Fishmonger's Seafood Market

WOW!!!! My friends and I ate @ Fishmongers today as always. Today we had the rudest waitress ever!!! Tiffany thinks BLACK people dont tip, so she gave us horrible service. Not to mention... her tip was left on the table before she opened her mouth. We were the only people in the resturant that had to go to the register in order to pay for the food. She picked up everybody elses check... UUUMMM I better stick to eating fish from Colemans!!! more

Fishmonger's Restaurant has been a fixture of historic Brightleaf Square sine 1986 -- they must be doing something right! From seafood to BBQ to Certified Angus Ribeye steaks, there is something for everyone on the menu. Our party ordered NC shrimp (beer-battered), oysters and sauteed scallops. The folks at the other end of the picnic table (PICNIC TABLE??!!) had pulled pork sandwiches and brisket that looked great. The prices are reasonable and funky atmosphere is fun and casual. We'll be back! p.s. it takes awhile for food prepared to your specifications -- in our case scallops sauteed with no oil, so sit back, have a drink and prepare for a super meal. more

Family friendly (beachy decor with picnic tables) serving delicious seafood. The sauteed scallops are out-of-this-world. Our succulent Blue Point oysters were complimented by icy-cold beer. Fried green tomatoes and homemade side dishes followed by banana pudding rounded out a memorable meal. Certified Angus ribeye steaks and barbeque ribs satisfied the land-lubbers with us. Pros: steamed oysters, scallops, blue crabs Cons: parking lot crowded more

You just can't make a food and beverage run downtown Durham without spending some time at Fishmonger's. We spend a LOT of time up and down the Carolina coast and assure you, fresher seafood can't be found unless you reel it in yourself; and you'd be hard pressed to find a better variety. A super casual atmosphere in vintage building with fun quirky pieces (barstools from tractor seats, picnic tables...) makes you glad to say ""yeah, this is my town"". Roll up your sleeves and throw back the oysters and beer! Fried jalapenos a must! Seasonal vegetables with a nice simple southern touch. Good food, good people, good price. Pros: great fresh seafood, laid back atmosphere, good people more

Service: Very good. Not the fastest place in the world, but our waitress was relatively knowledgeable and helped us choose our entrees. She was also able to supply chocolate milk for our 5 year old, which was appreciated. No issues with substituting broccoli for fries (I have the one 5 year old in the world that hates french fries) Atmosphere: Very laid back and casual. No peanut shells on the floor, but butcher paper for tablecloths and picnic table seating. A few beer signs, mounted fish and big plate windows. Food: My wife ordered grilled snapper (special), I ordered blackened Mahi. My wife wasn't a fan of the blackening (and to be honest, I've had more flavorful coatings, this was mainly char) but she liked the snapper. I thought the Mahi was very good. Both fish entrees were very fresh. The catfish appetizer was also fresh and well prepared. Our side dishes though were pretty awful. Leading the pack was the insipid, flavorless and extremely overcooked white rice. ""Gross"" is the only way to describe it. Next; the sugar snap peas. Also overcooked, but not as bad as the rice. They just tasted bland. They aren't in season, so maybe they're frozen, but if I were running the place I would completely rethink the sides. Lastly the slaw - little heavy on the relish for me. Parking: Extremely easy in the Brightleaf lot; they do validate the parking ticket even though it isn't in the Brightleaf building, which is very nice. Pros: Both fish entrees were very fresh Cons: Rice that came with the meal was gross more

This was the worst service I have had in quite awhile. Drink and food orders were taken in a relatively prompt manner; this was not in any way indicative of the speed with which the food was brought. I suspect that my party's order was not put in until one of us asked the waitress when we should expect it to arrive (after waiting 45 minutes with no interaction from her). Another 20 minutes later, one person's food arrived (raw oysters and clams). The rest of the food arrived several minutes later. When we asked the server why it took so long for our food to arrive, she responded that it was typical for food to take that long to prepare on such a busy night, that the food was made to order, and that sometimes the cooks prepared smaller orders before larger ones like our party (of 5). Only after she provided these excuses did she state that she was sorry for the wait. Our food was ok-- nothing that would ever merit such a wait and such poor service. I will never go to this restaurant again, and I recommend that you avoid it as well. Pros: 1 waitress that did her job well (not assigned to our table) Cons: All other waitstaff more

My party of five went to this restaurant tonight and waited 90 minutes to get our food after we ordered. The table next to us (who came 20 minutes after we did) got their food 30 minutes before us; this was not the only table that was served sooner. When our food finally arrived, we asked the waitress (who wasn't ours) why it took so long and all she could come up with was that it is a ""small restaurant"" and ""food is made to order"". Our waitress, ""Melissa S"", never came by in the 90 minutes to tell us it would be a while, never checked on our drinks, and basically ignored us. Unfortunately, 18% gratuity was added because we were a group of 5. I will be calling the manager in the morning. Pros: The food was warm when it got to us Cons: Everything else more

