even mentioned how dark it was outside. What was strange was the fact that there were lights strewn above us but not turned on. The inside of the restaurant was adorably decorated.
I could be persuaded to try again as there was more on the menu I’d like to try, but may pass on the oysters.

Outstanding service to when I first walked in.
Greeted with friendly smile, live band playing.
Got a corner seat with a view of the restaurant.
Dane our waiter very professional knew the menu and his suggestions from the oysters as starters, to street fish tacos and the salmon were super!
Northing was left on my plate.
They also surprised me with delicious ice cream which I could not eat because I am on a strict diet at the moment, so no dairy. The bonus was when the singer was looking for me, where is Maria he begin to sing along with the entire restaurant sang happy birthday.
The table next to us were four friends from Paris, France and one of the gentleman came over toasting us.
A fun, fine evening.

I will be honest I am a bit underwhelmed by this place for a few reasons. While they have terrific service (seriously someone even came by to help me clean up my crumbs of shame), there was a lot lacking for the price point.
Calamari: Pretty good. I would say four stars. I like that they included a slaw to lighten up and give a different texture to the fried calamari. However it lacked punch. The calamari itself was fried perfectly but needed salt or something to give it a taste. It felt flat. The slaw was good but again it lacked some seasoning. I would get this dish again, but it did not live up to its full potential.
Fish Sammy w/​Fries: So this was about $ 17. It was not anywhere NEAR the value of this dish. They serve it on a little pretend fry basket. But it was crowded. Also –and I feel dumb even admitting this– I thought by «chips» they meant «fries.» Nope. They meant what they said and I got some chips that again lacked any real flavor. The fish was really good and fried well. The bun was tasty. The side of slaw was super small and again fell flat. I just was surprised that for such a modest looking dish they were asking such a price. I mean come on.
I got a glass of zin for $ 9 and I will admit it was a good choice and they give more than a fair pour.
Please note, they sell Escolar. Don’t get that fish. Ever. Google it. It will give you the quick step. This is a fact.
Overall I would not come back unless there was some sort of special going on. It is good, but not $ 100 a meal good. I may come off like a cheap jerk but maybe that is what I am. If you are one too then check out this spot for happy hour (they even have it on Sat which is cool) and enjoy.

We’ve been trying to branch out from our usually 7 or 8 dinner spots, and this one popped up as an option. We figured we’d give it a whirl because if for some reason it was overly crowded we could enjoy some grub at Haven Pizzeria right next door.
The service was great, friendly and always checking in but not overbearing. I love when a waiter (or waitress) can walk that fine line well, and this one sure did.
We opted to start with the calamari and a bottle of wine (it was half priced wine night) both were delicious. There are some peppers that give the calamari quite a kick, but in a good way (if you’re like us and enjoy spice.) We then had the fish sandwich (the market fish that day was corvina) and the shrimp and grits. Both were delicious, though the sausage portion on the shrimp was slightly heavy handed for my taste.
Overall, I’ll definitely be back and let my friends know there’s a quaint little seafood option in Kensington.

Fish Public In The ‘Hood (as stated on their business card)!
I passed by this place a couple times and decided to bookmark it! After figuring out where to have dinner on a Friday night, Fish Public popped up in my head!
We made reservations beforehand, showed up about 20 mins early and got a seat right away. Service is awesome and they checked up on us a few times to make sure everything was ok. And the décor is super cool as well, with fishhooks lined up along the walls (hence the name Fish Public, haha).
We ordered their mac and cheese and ceviche as starters! Though the mac and cheese was a bit on the salty side, it was still damn good. I suggest you wait a bit for the cheese to cool down and solidify, this was the texture is better! The ceviche was pretty good too, with a good mixture of avocados as well.
For the main dish, we ordered their whole market fish. The fish itself was a little bland so make sure you squeeze the lemon over it. And be careful of the bones (I’ve accidentally stabbed myself in the gums numerous times over the years despite being an experienced Asian seafood eater)! It goes well with the mac and cheese so don’t finish that before the fish comes if you decided to go this route.
We were a bit stuffed to try any of their dessert so I’ll save that for a future update! We’ll be back for their Sunday oyster specials as well!

I love the clean modern décor here! The service was excellent. The pretty bartender talked to me. :-)
I visited on Friday so I could try the half off fish and chips. This time they had fresh fluke but they rotate a variety of fish. The french fries were good. Standard fast food fries. I liked the preparation with the thin batter and light seasoning but I’m not a big fan of fluke. It’s more flavorful than cod and kind of like haddock.
Next time I’ll call ahead and find out what fish they are serving.

