ISF Trading

Delicious fresh fish and a really fun experience. The kind woman at the counter gave us some great recommendations and we ate in the staff canteen which was comfortable, clean, and had every thing you could need (sauces, dishes, cold barley tea). I couldn’t recommend coming here more if you love fresh fish and a good deal. Standouts were the sweet shrimp and scallops but everything was amazing.

For the freshest seafood, especially sea urchin, this is the place to go. Their sea urchin, shrimp, and sashimi mix were delicate, delicious, and a lot cheaper than buying from places like H Mart, IF you're willing to drive, the quality and value are unbeatable! You may also eat there but I ordered to-go.

Spot is a bit hard to find but try to follow the sign - it’s very discrete! They sell fresh sashimi and uni along with sea cucumbers, octopus, shrimp, fish and more! They also sell $6 for a half dozen of eggs that are safe to eat raw (they’re raised on their own farm growing up eating sea urchins which is really cool)

Insane Maine uni deals. First time experiencing an uni coma. Stopped by this past Sunday around noon and was surprised to see how lively it was. Plenty of customers, including quite a few Japanese families, which felt like a good sign. Though primarily a wholesaler, they offered a decent selection of retail items, many of which can be enjoyed right upstairs in the lunch room. The space was simple, but all the essentials were laid out: soy sauce, wasabi paste tubes, complimentary iced tea and water. Picked up 150g of fresh saltwater uni for just $26, which was wild. Paired it with a sashimi set and some sweet shrimp on the side. Unlike the usual uni served at high-end omakase spots (which is cured for 2–4 weeks in wooden trays), this one was completely fresh—no curing, just stored in salt water. Because of that, the flavor was much milder and cleaner. Drain the salt water first tho. We forgot and got briny first few bites. But once you wrap it up in seaweed with sweet shrimp, ikura, and a splash of soy sauce… pure euphoria.

I apologize in advance for bursting any bubbles… this place lived in social media hype land for me for at least a year. I was so excited to go! This is my dream place! In reality, super disappointing. Giving it a star for hole in the wall appeal, but the food just wasn’t very good. The famed sashimi platter is $26 and comes with tuna, salmon, scallop, ikura. It was small, quality was lower to mid, and we had a bite that was still frozen. The slices of fish were messily cut. We are locals who have made sushi and dons from fish markets all over the area, and Harbor Fish is our gold standard. For $26, you could get double the seafood and have it be fresher and higher quality just slicing yourself. For reference, they’re selling picked lobster meat for $70/lb but it goes for $55-60/lb at local markets fresh. Or, just go to Yosaku and get the sashimi lunch for $22 and it’ll be more fish and higher quality. Or go all out for a chirashi bowl for $40 that’ll be nicer in . Again, seriously loved the concept from the videos online but the quality to price ratio just doesn’t deliver. I imagine the Uni is lovely, that does seem to be their specialty.

Highly recommend going early to avoid missing out on popular items, as they can sell out quickly. The uni, sashimi, and other seafood are incredibly fresh, though some selections are frozen. The staff are exceptionally friendly and take great care in packaging your purchases, often using ice packs or styrofoam containers when needed. Upstairs, there is a spacious seating area equipped with a microwave, coffee, tea, soy sauce, wasabi, and small dipping bowls, which makes it convenient to enjoy your food on-site. Just be sure to tidy up after yourself. Definitely planning to come back!

I wanna say, I love finding hole in the wall spots just like this one. It was like an adventure going to this place for the freshest pieces of sashimi. It was so good that I had to go back multiple times on my trip here to Portland. There’s a lunchroom upstairs where it’s quiet and you can sit in peace and eat the food. It is such a vibe and experience. I love everything about this spot and I hope it never leaves. 100/10 must try!!

