Kate's Fish

Been walking past this stand for years and since I'm not a huge fan of fish never bought anything but always took a look to see what they had to offer. Yesterday my Fiance mentioned we should do crab legs soon and we weren't too impressed by the selection at Heinens or the price. Surprised her this morning by making the hour drive to the west side market to get fresh crab legs. We got 3 clusters of snow and 3 king crab legs. Let them defrost in the fridge for a few hours then boiled them. THEY TURNED OUT ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! This will be our new years tradition from now on, and the only place we will be going is Kate's. Thank you!

I have been to west side market a few times but never thought I would try any fish products, but I love ahi tuna and I was not disappointed, it melted in my mouth and is the best ahi tuna I have ever eaten! Thanks Kates fish I will be back for more!

First time to the West Side Market today was just for a visit to Kate's Fish. The reviews just scraped the surface because the guys there were amazing. Very attentive and full of knowledge. They definitely have new regular customers, especially when we are planning for a Low Country Boil.

Very happy with all of my purchases over the last few months. Fish is fresh and they were super helpful when I was trying to pick a fish that was thick enough to be both deboned and skinned. Prices are surprisingly competitive. I used to buy my fish at Costco, but Kate’s prices are not that different for much higher quality. It’s also always fun to see what new and exotic thing they have in to try. I’ll continue buying from them! I also LOVE the option of having local Lake Erie fish fresh.

You can’t go wrong with Kate’s fish. I love their selection of fish and other seafood but today I put them to the test. I grew up in Maryland and am used to live blue crabs some of the best crab cakes in the world. I’ve been wanting good crab cakes so I bit the bullet and bought a couple at West Side Market today. These are hands down the best I’ve had outside the mid-Atlantic. The crab meat is good and there is more crab than breading which is hard to find in Cleveland.

For the 5 years I lived downtown with my wife, we shopped at Kate’s fish weekly, as they have unparalleled service, a wide variety, and the absolute best quality seafood anywhere in Northeast Ohio. The staff is friendly and so ridiculously knowledgeable. For almost every holiday, birthday, or celebration we had over the last several years, Kate’s Fish has played an integral part in making it special. It takes only seconds of a conversation with the owner to sense his pride for his business and love for the West Side Market. On many occasions, when I’m trying a new dish, not only have they given recommendations on how to prepare the food, they have directed me to other West Side Market vendors for the rest of the ingredients. We recently moved to Medina, and we still make the time to shop at Kate’s at least a few times a month. Kate’s Fish is an absolute gem, and they can count on us for a lifetime of patronage. #TrustYourFishmonger

Responded to a much ballyhooed promotion of “fresh never frozen” lobster meat for holiday ordering. Showed up to claim our order, and were informed that only frozen was available. Anyone even moderately accustomed to lobster consumption knows the lower quality of frozen vs. fresh. Nobody died and nobody is going to jail here, but at best we have a colossal fumbling of fulfillment on a premium product, and at worst, well, bait and switch comes to mind. This business has a decent reputation, so perhaps the takeaway here is that it’s ok for WYSIWYG purchases, but it doesn’t seem to be ready for prime time in the special order arena.

We love to visit on a Friday seeing as they prepare the ALWAYS FRESH delivery the night before. We have tried the Halibut, Red Snapper, Sea Bass, and Grouper. I never trust fish from a chain store (mostly thawed from frozen). They have unique options which get our minds excited to try different cuisines. The staff are very knowledgeable and are always willing to answer the many questions I may have or give advice about preparations and techniques. I’m looking forward to the many culinary adventures I will have in the future that wouldn’t be possible without Kate’s.

Always fresh, and a great selection!! The crew there is very knowledgeable and willing to help.

No I do not recommend anybody of color giving Kate fish any business I stood there today as though I was invisible no one saying I'll be with you shortly (NOTHING),employees are rude very disrespectful they give you eye contact but then just keep doing whatever they're doing money is green not black "I pity the fool.