BETTER THAN MARYLAND!!! Yeah, I said it. The food is delicious, and it's a fun place you can bring your family OR your buddies! Leave your sunday best at home, you'll feel a little out of place. Come as you are, have a great time, and don't waste money on fancy dining when you could pay less and get the best seafood around. I'm hooked! Pros: great food, cheap, free parking more

this place isn't about looks...it's all about the food. the seafood is fresh...i personally love the raw oysters with a pint of beer.. i came here with my family from out of town. my mom (who lives in hawaii) couldn't get enough of the seafood. she loved it here... our waiter was a real friendly, casual guy..recommending different specials/local beers...making the experience that much more enjoyable... Pros: fresh seafood, comfortable more

(UPDATE 2010: Still the best place for seafood!) This is a great place to eat by yourself or with close friends. They use brown paper tablecloths, and newspapers stay scattered on a table for diners to read. If you sit at the bar you can watch TV and even use the remote (kinda like home, huh?). You don't get pampered or blown away by the decor, which hasn't changed any in 20 years.\r \r What you do get is Great prices and very fresh seafood. ($5.00 for a dozen Oysters, steamed or raw on Fridays!) The fish and crabs, scallops etc are all great. There are always specials on the board. Yeah, I know, you don't get ""white-glove"" service, but that's more like home too!\r \r This is like an old shoe...it just feels good - again and again. When you can eat seafood and have a beer or two for under $15, what is there to complain about? Pros: Fresh seafood, Specials, The Oysters rock! Cons: Service, Decor?, No snobs allowed more

I love this place. I love seafood and they do a great job in that department. Don't go here expecting the kind of service you gety from a chain. It simply isn't that kind of place. Go here to sit and drink a good beer and talk to your friends while your waiting for some really fresh seafood at a good price. more

Fishmongers gave me my worst experience in dining out thus far. It took about fifteen minutes before anyone asked for our drink order or brought us menus, and another fifteen to get the drinks--which ended up being wrong, but no one ever came back to our table to check on us. As soon as a couple walked in and sat next to us, we told them they should leave before they could even get a chance to order, and others around mirrored our comments to them. After a little over an hour, we decided to leave. As we were walking out, our ""waiter"" had the nerve to tell us that it was all right because he hadn't put our food order in yet. The service is TERRIBLE. With such a great location, you would think that the owners would have a little more pride in serving their customers. more

Wow. Just as good as home (New England). I hate to admit it but better than my Moms. Glad I found this place. Ill be there alot til school is out! Great Oysters, Chowder and Bisque are addictive. Frogmore Stew was a real treat! Pros: Great Food, No Line To Stand In, Good Parking more

I have have been coming to this restuarant for years. I always receive the freshest seafood possible, both in-house and from their market. The staff are friendly, and seating is prompt. The atmosphere is great--beachy and laid-back. The cooking compliments the food and doesn't over-power it. I recommend the fish n' chips at lunch, and the homemade french fries, onion rings, and made-from-scratch banana pudding are incredible. There are several options for non-seafood eaters, from fresh veggies to the best barbeque around. Fishmonger's provides options for the health-concious (grilled, steamed, etc.) and those less calorie-concious. A grest compliment to the food is the bar. Their beer selection is one of the best in town, featuring many NC beers and microbrews--and served in a frosted mug! Definitely one of my favorite places to eat, this landmark and hidden jewel is a rare find and a must for anyone in the Triangle. Pros: fresh seafood, great atmosphere, reasonable prices more

When we arrived there were 5 other customers. We placed our order for an appetizer & meals and iced tea. Received the tea. 55 minutes later our meals arrived delivered by the cook - no appetizer. Never received refills nor did the wait person ever return to our table. As we were leaving the wait person asked how everything was. Our response was the food was great but the service was horrible, her response: ""How could that be? Well, we weren't prepared for this big a crowd tonight."" Perhaps if she hadn't attended to one table with an attractive young man every 5 minutes while ignoring the other customers this experience would have been more pleasant. Recommend they install a self service soda and iced tea dispenser and have customers pick up orders at the counters when their number is called and do away with wait people all together. Pros: good food Cons: terrible service more

It is unusual to find a restaurant where every aspect of ones dining experience is poor. Usually, ambiance, food, drinks, timliness of service... is satifactory. Not the case with Fishmongers. I visited June 30, 2002; was greeted by a non-airconditioned inferno; drank tepid beer; waited fourty minutes to be served; ate oysters that an idiot teenager shucked then rinsed off with tap water; ate blue crabs that tasted as if they had been cooked two days post-mortem; was served inedible corn that must have sat in a pot of boiling water for as long as the crabs had been dead; visited an unclean restroom that contained neither toilet paper or paper towels. Finally, I sat at the bar across from the walk-in cooler which, when opened by staff members exuded a stench of decay. An unpleasant experience start to finish; a job well done by the staff/owners of Fishmongers. Pros: good parking, no food poisioning Cons: dirty, poor food, no air conditioning more