Very fresh and taste good 😋 We tried two different kinds of uni, the one without sea salt water is more creamy than the other but both taste good! And the price is reasonable, we spent $89 for a sashimi platter, two uni, and one shrimp. Tho the shrimp seems still not totally defrosted😅 We brought our own rice and seaweed but they sell them as well. There’s a room on the second floor where you can sit and enjoy your food.

Was in Portland for the day and was craving sushi and upon a quick Yelp search, I landed upon ISF Trading--and realized it's actually been on my list since it went viral last year! The hype has since gone down a bit, but I think this mom-and-pop type seafood wholesale fish market is worth the trip and should be on your list too. It's unlike any other dining experience. No frills, as you are literally sharing your dining space with the rest of the building at their lunch break room upstairs. In terms of parking and finding your way to the warehouse, after putting in its address, handwritten signs are pointing your way to the fish market. For parking, there seemed to be some people parked right in front of the entrance, but we were unsure of where to park at the time, so we just found street parking. Once you enter through the door #5 that's marked, it is the very first door on the right, and it will very much look like a wholesale seafood warehouse, with styrofoam boxes, fishy-smelling water on the floor, and pier machinery. When you get to the counter, the people who run the place know enough English for you to order from the QR code, which brings you to their online menu. We got there at 1:30pm on a Sunday (opened 12-4pm), and the salmon sashimi set was already sold out! We didn't see the sign when we ordered until it was too late, but there is a sign for a cash discount (3.5% off). They accept credit cards! Up the stairs at the staff break room, there were easily signs leading up to the break room. There are a few microwaves, which we used to microwave our 2-minute instant white rice. There are a few condiments on the table, including soy sauce, rice vinegar, wasabi, and others, along with iced barley tea, which tasted fairly strong. Everything is self-serve, and after you are done eating, you clean and spray the table once you're done. If you used a sauce container, you'll be the one washing your own dishes too. Overall, we had a great experience! Very much a hole-in-the-wall, no frills meal where you are just there for the food and company! I loved how they had rice, nori, and sushi vinegar, so it was very customizable to one's taste, so I basically just made mini handrolls and nigiri for myself as I ate. It was my first time eating raw squid, and the salmon and tuna were great. The fish roe was a little too fishy and was the only thing that didn't quite taste as fresh, but other than that, I'd recommend this spot to others whenever they're in town! What we ordered: - sashimi set (raw salmon, tuna, scallop, squid, fish roe) $26? - seaweed salad $3 - microwavable rice $3 - nori packet $1

I apologize in advance for bursting any bubbles... this place lived in social media hype land for me for at least a year. I was so excited to go! This is my dream place! In reality, super disappointing. Giving it a star for hole in the wall appeal, but the food just wasn't very good. The famed sashimi platter is $26 and comes with tuna, salmon, scallop, ikura. It was small, quality was lower to mid, and we had a bite that was still frozen. The slices of fish were messily cut. We are locals who have made sushi and dons from fish markets all over the area, and Harbor Fish is our gold standard. For $26, you could get double the seafood and have it be fresher and higher quality just slicing yourself. For example, they're selling picked lobster meat for $70/lb but it goes for $55-60/lb at local markets fresh. Or, just go to Yosaku and get the sashimi lunch for $22 and it'll be more fish and higher quality. Or go all out for a chirashi bowl for $40 that'll be nicer in . Again, seriously loved the concept from the videos online but the quality to price ratio just doesn't deliver. I imagine the Uni is lovely, that does seem to be their specialty.

When there are more non English speaking Asians than English speaking whites coming to this back door sashimi place, you know you're in for a treat. Had a whole tray of fresh uni to myself. They graciously allow you to make use of the workers lunchroom to sit and eat. Otherwise you take it somewhere for an impromptu picnic.

ISF Trading Seafood Market on Hobson's Pier was a steal to visit. We got Uni (100g),..Sashimi Red Tuna ( 1LB), Sashini Set (Tuna, Salmon, Scallops , Squid, Salmon Roe), Sweet Shrimp Peel 30ps ., Wasabi Octopus, Sashimi Scallops (1LB). The staff was friendly and helpful. We sat in there dining area. We paid about $160 for everything. The stuff was fresh and worth it . Wish we got some to take home.