Kate's has a nice variety of fresh fish. You are served by super knowledgeable fishmongers who will filet the whole fish for ya. Best fish in town.

We stopped in to inquire about the " Colossal Scampi's" on display and saw they were $24.95/lb. size 3-5 U. I asked the man behind the counter would they have a 5 lb frozen block of these. He said to come back later and he would have them ready. We came back and he told me the price, which was less than the display price, so we bought the 5lb/ frozen block. We thawed the scampi's Christmas morning only to find they were not what we expected or ordered. These were U -15 shrimp not scampi's. U-15 shrimp you can buy anywhere. Very disappointed in this switcharoo and will never be back. Baah Humbug..

Exceptional selection and knowledgeable owners. Prices are competitive considering the superior quality offered.

Can't beat the price and the quality i went to a local grocery store and they were charging 5 more bucks a pound for walleye than Kate's and Kate's walleye was extremely fresh. Along with even their ocean perch it was cheaper and looked way fresher.

Baby octopus and shrimp anyone?? Visting the West Side Market yesterday, we'd read about Kate's Fish market. Wow! Their offerings were as promised: fresh, clean, and beyond yummy. Baby octopus isn't an ingredient you find very often. We've eaten octopus in a few restaurants, but never had the opportunity to try cooking it for ourselves. Well with the guidance of Kates staff, we served up an incredible 5 star worthy meal: Baby octopus, clean large shrimp, Ohio City squid ink pasta and their roasted garlic butter. OMG! Kate we love you! Fresh ingredients, handled with care, the best seafood we've had the pleasure to put in our mouths!!

Simply put, Kate's Fish is at minimum, a cut above the rest. Yes, you can go to the grocery store and get king crab legs. Or you can go to Kate's where they eat, live and breath the seafood business, and get yourself some king crab claws the size of a baseball (no exaggeration). Remember those shrimp you had at a fine dining restaurant in Europe? You'd be hard pressed to find them in any grocery store anywhere. But at Kate's Fish, you can truly find those rare foods you can only find in high end restaurants, shrimp included. It's always worth it to take the extra time to get your seafood from Kate's... The quality is rare and simply unmatched.

They kept our 4 kinds of oysters separated and even labeled them for us. Another guy was nice enough to go and find more stuffed clams for us because the counter was out. They have an awesome selection & great prices on oysters. We are excited to keep trying new stuff!

Quality product, knowledgeable staff that can answer any questions regarding preparation or provenance of the product. You can't find that at many places anymore!

Kate's Fish is my fishmonger of choice, and for good reason! Their offerings are certainly more varied than others, and their staff are knowledgeable and caring about the product they sell. There are times I come to the market looking for something in particular, but more often than not, I stop in just to see what looks good, maybe ask the fishmonger what they're cooking that night. One of the things I truly appreciate is that they offer a wide selection of whole fish, which allows me to cook it that way (as I often do) or have it butchered the way I prefer. I have found that grocery stores are often not as knowledgeable about fish butchery, and I'll get something home that wasn't at all what I intended. In addition, if I ask questions such as where the fish was sourced from, or how fresh it is, they offer this information freely. Simply due to geography, obviously not all of their fish is fresh (never frozen) but some is, so it doesn't hurt to ask! I've never gotten a piece of fish home that smelled or looked off (which has happened to me more than once at grocery store fish counters) and their prices are extremely fair. Honestly, I'm so incredibly thankful to have this locally based supplier, and it's great to be able to learn about fish cookery as I try and explore different types of seafood. I'd highly recommend visiting if you are at all a seafood lover, and I predict great things for Kate's in 2021 as they expand to the opposite end of the market with West Side Seafood, which will be a sister company to Kate's, and will be run by a former employee of the stand.

The only place to visit for the freshest and highest quality seafood in CLE.

