J & D Seafood

the freshest seafoods you can get in Los angeles. you need to be here early at dawn to get the fish you want plus its only open on weekends. this place has a lot of variety of fish whole or fillets are available, seashell like clams, oysters and best price of the shrimps compare to other wholesaler., i prefer coming here and you can see for urself how many people buy here that to other wholesaler too. if your lucky sea urchins are available once in a while for a dollar.

This is a great wholesale fish market located near Ports Of Call in San Pedro. I really like the fresh fish options and the shell fish for my father’s catering business. They have lots of parking for small business owners that don’t have large trucks to back into the docks. Also the location is close to the freeway so easy access for trucks and cars.

Little did i know that there is a specific crowd of people looking for great prices, freshness and great selection in the Early hours of the day, Every saturday to be specific between the hours of 3 am and 8 am.
Being there for the first time at those early crazy hours
Can be a little intimidating as the excitement of the unexpected and the lack of daylight can quickly both turn into a burst of energy and hustle to get the best bargains among strangers that either smile back to you or rudely shove you around in order to snatch that special bargain away from you and the rest of the crowd.
People with different ethnicities, different languages, some yelling, God only knows if they are cursing you out, Kids half asleep lurking around like zombies, because their parents dragged them alone in the middle of the night, perhaps to teach them and show them a family custom ‚
Its quite an experience to see from a little clam to a mako shark ready to be sliced as a steak or filet,
The freshness, flavor, and pricing make this odd experience think twice about making reservations for a charter fishing boat, now that i am getting older, Why go through all that
When this place is a definite catch.

I finally gave up some sleep woke my butt up and made it to this very popular well known fish market for the first time. And let me tell you it was worth sacrificing my sleep.
So got there at 315am it was already busy. Browsed thru each bay like other reviewers had suggested, ended up shopping here they had the best prices. I wanted something wild caught so I didn’t go for the salmon (farmed from Chile). I went for the sashimi blue fin tuna at $ 3.95/lb and mahi for the same price. I went to my car dropped off first batch of fish and went back again wanting to get yellowtail at $ 1.95/lb. As I grabbed the 10 lb yellowtail went to stand in line, a guy on the side yelled sashimi tuna now at $ 2.95/lb. I said heck with yellowtail. I dropped it back to the tray and went ahead grabbed another bag of tuna. There’s no way you will find cheaper sashimi blue fin tuna anywhere.
All in all I walked out of there spending under $ 50 with fish that would last me two weeks if I ate fish everyday.
Definitely worth sacrificing sleep!

After exploring the 6 – 8 am markets of downtown LA for the past few months, I caught wind of the San Pedro markets. About midway down that lineup, I found J&D Seafood.
The Experience:
The whole market setup is a bit intimidating for the first timer. This is a working market with multiple shops that are very business. Seafood options are out for you to see and purchase for later cooking at home. People/​restaurant buyers are quick to get in and get what they need. Dress for warmth with non-​dressy shoes.
Paula really made the difference this morning. She explained the flow, what to expect, and when to come next time for the best selection. 7 am is their end of day, but matches right up to what I have heard via word of mouth. Even at the tail end of their day though, I picked up fresh halibut and grouper filets for the week.
Overall, worth the wake-​up and the drive, if you want fresh seafood. Thanks, Paula! I will be back.
My Rating:
Mission accomplished @ 3 Stars + People @ 1 Star + Other (Parking+Info & Tips) @ 1 Star = 5 Stars