I came here at noon on a Monday. Then again on Tuesday. Then again on Wednesday. Kidding about Wednesday but in all seriousness, I did go two days in a row for fabulously reasonably priced raw seafood at near wholesale prices (because it really is a wholesale place). Atmosphere: Zero fancy things about this place. It's on the pier and smells like fish. The decor is non-existent. You're eating with the workers of the place in their worker break room hah Service: Helpful staff though their English and question-answering abilities were slightly limited. Parking: Paid street parking that is a bit difficult to get on the main road there. Directions to the place are hand-written photos, and they did their best to help direct people to the right place, but it's still pretty difficult to find TBH I gave it 4 stars completely because of the food. Everything else is neutral or slightly negative for the eating experience, so I could not give it 5 stars, but at this price point and quality of fish, I will DEFINITELY be back!

I am obsessed with this place. It's no frills, literally located in a fishing warehouse, and comes with true Chinese auntie (read: stern) customer service, but you can't find a better deal for fresh uni. We followed the pin on Google maps until we saw a sign with an arrow that said "Please come in to buy sea urchin." You scan a QR code (also located here: https://www.seaurchinmaine.com/en/pd.jsp?fromColId=104&id=18#_pp=104_397) for the menu and order at the register. I got a "plastic container uni" ($15 for 100g), sashimi set ($26), and frozen clams ($15). I ate the uni and sashimi at home with some rice, nori, and soy sauce, so we didn't make use of the staff dining room upstairs (they also had nori and white rice for purchase). The uni, I think, was better than the sashimi -- the sashimi was certainly fresh, and the squid was standout, but the tuna and salmon were nothing to write home about. And $15 for 100g of uni is a total steal: it fulfilled my culinary fantasy of eating uni until I was stuffed. Highly recommend for any seafood lovers -- I'm hoping to stop by soon to get more uni and perhaps a cut of toro to take home.

I was really excited to come here for affordable sashimi. I think the only thing that's ready to go is the sashimi set which comes with a good amount and variety of fish but the cuts are rough and I think the price makes sense for what you get. The staff canteen has some sytrofoam cups and tea available, as well as soy sauce, chopsticks, and paper towel rolls if needed.

This was not the best sushi I've ever had. Nor was it the best service I've experienced at an eatery. Neither of those things are what make ISF Trading a giddying experience. Instead, this was the most gobsmacking exceptional value for delectable raw fish and access to a convenient self-service kitchen I could possibly fathom on the east coast -- perhaps anywhere. As others have already noted, finding ISF Trading is a bit of a challenge. Just look for the steady stream of Asians come and going from a nondescript door about halfway down the loading dock and you'll be in the right place. Fair warning, it's a fish market and unquestionably smells like one. Fortunately, my olfactory senses are notoriously dull; folks with high sensitivity to odors should plan accordingly. The sashimi set (priced at $24 the day we went) is easily a satisfying shareable snack for two people. Tack on some microwaveable white rice and some mini-sheets of nori and you have a full-on sushi meal. If you plan ahead, bring your own prepped sushi rice and proper nori sheets for a cheap upgrade. I think the real wow factor was the 150gram salt water uni package at $26. I enjoy sampling uni, but after two or three pieces, I'm tapped out. We were with uni fiends who merrily polished off the rest of the container. This is likely the highest value item you can snag at ISF Trading, especially if you're into urchin gonads. The staff dining room is just up the stairs and down the hall - the door's clearly marked. It's no-frills, but well stocked. We were hooked up with a tube of wasabi, a bottle of soy sauce, and some dipping dishes. I think we must have looked pretty befuddled, because a kind employee (who didn't speak English) came by to help us unwrap and drain our package of uni so we could tuck in. Having a meal at ISF Trading isn't for everyone and requires some adventurous eating spirit, but it's probably one of my favorite Portland experiences ever!