Organic...Scottish...Salmon...My family members are spoiled brats that won't order salmon at a restaurant anymore because I can cook them the best salmon at home (what did I do to myself?). Also, when available the Lake Perch is outstanding! Usually, I need to get a few pin bones out of the perch myself but, I guess taking tweezers to a fish filet for a couple of minutes can be therapeutic. The best shrimp to get when available is their Never Frozen Florida Shrimp (ask for it, if they have it, PURCHASE!) I'm serious, if you sniff the never frozen shrimp, you can smell the freshness and THAT will make your dish superb. Fish tacos with their Haddock, grilled Escolar or Chilean Sea Bass with basic lemon butter sauce, Jumbo Scallops. Ok, I'm hungry, I'm done.

Bad experience! Today, I visited Kate's Fish in search of Porgies or Croaker fish. They had neither. My bad experience, however, was with the owner, Tom McIntyre. I approached the stand and said "excuse me" to Tom. He did not respond. Assuming Tom didn't here me, I said again "excuse me, are you the person I would place an order with"? Tom stared at me annoyingly, rolled his eyes, and said "just wait a minute" in a rude tone as he continued washing the fish basin. I told Tom "never mind" and walked to a close by stand for cooked food. Tom was not attentive, and he was rude. Also, the fish selection was no more than I could find at my local grocer. Kate's Fish just had higher prices. I didn't buy anything from Kate's Fish, nor will I return there. I refuse to spend my money with someone who does not respect me.

Very nice selection on weekends, including fresh skate fish, bronzini and frozen octopus. Good service.

Visited this stand two weekends in a row and seriously I don't think I want to buy fish anywhere else. I bought crab legs one visit and tiger shrimp the next. The seafood was very fresh. It's expensive, in my opinion, but for quality it's worth it.

I kind of feel sweet because I had swordfish. (Only because I've never actually had it before and it was delicious!) And, of course, it was from my new favorite fish shop in Cleveland, Kate's Fish. We're talking impeccable freshness in Northeast Ohio, but like we lived on the coast. Nom. The folks who work here are super nice too. Again, I must mention that although I love shopping the WSM, the people who man the food stands are typically rushed and flustered. But, Kate's Fish is an exception to the attitude. The service is speedy, but they'll actually take the time to give you cooking/recipe tips. You know, because nothing is worst than getting a gorgeous cut of fish and then ruining it! Seriously, if you're getting fish in C-Town, you should be getting it at Kate's Fish. You won't find better quality.

Hello little fish you look so happy and fresh pink gill and clear eye. No contest when it comes to fresh fish in the Westside Market and the rest of Cleveland's seafood purveyors. Everything always looks, and is, fresh. Everything is clearly marked, and I do not see anything in the overfished/endangered category. As of late, the pink Florida gulf shrimp are excellent, but my absolute fave, when available, are real homemade crab cakes. My gawd are they good! $4 each, and totally worth it. Beware of the "krabcake" or "krabbycake" you find elsewhere. The spelling is the giveaway. If it is purposely misspelled it is not made with real crab, but imitation crab meat and/or surimi. Just like "bluberries", "razberries" or "I Can't Believe its Not Butter". Really? You can't believe it? Have you tasted it? I can totally believe it. -Although "Country Crock" is somewhat aptly named. Sweet irony... These products are an affront to everything I hold gastronomically holy. But I digress. Kate's Fish does not disappoint. Carry on.

Kate's Fish is my go-to stand at the West Side Market for seafood. The fish is consistently fresh and the employees are very helpful with questions. I also really like how everything is clearly and consistently priced. They do a great job wrapping your purchase so it does not leak or otherwise intermingle with all the other items you inevitably purchase.

This is the only place I will buy seafood to cook at home. Period. It is always so fresh and over the years really trust what they provide. As a side note, I was surprised to see a few bad reviews about attitude on here because I always have excellent service. Sometimes I am a little intimidated by the strapping young men () with serious faces busily working, but they always patiently answer all my dumb questions like, how much do I need to buy, how should I cook it, what are their favorites...etc etc and give good advice as well. If this place wasn't here, I honestly probably wouldn't need to come to the market at all.