Friday, October 4^th, 2013, I was here with my friend and his 3 year old. I wanted to have dinner here, since reading « Unilocal’s Gettin’ Chippy Wit It! October 2^nd». Plus, I have been in the mood for Fish & Chips.
Parking was a bit tricky between 5 and 5:30 p.m. I had to drive to Kensington Dr. make a left turn and park in front of someones house. But, it was free!
As we walked towards the restaurant, a woman was walking beside us with nice boots. I am a Shoe Girl! And, with that said, I give her a compliment. She asked where we are going, and I said Fish Public. She replies, I’m on my way there myself, as I am the Hostess.
She walks us in, and helps with finding a table suitable for all 3 of us. We sit down, and she informs us it’s Happy Hour! Sweet! From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. And we are in that time frame. She returns with a bottle of cold water, and starts pouring us all water. For a Hostess, I am impressed! Plus, she was super friendly. Have I told you how I absolutely enjoy friendly people? I do. Happy people make the world go round!
As we scan the menu, my friend notices it’s Fish Fry Friday. That means, it’s ½ off on all the fried fish, and that includes Fish & Chips. From $ 17 to $ 8.50…Sweet! And, with Happy Hour going on… I picked the White Sangria for $ 5 and he picked the Draught Beer for $ 3.50. I prefer Red Sangria, but the White was delicious… I had 2.
The Fish & Chips was huge, and delicious! The fries were crispy and seasoned well with salt and pepper. The fish was crispy but not too much breading, and moist inside. Yum! I particularly enjoyed their tartar sauce. Tasted like it was made in house. Amazing!
Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. Thank you!
Overall, I give Fish Public 5 Stars for great service, delicious food, and a comfy, cozy, modern-​homey atmosphere.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Bön Appetit!

So now we’ve been back again, and still the same great calamari app on Asian slaw. Same great Sangria that must have a shot of something else besides wine. Add onto that list — amazing blistered padron peppers with tuna conserva– addicting umami flavors. Very similar to a shisito pepper dish at Japengo’s but much better! Zucchini and fennel side was healthy and seasoned delicately. Spouse devoured street tacos without sharing, kids had a lovely grilled chicken skewer and fruit– huge improvement over the Mac and cheese.
Again, great service, again great relaxed atmosphere, kid friendly. The extra star is for the better, less heavy food we ordered this time around. Don’t waste time with fish and chips or the poutine (which seems to have left the menu anyway)

Off the hook ! The Urban Kitchen Group with it’s signature branding, has done a great job in the Seafood Sister restaurant to the San Diego famed Cucina Urbana. Happy Hour 5 – 6:30 PM has well drinks & sangria for $ 5, and draught beer $ 3.50. We dined on Shellfish Sunday to try the $ 1 oysters and they were all soft, listless, not too briny, and very juicy. The runner didn’t explain which oysters were which of the 3 types of the evening. I ordered a glass of the Viognier Villa Botanica to compliment them and it was perfect. Something about having a fresh and flavorful appetizer such as oysters or a citrus salad brings out the flavors in the viognier and I was pleased with the start of our dining experience.
The Ceviche del Dia was a rough chop of the fish with serrano, avocado, and of all things… popcorn. I’ll stick to having the Ken next door serving my popcorn. This dish was a miss for me. Missing something crunchy on texture that you could scoop the ceviche with or an alternate carb left this dish I would skip.
However, what the short rib paparedelle is to Cucina Urbana, the new revamped Steamed Mussel are to Fish Public. Served in a spicy Coconut Green Curry with cilantro is the MUST GET, MUST TRY, & MUST SHARE. The Sadie Rose bread was perfectly toasted offering the smokey flavor to dip into the Thai inspired creamy broth. I could easily be addicted to this preparation. The mussels were big & hearty and I loved the balance in the spicy and minty broth.
The décor is very Cape Cod Cottage meets Rustic Hamptons. I love that the nautical theme isn’t over the top, but very tastefully executed with a modern twist. I will come back for sure to this neighborhood gem and take advantage of that large 18 person table in the center. Also, the «Guppy Menu» for kids includes drinks and a mini sundae for $ 9. Service is of course, outstanding, but that is expected from the Urban Kitchen Group.

Yes, Five stars for Fish Public.
Thank you for such a fabulous and irresistible cocktail menu, this is a lovely upgrade from the K grill.
The décor is beautiful, my favorite is the street tacos.
I recommend the kale and sweet potato tacos. Sounds strange, huh?
Veggie tacos, who would have thought?
My coworkers are believers, they love them.
Try the silverlake or the SLLD (summer loving lemon drop) —
THE STAFF IS WONDERFUL,
i was a regular at K grill and was fearful for a change in staff.
Thank God Haidi, Dustin and JB are still there, always
on point and so professional and attentive.
Very worthy of five stars for me, the food is fresh and delicious. The fish and chips received honorable mention in the union tribune; will be having that next time
i come in.