Rating: 4.5 Decided to visit since we were at portland and saw this place on feed/social media. Hidden fish market behind becky's diner. Went right as it opens on 12:00pm but there were already lines formed. It's really hidden but they try their best to show you where it is by putting signs on the doors from the entrance. They sell variations of seafoods which can be eaten there or taken home to cook. They offer very unique seafoods which you cannot but normally in regular fish market. We ordered sashimi set, sweet shrimps, uni, scallops, and sea cucumber meat. They were all tasty and fresh for the most part except sweet shrimp which was still partially frozen. We also got Tamaki farm eggs which are made to be able to be eaten raw so that you can put them on rice which are very rare in the United States. Overall the experience was very unique and interesting. Definitely a must visit hidden gem in portland area. Next time if I were to visit I Would definitely try to aim for things that are caught in Maine locally because some of the things are shipped from elsewhere and are frozen.

This place is AMAZING and a must-visit for any uni fanatic. I think they have parking in front, though I opted for paid street parking (before realizing the parking situation). The store is run by Chinese people, but they speak multiple languages, including Japanese. They also have a QR code menu you can scan to browse their selection. They offer multiple kinds of uni - I got the salt water uni and the wooden tray uni. If you're planning to eat there, I'd recommend the salt water uni since it seems to come with more pieces. The wooden tray uni is nicer for presentation. also tried one of their sashimi sets, and everything was incredibly fresh. Once you make your purchase, you can either take it to go (they provide an insulated to-go bag that works really well) or eat there. They sell rice and seaweed too so you can make your own sushi. If you choose to eat in, they take you upstairs, where there are plenty of tables and open seating. Utensils, bowls, tea, and condiments are self-serve. I'd highly recommend coming here for uni or any of your seafood needs, especially if you're looking for sashimi. I think it was an excellent value. I'm already craving it again.

Really enjoyed the Toro and wanted to try some of their other fish selection. I got a pound of the frozen Atlantic Sashimi salmon that was very rich and fatty. This is one of the more buttery pieces of salmon sashimi i've tried. Clerk was very helpful in answering all my questions and assisting me

Sea urchin was great bang for your buck and so fresh! The owner was so friendly and kind and helped show us around.

Very interesting and a bit daunting spot to check out! Food is very much worth it Follow the signs to find the market, which is behind Betty's dinner and go into the 5th door, as the sign say in both English and Chinese. You will find a line and a chart of all that they offer, in very small letters. Find the QR code above the sink area, to get the list with pictures which is so much more easier to make out. The staff dispatching the food are Asian and have a tad of an accent, so be patient and be ready with your orders. The older women who attended us was elderly and adorable. She was very patient and we showed her the picture from the QR website, and was able to tell us "no" if not available anymore and nod if it was available! in the middle of the conversation she took out a container of spicy sea cucumber and hand out samples, leaving us with a delicious sample to enjoy and a bit dumbfounded that she left for a bit. To me, it was all good because it was endearing. We got scallops, a sashimi plate, sweet shrimp, uni, spicy sea cucumber, and the eggs. The eggs apparently are from chickens who are only feed seafood! Everything was so fresh and the individual working there are so kind. There is seating inside, which seems to be the workers lunch room. There is restrooms as well~ everything is clean! This is not a restaurant, it's a market so the lunchroom is what you should expect of a seafood company's lunchroom~ Best experience in Maine and must to try out!

Friends recommended this place for its cheap prices for high quality (and quantity) seafood. It's far out of the way, but a good stopping point between Acadia and Boston. We tried the uni tray and general sashimi platter. I don't typically like uni, but this one was definitely different and sweeter. It's a seafood wholesale company but they also sell in smaller quantities. If you stop by and want to eat a meal, you can order downstairs and head upstairs into their staff lunch area to enjoy your food. They have various sauces and drinks for you there too.