I was very impressed by the quality and freshness of the Scallops I picked up from here. Friendly staff behind the counter and reasonable price. I will always come here first when I need seafood.

I'm a fish snob because I lived in the Keys and on the coast of SC. I know what fresh fish is, and Kate's is the best in the region. I don't understand when people think that it costs too much. Good, fresh food costs more than previously frozen fish. Even in coastal areas, seafood isn't cheap. It takes a heck of a lot of work to bring fresh food to the market. Kate's is the real deal.

Tom, the owner had a very bad attitude when I asked him why the price of the fish was higher than it was the day before. Became argumentative. Very poor customer skills. Not sure what the chip he is carrying around on his shoulder. I miss his mother who was very understanding and would explain things. You may have decent fish Tom, but with the other options available at the market I prefer to deal with a vendor who is more personable. I see from other posts that I am not the only one to comment on this. Take some advice from your customers.

Kate's Fish is not closed, in fact, it is vibrant as ever. In no uncertain terms, it is not ony the BEST place to buy seafood at the Westside Market but in the entire city of Cleveland. The reasons are simple - by far the most unique and quality product offerings as well as the best service. I've gotten to know Tom and Eric because they treat you kindly but quickly and directly, wasting no time, making themselves available to tell you what incredible grade tuna they might have or tips on preparing something different. Of course, the bustle of the Market just makes the place that much cooler as you might bump into one of Kate's regulars (Ruhlman, Sawyer, etc.) as I have.

This is by far the best place to buy fish in Cleveland , They have lot of fish - Its better to Visit them on Friday evening since they get a lot of fish on Friday .

Went here for the sushi grade fish, not the restaurant. Disappointing. It seems that Northeast Ohio is not the place to look for sushi grade fish! No one has anything but salmon, Ahi tuna and maybe scallops. Same was true here even though I heard they had more. I had emailed them prior to going but they never even replied.

Best seafood in Cleveland. Period. Their prices are very reasonable and they have an amazing selection. Plus the staff, while they can be gruff at times, are extremely knowledgable and do a great job of making sure you get what you want whole moving the line along. I've had salmon, tuna, oysters, shrimp, anchovies, etc. from here and every time it's been spot on. Keep up the good work Kate's!

This is the best fish monger in the city! Great selection. The service can't be beat! Always fresh, beautifully displayed. And helpful! I literally plan my seafood dinners around when i can get to Kate's. Prices are right on market too!

Although growing up on boats and fishing most of my life, I have never liked fish until I bought salmon, calamari and seafood kabobs from Tom at Kate's Fish in The Westside Market. He explained to me that fish should never smell or taste "fishy" and if it does it is not fresh. From that point on, I only by seafood at Kate's Fish because product never smells off and always tastes fresh. I now eat salmon and like it because of Tom! Best tasting fish I ever bought or caught! Thanks Tom! I can finally get my Omega 3's with out it tasting bad!

Great variety of fish! Alternative to the expensive Wild King Salmon is the Organic Scottish Salmon which is fed a wild diet and is available at Kate's Fish and half of the price. I am half West Indian so I am always looking for King Fish which they have. The fish smells great. Never going to Giant Eagle for fish again! Halibut, Chilean Sea Bass, Black and Red Grouper. Snapper on deck and not the kind preserved with gas either. They also have Tilapia and Trout too... They keep several types of Oysters, escargot, mussels, Crab Legs, Black Tiger Shrimp, Prawns (Scampi), and fresh (never frozen) Pink Florida Shrimp, and Frozen Pink Florida Shrimp. A little pricey, but hey, worth it to me.

This place is pretty much my standard go to spot for seafood in Cleveland. Great Salmon. Good selection of fish. Good prices (they're always willing to negotiate a bit depending on how much and what you buy). Not much more you can ask for!