Fresh seafood. Amazing price. Difficult to find but it's worth it. Quite a gem. Smells fishy but you can see staff processing the food clearly. You can also dine in their staff room (completely self service including washing the shared utensils) if you don't want to take it away.

Great place to have a fresh and affordable meal. Sushi rice is available, soy sauce and wasabi in addition to the fish you can buy.

I discovered this hidden gem when I was doing research for my Portland trip. This seafood wholesaler is right behind Becky's Diner. They sell lot of different types of seafood, especially for making sushi. I got the hotate sashimi($30/lb), both saltwater uni($26) and uni on wooden tray($24), and seaweed salad. Both the scallops and sea urchin are a must buy! The saltwater uni and uni on wooden tray were very fresh and not bitter at all. The hotate sashimi was out of this world. The scallops were so silky and delicious!

It's a wholesale seafood place where you can buy sashimi sets. There's a lot on the menu. There isn't an entrance sign, so you might feel like you're in the wrong place. I think you can park in the lot if you're just picking up food. Entrance is a bit down the building through flaps. You can actually sit and eat there too but the seafood smell is very strong in the whole area. Clerk was nice. He offered chopsticks, soy sauce, and whatever else you need. He packed ice with the sashimi to keep it fresh.

I ordered online and asked the vendor to ship seafood to Illinois. Their starting price is $300, so gather some friends if you'd like fresh seafood in the cornfield.

This is a seafood whosale company but you can go in to their office to buy some fresh seafood for a great deal! We bought uni and sashimi set, which were so fresh and creamy!

Always an awesome experience to go and buy seafood there. Very friendly owner/employees that work there. All of the seafood is always very fresh and is the best pricing available. *Besides the friendly/kind atmosphere, something that will always stick with me about this place and the owners is that there was only one mishap out of the 25 times I have placed huge orders (was not a big one). I called later to sort it out and they actually shipped out the seafood the next day, at no charge, and it came in a very sturdy/thick styrofoam box with ice in it and they delivered it to a residential location in another state!! ***(207)-879-1575 is the latest phone number I used to call and contact them. They are on Facebook and have their own website so if check for other numbers if the one on yelp doesn't work.

ISF trading is hands-down the best place you can find fish on the East coast, if not the entire United States. The exterior looks rough, just like a fish factory, but they sell the best-quality fish at an insanely cheap price. This is a vendor where many sushi restaurants in the North East coast get their fish from and that fact speaks for itself. The entrance is behind another seafood restaurant and they have their own parking at the back. What we ordered: Saltwater live uni (sea urchin) $26/150g Mackerel $15/packet sashimi squid $15/250g Tuna red meat $30/lb Salmon $20/lb Shrimp $15/tray They are known for their sea urchin (uni) but my personal favorite is the scallops. I've never had scallops this rich and silky before. Uni is also really high quality, but they can vary in taste especially when you get them during summer. Tuna and salmon are also packed with flavors. Their menu changes daily depending on what they've got. Popular items like their uni run out fast and I recommend visiting them early. The staff is very friendly and makes sure to pack lots of ice so that everything stays cold and fresh by the time you return. This place would continue to be our favorite and we will return gladly!

So glad we got this recommendation! Mainly a wholesale seafood company and one of the largest uni processing companies in the states, ISF also sells frozen sashimi in the store. The entrance can be a bit hard to find but look for the door here and you'll be brought in to some coolers filled with amazing seafood. We picked up o toro (so perfectly fatty), scallops (sooo fresh), salmon (because) ama ebi (sweet!) and of course two boxes of uni (buttery fresh with sweet hint) and was just under two hundred bucks. We cut up the fish quite likes noobs but the fish spoke for themselves!