Kate's Fish has the very best quality and variety of seafood in Northeast Ohio. They always have a solid lineup of both lake and ocean fish, and an amazing shellfish selection. The staff is knowledgeable on source, quality, and cooking recommendations, which helps when you are trying something new. They are the premier spot if you want to enjoy fresh, high quality seafood at a reasonable cost. It's a ton of fun getting to see the weekly selections, whole fish, gorgeous fillets, delicious shellfish, and of course, the house made goodies - their house smoked salmon is, easily, one of my favorite foods in the world! Keep up the good work, KF!

Kate's Fish is absolutly terrible. I visited the west side market yesterday and my mother was disrespected. Tommy (the owner's son) had a very terrible attitude. My mother asked to see what a certain type of fish and he showed it to her. My mother asked him if he had any fresh non frozen fish and he said no and that all of the seafood products came from New Zealand and that it was all frozen. He immediately caught an attitude and rolled his eyes. My mother said that she just asked a question and that there was no need to get an attitude. He snapped at that point and said "Well you should have known!" My mothers feelings were hurt and she said "Well excuse me for not going to the university of fish." He immediately turned his back and said " Black B****" and repeatedly kept saying have a nice day in a sarcastic tone. My mother called the west side market management and a very nice lady automatically knew who we were talking about when we said "Kate's Fish". She said she would be in touch with Kate and she also apologized for Tommy's behavior. Tommy came over to us an apologized but you could tell it was not sincere. No one should ever have to experience rudeness like that. I wish i could put zero stars but sadly i cannot.

I have been leery of buying fish at WSM for a while now after I went to a cooking class at the Viking School and they told us it is rarely fresh fish. A friend convinced me to try Kate's so I did. Luckily I hit up Kate's on a day when they were selling Wild Caught King Salmon (at $29.99 a pound) and Wild Caught Alaskan Halibut (at $19.99 a pound). Usually they sell a lot of farm-raised fish and I won't buy that stuff. I prepared both over the weekend and they were outstanding pieces of fish. I am assuming it was previously frozen (most fish is these days) unless it's like the experience I had in a coastal town in Oregon where my piece of salmon was caught a few miles up the coast and was never frozen...damn that was good salmon...anyway...last week I bought Wild Alaskan Cod at Earth Fare and it was chock full of bones (pissed me off). I just hope Kate's continues to bring in wild caught fish. If so, I am a customer forever!

It's the best fish market I've found in Cleveland. I'm going on their word that the fish has never been frozen and is fresh. I can say that the texture, color, taste, and overall quality is excellent. Their fish is also sushi quality fish and I've served it raw to guests. If you let them know the intention is for sushi, they'll filet it for you and only wrap the fish that should be served as sushi. They also have a wide selection of fish, some organic, and even some seasonal, which adds to the variety.

Drove 3 hrs. to buy crab claws. Bought about $80 worth. Got home and prepared them. They smelled like ammonia! Couldn't eat them. If I lived closer I would have returned them.

My boyfriend and I stopped by Kate's Fish yesterday and bought their lobster tails. We made surf and turf for dinner last night and ohhhhh my...how delish those lobster tails were!! Amazingly awesome!! Fresh. I am so very picky about seafood and where I buy it. This was my first time to the Westside Market in probably 30 years. I was loving all the stands and deals. But Kate's Fish stood out among the seafood places as being "the" place because of the long line of people, and the happy customers. There was a little wait until our turn but the guys were all nice and courteous when they waited on us. You won't be disappointed at Kate's Fish!

Their seafood is good but every time I want to roll my own sushi they DO NOT respect my request to not touch the fish with their bare hands. I explain that I will not be cooking this fish, but they do not care and actually act like I am putting them out by expecting them to use a glove or the little square wax sheets to pick up the fish. They handle money all day and touch the fish. Gross.

I went to Kate's Fish yesterday. I asked for a Red Snapper fileted. They proceeded to weigh the entire fish....cut it... throw away the head and skeletal remains and charge me for the entire fish.... I'll go back to Seven Seas.

Great stand in market. Fish is of very high quality. Highly recommend.