My boyfriend stumbled upon this place when we were looking around the area of our hotel. It is a small place which is right behind Becky's Diner. The entrance is pretty hard to find - but keep walking until there is a door with a sign which I think said Office and that is the entrance (go in and turn right and you are in the right place). When we got here around 12 pm; there was actually a line so definitely get right when they open if you are in a hurry or on a time constraints. They take both cash and card and they have their menu posted with pricing just above the area where you order. I definitely recommend looking at the menu ahead of time to figure out what you want prior to going there. We decided to go with: Scollops, wooden box uni, octopus leg, yellowtail, squid, Salmon, smoked salmon, seaweed salad and sweet shrimp. The main highlights were the scollops, wooden box uni and squid but everything was super fresh and they package it all up and give you ice when you purchase. If you are not sure what to get you can get the sashimi set which came with salmon, scollop, uni, tuna and squid and was $25 and it is a good sampler set to get. Overall - definitely recommend coming here for wholesale pricing and fresh seafood.

Great place to eat sushi. Fresh, high quality. Friendly. I highly recommend people coming.

The entrance door is all the way in the back towards the water. Can park anywhere outside. It is a seafood wholesale company. You can smell the seafood once you step in. When you enter, it is on your right. Once you purchase whatever you want, you can eat right upstairs in their employee break room. They have soy sauce, chopsticks, sauce plate, wasabi, paper towels, and sink. Bring a drink with you if you plan to eat there. We tried sweet uni, sweet shrimp, and sashimi sampler before purchasing more to bring home. The sashimi sampler was fresh and good. Wish they had Hokkaido Scallop but they didn't. They were from Maine. The sweet shrimp was good but of course, wasn't sweet like the ones from Japan. My favorite was their sweet uni! Overall, staffs was super friendly. They're asian. They will ask if you speak English, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese to service you. Highly recommended! There was not much of a line on a Saturday at 2pm. We left with more seafood: sweet shrimp, sweet uni, flying fish roe, and medium fat tuna. They provide ice if you need.

This is Portland's best kept secret. If you're lucky enough to find out about them, you'll have a time. This is the spot for anyone in Portland who wants decent sushi/sashimi. It's especially good if you love to get your own ingredients and make homemade dishes. The owners here are very nice and will teach you things about the seafood and products they sell. I had a great time; it's now my go to for fresh seafood and sushi/sashimi.

This spot has the best fish and uni !!!! I found this place through a friends social media page and told my friend to bring some down for me from Maine to NYC!!! The price is amazing and the fish is always so fresh! We got it 3 times already from here. Scallops are charged $20 per pound, $12 a box for baby shrimp and $20 for the box of uni we got.

We stopped by on vacation on the day we were headed out and got 2 sashimi sets, 1 instant rice (need microwave), 1 seaweed pack and ordered 2 trays of uni for pick up (waited for delivery). We were glad to find that they accept credit card and are friendly, they offer great recommendations. Everything was packaged nicely. When we got back to NY, we sampled both the uni (without preservatives) and the uni in a wooden box. We enjoyed both but the first kind was our favorite! We would gladly return. Drive up past the employee parking and there are spaces towards the back, very unassuming door, make a right when you go in. Highly recommend getting uni from here!

Very friendly staff and they Uni so good. But the area of ISF is behind becky restaurants

Love stopping by here whenever I'm around the area. Found this place on a whim while on a day trip with my friend. The people behind the counter taking orders are always very friendly. The fish isn't too fishy tasting and the uni in saltwater. Omggggg def must try.

Uni is really good, probably it's as good as you can get in this area. It was fresh and taste very good. but i think the price they charge is not the same as it shows on the menu board. I ordered a plastic container (pic attached) $18, but I was charged $26 as wooden tray. Perhaps they just change the package. I would not recommend the Sashimi, both quality and quantity did not match the picture they show in the store. I was charged $24, they were all broken pieces not the sashimi cut. It really not worth paying that much for that quality, sashimii was a disappointment.